Question: Is there a nutritionally useful element for preventing painful leg cramps that seem to bedevil folk as they get older? Magnesium used to be recommended, but those I know who have tried a supplement have found it doesn’t seem to work.
Answer: The sudden, involuntary contraction of one or more muscles is guaranteed to shift one from night-time slumber to absolutely alert in seconds due to the severe pain. And you’re not alone in dealing with muscle cramps – they are more common in older adults. A recent French study found about 46% of older adults experienced them. However, cramps are also common in younger people after vigorous exercise.
Most occur in the leg muscles, particularly the calf muscle, and typically last from a few seconds to several minutes before disappearing. Although stretching the muscle usually provides some relief and speeds up the end of the cramp, it’s certainly not the ideal solution. Indeed, about 20% of people with leg cramps have symptoms every day that are severe enough to require medical intervention.
Cramps typically occur while resting – for example, while sitting down reading a book or watching television, or, worse still, in the middle of the night while sleeping. The French study found 31% of older adults reported cramps woke them at night.
Another study found about a third of older Americans suffered from nocturnal leg cramps, with the calf muscle most often affected. Unfortunately, these bouts of pain disrupt sleep quality and, ultimately, quality of life.
Though muscle cramps are a normal part of the human experience, they are caused by various factors. If yours are particularly problematic, then a consultation with your GP is recommended, as a range of medical conditions can contribute to them.
Some common medications, along with caffeine and alcohol, can also trigger cramps. Indeed, a review published in Practical Neurology this year recommended limiting alcohol and caffeine to reduce cramps. Avoiding caffeine in the evening in particular is suggested to reduce the risk of nocturnal cramps, although there’s limited evidence to support this recommendation.
Staying well hydrated is also advised, although this mainly reduces exercise-induced cramps.
Magnesium supplements have long been touted as a way to prevent leg cramps. There seems to be a sound biological rationale, because magnesium regulates muscle contractions. But the science to date doesn’t back this up. A 2020 Cochrane Review of the evidence on magnesium supplementation found it was unlikely to provide “clinically meaningful” treatment for older adults with muscle cramps. And evidence on supplementation for pregnant women was conflicting, meaning more research is needed.
A Dutch-UK review last year recommends trialling a vitamin B complex supplement to determine whether it reduces muscle cramps. A double-blind clinical trial published in 1998 found 86% of older patients taking a vitamin B complex supplement had significant remission of night-time leg cramps. B complex capsules typically contain vitamins B1, B2, B3, B5, B6, B8, B11 and B12. The recommended dosage is 50mg, once daily. If symptoms do not improve within two weeks, then discontinue treatment. But if it helps, it should be continued for a few months. Caution is warranted with B6 dosage, however, as excessive amounts can cause nerve damage.
Unfortunately, knowledge about many aspects of cramping remains limited, so nutritional treatment options for older adults are similarly sketchy. More research is needed.
If your leg cramps continue to be a problem, visit your GP, as there are prescribed medications that may help.
