What Vitamins Help Restless Leg Syndrome?

Restless legs syndrome (RLS), also known as Willis-Ekbom disease, is a common movement disorder that affects 2-4% of children and 5-10% of adults in the U.S. People with restless leg syndrome experience an unpleasant sensation in their legs, leading to an uncontrollable or overwhelming need to move their legs. RLS symptoms are described as uncomfortable with itching, prickling, or crawling sensation, and in some cases, painful.

Lifestyle changes such as avoiding stimulants, self-care measures like getting regular exercise, and medications can help to relieve RLS symptoms. Taking certain vitamin supplements may also help to treat RLS. Please continue reading to learn more.

What causes restless legs syndrome?

The exact cause is unclear, but it is believed that an imbalance in dopamine levels in the brain along with the genetic components are responsible for the symptoms of restless legs syndrome. Research has shown that 40 to 90% of RLS cases have at least one first-degree relative with RLS.

Some pregnant women develop RLS in the third trimester of pregnancy, but the symptoms usually go away after delivery. For unclear reasons, restless legs syndrome is more common in women than men.

Other health conditions that can contribute to the development of secondary RLS include:

Iron deficiency: An iron deficiency or low blood iron alone can cause or worsen RLS. Iron deficiency anemia is a condition when your iron level is so low that your body does not make enough red blood cells to carry oxygen-rich blood to vital organs. In other words, you can have iron deficiency without being diagnosed with iron deficiency anemia
Advanced kidney disease including hemodialysis patients
Neuropathy, health conditions causing poor circulation, or any disorders affecting blood vessels
Spinal cord disorders, multiple sclerosis
Parkinson’s disease

What are RLS symptoms?

The primary symptom of restless legs syndrome is an uncontrollable urge to move the legs due to unpleasant sensations that are variously described as crawling, itching, aching, throbbing, pulling, electric, or creeping feelings. These sensations tend to affect both legs or feet and, less commonly, the arms, and the feelings are within the limbs instead of being on the skin. RLS consists of a wide range of sensations. However, the urge to move the limbs is reported by most if not all people with RLS.

RLS symptoms are usually worse at night or when sitting still or lying down. Moving around can ease the uncomfortable sensations. The symptoms tend to get worse with age. Notably, RLS is more common in women. Severe RLS symptoms can disrupt sleep and lead to daytime sleepiness and difficulty concentrating. While RLS affects people of all ages, severe cases of RLS tend to occur in older adults.

Restless legs syndrome is sometimes associated with a sleep disorder called periodic limb movement disorder (PLMD), in which there is leg twitching and jerking during sleep. With this sleep disorder, periodic limb movements cause muscle contractions every 20 to 40 seconds during sleep.

Sleep specialists can help you to distinguish between PLMD and RLS. Keep in mind that a lot of people with RLS also have PLMD. However, you can have PLMD without LMS.

Periodic limb movement disorder also differs from RLS in the fact that it does not cause these uncomfortable sensations, and people with PLMD typically are not aware of these movements in their sleep.

What can worsen RLS symptoms?

Certain medications such as antidepressants, anti-nausea drugs, and allergy medicines, especially older antihistamines, can worsen symptoms of restless legs syndrome. Caffeine, alcohol, and nicotine can also make RLS symptoms worse.

What vitamin are you lacking if you have restless legs?

Studies have shown possible associations between restless legs syndrome and deficiencies of certain vitamins and minerals such as iron, magnesium, and vitamins B, C, D, and E.

Does iron deficiency cause restless leg syndrome?

Iron deficiency anemia is commonly found in people with restless leg syndrome. It is believed to be one of the causes of this movement disorder. Studies have shown that iron supplementation in pill or injection form can help to reduce the severity of RLS symptoms even in people with normal blood iron levels. However, larger studies are needed to confirm the role of iron in RLS symptoms. Your healthcare provider may recommend iron pills or injections if you have a deficiency.

Does magnesium stop restless legs?

Research suggests that many RLS patients have low magnesium levels. The lower the magnesium level, the greater the severity of RLS symptoms. Therefore, magnesium supplementation (oral or intravenous) may help to control severe symptoms of restless leg syndrome and improve sleep quality. There are case reports of patients who recovered completely from RLS after taking magnesium supplementation. This study shows that magnesium and B6 supplements alleviate symptoms of severe RLS. However, more research is necessary to establish the role of magnesium supplementation due to the very small size of this study. You should only use mineral supplements after consulting your healthcare provider especially if you are 65 years and older or if you have kidney disease.

Does vitamin D deficiency cause RLS?

There is a possible association between vitamin D deficiency and restless leg syndrome. Vitamin D deficiency can lead to dopamine dysfunction, which may cause RLS. Again, further studies are needed to confirm the link between vitamin D deficiency and restless legs. If your blood work shows a vitamin D deficiency, your doctor may recommend vitamin D supplements to see if they can provide relief from RLS symptoms.

Does vitamin B12 help restless legs?

Several studies have shown that people with restless legs syndrome have low levels of B vitamins, especially vitamin B6 and vitamin B12. We know that vitamin B and other vitamins play a role in sleep quality. Therefore, taking a supplement to increase vitamin levels may help to relieve restless leg syndrome.

Does vitamin E and vitamin C help with RLS?

Studies suggest short-term treatment with vitamin C and vitamin E in hemodialysis patients can significantly relieve RLS symptoms. More research is needed to find the exact link between these vitamins and restless leg syndrome. If you experience symptoms of RLS, it is worth asking your healthcare provider about vitamin supplementation.

What are the natural remedies for restless leg syndrome?

The following natural remedies and self-care measures can help to calm restless legs:

Get regular moderate exercise, including lower body resistance training. However, avoid intense exercise in the hours leading up to bedtime. Instead, perform light stretches or walk before going to bed.
Practice healthy sleep habits. Get 7-9 hours of sleep daily. Avoid screen time for at least 2 hours before bedtime.
Limit your alcohol, nicotine, and caffeine intake.
Use a cold compress or heating pad to get relief from leg discomfort.
Manage stress with meditation, yoga, music, and other stress-reducing techniques.
Try relaxation techniques like soaking in warm water, massage, or acupressure.
Avoid extreme temperatures. Some people find their RLS symptoms are worse in hotter or colder climates.
Take supplements such as iron, magnesium, zinc, and vitamins.

What medications are used to treat restless legs syndrome?

If lifestyle modifications, self-care measures, and other treatments like supplements do not relieve RLS symptoms, your healthcare provider may prescribe one or more of the following medications to treat severe RLS symptoms:

Dopaminergic medications that increase dopamine levels in the brain. Examples of dopamine agonists include ropinirole (Requip), pramipexole (Mirapex), and rotigotine (Neupro patch).
Medications that regulate calcium channels such as gabapentin enacarbil (Horizant), gabapentin (Neurontin), and pregabalin (Lyrica).
Benzodiazepines such as clonazepam (Klonopin) for severe restless legs.
Opioids such as oxycodone or methadone for severe symptoms that do not respond to other medications.