Common Nutritional Supplements used in Epilepsy:

Deficiency of folate (the naturally occurring form of folic acid and a form of vitamin B complex ) can be caused by some anti-epileptic drugs sometimes leading to abnormalities in red blood cell formation. Folate deficiency can also lead to serious birth defects called neural tube defects  which happen very early in the pregnancy, often before a woman knows she is pregnant.

Folic acid – No more than 2,500 micrograms for children ages 5-15
400-5,000 micrograms for adults
1,600 micrograms for women of childbearing age on anti-epilepstic drugs
3,000 micrograms for women on anti-epileptic drugs who are planning to become pregnant, taken for 3 months before stopping birth control (requires a prescription)

Selenium

The mineral selenium is another nutrient, which act as scavenger for free radicals, having antioxidant properties and also appears to help control seizures in some children. It was found that some children with severe, uncontrollable seizures and repeated infections have low blood levels of glutathione peroxidase, a selenium-dependent antioxidant enzyme. 

Selenium – 50-150 micrograms for children / 50-200 micrograms for adults

Vitamin E

It is believe that vitamin E could be helpful for some kinds of seizures. In children, whose seizures initially could not be controlled by medication, seizure frequency was found to decrease in 60-100% of the children when they took 400 international units of d-alpha-tocopherol acetate per day for three months in addition to their regular medication. Animals given vitamin E are more resistant to seizures induced by pressurized oxygen, iron and certain chemicals. And clinical studies show that people taking anti-epileptic drugs have reduced blood levels of vitamin E. 

Vitamin E apparently has no direct anti-epileptic action but act as a scavenger and take up free radicals protecting the membranes of brain cells in some forms of epilepsy such as post-traumatic seizures. In animals, seizures can be induced by chemicals (e.g. ferrous chloride) that produce free radicals.

Vitamin E (d-alpha-tocopherol acetate)  – 400 international units for children ages 3 and over (d-alpha-tocopherol acetate) / 400-600 international units for adults (d-alpha-tocopherol acetate)

Other nutritional supplements that may be useful in epilepsy.

L-Taurine & L-tyrosine (amino-acids) 500mg three times a day (Important for proper brain function.)

Magnesium – 700 mg taken between meals on an empty stomach with apple cider vinegar or betaine HCL. 

Vitamin B6 ( Pyridoxine ) – 100-600 mg daily in divided doses under supervision. (All B vitamins are extremely important in the central nervous system.)

Vitamin B12  – 200 mcg. dissolved under the tongue twice daily, on an empty stomach. 

Calcium – 1500mg daily (Important in normal nerve transmission.)

Vitamin B complex with extra
vitamin B6
and
vitamin B12
and
folic acid
and pantothenic acid         50mg daily
and
niacin

Zinc – 50-80mg daily (Valuable in RNA/DNA synthesis)

Germanium – 200mg daily (Improves cellular oxidation.)

Chromium – 200mcg daily (Important in cerebral sugar metabolism. Picolinate form is effective.)

Vitamin A – 25,000 IU daily.(An important antioxidant that aids in protecting brain function.)

Vitamin C plus bioflavoids – 2000-7000mg daily in divided doses. (Vital to functioning of adrenal gland, which is the anti-stress gland.)

Tell Somebody!
Share!