Slash Painful Nighttime Leg Cramps
On this Veterans Day, my team and I honor and thank all who have served in our armed forces. Your courage, sacrifice, and dedication to protecting our nation’s freedoms will never be forgotten.
Not all health problems are life-threatening.
There are plenty that threaten your quality of life.
Nighttime leg cramps are one of them.
These occur when your muscles cramp up while you’re sleeping. In addition to causing sudden, intense pain, they cause sleep disruptions and a domino effect of issues from there.
Fortunately, researchers have identified a simple solution that can help reduce the frequency and intensity of nighttime leg cramps.
The older you get, the more likely you will experience nighttime leg cramps. It’s estimated that about one-third of adults over 60 wake up to these cramps about once every two months.
If you’re one of them, I have something that could help.
A recent study included 199 adults, averaging 72 years old, who had experienced at least two episodes of leg cramps within two weeks before the trial.
Half received 180 mcg of vitamin K2 every day for 8 weeks, while the other half took a placebo.
After eight weeks, the vitamin K2 group slashed nighttime leg gramps from 2.6 to .96 per week.
During the same period, the placebo group increased to 3.63 per week.
The vitamin K2 group also reported reductions in the duration and severity of their cramps.
The people taking vitamin K2 saw improvements after just one week.
The jury is still out on precisely why this works. But my bet is that the K2 lowers calcium levels, allowing your muscles to relax.
Whatever the reason, K2 represents a safe, inexpensive way to fight back against nighttime leg cramps and boost your quality of life.
And if you still wake up with leg cramps, you can help alleviate them by stretching your leg (straightening it while flexing your foot), massaging the spasming muscle, or applying heat or ice.
P.S. Four BEST supplements for seniors.
SOURCE:
Tan J, Zhu R, Li Y, et al. Vitamin K2 in Managing Nocturnal Leg Cramps: A Randomized Clinical Trial. JAMA Intern Med. Published online October 28, 2024. doi:10.1001/jamainternmed.2024.5726
