Muscle cramps: how to avoid?

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Every summer I get painful muscle cramps. The affected muscle could be on any part of my body: back,
neck, leg etc. Each incident takes 7-10 days to heal.

Is there a way to avoid these muscle cramps? I was told, that this is a result of sleeping in an
air-conditioned room. True or false?

I also read that drinking a lot of electrolyte drinks could help. True or false? If true, which
drinks do you suggest? Does lemonade contain electrolytes?

thanks

jramaley@iname.com (James Ramaley) writes:

> I also read that drinking a lot of electrolyte drinks could help. True or false? If true, which
> drinks do you suggest? Does lemonade contain electrolytes?

Just switching from regular salt to mineral salt containing lots of potassium cures these
problems for many.

Electrolytes may help you indeed. Potassium is very good but be careful! A high potassium level can
cause cardiac problem or kidney stone. I would suggest to drink a bottle of gatorade when you
exercice or when it is too hot outside. You can also make your own gatorade;

1 cup of orange juice 2 cup of water
1/2 teaspoon of salt

this Homemade gatorade contains potassium, magnesium, sodium and glucose ( fructose ).

good luck

Claude RN in CVT "James Ramaley" <jramaley@iname.com> a écrit dans le message news:
f84e229a.0305090135.3e7bb569@posting.google.com...
| Every summer I get painful muscle cramps. The affected muscle could be on any part of my body:
| back, neck, leg etc. Each incident takes 7-10 days to heal.
|
| Is there a way to avoid these muscle cramps? I was told, that this is a result of sleeping in an
| air-conditioned room. True or false?
|
| I also read that drinking a lot of electrolyte drinks could help. True or false? If true, which
| drinks do you suggest? Does lemonade contain electrolytes?
|
| thanks

I've had cramping problems for many years and nothing seems to have worked, although because of food
allergies, I haven't improved my diet too much. So I can't say that proper nutrition wouldn't help.
I drink almost nothing but Gatorade, exercising or not exercising. Probably helps some but doesn't
get rid of the problem. If you are interested in a fairly widely circulated folk remedy, search for
cramp and pickled juice on the web. It didn't help me, and I really tried.

--
Editor, Internet's Convenient and Unbiased Directory of Nutrition Software
http://nutritionsoftware.org (http://nutritionsoftware.org/)

"James Ramaley" <jramaley@iname.com> wrote in message
news:f84e229a.0305090135.3e7bb569@posting.google.com...
> Every summer I get painful muscle cramps. The affected muscle could be on any part of my body:
> back, neck, leg etc. Each incident takes 7-10 days to heal.
>
> Is there a way to avoid these muscle cramps? I was told, that this is a result of sleeping in an
> air-conditioned room. True or false?
>
> I also read that drinking a lot of electrolyte drinks could help. True or false? If true, which
> drinks do you suggest? Does lemonade contain electrolytes?
>
> thanks

I get cramps if I don't take calcium and magnesium. If I miss more than 1 day, I get cramps in my
neck, back and legs. I usually take 1200 mg calcium citrate and 600 mg magnesium every day. I hope
this helps.....

"James Ramaley" <jramaley@iname.com> wrote in message
news:f84e229a.0305090135.3e7bb569@posting.google.com...
> Every summer I get painful muscle cramps. The affected muscle could be on any part of my body:
> back, neck, leg etc. Each incident takes 7-10 days to heal.
>
> Is there a way to avoid these muscle cramps? I was told, that this is a result of sleeping in an
> air-conditioned room. True or false?
>
> I also read that drinking a lot of electrolyte drinks could help. True or false? If true, which
> drinks do you suggest? Does lemonade contain electrolytes?
>
> thanks

I have found information suggesting the use of Dioscorea Villosa (Wild Yam) for muscle spasms
(http://www.healthandage.com/html/res/com/ConsHerbs/Wildyamch.html), however, some of the
information I have found does conflict (so I guess it depends on who you want to believe). You can
get Wild Yam extract in supplement form (e.g.
http://www.mannapages.com/jdi/PRDPlus.asp?sSubMenu=Products&CountryCodeID=1).
--
Wayne Bryan

James Ramaley wrote:
> Every summer I get painful muscle cramps. The affected muscle could be on any part of my body:
> back, neck, leg etc. Each incident takes 7-10 days to heal.
>
> Is there a way to avoid these muscle cramps? I was told, that this is a result of sleeping in an
> air-conditioned room. True or false?
>
> I also read that drinking a lot of electrolyte drinks could help. True or false? If true, which
> drinks do you suggest? Does lemonade contain electrolytes?
>
> thanks

On 9 May 2003 02:35:10 -0700, jramaley@iname.com (James Ramaley) wrote:

>Every summer I get painful muscle cramps. The affected muscle could be on any part of my body:
>back, neck, leg etc. Each incident takes 7-10 days to heal.
>
>Is there a way to avoid these muscle cramps? I was told, that this is a result of sleeping in an
>air-conditioned room. True or false?
>
>I also read that drinking a lot of electrolyte drinks could help. True or false? If true, which
>drinks do you suggest? Does lemonade contain electrolytes?
>
>thanks

Eating bananas can help.

J.P.

Reply to covent@tijd.nnoossppaamm.com

jramaley@iname.com (James Ramaley) wrote in message
news:<f84e229a.0305090135.3e7bb569@posting.google.com>...
> Every summer I get painful muscle cramps. The affected muscle could be on any part of my body:
> back, neck, leg etc. Each incident takes 7-10 days to heal.
>
> Is there a way to avoid these muscle cramps? I was told, that this is a result of sleeping in an
> air-conditioned room. True or false?
>
> I also read that drinking a lot of electrolyte drinks could help. True or false? If true, which
> drinks do you suggest? Does lemonade contain electrolytes?
>
> thanks

There are 4 major minerals\electrolyte ions involved in muscular contraction - Sodium, Calcium,
Potasium, and Magnesium. It is the movement of these mineral ions in and out of cells that contracts
muscle cells i.e. a cramp. Everyone's metabolism is different thus taking a 'standard' electrolyte
mix (e.g. Gatorade) does not work for everyone. You will not stop the cramps by just having enough
of each of these minerals, they must be in the proper proportion - which can vary due to your
absorption\use. You will get cramps if one or more of these electrolytes is out of proportion.

To stop the cramps you need to find out which electrolyte\s are out of wack. First, try to maintain
a steady water intake during the testing period - adequate, but not excessive. Next, try a
supplement of each individual electrolyte for a week or two to see if the situation improves.
Calcium and Magnesium deficencies are the most common causes of cramps so start there. Sodium
deficency is unlikey, but possible. REMEMBER - quantity of electrolyte is not the goal - rather,
proportion. Add deficient electrolytes to balance.

Make sure the form of mineral supplement is readily absorbable. (For example, if you have low HCL
levels and you supplement with Calcium Carbonate [coral calcium] you may not be able to take enough
pills to add significantly to your cellular calcium level.)

Best wishes!

"Rick www.nutritionsoftware.org" wrote:
>
> I've had cramping problems for many years and nothing seems to have worked, although because of
> food allergies, I haven't improved my diet too much. So I can't say that proper nutrition wouldn't
> help. I drink almost nothing but Gatorade, exercising or not exercising. Probably helps some but
> doesn't get rid of the problem. If you are interested in a fairly widely circulated folk remedy,
> search for cramp and pickled juice on the web. It didn't help me, and I really tried.

Magnesium can help quite a lot; it relaxes muscles.

sue

Calcium citrate majkes me cramp up even more! All calciums I have tried make the cramps worse. Our
environment promotes magnesium deficiency. Cripes...now we are even drinking mineral deficient
distilled and rev. osmosis water just like our ancestors (sarc)!

http://www.mgwater.com/aging.shtml

"anon" <anon@dotl.com> wrote in message news:azydnY16lYOTXyCjXTWJjA@giganews.com...
> I get cramps if I don't take calcium and magnesium. If I miss more than 1 day, I get cramps in my
> neck, back and legs. I usually take 1200 mg
calcium
> citrate and 600 mg magnesium every day. I hope this helps.....
>
> "James Ramaley" <jramaley@iname.com> wrote in message
> news:f84e229a.0305090135.3e7bb569@posting.google.com...
> > Every summer I get painful muscle cramps. The affected muscle could be on any part of my body:
> > back, neck, leg etc. Each incident takes 7-10 days to heal.
> >
> > Is there a way to avoid these muscle cramps? I was told, that this is a result of sleeping in an
> > air-conditioned room. True or false?
> >
> > I also read that drinking a lot of electrolyte drinks could help. True or false? If true, which
> > drinks do you suggest? Does lemonade contain electrolytes?
> >
> > thanks

Second that magnesium. Magnesium oxide 2-3000 mg per day, spread out can change your tissue pH
levels and alleviate the cramping. May take a few months of this to get completely free of the
cramps but it works for most that tried it.

High acid producing foods like meats, dairy can produce this long term effect. More greens, fruits,
veggies are in order usually. Have patience...it took years to get where you are.

"suzee" <suzeeq@nidlink.com> wrote in message news:3EBC98A6.3BF9A3FA@nidlink.com...
> "Rick www.nutritionsoftware.org" wrote:
> >
> > I've had cramping problems for many years and nothing seems to have
worked,
> > although because of food allergies, I haven't improved my diet too much.
So
> > I can't say that proper nutrition wouldn't help. I drink almost nothing but Gatorade, exercising
> > or not exercising.
Probably
> > helps some but doesn't get rid of the problem. If you are interested in a fairly widely
> > circulated folk remedy, search
for
> > cramp and pickled juice on the web. It didn't help me, and I really
tried.
>
> Magnesium can help quite a lot; it relaxes muscles.
>
> sue

Gym Bob wrote:
>
> Second that magnesium. Magnesium oxide 2-3000 mg per day, spread out can change your tissue pH
> levels and alleviate the cramping. May take a few months of this to get completely free of the
> cramps but it works for most that tried it.

Depends on how frequent and severe the cramps are. I'd get cramps in my calves a couple times a
week. Taking a moderate amount (250mg/ day) of Magnesium stopped them completely.... until I forget
to take it daily. ;)

> High acid producing foods like meats, dairy can produce this long term effect. More greens,
> fruits, veggies are in order usually.

A good idea also.... and maybe some plain water instead of Gatorade.

sue

When I was at my peak problems I went to a Naturopath who she put me on sodium bicarbonate mixed
with potassium bicarbonate in capsule form. I took them at 10 AM and 4 PM (timing was important).
After a few weeks my severe esophagial burning (I had it so bad I couldn't swallow some foods with
it coming back up) subsided. After a few months my cramps disappeared from my back, wrists,
forearms, calves or anything that I exerted more than even once sometimes. If I walked a pace faster
than a stroll, my legs, calves, back muscles would go into a cramp that I couldn't get rid of for
hours. When my biceps started cramping I knew I wasn't self diagnosing correctly and went to the ND.
I had been having cramp problems for 8-10 years and my doc had tried a few things to no avail.

The diagnosis from the ND was after a urine, blood and saliva test for pH and of course the hour and
a half discussion evaluating my temperment and personality.

"suzee" <suzeeq@nidlink.com> wrote in message news:3EBEBF4B.1172959@nidlink.com...
> Gym Bob wrote:
> >
> > Second that magnesium. Magnesium oxide 2-3000 mg per day, spread out can change your tissue pH
> > levels and alleviate the cramping. May take a few months of this to get completely free of the
> > cramps but it works for
most
> > that tried it.
>
> Depends on how frequent and severe the cramps are. I'd get cramps in my calves a couple times a
> week. Taking a moderate amount (250mg/ day) of Magnesium stopped them completely.... until I
> forget to take it daily. ;)
>
> > High acid producing foods like meats, dairy can produce this long term effect. More greens,
> > fruits, veggies are in order usually.
>
> A good idea also.... and maybe some plain water instead of Gatorade.
>
> sue