Anyone with severe calf/foot cramps?

[hotrodgirl]

Hello Group. I am a new poster. Have been reading and educating myself for a while now, but now I have questions, really two, not sure if I can combine them. First and foremost, since starting Keto January 2nd, I am having severe calf and foot cramps every night. They are the most severe I’ve ever experienced and I feel they are connected to my Keto diet. I have read that I need electrolytes, salt and magnesium. I do all three things to help, but still suffer. Is anyone else experiencing?

Question 2: By losing body fat on the Keto diet, will that eliminate the “batwing” arms or the flabby fat that hangs down? I see success stories of females who have lost a lot of weight, without exercise, and their arms have gotten so small and toned. I am wondering if we will lose fat in our arms and build lean muscle in its place.

I’d love some answers to these two nagging questions that I am not able to find information on.

Thank you in advance.

[Camille_Yeager]

MAGNESIUM!!!
I have to take it every day or else I get them too! I have magnesium tablets I take at night, but I also have a magnesium spray, and try to take an epson salt bath at least 1 time a week. So, you might just have to up your magnesium from what you are already doing. I’m thinking about making my own magnesium foot rub to put on at night (found this recipe, haven’t tried it yet) magnesium body butter

as for question 2, I think fasting, both intermittent and extended can help reduce the excess skin. And yes, as we lose weight we will lose weight and tone all over, not just our tummy tum tums.

[dlc96_darren]

Hey, Kim! I can’t speak for the “batwing” arms, but some have had really good success with autophagy through fasting, to help tighten up loose skin.

On the leg cramps though, you’re right; electrolytes and salt are critical. It may just take some trial and error to figure out what level you need to be taking. Some can get by with less, and some people need to take more.

For me, I finally realized I wasn’t getting enough salt. So I started mixing a teaspoon of salt in some water; once in the morning and again in the evening, and drinking that. Now I’m not even taking magnesium or potassium, and my leg cramps have practically disappeared. But you’ll have to experiment more to see what will work for you.

[hotrodgirl]

So glad to know I am not alone in this and that I can pretty much connect this to the Keto diet. I just did buy the Magnesium tablets and they are 200mg each, I think. I read that we need between 200 - 400mg and I do take a vitamin daily as well that has some magnesium. I was actually worried about “overdosing” on magnesium, if that is such a thing. I will check out the link you provided. Thank your for your reply.

[hotrodgirl]

Thank you Darren. I think I will take your advice and mix some salt in with water to drink. I have been trying to salt my meals too, to get some extra salt in. I just never hear of many folks talking on this subject and had to wonder if it was just me or linked to Keto. Thank you for your reply.

[hotrodgirl]

Also, I have learned to not dare stretch my legs ever before I get out of bed. That will set off a massive cramp.

[dlc96_darren]

Yeah I salt my meals liberally, and was even putting a course grain salt under my tongue a couple of times a day, but this apparently still wasn’t enough.

Then I read around here, people talking about drinking electrolyte drinks and how they were supposed to drink them until they didn’t taste good anymore, so I thought I’ll just try some pink Himalayan salt mixed in water until I can’t stand the taste.

The first time I tried a teaspoon, and it was okay. So the next time I tried two teaspoons, and that was too much. So now I do a teaspoon when I get up and another before bed. I can’t believe I’m not even taking magnesium or potassium anymore, but I haven’t needed it.

I probably should do another in the afternoon, because my legs still twitch a little and I can sometimes feel a cramp coming on if I stretch my leg or foot too fast, or the wrong way, but this hasn’t been so bad that I’ve decided I need to do more than the morning and evening doses.

Good luck!

[hotrodgirl]

I love to drink Propel water. It’s an electrolyte water, 0 carbs, 0 calories. Tastes good and that helps I hope with this process. I guess I am really deficient in something and will have to keep trying, as you do, different things until these torture treatments stop each night. Thanks!!

[Rclause]

I was having some calf cramping issues whenever I stretched in bed or even when the sheets put pressure on my foot. It didn’t work right away but I stared put liquid magnesium in my water flask and over time that seemed to do the trick. I think the brand is Mega-Mag and I put a half dropper full in each time I fill it up which is twice a day.

[hotrodgirl]

Oh that is good news too! I also didn’t tuck in the sheets at the end of the bed to help from that causing cramps. I’ll have to get some of that to add to my many bottles of water I drink every day.

[LeCheffre]

Cramping can also be potassium shortage.

[hotrodgirl]

Since we can’t eat bananas, I don’t get potassium that way. What little I get, is probably the amount in my daily vitamin.

[LeCheffre]

Avocado, leafy greens and mushrooms are your best potassium sources on keto.

https://www.dietdoctor.com/low-carb/keto/supplements

Magnesium is usually everyone’s first recommendation because anyone who isn’t supplementing is probably deficient. Potassium has been a problem for LC dieters who don’t eat greens since Yudkin’s time.

[hotrodgirl]

Good to know. I am eating plenty of the foods you mentioned. I will check out your link. I appreciate your advice and reply. Thank you!

[Jody2]

I agree on the salt, I take at least 1 tsp on feast days and around 2 tsp on fasting days. I add it to my 32oz jug of water that I nurse all day. I also take a magnesium supplement. I am able to keep those horrible night time cramps at bay doing this.

As far as the bat wings, I have read at the IDM site that fasting supports autophagy which (anecdotally)supports eliminating loose skin in this process. But I won’t know for awhile. Dr Fung says his patients don’t have loose skin.

[hotrodgirl]

Thank you for your advice. I am definitely going to be salting my water intake. You’re the 2nd person to mention autophagy by fasting to me and I have already researched that. I am so happy to know that is an option as well as I will re-start my arm exercises. Now that I have lost weight in my arms, I can see the muscle definition I had previously gained, but it’s not helping the loose skin bat wings.

[GentleBen]

Odd, but I never had a lot of problems with cramps during keto/fasting until I got off plan for a few weeks and then the cramps attacked with vengeance. Kind of cut the carbs again and boosted with mag pills and the cramps got fewer. Now I’m back on less carbs and the cramps are easing again. Go figure.

[hotrodgirl]

That is a conundrum for me But I hear ya. We are all so different, but I take comfort in knowing there is a reason behind these cramps and now I have remedies I can try.

[LibbyL]

I’ve noticed that now that I have been taking a small boron supplement that I don’t have to take near as much magnesium. Much less symptomatic. (No leg cramps, BM’s easy.) (I still take magnesium 3 times a week, but I had been taking it daily or suffering the consequences). There is an article titled “Nothing Boring about Boron” that convinced me to start taking it. On the other hand, the rest of the internet is pretty sure that boron is bad for ya, so who knows.

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4712861/

[hotrodgirl]

Oh thank you Libby. I’ll look into that too. Anything, everything has to help. I am so tired of waking up during the night or first thing in the morning dealing with these cramps. My foot even tried to cramp up this morning driving my car into work. I also wonder if all the water we are drinking and are supposed to be drinking, is also adding to the deletion of these minerals from our bodies?