Leg cramps are a symptom many people experience chronically, often at night. People may find relief from the cramping for a few evenings but notice that they return with a vengeance! Leg cramps are not only painful but can also disrupt the sleep we need to recover from the stress we experience throughout the day. This annoying problem can be due to many factors that need to be explored further. One common factor I see in practice is a lack of fluid and blood flow to the leg. Here are some avenues you may want to explore for avoiding leg cramps:
What Causes Leg Cramps?
Magnesium Deficiency: Magnesium is a mineral that is constantly used in many reactions throughout the body and therefore it’s no surprise that many of my patients suffer from a magnesium deficiency. Magnesium supplements have been proven to be valuable for alleviating leg cramps as it helps relax skeletal muscles. The video below summarizes the other symptoms of magnesium deficiency:
Diet is the best way of obtaining adequate magnesium and can be found in nuts and seeds such as brazil nuts, almonds, and flaxseeds. Should you want to try supplements, a typical effective dose is around 100mg two to three times a day depending on the severity of the deficiency. In severe cases, a side-effect of magnesium is loose stools or diarrhea, if this occurs it is strongly advised to stop the supplementation.
You may need to experiment with the dose to find the lowest effective amount, but I highly recommend sticking to nutritional sources for your magnesium intake. If you do prefer supplements, remember to seek individualized professional advice prior to taking them.
Vitamin D deficiency: Calcium is another mineral that could be deficient in people experiencing leg cramps. If you are eating a balanced diet that includes a healthy portion of vegetables but still experience cramps, then vitamin D deficiency may be the culprit.Vitamin D allows for the absorption of calcium from your diet and if you do not have adequate vitamin D levels then the calcium is not absorbed properly. Vitamin D can be obtained by exposing your skin to sunlight but of course this isn’t always possible in the Winter months or in areas which are mostly cloudy like my city of Vancouver. Other vitamin D deficiency symptoms include:
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