Ever since I can remember I have twitched, squirmed and tossed myself to sleep at night. The twitching often comes in the form of rubbing my feet together which my boyfriend refers to as cricket feet. Despite my brain telling my feet to stop as loudly as possible there is no controlling it. I always assumed it was excess energy and I just needed to exercise more. It was neurological symptoms like these that eventually led me to become what I would call, an exercise addict, in an attempt to diffuse the tension I constantly felt.
The drug companies have come up with a name and of course a drug to treat this so called disease, RLS. If you are like me and have suffered from this problem it is not funny. The good news is you don't have to shell out your hard-earned money for some expensive pharmaceuticals. At least not until you try Iron, Magnesium and Folate supplements first.
Iron
People with RLS may have low levels of stored iron aka, ferritin. I know I did when someone finally tested my ferritin level instead of the standard free iron level. Fewer symptoms of RLS have been found in people with ferritin levels greater than 50 mcg/L.
Folic Acid
The synthetic form of folate, a water soluble B vitamin that helps maintain new cells in part through the creation of DNA and RNA. RLS is associated with folate deficiency especially in pregnancy. It is also needed for red blood cell formation and preventing anemia. It was probably not a coincidence that I was always anemic.
Magnesium
The first time I took magnesium citrate I had an out of body experience. The calm feeling that came over me was unreal. My favorite magnesium product is call natural calm. I drink a large glass before bed every night.
For a great article on the topic and recommendations for dosages, check out this link http://www.lef.org/protocols/neurological/restless_leg_syndrome_01.htm
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