A treatment for epilepsy that's as cheap as chips and not a ketogenic diet.

I did some research on PubMed about epilepsy and found something unexpected.

From https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Magnesium_sulfate

The art of magnesium transport.
"Patients with hypomagnesemia suffer from a wide range of symptoms including muscle cramps, cardiac arrhythmias and epilepsy."

See also Magnesium: Just as important as Calcium , The usual suspects and Depression: The similarity between magnesium and ketamine.

Fibromyalgia: It's the food, again! (probably).

From http://stickmancommunications.co.uk/Keyring-Card-Fibromyalgia

Serendipity strikes again! On Facebook, I saw https://www.facebook.com/PaleoDietNewZealand/posts/763653980371516 . That linked to Fibromyalgia and non‑celiac gluten sensitivity: a description with remission of fibromyalgia.

For people unfamiliar with scientific terms, here are some definitions:-
Non-celiac gluten sensitivity: A reaction to gluten, not due to Celiac (Coeliac in the U.K.) Disease.
Remission: (medicine) An abatement or lessening of the manifestations of a disease.

So, is Gliadorphin-7 (formed during the digestion of gluten) to blame?

Probably.

Could Beta CasoMorphin-7 (formed during the digestion of A1 cow's milk) also be a problem?

Possibly.

Is Increased/Excessive Intestinal Permeability allowing the above large molecules to pass through insufficiently tight junctions?

Definitely, maybe.

Is there really no cure for Fibromyalgia? It's possible to tighten-up insufficiently tight junctions. Insufficiently tight junctions can be caused by:-

1. Insufficient sun exposure, causing hypovitaminosis D. See http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/?term=%22Vitamin+D%22[All+Fields]+AND+%22tight%20junction%22+AND+hasabstract[text]

2. Excessive consumption of oils high in polyunsaturated fatty acids. See Dietary Fat Can Modulate Intestinal Tight Junction Integrity.

3. Excessive consumption of Wheat. See http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/?term=%22Wheat%22[All%20Fields]%20AND%20%22tight%20junction%22[All%20Fields]%20AND%20hasabstract[text]%20AND%20%22humans%22[MeSH%20Terms]

4. Excessive exercise. See Shedding Some Light on the Leaky Gut <> Exercise Connection. Plus: 20+ Things You Should or Shouldn't Do to Protect and Restore the Integrity of Your Intestinal Wall.

5. Lack of dietary Sulphur. See Sulphation and Autism: What are the links? A good source of sulphate is Epsom Salts.

See also Physiology and Immunology of Digestion.

And finally...
If a science person ever tells you "Increased/Excessive Intestinal Permeability a.k.a. "Leaky gut" just doesn't exist because, you know, I'm a scientist.", point out that it's an Appeal from authority fallacy, and demand that they provide high quality evidence to support their statement.

Because, you know, I'm a retired Electronic Engineer! :-)

Depression: The similarity between magnesium and ketamine in inducing amnesia for bad memories.

Here's a 2D-skeletal model of the ketamine molecule.

From http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Main_Page

Thanks to Emily Deans for bringing Ketamine, magnesium and major depression – From pharmacology to pathophysiology and back to my attention some time ago, in a Tweet.

"The link to the pathophysiology of depression is not clear. An overlooked connection is the role of magnesium, which acts as physiological NMDA-receptor antagonist:

1. There is overlap between the actions of ketamine with that of high doses of magnesium in animal models, finally leading to synaptic sprouting.

2. Magnesium and ketamine lead to synaptic strengthening, as measured by an increase in slow wave sleep in humans.

3. Pathophysiological mechanisms, which have been identified as risk factors for depression, lead to a reduction of (intracellular) magnesium. These are neuroendocrine changes (increased cortisol and aldosterone) and diabetes mellitus as well as Mg²⁺ deficiency.

4. Patients with therapy refractory depression appear to have lower CNS Mg²⁺ levels in comparison to health controls.

5. Experimental Mg²⁺ depletion leads to depression and anxiety-like behavior in animal models.

6. Ketamine, directly or indirectly via non-NMDA glutamate receptor activation, acts to increase brain Mg²⁺ levels. Similar effects have been observed with other classes of antidepressants.

7. Depressed patients with low Mg²⁺ levels tend to be therapy refractory. Accordingly, administration of Mg²⁺ either alone or in combination with standard antidepressants acts synergistically on depression like behavior in animal models.

I'm wondering whether the amnesia for vivid dreams (if you wake up in the middle of one) is mediated by magnesium, as amnesia is a ketamine-like effect.

Therefore, a deficiency in magnesium may cause bad memories to linger, increasing the risk factor for situational depression.

4g/day of Epsom Salts provides 400mg/day of Magnesium. Dissolve the Epsom Salts in warm water and add the solution to your drinks over a 24 hour period, to maximise absorption & minimise laxation.

See also Ketamine, and Mechanisms underlying differential effectiveness of memantine and ketamine in rapid antidepressant responses.