What causes night leg cramps?

Question

What causes night leg cramps? What can you do about them? would like to know if it's a vitamin deficiency?

Answer 1

Try a Yahoo search for "leg cramps" + causes + "natural remedies".

Answer 2

Night leg cramps also known as 'Charley-horses' is the first place your body targets when you are dehydrated. Drink lots of water! I recommend purified water and Mineral Water mixed 50/50. The Mineral Water is going to put back into the muscles the minerals they are losing on a daily basis. You must drink beyond your thirst to get the benefits of hydration. It's a lack of minerals that causes this problem, with mineral water you're going to get all of the minerals and this helps with absorption of vitamins. I'm enclosing a link for a good quality low cost Multi vitamin.

I suggest that adults and children drink 40 ounces of water per 100 pounds of body weight every day. Realize that exercise, ambient temperature, and state of health affect the water needs of your body.

In the evening take a hot bath with 2c. of dissolved Epsom salts and soak for 30 minutes. Afterwards, if you have something shaped like a cylinder and made out of hard material (think of a large rolling pin you would use for pizza dough or something) place it under your leg and push down and roll it back and forth...this should massage the spasms out of your leg. It will hurt while you're doing it, but more so the type of pain that actually feels good, in the long run. Afterwards massage an analgesic cream into the area. You will start feeling better very quickly.

Answer 3

The most common cause is being low on potassium.
Low levels of certain minerals known as electrolytes - magnesium, potassium, calcium and sodium - have long been linked to leg cramps. There could be a number of reasons. Try eating foods rich in potassium such as bananas and see if that eliminates the cramps.

Answer 4

I agree with the low potassium levels can be a factor in leg cramps. It can also be related to breathing difficulties or diminished blood flow. In the absence of adequate oxygen, muscle goes into a anerobic activity. This produces Lactic acid which builds up in the muscle causing irritation and cramping. You wake up in pain, hollering and deep breathing and charlie horse goes away. Watch your sleeping position, if you snore get some help...

Answer 5

Many will say that it is a lack of potassium and eating a banana or two seems to help, but the other thing I would suggest you check out is if any of the foods or drinks that you consume contain aspartame (NutraSweet, Equal or Spoonful). Aspartame has been linked to almost a hundred symptoms or conditions and muscle spasms are included on the list.

Answer 6

try eating a few bananas during the week it may help with those cramps. i also got them while pregnant a lot so it could be a change in the way your body is metabolizing it's food.

Answer 7

alcohol can.