Leg Cramps
 

I'm on extended induction (Atkins 72) and while I have more energy than ever before and am losing weight, the leg cramps I'm getting are severe. They occur most often when I'm trying to sleep and keep/wake me up nearly every night. I drink zero cal/carb propel, have chicken broth every day, add as much salt as is palatble to my food, and have begun taking daily vitamins which include magnesium and potassium. The most prevalent vegetable in my diet is spinach, which I understand also has a significant amount of potassium. I drink plenty of water, approx. 100+ oz a day. Alas, the cramps are a near daily occurrence and really have me feeling discouraged. My legs are sore all the time. It also makes it difficult to exercise. Any suggestions??

Welcome to the board, Penelope! This is a common occurrence. In addition to Potassium, you need more Sodium & Magnesium. Check out this thread:
http://forum.lowcarber.org/showthread.php?t=445775

Thanks for responding. I've read that previously, as well as countless other thread and article on this subject. I have taken all the suggested steps (listed in my post) to alleviate the cramps and nothing has worked. :( Suppose maybe I should see a doctor. Ugh.

do you drink coffee?

I do drink coffee, usually 2 cups a day, rarely more than that.

Try stopping for a week

Just curious, is there some science behind your suggestion? Or anecdotal evidences? I only ask because I've never seen it mentioned and I am loathe to give up my coffee if it is for naught!! :)

How much magnesium do you take?

Jean

Hi and welcome. I've struggled with this too, for a long time, mainly because I really don't like salty food.

I've had it bad for the last 5-6 weeks now that our non-AC house is hot and I'm sweating a lot; and what really seems to have helped for the last few weeks is a calcium/magnesium supplement that I actually bought by accident. Calcium is an electrolyte, too. Ever since I switched to the cal/mag, I've only had a few mild twitches, no full-on hit-the-ceiling cramps.

Also notable - I don't drink coffee once the house gets hot (so no cream, either) and I gave up cheese because my pants were getting too tight. I'm also not a big fan of the "veggie" sources of calcium. Hmmm.

On the subject of coffee, Thud might have been concerned about the diuretic effect of caffeine. IMO, though, 2 cups a day is something your body adapts to and it's not like you're massively dehydrating yourself. If you're concerned, you could always switch to decaf. Besides, coffee is actually a pretty decent source of potassium - over 300 mg in 20 fl oz.

I'm in the same boat as Penelope. My leg cramps aren't quite as severe yet but it's going to be hard for me to quit coffee right now, on top of changing my eating. I don't think it's a crutch I can let go of quite yet. The multivitamin I take doesn't have much magnesium, so I guess I might look into getting a supplement. Do people eating LC tend to need to supplement with magnesium forever, or just during the transition to LC?

My right leg is fused, i Have no knee...
I have suffered terribly with cramps in my calf, cannot bend my leg to help relieve the cramps, often I have to run a hot hot bath, as hot as I ban stand. It's bad when I'm tired and when it's high humidity.... 500mg twice a day of magnesium seems to do the trick for me...

If my feet and ankles get cold, especially when I'm sleeping, they cramp up. I usually sleep in several layers of socks for that reason, but I find taking a magnesium pill before bed helps a lot. I take the recommended dose of 135 mg of mag citrate three times a day: when I wake up, in the late afternoon, and before bed. I find that spreading it out through the day works best for me.

P.S. Avocados are a great source of potassium and magnesium, so if you like them it's good to make them a regular part of your diet.

Hope you're feeling better soon!

Salt, salt, salt.



If you are not taking in enough salt to balance the water you are drinking, the other electrolytes (potassium, calcium, magnesium, chloride) are going down the toilet. Literally.

Can you quantify (as in teaspoons) how much salt you are drinking each day? How many cups of chicken broth? Also, 100 oz of water per day may be excessive. Are you drinking to meet thirst or drinking more because you think it is good for you?

Anecdotal n=1 (me) -- I must drink enough WATER daily or I get horribly debilitating cramps in my calves. I have to balance getting up once or twice in the night to pee, or being up for hours stomping around trying to get the calves to untie. three litres per day or else. And not all in the morning, some in the later afternoon (hence the getting up to pee). I do all the potassium, magnesium, etc, but without the straight water .....ooooeeee!

I drink mineral water in the Summer. I found athletic support knee socks help to prevent cramps, increasing circulation in the legs and reducing fatigue. I wear those during the day. When I used to get a painful cramp a large vibrator applied relaxed it. Walking on it can pull the muscle and cause soreness.