Whether you call it a "charley horse" or use the more formal term muscle spasm, a cramp can wake you up at night or stop you in the middle of an exercise. While many things can cause cramps or spasms of the muscles, there are at least two vitamins that are related to this problem.
Muscle Cramps
A cramp results from a sudden involuntary contraction of the muscle. A strain, a sprain, overexertion and even holding a position for a long time can cause the muscle to contract; but instead of relaxing as it should, the muscle stays in that tightened position, causing pain that is sometimes quite severe. One type, nocturnal cramps, is more likely to affect elderly people, and as the name implies, can wake them from a sound sleep. There is a connection between muscle cramps and calcium, and that's where one vitamin--vitamin D--comes into play.
Vitamin D and Cramps
According to the Merck Manuals Online Medical Library, vitamin D is required to allow your body to absorb calcium and phosphorus from the intestine. These minerals are then deposited into your bones, and the calcium provides a sort of storage bank that the body uses to maintain the calcium levels in the blood, muscles and intercellular tissues. Calcium is used as a signaling mechanism by the muscles, and deficiencies result in muscle cramps.
Vitamin B Complex and Nocturnal Cramps
Vitamin B complex has been found to relieve nocturnal leg cramps. Researchers reported in the 1998 "Journal of Clinical Pharmacology" on a study comparing vitamin B complex and placebo for nocturnal leg cramps in elderly patients. The study participants were divided into two groups, one receiving vitamin B complex and the other receiving placebo. Each person kept a log of symptoms such as frequency, duration and severity of muscle cramps. Eighty-six percent of the participants on vitamin B complex reported all symptoms improved at three months, while those on placebo reported no change.
Deficiencies and Treatment
Deficiencies in vitamin D can result if you have limited exposure to sunlight, or rarely eat foods high in the vitamin, such as egg yolk, salmon, mackerel and sardines. Vitamin D deficiency is treated by injections or oral supplements of the vitamin; if muscle spasms are present, calcium is usually added. Most people recover completely with treatment. The B vitamins include thiamine, riboflavin, B-6, B-12 and several others; whole grains are a good food source. Vitamin B complex is recommended in some cases of nocturnal leg cramps in the elderly. While supplements are generally recognized as safe when taken as directed, if you suffer from muscle spasms on a regular basis, you might want to consult a health care professional who can perform blood testing and make recommendations for treatment.
References
- "Journal of Clinical Pharmacology"; Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Study of the Safety and Efficacy of Vitamin B Complex in the Treatment of Nocturnal Leg Cramps in Elderly Patients with Hypertension; P. Chan, et al.; 1998
- The Merck Manuals Online Medical Library; Vitamin D; Larry E. Johnson, M.D. Ph.D.; April 2007
- Medscape Nurses News; Best Evidence Review: Muscle Cramps -- Painful, Common, and Neglected: Current Evidence on Managing Leg Cramps; Charles P. Vega, M.D.; 2010
- MayoClinic.com; Muscle cramp: Causes; Mayo Clinic Staff; May 2010
- Linus Pauling Institute Micronutrient Center; Vitamin D; Jane Higdon, Ph.D., Victoria J. Drake, Ph.D. Hector F. DeLuca, Ph.D.; December 2010
