Epilepsy Talk

Brain Food For Your Health… | March 31, 2022

Please understand, I am NOT saying that these supplements will cure, treat or prevent epilepsy — but I am saying that we folks with epilepsy have to do everything we can for our brain health.

And these supplements can help a lot with that.

In fact, the nutrients they contain are so important for your brain cells, you really should seriously consider them. That’s how strongly I feel.  And the science backs me up.

B Complex Vitamins — without a question, they are the star of all vitamins. In sufficient quantities, especially those that combine B6, B12, folic acid, thiamine and biotin, they are vital to the production of numerous brain chemicals.

Like the neurotransmitters which serve as the chemical message bearers between your nervous system and brain.

The most efficient way to make use of this “brain food,” is to take it in a B complex form, since this contains all the vitamins in the B group.  And when combined, they work synergistically together.

Take a single B-50 B complex tablet twice a day with food.

Each dose should contain 50 micrograms of vitamin B12 and biotin, 400 micrograms of folic acid, and 50 milligrams each of all the other B vitamins.

Quality vitamins and minerals can be supplemented with any of the nutrients listed below.

Some of them are already included in your B complex. Take a look at the list below and weigh the benefits before deciding on further supplements…

400 mcg. Folic Acid — folic acid is recommended by doctors since it’s destroyed by many anti-epilepsy drugs and is necessary for normal neurological function.

It sometimes reduces seizure frequency and it often improves mood, intellectual speed, alertness, concentration, self-confidence, independence and sociability.

And folic acid in pregnant women (both before and during pregnancy) can help prevent major birth defects of the baby’s brain and spine.

250-400 IU (international units) Vitamin E — vitamin E has been indicated in research to reduce seizure rate by as much as 50%.

It has even been reported to reduce seizure frequency in patients with intractable epilepsy.

Deficiency will result in apathy, irritability and lack of concentration. It generally works best when combined with 50 to 200 mcg. of selenium.

500-1500mg. Calcium — is useful in the treatment of epilepsy because of its sedative effects which are calming and relaxing to the nervous system. And, of course, there’s the matter of your bone health.

Calcium works best when combined with 400mg. of magnesium.  Or you can get pills combining calcium and magnesium.

10g. Vitamin D — a recent study showed that 44.5% of epilepsy patients — men and women — were vitamin D deficient, putting these people at potential increased risk for a wide variety of conditions, including osteoporosis, autoimmune disease, cancer, cardiovascular disease, and infectious disease, among others.

In addition, people with epilepsy, memory problems, dementia and Alzheimer’s are often deficient in vitamin D.

Even if you sit out in the sun all day, it’s not possible to get enough!

2 g. Fish Oil (with high levels of EPA and DHA) —polyunsaturated omega-3 fatty acids EPA and DHA — found in abundance in natural fish oils and supplements — can be beneficial in the treatment of nearly every illness, especially neurological, cognitive and psychological disorders.

These essential fatty acids are some of the most important building-blocks for our brains, and neurons are much more likely to misfire in the event of omega-3 deficiency.

Because of the many discoveries relating omega-3 fats to improved brain function, it’s no wonder that many people with epilepsy are turning to fish oil as a natural therapy.

300 mg. Coenzyme Q10 (taken with a meal) — cases of coenzyme Q10 deficiency can cause weakness, fatigue, and seizures.

Research has found that supplementing with a coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10) can improve those symptoms.

Because it is essential for sustaining life and healthy cell development, coenzyme Q10 has therapeutic benefits in the treatment of symptoms associated with cell, immune, brain, heart, muscle and nerve disorders.

Additionally, this compound treats two types of seizures affected by cell dysfunction — both generalized (including myoclonic and tonic-clonic) and partial seizures.

500 mg. Acetyl-L-Carnitine — Acetyl-L-Carnitine energizes the brain and increases the levels of important neurotransmitter chemicals needed for memory, focus, and learning.

Research shows that it also prevents and repairs the damage done to brain cells caused by stress and poor nutrition.

Because of these three benefits, Acetyl-L-Carnitine dramatically improves mental concentration and mental energy.

It is a natural component of our brain’s chemistry, but the body only makes it in small amounts. So supplementing with it is highly recommended for optimal brain function.

It is also suggested that Acetyl-L-Carnitine can prevent side effects caused by Valproic Acid (Depacon, Depakene, Depakote), seizure medications.

Conversely, Acetyl-L-Carnitine can raise the risk for seizures, although this is rarely shown in clinical studies.

Magnesium — a vital component of epilepsy recovery, and many believe that magnesium deficiency is the root cause of epileptic seizures.

Lots of people choose to supplement with magnesium using epsom salt (magnesium sulphate).

Potassium — for optimal brain and nerve function. 

Potassium helps carry oxygen to the brain and keeps the brain  and nerves working at their best to allow for clarity of thought.

It also helps carry impulses from the brain to the large muscles.

Zinc — a deficiency has been shown to cause seizures.

A study that was published in 1990, showed that this could be quickly corrected with adequate zinc supplementation.

Many epilepsy sufferers have noted significant improvements in their condition with zinc intake.

The bottom line is: think about what you put into your body.  It can dramatically improve your brain health and, in some cases, seizure tolerance.

Brain Food. It’s as simple as the second letter of the alphabet!

PLEASE TALK WITH YOUR DOCTOR BEFORE TAKING ANY VITAMINS, MINERALS OR NUTRITIONAL SUPPLEMENTS, TO AVOID ANY ADVERSE INTERACTIONS WITH YOUR MEDICATIONS.

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Resources:

https://www.healthline.com/health/natural-treatments-epilepsy#vitamins

https://www.epilepsy.com/article/2017/11/what-vitamins-and-minerals-should-be-taken-along-dietary-therapy

http://www.webmd.com/vitamins-supplements/ingredientmono-1026-L-CARNITINE.aspx?activeIngredientId=1026&activeIngredientName=L-CARNITINE

http://known-causes-seizures.blogspot.com/2009/02/nutrition-and-epilepsy-go-hand-in-hand.html

http://www.cidpusa.org/epilepsy%20nutrition.htm

http://www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/folicacid/index.html

http://drrobertmelillo.com/2017/05/31/nutrition-brain-potassium/

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