Muscle cramps

[RobMan]

Hello, Been on LC for about 7 weeks now and have dropped 41 lbs. Keeping crabs under 20 a day and pushing the water. At least 8-10 glasses a day. Taking a one-a-day vit. Started having some pretty major muscle cramps a few weeks ago once in bed. Never during the day. I always was a fruit eater and loved bananas, which now is a no-no. ( I was told the absence of them is the cause???) Anyone else have this issue and any advice is welcome.

I have a doctors appt in about 6 weeks but really don't want to go see him until then as I told him I would be off 60 lbs the next time he saw me. I really want to surprise and prove my word.

[lisabinil]

Lc diets are diuretic and you lose potassium. I would try a potassium & magnesium supplement.

[JustKim]

try some calcium. Without free available calcium in the blood stream muscle fibers remain in a semi contracted state and do not fully relax.

Potassium affects heart rhythm. Please only supplement under advice of an MD

[lisabinil]

Careful potassium supplementation is not harmful to your heart. A supp usually only contains around 100 mg while a banana has 500 mg. Believe me as someone who has Fibro calcium will not stop leg cramps. My neuro has me take magnesium for painful muscle spasms-the modern American diet is usually lacking in magnesium.

Dietary Supplement Information Bureau – All Vitamins & Supplements

Answers to Your Questions About Magnesium Supplements

[JerseyGardenGirl]

Wow you eat almost 20 crabs a day? Sorry lol I'm jk.

Electrolyte imbalance could definitely be a cause. Perhaps try to get in more potassium rich foods.

[JustKim]

calcium will help prevent muscle from cramping and also help reduce cramping once they start. Dr. Klug at the University of Oregon does a lot of research on calcium and muscle fibres.

[lisabinil]

Originally Posted by JustKim

calcium will help prevent muscle from cramping and also help reduce cramping once they start. Dr. Klug at the University of Oregon does a lot of research on calcium and muscle fibres.

Not for everyone-doesn't do a thing for me.

[2big4mysize]

actually muscle cramps have several causes everything from electrolyte deficencies to medical issues and throwing potassium and/or calcium at them without knowing the cause could be a waste of your money.

Plug your foods into something like fitday and include your vits and supplements. Then check the reports section and see what nutriants you are deficient in. Many of the induction legal veggies and meats are considered high potassium foods and have more then bananas do. things like greens and even pork are high potassium foods. Iceberg lettuce that no nutrtional value food has potassium in it. many dark green veggies also contain calcium as does the allowed dairy.
Once you know what your diet is deficiient in you will have a better understanding of what supplements you need.

There are also medical conditions that cause night time muscle cramps like low thryroid.
I had low thyroid and was potassium deficient during my induction eating so my doc fixed the thyroid levels and told me to take potassium supplements. My Calcium levles were fine. Ohters have been low calcium which the body will fix by having the parathyroid secret a chemical that removes calcium from your bones. This chemical also interfers with the thyroid hormone slowing your weight loss. this is where the milk your diet lose weight program came from.


Sp check your eating and then figure out what you need and if you don't need nothing then see your doc and get tested.

[oceandiva]

Calcium helps me sleep but did not help with the leg cramps. I need to take magenesium every night for leg cramps but that did not stop toe cramping. Potassium did work. My doc also checked for low Vt D and put me on a perscription and that helped a little.

[fawnmarie]

I've always found that switching to Morton lite salt (part sodium/part potassium) did wonders for the muscle cramps/weakness caused by low potassium.

Bananas are a no-no, but avocados are fine, and have I believe just as much potassium as bananas. I believe switching to dark greens (instead of iceburg) helps, too.

[dgcashier]

Poatassium and magnesium citrate. I take a homeopathic magnesium that helps a lot to reverse a bad cramp a bad cramp

[MarblesLongGone]

For me it is a Vitamin E deficiency if I get leg cramps, but I've known it long enough, that I take it daily! But, if you look at Dr Mike Eades Protein Power blog, he gives advice on how to remedy this, and it is usually with potassium, IN A CONTROLLED FASHION! (Are you on any meds?!?!)

[RobMan]

Thanks to everyone for the information and suggestions. I only have a few weeks until my blood test and I will seek the doctor's advice as well. The low carbing is still going great with my wife, which started the same time I did, off about 20lbs and myself about 50. Not bad for for two months!

[iditarodgrizzly]

Keep up the great work. I've found I have more dedication this time around. After passing 50 years old I wanna stay around a few more years.

[RobMan]

Thanks to all for the advice. I have been doing a lot of internet reading and looking into what each of you have said. I would like to tell you what has occured for me.

I looked into buying potassium at the drug store and saw where each pill only gives you 3% of your RDA. My mulit-vit does that. So I passed. Prior to LCing I always ate a lot of lowfat cottage cheese, thus plenty of calcium. I have cut that out and only eat a little of one of the hard cheeses so it is lower in carbs. No doubt my calcium intake has really dropped. May be the culprit?

So, here is what I have done. I always have taken a multi-vit every morning. I contiuned doing that and have added taking a calcium as well. As before, I drink at least 8-10 glasses of water a day to be sure of plenty of fluids. Then at night right prior to bed I take another multi-vit and another calicum with a full 12 oz of water. I figure the addition mulit-vit will give me added magnesium, more potassium and I am adding another calicum. I have also added spinach as one of my salad greens daily.

I am guardedly hopeful that this has cured my cramps. I think I have now gone nearly a week without one. Hope I didn't just jinx myself! Thanks to all!

[2big4mysize]

glad you figured it out
BUT if you check the veggies on the induction lists you will see many of them give us calcium too so make sure before you supplement you check your food choices for the amount you are getting as too much of most stuff cvan be just as harmful as too little.