Pregnant and experiencing Restless Legs - What can you do?

Wednesday, 31 May 2017

Hi Liz, I'm 34 weeks pregnant and have terrible restless legs. I'm already taking magnesium, is there anything else I can do? Thanks”

Restless Leg Syndrome (RLS) can cause an individual's legs to feel extremely uncomfortable when sitting or lying down. These symptoms may feel like burning, tingling, aching, jittery, or crawling sensations, in the legs. Some women experience RLS for the first time during pregnancy, especially during the last trimester. The good news is that this condition is temporary for most pregnant women and symptoms usually go away about one month after delivery.

So what can you do to help with this condition? Consider quality Magnesium, Vitamin D and Iron. 

Magnesium & Vitamin D

Magnesium has been used orally to treat a number of conditions including pregnancy-induced leg cramps, nocturnal leg cramps and RLS. In some patients, magnesium treatment was helpful in decreasing the amount of movement and increasing the amount of sleep in patients with restless legs syndrome or periodic limb movement during sleep. 

But not all magnesium’s have the same level of absorbability and other vitamins/minerals work synergistically as ‘co-factors’ to ensure optimum absorption of magnesium into the body. So supplement blends, as well as the vitamin/mineral forms they come in are important to achieve health goals. Some of these include Vitamin D, Taurine, Vitamin C, Calcium, Potassium and Vitamin B6. I would recommend trying Ethical Nutrients Mega Magnesium powder which has a high potency Magnesium diglycinate in a synergistic formula. Vitamin D is also essential for the absorption of Magnesium. 

Iron

RLS is also associated with iron deficiency anaemia, which is a common occurrence during pregnancy. Some clinical research shows that supplementing with iron can improve symptoms considerably in some patients with leg discomfort, need to move, and sleep disturbances. As many women would know, some prescribed iron medication can lead to constipation and discomfort which often leads to low medication compliance. If this is an issue for you, try Iron Max by Ethical Nutrients. This formula is great for during pregnancy and is in a non-constipating Iron diglycinate form. 

Lifestyle:
• Stress has been shown to worsen symptoms of RLS. Try adopting some relaxation techniques, such as meditation or yoga – especially before bed.

• Fatigue has been shown to aggravate symptoms of RLS. Try to get enough sleep each night in order to feel well rested. Magnesium 30-60minutes before bed can be very helpful for achieving this. 

• Consume foods that are high in magnesium. These include legumes, whole grains, vegetables (especially broccoli, squash, and green leafy vegetables), seeds, and nuts (especially almonds).

Come have a chat with us in store to see if these solutions are right for you, or if we can help with any other health concerns or advice. 

Liz – Natural Health Consultant