Magnesium Deficiency

Leg Cramp, Catch, Muscle Spasm, Charleyhorse…Call It What You Want. Or Call It Magnesium Deficiency

If you have type 2 diabetes and are experiencing leg cramps, chances are your body is screaming for magnesium. In fact, up to 80% of type 2 diabetics have a magnesium deficiency.¹ While many Americans take a multivitamin or mineral supplement, it usually does not contain enough magnesium to replenish what your body needs.

Magnesium helps your body maintain its normal muscle and nerve function; studies have shown that magnesium helps to reduce the severity and duration of leg cramps². When related to a magnesium deficiency, leg cramps can often be managed with 400-800 mg of supplemental magnesium daily. In addition to treating your magnesium deficiency, which can relieve your leg cramps, clinical studies have also shown magnesium to be beneficial in improving insulin sensitivity³, lowering fasting glucose levels³, and lowering the risk of developing heart conditions such as coronary heart disease and abnormal heart rhythms⁴.

1. Carper, J. Mighty Magnesium. USA Weekend. 2002 Aug 30-Sept 1.
2. Roffe, Sills S, Crome P, Jones P. Randomized, cross-over, placebo controlled trial of magnesium in the treatment of chronic persistent leg cramps. Med Sci Monit. 2002 May; 8(5):CR326-30.
3. Rodriguez-Moran M, Guerrero-Romero F. Oral magnesium supplementation improves insulin sensitivity and metabolic control in type 2 diabetic subjects: a randomized double-blind controlled trial. Diabetes Care. 2003 Apr;26(4):1147-52.
4. National Institutes of Health