Why You Have Night-Time Leg Cramps And How To STOP It From Recurring With This ONE Recipe! (2024)

FAQs

Why You Have Night-Time Leg Cramps And How To STOP It From Recurring With This ONE Recipe!? ›

It's been suggested that drinking 2 to 3 ounces of tonic water before bedtime can prevent leg cramps at night.

It's been suggested that drinking 2 to 3 ounces of tonic water before bedtime can prevent leg cramps at night.

In general, they're likely the result of tired muscles and nerve problems. The risk of having night leg cramps increases with age. Pregnant people also are more likely to have night leg cramps. Kidney failure, diabetic nerve damage and problems with blood flow are known to cause night leg cramps.

Not enough minerals. Too little potassium, calcium or magnesium in the diet can cause leg cramps. Medicines often prescribed for high blood pressure can cause increased urination, which may drain the body of these minerals.

Not getting enough of certain vitamins (e.g., vitamin B or vitamin D deficiency) or a lack of minerals (e.g., calcium, magnesium, potassium, phosphorous) can be leg cramp drivers.

Coconut water. Coconut water is a go-to choice for athletes looking to rehydrate and replenish electrolytes naturally — and for good reason. It's an excellent source of electrolytes, providing calcium, potassium, sodium, magnesium, and phosphorus — all of which may help decrease muscle cramping ( 10 ).

Avoid processed foods, added sugar, salt, fatty meats, and alcohol. Essentially, you want a heart-healthy diet low in fat and rich in healthy carbohydrates, fiber, and lean proteins.

What vitamins may help with leg cramps? No vitamin is likely to help with a leg cramp 100% of the time. But some experts do recommend that you take a vitamin B12 complex or magnesium for leg cramps.

You probably know that bananas are a good source of potassium. But they'll also give you magnesium and calcium. That's three out of four nutrients you need to ease muscle cramps tucked under that yellow peel. No wonder bananas are a popular, quick choice for cramp relief.

What foods are good for leg cramps? ›

Acetic acid is postulated to mitigate cramping by decreasing alpha motor neuron activity through oropharyngeal stimulation and inhibitory neurotransmitter production, while aiding in the role acetylcholine plays in muscle contraction and relaxation.

In severe cases, low sodium levels in the body can lead to muscle cramps, nausea, vomiting and dizziness. Eventually, lack of salt can lead to shock, coma and death. Severe salt loss is very unlikely to happen because our diets contain more than enough salt.

Vitamin B complex.

There is some evidence that taking a daily capsule containing eight B vitamins—B1 (thiamine), B2 (riboflavin), B3 (niacin), B5 (pantothenic acid), B6, B7 (biotin), B9 (folate), and B12—may prevent cramps.

Medical treatment for muscle cramps

Muscle relaxant medications may be used over the short term in certain situations to relax muscle cramps due to an injury or other temporary event. These medications include cyclobenzaprine (Flexeril), orphenadrine (Norflex), and baclofen (Lioresal).

Try sleeping on your back with a pillow behind your knees. Avoid heavy or tucked-in bedding. This could push your feet downward while you sleep. Choose loose, untucked sheets and a comforter that will allow you to keep your feet and toes upright while you sleep.

"This indicates that muscles become more prone to cramp by drinking plain water, but more immune to muscle cramp by drinking the electrolyte water." Electrolytes are minerals including sodium, potassium, magnesium and chloride. They are essential for muscle health and help the body to absorb water.

For cramping, athletes have long sworn by pickle juice (strained from jars of dill or kosher pickles) and other acidic substances such as mustard or apple cider vinegar. Experimental data in healthy college-aged men suggests that pickle juice inhibits muscle cramps through a reflex involving a nerve in our throats.