Magnesium citrate may be the most effective type if you want to try a supplement. If you're magnesium deficient, there may be other benefits from increasing your intake of this nutrient. And other remedies are available for leg cramping that may help.
Magnesium supplementation is often suggested for restless legs syndrome (RLS) or period limb movement disorder (PLMD) based on anecdotal evidence that it relieves symptoms and because it is also commonly recommended for leg cramps.
Magnesium glycerophosphate is the ideal form of magnesium to help boost sleep quality. It helps the body and brain relax by activating the parasympathetic nervous system. Magnesium also help boost the sleep hormone melatonin, which in turn binds to GABA (the neurotransmitter responsible for calming the nervous system).
Taking Magnesium at Night or Before Bed
It helps to relax your muscles, and nerves while facilitating the release of melatonin — the sleep hormone. People who have Restless Leg Syndrome rely on Natural Calm before bed to relieve their condition. Natural Calm magnesium can become a soothing nighttime ritual.
Dopamine. There's evidence to suggest restless legs syndrome is related to a problem with part of the brain called the basal ganglia. The basal ganglia uses a chemical (neurotransmitter) called dopamine to help control muscle activity and movement.
Chelated magnesium is used as a supplement to maintain adequate magnesium in the body. Chelated magnesium like other forms of magnesium will also help with sleep, immune health and reduce blood pressure.
Magnesium citrate is most helpful for people suffering from constipation, while the glycinate form is more useful for conditions like anxiety, insomnia, chronic stress, and inflammatory conditions.
However, some evidence shows that otherwise healthy people may benefit from low doses of oral magnesium supplements to help improve symptoms of insomnia. Research suggests doses of up to one gram of magnesium should be taken no more than three times daily.
How long does it take for magnesium to work for sleep? The benefits of magnesium are often associated with long-term use, so it's important to take your supplement consistently. We recommend daily use for at least three months to see the full effects on sleep.
Based on limited research, taking 320–729 mg of magnesium daily may help you fall asleep faster.
The Food and Nutrition Board of the National Academy of Medicine recommends an average daily intake of about 240 to 420 mg for men and 240 to 320 mg for women.
If nerve cells become damaged, the amount of dopamine in the brain is reduced, which causes muscle spasms and involuntary movements. Dopamine levels naturally fall towards the end of the day, which may explain why the symptoms of restless legs syndrome are often worse in the evening and during the night.
Magnesium glycinate can help with this type of insomnia as well by regulating Gamma-Aminobutyric acid (GABA). GABA is a neurotransmitter that essentially puts your brain into “sleep mode” at night. It quiets communication, powering systems down and easing you into sleep.
Although many people use magnesium for sleep support, it isn't known to cause tiredness during the day. However, if you want to maximize the benefits for better sleep, it's best to take your magnesium supplement an hour or two before bedtime.
If you want to take magnesium for sleep, try a 350 mg supplement of magnesium glycinate.
Melatonin is a hormone that influences circadian rhythms, or the body's internal clock. Both melatonin and magnesium can help you fall asleep faster and stay asleep longer, but magnesium may be better at improving overall sleep quality.
Magnesium can decrease the absorption and effectiveness of numerous medications, including some common antibiotics such as tetracycline (Achromycin, Sumycin), demeclocycline (Declomycin), doxycycline (Vibramycin), minocycline (Minocin), ciprofloxacin (Cipro), levofloxacin (Levaquin), moxifloxacin (Avelox) and ofloxacin ...
There's no cure for RLS. But if you have the disorder, lifestyle changes and medication can help improve your quality of life. The goals of RLS treatment are to prevent or relieve symptoms, improve sleep, and correct underlying conditions or habits that trigger or worsen RLS symptoms.
Dopamine agonists: These are most often the first medicines used to treat RLS. These drugs, including pramipexole (Mirapex), rotigotine (Neupro), and ropinirole (Requip), act like the neurotransmitter dopamine in the brain.
Conclusion: This study indicates that vitamin D supplementation improves the severity of RLS symptoms and advocates that vitamin D deficiency is conceivably associated with RLS.
Often, there's no known cause for RLS . Researchers suspect the condition may be caused by an imbalance of the brain chemical dopamine, which sends messages to control muscle movement.