Re: Calcium supplements causing muscle cramps

[Guest guest]

I had always heard of leg cramps being due to a *lack* of calcium, not an

excess. I experienced somewhat the opposite some years ago when, for a time,

I ate essentially a vegetarian diet. After a few weeks I began to have

cramps - mostly at night. Heavy cal-mag supplementation eased them. (As did

going back on animal-based foods a little later.)

----- Original Message -----

From: <L106@...>

< >

Sent: Saturday, June 22, 2002 9:15 PM

Subject: [ ] Calcium supplements causing muscle cramps

> Has anyone else had this problem? A few years ago i was persuaded to take

a

> fizzy calcium supplement which the makers claimed was better absorbed. I

> suffered horrific cramps - lying in bed at night I would stretch and yawn

and

> then spend the next 40 minutes trying to ease the foot and muscle cramp

that

> developed. The cramps went away after I stopped taking the supplement.

>

> More recently I have been taking Caltrate 600+ and am finding that the

cramps

> have come back. I have reduced my dosage to about twice / week. I use

very

> little dairy and according to my software program my dietary calcium is

quite

> a bit below the recommended amount for women my age ( 49 )

>

>

>

>

[Guest guest]

Hello ,

I did a search of the main list archives for calcium cramps and

another for muscle cramps and got these :

crsociety/message/19411

This was from Alan Pater and concerned muscle cramps from a

specific variety of gree/black tea (can't remember which) but it

also said blood calcium levels were normal

This one from Warren about muscle cramps as a symptom of methionine

deficiency as a result of a vegetarian diet:

crsociety/message/11999

And last from Mambo Mambo about taking potassium for muscle cramps:

crsociety/message/5955

I'm available for massages :-)

Bob

> Has anyone else had this problem? A few years ago i was persuaded

to take a

> fizzy calcium supplement which the makers claimed was better

absorbed. I

> suffered horrific cramps - lying in bed at night I would stretch

and yawn and

> then spend the next 40 minutes trying to ease the foot and muscle

cramp that

> developed. The cramps went away after I stopped taking the

supplement.

>

> More recently I have been taking Caltrate 600+ and am finding that

the cramps

> have come back. I have reduced my dosage to about twice / week.

I use very

> little dairy and according to my software program my dietary

calcium is quite

> a bit below the recommended amount for women my age ( 49 )

>

[Guest guest]

Hi and All,

I found the below might help:

Short term treatment with 400 mg quinine per day can effectively

prevent nocturnal leg cramps in adults without relevant side-effects.

PMID: 12074203 [PubMed - in process].

But I think it may be better to go by the next citation, since I get

the idea that calcium may interfere with magnesium uptake.

For magnesium citrate equivalent to 300 mg magnesium, significantly

more subjects thought that the treatment had helped after magnesium

than after placebo 36 (78%) and 25 (54%) respectively, (p=0.03).

PMID: 12011773 [PubMed - in process].

Had the message from yesterday come through okay?

From: " old542000 " <apater@m...>

Date: Sat Jun 22, 2002 2:11 pm

Subject: Actonel

Hi Suz and All,

I am taking

risedroate/Actonel

30mg/week after fosamax

gave GI

problems. It did wonders.

But as far as taking ca++,

if it is low

the drug cannot put it

into the bones. The drug

does not go into

bones, the Ca++ does. It

is good to take the Ca++

soon after the

risedronate so bones can

be built.

Cheers, Al.

Cheers, Al.

> Has anyone else had this problem? A few years ago i was persuaded

to take a

> fizzy calcium supplement which the makers claimed was better

absorbed. I

> suffered horrific cramps - lying in bed at night I would stretch and

yawn and

> then spend the next 40 minutes trying to ease the foot and muscle

cramp that

> developed. The cramps went away after I stopped taking the

supplement.

>

> More recently I have been taking Caltrate 600+ and am finding that

the cramps

> have come back. I have reduced my dosage to about twice / week. I

use very

> little dairy and according to my software program my dietary calcium

is quite

> a bit below the recommended amount for women my age ( 49 )

>