Morning leg and foot cramps

reblazed

Every morning for the past week, with my first morning stretch, I get a leg &/or foot cramp. The cramps aren't the kind I've had that make me jump out of bed and try to bounce around to get rid of them but not at all comfortable anyway. I've been keeping my sodium at 4-5,000 with bouillon (normally closer to 5,000) and take 500 mg of magnesium (potassium is an Rx). My question is, does it make a difference what time of day I drink the bouillon? I've been having a cup before noon and one at bedtime. Should I change that routine?

ladipoet

Phinney & Volek (the doctors who co-authored the book The Art & Science of Low Carbohydrate Living) recommend that you drink one bullion cube dissolved in water in the morning and another one in the evening. I don't know if the time of day makes a difference or not. At this point in time, I usually drink 1 cube at night and salt my food heavily during the day and also have a serving of "gut shot" with breakfast. I take a magnesium supplement at night just before bed and a potassium supplement in the morning. And even with doing ALL of this there are still times (usually several times a week) that I have to take 1-3 quinine tablets in the morning. Mind you, the cramps that I get in my calves and feet are very, very mild at this point because I've been working so hard at getting my sodium up in the past few months.

auntstephie321

I have that if I dont take magnesium, what form are you taking? Some are more absorbable than others, you may need more or a different form.

Sunny_Bunny_

You may just need to increase the magnesium. I've read that you take an increasing dose day by day until you reach a level that causes a digestive response (grumbly tummy or loose stool) then back off to the dosage just below that. Your body will dump excess through digestion, so any amount you're taking that isn't causing digestive response is ALL being used by your body. Meaning, it could still be using more if it were available. Also, the form you take matters. Glycinate, citrate or some "ate" form is most bio available.

reblazed

@ladipoet Thanks for the info from P & V. Good to know I wasn't sabotaging myself with the timing.
@auntstephie321 and @Sunny_Bunny_ What I'm taking is oxide. I'll just increase my dosage until I can get one of the "ate"s
Thanks all for the quick help.

auntstephie321

reblazed wrote: »

@ladipoet Thanks for the info from P & V. Good to know I wasn't sabotaging myself with the timing.
@auntstephie321 and @Sunny_Bunny_ What I'm taking is oxide. I'll just increase my dosage until I can get one of the "ate"s
Thanks all for the quick help.

That's your problem. Oxide is the worst, be very careful as to much of that will go right through you. Oxide is the least absorbable and can cause some major gi distress. I take magnesium glycinate and love it, I know many others take citrate with good results as well.

reblazed

Oops! Already increased today's dose ... guess I'll know in the morning if there will be side effects.
and will make an extra effort to get to Walgreen's tomorrow and replace them. Thanks again @auntstephie321

Sunny_Bunny_

reblazed wrote: »

Oops! Already increased today's dose ... guess I'll know in the morning if there will be side effects.
and will make an extra effort to get to Walgreen's tomorrow and replace them. Thanks again @auntstephie321

I was taking between 750-1000mg of magnesium oxide until recently switching to a different one because I had already bought it and wasn't going to just throw it out. What I did to prevent issues was take 500mg morning and either 250 or 500mg at night depending on how my salt had been that day. It will still work until you can get something else. I'd just ahead and take it for now. Just space out your doses.

CMYKRGB

200 mg magnesium and a Centrum took care of leg cramps for me.