Comment · Sat, September 28, 2013
Vitamin B12 Level may be Related to the Efficacy of Single Ketamine Infusion in Bipolar Depression.
What they were answering
NootUser · 5 points
By /u/MisterYouAreSoDumb:
"Magnesium is not an NMDA receptor antagonist. It is a voltage-dependent channel blocker. Due to its charge, it gets pulled into the ion channel and blocks it. Then once the neuron reaches excitability, the charge of the membrane changes enough for the magnesium molecule to clear the channel, allowing calcium to flow through. So it only blocks calcium/sodium/potassium from entering while the neuron is in a resting state."
http://www.reddit.com/r/Nootropics/comments/1n0ze1/is_magnesium_inhibiting_long_term_memory/ccejda1
u/MisterYouAreSoDumb
He is bringing up the fact that magnesium can help with the treatment of depression as well, due to it's similar actions at the NMDA controlled ion channels. While he is correct about the effects, the efficacy of magnesium in the treatment of depression is going to be less than things like ketamine. However, it should not be overlooked. Everyone should start with magnesium supplementation regardless, as most people are deficient in it. However, that does not mean big pharma is misleading us on the ketamine advances either.
But yes, the mechanisms are different between ketamine and magnesium, while leading to somewhat similar results. However, magnesium only repairs deficiencies. It will not doing anything once the membrane of the neuron reaches excitability.