Restless leg syndrome: Can vitamins help? An expert discusses the latest research
We all know the anxiety of knowing you have to wake up early in the morning, but when you get in bed the night before, you can’t fall asleep. For some, this can be compounded by a strange urge to move their legs. If you have ever felt uncomfortable sensations in your legs in the evening or while lying down, you may have something called restless leg syndrome, or RLS.
RLS can be difficult to describe – but most people say they feel things like a strange sensation while resting, relief of the sensation with movement, and they experience worsening of symptoms at night.
The National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke estimates that between 7 to 10% of the U.S. population may have RLS.
What triggers restless leg syndrome?
RLS could be considered either a neurological disorder or a sleep disorder. There have been some genes that have been associated with the disorder, but generally the cause is unknown. According to The National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, there are some conditions that appear to be related or accompanied by RLS:
Sleep deprivation and other sleep conditions such as sleep apnea
Pregnancy or hormonal changes, especially in the last trimester.
End-stage renal disease and hemodialysis
Neuropathy (nerve damage)
Can vitamins help treat restless leg syndrome?
Sometimes RLS can be treated by correcting underlying vitamin deficiencies – for example, severe iron deficiency may cause RLS. Elise Heeney, a clinical dietitian at Banner Del E. Webb Medical Center says, “Iron deficiency can cause or worsen restless leg syndrome. If you suspect a deficiency may be causing or contributing to RLS symptoms, talk with your healthcare provider about checking for iron deficiency. If you have iron deficiency, your healthcare provider can help you decide if supplementing iron may be helpful to improve or alleviate symptoms.”
Heeney says there also is some research from a 2018 study that links a lack of vitamin D with RLS. "Treating vitamin D deficiency may result in improvement of RLS symptoms, but more research is needed," she said.
It’s important to note that some medications can worsen symptoms of RLS. These include:
Anti-nausea drugs
Antipsychotic drugs
Antidepressants that increase serotonin
Cold and allergy medications that contain older antihistamines
What are other treatments for restless leg syndrome?
Dr. Pedro R. Rodriguez Guggiari, an internal medicine specialist and chief of staff at Banner Del E. Webb Medical Center in Sun City West, Arizona says, “Once supplementations (for vitamin deficiencies) have been corrected, it may still warrant pharmacological interventions for better outcomes, including movement disorder medications.”
According to the Mayo Clinic, some of these medications include:
Medications that increase dopamine in the brain. Rotigotine (Neupro) and pramipexole (Mirapex) are approved by the FDA for the treatment of moderate to severe RLS.
Drugs affecting calcium channels. Gabapentin (Neurontin, Gralise), gabapentin enacarbil (Horizant) and pregabalin (Lyrica), may work for some people with RLS.
Muscle relaxants and sleep medications. These drugs help you sleep better at night, but they don't eliminate the leg sensations, and they may make you drowsy. These medications are generally only used if no other treatment provides relief.
Opioids. Narcotic medications are used for severe symptoms, but they can be addicting. Examples include tramadol (Ultram, ConZip), codeine, oxycodone (Oxycontin, Roxicodone, others) and hydrocodone (Hysingla ER).
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This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Can vitamins help with restless leg syndrome? Latest research on RLS