Can B12 deficiency cause restless legs?

[Traveler]

My sister is 77 and has had restless legs for a couple of years. It is getting worse and this is preventing her from getting sleep of any quality. She sleeps maybe 1 and 1/2 hours and then is awake because her legs are bothering her so much. After getting up for a while she tries to sleep again. She is exhausted most of the time. I just learned last week that when she was in her 20's or 30's she recalls getting B12 shots; she doesn't remember why. I am wondering if she may be B12 deficient and if this could be causing the restless legs. She has a history of low thyroid function also. I gave her some of my methylcobalamin (a form of B12 supplement) last week thinking that it might help. She took one or two 3,000 mcg. tabs for a couple of days and then had a "wretched" night two nights later. I remember reading on BT that people sometimes feel worse at first. Has anyone had experience with restless legs and was it because of a B12 deficiency?

[mrsdoubtfyre]

The elderly often develop anemia ..and this may be resistant to iron supplements. Anemia is often cited as a cause of restless legs.

Also low magnesium can be a cause. What drugs does she use? A diuretic, perhaps?

The B12 is not likely however. There might be other causes for her.

The B12 will help her in the long run however.

[Ted Hutchinson]

To supplement Mrs D's excellent suggestions may I put a link to Viartis Medical Forum Restless Legs (http://p4.forumforfree.com/restless-legs-syndrome-vf5-parkinsons.html?sid=f74f99aaa3e74e5cf7b2170deb714e d6) where there is a well organised list of medical research links.

I have a tendency to kick my partner in the night or so I'm told. However I've been taking Magnesium recently and haven't had any complaints recently so maybe (as Mrs D has suggested) this is connected. I use Magnesium Chloride which I bought in a large 25kg sack of Magnesium Cholide for £6.75, Most of it will be used for melting snow/ice on the drive as it's as cheap as salt and doesn't damage the plants or the drive. However I've been putting a jugful in the bath water and soaking in that and it certainly relaxes the muscles and I seem to sleep sounder. I've also tried dissolving 50g in 150ml water and having 4 tsps a day (tastes bitter so mix with fruit juice or food) You could also try a foot bath by dissolving half a jug in a bowl of water and soaking your feet for 20 mins. The magnesium will go through your skin transdermally so you don't have to taste it.

Restless legs syndrome and sleep disturbance during pregnancy: the role of folate and iron. (http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=pubmed&cmd=Retrieve&dopt=AbstractPlus&list_uids=11445024&query_hl=6&itool=pubmed_docsum) it may be worth checking your folate/iron intake. Folate foodsources (http://www.whfoods.com/genpage.php?tname=nutrient&dbid=63#foodsources) Iron Foodsources (http://www.whfoods.com/genpage.php?tname=nutrient&dbid=70#foodsources)

[mrsdoubtfyre]

magnesium is a great remedy... I would seriously caution against use of
ice melter forms. Those products are not clean/pure for oral consumption.
There may be other undesirable things in it as well! Please be careful.:eek:

You can buy medicinal grade magnesium chloride for oral use.

[rose]

Restless legs is one of the problems I had only for a short while as my condition was very slowly deteriorating due to B12 deficiency. But then, my iron stores were not strong either, so it may have been due to that.

Anyway, I hope she will continue with the methylcobalamin and get a ferritin test to see what the level is of her iron stores.

Also, either or both of those deficiencies can cause problems with the thyroid.

Thank goodness they should be easy to address.

rose

[Traveler]

Thanks for the information.....My sister has seen several doctors and been on several different medications. She does not tolerate meds well at all, so she doesn't take anything long enough to see if it will help.

She has taken mega doses of Vitamin B complex the last few years. (We have a lot of Parkinson's in our family and she thinks taking B vitamins may prevent her from getting it.) I am wondering if she might have neurological damage due to too much B6. I know that is unlikely, but she has ingested a lot every day for some time. Do you recall how much B6 has to be taken before damage occurs?

I would like to help her but it is frustrating because she doesn't know what tests have been done and doesn't remember what meds she's been on. She is exhausted and just doesn't have the energy or will to sort all of this out.

Traveler

[rose]

Traveler,

Chances are she is not getting any B12 out of the B complex. If she is malabsorbing severely she needs at least 1000 mcg per day, all at once and alone. http://roseannster.googlepages.com/home

Usually well over 200 mg B6 per day for a long time is a comcern, but generally it's a good idea to keep it under 100. Best to use less and make it the P-5-P type.

rose

[Traveler]

Thanks, Rose. I think my sister was taking well over 200 mg. of B6 per day. Do you have any references to instances of neurological damage due to toxic levels of B6 and if the damage is reversible?

Traveler

[Traveler]

My sister with severe Restless Legs Syndrome reports that she is sleeping again after starting a prescription of Ambien and Klonopin. In addition, about a month ago I gave her a bottle of Methyl B 12 because she was having numbness and tingling in her hand and foot. She called this week and said the numbness and tingling are gone. She sounds like a different person and is praising God (and of course the people in her life) for being able to sleep and to be rid of these annoying sensations. Thank you, Rose and others who told me about this several months ago. I too had numbness and tingling and started the methyl B12 and within a few weeks, it was better. I have found that the numbness returns quite quickly if I don't take it.

Can anyone tell me if B-complex is available in a liquid or chewable form? I have so much trouble swallowing them and as a result, I don't take them. (I have Parkinson's also.)
Traveler

[copperhead]

I would suggest trying some brewer's yeast. You might have to get used to the taste but brewer's yeast does have a nice compliment of b vitamins. I actually just take the tablets because it is easier for me, but I do like the vitamin source that brewer's yeast provides. Some people will sprinkle it on popcorn or mix it in other foods.


I was just reading in a book about metal toxicity from amalgams that manganese can also help with tingling sensations.

[rose]

Stopping the vitamin is likely to allow her to repair whatever damage an overdose may have done.

rose

[rose]

At least one B complex in a form that can be dissolved under the tonge or chewed contains one of the active forms of B12 and the good P-5-P form of B6, and the some of the B vitamins (B6 notably) is not nearly as high a dose as many B complexes contain. Coenzymate B complex (Source Naturals, I think).

rose

[rose]

Either you caught the problem relatively early or this is the beginning of a journey which I hope holds much more improvement. The timeline varies greatly.

And for those who are on a longer journey, remember that the way back is often not linear. It can seem for weeks or months that improvement will never come, when suddenly there it is. Very strange process.

rose