Taking Baclofen with supplements

[eight days a week]

Are there any natural supplements that people think shouldn't be taken with Baclofen?

I'm taking 5-HTP, which is a precursor to serotonin, which must have some relation to Gaba.

I would also like to start taking L-theanine and/or re-start taking valerian (both Gaba-a agonists) to help me further reduce my diazepam use (which is also a Gaba-a agonist).

Baclofen of course is a Gaba-b agonist.

I also stopped taking l-glutamine (which I had found very helpful) and taurine (less so) when I started taking Baclofen 'just in case' they interfered in any way.

Any advice would be very much appreciated

[Virgil]

Taking Baclofen with supplements

eight days a week;800004 wrote: I'm taking 5-HTP, which is a precursor to serotonin, which must have some relation to Gaba.

Hi 8,

I'm pleased that you have started this thread - good on ya!

As for your statement above, it is my understanding that GABA and serotonin are different neurotransmitters. I'm a bit hesitant about pointing you to Wikipedia in view of some recent confusion but it's a starting point. With this proviso, please take a look at:

Neurotransmitter - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

My best.

V.

[eight days a week]

Taking Baclofen with supplements

Hi V,

Yes they're different neurotransmitters, but I thought they have a close relationship in brain (mood etc) function?

I should also have pointed out that as I understand it l-glutamine encourages Gaba in general, so that may be the one I need to think about most.

The problem is, so much of this is way over my head (shouldn't that expression be 'over my brain'? The thing I'm having the problems with!)

[Virgil]

Taking Baclofen with supplements

Hi 8,

I thought I had a handy guide to neurotransmitters but I couldn't find it initially. As it's in PDF format and nicely presented, it is ideal for printing and sticking it on your fridge door for quick reference. Here it is:

https://www.neurorelief.com/images/Education/PatientBrochures/neurotransmitters101-brochure.pdf

Hope you find it useful.

Cheers!

V.

P.S. It's the second page that is of particular interest.

[PhoenixRising]

Taking Baclofen with supplements

Kava kava is not supposed to be taken with bac. I was actually able to decrease my drinking by taking kava kava before I discovered bac. I may go back to it, as its cheaper. It used to make me feel wonderfully relaxed.

[beatle]

Taking Baclofen with supplements

This is a very interesting and much-needed thread.

You can find quite a bit about supplements and their inter-reactions with other supplements/herbs on the Holistic Healing forum, but nothing in regard to their inter-reactions (or contraindications) with bac.

And Virgil, thank you for that neuro brochure. I haven't read it yet, but it looks interesting.

As some of you might know, I am a sort of supplement fanatic. Well, not exactly a fanatic, but suffice it to say I have done my "homework". However, I have never thought about it in relation to baclofen. So, time for some more brain exercise.

Thank you eight, for bringing this up.

[Cinders]

Taking Baclofen with supplements

:H:H

As some of you might know, I am a sort of supplement fanatic. Well, not exactly a fanatic, but suffice it to say I have done my "homework".

Don't let Beatle fool you. She is a fanatic. But that is okay. She does her homework. I read everything she posts about holistic meds.

However, I repeat again, as I do everytime I read about Kava Kava.

It can be toxic to the liver.

Alcoholics must be careful with substances that can be toxic to their liver.

Love,
Cindi

ps My understanding is that some companies use stems and leaves from the plant and those are what cause the toxicity to the liver.

[eight days a week]

Taking Baclofen with supplements

Thanks so much for the responses guys

We can't buy kava in the UK, so that hadn't even crossed my mind (well, actually it did about a year and a half ago, when I was considering a holiday to the South Pacific, just needing a break from things and to chill - that was before my descent into desperate alcoholism. Maybe I should've taken that holiday?!)

It's good to know for others though that it shouldn't be taken with Bac. I believe the liver toxicity has especially something to do with the way it's produced? But that's a topic for another thread I think.

I'd just really appreciate feedback on any herbal supplements / amino acids that can be bought in any health food shop in the UK, such as those I mentioned in my first two posts, and any concerns with taking them with Baclofen. The health service here hasn't even cottoned onto Baclofen yet, so an awful lot of my informed knowledge comes from you guys

eight

[eight days a week]

Taking Baclofen with supplements

P.S. Thank you so much Virgil, that will be very useful indeed I think. I need to study it a lot though!

[Greg]

Taking Baclofen with supplements

Cindi is definitely right about the danger of liver toxicity from incorrectly-produced kava. Only the root of the plant should be used. Liver toxicity issues and the abuse of kava by a small minority of people have made kava illegal to import into Australia except for medical or scientific purposes. A doctor is needed to get it now. If some companies hadn't been so irresponsible in their production of kava, maybe it would still be available.

Anyway back to the original topic. I don't think any of the well-known supplements would clash with baclofen. You could always try a very small amount just in case. Baclofen's sedative effects by being a GABA-B agonist would seem to be the main thing to consider. Personally I have found its effects to be very different to GABA-A agonists, and the sedative effects haven't been an issue for me, but others are much more sensitive to baclofen sedation.

[eight days a week]

Taking Baclofen with supplements

Sorry guys, I was wrong to ask a few posts back that for feedback on supplements that are available in the UK...rather selfish of me, I wish this thread to be help to anyone who is taking Baclofen and considering taking any supplements, wherever they are, and I know that kava is still widely available in some parts of the world.

Greg;800333 wrote: Anyway back to the original topic. I don't think any of the well-known supplements would clash with baclofen. You could always try a very small amount just in case. Baclofen's sedative effects by being a GABA-B agonist would seem to be the main thing to consider. Personally I have found its effects to be very different to GABA-A agonists, and the sedative effects haven't been an issue for me, but others are much more sensitive to baclofen sedation.

I'm not sure about that Greg, certainly not about the sedative effect being the main concern. The reason I started this thread is because I'm worried about messing with Gaba and Gaba-b agonists, (and to a lesser extent serotonin precursors), through additional supplements whilst taking Baclofen. It could theoretically quite possibly interfere with Bac's mechanism, and I'm too scared to experiment!

I'd really welcome any more input on this

[beatle]

Taking Baclofen with supplements

I agree with 8 here. I haven't done much research on this (yet!), but St. Johns Wort, tryptophan (and 5-HTP), as well as SaME are all natural, OTC "supplements", and definitely interact with SSRIs, and should never be taken together.

We don't know much about baclofen and it's mechanisms yet, and it could well be that there are natural supplements out there that, even if not dangerous, might interact with baclofen in some way, be it positive or negative.

Time to do some research.

[beatle]

Taking Baclofen with supplements

Greg;800333 wrote: I don't think any of the well-known supplements would clash with baclofen. You could always try a very small amount just in case. Baclofen's sedative effects by being a GABA-B agonist would seem to be the main thing to consider. Personally I have found its effects to be very different to GABA-A agonists, and the sedative effects haven't been an issue for me, but others are much more sensitive to baclofen sedation.

Well, I also agree with this, depending on what "well-known substances" Greg is referring to. If it is just vitamins and minerals, it seems very doubtful that there would be interactions with bac (although, who knows? Has anyone tested this?)-- and if there were interactions, they would probably be subtle (again, who really knows?).

As for the sedative effects (most people here refer to it as somnolence -- I don't know if there is a difference), I too have not experienced this at all. However, I am very sensitive to most other bac side-effects. As we have learned over and over again, people react incredibly differently and individually to medications, supplements, and, well, anything we put into our bodies, including food. Individuals also react individually to combinations of all these. I would surmise this could include supplements, even if it is rare and seems illogical.

[Guest]

Taking Baclofen with supplements

I have found for those having sleep problems that the combination of my last dose of BAC 50mg( Im currently on 200mg) a day and one magnesium oxide at 320 mg and valerian 2g I sleep like a baby( not that I know what a baby sleeps like) but it feels like I am... Weird dreams though Alien abduction type stuff but I still wake up on Earth and not the 9th planet
Reg

[Greg]

Taking Baclofen with supplements

I apologise for taking this topic too lightly. Yes I was mainly thinking about vitamins and minerals, but herbal products and amino acids are also regarded as supplements by many people. In this case, then yes some caution is needed. I have also heard of serious interactions, especially 'serotonin syndrome', between natural substances like St John's Wort, tryptophan, and 5-HTP and drugs that affect serotonin (SSRI's and maybe other antidepressants). I haven't heard of baclofen itself affecting serotonin levels but I don't claim to know everything about baclofen. Herbal sedatives such as Valerian could potentially interact with baclofen although Reggie seems to be able to combine the two OK. I would repeat my advice to take a new substance in a small dose to begin with to be on the safe side. By all means do as much research as you can before taking something new, and yes I agree we are all different.

Reggie thanks for that tip about magnesium oxide and valerian allowing good sleep while taking bac. I'm by far and away the main whinger around here about not being able to sleep when taking bac anywhere near bedtime so I'll definitely be trying this.