This nervous system disorder, also known as the Willis-Ekbon disease, causes an overpowering urge to move your legs, and it usually happens while resting. Since it appears when a person is sitting or lying down, the professionals consider it as a sleep disorder. People with RLS ordinarily have that strong urge to move their legs, but the condition can also happen in the arms, head, or chest.
There is no cure for the RLS, and the symptoms can be hard to recognize, but once diagnosed, the right treatment will often stop it. Although there is no cure, there are some things that a person can do, such as massaging the legs, exercise, applying a cold compress to leg muscle, etc.
There are also several supplements that a person diagnosed with RLS could use, and here are 10 of them that we rounded up for you.
1. Iron
One of the closely associated medical problems with the development of RLS can be iron deficiency, and taking the iron supplements has shown that it can help reduce those symptoms. So, if you have some of these symptoms, having a simple blood test could tell if a lack of iron is what causes them. Some severe cases need an intravenous infusion to increase the level of iron in the blood.
2. Vitamin D
There is also a link between deficiency of vitamin D and RLS syndrome. Some studies concluded that vitamin D supplements helped in easying the RLS symptoms for those who had both RLS and the lack of vitamin D.
An important thing to mention for the people who are on hemodialysis, taking vitamins E and C supplements may help alleviate RLS symptoms.
3. Painkillers
Some treatments include taking mild based painkillers such as codeine. The doctor may prescribe this drug to relieve the painful symptoms, and in some cases, they even may prescribe some opioids. One opioid prescribed to improve sleep and lessen the pain is Targinact. Of course, taking opioids should be a last resort, and you should consult a doctor due to their risk of dependence. Some side effects may include tiredness, dizziness, or headache
4. Gabapentin
Another drug that is approved by the FDA is called gabapentin, used as an antiseizure medication. And although we still do not know exactly how does this drug works, we can say that in all the studies, this drug showed to be effective. There are studies where one group took gabapentin, and the other one had a placebo. In the course of a few weeks, those treated with gabapentin improved their sleep and other symptoms of an RLS.
5. Dopamine
Dopaminergic drugs are some of the best medications currently available for RLS treatment. These drugs help in the way that they increase the body production of dopamine, the chemical that enables normal body movement.
Dopaminergic medications that are FDA approved, and the doctor may prescribe are:
- rotigotine
- ropinirole
- pramipexole
Anyone who takes this medication should follow doctors’ orders because these drugs can, in the long term, become less effective, and to prevent that, doctors may prescribe a combination of dopamine and some other drug. The price for these medications can vary, but at FairPriceRx, you can find everything you need for precisely that – a fair price.
6. Magnesium
As you surely know, magnesium is a natural mineral that is necessary for normal body function. It is crucial for a healthy immune system function and for muscle and nerve function too. Knowing all this, you can see a direct link between RLS and magnesium. Using magnesium supplements can help you to relieve your pain and minimize the harmful effects that RLS has. But, you need to be careful and use the magnesium supplements as prescribed, because a high dose of magnesium can be dangerous. It can cause arrhythmia or low blood pressure, and in severe cases, it can lead to coma or death.
7. Benzodiazepines
Benzodiazepines’ primary usage is to regulate anxiety and sleep difficulties. It can be quite helpful for people with RLS since one of the common problems is pain that RLS causes, which is unpleasant, and it is troublesome to fall asleep. They maybe don’t cure the RLS directly, but their effect is helpful, especially we know that good sleep is crucial for a normal function of our body.
8. Valerian and Passionflower
If you are looking for a natural solution for sleep problems caused by RLS, then you may consider using Valerian and Passionflower. This combination is relaxing muscles, improve your sleep, and relieving the pain. Using this combination before sleep will surely help you, and the best thing is that this can’t cause addiction. Sometimes, the best solutions are those that nature can offer us. This combination does not interact with other drugs, but you need to be careful if you are pregnant or breastfeeding.
9. B vitamins and Folic Acid
In some studies with people with RLS, a low dose of vitamin B is noticed, which is necessary for healthy brain and nerve functions. Using vitamin B supplements along with the Folic Acid is normalizing the vitamin B dose, and it seems to be very helpful in the battle with RLS symptoms. It is necessary to mention that there are many types of vitamin B, and many of them are essential in RLS treatment. The best solution is choosing the vitamin B complex instead of just one of them.
10. L-theanine
L-theanine is an amino acid that you can typically find in the green tea. Its fundamental purpose is to promote wave activity in the brain, which is crucial for deep relaxation. The second role is relaxing the GABA neurotransmitter. This kind of supplement is most useful to take about an hour before bedtime to reduce the negative manifestations of RLS.
The Restless Legs Syndrome is a very unpleasant condition with annoying symptoms. You need to be aware that there isn’t a universal cure, and it is possible that one medication will work for one person, but not for the other one. It is very mattering to be persistent and to try many different remedies until you find the one that fits you.
