KETO. PLS help. Severe leg cramps for 4 days in a row

[Nienna]

I'd like to add that I've found that not ingesting enough salt (not table salt, but Celtic Salt or Real Salt) can be a cause of cramps. Getting enough salt helps to eliminate cramps in very short order. That is, if you have not been having enough salt. Salt is very important on a Ketogenic diet.

Hi Nienna, thank you.

The salt did help! I have to get this Real salt that everybody is talking about

:)

Glad that it helped. Yes, the Real Salt is what I use and I really like it. :)

 

[RedFox]

Had real problems with cramps for many months that kept reoccurring whatever I did. Cutting out the magnesium as Mr Scott mentioned helped a little, but for a while nothing seemed to fix it.

Taurine, boron (needed to transport magnesium) and trace minerals (especially copper and zinc, but not at the same time), B6 and B2 seemed to finally stabilize it (potassium by itself, and all the other electrolytes didn't cut it). So try those if nothing else is working. Took me a long time to narrow down what my body needed.

Sugars, caffeine (chocolate) and xylotol may also be triggers, xylotol can be balanced with just potassium. Not digesting properly (low stomach acid), or overeating fat and your digestion not handling it will also deplete potassium and can trigger cramps. Stress will also deplete potassium quite quickly in some cases.

 

[Eboard10]

I had the same issue with my calves. I was having regular cramps especially at night. All it took was to increase my salt intake and voila, the pain was gone!

 

[trendsetter37]

6 Tbs butter
3 oz cream cheese Philadelphia
8 Tbs coconut oil....

For what it's worth, I would cut out the cream cheese and up the butter to replace it. :) Good luck with your cramps!

I will do that. I thought butter was just as bad because it's dairy also but I guess it's less processed.
Too bad for the taste...but I will look into other fat bombs. The one I really like is the one with cacao and sweetener but I didn't loose weight when I took that while on Atkins induction....but maybe I will now.
Loosing weight is overrated anyway :D

Butter is not as bad as other dairy. You are trying to avoid the casein and whey proteins normally found in dairy. Milk and cheese have much more of these proteins while butter only contains trace amounts.

You could also try Ghee or clarified butter which is butter separated from the casein and whey proteins (yum :P). Whey floating to the top and casein sticking to the bottom...supposedly anyways. However, I think some with allergic reactions to dairy can still do regular butter. Keeping in mind that you will want butter from grass-fed cows if you can get it. But this all depends on how strict you need to be. It's probably worth attempting to lower as many variables as possible while you are still in transition so I would advise ghee.


_http://healthyeating.sfgate.com/casein-protein-intolerance-2028.html

Most dairy products contain casein, but not all. Since casein is a protein, it is found in dairy products that have a higher protein content, such as milk, yogurt, kefir, cheese and ice cream. Dairy products that contain barely any protein, such as butter and cream, only have traces of casein. Some people with casein intolerance can tolerate these foods in moderate amounts, but if you are allergic or severely intolerant to casein, you should avoid them completely. Ghee, or clarified butter, is free of casein and safe to consume even if you are sensitive to casein. Always read food labels, because milk-derived ingredients, such as whey, protein powder, powdered milk, artificial butter flavor and artificial cheese flavor, can contain small amounts of casein.

 

[skycsil]

What really works wonders for my cramps is fish oil.

 

[Arwenn]

I find adding Real Salt (Celtic, Himalayan) to my bottle of drinking water helps prevent cramps, so does my Magnesium supplement which also contains potassium and other minerals. I was actually getting horrid headaches along with the lower leg aches before I started upping my salt intake. FWIW

 

[gottathink]

Consider also a muscular skeletal component, muscles spasm sometimes because they want to let go of tension. Is your pevis tilted forward or back, or twisted one way or another. This can happen from alot of sitting or driving or stress and anxiety, any trauma history accidents etc. A little bit of gentle stretching and learning to breathe well can help. I think this tends to be forgotten alot. May not help but it may. Also walking with a long stride to open the hip flexors helps some people.

 

[Cici]

Had real problems with cramps for many months that kept reoccurring whatever I did. Cutting out the magnesium as Mr Scott mentioned helped a little, but for a while nothing seemed to fix it.

Taurine, boron (needed to transport magnesium) and trace minerals (especially copper and zinc, but not at the same time), B6 and B2 seemed to finally stabilize it (potassium by itself, and all the other electrolytes didn't cut it). So try those if nothing else is working. Took me a long time to narrow down what my body needed.

Sugars, caffeine (chocolate) and xylotol may also be triggers, xylotol can be balanced with just potassium. Not digesting properly (low stomach acid), or overeating fat and your digestion not handling it will also deplete potassium and can trigger cramps. Stress will also deplete potassium quite quickly in some cases.

Okay, I made notes! Thank you Redfox.
I quit the Magnesium totally because I suspect it gives me dia***.. Loose stool
That doesn't help with leg cramps!

I do seem to have trouble with digestion somehow so I will start to use apple cider vinager again. That would be better probably.

I did eat xylitol for the first time when the cramps started...but that was two tsp for 6 cookies...(keto recipe) and i only ate 2 cookies.... :P

Thanks!

 

[Cici]

6 Tbs butter
3 oz cream cheese Philadelphia
8 Tbs coconut oil....

For what it's worth, I would cut out the cream cheese and up the butter to replace it. :) Good luck with your cramps!

I will do that. I thought butter was just as bad because it's dairy also but I guess it's less processed.
Too bad for the taste...but I will look into other fat bombs. The one I really like is the one with cacao and sweetener but I didn't loose weight when I took that while on Atkins induction....but maybe I will now.
Loosing weight is overrated anyway :D

Butter is not as bad as other dairy. You are trying to avoid the casein and whey proteins normally found in dairy. Milk and cheese have much more of these proteins while butter only contains trace amounts.

You could also try Ghee or clarified butter which is butter separated from the casein and whey proteins (yum :P). Whey floating to the top and casein sticking to the bottom...supposedly anyways. However, I think some with allergic reactions to dairy can still do regular butter. Keeping in mind that you will want butter from grass-fed cows if you can get it. But this all depends on how strict you need to be. It's probably worth attempting to lower as many variables as possible while you are still in transition so I would advise ghee.


_http://healthyeating.sfgate.com/casein-protein-intolerance-2028.html

Most dairy products contain casein, but not all. Since casein is a protein, it is found in dairy products that have a higher protein content, such as milk, yogurt, kefir, cheese and ice cream. Dairy products that contain barely any protein, such as butter and cream, only have traces of casein. Some people with casein intolerance can tolerate these foods in moderate amounts, but if you are allergic or severely intolerant to casein, you should avoid them completely. Ghee, or clarified butter, is free of casein and safe to consume even if you are sensitive to casein. Always read food labels, because milk-derived ingredients, such as whey, protein powder, powdered milk, artificial butter flavor and artificial cheese flavor, can contain small amounts of casein.

Thanks Trendsetter37. very informative :)

 

[Cici]

What really works wonders for my cramps is fish oil.

Yeah, i run out of omega 3-6-9 before the cramps started. Have to go buy me some!

Thanks Skycsil :D

 

[Cici]

I find adding Real Salt (Celtic, Himalayan) to my bottle of drinking water helps prevent cramps, so does my Magnesium supplement which also contains potassium and other minerals. I was actually getting horrid headaches along with the lower leg aches before I started upping my salt intake. FWIW

Thanks Arwenn, i will do that!

 

[Cici]

I had the same issue with my calves. I was having regular cramps especially at night. All it took was to increase my salt intake and voila, the pain was gone!

Thanks Eboard10! You were lucky! ;)

 

[Cici]

Consider also a muscular skeletal component, muscles spasm sometimes because they want to let go of tension. Is your pevis tilted forward or back, or twisted one way or another. This can happen from alot of sitting or driving or stress and anxiety, any trauma history accidents etc. A little bit of gentle stretching and learning to breathe well can help. I think this tends to be forgotten alot. May not help but it may. Also walking with a long stride to open the hip flexors helps some people.

Gottathink.
I am trying to sit less( was reading a lot, sitting down. ) that can have something to do with it... :

 

[gottathink]

Yes it sure can, sitting is not good for the body at all. I think we need an exercise thread, movement and correct movement does not get enough attention. We often try to let go of things and we need also to create the new desired patterns of habits and movments. Strengthening the body so that our bodys are easier to get around with.

 

[RedFox]

Yes it sure can, sitting is not good for the body at all. I think we need an exercise thread, movement and correct movement does not get enough attention. We often try to let go of things and we need also to create the new desired patterns of habits and movments. Strengthening the body so that our bodys are easier to get around with.

Would you be able to start one in the Diet and Health section? :)
I'd be interested in what is recommended.