The Best Supplements for Leg Muscle Cramps and Spasms
Intro
It’s that time of year again! We are all getting back into the gym and overall trying to be more active and healthy. With that comes with the not so fun muscle cramps. Whether you are having muscle cramps and muscle spasms because of intense physical activity or if you have chronic cramps and spasms this article is for you!
Possible Causes of Muscle Cramps or Spasms
The Mayo Clinic says muscle cramping or spasm happens from exercising too hard, working in the heat, side effect of a medication, as well as caused from some medical conditions. Reading through that my instant reaction is it’s a dehydration issue or more specifically an electrolyte imbalance. Your cramp frequency, number of cramps you have, and the affected muscles are so incredibly different for everyone, but the root cause tends to be pretty similar. Electrolyte Balance!
Muscle Health
In order for your muscles to function properly, ie. Without cramping, you have to have balance in your body. Unfortunately our diets now are deficient on the appropriate essential mineral and vitamins needed to keep that balance. When you don’t have the appropriate vitamins and minerals your body has to work harder to maintain balance. With muscle function you will see this imbalance as muscle fatigue, muscle pain, muscle weakness, involuntary contractions of muscle, and overall those painful leg cramps.
The chances of muscles cramps are more likely in older adults, which makes since because older people are chronically dehydrated. However, the older population is also on a lot of medications, so if you think your muscle contraction issues are due to medication a good first step is to talk to your healthcare provider to see if a change of medication is needed.
How to get rid of muscle cramps
Cramps or involuntary contractions of your muscles can stem from a lot of different reasons, but as mentioned above one of the common denominatorys is being hydrated properly. Outside of drinking more water it is important to maintain a good vitamin and mineral balance in the body. So which ones do you need to take to help?
Magnesium Supplements
A magnesium deficiency can lead to a lot of different issues. Magnesium is one of the most important minerals for overall body function. In order to have proper muscle contraction and nerve transmission you have to have good levels of magnesium. A very common sign of low magnesium is nocturnal leg cramps or leg cramps at night. These cramps can wake you up in the middle of the night, and lead to even more severe health effects if left for a prolonged times.
Magnesium Oxide
The NIH performed a study that showed the this type of magnesium greatly decreased nocturnal leg cramps. For overall muscle health this form of magnesium is a great tool!
Magnesium Chloride
This form of magnesium supports a wide array of body health. It has shown to help some with muscle cramps but isn’t as effective as magnesium oxide.
Vitamin B Complex
B vitamins are another big one that helps a lot of functions in the body. If your vitamin B levels are low then you don’t have the appropriate energy to function optimally. A B complex contains Vitamin B-1 through Vitamin B-12 so it will balance all of your vitamin B levels.
Vitamin E
This vitamin is all about repairing cells. Since most leg cramps are due to over use it is a great antioxidant that helps to heal the muscle and slow or stop the contractions.
Pickle Juice
You see a lot of athletes using this in sports and they even sell small containers of pickle juice specifically for cramps. It is filled with a lot of sodium and potassium which are two important electorlytes needed for muscle balance. Your electrolyte balance is important if you want to stop your cramps.
Vitamin K (Potassium)
This is one of the best vitamins for muscle cramps because it helps to release stored calcium. Too much calcium in the cell results in excess muscle contractions. This is another one that helps with nocturnal cramps. Depending on the severity of muscle cramps you experience you might seek out medical advice from your doctor. The have calcium-channel blockers that act like potassium on steroids.
Essential Mineral
The minerals in the ground are so depleted that none of us have proper levels. Again maintaining the balance of your essential minerals like potassium, sodium, calcium and magnesium will ensure appropriate muscle health. If these are out of order your muscles stand no chance.
Conclusion
Having healthy muscles is important for your day to day life. Whether you are having charley horse cramps or prolonged cramps we’ve seen that the cause is all the same! You have to have a proper vitamin and mineral balance in the body. Try some of the ones we’ve listed to see if you can change your muscle cramps. An imbalance of electrolytes can cause other health conditions if left for prolonged times, so don’t stay unbalanced for too long!
