What Foods To Avoid When Taking Lamotrigine?

Lamotrigine is widely used for epilepsy and bipolar disorder. It's known to reduce seizures and manage mood swings in many patients. But like most medications, how you take it matters just as much as why you take it. One thing that often gets overlooked? Your diet.

If you’ve ever wondered what foods to avoid when taking lamotrigine, you’re not alone. Certain meals can impact how this drug works in your body. They can lower absorption, increase side effects, or interfere with how the liver breaks it down. That can make treatment less effective, and symptoms harder to control.

This guide explains what you need to skip, what’s safe, and how to make lamotrigine work better with your lifestyle.

8 Foods To Avoid With Lamotrigine

Your body breaks down lamotrigine using liver enzymes. Some foods slow these enzymes down. Others speed them up. Some create a reaction when mixed with the drug’s active compounds. The result? Less control over seizures, mood instability, and unpleasant symptoms.

For those managing bipolar disorder or epilepsy, diet isn't just about calories or weight—it’s about mental balance, stability, and safety. Nutrition, along with lamotrigine, becomes part of your care plan.

Let’s begin with the foods you should avoid—or eat only in limited amounts—if you're on lamotrigine.

1. Refined Grains

Refined grains such as white bread, white pasta, baked goods, white rice, and chips have a high glycemic index. This means these food items can increase blood sugar levels. Eating them sometimes does not create a problem. 

But if you have them in excess quantities every day, it can raise the possibility of long-term high sugar levels that can lead to diabetes. An elevated blood sugar level can increase the extreme emotions that are associated with bipolar disorder. 

So, have a low-carb diet such as lean  meats, eggs, nuts, leafy green vegetables, apples, blueberries, seeds, and unsweetened dairy products to manage the condition and overall health. 

2. Sugar

Consuming foods highly rich in refined sugars can lead to high blood sugar levels, weight gain, and obesity and thus, can make lamotrigine less effective. Research says an individual should have less than 10 percent of calories from the added sugars. It means an average person can consume about 4 to 5 teaspoons of sugar a day. 

Avoid or limit the use of certain sugary foods such as candy, honey, cookies, syrup, desserts, ice cream, pastries, energy drinks, and fruit juice with lamotrigine. Some food options such as sauces, yogurt, dressings, and soup have hidden sugars. So, always make sure to closely look at the nutritional label of every product before purchasing.

3. Citrus Fruits

Lamotrigine and grapefruit (citrus fruit) have a distressing connection. How? Grapefruits or their juices are rich in compounds that can hinder the lamotrigine metabolism. These compounds slow the activity of the liver enzymes, which have a major role in breaking down the components of this medication. 

When the drug takes time to get absorbed in the liver, its level increases in the bloodstream, which, as a result, leads to increased side effects or fatal conditions. Therefore, it is recommended not to consume citrus fruits in raw or juice form in excess amounts. However, having them in moderate quantities might not significantly affect the effectiveness of the medication.

4. Sodium-Rich Foods

High sodium-rich foods such as canned meat or fish, frozen breaded meats, salted nuts, savory snacks, and beans sealed with added salt can enlarge the blood vessels by increasing the pressure in these vessels. This can lead to high blood pressure and eventually, it can cause nerve issues. 

You have to remember that your body does not need sodium during the treatment of epilepsy. Sodium intake in a low amount can raise the chances of seizures, and a high amount can contribute to nerve problems. Ensure to consume 2,300 milligrams of sodium per day. You can visit the nutritionist to know your body’s daily requirements for sodium.

5. High-Protein Foods

Certain foods highly rich in proteins, like legumes, meat, dairy products, and fish, can affect the absorption of lamotrigine. This happens when amino acids in these foods and medications interact with each other. 

So, to increase the efficient absorption of this drug, it is recommended to consume high-protein meals and lamotrigine at different times. Take this oral medicine either 2 hours before or after having protein-rich foods. Following this strategy can help boost its effective absorption in the liver, which, as a result, enhances its effectiveness in treating epilepsy or bipolar disorder.

6. Saturated Fats-Rich Foods

Experts say that high saturated fats in foods can increase nerve damage in people taking lamotrigine. This is because these foods can change the way the body absorbs this drug. The main sources of high-saturated fat are high-fat meat cuts, butter, cheese, sour, and cream. 

Eating fatty or fried foods with this medication will make it less effective in treating the condition; in addition, they will impact your heart health. So, an ideal option is to eat food with low saturated fat content, including lean protein, healthy grains, green veggies, and low-fat dairy products.

7. Alcohol

Lamotrigine interactions with alcohol are not good for your health. Drinking alcohol while taking this medication can have a bad combination, which can increase certain side effects risks like drowsiness and dizziness. The components of alcohol can act as a depressant on the body’s central nervous system, which can worsen the lamotrigine’s sedative effects. Also, alcohol can impact the mood swings associated with bipolar disorder. 

Hence, bipolar patients who consume alcohol are more likely to die too early. Therefore, it is suggested to avoid or limit the consumption of alcohol with Lamotrigine. If you want, take it in moderate amounts and also closely look for its potential side effects.

8. Caffeine

Caffeine is a potent stimulant present in many beverages such as tea, chocolate, coffee, and energy drinks. Lamotrigine and caffeine can have potential interaction. Research shows that caffeine can trigger the symptoms of mania (high emotions) in people living with bipolar disorder and impact sleep patterns and the metabolism of certain medications like lamotrigine to treat this condition. 

Moderate amounts of caffeine consumption may have not shown a major effect on the potency of this medication, but excess intake may interrupt its efficacy. So, it's always advised to watch over your caffeine consumption while taking lamotrigine and if required, seek professional help.

What Are The Foods To Eat With Lamotrigine?

If you have concerns about the lamotrigine interactions with certain foods, there are other food options you can opt for that may include:

• Non-citrus fruits: Apples, blueberries, bananas, watermelon, pears, blackberries, raspberries, and kiwi.

• Low-protein foods: Oats, avocado, leafy green veggies, broccoli, rice, barley, and beans.

• Caffeine-Free Beverages: Coconut water, fresh fruit smoothies, iced tea, fruit-infused water, and golden milk.

• Unrefined Grains: lentils, black rice, brown rice, oatmeal, quinoa, and sweet potatoes.

• Healthy Fats-Rich Foods: Have fatty fish, walnuts, chia seeds, flaxseeds, olives, nuts, and fish oil.

What Happens When Food Interacts with Lamotrigine?

When lamotrigine doesn’t absorb properly, the levels in your blood can go too high or too low. Both scenarios cause problems. Too little, and you may have seizures or mood dips. Too much, and you might feel sleepy, dizzy, or nauseated.

Some foods interact directly with liver enzymes. Others change how much stomach acid is present, which can also affect the drug’s behavior. Even timing matters. Having a meal right before or after taking lamotrigine may reduce how much your body takes in.

Final Thoughts 

Managing epilepsy or bipolar disorder takes more than just taking your meds on time. What you eat plays a real part in how well lamotrigine works for you. Some foods can slow it down, while others can make the side effects worse. You don’t need a perfect diet, but making smart choices every day can support your treatment in a big way.

Avoid foods that mess with absorption or stir up symptoms—like too much sugar, caffeine, citrus, or saturated fats. Space your meals and meds right. Keep track of how you feel after certain foods. And if something feels off, bring it up with your doctor.

The goal isn’t to stress over every bite. It’s to give your body the best chance to stay balanced. When you pair lamotrigine with a mindful diet and consistent routine, you give yourself a better shot at staying steady, clear, and well.