Gabapentinoids Gabapentin and magnesium

[flipflopper]

I read on my Gabapentin info page that it is not to be taken with Magnesium. I'm not sure what the warning is about, but has anyone had an issue taking both the same day? The reason I ask is I take a bunch of sup[plements and Magnesium is one of them.

 

[fairnymph]

What type of magnesium are you taking exactly? Magnesium can reduce gabapentin absorption, but it’s not dangerous. It’s just you’re going to be wasting some of your gabapentin.

The best way to get magnesium is to apply it topically. Either magnesium sulphate i.e. Epsom salts or magnesium chloride, in a bath or a concentrated solution, are far more bioavailable than any magnesium salt taken orally. Really fantastic for sleep, relaxation and more. So maybe just switch to topical? Otherwise, make sure to take your magnesium and gabapentin several hours apart.

 

[paranoid android]

I take magnesium sometimes for morphine constipation and i also take gaba so good to know this

 

[flipflopper]

Either magnesium glycinate or magnesium ascorbate.

Is 3 hours apart enough?

 

[fairnymph]

It depends on whether you have a full stomach or not, but on an empty stomach, almost definitely. But I really do encourage you to give topical magnesium a try because it’s vastly more effective. It’s also WAY cheaper to buy those salts and make your own solution vs expensive supplements.

 

[flipflopper]

I take high doses for heart health though. So that would be like 3 soaks a day and not really feasible.

 

[fairnymph]

I take high doses for heart health though. So that would be like 3 soaks a day and not really feasible.

But you absorb so much more through the skin that you can take orally. One bath a day would be plenty. Just give it a try and you’ll see what I mean.

You can also take a bath a day and keep taking your supplements as far apart from your gabapentin as possible.

 

[flipflopper]

I have a bag of epsom salts. How much do you use?
Also, how long do you need to soak?

 

[fairnymph]

Add as much as is comfortable - you want it to tingle but not to burn/be irritating. That’s usually a couple kilos/a few pounds depending on the size of the bathtub. Heat will help it penetrate further. 20 minutes is plenty. And be careful when you first get out because you might be so relaxed you’ll fall over. That almost happened to me.

I was so deficient that I kept having to add half a pound every five minutes the first time I took a magnesium bath. I could tell I was absorbing most of it because the water lost its salty taste and tingling effect.