Bad leg cramps - help!

[jensjoy28 351]

Ugh...hit send too soon ...but, as others have said (and you know) cramps can be from a myriad of deficiencies/imbalance...calcium/potassium/magnesium/sodium, and, of course, Water.

http://www.drgangemi.com/articles/cramping_style/

[wcn1970 239]

[wcn1970 239]

This stuff is ok. Works now and again. Probably more the placebo effect. I have had severe leg cramps for years and years as most men in my family have. Gone to specialists the whole nine. Agree or disagree I will go with what I have lived through, has worked and failed regardless of hypothetical opinions. Bananas never did anything and potassium deficiency, maybe but you would need to be "deficient". Someone supplementing like this guy does is not "deficient". IMHE

[Fiddleman 4,376]

The cramps in the calves went away yesterday so had them for a number of days. They went away mostly on their own. This week has been a little off for me. I don't know if off is the right word, perhaps unbalanced. I think my Vitamins and minerals are not balanced out in some way and I need to get it checked out if it continues past next week. I've been getting uncomfortable (cramping) feeling around and above my stomach on the left side. Bowel movements have not been the best either (even though nothing has changed in terms of miralax/chia seeds) so perhaps it is just blockage or diverticulitis. Not sure. I don't like the fact that my stomach area hurts every time I eat something. Energy went way down after the OP on thursday. Good news is I still pretty much stayed on eating and exercise plan during the week. If anything, I ate less because of the stomach aches associated with eating. Should I be concerned about some stomach issue like ulcer? Or is it jus dehydration ndi should focus more on getting hydrated more effectively ( eg. coconut Water or some drink with electrolytes). Dang it is hot outside today! Seeing flashies in front of my eyes.

[Butterthebean 8,146]

Fiddle...man it sounds like you're having a rough week. From everything I've read, who ever said they aren't sure about the cause of cramps is right. They have no idea. Common knowledge always said it was potassium and salt, but then they tested people with cramps and found no correlation.

For me, I believe fatigue plays a huge role. And it would help explain why they always thought it was potassium. If you've been sweating heavily, chances are you've been working very hard and are also fatigued ...thus cramps. But I've worked in some very hot hot conditions in my life where we sweat so much are clothes were covered in salt by the end of the day....never lead to cramps. But then I'd go out and ride 20 miles on my bike and sweat very little, and cramp that night. As I've gotten in better shape, I've cramped less and less...until I over did it. And that's where you may be at. You train like a madman on few calories. Your body may be telling you that's it's overtrained. Maybe do some research into the symptoms of overtraining. We aren't as young as we used to be, and we've done a hell of alot in the last year. Perhaps your body needs a little time to recuperate.

[Fiddleman 4,376]

Everyone has been super thoughtful in their advice. Thank you!

[Eleni95 5]

It's not really potassium, it is magnesium you need to worry about for those cramps!

Good luck!

Helen :-)

[colcol 128]

I cant drink anything with aspartame so i found this recipe on internet --- Have Not tried yet but will ----Here are the ingredients in a homemade electrolyte drink: 4 cups of coconut Water or Water 1 cup freshly juiced/squeezed orange juice 1/2 cup of freshly juiced/squeezed lemon juice 6- 8 tablespoons of natural sweetener (raw, local honey) 1/4 teaspoon unrefined salt (NOT table salt)

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[kshepa 77]

Magnesium helps with leg cramps. I take Calcium w/ Magnesium which keeps them away. Also' date=' my chiropractor sent me GNC for a supplement that contains quinine. It's called, funny enough, "Leg Cramps" and is produced by Hyland. It's like 6 dollars. You can also get it at Walgreen's and WalMart.[/quote']

Yes!!! Hylands Leg Cramps!! 2-3 under the tongue whenever cramping starts, stops them right away. Magnesium also helps. I've tried everything, have had leg cramps off and on for last 5 years with complete medical work up. Only thing that REALLY works is the Hylands natural remedy. You can buy it at any health food store and some pharmacies. Good Luck

[gaijingal 62]

There are different kind of cramps, caused by different deficiencies and/or of unknown etiology. The kind that comes on with stretching, or where you see your muscle actually pulling up, as though a ghost is pinching you, are generally caused by low potassium.

I don't know what studies everyone has read, but I can tell you, if I check a patient's bloodwork, and their K+ is 1.9 (i.e. low), they will be having muscle cramps. Which will go away when I give them potassium.

Bananas work great to supplement it. One can buy potassium supplements OTC, but I don't recommend it, as too high a potassium level can cause heart issues.

Caffeine is a diuretic, so excessive use of same could effect K+ levels. (Sodium follows Water, and potassium follows sodium).

Now, aching, a heavy feeling or a restless feeling in the legs are all often called cramps as well, and Mg, quinine and other mentioned remedies might help with those. But if one's potassium is low enough that one is thrashing around on the mats, there are other health consequences, and so it should be addressed.

That said, I'm a nurse, not a doctor, and I can't give medical advice, so feel free to take the advice of people with no license to protect. Of course, you can always take advice on how to change your brakes from a guy who's read an article on it, and I can't stop you from doing that, either.

[Fiddleman 4,376]

Thanks everyone. I think it was the caused by low potassium. Since posting this thread, said mat thrashing episode has not repeated.