Leg Cramps
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KnitOrMiss wrote: »totaloblivia wrote: »Almonds, leafy greens.... can't think of any others, but if you do an internet search, I'm sure you will come up with others.
I do take magnesium almost every night - sometimes I forget. it's ok if i forget once, but several nights in a row then I will definitely know about it in form of cramps.
What bothers me is - if magnesium is depleted through its use in metabolism of carbs, why is it we low carbers are the ones that suffer more acutely (in form of cramps) from its absence?
Because when we don't stay hydrated and keep up our sodium, the body responds to balance out the electrolytes by dumping potassium and magnesium (as a protection from overdoses, I'd guess)...
Thanks Carly, I am not the best at hydrating and ensuring I get more sodium, so will focus on this more. You're always so helpful.
For those still needing to supplement, I am finding magnesium oil a great way of doing it. A few squirts before bed works well!
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totaloblivia wrote: »KnitOrMiss wrote: »totaloblivia wrote: »Almonds, leafy greens.... can't think of any others, but if you do an internet search, I'm sure you will come up with others.
I do take magnesium almost every night - sometimes I forget. it's ok if i forget once, but several nights in a row then I will definitely know about it in form of cramps.
What bothers me is - if magnesium is depleted through its use in metabolism of carbs, why is it we low carbers are the ones that suffer more acutely (in form of cramps) from its absence?
Because when we don't stay hydrated and keep up our sodium, the body responds to balance out the electrolytes by dumping potassium and magnesium (as a protection from overdoses, I'd guess)...
Thanks Carly, I am not the best at hydrating and ensuring I get more sodium, so will focus on this more. You're always so helpful.
For those still needing to supplement, I am finding magnesium oil a great way of doing it. A few squirts before bed works well!
LOL - I'm just a very logical/methodical person. Causation and logic make my brain do a happy dance. Hydration is key to succeeding at health gains, no matter what!! Maybe June should be a "get your water" month! LOL0 -
a magnesium, supplement is important as well. I take one and it helps. also I not only use salts like garlic salt on my foods but also Potassium salt, called Lite Salt by mortons. give you a little extra potassium with a nice salty flavor. but water water water!!!! a gallon a day helps with a cramps....promise!0
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Soaking in epsom salts in the bath (or just soaking your feet - buy a "dish washing tub" just for this - like $2.50 at WM for the BIG one - in them) can help naturally absorb the magnesium too. I find that magnesium is far more important to my muscle health than potassium, as my personal potassium levels have stayed even from before keto to 3-4 months in, but my magnesium was low.... too much is as bad as way too little, so just be careful.0
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When people talk about taking "1" tablet of Mag. as a supplement, how many mg are they. I have found them in different doses. I don't want to be taking too much if I don't need to, or should I just play with dosage to see how it affects me?
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The tablets I take are 400mg. I take two @ day.
I hope this helps,
Dan the Man from Michigan0 -
Thank you
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Mine are 135 mg, and I take then 1-2 times a day. I want to up the dosage, but it is cost prohibitive at this point with the one I was able to get. I remember before this WOE, my doctor said 300-500 mg for whatever reason she had me taking it (blood pressure, I think), but at 500 mg of Magnesium Oxide, it has extreme laxative effect. I love the way I feel on the Citrate, but I don't know daily recommendations without blood testing and such, plus the absorbability of your form can matter greatly (some are chelated, etc.)... So it's worth playing around with...0
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Thank you for your insight. I will definitely be playing with my dosage to see what the optimum dose is for me 0
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Just started taking magnesium last nite--250 mg. Best night's sleep I've had in a loooooooong time!0
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totaloblivia wrote: »Well, been doing well with this woe, I experience some extreme lag cramps last night that woke me up a few times !
For me leg cramps were always Magnesium. Luckily, its the easiest thing to supplement. I take 400mg of Magnesium Citrate a day, no more cramps. The other key electrolytes to note are sodium and potassium. Avocados are great for potassium if you like those, most meat does have it, even though most MFP entries won't say so too. I do use Lite Salt which is half potassium, which helps me get a little more as well. With Sodium, I just salt all the things. If I am feeling bad I'll drink a cup of chicken broth which has a lot of sodium.
But for leg cramps, if you arne't already taking a magnesium supplement, I'd bet that's it. Do note you want Magnesium Citrate, not Magnesium Oxide. Most brands you pick up in a CVS or Wal Mart or whatever will be Magnesium Oxide, its not absorbed as well and doesn't work as well for this purpose. I personally buy Magnesium Citrate on Amazon.
Also note that the way you can tell if you are getting too much magnesium is diarrhea, which isn't fun, but at least for me, makes it really easy to figure out. Too little, leg cramps, too much, bad things with the stomach, just right, neither!
Good luck
Completely agree with this - I use Solgar Chelated Magnesium - it's not the cheapest over here in the UK, as I think it is a US brand. I never get diarrhea with it. 4 pills is the RDA - I usually take between 1 and 3 and that seems to be enough to keep the leg cramps at bay. If I forget to take them too many nights in a row (and I am rubbish at remembering) I will definitely get leg cramps. I do now also take a 99mg potassium supplement, but the magnesium worked fine on its won.
Increase your levels of Magnesium, potassium, calcium, sodium, & water intake (dehydration can cause them as well). If you do, they should go away (Like a 99% chance). However, if you have increased all of these to the point where you notice they are affecting your digestion and you are still getting leg cramps, then you should see a doctor as it could be a bigger concern.0 -
Costco is also a good place to get them.0
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Please read this regarding cramping Ca, Mg and vitamin D.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/carolyn-dean-md-nd/bone-health_b_1540931.html0 -
The last few mornings my legs have twitched and slightly cramped in the morning when I stretch which I wasn't too concerned about, but after reading this forum and everyone's comments about sleeping better too... I am getting some magnesium citrate asap!!0
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kimberwolf71 wrote: »The last few mornings my legs have twitched and slightly cramped in the morning when I stretch which I wasn't too concerned about, but after reading this forum and everyone's comments about sleeping better too... I am getting some magnesium citrate asap!!
There are lots of forms of magnesium supplements. Here is a good article about the different forms and their plusses and minuses.
http://fixyourgut.com/magnesium-most-overlooked-mineral-for-improving-health/
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Magnesium has been very helpful for me as well! I take pills in the morning and then before bed I take Natural Calm to help me sleep. Haven't had a leg cramp since.
Plus it keeps things moving......0
