Leg Cramps and Headaches...

[Citruskiss]

What do you take to alleviate leg cramps and headaches?

I've got potassium, and a cal/mag/zinc supplement, but was wondering how much of these nutrients most people take to alleviate these symptoms...

Does the multi-vitamin help a lot to clear up leg cramps and headache?

Thanks,

Sara

[mike_d]

Most potassium pills are quite low < 100mg. I use some lite salt on foods and eat veggies high in potassium and other minerals like mushrooms, avocados and spinach.

[Citruskiss]

Thanks Mike - I had half an avocado yesterday, and spinach the night before.

Yeah - the potassium supplement is only 99mg. I've taken one....I wonder if I need more.

Maybe I'll have some extra spinach tonight. I'll go looking for the Lite Salt - since everyone recommends it.

Thanks. :)

[kebaldwin]

The RDA for potassium is like 4,700 mg

http://www.askannemitchell.com/what-is-the-rda-of-potassium

which is like 47 potassium pills per day. I'm not saying that you have to have 4,700 mg per day - but unless you are getting that much - you should try taking more. Try the salt substitute sold in most grocery stores.

As far as magnesium - if you take too much you get diarrhea. So if people are constipated - I don't recommend fiber - I recommend magnesium. In fact if you go to your local drug store and go the section for laxatives - most likely you will see a bottle of magnesium citrate that is used for constipation.

For a graphic (but funny) description read this -

http://www.poopreport.com/Consumer/magnesium_citrate.html

for a regular description try this:

http://www.cvs.com/CVSApp/cvs/gateway/detail?prodid=231183&previousURI=/CVSApp/cvs/gateway/search?ActiveCat=499^Query=magnesium+citrate

But you drink the whole bottle which is 17.45 grams (17,450 mg) of magnesium. :eek:

Normally, you want to take at least 400 mg of magnesium per day - I think that I take 600 to 800 mg per day.

If you want to get technical about magnesium (and who doesnt :-) there are multiple forms - and the best advice is to take a mixture.

An essential mineral needed by every cell of your body, magnesium helps support normal cardiovascular, muscle, nerve, bone, and cellular function and plays a part in more than 300 enzymatic reactions, including energy production and transport, the activation of B vitamins, proper nerve function and the formation and maintenance of protein, fatty acids and bone. Magnesium is vital for cell formation, and helps to form adenosine triphosphate (ATP), the body's energy source.

NSI® Magnesium Ultra provides a variety of the beneficial forms and amounts, including the malate form, which blends magnesium and malic acid (a nutrient that assists in the process of transforming food into energy), the chelate form (which is organic for enhanced absorption), the very common oxide form (which may impart a laxative effect), and the taurinate form (derived from the amino acid taurine, which may benefit fat absorption and cellular stability.

I don't take calcium because I am calcium intolerant - but if you take all the vitamins and minerals that help your body absorb (and retain) calcium - then you don't need to take much calcium and you get the benefit of all those other vitamins and minerals.

But most people with pre type 2 diabetes / syndrome X / metabolic syndrome are deficient in magnesium, potassium, B vitamins, etc.

[Citruskiss]

Wow - thank you for this excellent post kebaldwin :)

I did find a great supplement that has cal/mag/potassium all in one supplement, and I think it's helping already. That, plus the no-iron multi that I got the 'ok' to take (it's very low in vitamin C) has helped me eliminate the worst of the middle-of-the-night charley-horse type cramps.

No more shrieks in the dark... :lol:

[shoopdj]

Wow - thank you for this excellent post kebaldwin :)

I did find a great supplement that has cal/mag/potassium all in one supplement, and I think it's helping already. That, plus the no-iron multi that I got the 'ok' to take (it's very low in vitamin C) has helped me eliminate the worst of the middle-of-the-night charley-horse type cramps.

No more shrieks in the dark... :lol:

Can you mention the name of the supplement you buy? I have the old "shriek in the middle of the night" leg cramps too. My K level is low due to a de-hydro blood pressure pill I take.

[kebaldwin]

Can you mention the name of the supplement you buy? I have the old "shriek in the middle of the night" leg cramps too. My K level is low due to a de-hydro blood pressure pill I take.

If people consumed the proper amount of potassium - most likely they would not need blood pressure medicine. I know - because I was on blood pressure meds when I started low carbing and figured this out.

http://www.worldhealth.net/p/aadr-potassium.html

http://www.worldhealth.net/p/aadr-magnesium.html

[Citruskiss]

Can you mention the name of the supplement you buy? I have the old "shriek in the middle of the night" leg cramps too. My K level is low due to a de-hydro blood pressure pill I take.

I got something on sale at the local health food store (Vitamin Cottage):

It's called Country Life "Target-Mins" Calcium Magnesium Potassium 180 Tablets - on sale till mid August at Vitamin Cottage for $6.99

Serving Size - 2 tablets, but I only really ever to remember to take one a day

Calcium 500mg
Magnesium 500mg
Potassium 99mg

Now, as some have mentioned - the potassium isn't really high, so I've made an effort to eat more potassium containing foods - yesterday I had baked salmon for dinner (something like 700mg potassium) and half an avocado chopped up into my salad. A lot of the dark green veggies recommended on the Atkins program are also reasonably high in potassium as well - things like broccoli and so on.

Thing is - getting rid of the cramps wasn't just about this particular supplement(s), but the combination of a mult-vitamin, and the cal/mag/potassium. Which is what Dr. Atkins mentioned in his New Diet Revolution book on page 148. It's just that I didn't see any mention of exact amounts in the book - hence my question on the forum here.

If you have leg cramps, it probably means you are losing too many electrolytes, which are full of minerals. Starting any weight loss program has a diuretic effect, which is one of the reasons it is so important to stay hyrdrated. Supplement with potassium, magnesium and calcium in addition to your multivitamin, and the cramps should disappear. ~ Dr. Robert C. Atkins M.D. in "Dr. Atkins New Diet Revolution"

Down with middle-of-the-night screams... :D

[cs_carver]

Can you mention the name of the supplement you buy? I have the old "shriek in the middle of the night" leg cramps too. My K level is low due to a de-hydro blood pressure pill I take.

If you're taking diuretics, you need to be discussing electrolytes with your doctor. They get complicated pretty quickly once the kidneys get involved with prescription medications.

Otherwise, part of the problem is sodium, because it out-competes for all the places that want K+. I use lite salt liberally; take the supplements frequently (but you can't take too many at once because they'll turn your stomach) and go out of my way to reduce sodium in my diet. (I also take a mineral supplement and a boatload of other supplements.)

You might also be able to learn to identify some precursors to the actual cramps. I get a slight twitchy feeling that tells me I'm low on K+ and need to bump it up. When I listen and take action, no cramps.

Good luck.

[shoopdj]

If you're taking diuretics, you need to be discussing electrolytes with your doctor. They get complicated pretty quickly once the kidneys get involved with prescription medications.


As a matter of fact, I did discuss this with my doctor. He said to eat more bananas and other fruit. This was a few weeks ago before I started the SBD, so he couldn't have known that I wouldn't be eating fruit for a couple of weeks in phase 1.

I got some lite salt today and hope that helps. I see the doc again in two weeks, so I'll just hang in there.

[cs_carver]

A head of romaine has way more potassium than a banana, and the carbs in lettuce aren't going to do anything, IMO. Check fitday or the USDA's nutritional site for potassium in the vegetables you're likely to eat.

Agreed, lite salt helps. And staying as far away from extra sodium as possible, and being careful about NSAIDs, because they'll adjust the way your kidneys work too.

Good luck.