Connect with others who understand.

Sign up Log in
Resources
About MyEpilepsyTeam
Powered By

Vitamin D and Epilepsy: Benefits and Uses

Medically reviewed by Evelyn O. Berman, M.D.
Written by Anika Brahmbhatt
Posted on June 28, 2021

What Is Vitamin D? | Vitamin D Levels | Does It Reduce Seizures? | Get Support

If you have epilepsy, you may be curious about the role vitamin D plays in terms of seizure activity. As one MyEpilepsyTeam member asked, “Does anyone use vitamins like vitamin D to control seizures?” Another said, “Is anyone taking vitamins? What kind do you think is best?”

It’s important to understand whether there are any connections between vitamin D intake and epilepsy symptoms and if you should do anything to evaluate whether you have enough vitamin D in your diet.

What Is Vitamin D?

Vitamin D is a nutrient that your body needs to make your muscles move, help your nerves send signals, and allow your immune system to fight off bacteria and viruses that can make you sick. Vitamin D is also important so bones can absorb the calcium they need to be strong and healthy.

There are two kinds of vitamin D: vitamin D2 and vitamin D3. Vitamin D2 is mostly found in plants, mushrooms, and yeast. Vitamin D3 can be found in oily fish and is also made in the body during sun exposure. Additionally, vitamin D3 is later converted to 25-hydroxy-cholecalciferol, which helps turn on and off the genes that allow vitamin D to carry out its function in the body.

According to the Cleveland Clinic, foods that are good sources of vitamin D include:

  • Beef liver
  • Fortified cereal
  • Fish (such as salmon, sardines, swordfish, and cod liver oil)
  • Egg yolks
  • Fortified milk and orange juice

Your body breaks vitamin D down into its active form, called 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D — which is also known as calcitriol and can be found as a supplement. This active form of vitamin D can affect the cells involved in the immune system.

Vitamin D Levels in People With Epilepsy

People with epilepsy are often curious about the effects of vitamin D on seizure disorders and other neurological conditions.

According to a 2016 study, vitamin D is important for many aspects of brain development, including cell growth, cell differentiation, and neuroprotection. Vitamin D3, for example, corresponds to specific vitamin D receptors and enzymes in the central and peripheral nervous systems. People with epilepsy often do not have enough vitamin D3, the study authors wrote.

Researchers have also found that vitamin D levels can drop as a result of drug therapy for epilepsy, despite the medications’ positive anticonvulsant effects. Many people who take antiepileptic drugs (AEDs) are vitamin D-deficient, potentially because some anti-seizure medications disrupt how the body processes vitamin D.

Additionally, there is a high prevalence of osteoporosis in people with epilepsy, potentially because of vitamin D3 deficiency. Some AEDs reduce levels of this vitamin as a side effect. Research of people with epilepsy found these individuals face a sixfold risk for bone fracture compared with the normal population. This finding is likely due to frequent falls, reduced bone density, and low levels of vitamin D3.

Other potential dangers can come with vitamin D insufficiency. For example, sudden unexpected death in epilepsy (SUDEP) may be linked to cardiovascular health. A 2010 study found that sudden cardiac death was twice as high for those with vitamin D levels below 20 ng/dL compared to individuals with levels above 20 ng/dL.

Does Vitamin D Supplementation Help Reduce Seizures?

Research has shown that vitamin D supplementation may help reduce seizures in people with epilepsy. One 2012 study found that increasing vitamin D intake helped reduce seizures in people with epilepsy by a median of 40 percent.

Vitamin D may help protect against seizures because it upregulates anticonvulsant growth factors, such as neurotrophic factors. These are molecules that enhance the growth and survival potential of neurons. In other words, vitamin D helps strengthen the anticonvulsive effects of molecules within your body.

Although many previous studies have shown promising results, neurology researchers emphasize the importance of further clinical trials to investigate the effectiveness of vitamin D on people with epilepsy.

Talk to your health care team if you’re considering adding vitamin D supplements to your diet. Data suggests that taking vitamin D supplements can be helpful for people with epilepsy, but you can also run the risk of taking too much.

The Office of Dietary Supplements warns that too much vitamin D can cause nausea and vomiting, muscle weakness, confusion, pain, dehydration, and kidney stones, among other side effects. Vitamin D can also interact with some medications, so don’t start any supplementation plan before speaking with your physician.

Talk With People Who Understand

On MyEpilepsyTeam, the social network and online support group for people with epilepsy and their loved ones, members discuss the chronic nature of the disease. Here, more than 108,000 members from across the world come together to ask questions, offer advice and support, and share stories with others who understand life with epilepsy.

Are you using vitamin D to help with epilepsy symptoms? Share your experience in the comments below, or start a conversation on MyEpilepsyTeam.

Posted on June 28, 2021

A MyEpilepsyTeam Member

Although disposable, I would talk with your doctors. I take Calcium with D3 since my compression fracture in 2017.

September 14
All updates must be accompanied by text or a picture.

We'd love to hear from you! Please share your name and email to post and read comments.

You'll also get the latest articles directly to your inbox.

This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service.
All updates must be accompanied by text or a picture.

Subscribe now to ask your question, get answers, and stay up to date on the latest articles.

Get updates directly to your inbox.

This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service.

How Is Too Much For An Epileptic

October 20, 2023 by A MyEpilepsyTeam Member 1 answer

Vitamin D , Xcopri, Lamotrigine

November 5, 2023 by A MyEpilepsyTeam Member 8 answers

How Does Someone Get Tested To Know If They Have Sufficient Levels Of Vitamin D In Their Body?

November 5, 2023 by A MyEpilepsyTeam Member 5 answers

I've Been Taking Vitamin D Supplements For Years.

December 4, 2023 by A MyEpilepsyTeam Member 34 answers

I Was Told That Epilepsy Was Inherited. Is That True?

February 3, 2024 by A MyEpilepsyTeam Member 5 answers

I’ve Been Hearing A Lot About B Vitamins For Epilepsy. Does Anyone Have Any Experience With Using B Vitamins And DHA?

March 11, 2024 by A MyEpilepsyTeam Member 11 answers

What Should A Good Vitamin D Level Be? My PCP And Neurologist Don't Quite Agree

March 13, 2024 by A MyEpilepsyTeam Member 3 answers
Evelyn O. Berman, M.D. is a neurology and pediatric specialist and treats disorders of the brain in children. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network. Learn more about her here.
Anika Brahmbhatt is an undergraduate student at Boston University, where she is pursuing a dual degree in media science and psychology. Learn more about her here.

Related Articles

If your child is living with epilepsy, you might be presented with a lengthy list of treatment op...

5 Factors in Choosing Epilepsy Treatments for Your Child

If your child is living with epilepsy, you might be presented with a lengthy list of treatment op...
4 Ways To Reduce the Cost of Medication The price of medication affects the quality of life f...

4 Ways To Reduce the Cost of Medication (VIDEO)

4 Ways To Reduce the Cost of Medication The price of medication affects the quality of life f...
For children and adults living with epilepsy, taking daily anti-seizure medication is essential —...

6 Tips on Taking Epilepsy Medications for Kids and Adults

For children and adults living with epilepsy, taking daily anti-seizure medication is essential —...
Sticking to your medication schedule is an essential step in controlling your epilepsy. But in so...

What Should You Do if You Vomit Your Seizure Medication?

Sticking to your medication schedule is an essential step in controlling your epilepsy. But in so...
Have you ever wondered about the difference between Epidiolex, the first cannabidiol-based prescr...

CBD Oils vs. Epidiolex: How Are They Different?

Have you ever wondered about the difference between Epidiolex, the first cannabidiol-based prescr...
When you hear some people talking about turmeric, it sounds like there’s nothing this spice can’t...

Turmeric and Epilepsy: Can It Help With Seizures?

When you hear some people talking about turmeric, it sounds like there’s nothing this spice can’t...

Recent Articles

Many people living with epilepsy also experience mental health challenges, and bipolar disorder i...

Bipolar Disorder and Epilepsy: What’s the Connection?

Many people living with epilepsy also experience mental health challenges, and bipolar disorder i...
Parents, caregivers, and clinicians can help shape a child’s attitude about epilepsy from an ea...

The Epilepsy Transition to Adulthood: How To Help Your Child

Parents, caregivers, and clinicians can help shape a child’s attitude about epilepsy from an ea...
The brain contains billions of nerve cells — called neurons — that communicate with one another b...

Can Seizures Cause Brain Damage? 4 Types That Pose a Risk

The brain contains billions of nerve cells — called neurons — that communicate with one another b...
Epilepsy refers to a spectrum of neurological disorders that involve recurring seizures. It’s als...

Causes of Epilepsy

Epilepsy refers to a spectrum of neurological disorders that involve recurring seizures. It’s als...
Service animals for epilepsy are usually highly trained dogs that can sense oncoming seizures a...

Service Animals and Epilepsy

Service animals for epilepsy are usually highly trained dogs that can sense oncoming seizures a...
If you love and care for someone who has been diagnosed with epilepsy, you know how stressful it ...

8 Ways To Care for Yourself as an Epilepsy Caregiver

If you love and care for someone who has been diagnosed with epilepsy, you know how stressful it ...

Thank you for subscribing!

Become a member to get even more: