Osteoporosis and epilepsy

Osteoporosis and epilepsy: The Dual Threat

Epilepsy can be a life-changing diagnosis for many people, and it is a very complicated illness, but it is not the only health problem for individuals with this condition. Osteoporosis is a health disorder that makes the bones weak with an increased likelihood of fractures. Some anti-seizure drugs may also affect absorption of calcium and vitamin D which are very important nutrients for bones. As a consequence, there will be an increased risk for low bone density and osteoporosis.

Managing your Bone Health

The relationship between the two conditions may be intense, but there are also ways for people to reduce the risk of developing osteoporosis with epilepsy in mind like:

Keeping your  bone disease monitored:

• It is important to remain in contact with your physician frequently and do the recommended bone density scans.
• Your physician needs to be informed of the drug types that you are using in order to know their effect on your bones.

Nutrition:

• Having a healthy diet that is sufficient in vitamin D and calcium.
• Try anti-osteoporosis diets that contain dairy products, green leaves and other foods rich in vitamins.
• If necessary, take medication under the supervision of your physician.

Lifestyle:

• To improve bone structure, it is important to perform weight-bearing styles of exercise such as walking, jogging or weight lifting.
• Time and again, do limit alcohol consumption, since heavy alcohol abuse stands to affect bone health adversely.
• Let go of smoking since it can cause accelerated bone loss.

Pharmacotherapy Framework:

• Consult with your physician on how best to control your antiepileptic drug.
• Try and, if possible, alternative medications or lower the dosage needed to cause minimum bone loss.

So, knowing the correlation between epilepsy and osteoporosis and taking appropriate actions towards achieving those goals will help the epileptic in eluding fractures. Remember, it is always best to employ a holistic approach that encompasses: medical intervention, dietary changes, and lifestyle changes and apply them all at once to manage both conditions in a more effective way.