Magnesium to help control seizures ? - Epilepsy Message Board

Sherri5186 · 08-05-2006, 07:30 AM

Hi Everyone,

I just read a lil' about magnesium the other day in someone elses
thread,and that alot of people with epilepsy can be low on it.So,I
did quite a bit of research the past 2 days on it and found out that
some peoples seizures that are intractable have been able to be controlled
by taking magnesium.I even did a search under this website and the only
one that showed up was the one I read the other day,so I thought that I
would start a thread about this.I did find a few thread under some of the
other bulletin boards though.They even said that the people eventually were
able to go off the AED's altogether.Lamictal even has some magnesium in it.
I also started this thread to find out how many of you have ever tried it,and
has it worked for you? It also stated that if you are low on mag. that drinking
milk can deplete you even more of the magnesium.
One of the other BB that I read,a mother stated that her sons epilepsy could
not be controlled with any of the meds. but magnesium did it.
Please any other comments or knowledge on this subject, I would find very
interesting and would be appreciated.

neurowreck · 08-05-2006, 02:13 PM

Would get a lab test first before using supplements without your MDs knowledge, or you could mess up an 'imbalance' that wasn't there to begin with. Magnesium deficiency or excess can cause seizures, but these aren't common- get the lab test first

Sherri5186 · 08-07-2006, 07:28 AM

Hi Neuro,

Just curious where you read that too much magnesium can
cause seizures? I read that the worse an excess could do
was give you diarhea.
In another forum, a lady said that she had tried every medicine
out there for her 4 year old son (as I have) and that it was her
doctor that had suggested magnesium. I am going to have my magnesium
tested since nothing else seems to work.Thanks for the concern.
My seizures are catamenial and I also read that your magnesium can get
very low during menstruation.
Take care.

neurowreck · 08-07-2006, 05:43 PM

Magnesium is used as a laxative (milk of magnesia, oral mag sulfate, etc), antacid, but is also a major mineral for muscle contractions, enzyme reactions, and nerve transmission, so any imbalance can cause neurological problems, depending on the severity. And, not having enough can cause neuro problems- depending on the severity.

Mag Sulfate is a standard med given to treat pre-eclampsia (high blood pressure in pregnancy), and some types of seizures-eclampsia (seizures from high blood pressure in pregnancy)- however, lab results would be needed prior to starting anyone not pregnant on magnesium to know where they were starting from. Because of all of the 'real' anticonvulsants, mag sulfate is almost exclusively used for seizures or symptoms of pre-eclampsia/eclampsia in pregnancy.....it would have to be a last ditch option for most types of seizures, unless there were an enzyme/biochemical need for magnesium for that type of seizure- with over 100 types of seizure syndromes, and the biochemical reasons for some, I can't give you the exact types of seizures that would be prime candidates for magnesium- but it's not a general epileptic 'medication' (mineral).

The side effects are known to be VERY lousy (pregnant women go through h*ll during treatment to save their babies with this), and is not an easy med to take at the doses needed to provide anticonvulsant properties....the stuff at the drugstore is weenie doses, and essentially pointless for most people.

SO, it IS an anticonvulsant, but the doses needed excede the tolerance most people would have for the side effects, and, other more specific medications for seizures are available, and more targeted for certain types of seizures. Unless I was pregnant and had life-threatening blood pressure that would likely kill me or my baby, there's no way I'd take it, with the side effects, when there are other meds out there for epilepsy.

Also, it's not available except for IV or injection doses in the amounts needed to stop seizures...
The only oral uses are laxatives and mineral supplements (the weenie drugstore doses)- and if magnesium isn't taken in a ratio with other minerals, it's not absorbed well orally.

neurowreck · 08-07-2006, 05:52 PM

As far as where I read this (sorry- forgot to answer that

), professional nutrition textbook, professional medication reference books, and other books that would give away my profession, which I'm not allowed to do on this board.....