I have seen mutliple threads/posts about people having issues with headaches and twiches.
Please read the below info.
http://www.doctorslounge.com/neurology/forums/backup/topic-861.html

Person was having twiches and headaches.---

After reading your thread, I wonder if you're having what is called tetany. Tetany is usually caused by hypocalcemia or low calcium in the blood. There could be various causes for hypocalcemia including hypoparathyroidism, Vitamin D deficiency [caused by poor intake, chronic renal insufficiency, or reduced exposure to sunlight], hypomagnesemia, drugs, etc.

Again it is amazing how many people have different deficiencies, diseases based in def.(anemia, ITP, Osteo,etc) or symptoms that may very likely due to deficiency.

OK so the first half of the tests are in.

My husband has higher EPA and DHA levels. These are the two components of fish oil. Currently, he is on 6 pills of HIGH dose fish oil per day, each pill containing 647mg EPA & 253mg DHA. So we are going to take him to 4 pills per day.

He was low or deficient in Palmitic Acid and A-Linolenic Acid. He was on the very edge with his Vit D which is concerning to me because he is normally on 800IU Vit D + 600IU in his multivitamin = 1400IU of vit D per day ...and he is on the edge of being deficient!!

His B levels came back smack dab in the middle of normal. This is very good but I do want to point out what he is normally taking.

1.) Multivitamin (Mega Greens) B1=25mg(1667% daily value), B2=25mg(1471%dv), B6=25mg(1250%dv), B12=250mcgram(4167%)
This multi-vitamin also has 400mcg Folic Acid(100%dv) and D2 600IU (150%dv), no D3

PLUS
2.) B Complex Vitamin that contains: B1=50mg (3333%dv), B2=50mg (2941%dv), B6=50mg(2500%), B12=50mcg(833%)+ Folic Acid 400mcg(100%)

3.) + Vit D 800IU(200% dv)

4.) + Folic Acid 800mcg (200% dv)


Basically, he is taking multivitamin to cover basic needs. Then mega dose of B vitamins, fish oil, Vit D and folic acid. In taking MUCH higher levels of these vitamins his levels are all in the middle of normal. Except for fish oil which is high and of course the Vit D that he needs to TAKE even MORE of to keep from being deficient.
So I wonder what these levels would be if he was NOT on all these vitamins. More to point why does he need mega doses to be in the middle of normal????

I wonder what the levels of these vitamins are for others who have MS and are NOT taking all these extra vitamins??

I am already ordering Palmitic Acid and A-Linolenic Acid suppliments as well as giving him EVEN more vit D. I am going to give him something with D3 since I am already giving him D2. Again we will reduce his fish oils down to 4 high dose pills per day.

He was relapsing every 2 months for about 9-10 months after dx. Then we add all these vitamins and took out 90% of the wheat and within about 45 days there were big changes. He lost 15 lbs, lost the black circles under his eyes. He could walk 1 mile longer and 1 mile faster (2.4 to 3.5mph) and at the higher speed had MUCH less foot drop, it was VERY noticeable. Since then he has had slight decrease function in bladder control and fatigue but not much for 2 YEARS now. Are all these vitamins helping to compensate for a mal-absorption issue??

Again, the second half of tests will be done mid July and probably will not get results until mid Aug.
I will post all results here.

If you get any info PLEASE post.

Oh yeah niacin test is still not back yet will post when I get this info.

Main Point I am going to ask the nutritionist about is WHY does he need MEGA doses of these 4-5 vitamins for him to be mid range normal???
(IE B6 Range 6.2-39.0 He is 15.1 even though he is taking 3750%dv of B6)

Except vit D which he still is almost deficient in AFTER taking 1400IU Vit D daily????

Again please post if you have any info.

So if anyone is interested in if absorption problem is contributing to MS, subdiseases(ITP, anemia, osteop.,etc) or symptoms like muscle twiches(low calcium). Then get the below tests.
1) Homocysteine,Methyl MalonicAcid,25 hydrox-Vit B12 (B12 in the cell itself)
2) DEXA
3)CBC(includes Diff/Plt)
4)Comprehensive Metabolic Panel w/Egfr
3) Tsh, 3rd Generation
4)Lipid Panel
5)Folate, Serum
6)Vitamin B12 (blood refrig)
7) Magnesium
8)Celiac Disease
9)Helicobater Pylori lgg Antibody (infection in intestines)
10)Copper
11)Selenium (frozen)
12)Zinc
13)Fatty Acid Profile, Essential S (frozen)
14)Vitamin B1, whole blood (fozen)
15)Vitamin B2 (frozen)
16) Niacin (frozen)
17) Vitamin B6 (frozen)
18) Vitamin D with DOH
19) Calcium
20) Potassium

Please post any results

Link to info on muscle twiches
http://dailystrength.org/c/Multiple-Sclerosis-MS/forum/3605818-twiches-amp-headaches-read

Many people with MS complain of something they call "Brain Fog." You forget where you leave your keys, raise their hand to ask a question and forget what they wanted to ask, little short term memory.

Alzheimers has some of these same symptoms.
Thought the below information was VERY INTERESTING...

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2001/05/010508083559.htm

Ties Vitamin B12 And Folate Deficiencies With Alzheimer's Disease
ScienceDaily (May 8, 2001) ST. PAUL, MN People with low levels of B12 or folate may have a higher risk of developing Alzheimer's disease, according to a study in the May 8 issue of Neurology, the scientific journal of the American Academy of Neurology.

The long-range Swedish study of persons 75-years-old and older found that more than half (46 out of 78) of those diagnosed with dementia had both low levels of vitamin B12 or folate and Alzheimer's type dementia.

Study authors theorized that vitamin B12 or folate deficiencies affect Alzheimer's disease by influencing neurotransmitters or the levels of the amino acid homocysteine in the body. Either vitamin B12 or folate deficiency can increase homocysteine levels. Homocysteine has a neurotoxic effect that could lead to cell death or neurological conditions such as Alzheimer's disease.

"In our study, we found that low levels of either of these two vitamins were related to an increased Alzheimer's disease risk," said study co-author Hui-Xin Wang. "Monitoring B12 and folate levels is important in order to avoid unfavorable conditions, even for those elderly people who are quite healthy in terms of cognition."

For more than thirty years, researchers have observed low vitamin B12 and folate levels in elderly people, according to Wang. It had also been previously theorized that this vitamin deficiency might be tied to neurological or psychiatric disorders. This study breaks new ground by connecting these deficiencies with Alzheimer's disease.

Vitamins B12 and folate (a form of water-soluble vitamin B) are found in common foods. Vitamin B12 is naturally found in animal foods including fish, milk and milk products, eggs, meat, and poultry. Leafy greens such as spinach and turnip greens, dry beans and peas, fortified cereals and grain products, and some fruits and vegetables are rich food sources of folate.

Study data were pulled from a population-based longitudinal study in Sweden called the Kungsholmen Project. A random sample of 370 non-demented persons, age 75 and older, and not treated with B12 or folate dietary supplements, was followed for three years to detect cases of Alzheimer's disease. Within the timeframe of the study, 78 people developed some form of dementia.


The American Academy of Neurology, an association of more than 17,000 neurologists and neuroscience professionals, is dedicated to improving patient care through education and research.

For more information about the American Academy of Neurology, visit its web site at http://www.aan.com.

So anyone with MS and brainfog every get tested for B12 and folate levels??

How I wish people would get tested and post results!!

I know I am a broken record with this one ..but B vitamins have EVERYTIHNG to do with neuro problems. Read the below articles.
I read on DS how many people with MS complain of something they call "Brain Fog." You forget where you leave your keys, raise their hand to ask a question and forget what they wanted to ask, little short term memory but retain long term memory.

Alzheimers has some of these same symptoms.
Thought the below information was VERY INTERESTING...

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releas...
Ties Vitamin B12 And Folate Deficiencies With Alzheimer's Disease

http://www.omnimedicalsearch.com/conditions-diseases/depression-causes-risk-factors.html
Depression risk #5b Physical Factors/Nutritional Deficiencies..

Plus many people on the boards say they are lacking B12 and D.
If you have brain fog I am willing to bet at the CELL level you are low on B vitamins.

If you get tested please post.

Just got his vitamin D levels and on a scale of 32-100 which is normal range. He AFTER taking 1400IU a day has 33.7.

Very much boarderline deficient..Nutritionist has this info as I am faxing it as I type. Will let you know what I find out.

About 5 days ago I came up with the idea that Restless Leg Syndrome (RLS) maybe a precursor disease to MS, RA,etc for those with lower blood pressure (bp). My idea is that your circulation is like a convayor belt and that while active this deficiency is starving your cells. Then you rest and slow down your convayor belt(circulation) and your body wants more nutrients so it tries to stimulate leg movement to increase speed of circulation (convayor belt). Kinda like your body shivers involuntarily to increase body temp when cold.
Again only those with a deficiency(different in different people) and low bp would get this RLS precursor disease. IF the deficiency is great enough for long enough then you would eventually get secondary..more serious disease from being UNable to replicate/Repair yourself ie RA or MS, etc.
(See Absorption Chart in Alternative Group or Neuropathy group and then read below article)

http://www.healthology.com/sleep-disorders/restless-legs-syndrome/article1253.htm?pg=1
Studies indicate that the problem is that the brains of RLS patients may NOT be able to ABSORB iron normally.

In another study, Dr. James Connor, a professor and vice chair of neurosurgery at Penn State University in Pennsylvania, and colleagues used magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and analyzed brain tissue and found that iron levels were low in cells in a particular area of the brain. Additionally, there were not enough receptors to bind to a protein called transferrin that brings iron to and from the cells. Thus, RLS seems to result from a decreased ability of brain cells to acquire iron

If you read my "Getting Tested" post(below) it is a summation of all these diseases that are prematurly aged and rooted in deficinecies proabably due to absorption problem for most.

http://dailystrength.org/c/Multiple-Sclerosis-MS/forum/3649775-getting-tested

PLEASE get tested.