How much tonic water to drink for leg cramps

Well-meaning relatives and even some doctors recommend it, said Patel, who's the director of neurosurgical pain at Lenox Hill Hospital, in New York. Last year, the U. Food and Drug Administration warned against using quinine as an antidote for night-time leg muscle cramps or " restless legs ," said Patel. The FDA reported "adverse events with serious outcomes … including 93 deaths" in people who used the remedy.

And it wasn't the first time health officials have expressed concerns about quinine. The substance is linked to bleeding and an irregular heart rate.

Quinine is only FDA-approved for use as a malaria treatment. Now, a new study by French researchers has found that in patients who took quinine pills for muscle cramps, there was an increased risk of death. If all else fails and the cramps are interfering with your day-to-day life, try drinking about 6 ounces of tonic water before going to bed.

Tonic water is the last resort as it contains quinine, which has been shown to be effective but is not regulated by the FDA due to serious cardiac side effects if consumed in large amounts. If the muscle cramps continue, contact your primary care physician at Atrium Health to discuss treatment options.

Here, Carmen Teague, MD , explains what causes these unexpected cramps and how to prevent them from interfering from day-to-day life. What causes muscle cramps? Preparing for the holidays? It's been suggested that drinking 2 to 3 ounces of tonic water before bedtime can prevent leg cramps at night. Is that true? Tonic water—and the quinine it contains—have been promoted for preventing leg cramps for decades despite the lack of evidence that they are effective.

Quinine is FDA-approved only for treating malaria and is sold with a warning against using it to treat leg cramps or muscle pain, because it increases the risk of bleeding and heart rhythm disturbances. Tonic water contains no more than 83 mg of quinine per liter—a much lower concentration than the to 1, mg in the therapeutic dose of quinine tablets. Drinking a few ounces of tonic water shouldn't be harmful, but it isn't likely to prevent your leg cramps.

There are a few other things you can do, however. Because cramps are often caused by dehydration, make sure to get enough fluids. But avoid caffeinated and alcoholic beverages, which are dehydrating. Although commercial beverages containing quinine generally are labeled "Contains quinine," they typically lack both nutritional information about the amount of quinine and warnings of the health risks. It appears that milligrams of quinine taken by mouth at bedtime typically relieves nocturnal leg cramps, but lower starting doses are appropriate for senior citizens and individuals with impaired renal function.

In general, quinine in any form should be avoided by pregnant women and people with hepatic failure.