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So, about that weird medical issue that has me wondering if I ought to eat more salt, and other electrolytes.
I get these painful calf cramps once in a while. The frequency is generally in the neighborhood of every 6 months to a year or so, probably sometimes longer intervals. It's hard to be completely sure, since I only started noting down the dates of them for the last couple of times. I'm not even sure how long ago it really started, though it's definitely years. I'm pretty sure it started at some point after I started eating Keto 8-10ish years ago, though not soon enough after to be an obvious correlation.
So far, it's only happened when I'm lying down, and have been for a while. When it happens, it hits with no particular signs or warning, one of my calf muscles instantly cramps up pretty hard. It's pretty painful, and if I grab the muscle, it feels like a brick under my skin. I think it lasts around 10 seconds or so, but it's hard to be sure, since I've never timed it. Afterward, the muscle feels sore, as if I just did a tough workout, which usually lasts for hours, but no other lingering pain or damage. It only hits one leg, and I think it's random which one. If it were to happen while I was standing, I think I'd probably fall down, though it never has yet.
At first, it seemed to happen most commonly after a night of moderate to heavy drinking. After some searching around, I got the idea that it might be related to an electrolyte deficiency of some kind. I started preparing and drinking a glass of electrolyte water (sodium, potassium, magnesium) every time I came home after drinking before going to bed. This seems to have more or less worked, and it didn't happen for quite a while. Then it started happening again, but not after drinking at all, infact no particular correlation to anything I can tell so far. I'm wondering if maybe it is still related to electrolyte issues, and would be helped by consuming more electrolytes in general regardless of activity, or even just more salt possibly.
I'm generally in good health, don't have any other health issues, and aren't on any prescription medications. I pretty consistently do 5k-10k+ steps every day based on my phone's step counter. Eating moderately keto has helped keep my weight in check.
I haven't tried to ask any proper doctors about this. I don't really go to any much anyways. I don't have much confidence that I'd get any kind of useful answer from them on this issue. If there was some way take a blood test immediately after, or even before, one happened, that might give some useful hard information, but it seems rather impractical due to how infrequent it is. Possibly a urine sample from right after would be reasonably practical and useful. Or maybe my attempts to consume more electrolytes will mean it goes away entirely anyways. Just thought I'd post it here in case anyone is curious or might have some kind of insight.
I've had a journey on this issue. I was getting charlie horses in both fucking legs while hiking. Turned out it was caused by creatine.
https://www.themotte.org/post/3412/smallscale-question-sunday-for-december-14/391978?context=8#context
My doctor was pretty stumped by this but some meathead suggested I'm not hydrating enough and the creatine worsens it because it pulls so much water into muscles.
Anyway I stopped taking creatine but had other signals I wasn't hydrating enough: I would run with a group and be the only one feeling like shit on the longer runs even though we were training the same.
I figured out I have a very hard time staying hydrated (I'm in my 40s). I just never feel thirsty at all. I basically have to force myself to remember to drink any water, and need to go out of my way to strap bottles of water with an eighth of a teaspoon of salt in them to a vest when I go for runs.
Much better overall now that I'm deliberately hydrating, but damn is it tedious.
btw if you feel one coming on in your leg sit down and grab your toes with your hand and try to extend your leg completely, essentially pulling your toes back and stretching your calf out. It often provides immediate relief without lingering soreness.
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