Stimulants and Magnesium Oxide | ADHD Information

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Magnesium in antacids will increase the effect unpredictably but in a multivitamin it's the Vitamin C you need to watch.  Ascorbic or citric acid decrease effect and you should take them at the end of the day.

Otherwise it should be fine.  Just take your vitamins before bed and all is good.  And definitely no antacids during the day unless your doc says it's ok!

Thanks Glen, somehow I completely forgot about the viatmin C. I'll have to work it in sometime between doses since I'm pretty much going to be taking the Adderall XR three times daily with the 2nd half of the 3rd dose hitting right before bed. Nothing like 5mg of Adderall to clear your head enough to sleep!

I have heard that taking Magnesium Oxide can counter the effects of stimulants but I can't seem to find anything online that verifies the interaction. I've been taking a daily multivitamin (Centrum) which contains Magnesium Oxide as a core ingrediant and wanted to make sure that it would not adversely affect the positive effects of the Adderall I just started taking.

If anyone can substantiate this or point me to a source that does I would greatly appreciate it!

But when you have a child who eats very little due to stims, wouldn't the most bio available form be advisable? And wouldn't treating a deficiency with the best form available be better?

 

Magnesium is absorbed primarily in the small intestine, and it's not a particularly effecient process even under ideal circumstances. Perhaps half the magnesium you take may be absorbed...a smaller percentage if your dose is high.There's a rather interesting article on forms of magnesium, absorption rates, and bioavailability. The author's conclusion is that if a compound high in bioavailability is chosen, you can actually absorb as much as if you were receiving IV magnesium sulfate!
http://www.geriatrictimes.com/g020208.html

I cannot say whether zinc helps - but it at least is one of the safer metals to take as a supplement.

Zinc does aid (especially in men) sexual function, brain function and is a part of having a healthy system (especially men's prostate)

Too much of anything isn't good.  Before taking supplements check with at least the pharmacist and probably your MD.  Some supplements contain things that can build up dangerously or conflict with existing meds.

Vitamin C for example.  Taken near dosing can slow down the meds.  But it's safe later in the day.

Just moderation people.  Don't jump on every bandwagon that can be very dangerous.

Magnesium oxide is not the most bioavailable form, mag chelate is a much better choice. But it should not effct stims, and it will probably actually benefit in the long run. Studies have shown that alot of people with ADHD are deficient in magnesium.

ebdson - you don't need mag chelate to get enough magnesium.  It's mostly a way to get more money - ionizing a mineral doesn't make it more available.  Stomach acid on anything holding magnesium will make it separate and become available.  Magnesium is found in all sorts of foods or the magnesium oxide is fine.  All green leafy veggies and most bread contains so much magnesium no extra will ever be needed.  Chlorophyl needs magnesium to react with sunlight so the greener the plant the more magnesium you get!  And there's no more easily digested version either.  Unless you're fasting or just having junk food no alternative is needed.

 

Hi GlenW

I was wondering if you could point me to an area (post/thread/website)
where I can get more information about Vit C and Zinc countering the
effects of stimulants.

We are new to Daytrana and were doing well for the first few days and
weekend. This week's school reports-ugh...and I can't understand what's
changed except for some technical problems with the patch - then voila!!!
Your post!!!!

I've been giving my son his full battery of mega vitamins including
Omegas/Vit C/KidZinc in the morning about 2 hours after the patch goes
on.

Going to try giving the supplements in the evening and see if that helps -
before I give up on the patch which seemed for a few days to be working
well. Thanks.

The effect vitamin C has is on absorption of the meds in the intestine, so I do not see how this can effect daytrana. Here is vitamin C listed with other things that interact with a couple stim meds:

http://add.about.com/cs/medications/a/medfactsheet1_2.htm

http://add.about.com/cs/medications/a/medfactsheet1_3.htm

 

Deflated, once again........

eggsis,

What dose is your son on? It may be that the dose is not high enough. When my daughter started concerta, she was great for a few days then needed to be increased, now after a few weeks I think we need to increase again. She seems close to the right dose but not quite enough. Hopefully, the doctor will be able to get your son to the most effective dose for his needs.

Vickie - He is on the 20 mg patch..He does great at home and playing, but
the school reports in the past few days have been bad....fidgety, not doing
any work at his desk. Distracted by everything and everyone. Today, his
teacher sent home a blank spelling test b/c he wouldnt sit and do it. We
don't really have any anger/hairpulling issues with him. I am nervous about
moving up to a 30 when he's shown improvement in so many areas on the
20. Ugh...Thanks for the support.

eggsis.... there seems to be some evidence (more study needed to be sure) that zinc actually benefits efficacy of stimulant medication.   Here's an excerpt (below) from study at this site: ( http://psychmed.osu.edu/articles/serum.zinc.inattention.cap. 2005.15.619.pdf)

"These findings lead naturally to hypotheses

that improving zinc nutritional status might

improve the response to stimulants or might

even have a beneficial effect independent of

stimulants, or at least might lower the stimulant

dose needed for benefit. These remain largely

untested hypotheses at present (with the exception

of the Turkish and Iranian trials) but deserve

research attention because of the obvious

potential public health importance. The data

available at this time do not prove that low zinc

causes ADHD nor make zinc supplementation

an established treatment."