Muscle Cramps

Oooowww! It happened again and is happening too often for my liking. I haven’t had cramps for a long time. I used to get them once in a long while but since I’ve started a low carb diet, I’ve noticed the frequency has increased. I get them mostly on my feet and calves.

Obviously, something is lacking in my body. I had a suspicion that it could be magnesium and googled this morning to see what I could find. Here is a good website with a detailed explanation of cramps. Not only does it explain the different types of cramps and what causes them but it also gives you tips on how to treat them and better still, avoid them.  Here are some interesting points:

*Cramps are common in adults and become increasingly frequent with aging

*Muscle cramps can last anywhere from a few seconds to a quarter of an hour or occasionally longer

*It is not uncommon for a cramp to recur multiple times until it finally goes away

*Cramps of the extremities, especially the legs and feet, and most particularly the calf (the classic “charley horse”), are very common (that’s what I’m getting)

*Insufficient stretching before exercise, exercising in the heat, and muscle fatigue may all play a role

*Imbalances in the levels of electrolytes (sodium, potassium, chloride, calcium and phosphate) in the blood can  lead to muscle cramps

There’s lots more on the website.

In my case, I think I will have to take magnesium and calcium supplements (I am taking both but the dosage is probably not sufficient and not frequent enough). I’ll also have to pay more attention to dehydration – cut down on coffee and drink more water – and do the nightly exercises recommended on the above website.