Tonic Water for Leg Cramps

Leg cramps refer to the sudden, involuntary, contraction of the muscles of the legs. There are a number of reasons why a person might experience cramping in his legs. A mineral deficiency, especially due to lack of calcium and magnesium in the body, is the primary reason behind leg cramps. Some other causes of leg cramps are - dehydration, intake of certain medicines, strenuous physical activities, muscle fatigue and a health condition known as restless leg syndrome, which causes leg cramps only in the night.

To get relief from leg cramps, quinine was used till the time it was banned by FDA. Later, certain over the counter pills, which had quinine sulfate in them, such as legatrin, began to be taken for leg cramps relief. These too were banned by FDA in the year 2006. Since then, tonic water has been used widely for leg cramps relief because it contains quinine as one of the ingredients. However, is tonic water really effective in relieving leg cramps? Let's try to ascertain.

Tonic Water for Leg Cramps

As mentioned above, over the counter quinine products were banned by the FDA and thus, taken off the market. These quinine products were earlier used to relieve leg cramps. But now, after they are no longer available, a good option to take quinine to get rid of leg cramps is to drink tonic water, which has some quinine in it. In fact, tonic water is much better than taking quinine as it provides the same benefits but its side effects are much lesser. For the simple reason that the quinine content in tonic water is within the acceptable limits and thus, does not pose any kind of health hazard, especially if taken in moderation.

Researches in the medical field have shown that due to the direct quinine usage, various health problems, such as disturbances in the heart rhythm, hypersensitivity and very low blood platelet count can occur. Regular quinine usage also produces a number of side effects in a person, such as headache, dizziness, nausea, problems in vision, and constant sounds in the ear. When a person, instead of taking quinine, takes tonic water for muscle cramps relief, these negative side effects are not experienced.

One drawback of taking tonic water for relieving leg cramps is that the quinine content in tonic water is very less. Estimates say that in an eight ounce glass of water, only twenty mg quinine is there. So, to really say that with such a low quinine content, tonic water for foot cramps will be effective, won't be right. Secondly, if taken in excess, tonic water can cause the same side effects as quinine, such as headaches, dizziness and nausea.

Tonic Water for Leg Cramps - Recipe

A good way to take tonic water is to mix it with grape juice and then consume. Grape seed extracts are well-known for their pain relieving properties, so when tonic water is combined with grape juice, it will reduce the pain and other symptoms associated with leg cramps. Besides taking tonic water, there are a number of other things that a person can do to avoid leg cramps. Here is a list of a few of them:

• It is very important to stay hydrated so drink lots of water, juices and other fluids everyday.
• Exercise and stretch your legs so that the muscle fibers get relaxed and the cramping does not occur.
• Include such foods in your diet which provide your body with ample amounts of potassium, magnesium and calcium. Sea food, bananas, cheese, peaches, apricots and cod liver are a must in the diet.
• Take a hot water bath everyday and massage the legs with vegetable oil. This will improve blood circulation in the legs and relieve you of cramping.

By following these simple home remedies and drinking tonic water in appropriate quantity, anyone can get rid of muscle cramping. So, go ahead, try out these methods and say bye bye to those unwanted, painful and discomforting leg cramps forever!