Really need help with the nightly cramps

[MarkGossage]

I salt all food and add it to tea and coffee you might need a lot more than you think…

[dony45]

Will try that.

[rustyk61]

What type of salt are you using? Most sea salts are ideal. Morton table salt…not so much.

[Janie]

What type of Calcium and how many mgs?

If calcium carbonate then you won’t absorb much. If a calcium citrate like Citracal then it should help with leg cramps.

[replay]

Lack of adequate hydration may also be a factor.

“However, a balance of other minerals like sodium and potassium (electrolytes) along with adequate hydration could be contributors to cramping as well”

https://blog.virtahealth.com/muscle-cramps-ketogenic-diet/

[DiMo]

You might consider trying this ketoaide:

KetoAide homemade

It is very important that you check with your doctor before consuming Lite Salt, as it contains potassium. Do not over consume Lite Salt! I normally only drink two bottles of KetoAide a day and only add 1/4 teaspoon Lite Salt to each bottle. Do not supplement this with additional teaspoons of Lite Salt! That’s too much potassium! Again check with your physician before consuming Lite Salt. [image] [image] 290 mg sodium 350 mg potassium 75 mg magnesium

I use this recipe, but I’ve been using 1/2 tsp pink Himalayan salt (don’t have any Lite Salt- but want to try this in the future to increase my potassium), a little less of the magnesium citrate oral solution (1 tsp, I’ve had issues with diarrhea with 1/2 tbs, so I’m trying a lower dose, really cheap at Walmart) and a little lemon juice (to cut the saltiness) in a liter of water. I try to drink 2 to 3 liters of this a day. I also take 500 mg of calcium citrate (Citrical) and 500 mg of magnesium glycinate (I don’t have any “gastrointestinal issues” when this is the only magnesium supplement I take).

I’m very sedentary (health issues), so if you’re pretty active, you might need even more.

Since using this, I haven’t had the headaches, dizziness or foot cramps I was getting before. I have some health issues which have resulted in muscle weakness and some problems with my balance. This supplementation has helped just a bit (but noticeably) with my strength which helps my balance.

Edit: Many people use ZippFizz. I don’t because I don’t tolerate caffeine very well.

[Tiamoesg]

Sounds like dehydration and maybe some minor malnutrition.

All of the minerals you are talking will also promote slight dehydration.

Several bananas each day can be quite helpful with leg cramps. Eating cabbage can help absorb more from the bananas as well. This is where I’d focus some energy.

Dark green vegetables will increase iron in the blood which is useful as well.

[uniprod]

Could be worth trying magnesium oil that you spray on your skin, or make sure your bath salts also have magnesium, but those tend to get spendy to use nightly. Some may disagree, but I’ve read that magnesium is absorbed at a much higher rate through the skin then oral supplementation. I believe it because i can actually feel the effects of transdermal magnesium like 20 minutes after I apply, which is I’m in a toddler like sleeping coma Seriously best sleep aid I’m ever found. I use ancient minerals and I know that works, but I imagine the others do as well. I’ve tried a lot of crazy things but this is one of the few that I am blown away by how well it works.

[mtncntrykid]

Several bananas each day can be quite helpful with leg cramps. Eating cabbage can help absorb more from the bananas as well. This is where I’d focus some energy.

I disagree with this suggestion for a new person that is trying to become Lipolysis adapted. The high carbohydrate levels in bananas will stall and or stop their attended goal.

[dlc96_darren]

I usually take a pinch of celtic sea salt, and put it under my tongue, first thing in the morning, sometimes in the afternoon, and right before bedtime. Of course I take magnesium and potassium as well, but the sea salt seems to help the most, for me.

https://www.amazon.com/Light-Grey-Celtic-coarse-salt/dp/B01EX4UOWM/

The course salt, not the fine ground.

[uniprod]

A little off topic but I’ve actually done this before my keto adventure to help with hangovers ha, and it works amazingly. I guess it’s not too off topic as dehydration is dehydration however you get there, but this definitely works.

[Tiamoesg]

Mntctrykid, this is simply not true. Look at the basic science of it, not the macro guidelines. It depends on his frequency of eating.

He could simply eat 2-3 bananas right before his dinner.

It may adjust how many minutes/hours he has in ketosis, but it sure as heck won’t stop it from happening.

[uniprod]

This is again the interesting dynamic of two different groups. Someone who is insulin/leptin resistant can not deal with a big insulin spike the same way a metabolically fit individual can. I think some of the disagreement comes from two different perspectives in the sense some do keto and research from the perspective of struggling from long term obesity vs those who aren’t and using keto as a subset of their overall health goals when already in pretty good shape. These are really two very different bodies metabolically we are talking about. I’m sure some people can eat a banana no problem. There are some people eating 100g of carbs and remaining in ketosis although it’s a rare individual

[jules4]

I don’t seem to get the electrolyte balance right either, so have been getting night leg cramps regularly, especially after exercise. Was advised on her to have 4-5g salt a day- I’d increased my salt a lot, but after weighing out 5g, realised it was a lot less that I’ve been having, so am trying to up it. Otherwise salt tablets are advised.
(I’m trying the soap thing too!! )

[mtncntrykid]

Several bananas each day can be quite helpful with leg cramps.

He could simply eat 2-3 bananas right before his dinner.

I guess it would be one’s definition of “several”?

It may adjust how many minutes/hours he has in ketosis, but it sure as heck won’t stop it from happening.

And this is the point of my " will stall and or stop their attended goal". Operative words here are “and or”. The potential to stop the process could be the damage the bananas to the OP’s (are anyone’s) will power to avoid temptation of other sugars and revert back to the habits they are trying to escape from.

[mtncntrykid]

A very good perception that I would agree with.

[Robert_Johnson]

[sorry, but I’m sick and tired of coming back in here to edit out all the stupid iPhone auto correct screw ups. I’m not even going to try to fix them any longer. This may make me look like an idiot, so be it. My apologies up front]

Intermittent leg cramps were something I had always felt with for many years. I’d have them for several nights in a row, and finally take some potassium or eat a few bananas and it would not happen again for a few weeks. That was before going keto.

After keto, and this would have started a couple of months after starting. I began to get cramps again. But these were different. In the past, it was always one of my calf muscles. It would lock up tight, and to fix it I’d have to bring my toes to my shin, and really attract hit out. Hurt like hell for a moment and was gone. But these new cramps. The top of my foot? Is there even a muscle there? I know there is but c’mon! That very tiny bit of muscle causing that much pain? Wtf?!?

Yep, needed salt. I began taking about a teaspoon of salt in about an ounce of warm water about an hour before bed. When I remember to do this, everything is fine. If I forget, it’s about a 50/50 chance of a major cramp that I can’t stretch out. Top of the foot, toes, hands, and once the entire left side of my neck.

So now I have a night cap of kosher salt. It has kept the cramps away every time I do it, and I’ve been doing it every night now for about two weeks without a return cramp.

[dony45]

Been using Mortons

[dony45]

Using 500 mg Calcium carbonate will swith to calcium citrate.

[dony45]

Dring plenty of water.