Vitamin K2 reduces nighttime leg cramps by 50% in large clinical study

If you’ve ever woken up in the middle of the night with a sudden, painful cramp in your thigh, calf, or foot, you know how terrifying it can be—and unfortunately, the frequency of these nighttime worries increases as you age.

About 40% of people over 50 experience night cramps, known by many names such as sleep cramps or night leg cramps (NL), in which the muscles of the lower limbs contract painfully and can take up to several minutes to disappear. However, only a minority of patients report them to their doctor.

Now, researchers from the Third People’s Hospital in China and several medical colleges have found a promising treatment for preventing these waking nightmares, with a clinical study of 199 people showing that vitamin K2 significantly reduced the episodes, perceived pain and duration of cramps.

“This study built on our previous studies that found vitamin K2 to be effective in relieving muscle spasms associated with hemodialysis,” the researchers noted. “To our knowledge, this is the first study to examine the use of vitamin K2 specifically for the treatment of NLC.”

Until now, lifestyle changes—exercise, fluid intake—have been an imperfect way to reduce the likelihood of frequent NLC, which becomes more common with age and is often independent of any underlying diseases or conditions. Although magnesium supplements have shown some effectiveness in relieving cramps in pregnant women, they have not generally helped NLC.

Overall, although being less active and poor diet and lifestyle choices play a role in this condition, it is not well understood and has no cure.

“Quinine has been shown to be effective in the treatment of NLC, but the US Food and Drug Administration does not recommend it due to serious side effects,” the researchers wrote in a preliminary report. research protocol last year’s paper. “Magnesium supplements are often used as a preventative treatment for NLC; however, their effectiveness is controversial.”

Controversial because studies have not produced clinically significant results for older adults with NLC.

In this eight-week study, 199 participants aged 65 years and older with at least two NLCs in two weeks were recruited into a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial to test whether vitamin K2 might be a better intervention.

Dividing the group in two, 103 participants were randomly assigned to receive a daily dose of 180 mcg of K2, while the remaining 96 received a placebo. Overall, 54% were women and the average age was 72 years.

So why this particular isoform? vitamin K? K2, a group of menaquinones synthesized by bacteria in the gut, is bioavailable in dairy products such as full-fat cheeses, fermented foods such as sauerkraut, and other animal foods (unlike K1, a phylloquinone found in leafy greens). and some vegetable oils). Vitamin K is generally important for blood clotting, as well as overall blood and bone health.

Although K2 has demonstrated potential in reducing risk and morbidity some types of cancerit is largely understudied and its broad health benefits are not well understood.

During the clinical trial, patients were assessed weekly for the presence and severity of NLC, and both groups had the same baseline number of events: 2.60 in the K2 group and 2.71 in the control group. At the end of the eight-week experiment, weekly assessments were analyzed to see if there was a sustained effect from the K2 treatment.

The team found that over eight weeks, participants taking K2 showed a statistically significant reduction in NLC, with an average of 1.41. At the same time, in the control group the average score was 3.63 with a much larger range of events than in the K2 group.

“The difference in seizure frequency during the intervention phase between the vitamin K2 and placebo groups was statistically significant,” the researchers noted. “The difference between groups became significant from the first week of intervention.”

The K2 group also saw greater reductions in pain and attack duration than the placebo group, and no negative side effects were reported among those taking the supplement.

“Our results showed that daily vitamin K2 supplementation alleviated muscle cramps in older adults suffering from NLC, as demonstrated by a reduction in frequency, duration, and intensity,” the researchers added.

They also noted limitations of the study, such as the lack of assessment of overall quality of life and sleep, and many participants experienced mild NLC. Future studies should take this into account to confirm the effectiveness of vitamin K2 in treating this disease.

Although K2 supplements taken within the dosage range are considered low risk when it comes to side effects, some people report initial mild digestive problems such as bloating, gas, or headaches.

The team warns that everyone should consult a doctor before taking new supplements, as K2 may cause problems in people taking other medications, including anticoagulants.

The study was published in the journal JAMA Internal Medicine.

Source: Chengdu Third People’s Hospital by using Simex