Can I Take Magnesium and Gabapentin Together?

If you’ve been prescribed gabapentin (Neurontin), you may wonder if there are any medications or supplements you should avoid while you’re taking it. When it comes to drug interactions, some might cause harmful side effects, while others can impact gabapentin’s effectiveness. 

Gabapentin belongs to a group of medications called anti-epileptics. It can be used to treat seizures and nerve pain associated with shingles. Magnesium is a mineral that our bodies rely on, and it can be found in foods, drinks, and certain medications. When gabapentin and magnesium-containing medications or supplements are combined, they may interact.

Here, we’ll walk through the interaction between gabapentin and magnesium and how to safely take both if they’re recommended by your healthcare provider.

What is magnesium used for?

Magnesium is a nutrient that’s found in many foods and drinks. Your body needs magnesium to stay healthy, and it may also play a role in preventing or treating certain diseases. It can help balance your blood sugar levels and blood pressure, and it’s also essential for making proteins, maintaining muscle and bone function, and building DNA.

When needed, magnesium-containing pharmacy products are also available. They come as dietary supplements, over-the-counter (OTC) medications, and even as a prescription-only medication. 

When used as a prescription medication, a specific form of magnesium — called magnesium sulfate — is approved to treat the following health conditions:

• Constipation

• Seizure prevention during pregnancy (preeclampsia and eclampsia)

• Hypomagnesemia (low magnesium)

• Heart problems due to hypomagnesemia

• Minor cuts and bruises (Epsom salt soak)

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Magnesium sulfate may also be used off-label to treat certain conditions, like asthma flare-ups, preventing preterm labor during pregnancy, and more.

What types of magnesium-containing products are there?

The good news is that if you have low magnesium levels, there are many ways to help get the amount you need every day. When possible, it’s best to get your daily doses of it through your diet. Example foods and drinks that are high in magnesium include: 

• Nuts

• Beans 

• Dark, leafy greens

• Fortified breakfast cereals

• Milk 

• Dark chocolate

In some cases, your healthcare provider may also recommend a magnesium supplement. You may be able to find them online or at your local pharmacy or grocery store. Your healthcare provider may recommend one of these supplements if you have a health condition requiring magnesium or are unable to get enough through your diet.

Magnesium can be found in many multivitamins, and it’s also an ingredient in some antacids like Mylanta Maximum Strength (aluminum hydroxide/magnesium hydroxide/simethicone). It’s available in various products as a chewable tablet, pill, liquid, or powder. Forms of magnesium that are easily absorbed in your body include:

• Magnesium aspartate

• Magnesium citrate

• Magnesium lactate

• Magnesium chloride

Other forms of magnesium may not deliver as much magnesium to your body compared to those listed above. Depending on your magnesium needs, your healthcare provider may recommend one form of magnesium over another. 

What is gabapentin used for?

Gabapentin is an oral medication that’s only available with a prescription. It’s not available OTC, and it’s a controlled substance in certain states. It’s FDA-approved to treat postherpetic neuralgia (PHN) — a nerve pain that’s caused by shingles — and partial-onset seizures. It may also be used off-label to treat conditions like anxiety and diabetic neuropathy.

Gabapentin is available as a capsule, tablet, and liquid. It’s also available as Gralise, a name-brand tablet that’s taken once daily. Horizant is another name-brand version of gabapentin that treats restless leg syndrome and PHN. Dosing depends on the condition that’s being treated.

How do magnesium and gabapentin interact with each other?

If gabapentin is taken with magnesium-containing products, like Mylanta, it can be less effective than expected. 

Specifically, magnesium can lower the bioavailability of gabapentin by about 20%. Bioavailability refers to the level of medication that’s in your bloodstream. When gabapentin’s bioavailability goes down, its effectiveness can also go down. 

Another study reviewed the effects of taking gabapentin and magnesium together. The study showed that magnesium can lower the bioavailability of gabapentin by up to 39%.

What are the symptoms of an interaction between magnesium and gabapentin?

If you take magnesium and gabapentin together, gabapentin may be less effective than expected. But the symptoms of this interaction can vary based on why you’re taking gabapentin.

For instance, if you’ve been given gabapentin to help with nerve pain, your pain control might get worse. Lowered effects of gabapentin may also raise the risk of having a seizure.

On the flip side, it’s not well-established if gabapentin affects magnesium. If you believe you’re experiencing symptoms of low magnesium, it's recommended to contact your healthcare provider. They can assess your symptoms and may decide to do a quick magnesium blood test. 

If you take a supplement with magnesium, how long should you wait before taking gabapentin?

Gabapentin’s official labeling recommends waiting at least 2 hours after taking an antacid that contains magnesium or aluminum before taking a dose of gabapentin. This should help minimize the interaction between the two. It’s also a good idea to apply this 2 hour window to other magnesium-containing products, not just antacids.

If you want to take your dose of gabapentin before taking a magnesium supplement, data isn’t as clear about how long you should wait. To play it safe, still try to separate the two by a couple of hours. 

What should you do if you’ve taken magnesium and gabapentin together?

Everyone can experience side effects of a medication interaction differently. It’s important to monitor how you feel and take action as needed. 

For some, magnesium may have little to no noticeable effect on gabapentin. In this case, you probably won’t need to do much, or anything at all. Just try to remember to separate them more next time. 

For others, the interaction may cause serious harm. If you’re worried you may have a seizure or are developing worsening pain control, it’s recommended to contact your healthcare provider right away.

Does gabapentin interact with any other supplements?

Yes. Besides magnesium, supplements that contain aluminum may also interact with gabapentin. For example, some antacids used to treat heartburn and gas contain both aluminum and magnesium. 

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Written by:

Abe Amos, PharmD

Abe Amos, PharmD, is a clinical advisor for health plans and has experience working with large national government-funded programs. He is a postgraduate year 1 (PGY-1) managed care residency coordinator and also has community retail pharmacy experience.

Edited by:

Joshua Murdock, PharmD, BCBBS

Joshua Murdock, PharmD, BCBBS, is a licensed pharmacist in Arizona, Colorado, and Rhode Island. He has worked in the pharmacy industry for more than 10 years and currently serves as a pharmacy editor for GoodRx.

Reviewed by:

Christina Aungst, PharmD

Christina Aungst, PharmD, is a pharmacy editor for GoodRx. She began writing for GoodRx Health in 2019, transitioning from freelance writer to editor in 2021.

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