Vitamin B supplementation for leg cramps during pregnancy

Abstract

Muscle cramps or unintentional painful spasms occur in the lower limbs of about half of all pregnant women mostly during the second half of pregnancy and mostly at night. Different treatment modalities have been suggested but none have been proven to be significantly effective. This study was designed to compare the effects of different supplementation therapies in Iranian pregnant women. After obtaining written consent 84 pregnant women were randomly allocated to 4 groups. For a total of 2 weeks Group 1 received 500 mg calcium carbonate tablets (Tehran Chimie Iran) once daily; Group 2 received 7.5 mmol magnesium aspartate (Magnesiocard; Verla Germany) twice daily; Group 3 received 100 mg of thiamine (vitamin B/1) plus 40 mg of pyridoxine (vitamin B/6) (Tehran Chimie Iran) once daily. Group 4 (the control group) received no treatment. The results of each treatment were assessed after 4 weeks. (excerpt)