Epilepsy: Half of all victims are deficient in vitamin D

Almost every week a new piece of research finds out something else about the importance of vitamin D to our health.  Now researchers have discovered that nearly half of all epileptics are deficient in the vitamin, which also increases their risk of osteoporosis, auto-immune disease, cancer, and heart disease.

Around one-third of the general population is vitamin D deficient, but researchers fear the problem is worsened in epileptics by the anti-epileptic drugs they are given.  The lifestyle of epileptics could also make their deficiency worse as they may go outdoors less frequently.

(Source: American Epilepsy Society 61st annual meeting: Abstract 3.337. November 30-December 4, 2007).

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