Theraworx for leg cramps?
#1
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Theraworx for leg cramps?
Anyone tried this subject-mentioned spray for leg cramps? I had not heard of it until recently; some reviewers swear by it, but I know how those comments sections can be loaded sometimes...
#2
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I don't see how a topical application of magnesium could work. There are some topicals that can penetrate the skin just enough to relieve some surface level pain (Ted's Pain Cream works well for me). But topical magnesium for leg cramps? Color me skeptical. I'm not even sure Epsom salts does what it's claimed in a hot bath. Maybe it's just the hot bath. I use it anyway because it's cheap and I like to watch my fingertips wrinkle up like when I was a kid at the beach.
But orally ingested stuff helps with my muscle spasms. Try magnesium lactate. It's one of the main ingredients in Sportlegs. I already take all the other stuff in Sportlegs so I just added plain mag lactate capsules to my daily energy/protein drink, pre and post ride.
One theory is that because research indicates our sore muscles don't come from buildup of lactate or lactic acid, but the body actually uses lactate as fuel, we may avoid muscle fatigue and cramps by taking mag lactate. Works for me.
Some folks may experience a little GI upset from magnesium lactate. It gave me symptoms similar to my usual GI stuff from dairy -- a bit gassy and bloated. But that phase stopped after a few days. No problems since. I've been using mag lactate pretty much daily for about a year. Really reduced my muscle spasms and soreness.
But orally ingested stuff helps with my muscle spasms. Try magnesium lactate. It's one of the main ingredients in Sportlegs. I already take all the other stuff in Sportlegs so I just added plain mag lactate capsules to my daily energy/protein drink, pre and post ride.
One theory is that because research indicates our sore muscles don't come from buildup of lactate or lactic acid, but the body actually uses lactate as fuel, we may avoid muscle fatigue and cramps by taking mag lactate. Works for me.
Some folks may experience a little GI upset from magnesium lactate. It gave me symptoms similar to my usual GI stuff from dairy -- a bit gassy and bloated. But that phase stopped after a few days. No problems since. I've been using mag lactate pretty much daily for about a year. Really reduced my muscle spasms and soreness.
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i have the spray bottle.
Spray a bunch, rub, wait 30-60sec, it works for me.
Temporary relief, does not last through the night.
Also, if it has been an intense cramp, the spray does not take away all the lingering pain, but does ease the muscle.
there is a cream version, sister says it works too.
If I'm adequately hydrated, a heating pad works best for me, esp. thru the night.
Better to find your individual solution to prevent cramping -
Spray a bunch, rub, wait 30-60sec, it works for me.
Temporary relief, does not last through the night.
Also, if it has been an intense cramp, the spray does not take away all the lingering pain, but does ease the muscle.
there is a cream version, sister says it works too.
If I'm adequately hydrated, a heating pad works best for me, esp. thru the night.
Better to find your individual solution to prevent cramping -
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sometimes it works sometimes not. it helps my wife's neck and should pain a lot.. actually magnesium is absorbed far better through the skin then if you ingest it.
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This 2017 study indicates most topical magnesium applications cannot penetrate the skin. However, a long soak in an Epsom salt bath does appear to penetrate the skin a bit, just enough to measure differences in urine, but the study claiming results for Epsom salt baths were associated with manufacturers, so the conclusions are questionable.
But oral ingestion remains the most effective route. If we don't get enough from a balanced diet, magnesium supplements are among the cheapest available. The mag lactate I use is a little more expensive but seems to work well for me.
Excerpts from the study:
Regarding the efficacy of Epsom salt baths in "...a study of similar questionable quality for proving transdermal magnesium absorption..."
But oral ingestion remains the most effective route. If we don't get enough from a balanced diet, magnesium supplements are among the cheapest available. The mag lactate I use is a little more expensive but seems to work well for me.
Excerpts from the study:
"...we evaluated the current literature and evidence-based data on transdermal magnesium application and show that the propagation of transdermal magnesium is scientifically unsupported."
"...The stratum corneum functions to form a water-repellent barrier to protect underlying tissue from infection, dehydration, chemicals and mechanical stress [[url=https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5579607/#B9-nutrients-09-00813]9]. Overcoming this layer in significant quantities is only possible for lipophilic substances. In magnesium chloride solution, magnesium is present in ionized form and therefore not able to penetrate a lipophilic layer. In addition, the radius of the hydrated magnesium ion (86 pm) has been reported to be 400 times higher than its dehydrated form, leading to the assertion that it is almost impossible for magnesium ions to pass through biological membranes [[url=https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5579607/#B2-nutrients-09-00813]2].Therefore, cellular magnesium uptake is only being carried out by specific magnesium transporters and not by diffusion. However, since dead cells of the upper skin layer do not contain functional magnesium transporters, which have not yet been identified in detail, magnesium absorption may be possible only at the small area of sweat glands and hair follicles."
"...The stratum corneum functions to form a water-repellent barrier to protect underlying tissue from infection, dehydration, chemicals and mechanical stress [[url=https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5579607/#B9-nutrients-09-00813]9]. Overcoming this layer in significant quantities is only possible for lipophilic substances. In magnesium chloride solution, magnesium is present in ionized form and therefore not able to penetrate a lipophilic layer. In addition, the radius of the hydrated magnesium ion (86 pm) has been reported to be 400 times higher than its dehydrated form, leading to the assertion that it is almost impossible for magnesium ions to pass through biological membranes [[url=https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5579607/#B2-nutrients-09-00813]2].Therefore, cellular magnesium uptake is only being carried out by specific magnesium transporters and not by diffusion. However, since dead cells of the upper skin layer do not contain functional magnesium transporters, which have not yet been identified in detail, magnesium absorption may be possible only at the small area of sweat glands and hair follicles."
" Generally, urinary magnesium levels 24 h after the first bath fell from the initial values found after day 1 (mean 118.43 ± 51.95) suggesting some retention of magnesium in tissues after bathing as blood levels were still high. The measurement of magnesium levels in urine 24 h after the seventh bath gave values almost back to control levels. However, this study has only been published on the internet—on the commercial site of the Epson-salt-council—but not in a scientific, peer-reviewed journal [13]."
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cramps/
lots of good ole h2O.
#9
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Water alone doesn't work for everyone. Muscle cramps aren't always connected to dehydration. There's no magic potion or common sense solution that works for everyone. Nobody knows for certain what causes muscle cramps. Boxer Manny Pacquiao has experienced leg cramps at times. He's young, still in peak fitness, and has enough money to throw at a viable medical solution. His money can't buy a surefire cure. That's why so many anecdotes persist about remedies. I can only say what seems to work for me. No guarantee it'll work for anyone else.