Those who have experienced pain as a result of cramps know that this pain is very unpleasant. This pain makes us slower, generates intense pain, and interferes with our everyday duties. What is interesting is that cramps usually appear without any warning signs and those who have started to workout are more prone to this pain.
The following is a simple guide about how to eliminate and prevent one of the most intense and persistent types of pain – leg cramps.
Causes of Leg Cramps
While bruises and cuts are a direct result of outside pressure and force, leg cramps and all other types of cramps are caused by many different internal problems.
Of course, sometimes leg cramps are just a sign that you need to drink more water or that you lack certain nutrients. There are cases in which leg cramps are a sign of something more serious like an infection of the kidneys.
How to solve this problem easily?
Those who are suffering from dehydration while involved in intense or moderate physical activities for an extended period can solve this problem by consuming warm water.
The reason why warm water is helpful is because the temperature of warm water is similar to the temperature of our blood and dehydrated muscles can receive that water faster compared to cold water.
People who feel leg cramps quite frequently must increase electrolyte levels in the system. We can compare electrolytes to tiny therapists inside the body that use warm water to relax the muscles and eliminate cramps in a matter of minutes. You can easily find so-called electrolyte packets in your local store dedicated to health supplementation or in the local grocery store.
Preventing Leg Cramps
There is no doubt that hydration is very useful, but in some cases, the system needs a few other things in addition to water. There are certain minerals and nutrients that the system needs and they cannot be entered only by drinking water and consuming electrolytes. Magnesium has proven to be one of the most efficient minerals when it comes to leg cramps prevention.
Our body can absorb magnesium very quickly, so to prevent cramping, we should take between 250 and 30 mg of magnesium every day. Some of the foods that are packed with magnesium are lentils, nuts, quinoa, Cleveland Clinic, spinach, dark chocolate, fish, and potatoes.
There is another mineral that can help you protect your body from leg cramps – potassium. This mineral creates a bond with sodium to transport and manage liquids. As we have said before, leg cramps that come as a result of dehydration are usually caused by the lack of potassium or high levels of sodium.
In addition to the protection from leg cramps, potassium also provides relief when the cramps occur.
Once the potassium reaches the digestive system, you will experience improvement because the fluids will be redirected to the problematic area. In case you focus on the consumption of foods that are rich in potassium when you experience leg cramps, you will surely ease the pain.
Keep in mind that even though cramping is something that can happen to anyone, each person has a different body. If you continue to experience leg cramps regularly, consult your doctor.
Via Harvard Health