Posted by KaraS on September 17, 2005, at 23:12:11
In reply to Re: Calcium/magnesium, leg cramps » KaraS, posted by JLx on September 15, 2005, at 23:10:02
> > Hi,
> >
> > I would love to try that experiment but I always end up with severe leg cramps at night - even just a couple of days without taking calcium supplements. Right now I'm taking 500 mg. of calcium and 500 mg. of magnesium citrate each night. I've tried magnesium taurate as well. I don't perceive any antidepressant value from it.
> >
> > Do you know if the leg cramps mean that I need all of that calcium or is there something else I could take to prevent them? I'd like to be able to stop the calcium and just experiment with the magnesium.
> >
> > K
>
> It could be that you just can't cut down on calcium. Or there may be other considerations to experiment with.
>
> I've been having leg cramps lately and thought it was because I've been taking mg taurate instead of my usual mg glycinate. It's probably not calcium in my case as I've been eating more calcium foods lately. In fact, according to this site, dairy foods can be a culprit. Probably what's causing mine then.
I definitely need to do more experimentation.
I've been getting more dairy in my diet lately so maybe I'll try cutting out the calcium supplements. Now if dairy foods can be the culprit, then that makes the whole thing very confusing. We'd have to find a way to get enough calcium without dairy or supplements.http://www.digitalnaturopath.com/cond/C466089.html
>
> It also mentions Vit E. And sodium and potassium. Most of us don't need sodium, but I have taken 99mg potassium at night when I've been trying to sort out whether it's magnesium, calcium or what I need. That was more for those little paresthesia-like feelings than outright cramps though.
>
> Tonight I'm switching back to mg glycinate. Actually it's a glycinate, lysinate, biopterine combo that I just spotted at iherb.Thanks for the link. I saw that combo you mentioned from iHerb. Let me know how it works for you. I'm always wary of tablets. Never know if they're going to break down enough for absorption.
> I'm not impressed with mg taurate.
>
> Have you tried mg glycinate? I just found out that glycine is a NMDA receptor agonist. Perhaps that's why some of us find that particular kind of mg more calming and helpful for depression than mg taurate or any of the others. Glycine is also supposed to relax the back, maybe it does the legs too.
I haven't tried the glycinate. I'll add that to my list. I also haven't tried using more than 500 mg. of magnesium. That might help me regulate my sleep cycle as well.
> Vit D potentiates calcium, I believe, perhaps if adding some of that you could cut down calcium.
I used to take Vitamin D but rain out and didn't renew it. I just reordered it again yesterday.
> Check this out from a Google Answer:
>
> "One current theory on the
> cause of restless legs syndrome involves a deficiency in a brain
> chemical called dopamine." http://answers.google.com/answers/threadview?id=553664
>
> Don't you have some kind of dopamine receptor abnormality? IIRC
I may have hypersensitive dopamine autoreceptors but I'm not certain that those can't be "fixed".
I used to have RLS but haven't had any problems with it since I went off of Effexor.btw, what does IIRC mean?
>
> Also on that page:
>
> "Vitamin B complex may be helpful."
>
> My sister, who finds magnesium so stimulating, also finds calcium relaxing and takes it at night.
I find it so strange that it can have such different effects on people, especially sisters, although I guess it's not different than how people respond to medications.
> Maybe calcium is just right for you.
Could be. Maybe with more experimentation I'll find that out for sure.Thanks for your help.
Kara
poster:KaraS
thread:554015
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/alter/20050812/msgs/556216.html