Do any supplements help reduce muscle pain, muscle cramps, or nighttime leg cramps? Do magnesium creams, sprays and oils help?

Answer:

There are many different causes of muscle pain, muscle cramping, and nocturnal or "nighttime" leg cramps, including muscle injury or over-use, exercise or inactivity/immobility, and medical conditions, including fibromyalgia, diabetes-related neuropathy, peripheral vascular disease, kidney disease, liver cirrhosis, and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). Use of some common medications, as well as certain vitamin and mineral deficiencies, can also cause muscle pain and leg cramps. For this reason, it's important to consult with your healthcare provider if you are experiencing new or worsening muscle pain, cramps, or nighttime leg cramps.

Due to the loss of muscle nerve cells and shortening of tendons that occurs with age, adults tend to be more prone to leg cramps as they get older, particularly nighttime leg cramps, with some research showing up to 50% of adults over the age of 65 reporting leg cramps while at rest. Nighttime leg cramps are more common in women than in men (Rabbitt, Age Ageing 2016).

Learn which common medications or supplements, and which vitamin and mineral deficiencies, may cause muscle pain or leg cramps, and find out if supplements or magnesium creams, sprays and oils have been shown to help. Sign in for the full answer.