Magnesium for cramp

[Bildad]

I have read people taking bathing or rubbing magnesium for leg cramp. Can you point me in the direction of the best way to use it. I take it in tablet form daily for migraine relief. My 87 year old mother is suffering daily with severe leg cramps. She is 4 years post cancer treatment which caused neuropathy in her feet and fingers. She struggles with taking tablets so I wondered which was the best way for her to get some relief. Cramp is not anything that I have suffered with so I don't have any experience and the Internet in general offers such diverse advice most of which is just trying to sell their product. I know that will not be an issue with advice received on here. Thanks in advance.

 

[ElenaP]

I have read people taking bathing or rubbing magnesium for leg cramp. Can you point me in the direction of the best way to use it. I take it in tablet form daily for migraine relief. My 87 year old mother is suffering daily with severe leg cramps. She is 4 years post cancer treatment which caused neuropathy in her feet and fingers. She struggles with taking tablets so I wondered which was the best way for her to get some relief. Cramp is not anything that I have suffered with so I don't have any experience and the Internet in general offers such diverse advice most of which is just trying to sell their product. I know that will not be an issue with advice received on here. Thanks in advance.

I sympathize with your mother as I, also, get very painful cramps from time to time; for years and mostly during the night. There doesn’t seem to be anything that stops cramps totally but she could try these: (i) gently massaging Magnesium spray to her skin every day, preferably, after a shower. (ii) drinking Fever-Tree tonic water.

I guess you would have read that some people take quinine tablets for leg cramps. I don’t want to take the tablets because of the possible side-effects. But I drink Fever-Tree tonic water because it has natural quinine. It is my preferred remedy for hypos (it has same amount of carbohydrates as Glucozade but no artificial flavours). After a while I found that Fever-Tree tonic water also reduced the number of cramps.
I also take Magnesium Citrate tablets daily. If the above suggestion does not bring enough relief, perhaps you could crush Magnesium Citrate tablets between two spoons and mix that with yougurt or some other food.

 

[Outlier]

I take magnesium in liquid form, in a glass of water.

 

[Marie 2]

I take magnesium citrate in a capsule form, Different forms of magnesium absorb better. Citrate is one of the better forms. Oxide which is the cheapest is not. Potassium can also be essential to help stop some people's cramping. (Bananas are a great source for that). I have a bad back and magnesium helps keep the muscles relaxed. I use Natural Vitality's Magnesium Cream sometimes to soothe it when it aches. Natural Vitality also makes several flavored powders you mix and drink. They are quite famous for theirs. Their powder is sweetened with stevia. There are several companies now that do a powdered form cheaper, just make sure it's citrate or glycinate. Natural Vitality switched their powder now to the carbonate form but they add citric acid to make sure it absorbs. They also just came out with ***** bears which are the citrate form and they are only 1 carb each.

I had awful leg cramps at one time, a medication I was on when they thought I was a type 2 caused horrendous leg cramps at night on me, (Januvia). I have a habit of reacting badly to medications though and I also needed insulin so that didn't help I'm sure. Magnesium in tablets, the spray or cream did not help enough. I used Hylands Leg Cramp Cream right before bed and kept it by the bedside in case I woke up with them. But putting a good dose on my legs before bed really helped cut back on how much I was getting them. It didn't completely stop them though and I ended up refusing to take the medication any more. It took a few months for them to go away after I stopped it. A lot of people really like the tablets Hyland's has for leg cramps. I know several people that have used them, I just never did because it had lactose I think, and I'm a vegan.

 

[Ktmpedro220]

I've heard that drinking tonic water too helps.

 

[Oldvatr]

It is quite difficult to become magnesium deficient, especially if using a western style diet (Eatwell or SAD). Oral supplements can be used to correct a deficiency, but they do not work once the deficiency has resolved. The excesss gets excreted and follow on doses become a waste of money and time.

Magnesium is an important element, but not essential since is is a commonly sourced nutrient.

I am surprised no one has mentioned the more common culprit for cramp - salt, Often cramps can be calmed by adding extra salt to the diet for a while. I take a medicine that depletes sodium levels, so I am having to supplement my diet quite heavily. I have not had a cramp for several years now.

 

[Marie 2]

I differ on the importance and lack of magnesium in general @Oldvatr 80% of Americans don't even get the recommended amount of magnesium, and that's not very much magnesium. I believe it's around 70% don't get enough in the UK. And bigger doses commonly found in supplements sometimes net better benefits. Magnesium is one of the most critical minerals as it's responsible for over 300 biochemical or enzyme actions in the body. And diets high in magnesium lower the risk of getting type 2 diabetes. Magnesium supplementation may lower insulin resistance in some. Per PubMed Research. A very pertinent mineral for diabetics

https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/286839#benefits
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30587761/
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/23674807/
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/15319146/
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28150351/

 

[Oldvatr]

This article is relevant
https://www.nps.org.au/news/magnesium-a-treatment-for-leg-cramps

 

[Oldvatr]

I differ on the importance and lack of magnesium in general @Oldvatr 80% of Americans don't even get the recommended amount of magnesium, and that's not very much magnesium. I believe it's around 70% don't get enough in the UK. And bigger doses commonly found in supplements sometimes net better benefits. Magnesium is one of the most critical minerals as it's responsible for over 300 biochemical or enzyme actions in the body. And diets high in magnesium lower the risk of getting type 2 diabetes. Magnesium supplementation may lower insulin resistance in some. Per PubMed Research. A very pertinent mineral for diabetics

https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/286839#benefits
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30587761/
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/23674807/
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/15319146/
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28150351/

https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/articles/15650-magnesium-rich-food
Also magnesium sterate which is used as an anti caking agent, a release agent, a lubricant, and general filler for medications, tablets, and powders. The stearate has been confirmed to dissolve to give magnesium ions that enter the blood stream, so is very biovalent.

Some medications interfere with absorbtion or excretion of magnesium. Diuretics and ACE Inhibitor meds for example, and some antibiotics. Normally our kidneys recycle magnesium if the body levels are low. kidney disease can affect this protection.

According to NIH, the maximum supplental dose is 350mg per day, Above that intake limit increases the risk of cardiac arrest. Taking antacid tablets, laxatives, and use of PPI meds to treat ulcers can also become significant, but overdose through non supplemented dietary means is not sufficient to cause major problems, but can be laxative. (as in Milk of Magnesia)

 

[Lobsang Tsultim]

My mother always used to have some Epsom salts in the cupboard when I was a kid - any cramp was treated with a teaspoon dissolved into some orange squash. Not sure if it's still around.

 

[zand]

I use magnesium for cramps. Haven't had any for a year or so, but when I do it's always magnesium that does the trick. Sodium doesn't help, so I presume I'm not deficient in that. I have a powder that mixes into a drink for easy absorption.
A naturopath tested me for magnesium deficiency way back when I had atrial fibrillation and if my heart ever goes back into AF now I take a dose and that usually puts it back into the right rhythm.

 

[Oldvatr]

My mother always used to have some Epsom salts in the cupboard when I was a kid - any cramp was treated with a teaspoon dissolved into some orange squash. Not sure if it's still around.

https://health.clevelandclinic.org/7-things-you-probably-didnt-know-about-epsom-salt/
Yes it is still available. It is not really an oral application. The oral one I remember was Andrews Liver Salts (still available) otherwise known as Enos Salts or Krushens salts. These are milder forms of Epsom salts that can be taken in solution, and contain magnesium sulphate. The effect is largely laxative. I myself use zinc+magnesium tablets on occasions.

This is what the NHS has to say about magnesium - not much and no mention of cramps.
https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/vitamins-and-minerals/others/

 

[Outlier]

A naturopath tested me for magnesium deficiency way back when I had atrial fibrillation and if my heart ever goes back into AF now I take a dose and that usually puts it back into the right rhythm.

I take it (among other things) for exactly the same reason, and it has resulted in a huge improvement.

 

[jjraak]

Early on I had awful cramps at night

Learned that the LCHF diet lacked the salt that was in so much processed food and years of being warned about adding salt to anything

Some one suggested magnesium spray
Worked great ...spray on muscle ..wait for spasm to end ..

Began adding salt more freely after and cramps have never troubled me since .

As for mum, my sympathies to You both.

My dad suffered awful cramps around his 80's, similar history.

Didn't know about spray or I'd of tried it in him to ease his cramp pains.

Hope you find a solution .

 

[Bildad]

Thank you to all who have made suggestions. I will try the spray. I doubt that she will take any tablets but I may suggest it anyway. I am afraid she still believes the mantra "salt is bad" for you so will not add it to food. She is getting cramp 3 or 4 times a week. I have suggested a trip to see the gp but she doesn't like to bother him with just cramp. Hopefully I can find something that helps her.

 

[Marie 2]

@Bildad Just so you know, in case you are worried about the Hyland"s Leg Cramps tablets? They have the regular ones and night time ones. But they are small and you dissolve them under your tongue.

 

[Bildad]

@Marie 2 thanks for that clarity. I will put the options to her ans see which way she wants to go with it.

 

[JohnEGreen]

Magnesium is a bit problematic for some one like me as Magnesium is known to act at the neuromuscular junction by inhibiting the presynaptic release of acetylcholine and desensitizing the postsynaptic membrane. Because of these effects, magnesium has been postulated to potentiate neuromuscular weakness. So people with neuromuscular weakness should treat it with caution I do get lots of leg and foot cramps and pains but I have to stear clear of Magnesium supplements though I would give them a try if I could.

 

[Retanna]

I used to suffer from bad leg cramps occasionally at night, my daughter who is a qualified and long term working Pharmacist told me to try Magnesium tablets which I get from H & B. that's what I take daily in the evening and since then rarely have an attack.