Causes
Lack of water is a common cause of cramps. The reason for this is that a lack of water makes the blood thicker. As a result, nutrients that are important for the muscles, among other things, are transported more slowly and no longer reach the tissue sufficiently.
This can be further intensified by doing sports. The body also loses water through sweating, which further increases an already existing lack of water. Magnesium is an important mineral for the functioning of the muscles.It helps a muscle to relax again after contraction.
Accordingly, a lack of magnesium leads to a disturbance of muscle function. This leads to an involuntary contraction of the muscles, i.e. to cramps. However, the idea that magnesium always helps against cramps should be considered with caution, since there are often other causes for cramps.
For example, a lack of water is more often a cause of cramps than a magnesium deficiency. The mineral calcium is important to ensure that the muscles function properly. The calcium is needed for a muscle to contract, i.e. to contract.
Accordingly, a calcium deficiency leads to problems with muscle contraction. This can also cause cramps. However, a calcium deficiency is more often accompanied by other symptoms, such as increased bone fragility.
Muscle cramps are not a typical symptom that indicates a calcium deficiency. Cortisone may also play a role in the development of cramps. Normally, cortisone is produced in a similar form in the adrenal cortex and is involved, among other things, in controlling the electrolyte balance.
Accordingly, a disturbed cortisone concentration leads to a disturbance of some electrolytes, especially sodium and potassium. These are essential for the proper functioning of the muscles. Accordingly, a disturbed cortisone balance can lead to cramps.
In addition, taking cortisone for many years leads to an insufficiency of the adrenal cortex, which can permanently disrupt the cortisone balance in the body There are numerous drugs that can trigger muscle cramps as a side effect. Among the most common are so-called diuretics, such as furosemide, which drain the body in kidney disease. As a result, the muscles in the body also lack water and electrolytes that they need for their function.
Muscle cramps can also be caused by so-called statins, such as atorvastatin. These drugs are used to fight an excessive accumulation of cholesterol in the blood. Why they can also lead to cramps, however, has not yet been sufficiently clarified.
There are different types of diabetes that can lead to cramps. Firstly, there is the so-called diabetes insipidus, in which excessive urine is produced and excreted due to a disorder of the hormones. This can lead to a lack of water in the muscles.
The electrolytes are also out of balance in diabetes inspidus and can therefore influence the functioning of the muscles. On the other hand, diabetes mellitus, especially type 1 diabetes, can also lead to an increase in the feeling of thirst and urination, which has the same consequences. If kidney weakness is present, this can manifest itself in muscle cramps, among other symptoms.
The reason for this is that kidney weakness causes a shift in the balance of electrolytes. These are essential for the proper functioning of the muscles, as exact concentrations must be present in order for the muscle to perform normal contraction (i.e. to contract) and relaxation. The water balance is also disturbed by kidney weakness.
This causes the muscles to react with cramps. An underfunction of the thyroid gland, also known as hypothyroidism, affects the muscles. The malfunctioning of the thyroid gland causes an imbalance in the hormones it produces.
This weakens the transmission of signals from the nerves to the muscles. This is also known as reduced excitability. As a result, reflexes, such as the Achilles tendon reflex, become slower.
However, muscle cramps are not among the typical symptoms of an underactive thyroid gland. They can rather be the result of an accompanying muscle weakness or pain in the case of an underactive thyroid. An underactive parathyroid gland, also known as hypoparathyroidism, typically leads to cramps.
The reason for this is that the so-called parathyroid hormone, which is produced by the parathyroid gland, is responsible, among other things, for controlling the electrolytes in the body. Most importantly, the parathyroid hormone ensures that sufficient calcium is available in the body. Accordingly, less parathyroid hormone is produced when the parathyroid gland is underactive.This also lowers the calcium level in the body and causes cramps in the muscles, as they need the calcium for their function.
Addison’s disease is a disease of the adrenal cortex. This means that the adrenal cortex is no longer able to produce the hormones aldosterone, cortisol and androgens sufficiently. However, these are essential for many cycles in the body.
These include, for example, the control of electrolytes. Aldosterone and cortisol, for example, ensure that there is sufficient sodium and not too much potassium in the body. This enables the muscles in the body to function well.
A deficiency of these hormones leads accordingly to less sodium and too much potassium, causing the muscles to react with cramps. The disease ALS, also called amytrophic lateral sclerosis, is a complex disease of nerves and muscles. It involves a disruption in the transmission of information from the nerves to the muscles, which is normally responsible for the contraction of the muscles.
Accordingly, the muscles react with cramps. These occur mainly at night and are usually very painful for those affected. In the course of the disease, however, the cramps decrease and paralysis occurs.
Polyneuropathy is a disorder of several nerves in the body. This leads to various symptoms such as tingling, numbness and cramps. The cramps occur mainly in polyneuropathy caused by diabetes mellitus or a long-term alcoholism.
Frequently, both cramps and muscle weakness occur. The cramps are usually painful and are mainly located on the lower legs and feet, and only later affect the forearms and hands. A herniated disc affects the function of the muscles.
The area of the affected muscles depends on the height of the herniated disc. Depending on the severity and type of herniated disc, the nerves that run from the spinal cord to the muscles are irritated or trapped. This can cause numbness, cramps and paralysis in addition to pain. The cramps often occur in the calves.