muscle cramps at night
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jpc763
Posts: 24 Member
I have been on a LCHF diet for the past 4 months with excellent success. I have lost 50 lbs and have improved all of my bloodwork in my most recent physical. I was borderline on a couple of tests previously so being all back to normal is excellent.
I am 53, 6' 1" and weighed 286 in May. I am now down to 236 and am targeting a weight of 220 for my hold weight.
I have always been active, but have always been addicted to carbs so once I gave them up, I was able to lose weight. I exercised regularly, cycling, playing hockey and working out at the gym but I have become much more consistent over the past 4 months. My week looks like this - Sunday night Ice Hockey, Monday - recover. Tuesday & Thursday - 35 minutes of Cardio and 30 minutes of weight lifting. Wednesday and Friday - Cycling - 60-75 minutes at 17-18 mph average.
So what is the problem you ask? Muscle cramps in my legs. I get them almost every night and after most workouts. I get them in my feet, toes and calves mostly. I talked to my Doc and he suggested taking 250mg of magnesium at night. I have done that for the last week and a half but still have the problem.
Last night (after a Monday rest day) I had to get out of bed 2 or 3 times to stretch out my feet. They cramped up and curled up so standing on them straightens the toes out and I can go back to sleep.
Today I did my Tuesday workout and while I was getting dressed, my left foot cramped up and the toes curled under. I stood up and they straightened out again and I finished getting dressed.
I am also drinking a lot of water so I don't think it is dehydration.
Anybody have any ideas?
Thanks, John
I am 53, 6' 1" and weighed 286 in May. I am now down to 236 and am targeting a weight of 220 for my hold weight.
I have always been active, but have always been addicted to carbs so once I gave them up, I was able to lose weight. I exercised regularly, cycling, playing hockey and working out at the gym but I have become much more consistent over the past 4 months. My week looks like this - Sunday night Ice Hockey, Monday - recover. Tuesday & Thursday - 35 minutes of Cardio and 30 minutes of weight lifting. Wednesday and Friday - Cycling - 60-75 minutes at 17-18 mph average.
So what is the problem you ask? Muscle cramps in my legs. I get them almost every night and after most workouts. I get them in my feet, toes and calves mostly. I talked to my Doc and he suggested taking 250mg of magnesium at night. I have done that for the last week and a half but still have the problem.
Last night (after a Monday rest day) I had to get out of bed 2 or 3 times to stretch out my feet. They cramped up and curled up so standing on them straightens the toes out and I can go back to sleep.
Today I did my Tuesday workout and while I was getting dressed, my left foot cramped up and the toes curled under. I stood up and they straightened out again and I finished getting dressed.
I am also drinking a lot of water so I don't think it is dehydration.
Anybody have any ideas?
Thanks, John
1
Replies
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More magnesium? See if your doc recommends increasing the dose. An Epsom salt bath is something that friends of mine swear by, try that before bed.1
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250mg is nothing! Especially if it's magnesium oxide. He no doubt didn't specify which form you should take...
I take about 2000mg of magnesium carbonate a day, BUT, I take way more than needed to keep away cramps.
Read this link
https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10358179/keto-flu-dizzy-weak-tired-headaches-cramping-muscles-electrolyte-imbalance-may-be-your-problem#latest
Look for magnesium carbonate or citrate or glycinate... something that ends in "ate"
Magnesium chloride is the absolute most bioavailable form you could take, but carbonate turns into chloride in stomach acid, so it's the next in line. There are links in that link I provided that will detail it further if you want all that info, but basically, you may need a different form than what you got.
If what you have is one of those, you just need more. Take 200-400mg twice a day. 600mg total per day is thought to be a good starting point, according to Dave Asprey. Just to site where I heard that.
You don't have to take more than what's needed to keep away cramps, I just do.
Also, sodium. That will no doubt help too.
It's all in that link.0 -
Have you read this from the LCD Forum main page under "Announcements" Are you getting enough sodium? Very interesting though that you are just now having this happen and were OK the 4 previous months.
http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10358179/keto-flu-dizzy-weak-tired-headaches-cramping-muscles-electrolyte-imbalance-may-be-your-problem#latest0 -
I just caught that you said you drink "a lot of water"... I suspect you really need sodium desperately. You have to replace sodium lost from eating a low carb diet. Plus you lose it through sweat and the more water you drink, the more sodium you need. That's a giant clue to your cramp issue that I missed the first time.
Low sodium leads to low magnesium. So you still need that too.2 -
I had not read that, good link. I am taking 250 mg of magnesium oxide. I will take 4 tonight and see if that helps. I will read the article again and take the suggestions.Sunny_Bunny_ wrote: »250mg is nothing! Especially if it's magnesium oxide. He no doubt didn't specify which form you should take...
I take about 2000mg of magnesium carbonate a day, BUT, I take way more than needed to keep away cramps.
Read this link
https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10358179/keto-flu-dizzy-weak-tired-headaches-cramping-muscles-electrolyte-imbalance-may-be-your-problem#latest
Look for magnesium carbonate or citrate or glycinate... something that ends in "ate"
Magnesium chloride is the absolute most bioavailable form you could take, but carbonate turns into chloride in stomach acid, so it's the next in line. There are links in that link I provided that will detail it further if you want all that info, but basically, you may need a different form than what you got.
If what you have is one of those, you just need more. Take 200-400mg twice a day. 600mg total per day is thought to be a good starting point, according to Dave Asprey. Just to site where I heard that.
You don't have to take more than what's needed to keep away cramps, I just do.
Also, sodium. That will no doubt help too.
It's all in that link.
My water is the minimum 8 cups but I drink 12-16 per day easy.
I have had these problems for the whole time. I was hoping the doc would have an answer and did not think to look here.Have you read this from the LCD Forum main page under "Announcements" Are you getting enough sodium? Very interesting though that you are just now having this happen and were OK the 4 previous months.
http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10358179/keto-flu-dizzy-weak-tired-headaches-cramping-muscles-electrolyte-imbalance-may-be-your-problem#latest
Thanks all. I have some things to work on!0 -
I have the same problem. I've tried several things: taking magnesium supplements (didn't work); taking natural calm just before bed (didn't work); taking Epsom salt baths (wasn't consistent enough on my part in taking them every day); spraying on and rubbing in Magnesium oil on my lower legs and feet just before I got to bed (lessened the cramps but did not completely eliminate them. The ONLY think I have found to work for me is this:
http://www.zipfizz.com/Product-Grape.aspx
Given that it's an electrolyte drink high in potassium, this suggests that, at least for me, it boils down to being a potassium issue. I have one every single day. Since I started mixing up and drinking 1 tube of this stuff per day, guess what....no leg or foot cramps. They come in 10 different flavors too and I believe each tube is only 2 carbs total. The cheapest place to get them in either at Sams or Costco. Sometimes Costco has online only sales that are even better than the prices they offer in the store.1 -
You're going to want to break that dosage up into at least 2. If you take 1000mg of magnesium OXIDE in a single dose you will get the runs.
You might even have that issue by taking 500mg in a single dose.
In that form, about 90-95% is lost in digestion and as it passes through it pulls water into the intestines. This equals diarrhea.
That's too much in one dose. If you don't see this in time, I guess you'll have an unplanned cleanse.
If you want to continue using the oxide, your best bet is to take 250mg every 4 hours or so. You'll absorb about 12-25mg if i remember correctly. In this way you can get a couple hundred mg a day of usable magnesium.0 -
Last night I had one episode of the cramping but I did take 4 before bed. I am going to toss the Mag Oxide and look into a different supliment recommended in the link above.
After Hockey I drink a large water bottle with 2 Hammer Fizz tablets. That is similar to the zippfizz above but without the caffeine.0 -
If you're on a statin, my understanding is that some people get cramps with "statin+" - that is, a statin + another exacerbater, such as a change in diet, hormone levels (including cortisol from stress), sleep patterns, etc.
It may help to switch statins until you're able to get off them (such as Crestor for Lipitor).
Some people report lower levels of Vitamins B-12 and D on statins - or yours may be low for some other reason, and taking supplements along with whatever electrolyte(s) you decide increase (potassium/magnesium) might have some effect.
BTW, keto guru Stephen Phinney strongly recommends at least 2 doses of magnesium spread throughout the day. The kind he recommended was slow-absorbing mag-chloride with calcium. (I might suggest staying the course on magnesium, especially if you're going to make some other change....)
Good luck, and congrats on your great progress!2 -
You don't mention just how much water you are getting every day. I too thought that I was drinking enough. Diet sodas, coffee and tea will take the water out of your body and you maybe coming up short at night.
When I couldn't get the leg cramps from stopping I up'd my water. I was drinking 3-4 32 oz of water a day, then I went to 5 1/2 32 oz. and the leg cramps stop!
It's worth trying be sure to spread it out during the day.
Debby0
