Potential predisposing factors include hemodialysis, electrolyte imbalance, and neurologic, endocrine, metabolic, vascular, medication-related, toxic, and congenital conditions. 4, 5 Most NLC occurring in adults seem to be idiopathic. 3 Frequent NLC may cause significant distress and nighttime disturbance. 2 In a survey of 490 veterans who were asked about leg symptoms, 276 (56%) reported experiencing NLC, among them 67 (24%) having cramps 1 to 4 times a week. Nocturnal leg cramps (NLC) are painful, involuntary contractions of muscles occurring at rest, mostly at night, and causing a palpable knot in the muscle.
#What is the best form of magnesium to take for muscle pain registration#
Trial Registration Identifier: NCT01709968 The decrease in the mean number of NLC per week, from the screening to the treatment phase in both groups, is probably a placebo effect that may explain the wide use of magnesium for NLC. There were no between-group differences in the severity and duration of NLC, quality of life, or quality of sleep.Ĭonclusions and Relevance Oral magnesium oxide was not superior to placebo for older adults experiencing NLC.
Mean (SD) change of NLC was −3.41 (4.05) (from 7.84 to 4.44 ) and −3.03 (4.53) (from 8.51 to 5.48 ) per week in the magnesium oxide and placebo groups, respectively, a difference between groups of 0.38 (0.48) NLC per week ( P = .67 in an intention-to-treat analysis).
Of the 94 individuals (39% male mean age, 64.9 years) randomly assigned to magnesium oxide (48) or placebo (46), 6 did not complete the study protocol (3 in each group). Results Of the 166 volunteers, 72 (43%) were excluded, of whom 15 declined to participate and 57 did not meet the inclusion criteria. Secondary outcomes included severity and duration of NLC, quality of life, and quality of sleep. Main Outcomes and Measures The primary outcome was the difference in the mean number of NLC per week between the screening and treatment phases. Interventions Capsules containing either magnesium oxide or a similar-looking placebo to be taken orally, once daily at bedtime for a period of 4 weeks. We used a volunteer sample of community-dwelling individuals experiencing NLC, 21 years or older, with 4 or more documented episodes of NLC during 2 weeks of screening. An intention-to-treat data analysis was performed from March 22, 2014, to April 17, 2016. Objective To determine whether magnesium oxide is better than placebo for NLC prophylaxis.ĭesign, Setting, and Participants A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial of 2 weeks eligibility screening followed by 4 weeks of treatment was conducted in northern Israel, from February to October 2013. Importance Magnesium supplements are widely marketed for prophylaxis of nocturnal leg cramps (NLC) despite no evidence of significant benefit.