30/10/2017
How to stop leg cramps?
Pain, stress, insomnia! That are just few of the symptoms associated with leg cramps. This is Constantine from UpRemedy. I am a certificated pharmacist and I will explain how to stop those horrible leg cramps.
Leg cramps most commonly hit your calves and hamstrings, though they can show up in just about any muscle. Sometimes they seem to come out of nowhere, but they usually occur for a reason.
The most common reasons are:
- strained muscle
- muscle is fatigued or overused
- magnesium deficiency/caused be low magnesium intake or high magnesium renal excretion/
If the frequency of your cramps bothers you, tell your doctor.
As a pharmacist I highly recommend several remedies, which you can try yourself.
1. Stretch and massage.
Yes! That will relax your muscle. Thereafter you can apply a heating pad on the affected area!
2. Magnesium.
My first recommendation to my patients with leg cramps is magnesium
You can find magnesium in different dosage and forms like Spray-on oil, gel, bath salts, tablets or capsules.
Did you already ask yourself which one is better for you? I will go deeper in magnesium forms so you can easily pick the right one.
So let me explain how to apply magnesium oil, gel, bath salts and what are the benefits for you.
Magnesium oil is made up of a dense solution of magnesium chloride and water. So, despite its viscosity and texture, the “oil” is water-soluble and contains no oil at all. Also it can help aid in reducing skin oiliness, stress-related skin irritations such as acne and rosacea . It’s best to apply after a shower, when the skin is clear of lotions or other oils. After application , should be thoroughly rubbed in and left to absorb for about 30 minutes . After this period you can shower or wipe down to eliminate any residue. Once you start using magnesium oil, you have to continue to do that on a daily bases.
Magnesium gel contain a glide component, which you won’t find in the oil. Usually consisting of an extra ingredient to provide that extra gliding ability, the gel is used mainly in massage applications.
Magnesium bath salts - also known as Epsom salt which contains a magnesium sulfate. It can help you to relieve muscle spasms, aches and pains, relieve aching feet, cleanse pores, detoxify the skin. Mix with shower gel to create your own body scrub.
Let’s continue with most important magnesium form – supplements. The supplement market is enormous. Magnesium supplements can be found at thousands of different producers, boxes, dosages. Some are better than others.
But how you can find the best one for your leg cramps?
I will help you!
The significant difference comes not from the box, from the producer or even the dosage. Elemental magnesium must be bonded to another molecule – it cannot exist stably on its own. The difference between magnesium supplements all comes down to what molecule magnesium is bonded to.
Most common bonding agents are:
Citric acid (magnesium citrate)
Oxygen (magnesium oxide).
Amino acid (magnesium aspartate, magnesium alginate)
Oxygen is a smaller molecule than citric acid, so magnesium oxide has a higher percentage of elemental magnesium per unit when compared to magnesium citrate .But that doesn’t mean magnesium oxide is the best choice. Citric acid is bigger molecule, that ensure better resorption and bioavailability for magnesium ions. That means higher percentage of the total magnesium will go to the blood stream. More magnesium available in the blood will lead to better result. Magnesium citrate is the best absorbed form of magnesium when taken orally.
I will give you an example:
1 tablet or capsule of Magnesium oxide 300mg will provide you approx. 12mg Magnesium into the bloodstream.
1 tablet or capsule of Magnesium citrate 300mg will provide you approx. 50mg Magnesium into the bloodstream.
What a difference, ah? Both supplements have magnesium on the label, both contain 300 mg of it. They also may have the same price but they will work differently.
So, next time when you are looking for magnesium supplement go smart and check the box for ingredients. The right magnesium salt is citrate!
I hope this post was helpful for you! Feel free to share it, so you can help more people stop their leg cramps.
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