Dr. Holick’s Responses to Participant Questions During the December 5, 2008 Live Webinar Presentation “Vitamin D & Chronic Disease Risk”

Posted by mfholick on March 6, 2009 under Cancer, Multiple Sclerosis, Osteomalacia, Osteoporosis, Rickets, Vitamin D | 57 Comments to Read

VITAMIN D AND DISEASE STATES

 

EPILEPSY

 

I have heard that vitamin D may play a role in epilepsy, possibly due to interaction with anti-epileptic drugs.  Is this becoming an acknowledged effect?  And how much vitamin D is necessary to combat the interaction to reduce seizures?

Response:  Epileptic drugs will enhance the destruction of vitamin D making patients who are on anti-seizure medications at higher risk for developing vitamin D deficiency and osteomalacia or rickets.  Measurement of 25-hydroxyvitamin D [25(OH)D] is important in patients on antiepileptic medications.  Often twice as much vitamin D is required to maintain a blood level of  25(OH)D of > 30 ng/ml.  Thus, 2,000-4,000 IU of vitamin D/d is usually needed.  An alternative is to take 50,000 IU of vitamin D2 either once every week or once every two weeks depending on the serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D level.

 

MENTAL HEALTH

 

What is your position on vitamin D and depression and schizophrenia?

Response:  There is evidence that vitamin D deficiency during pregnancy increases the risk of the child developing schizophrenia during their adult life.  There is also evidence that vitamin D receptors exist in the brain, and that the active form of vitamin D, 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D, Read more of this article »