Drug & supplement interaction

Magnesium + Doripenem

Doripenem brand name: Doribax.

Moderate Interaction
Medically reviewed by · Updated September 2026
The bottom line Moderate

Doripenem falls into 3 drug categories that Magnesium can interact with; the most serious is rated moderate. Magnesium decreases absorption of quinolones.

Read the full interaction report
SeverityModerate
LikelihoodProbable
Interactions3
EvidenceD
What do Severity, Likelihood & Evidence mean?
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Interaction report

Magnesium and Doripenem

These two interact in 3 distinct ways. Each one is explained separately below.

Why Are There 3 Interactions?

Magnesium interacts with whole categories of medication. Doripenem falls into 3 of those categories, so it can interact with Magnesium in 3 different ways. We’ve listed each one below — your overall risk is driven by the most serious of them (Moderate).

Moderate

QUINOLONE ANTIBIOTICS

1 of 3

Why this applies to Doripenem

Doripenem falls under QUINOLONE ANTIBIOTICS — the group Magnesium interacts with.

Magnesium decreases absorption of quinolones.
Magnesium can form insoluble complexes with quinolones and decrease their absorption. Advise patients to take these drugs at least 2 hours before, or 4 to 6 hours after, magnesium supplements.
Severity Moderate Likelihood Probable Evidence D

Interaction has not been documented in well-controlled studies, however, the interaction has been demonstrated in some small human studies or in controlled animal studies in conjunction with multiple case reports..

Dr. Brian Staiger, PharmD, BCPS
Dr. Brian Staiger explains PharmD, Clinical Pharmacist

Here's a bit of good news on this one. The interaction we have on file describes magnesium binding up quinolone antibiotics (the pills you swallow) and lowering how much your body absorbs. Doripenem, sold as Doribax, isn't actually a quinolone. It's a carbapenem, and just as important, it's given as an injection or IV in a hospital setting, not as a pill you take at home.

Because doripenem goes straight into your bloodstream, magnesium in your stomach can't grab onto it the way it might with an oral antibiotic. So the timing worry about spacing doses really doesn't apply here. This concern is theoretical to begin with and aimed at a different drug class. Still, if you're getting any antibiotic, it's always smart to let your nurse, pharmacist, or doctor know what supplements you take.

Contact Dr. Brian directly if you have additional questions on this interaction
References
  1. Hansten PD, Horn JR. Drug Interactions Analysis and Management. Vancouver, WA: Applied Therapeutics Inc., 1997 and updates.
Moderate

TETRACYCLINE ANTIBIOTICS

2 of 3

Doripenem also falls under TETRACYCLINE ANTIBIOTICS.

Magnesium decreases absorption of tetracyclines.
Magnesium can form insoluble complexes with tetracyclines in the gut and decrease their absorption and antibacterial activity. Advise patients to take these drugs 1 hour before or 2 hours after magnesium supplements.
Severity Moderate Likelihood Probable Evidence D

Interaction has not been documented in well-controlled studies, however, the interaction has been demonstrated in some small human studies or in controlled animal studies in conjunction with multiple case reports..

Dr. Brian Staiger, PharmD, BCPS
Dr. Brian Staiger explains PharmD, Clinical Pharmacist

Here's the good news on this one: the interaction in our file is really about tetracycline pills binding to magnesium in your gut. Doripenem (Doribax) doesn't work that way. It's a carbapenem antibiotic given as an injection into a vein, not swallowed as a tablet, so there's no gut absorption step for magnesium to interfere with. That binding problem just doesn't apply here.

On top of that, this caution is graded on lab and animal data, not strong human studies. So I wouldn't lose sleep over taking magnesium while you're getting doripenem. Still, anytime you're treated for a serious infection, it's smart to let your pharmacist or doctor know every supplement you take, just so someone has the full picture.

Contact Dr. Brian directly if you have additional questions on this interaction
References
  1. Sompolinsky D, Samra Z. Influence of magnesium and manganese on some biological and physical properties of tetracycline. J Bacteriol 1972;110:468-76.. PubMed
Moderate

AMINOGLYCOSIDE ANTIBIOTICS

3 of 3

Doripenem also falls under AMINOGLYCOSIDE ANTIBIOTICS.

Concomitant use of aminoglycoside antibiotics and magnesium can increase the risk for neuromuscular weakness.
Both aminoglycosides and magnesium reduce presynaptic acetylcholine release, which can lead to neuromuscular blockade and possible paralysis. This is most likely to occur with high doses of magnesium given intravenously.
Severity Moderate Likelihood Possible Evidence D

Interaction has been documented in animal or in lab research, or the interaction has been documented in humans but is limited to case reports or conflicting clinical research exists.

Dr. Brian Staiger, PharmD, BCPS
Dr. Brian Staiger explains PharmD, Clinical Pharmacist

Quick heads-up on this one: the interaction in our records was studied with aminoglycoside antibiotics (like gentamicin), and doripenem (Doribax) is actually a different class called a carbapenem. So the concern here is more of a borrowed worry than something well documented for doripenem itself. The idea is that both magnesium and certain antibiotics can dampen how nerves signal muscles, which in theory could add up to muscle weakness.

Honestly, the evidence is thin and mostly tied to high-dose intravenous magnesium, not the magnesium pills or antacids most people take. Everyday oral magnesium is very unlikely to cause trouble. Since doripenem is given in the hospital for serious infections, your care team is already watching you closely. Still, mention any magnesium you take to your pharmacist or doctor so they can keep an eye out.

Contact Dr. Brian directly if you have additional questions on this interaction
References
  1. L'Hommedieu CS, Nicholas D, Armes DA, et al. Potentiation of magnesium sulfate--induced neuromuscular weakness by gentamicin, tobramycin, and amikacin. J Pediatr 1983;102:629-31..

What These Ratings Mean

Every interaction above is graded three ways — here’s the key to each label.

Severity how clinically significant the interaction is
Major

Clinically significant. Avoid the combination, or use only under close professional supervision.

Moderate

Usually worth avoiding or managing — may need monitoring, a dose change, or timing apart.

Minor

Generally not serious. Be aware of it and mention it to your pharmacist.

Likelihood how strong the evidence is that the interaction actually happens in people
  • LikelyWell-controlled human studies have demonstrated the likely existence of this interaction.
  • ProbableInteraction has not been documented in well-controlled studies, however, the interaction has been demonstrated in some small human studies or in controlled animal studies in conjunction with multiple case reports.
  • PossibleInteraction has been documented in animal or in lab research, or the interaction has been documented in humans but is limited to case reports or conflicting clinical research exists.
  • UnlikelyInteraction has been demonstrated in animal or in lab research but has been shown not to occur in humans.
Evidence the quality of the studies behind the rating (graded A–D)
  • AHigh-quality meta-analysis (quantitative systematic review).
  • BCase-control study.
  • CConsensus.
  • DAnecdotal evidence.

These ratings are for information only. Never start, stop, or otherwise change your therapy before speaking with your provider.

Keep it in perspective

Magnesium Also Interacts With Other Medications

Magnesium has 6 major, 174 moderate, 114 minor known drug interactions in our database — the Doripenem one above is among them. If you take anything else, check it against the full list below.

Major 6 Moderate 174 Minor 114 No known interaction 2,536 (incl. Doripenem)
Taking anything else?

Check Another of Your Medications Against Magnesium

Covers the 2,830 medications we’ve checked against Magnesium. Pick one to open its full report.

From our Q&A

Questions About Magnesium or Doripenem

These are real questions from readers, answered by the pharmacists at HelloPharmacist — written by a person, not generated from a database. Each one covers Magnesium or Doripenem, not necessarily both, but if one is close to what you were about to ask it will usually go further than a database entry can:

Not quite your question? Ask our pharmacists directly — it is free, there is no account required, and answers usually come back within 24 hours.

Everything else you take

See Every Supplement That Interacts With Doripenem

This page covers Magnesium only. If you take other supplements — a multivitamin, a sleep aid, something for joints — the Doripenem page lists 84 supplements it has a documented interaction with, worst first, each one explained.

The most serious there right now: Oleander (major), Para-aminobenzoic Acid (paba) (major), Acerola (moderate), Alpha-lipoic Acid (moderate) and Bacillus Coagulans (moderate).

By severity: 2 major · 75 moderate · 7 minor.

From our pharmacist’s overview on the Doripenem page

“Two entries here matter more than all the others, and I would read them first. Doripenem (Doribax) is an intravenous antibiotic reserved for serious bacterial infections, which means anything that weakens treatment or piles on risk deserves genuine caution.”

Reviewed by 2 · Jul 18, 2026

Open the Doripenem interaction page

One more smart check

Taking Magnesium as Part of a Dietary Supplement Product? Check It for Interactions

We hold 29,717 real supplement products containing Magnesium, each one broken down to its full ingredient list — and combination products often carry several ingredients besides Magnesium. Your product may carry other ingredients that interact with Doripenem too, on top of Magnesium — and those would not show on this page. Find your product and we’ll check every ingredient on its label:

How much people look this up

Where Magnesium and Doripenem Sit Against Everything Else

Out of every supplement and medication people look up on HelloPharmacist, here is where these two land this week — and which way each has been moving.

Supplement Magnesium
Top 10

#5 of 1,452 supplements looked up here in the last 7 days

29 days ago today
Medication Doripenem
Steady interest

#2,547 of 2,830 medications looked up here in the last 7 days

29 days ago today

Position among everything looked up on this site, not a measure of how commonly either one is used or how important it is. A supplement can climb this list because of a news story. It counts every request to the page, automated ones included, and nothing here identifies anyone.

Supplement

About Magnesium

What is Magnesium?

Magnesium
  • Preventing or treating magnesium deficiency
  • Constipation
  • Muscle cramps
  • Sleep support
  • Anxiety and stress
  • Migraine prevention

Magnesium is an essential mineral your body needs for muscles, nerves, blood pressure, and many other functions, and supplements are useful for preventing or correcting deficiency. Some other uses, like easing constipation or preventing migraines, have reasonable support, while uses for sleep and anxiety are less proven. It is generally safe for most healthy people at recommended amounts, but talk to your pharmacist or doctor before starting, especially if you have kidney problems.

Read the full Magnesium monograph & all interactions
Medication

About Doripenem Injection

What Is Doripenem Injection Used For?

Brand name: Doribax

  • Doripenem injection is used to treat serious infections of the urinary tract, kidney, and abdomen that are caused by bacteria. Doripenem injection is not approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to treat pneumonia that developed in people who were on a ventilator in a hospital. Doripenem injection is in a class of medications called carbapenem antibiotics. It works by killing bacteria.

  • Antibiotics such as doripenem injection will not work for colds, flu, or other viral infections. Taking antibiotics when they are not needed increases your risk of getting an infection later that resists antibiotic treatment.

See full Doripenem Injection drug information
Keep checking

Other Drugs & Magnesium

Browse every other medication we’ve checked against Magnesium — both the ones with a known interaction and the ones without. Select any drug for the full detail.

6Major
174Moderate
114Minor
2,535No known interaction
6 Major 174 Moderate 114 Minor 2,535 No interaction
Major

6 interactions

Moderate

174 interactions

Showing 60 of 174 moderate interactions — see all 174 on the Magnesium page.

Minor

114 interactions

Showing 60 of 114 minor interactions — see all 114 on the Magnesium page.

No interaction 2,535 drugs checked — show the list

We also checked Magnesium against these medications and found no known interaction in our sources. Open any page to confirm.

Showing the 60 most looked-up of 2,535 medications checked with no known interaction — see the full Magnesium list.

See the full Magnesium interactions page
See every supplement checked against Doripenem, ranked by severity
Sources

Sources & How We Checked

Interaction details are evidence-graded and sourced from the Natural Medicines database. The medication overview comes from MedlinePlus.

Content is written and reviewed by licensed HelloPharmacist pharmacists. See our data sources and editorial standards for how this information is built and checked.

Parts of this content are provided by the Therapeutic Research Center, LLC.

DISCLAIMER: Currently this does not check for drug-drug interactions. This is not an all-inclusive comprehensive list of potential interactions and is for informational purposes only. Not all interactions are known or well-reported in the scientific literature, and new interactions are continually being reported. Input is needed from a qualified healthcare provider including a pharmacist before starting any therapy. Application of clinical judgment is necessary.

© 2021 Therapeutic Research Center, LLC

Keep exploring
Magnesium monograph › Uses, safety, and every drug interaction in one place Doripenem supplement interactions › Every supplement checked against Doripenem, ranked by severity Doripenem Injection drug information › The full plain-English guide to this medication Supplement interaction checker › Check any supplement or product against your medications Browse medications A–Z › Every drug we've checked against herbs & supplements Ask a pharmacist › Free, personal answer from our licensed team
Pharmacist Counseling Corner

Taking Magnesium and Doripenem Together: Common Questions

Can you take Magnesium with Doripenem?
There is a moderate interaction, so it may be acceptable with monitoring or timing changes — but check with your pharmacist first. Read the full details on this page and confirm with your pharmacist before combining them.
Why are there 3 interactions listed for Magnesium and Doripenem?
Doripenem belongs to more than one drug category, and Magnesium interacts with each of those categories a little differently. We list every one so nothing is missed — your overall risk is driven by the most serious of them.
How serious is the Magnesium and Doripenem interaction?
We rate it Moderate. This combination may require monitoring, a dose adjustment, or separating the times you take each one. Consult your pharmacist before using them together.

Written and reviewed by the HelloPharmacist editorial staff. Our editorial policy

Still Have a Question About Doripenem and Magnesium?

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This information is for education only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice. Always check with your pharmacist or doctor before starting, stopping, or combining supplements and medications.