Galantamine
Prescription ·Exploratory record · not publication-reviewed ·Updated July 13, 2026
Galantamine is a cholinesterase inhibitor used for mild to moderate Alzheimer disease dementia. It increases cholinergic signaling and also modulates nicotinic acetylcholine receptors, producing modest symptomatic benefit in some patients. Major tolerability concerns are gastrointestinal effects, weight loss, bradycardia, syncope, falls, and caution in seizure, pulmonary, urinary, or ulcer disease.
Exploratory record, not a reviewed medical publication.
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This generated database record has not completed a claim-level review by a qualified human medical reviewer. Bibliography links and evidence labels are not approval. The page remains available for reference and is excluded from search indexing.
What the research says.
A quick, data-only summary. The full evidence, dosing, and sources are below.
Galantamine is a cholinesterase inhibitor used for mild to moderate Alzheimer disease dementia. NutriStack rates the supporting evidence as strong. Common adult dosing is Immediate-release tablets: start 4 mg twice daily with meals, increase after at least 4 weeks to 8 mg twice daily, then 12 mg twice daily if tolerated. Extended-release capsules: start 8 mg once daily, increase to 16 mg once daily, then 24 mg once daily if tolerated., though a prescriber sets the actual dose. This profile indexes 3 sources.
The bottom line
Evidence rating strong. Most-documented uses: symptomatic treatment of mild to moderate alzheimer disease dementia, potential stabilization or modest improvement in cognition, function, or global assessment, once-daily extended-release option. 3 sources indexed (2000–2026), with 0 interaction records on file.
How it works, mechanistically.
Core mechanism
Galantamine reversibly inhibits acetylcholinesterase, increasing acetylcholine in synaptic spaces, and allosterically modulates nicotinic acetylcholine receptors. These actions may enhance cholinergic neurotransmission in brain regions affected by Alzheimer disease. Peripheral cholinergic effects explain nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, bradycardia, syncope, bronchoconstriction risk, urinary effects, and increased gastric acid secretion.2,3
Dosing & protocol.
Taking with food improves gastrointestinal tolerability. Maintain hydration during titration because vomiting or diarrhea can cause dehydration.
Full safety detail.
Side effects
- Nausea
- Vomiting
- Diarrhea
- Anorexia
- Weight loss
- Dizziness
- Bradycardia
- Syncope
- Falls
- Insomnia
- Muscle cramps
- GI bleeding risk in susceptible patients
Sources, by evidence tier.
Numbered references. Citations throughout the page link here.
Meta-analyses & systematic reviews
1- 1Cholinesterase inhibitors for Alzheimer's diseaseBirks J · Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews · 2006
Systematic review supports modest symptomatic benefit across cholinesterase inhibitors and documents adverse-effect burden.
Randomized controlled trials
1- 2A 6-month, randomized, placebo-controlled trial of galantamine in patients with Alzheimer's diseaseRaskind MA et al. · Neurology · 2000
Trial evidence supports symptomatic cognitive and global benefits with cholinergic adverse effects.
Reference material
1- 3GALANTAMINE tablets, US Prescribing InformationURLU.S. National Library of Medicine · DailyMed · 2026
Labeling describes dosing, titration, bradycardia/AV block warning, GI adverse effects, and CYP2D6/CYP3A4 interaction considerations.
Common questions.
Quick answers about Galantamine, drawn from the data on this page.
What is Galantamine?
Galantamine is a cholinesterase inhibitor used for mild to moderate Alzheimer disease dementia. It increases cholinergic signaling and also modulates nicotinic acetylcholine receptors, producing modest symptomatic benefit in some patients. Major tolerability concerns are gastrointestinal effects, weight loss, bradycardia, syncope, falls, and caution in seizure, pulmonary, urinary, or ulcer disease.
What is Galantamine used for?
Commonly cited benefits of Galantamine include: Symptomatic treatment of mild to moderate Alzheimer disease dementia; Potential stabilization or modest improvement in cognition, function, or global assessment; Once-daily extended-release option. NutriStack rates the overall evidence as strong.
What is a typical dose of Galantamine?
A typical adult dose of Galantamine is Immediate-release tablets: start 4 mg twice daily with meals, increase after at least 4 weeks to 8 mg twice daily, then 12 mg twice daily if tolerated. Extended-release capsules: start 8 mg once daily, increase to 16 mg once daily, then 24 mg once daily if tolerated.. The commonly recommended form is Extended-release capsule once daily with morning meal, or immediate-release tablet/solution twice daily with meals. These are general ranges, not personalized advice; confirm the right dose with a clinician.
What are the side effects of Galantamine?
Reported side effects include nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, anorexia, weight loss, dizziness. This is educational information; check with a healthcare professional before use.
How strong is the evidence for Galantamine?
NutriStack rates this as Strong, meaning multiple high-quality meta-analyses or systematic reviews converge on the same finding. Full tier criteria are at https://nutristackapp.com/methodology/evidence-tiers.
Use this with your stack
Galantamine in NutriStack.
Add it to your stack, see how it interacts with everything else you take, and get a Stack Score that updates the moment it does.