Evidence supporting the use of: Vitamin B6 (pyridoxamine)
For the health condition: Convulsions

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Synopsis

Source of validity: Scientific
Rating (out of 5): 3

Vitamin B6 (more specifically, its active form pyridoxal 5'-phosphate) plays a critical role in neurotransmitter synthesis, particularly in the formation of gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA), an inhibitory neurotransmitter that helps regulate neuronal excitability in the central nervous system. There is strong scientific evidence that severe Vitamin B6 deficiency can lead to convulsions, especially in infants. This is because B6 is a cofactor for glutamic acid decarboxylase, the enzyme responsible for converting glutamate to GABA. Without adequate B6, GABA synthesis is impaired, increasing the risk of hyperexcitability and seizures. Clinically, pyridoxine-responsive seizures are a well-documented phenomenon, particularly in rare inherited disorders such as pyridoxine-dependent epilepsy (PDE), caused by mutations in the ALDH7A1 gene. In such cases, administration of Vitamin B6 can rapidly stop seizures that are otherwise resistant to standard anticonvulsant medications. However, outside of these rare genetic disorders or states of frank deficiency (e.g., malnutrition, certain inborn errors of metabolism, or drug-induced deficiency), there is limited evidence to support the use of Vitamin B6 supplementation for the treatment or prevention of convulsions in the general population. Thus, the scientific justification is strong but narrow in scope, applying mainly to specific deficiency states or genetic conditions, and not as a general anticonvulsant therapy.

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