Natural Remedies for Shaky Hands (Hand Tremors)

| Modified on Dec 20, 2023

Shaky hands, also known as "Hand Tremor" is a neurological problem that causes the hands to shake involuntarily. This can make simple tasks like writing, shaving, typing, and tying shoes difficult. If the shaking is severe, driving may be difficult as well. Those who suffer with shaky hands can be affected socially. It can be embarrassing to be in public and have difficulty with simple tasks; signing a check, holding a drink, or meeting new people where shaking hands is part of introductions. Since stress can make hand tremors worse, a vicious cycle can ensue. Fortunately, there are home remedies and vitamin supplements that can alleviate shaky hands.

Magnesium Supplements for Hand Tremor

Hand tremor can be caused by a magnesium deficiency. Magnesium levels in the body can be increased with one or more of the following remedies:

Blackstrap Molasses

Blackstrap Molasses is a wonderful way to get a number of vitamins into your system in a natural way. Blackstrap molasses contains a lot of magnesium. 1-2 Tablespoons of blackstrap molasses can be taken daily. It can be mixed into a glass of milk, added to coffee or used as a sweetener in oatmeal.

Epsom Salt Baths

If you like to take baths, adding epsom salt to your bath water is a great way to get extra magnesium. Add 1 cup of epsom salt to your warm bath water and soak at least 20 minutes.

Magnesium Oil

Magnesium Oil isn't really an oil. It is a mixture of pure water and magnesium flakes. This is sprayed on the skin and the body absorbs the magnesium. It can feel itchy at first. If this is the case, rinse off after 20 minutes. Better yet, just spray on the body and wait 20 minutes before you shower. Magnesium oil rinses off almost instantly!

Magnesium Supplements

Some find that a simple magnesium supplement is the easiest way to improve the body's magnesium levels. Too much magnesium can cause loose stools, so start with a smaller dose and increase slowly.

Other Supplements for Shaky Hands

Earth Clinic readers have found several different supplements that have been helpful for their shaking hands.

  • Gaba
  • Vitamin C
  • B-Complex
  • Lecithin
  • Iodine

Dietary Changes for Hand Tremor

Our readers have reported that giving up artificial sweeteners, specifically aspartame has cured their hand tremor! Aspartame, and other artificial sweeteners are neurotoxins. They are commonly found in diet drinks and food, including ice cream and some brands of sugar-free yogurt! A number of vitamin supplements have artificial sweeteners in them as well. Be sure to read labels and avoid artificial sweeteners!

MSG is another neurotoxin that should be avoided. Again, you will have to read labels. The best way to avoid MSG and artificial sweeteners is to avoid processed foods.

Several Earth Clinic readers have found that going gluten-free has helped with tremors.

Drinking adequate water is important as well. Water helps the body to flush out toxins. Adding a pinch of sea salt to a glass of water a couple of times a day can add trace minerals to your body and helps the water to hydrate the body properly.

Have you tried a natural remedy for your shaky hands? Please be sure to share it with us. And continue reading to see what remedies have helped others with shaky hands.

Additional Pages of Interest:

Artificial Sweetener Side Effects

Essential Tremor




Dietary Changes

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Posted by Natural Doc (Huntington, Indiana) on 06/07/2016
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The natural cure for Hand Tremors is to slowly reduce the amount of caffeine, sugar, carbonation every 2 weeks and you notice your hand tremors getting better and better each and every week. As you continue to do this your body adapts and becomes resistance to caffeine, sugar, carbonation and you will be cured for life!


DMSO

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Posted by Gwen (Australia) on 09/26/2017
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Google DMSO and its uses. Good for cataracts and tremors in the hands. Purchase the book and read, hopefully find an md who uses dmso. Such a great substance for so many ailments. Both humans and animals get relief almost instantly. Especially for pain.


Eliminate Aspartame

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Posted by Jonah (Australia) on 10/18/2014
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My hand tremor got better within a month after cutting out diet soda and aspartame from the diet.


Gaba

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Posted by Linda (Fremont, Ne) on 08/05/2010
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My dad has severe tremors in his hands. He has had it since he was in his 50's and has consistently gotten worse to the point of not being able to write. He is 80 now. He tried B vitamins with no success, then I got him some Gaba and he said he can actually read his own writing now. I am going to have him add Magnesium; I got him the spray from Swansons but I don't think he uses it. He is taking 500 mg. of Gaba; going to get 750 this next time. He said it made him sleepy so he takes it at night time only. It would help if he would change his diet, but that won't happen; so this is the best I can do for him. I also got him Lecithin granules but he keeps forgetting to eat it; he does like it though. Swansons has apple flavored Lecithin! I also got some L-Glutamine, but since he is on meds I'm a little leary of him taking it; heard it can be dangerous.


General Feedback

Posted by bigdude27 (Lafitte, Louisiana) on 07/21/2009

I have been having MS for 16 years now and for the past 4 years have been having tremors in my right hand real bad and that is the hand i write with. I have tried some meds on the market with no help. It has come to the point that i can not to daily tasks. Like i said befor i have tried meds for parkansons but my doctor said that that would not help me with tremors related to MS but if i want to give it a try that he has no problem giving me a script for it. I also have tremors in my hole body to where im in a wheelchair all the time. I can punch the keys on a computer but it takes me some time to do it. I mainly have problems with writing, shaving washing dishses ect...... . If anyone have any kind of help that you would suggest for me to do would help me out greatly.

Mike from Lafitte, La

Replied by Tavora
(Brooklyn, NY)
07/22/2009

Hi Mike - try magnesium oil (which is magnesium chloride diluted in water) and lecithin granules. The magnesium helps to relax your muscles but improves overall nerve communication. The granules will assist with healing and strengthening the myelin sheathing surrounding your nerves. I used to get hand tremors and my neurologist prescribed me B-100 complex and Lecithin capsules (1200mg/day). Both worked well but it wasn't until I starting taking the granules (more concentrated than the gel caps) along w/ magnesium citrate did they go away for good. I recommend the mag oil because it absorbs better than the supplements. You can put the oil in a foot bath and soak your feet or rub a little on your hands (it may sting/tingle a bit) If you don't want the irritation - I would dilute it in water and soak your hands instead. Good luck & be well.....

Replied by Dave
(Cambridge, Ontario, Canada)
09/25/2009

Hi Tavora and Gean, I am very interested in your experiences and wonder if you might be able to write me an email and explain it them a little further. I'd like to know some more specifics of your remedies, such as the dosages you took as well as how long it took before you noticed any reduction in your tremors. Gean, I understand this was your friend who was suffering from tremors, would there be any way he/she would be willing to correspond with me via email?

Replied by Mike
(Lafitte, La Usa)
12/28/2009

Hi trevora, I would like alittle more info about this mag oil and do you drink it or just let it soak through the skin . Do you have any recomdations on where can i get this magoil Because the mag oil i found on the net was not magnesium chloride and my local health or drug store does not have so i did not order it until i get back to you. And the Lecithin granules how is this to be taken, to be mixed with water as a drink. I will post with the outcome. Wish me luck

EC: More about magnesium oil (including info on buying it from an aquarium supply store) is here: https://www.earthclinic.com/remedies/transdermal-magnesium-therapy.html

Replied by Pat P.
(Arizona)
03/14/2017

For inspiration on how to heal yourself, watch a You Tube video of Dr Terry Wahls, a physician who was in a wheelchair with MS but through diet healed herself and is now walking and back to teaching again. She also has written a book out on the diet that healed her, The Wahl's Protocol.


General Feedback
Posted by George (Yucca, AZ ) on 03/14/2009

Hand Tremors: I have always had 'corrugations' in my handwriting, but recently I have actually developed hand tremors whem I try to write. This makes it very difficult to fill out job applications. I am currently trying GABA and some other supplements, but I look like I have Parkinsons (no tremors at rest, though). Looking for ideas!

Replied by Joyce
(Joelton, Tn)
03/15/2009
495 posts

Hello George, Are you just having tremors of the hands when you hold them out or do these tremors look more like the classic motions called "Pill rolling motions" of Parkinson's disease?

Whichever they are, my first suggestion is to try to eliminate those two excitotoxins that neurosurgeon Russell Blaylock blames for causing headaches, seizures, tumors or cancer of the brain, Alzheimer's disease, ALS (Lou Gehrig's disease, as well as Parkinson's disease and others. The only way to succeed at this is to first learn the other names they hide monosodium glutamate under (so far aspartame is usually identified as aspartame, NutriSweet or Equal. You will find many different names for monosodium glutamate or MSG, the most deadly form being any hydrolyzed plant (corn, soy, etc) protein because it contains both MSG and aspartame & kills off two different types of neurons in the brain & central nervous system at once.

My next suggestion is think B complex vitamins. Get a good 50 to l00mgm B complex and take 1 morning & evening with meals for a couple of weeks and if tremors improve slow down to l a day. Or you can get a good stress tablet (B complex with added vitamins C & E) and take l with meals and l at bedtime (4 per day). An extra 4 to 8 mcg of Folic Acid
once or twice a day would probably also be helpful.

If your tremors are more like the pill rolling of Parkinson's, you should also read up on Ted's recommendation of methylene blue for Parkinson's because from comments I have read on EC, it offers more hope than the results I have observed with orthodox medical treatment. I would still do both of the above along with it if I were walking in your shoes. Good luck George and may God bless you with a cure.

Replied by Rob
(Manhattan, New York)
03/15/2009

Hi George. I just read on Dr. Weil's site about intravenous Glutathione for Parkinsons... http://www.drweil.com/drw/u/QAA400534/A-New-Approach-to-Parkinsons.html

Also, low dose Naltrexone... I haven't tried either, but both look promising.

Replied by Hannah
(San Fran, CA)
03/15/2009

I agree with Joyce's post and would recommend eliminating any and all artificial sweeteners and foods that contain msg. A good detox program might help too. Give it a month or two to clear these toxins from your system.

Replied by Gean
(Salina, KS)
07/21/2009

A friend has had hand tremors for as long as I have known him, 25 years. For the last two months he has taken NDF (nanocolloidal detox factor) 6 drops twice a day, and the tremor is hardly noticeable. This will detox the body of heavy metals. He had mercury in his teeth and had them improperly removed through the years, so the mercury deposited deep in the cells. The NDF will pull it out. If you have mercury in your teeth, you might consider safe removal. If you have had them in the past and had them improperly removed, you need heavy metal detox.

Replied by Jim
(Madison, Wi)
09/20/2009

Have been reading about different ones with tremors. I don't know if this will help, but if they are caused by heavy metals, I would suggest trying Zeolite drops. I had a bad infection in my sinuses and hearing was partially blocked. I started detoxing with Zeolite drops three times a day (5 drops each time) as recommended and could not believe the foul smell coming out of my body from the detox. Be sure to carefully read the recommended dosage before using. My symstoms have cleared up but I do a maintenance of Zeolite drops (3 drops each)every day.

Replied by Elle
(Italy)
12/31/2018

Can you write which brand zeolite drops you used?


Gluten-Free Diet

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Posted by Jon (New South Wales) on 10/24/2014
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I saw a comment who mentioned going Gluten free helped to be almost tremor free...

Aliups Atlanta, Ga said: [YEA] I have had tremors since I was a kid (30 yrs), they started to get really bad a few years ago and that's when I was diagnosed with ET....

I went gluten free, caffeine free, aspartame free (any sugar substitute) I take Lecithin 1200mg, Acetyl L-Carnitine 500mg, L-Lysine 500mg, GABA 1500mg, Calcium 1000mg, Magnesium 800mg, Norwegian Salmon Oil 2200mg plus a multivitamin.

I have been doing this for almost three months and I am mostly tremor free. The tremors will start up if I get upset or angry, but very mild.

Replied by M
(Boston Mass)
12/08/2017

Hi, Both my hands shake badly. Are you still Currently taking these simplement and if so how long did it take for all this to work and start noticing a difference with the he ends?

EC: Hi, please see Earth Clinic's essential tremors page here: https://www.earthclinic.com/cures/essential-tremor.html

The posts on this page are more recent.

Replied by Ada
(Michigan)
03/29/2022

Hi Jon, I also have ET and wondered how the following diet is working for you. Lecithin 1200mg, Acetyl L-Carnitine 500mg, L-Lysine 500mg, GABA 1500mg, Calcium 1000mg, Magnesium 800mg, Norwegian Salmon Oil 2200mg plus a multivitamin Does the extra Gaba make you tired? Where did you get the Salmon oil? Thank you for helping out. Ada


Magnesium

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Posted by Toourlady89 (Ca, Usa) on 08/22/2013
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I have searched for years how to help my sons shaking hands, I found Magnesium Glycinate stopped his hands from shaking, but it has to be taken everyday or the shaking comes back; and it takes time, 6 to 12 months to build in the system.

Transdermal Mg is an additional way to speed up the process of normalizing Mg levels in the body. Musicians / Performers deplete their Magnesium stores because of the constant noise they are exposed to, the stress of performing and the stresses of daily life. Magnesium is the Relaxation mineral, it relieves anxiety and depression.


Small Amount of Wine

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Posted by JJ (California) on 12/11/2023
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I am a 79 year old male with hand tremors, not what has been described as "pill rolling". I have tried various non pharma solutions, including what has been listed on this site, with no relief.

I have found that when I have 2 swallows of wine, my tremors go away.

My question is: has anyone else had this experience, and if they have found a natural solution to replace what I assume to be my brain's reaction to alcohol?

Replied by Vera
(Colorado)
12/14/2023

Very interesting! I have heard that alcohol stimulates production of calming GABA.

JJ: does any alcohol work, or does it have to be wine? I will try it next time I get a tremor. I have essential tremors that come and go.

JJ
(California)
12/20/2023

V, I only drink wine so....I might try something else though.


Valerain

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Posted by Paul (Oregon) on 01/21/2016
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Having been with tremors for the past 8 years and have not had any relief from Rx meds. I have just started taking valerian tea at night (do not take if you have to drive as it is sedating). I have noticed that the tremors are there, but not as severe (still cannot write so anyone can read what I wrote - sometimes even myself). Will continue to try valerian at night and see if there is substantial improvements.



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