Natural supplements for muscle spasms may be able to provide relief from both the pain and contractions you experience. As they are natural remedies, these supplements may take longer than medical solutions in offering relief from symptoms. Remember to consult with your medical care provider prior to taking any supplement, as not all supplements may suit your particular situation, and some may negatively interact with medications.
Calcium
According to the Office of Dietary Supplements, your body has more calcium than any other mineral. Calcium plays a key role in blood vessel contraction and expansion, muscle contraction, enzyme and hormonal secretions, and sending electrical impulses throughout your nervous system. Getting the proper amount of calcium can help counteract muscle spasms, according to Holistic Online, and a calcium deficiency can actually cause muscle spasms. Calcium supplements come in various forms. The most inexpensive, convenient and available form is carbonate. Calcium citrate, another common form, is more easily absorbed. Other supplement forms of natural calcium include calcium lactate, calcium phosphate and calcium gluconate. How much calcium your body absorbs depends on how much you consume at one time. Any dosage higher than 500 mg will decrease the absorption rate. Consuming 1,000 mg daily is recommended by Holistic Online. Increase your calcium absorption rate by dividing the dose into two 500 mg taken at different times throughout the day.
Evening Primrose Oil
Evening primrose is a wild flower found throughout the United States. Evening primrose oil contains gamma-linolenic acid, or GLA, and linolenic acid. Both of these acids fall in the Omega-6 essential fatty acids category. Even though many Omega-6 fatty acids harm the body, the type found in evening primrose oil provides health benefits, according to the University of Maryland Medical Center. This fatty acid plays a role in growth and development, and may also be beneficial for medical conditions such as heart arrhythmia, pre-eclampsia, neuropathy and gastrointestinal disorders. Evening primrose oil contains anti-inflammatory properties that can help with the pain of muscle spasms, according to Holistic Online. The oil is extracted from the seeds of the evening primrose plant, and is most commonly marketed in capsule form.
Magnesium
Muscle cramps and/or spasms are a sign of magnesium deficiency, according to the Office of Dietary Supplements of the National Institutes of Health. The mineral magnesium plays a key role in maintaining healthy nerve and muscle functioning, keeping your immune system healthy, regulating a steady heartbeat and regulating blood pressure levels. Magnesium is essential for over 300 biochemical reactions that occur in your body. This mineral is a component of cartilage and bones, and also aids in maintaining muscle tone, according to Holistic Online.
Magnesium can be taken as an individual supplement or as part of multivitamin/multimineral compound. Daily recommended intake of magnesium varies according to age and sex. Holistic Online recommends getting 500 mg of this nutrient daily. Oral magnesium supplements range from magnesium sulfate, magnesium oxide to magnesium carbonate. Magnesium is needed for calcium absorption.
