Leg cramps is a condition characterized by a sudden, painful and involuntary contraction of your muscles. Foot and leg cramps affect women and men equally. Cramping can often occur after exertion. Nocturnal leg cramps occur at night or during the day while your muscles are at rest. The exact cause of leg cramps is unknown, but they may result from certain health conditions or a nutritional deficiency in certain vitamins and minerals.
Vitamin B-12
Vitamin B-12 is an essential water-soluble vitamin important for maintaining healthy nerve and blood cells and making DNA. Vitamin B-12 is found in meats and dairy products. Those at risk for deficiency are vegetarians who do not eat dairy or eggs, people with malabsorption conditions and the elderly, possibly because of a poor diet or decreased stomach acid needed to absorb B-12. A deficiency in B-12 can lead to abnormal neurologic symptoms including muscle weakness and spasticity.
Vitamin B-6
Vitamin B-6 or pyridoxine is an essential water-soluble vitamin that supports vital bodily functions such as red blood cell metabolism. Hemoglobin within red blood cells carries oxygen to tissue, and B-6 is needed to form hemoglobin. B-6 deficiency occurs in those with nutrient-deficient diets, resulting in anemia similar to iron-deficiency anemia. Symptoms of B-6 deficiency include anemia, muscle weakness, and arm and leg cramping.
Vitamin E
Vitamin E is a fat-soluble vitamin with antioxidant activities that help protect cells from damage from free radicals. Vitamin E requires fat to be absorbed in the digestive tract, so those who eat an extremely low-fat diet or have fat malabsorption disorders are at greater risk for deficiency. One symptom of a deficiency in this vitamin is peripheral neuropathy, or damage to nerves of the peripheral nervous system that can lead to leg cramping.
Vitamin D
Vitamin D is a fat-soluble vitamin that is not naturally present in many foods but produced endogenously from sunlight. It aids in bone growth by promoting calcium absorption and maintaining adequate serum concentrations of calcium and phosphate. Vitamin D deficiency results from inadequate diet, impaired absorption or increased requirement. Rickets and osteomalacia are classic vitamin D deficiency diseases. Osteomalacia symptoms include muscle weakness and twitching.
Prevention
Preventing muscle cramps can be as simple as improving your diet to improve vitamin and mineral intake, or it may require blood work by your physician. Contact your physician if you are experiencing prolonged leg and foot muscle cramps.
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