RLS help??

[kicker2]

I don't know yet if this works, but my nurse practitioner just recommended L Theanine 200 mg twice/day up to 1200 mg and Magnesium Threonate 144 mg -- 6 capsules and Magnesium Glycinate up to 6 capsules. I pray it works for me-- and maybe 1 of you!

[Hidden]

Hi, I'm just wondering what your nurse practitioner has recommended these for.

If these are for RLS then I can't see that Theanine is going to be of any use.

If you have a magnesium deficiency then the magnesium may be of some help.

I also wonder what your current circumstances are in relation to RLS. Have you been diagnosed with RLS. Is it so severe that you've been prescribed a medication?

The most signficant supplement you could take which has the best chance of relieving your RLS is an iron supplement.

This is because one of the main causative factors in RLS is low levels of iron in the brain.

It's a good idea to have a blood test for iron deficiency i.e. serum iron, transferrin and ferritin. The ferritin level is significant because if you do have RLS and your ferritin level is below 200ug/L then you probably have brain iron deficiency.

If your ferritin level is below 75ug/L and the chances are that it will be then you can raise it by taking an oral iron supplement.

Hopefully, the nurse practitioner has discussed what aggravating factors may be affecting your RLS for example what medications you're taking, if any and your diet and alcohol intake.

If you're already on an iron supplment and have eliminated aggravating factors as far as possible then this is great. If not, then these are more likely to be of help than what your nurse practitioner has suggested.

If your RLS is severe then really you need to see a doctor.

[kicker2 in reply to Hidden]

Thank you, Minerva. I am using only natural ways to deal with my RLS.

[Hidden in reply to kicker2]

That's great and I can understand you wanting to control your RLS naturally.

However, there's nothing particularly unnatural about taking an iron supplement any more than a magnesium supplement. It's going to be more effective than magnesium.

Be careful with magnesium, too much can be toxic. It can also prevent the absoprtion of other nutrients, if you take it with food.

Vitamin B12 and Vitamin D are also known to help RLS.

If you're not taking any medication at all, that's good. It also means that there's none triggering your RLS.

However your diet may be aggravating your RLS. If you're eating anything that might be causing some inflammation then thus could make your RLS worse. this could include added sugar, carbohydrates witha high glycaemic index, oxalates, gluten, lactose or anytbing else you may be sensitive to.

[Accipiter]

Magnesium is an electrolyte, so it is best paired with potassium supplementation. Usually any magnesium other than chelate is good as a supplement. Potassium should be built up slowly as some people can have bad reactions to higher doses.

Certain medical conditions and medications will also preclude or limit potassium supplementation.

There are good reports of magnesium and/or potassium for RLS, but not for all. I found powdered potassium chloride at 1 gm morning and before bed, taken with magnesium aspartate helped my sleep greatly and my RLS a bit. If you go down the KCl path you will need small scales to 1/100 grams to measure. Others have had success with potassium citrate.

L Theanine can help with sleep, but seems to be variable for RLS. I have never tried it.

[Hidden]

For further information here's a link to the International Restless legs Syndrome Study Group guidelines for the treatment of RLS with iron.

sciencedirect.com/science/a...

[kicker2 in reply to Hidden]

Thank you!

[suesweda]

Magnesium l-threonate can be helpful with RLS. Unlike other forms of magnesium, the l-threonate form easily crosses the blood-brain barrier and is utilized by the brain to make dopamine. It's popular with alternative medicine doctors here in the U.S. Of course, here in the U.S., almost everybody is deficient in magnesium. I've never heard of l-theanine for RLS, but it certainly can't hurt.. I generally favor trying anything that isn't harmful or exorbitantly expensive. Good luck!!

[kicker2 in reply to suesweda]

Good info. Did you see another post here on L Theanine? It was really good!!! I copied it to put in my files. Here's a copy of the post: Hi Kicker2 and all those suffering from RLS - I suggest you go to website RLCURE.COM - L-Theanine is one of the supplements recommended and I can attest to the relief that I have experienced on 300mg 2 x day - 5 pm and 9 pm. It is not a cure but it has definitely helped me to have a few hours sleep.

Another tip I found when desperate is to eat home-popped popcorn s-l-o-w-l-y - one piece at a time - it is amazing the relief you get from just having your fingers busy. This tip is to be found in an article written by Bob Waterman "popcorn and other nondrug treatments." He is an RLS Foundation Board Chair Emeritus. It is an excellent article from one who has suffered with RLS for many years.

[suesweda in reply to kicker2]

Thank you for the info. I am going to try the L-theanine. I'm also familiar with the relief that comes from feeding my face. I'm not fond of popcorn, but crackers work pretty well. I need to find some lower calorie snacks.

[kicker2 in reply to suesweda]

Ha! I eat plant-based, so I'm going to try cutting thin strips of carrots and munching on those. And snap pea pods .. de-stringing them as I eat 1 at a time... might be a god trick. Might as well get nutrients as I explore this trick!

[DicCarlson]

Magnesium is touted by virtually every functional medicine practitioner for many conditions. It is relaxing for most people - but alas I get get excitable and wide awake with Magnesium, a paradoxical reaction. I have recently started to give it another try. There are so many types of supplements you will have to consider. As a dietary advantage pumpkin seeds (and green leafy veggies) are a huge source of Magnesium. Mg types isted here... nutritionadvance.com/what-i...

L-Theanine is the amino acid found in many types of tea. As a supplement it can be very relaxing. Perhaps substituting green tea for coffee during the day is a good strategy and/or decaf green tea in the evening could help sleep. psychologytoday.com/us/blog...

[rchobby]

Hi Kicker2 and all those suffering from RLS - I suggest you go to website RLCURE.COM - L-Theanine is one of the supplements recommended and I can attest to the relief that I have experienced on 300mg 2 x day - 5 pm and 9 pm. It is not a cure but it has definitely helped me to have a few hours sleep.

Another tip I found when desperate is to eat home-popped popcorn s-l-o-w-l-y - one piece at a time - it is amazing the relief you get from just having your fingers busy. This tip is to be found in an article written by Bob Waterman "popcorn and other nondrug treatments." He is an RLS Foundation Board Chair Emeritus. It is an excellent article from one who has suffered with RLS for many years.

[kicker2 in reply to rchobby]

Thanks for this info!! I started with 200 mg L Theanine at breakfast and dinner. I've increased to 200 at breakfast, lunch, and bed. Slept really good last night. I pray THIS is my answer-- and for many others who suffer from RLS. Love the popcorn idea!

[Hidden]

Don't be unkind to nurses, they can be very good at what they do and they generally care more about people than doctors have the time to do. Nurses might consider all a persons' needs. If you see a doctor about a broken leg, they'll just look at your leg and prescribe a plaster caste. A nurse will look at your other needs as well. Like how you're going to get about with a plaster on, how you're going to have a shower, how you need more protein to help healing, and so on.

L theanine seems a good suggestion, it's claimed to increase GABA and decrease glutamate.

[Hidden]

No problem.

That's what nurses are educated to do.

It's true they may not know as much about physiology, biochemistry and medical treatments as doctors do, but they about what problems people have and how to deal with them. Doctors and nurses each have their own role.

Specilaist nurses and nurse practitioners have also taken over some of what doctors used to do.

Certainly in the UK anyway. It may be different elsewhere.