
Magnesium and muscle cramps
Calf cramps & magnesium
Calf cramps aren’t only annoying, they can be extremely painful too. They often disturb our sleep, occurring at night in the early hours of the morning.
Calf cramps are typical symptoms of acute magnesium deficiency. The tendency to develop complaints of this nature increases with age, as older people often do not eat enough and steadily lose muscle mass. But calf cramps can affect diabetics and athletes too. Endurance athletes in particular lose plenty of magnesium when they sweat, which can affect their athletic performance as a consequence.
Muscle cramps & magnesium
Magnesium deficiency often causes painful muscle cramps, so taking magnesium can help alleviate the symptoms considerably. You do not have to worry about an overdose and it is 100% safe with an unrestricted kidney function. Excess magnesium is simply excreted in the urine. The World Health Organisation (WHO) indicates a daily dose of 300 mg magnesium to treat magnesium deficiency.
Magnesium for cramps
An adequate intake of minerals and magnesium in particular, is important for the proper transmission of stimuli between nerve cells. Cramps caused by magnesium deficiency can usually be successfully treated just be ensuring an adequate intake of magnesium.
Regular intake of magnesium to combat calf cramps
Taking a high dose of magnesium on a regular basis is a reliable means of eliminating any deficiency. It is important that magnesium is taken in an adequate dose over a longer period (at least 4-6 weeks).
Effective treatment of calf cramps
Acute magnesium deficiency is often the cause of calf cramps and tensions. A magnesium therapy is an effective method of remedying this deficiency. Rapid success of the treatment depends on choosing the most effective active ingredient and the right dosage.
A number of other effective ingredients are also reported as being useful in the treatment of calf cramps. However, these are only used to treat the symptoms, not the cause of cramps. They are also frequently associated with significant side-effects (e.g. allergic reactions, respiratory distress, changes in the blood count, liver disorders).
Treatment with magnesium, e.g. with biocompatible magnesium citrate gets to the roots of the problem and is very well suited for long-term use without any major side-effects. Taking magnesium tackles the actual cause of calf cramps, i.e. magnesium deficiency, not merely the symptoms in the short term.
Extra info: If muscle cramps occur despite taking magnesium, you should consult a doctor, especially if you are suffering from additional symptoms such as numbness, tingling sensations or muscle weakness.
If you suffer from calf cramps at night, we recommend taking magnesium in the evening before bedtime.
Medication
- Diuretics
- Proton pump inhibitors
Diseases
- Metabolic disorders (e.g. diabetes)
- Cardiac arrhythmia
- High blood pressure
- Headaches and migraine
Particular life situations
- Pregnancy
- Breastfeeding
- Stress
- Sports
- Diets
- Excessive alcohol consumption