Seizures are very common in autism and activated vitamin D reduces the seizure threshold by making brain tissue less likely to seize. A controlled study found vitamin D reduced the incidence of seizures in patients with intractable seizures (as does magnesium sulfate - Epsom salts - as a bath or medically infused/injected). - page 21
Additionally, “I don’t know how many seizure patients I’ve gotten off their medicines by just getting them off MSG and giving them magnesium (preferably magnesium taurate with vitamins B6 and D3 to ensure utilization). They quit having seizures. They were on maximum dosages of medications and still having seizures. Most neurologists and neurosurgeons that treat seizures are not aware of this.” - Dr. Russell Blaylock, MD.
“MSG toxicity - taurine deficiency link theory is my own. I developed the theory over ten years ago. At first in my research of glutamate toxicity and its effect on cardiovascular health, most of the neuro scientific data at the time linked glutamate toxicity to its effect on the amino acid cysteine. (Glutamate and cysteine compete for uptake in the body.) I then was given an article about the amino acid taurine by a colleague. That was the link. Taurine deficiency symptoms are the exact same symptoms of MSG reaction, particularly, a racing heart. (Taurine is the amino acid that regulates heartbeat.) When I realized that the body manufactures taurine from cysteine, the pieces fell into place. I then tested my theory. The next MSG reaction I had, I took taurine in pill form. The headache went away, the racing heart calmed down, the blood pressure went down, and I was able to sleep. Since that time, I have used it quite often and always keep some handy as an "antidote". It is interesting to note, that now taurine is being used in Japan to treat high blood pressure.- page 21
Furthermore, viruses are causative: “There are over 20 viruses that have been shown to cause seizures in people, including many that are ubiquitous and known to have latent states, with Epstein Barr, other Herpes viruses, influenza, Coxsackie, measles, and mumps being among them. I am personally of the opinion that chronic latent viruses which have an affinity for glial cells are the main underlying cause of idiopathic epilepsy.” - John B. Symes, D.V.M. - page 22
One Mom wrote: “I am a parent of two children with pyridoxine dependent seizures. I was very pleased to see the inclusion of a trial of pyridoxine for unexplained seizures in children under two years old. Our first child was initially diagnosed as having idiopathic, infantile spasms at six months of age. It was not until eight years later when his sister developed infantile spasms at the age of six months that the correct diagnosis was made in both children. (I had to suggest the trial of pyridoxine.) Our son had been seen at several major medical centers across the United States but pyridoxine dependency was not considered because the seizures were controlled by very high doses of Klonipin. Even though pyridoxine, 100 mg/day, completely stopped the seizures in our daughter within three days, increasing the dose to 150 mg/day (10 mg/kg/day) in two divided doses had an even more remarkable effect, especially in improving her verbalization and alertness. She is now almost three years old and doing very well. Our son has improved by several grade levels in the last two years on a similar dosing schedule.
“Both children started having seizures within a few weeks of my stopping breastfeeding. Since I had continued my prenatal vitamins and large amounts of pyridoxine are secreted in breast milk, this probably had a protective effect. Therefore, a history of severe seizures beginning soon after breastfeeding stops may be worth noting. I have found about twenty families over the last several months who have children with this disorder. Almost always, there have been significant delays in getting to the correct diagnosis. Several families had already lost a child before having the correct diagnosis made in a sibling later. Pyridoxine dependency is probably more common than previously thought, and significant improvement may be seen with appropriate treatment even if the diagnosis is delayed.” - page 33
Children receiving DPT show three times as many seizures as is the norm for children. A similar increase 3.3 times the norm occurred within four to seven days following MMR. - page 66
Dr. Robert Fried found that hyperventilation (low CO2, high alkalinity) precedes seizures and results in arterial constriction, including brain arteries, and spasms. This reduces blood flow and oxygen supply to the brain. This affects the brain’s metabolism, therefore its function. Giving mineral carbonates often can control these seizures. - page 96
Further, remember that magnesium raises the threshold for seizures, greatly reducing the chance of seizures and of migraine headaches. Throughout this paper, I have stressed the great need for magnesium supplementation. This need is all the more evident when we realize that a USDA survey found only 25% of us receive even the pitifully inadequate RDA amounts, while 39% received less than 70% of RDA! Furthermore, we know that stress (and you and your kid are stressed to the max) greatly increases magnesium excretion, as does many medications and many chronic diseases such as heart failure, lung diseases, MS, diabetes, and other neurodegenerative diseases. - page 109
For additional helps for seizures, see Dr. Donna Andrew’s website at www.andrewsreiter.com. She has epilepsy. However, she has not had a seizure in 25+ years. She taught her brain not to go into convulsions. This woman has dedicated her life to teaching others how to be seizure-free. - page 118