NutriStack
Alcohol and Gabapentin, a caution.
Alcohol can make gabapentin-related dizziness, slowed reaction time, and sedation less predictable. A small human laboratory study in alcohol-dependent participants did not find major acute potentiation of intoxication or psychomotor impairment, but animal EEG data and postmarketing safety concerns support caution, especially at higher gabapentin doses. The risk is higher with opioids, benzodiazepines, sleep apnea, lung disease, older age, or kidney impairment.
One pair, every claim cited. The two substances, the type, the mechanism, the recommendation, and the primary literature.
Same shape as the other 1,729 pairs in the public database.
From the interaction database
What the row says.
Every entry follows the same shape: what is happening, the mechanism, the recommendation, and the primary literature.
At a glance
- Substances
- Alcohol and Gabapentin
- Pair type
- Caution
- Evidence (highest tier)
- Moderate
- Source citations
- 2 sources
- Stack Score effect
- −5 to your Stack Score (per scored caution row).
- Scope
- Supplement × Prescription
- Last verified
- May 30, 2026
Caution · Moderate evidence
Caution
What is happening. Alcohol can make gabapentin-related dizziness, slowed reaction time, and sedation less predictable. A small human laboratory study in alcohol-dependent participants did not find major acute potentiation of intoxication or psychomotor impairment, but animal EEG data and postmarketing safety concerns support caution, especially at higher gabapentin doses. The risk is higher with opioids, benzodiazepines, sleep apnea, lung disease, older age, or kidney impairment.
Mechanism. Gabapentin binds the alpha-2-delta subunit of voltage-gated calcium channels and can cause CNS depression. Alcohol broadly depresses CNS function through GABAergic, glutamatergic, and other mechanisms, creating a pharmacodynamic impairment risk even without a major pharmacokinetic interaction.
Recommendation. Avoid alcohol when starting gabapentin, increasing the dose, or taking other sedating medicines. If your prescriber allows occasional alcohol, use small amounts only and do not drive. Seek urgent help for extreme sleepiness, confusion, slow breathing, or inability to wake.
Sources (2)
- Myrick H, Anton R, Voronin K, Wang W, Henderson S. A double-blind evaluation of gabapentin on alcohol effects and drinking in a clinical laboratory paradigm. Alcohol Clin Exp Res. 2007;31(2):221-227. PMID 17250613
- Pietrzak B, Czarnecka E. The effect of combined administration of ethanol and gabapentin on rabbit electroencephalographic activity. Basic Clin Pharmacol Toxicol. 2006;99(5):383-390. PMID 17076692
Stack Score
How this pair moves the number.
Effect on the composite score
If both Alcohol and Gabapentin are in the same stack, this pair applies −5 to your Stack Score (per scored caution row).
The full algorithm, the clamping rules, and four worked stacks are documented at /methodology/stack-score.
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