The C.A.M. Report
Complementary and Alternative Medicine: Fair, Balanced, and to the Point
  • About this web log

    This blog ran from 2006 to 2016 and was intended as an objective and dispassionate source of information on the latest CAM research. Since my background is in pharmacy and allopathic medicine, I view all CAM as advancing through the development pipeline to eventually become integrated into mainstream medical practice. Some will succeed while others fail. But all are treated fairly here.

  • About the author

    John Russo, Jr., PharmD, is president of The MedCom Resource, Inc. Previously, he was senior vice president of medical communications at www.Vicus.com, a complementary and alternative medicine website.

  • Common sense considerations

    The material on this weblog is for informational purposes. It is not medical advice or counsel. Be smart, consult your health professional before using CAM.

  • Recent Posts

  • Recent Comments

    The need for vitamin D in people with epilepsy

    During the First North American Regional Epilepsy Congress, researchers from the University of Texas reported that men with epilepsy who take enzyme-inducing antiepileptic drugs (AEDs) have lower levels of vitamin D and calcium, plus higher parathyroid hormone (PTH) levels.

    The AEDs involved included the following.

    • Carbamazepine (Carbatrol)
    • Oxcarbazepine (Trileptal)
    • Phenobarbital
    • Phenytoin (Dilantin)
    • Primidone (Mysoline)

    Each induces the activity of the P450 system enzyme 3A4.

    The study included more than 200 men who had taken antiepilepsy medicine for about 20 years. The changes reported in the blood levels of vitamin D, calcium, and PTH among the men taking these drugs were similar to that seen in people with hyperparathyroidism.

    The bottom line?
    Anyone taking these AEDs might want to consider talking with their doctor about the need for vitamin D supplements to prevent osteoporosis. The Medscape article has more details.

    12/19/06 23:04 JR

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