Restless Leg Syndrome
Natural Remedies

Restless Leg Syndrome - Editor's Choice

Over the years, Earth Clinic readers have sent us many reports about their treatments for Restless Leg Syndrome. The editors at Earth Clinic consider the below posts to be some of the most helpful and informative and have named them 'Editor's Choice'. We hope that you will find this useful.

B12, Folic Acid, Niacin

Posted by Alan M. (Oahu) on 04/06/2019
5 out of 5 stars

I had been suffering from restless leg syndrome for several years; only in my right leg. The problem would hit me in the evening, and would keep me from being able to sleep at night. I found a product which is a combo of homeopathic preps and herbs, and this works, but only for a few hours, and I think it was giving me nosebleeds too. So I spent time online looking to discover another approach to the problem.

What I came up with is three B vitamins: Vitamin B12, folic acid, and niacin, all in megadoses. Within a matter of a few days on this protocol, my restless leg problem rapidly diminished down to nothing. I now take 300mcg of B12, 800mcg of folic acid, 1000mg of niacin.

I take these amounts with each meal, so that is a total of three times those dosages each day.

Niacin (with flush) (nicotinic acid) is apparently more effective for restless leg than no-flush niacin. I discovered my body quickly adapted to the flush, and barely registers it any more. But I started at a much lower dose so my body could have time to adjust to the niacin.


Multivitamin and Mineral Supplement

Posted by Rita (Virginia) on 11/27/2018
5 out of 5 stars

I've gotten great relief from RLS by taking a multiple vitamin and mineral supplement just before climbing into bed at night (or if the RLS bothers me earlier in the evening, I'll take the supplement then). Within 15 minutes of taking the supplement, my RLS symptoms go away. This has been working consistently for several years and I'm posting this in hopes that it may help others. When I first tackled the RLS problem, I tried just taking individual supplements since I had read that a potassium, magnesium or iron deficiency could be causing the RLS, but the individual supplement method didn't help my problem. Apparently, in my case there must be a deficiency of several minerals. As long as I take the multiple vitamin and mineral supplement, I don't suffer from RLS. That's why I think that RLS sufferers get relief by taking black strap molasses since it contains many minerals such as iron, calcium, magnesium, etc.


Fish Oil

Posted by Matriarch (Clinton, Nj ) on 03/30/2018
5 out of 5 stars

Restless leg syndrome was the bane of my existence until one day I was talking to a friend who is a PhD in pharmacy and she offhandedly said, "Restless legs? Take fish oil." Just like that my problem was solved. I take 2400 mg. of fish oil before bed and haven't had a problem in months. Truly a miracle as I had tried literally everything else I heard of to solve this problem. I hope this helps others have a good night's sleep.


Dietary Changes, Magnesium

Posted by Blessedx44 (Brunswick, Georgia) on 12/03/2014
5 out of 5 stars

There's a few people who seem to think others aren't taking RLS seriously all because others are on this site sharing their positive results from what they've tried. Well for those of you who haven't noticed, most of us who are suffering with some ailment or another are pretty fed up with not being helped by the doctors they see or even medication that's more lethal than the ailment itself. We have chosen to become active in helping to heal our own bodies by making decisions based on what WE feel is right for OUR bodies and everyone has that same choice rather they use it or not.

When people who have had success with a certain protocol share their knowledge, that's such a wonderful blessing to others who have RLS or any other ailment and who DO have the hope of receiving help. Even if it only helps 10% of the majority, it worked for someone, they are thankful! :-) How selfish & heartless it is when people are criticized for sharing knowledge for relief with others, regardless of how ridiculous the method may sound to those criticizing all because the method didn't work for them. So that leaves me wondering why are they even here on this website? Earth clinic is a place where people come and share their knowledge based on what they've tried and what did and didn't help them. Most of the remedies listed on this site may seem strange, weird or unexplanatory as to how they scientifically work so that just makes me more curious as to why people who criticize would even bother reading on this website. If all these wonderful testimonies weren't to my liking, I would be reading elsewhere instead of trying to discourage people who are looking and hoping for some form of relief from their ailment.

As for my own personal experience with RLS, I have symptoms off and on and like a majority of others have stated symptoms are more aggressive when low magnesium and sugar are in the picture. These 2 are the prime triggers for MY symptoms. Once I raise my magnesium levels and cut out the sugar the symptoms usually resolve rather quickly. At times I can eat sugar and a few hours later I will have full blown symptoms mostly in my legs after I fall asleep. It would also be good for others to make sure they aren't dealing with some type of anxiety disorder as well because foods do cause certain chemical reactions within the body and these chemicals sometime cause anxiety to buildup in the muscles and a person can show signs resemble RLS especially if they aren't an active person, based on MY own experience. In my case, I've been diagnosed with both disorders.

I have also gotten relief a few times from doing exercises in which I tighten all my body muscles at once and hold them for about 15 seconds, then I release them. After doing these exercises for about 10 or 15 minutes I can usually fall back to sleep most nights. This may not work for everyone but it's a lot better than not trying anything. Be your OWN critic, try anything that's safe of course or don't! Just remember, you still have nothing to lose except the faith to believe your circumstances could change from YOU not trying.


Borax

Posted by Precisely (Mineral Hill, New Mexico, Usa) on 05/19/2013
5 out of 5 stars

Hi TrudyG and all others suffering from insomnia,

I also have opposite reactions to pharmacy drugs, OTC & Rx. Three things have helped me ENORMOUSLY, and all of them don't seem to be mentioned in this thread: https://www.earthclinic.com/cures/insomnia6.html#MR_100360

First, taking a nightly capsule of organic borage oil, regular dose, an hour before bed got me deeply asleep, deeply dreaming, and very calm/confident-feeling the next day. It does take about 3 weeks for most people to have results, although I seem to recall it was more like 10 days for me. After a while I ran out and forgot to take it, only remembered while reading here.

Next, I got an inversion table. You can set it so that you start with a relatively low angle of inversion, by tying the strap underneath--say, 20-30 degrees for at least 10 minutes. That feels like plenty to me. If your heart is lower than your feet by 17 degrees, apparently the lymph glands release and clear. Other benefits I've noticed: practically no asthma, NO INSOMNIA, back pain decreased and overall well-being increased. Not to mention, better circulation.

However I am forgetful so the latest thing I take is borax. This is actually covered in depth at http://educate-yourself.org/cn/boraxconspiracy03jul12.shtml.

In my case, I was looking for help with my out-of-control restless legs syndrome, which, on the first day, diminished almost to nothing (now my Requip prescription of. 25 mg is more than sufficient, where before even 1mg spaced throughout the day barely controlled it. ).

Now I take the borax right before sleep, and I sleep deeply and w/o interruption for 8plus hrs. And I wake up feeling crisp! Also my asthma, which had me audibly wheezing prior to the borax, is slowly disappearing. It's also a fabulous detoxer, and is anti-microbial and perhaps also alkalining too.

At first I took the Borax in the morning, but after 3 weeks, it started to make me very sleepy so I switched to bedtime. It's very fast-acting--one minute I'm lying in bed wide awake, wondering when it's going to start knocking me out, and the next minute, I'm so deeply asleep I haven't even noticed I was getting sleepy, it's so immediate a response.

My friends who are also taking borax find that they have more energy. I MAY be feeling more energetic, but the stuff still knocks me out, so experiment on a laid-back, no-driving-etc-day to see how it affects you.

The other reason I was taking borax is that it balances the whole body's hormone, endocrine, and glandular system over time. I've been taking it now for at least 3 months. I've increased my dose to a tablespoon (from a teaspoon). Just last week it seemed to me that my post-menopausal dryness was no longer an issue. I intend to continue taking this forever.

Oh yes, another borax good result: my neighbor, 70 yrs old, fell off a horse and broke 2 ribs. Since he won't go to doctors, I gave him some borax. He says his ribs healed fast, and with much less pain than the other times they have broken.

Dosing excerpts from midway through the link at beginning of this post:

Firstly, dissolve a lightly rounded teaspoonful (5-6 grams) of borax in 1 litre of good quality water* free of chlorine and fluoride. This is your concentrated solution. Keep the bottle out of reach of small children. (* I''m using distilled water)

Standard dose = 1 teaspoon (5 ml) of concentrate. This has 25 to 30 mg of borax and provides about 3 mg of boron. Take 1 dose per day mixed with drink or food. If that feels right then take a second dose with another meal. If there is no specific health problem or as a maintenance dose you may continue indefinitely with 1 or 2 doses daily. "

(elsewhere in my reading people taking the borax-in-water cure seem to take it for 5 days, stop for 2, then start again for 5 days, off for 2 days, and so on. )

"If you do have a problem, such as arthritis, osteoporosis and related conditions, menopause, stiffness due to advancing years, and also to improve low sex hormone production, increase intake to 3 or more spaced-out standard doses for several months or longer until you feel that your problem has sufficiently improved. Then drop back to 1 or 2 doses per day."

http://g2cforum.org/index.php/list/other-alternatives/20552-the-borax-conspiracy-how-a-mineral-vital-to-health-was-suppressed

http://g2cforum.org/index.php/list/other-alternatives/2910-big-island-dairy-farmers-fight-radiation-with-boron

BTW... Trazodone HCL does work for my insomnia. At first I had to double-dose but now I can take 1/4 pill and that will also knock me out.... But why bother when borax is much safer and helps with so many cures.
...............

Last I would like to thank Joy and Everyone about mentioning the water cure. I think adding the right salt will help w my frequent urination, thirst, and allergies. Had forgotten that histamine is a dehydration response. Beginning to wonder if I was developing diabetes. Would diabetes show up in a hair sample?

Many Blessings!


Iron, Vitamin C

Posted by Bk (Upper Marlboro, Md, Usa) on 12/24/2011
5 out of 5 stars

I suffered from sleep disorder (jumping up from sleep) for quite a while until recently. Two years ago I saw on TV a story about how Iron supplement has been shown to relieve 'restless leg syndrome'. From my little bit of scientific knowledge, I put two and two together; my symptoms were neurological and so is restless leg syndrome. So, I decided to try Iron supplements. It worked instantly. I started sleeping like a baby each night I take Iron.

I had also made the connection earlier to vitamin C and alcohol. Every time I drink alcohol, I get severe episodes. When I take vitamin C immediately afterwards it alleviated the symptoms. So I figured out that alcohol must be washing away vital nutrients such as vitamins from the body, which makes sense, because alcohol is a natural solvent. Now I take both vitamin C and Iron supplement before bedtime, and I sleep very well with no episodes.

I have no doubt that these nutrients support the electrical/neurological functions of the brain, diaphragm, throat muscles, as well as sensitivity to chemicals which cause mucous oversecretion. Apple cidar vinegar, which another contributor mentioned works because it is loaded with vitamin C.

Remember, for this to work well you have to play with or adjust the dosage to find the right one for you. Vitamin C can be tolerated in high doses by most people but watch your Iron intake very carefully.

By the way, it was very helpful to read all the previous contributions. Now I can join the dots.

God bless you all.



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