Magnesium for Nerve Pain Relief
Magnesium may modestly help pain sensitisation, but trials in neuropathic pain are small and inconsistent.
Overview
Verdict
Plausible NMDA mechanism, weak clinical evidence for nerve pain.
How It Works
Dosing & Protocol
Typical dose
- Recommended dose
- 200-400 mg elemental magnesium glycinate daily
- Expected timeframe
- 4-8 weeks
Protocol
- form
- Not applicable
- duration
- Not applicable
- co factor
- Evidence is insufficient for oral magnesium. The mechanistic rationale is genuinely strong - magnesium is a voltage-dependent NMDA receptor channel blocker, and NMDA receptor activation is central to central sensitisation and neuropathic pain, which is why ketamine, another NMDA antagonist, works. Intravenous magnesium has shown analgesic effects in postoperative pain, neuropathic pain and complex regional pain syndrome in small trials, and reduces opioid requirements perioperatively. The problem is translation: oral magnesium achieves far lower plasma concentrations, absorption is limited and dose is capped by diarrhoea, and trials of oral magnesium for neuropathic pain including diabetic neuropathy are few and largely negative or inconclusive. Correcting a documented deficiency is reasonable; oral magnesium as a neuropathic analgesic is not supported.
- titration
- Not applicable
- starting dose
- Not applicable as an established oral treatment
Evidence
What the studies say
No studies are yet linked to both Magnesium and Nerve Pain Relief.
Safety
Caveats
Reduce dose in kidney impairment; loose stools with oxide or citrate forms.
Less likely to help if
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Individual results may vary. The statements on this website have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. Products and information are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.