Ketamine-assisted therapy is an emerging treatment approach primarily used for depression, chronic pain, and certain mental health disorders where traditional treatments have been ineffective. Various studies suggest that supplemental nutrition may enhance the therapeutic effects of ketamine or mitigate some of its adverse effects.

Supplements that May Support Ketamine-Assisted Therapy:

1. Magnesium:

   • Magnesium is often considered for its potential to enhance the effects of ketamine, particularly in treatment-resistant depression. Magnesium's role in glutamatergic transmission aligns well with ketamine's mechanism of action¹².

2. Zinc:

   • Zinc supplementation has been explored for its effects on ketamine-induced behaviors. Studies indicate that a zinc-supplemented diet might mitigate some of the adverse behavioral and oxidative effects induced by ketamine³. Additionally, zinc's modulation of the NMDA receptor could contribute to its role in mood regulation when combined with ketamine.

3. N-acetylcysteine (NAC):

   • NAC has shown promise in preventing some of the toxic effects of ketamine on development and neuronal health, particularly in animal models. This suggests that NAC could potentially mitigate neurotoxic effects and improve outcomes in ketamine therapy⁴.

4. Vitamin B12:

   • There is evidence suggesting that higher levels of Vitamin B12 may improve the efficacy of ketamine in treating bipolar depression. This supplement could support neurochemical pathways that enhance ketamine's therapeutic effects⁵.

5. Melatonin:

   • Combining low doses of ketamine with melatonin has been shown to produce synergistic antidepressant-like effects in animal studies. This combination might reduce the required dose of ketamine, thereby minimizing potential side effects⁶.

References

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Footnotes

1. Natalia Górska, "Magnesium in Ketamine Administration in Treatment-Resistant Depression," PubMed Central, 2021. ↩

2. Sandra J Drozdz, "Ketamine Assisted Psychotherapy: A Systematic Narrative Review of the Literature," PubMed Central, 2022. ↩

3. Olakunle J Onaolapo, "Dietary zinc supplement militates against ketamine-induced behaviours by age-dependent modulation of oxidative stress and acetylcholinesterase activity in mice," PubMed, 2020. ↩

4. Bonnie Robinson, "N-acetylcysteine prevents ketamine-induced adverse effects on development, heart rate and monoaminergic neurons in zebrafish," PubMed Central, 2024. ↩

5. A. Permoda-Osip, "Vitamin B12 level may be related to the efficacy of single ketamine infusion in bipolar depression," PubMed, 2013. ↩

6. Rosa Estrada-Reyes, "Low Doses of Ketamine and Melatonin in Combination Produce Additive Antidepressant-like Effects in Mice," PubMed Central, 2021. ↩