Evidence supporting the use of: Magnesium
For the health condition: Cramps (leg)

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Synopsis

Source of validity: Scientific
Rating (out of 5): 2

Magnesium is commonly used to support or treat leg cramps, particularly nocturnal leg cramps and those experienced during pregnancy. The rationale stems from magnesium’s role in neuromuscular function, where it acts as a natural calcium antagonist, helping muscles relax after contraction. Historically, magnesium supplementation has been recommended for individuals experiencing muscle cramps, especially when a deficiency is suspected. Scientifically, the evidence is mixed. Some randomized controlled trials (RCTs) and meta-analyses have investigated magnesium’s effectiveness for leg cramps, particularly in pregnant women and older adults. Results indicate that magnesium supplementation may provide a small benefit for pregnant women with cramps, but in the general population, evidence does not consistently show significant improvement over placebo.

A 2020 Cochrane review concluded that oral magnesium supplementation probably makes little or no difference in the frequency or severity of leg cramps in older adults. For pregnant women, the evidence is slightly more favorable, with some studies demonstrating a reduction in cramp frequency and severity, though the overall quality of evidence is low to moderate. Magnesium supplementation is generally considered safe, but its routine use for leg cramps is not strongly supported by high-quality evidence except in cases of deficiency or in select populations. Therefore, while magnesium is used and sometimes recommended based on its biological plausibility and traditional use, the current scientific support is modest.

More about magnesium
More about Cramps (leg)

Other health conditions supported by magnesium

Abdominal Pain
Abscesses
Acid Indigestion
Addictions (drugs)
Addictions (general remedies for)
Adrenal Fatigue
Aging (prevention)
Alcoholism
Alkalosis
Allergies (respiratory)
Alzheimer's Disease
Angina
Anorexia
Anxiety
Anxiety Disorders
Apathy
Arrhythmia
Arteriosclerosis
Arthritis
Asthma
Athletic and Exercise Aids
Attention Deficit Disorder
Autism
Autoimmune Disorders
Backache
Bipolar Mood Disorder
Birth Control (countering side effects)
Body Building
Body Odor
Boils
Broken Bones
Bronchitis
Bulimia
Calcium Deficiency
Calcium Deposits
Cancer Treatment (reducing side effects)
Canker Sores
Carbuncles
Cardiac Arrest
Cardiovascular Disease
Chest Pain
Cholesterol (high)
Circulation (poor)
Colon (atonic)
Constipation (adults)
Convulsions
Cramps (leg)
Cramps (menstrual)
Cramps and Spasms
Depression
Diabetes
Digestion (poor)
Dizziness
Dysmenorrhea
Emotional Sensitivity
Endurance (lack of)
Energy (lack of)
Epilepsy
Exercise
Fatigue
Fibromyalgia Syndrome
Gastritis
Headache (cluster)
Headache (general)
Headache (tension)
Hearing Loss
Heart (weakness)
Heart Fibrillation or Palpitations
Hypertension
Insomnia
Mental Illness
Migraine
Mood Swings
Muscle Tone (lack of)
Nerve Damage
Nervous Exhaustion
Nervousness
Neurosis
Numbness
Osteoporosis
Oxygen Deficiency
Pain (general remedies for)
Paralysis
Pets (supplements for)
PMS (general)
PMS Type A
PMS Type C
PMS Type D
PMS Type H
PMS Type P
Post Partum Depression
Post Partum Weakness
Post Traumatic Stress Disorder
Pregnancy (herbs and supplements for)
Progesterone (low)
Psoriasis
Restless Leg Syndrome
Rhinitis
Seasonal Affective Disorder
Seizures
Senility
Shock
Skin (dry and/or flaky)
Skin Care (general)
Sleep (restless and disturbed)
Stress
Sugar Cravings
Surgery (healing from)
Surgery (preparation for)
Tachycardia
Tension
Testosterone (low)
Tetanus
Thinking (cloudy)
Tics
Tinnitus
TMJ
Tooth Decay
Toxemia
Triglycerides (high)
Twitching
Wasting
Wheezing
Worry
Wounds and Sores

Products containing magnesium

Nature's Sunshine CleanStart Mild
Nature's Sunshine Adrenal Support
Nature's Sunshine AIVIA Hydrate
Nature's Sunshine AIVIA Plant Protein
Nature's Sunshine AIVIA Plant Protein
Nature's Sunshine AIVIA Whey Protein
Nature's Sunshine AIVIA Whey Protein
Nature's Sunshine AnxiousLess
Nature's Sunshine AnxiousLess
Nature's Sunshine Calcium-Magnesium (SynerPro)
Nature's Sunshine Calcium Plus Vitamin D
Nature's Sunshine Cellular Energy
Nature's Sunshine Chromium-GTF
Nature's Sunshine Coral Calcium
Nature's Sunshine Coral Calcium
Nature's Sunshine Fibralgia
Nature's Sunshine Free Amino Acids
Nature's Sunshine Gentle Move
Nature's Sunshine Glandular System
Nature's Sunshine Heavy Metal Detox
Nature's Sunshine Magnesium
Nature's Sunshine Magnesium Complex
Nature's Sunshine Mega-Chel
Nature's Sunshine Mind-Max
Nature's Sunshine MultiVitamin & Mineral (SynerPro)
Nature's Sunshine Natural Changes
Nature's Sunshine Nature's Prenatal
Nature's Sunshine Power Beets Pouch
Nature's Sunshine Power Beets To-Go Packs
Nature's Sunshine Sea Calcium (Nature's)
Nature's Sunshine Sunshine Heroes Whole Food Papayazyme
Nature's Sunshine Silver Shield BioGuard Hand & Body Cream
Nature's Sunshine Skeletal Strength
Nature's Sunshine Solstic Twenty-Four
Nature's Sunshine Solstic Revive
Nature's Sunshine Structural System (30 Day Program)
Nature's Sunshine Super Supplemental
Nature's Sunshine Super Supplemental (Without Iron)
Nature's Sunshine Super Trio
Nature's Sunshine Urinary Maintenance
Nature's Sunshine Urinary System
Nature's Sunshine VitaWave