Restless Leg Syndrome
Natural Remedies

Effective Natural Remedies for Restless Legs Syndrome Relief

Apple Cider Vinegar

10 User Reviews
5 star (9) 
  90%
4 star (1) 
  10%

Posted by Gail (Melbourne, Australia) on 01/17/2008
★★★★★

for anyone who can't take acv for their restless legs they can rub it into their legs, this works just as well as taking it internally

Replied by Alice Curt
(Seale, Alabama)
04/28/2009

I am new to the site. I have had restless leg syndrom for MANY years now and take medication for it. I DO NOT like the side effects. I see where many people are talking about acv. I have severe rls and would like to know how much acv and water to mix? Also what time of day should this be taken? I can not take naps either because if I take a pill to sleep I am no good for the rest of the day.

I am a 59 year old female, about 5ft6inches and weigh 180, I would also like to try the acv for weight lose. Any suggestions?

Thank you for your time,
Alice Curt

Replied by Dorothy
(Texas)
09/29/2015

Thanks for the info about the Apple Cider Vinegar. I just read this and plan to try it in just a minute. Do you also have knotted veins in the thigh area that hurt soooo bad?

Replied by Mama To Many
(Tennessee)
09/29/2015

Dear Dorothy,

The knotted veins sound like varicose veins. The Apple Cider Vinegar May help that, too.

~Mama to Many~


Apple Cider Vinegar
Posted by Lois (Florida) on 12/29/2006
★★★★★

I started taking apple cider vinegar for the acid reflux , i took one tablespoon with a cold glass of water a day for a week and right away i notice that my legs didn't hurt at night any more, which they have been bothering me for years. i never went to the doctors about it. every night it kept me awake for hours,and i felt like crying thinking i don't want to have to go through this the rest of my life. i started taking aleve or whatever else i could think might work which i don't like taking med. aleve didn't work that good. anyway, the apple cider vinegar did work for me. i did have to quit taking it every day because i only weigh 132 pounds and the vinegar was making me lose weight so now i only do the vinegar every 3 or four days and it is still working. i'm very glad i started taking it for the acid reflux and found that my legs no longer I'm am so thankful. i have no problem going to sleep at night any more. as bad as it bothered me and now that it doesn't, i want every one that has restless legs to give it a try . oh yea i started taking it october 5th 2006. well that is a bout it good luck to any one with restless legs. i know what it is like to have restless legs ,and i hope it works for all who tries it. good luck

Replied by Sal
(Fresno, Ca, 93726)
01/04/2010
★★★★★

Yes. Thank you so very much for posting this. It really worked for me. About an half an hour to an hour before I go to sleep, I warm up a glass of water (8 oz. or so) and add 2 teaspoons of apple cider vinegar and 2 teaspoons of honey. (I buy the one that says unfiltered apple cider vinegar made from ripe apples - organic, pasteurized). This formula really worked for me. The taste is good and I read a lot of things about apple cider vinegar, it is supposed to be a very good thing and has been used for centuries safely. So definitely give it a try. Thank you again!!!


Aspercreme

1 User Review
5 star (1) 
  100%

Posted by Karen Stropki (W) on 04/21/2017
★★★★★

I have tried the bar of soap and got some relief. After reading several of these posts, I am going to use the sock idea. I used to take Klonopin for years and it completely took care of the RLS. Then it went generic and the generic did not work. However, I would like to report that I tried aspercreme pain reducing Creme. I rubbed it on my calves and got total relief. You can get this at any drug store. I am puzzled that it does work. It suggests that there is some inflammation. I have always read it was a nerve problem. Unless the nerves that are involved with the muscles are so irritable that they cause the muscles in the leg to be inflamed. However, the aspercream should not work on nerves.

I guess it is just treating a symptom of RLS and not the underlying cause. I have had RLS for 30 years so hopeful that some of these new tricks will manage the problem.


Aspirin

5 User Reviews
5 star (5) 
  100%

Posted by Deborah (Bellingham, Wa, Usa) on 04/14/2011
★★★★★

I just recently found this site and have read everything here about Restless Legs Syndrome.

Everyone in my family has this problem and I have had it since I was a small child. In my family, the "cure" for an episode of RLS is aspirin. Two 325 mg tablets stops all the twitching and crawling sensations in 12-15 minutes and keeps working for at least 3 hours. I go from total twitching overload to sound asleep in moments.

I have been to several specialists about my restless legs because it has become much worse as I get older (I am now over 60). And I develop a temporary tolerance to the aspirin if used day after day, so that I need 3 tablets or 4 to stop the symptoms if I have taken aspirin every night for a week or two. Aspirin has its own serious side effects, especially in these quantities. But, after a couple weeks of no aspirin, 2 tablets will stop the symptoms again.

The neurology specialists I have seen are surprised that common aspirin completely relieves my symptoms. They tell me they have never heard of this or read about it. Their answer is various prescription drugs that have serious side effects for me. I am very interested in several of the remedies described here, but wanted to share my family's experience as well. Has anyone else tried aspirin? It is obviously not a cure, but it stops the symptoms so I can sleep. That's BIG help when you have serious RLS.

Replied by Tammy
(Ashland, Mo)
04/19/2011
★★★★★

I have also found that aspirin cures RLS. My dad is a doctor and he said this really works. Obviously some doctors know what is going on! I also get used to the aspirin and have to take as little as possible for it to work all the time. Try it, it works! Ibprofen does not work as well for me.

Replied by Zoe
(Seattle, Wa)
07/12/2012
★★★★★

Yup, aspirin works for me. I read somewhere that RLS is basically the brain mis-firing low-level pain signals. Aspirin works to block just enough of those signals that RLS goes away - other painkillers work, Tylenol is the safest to take long-term (some studies show elevated liver enzymes after a few weeks, but nothing to be alarmed about and no liver damage occurs). Aspirin has side-effects like blood-thinning if taken over the long-term. I just switch 'em off, but do talk to your doctor.

Replied by Kellyd
(Seattle, Wa)
08/09/2013
★★★★★

The reason aspirin is helping may be because it thins the blood, thus helping one's circulation. I've found RLS to be directly related to circulation issues...

Replied by Tbocamp
(Texas, US)
09/26/2014
★★★★★

I take 2 low dose aspirin every night for my RLS, and that usually does the trick. There are some nights -when symptoms are really bad - that I have to get back up and take 2 to 4 more, but not very often. Soap did help some. Hot, hot baths at 3 in the morning sometimes worked, too. Aspirin has been the most reliable source of help for me. BTW - I have also found that sleeping in lightweight pajama pants, year round, helps.


Avoid Artificial Sweeteners

1 User Review
5 star (1) 
  100%

Posted by Glen (Valdosta, GA) on 09/09/2007
★★★★★

I heard from a friend that he didn't drink diet soda because of the RLS he experienced. I realized that when I'm on the road (truck driver) drinking diet sodas I'm fine, but when I get home all I drink is tea with splenda. Within one week I'm experiencing RLS and, as mentioned in one of your posting, herpes outbreak. I think this is pretty conclusive. The word really needs to get out about this.

Replied by Julia
(Brooksville, FL)
06/07/2009

Glen, Look into Aspartame and artificial sweetners and you'll see why diet drinks, as well as many other things that contain this product are not good for you. I use Stevia. It's a natural sweetner, not a chemical. You can find it online, or in your local health food store.

Replied by Kim
(Winnipeg, Manitoba)
10/30/2011

How about splenda?

Replied by Sandra
(Ok, US)
02/12/2015

Stevia is widely available. I buy mine at Walmart. Among other things (oh, joy), I have Interstitial Cystitis (Painful Bladder) and artificial sweeteners cause flares.


Avoid Deodorant With Aluminum

1 User Review
5 star (1) 
  100%

Posted by Judy (Loveland, Co) on 08/10/2007
★★★★★

When I was pregnant, I had terrible RLS in the third trimester. After I had the baby, it got much better. Unfortunately, five years later, I had a miscarriage and seemed to have RLS again. It wasn't as severe as the first time but it kept me up at night none the less. Meanwhile, I had started using regular deoderant with the aluminum(sp) in it. I read that that is one of the contributing factors of RLS so I stopped using antiperspirent. (Of course I use something to deoderize like a mineral rock :)) My mild case of RLS is gone.

Replied by Cynthia
(Jacksonville, Alabama)
03/17/2010

Thanks very much for this site. I've gotten a lot of good ideas from here. I had to laugh at the dog chasing cars in the dreams comment. I can relate. My dreams totally evolved around my kicking legs. I was wondering if aluminum deoderant was behind my rls. We had been using Lavelin for years and suddenly couldn't get it anymore.I bought another kind at the HFS and the label said- no alumninum chlorhydrate. I got faked out by the label and started using it. Then my hubby noticed on the back real small it said- active ingrediant- aluminum. I thought- I'll just use it up since we paid for it. I started eventually to get rls and was wondering if it had to do w/ it. Tom's makes a deoderant w/o aluminum and my hubby likes it. Remember those "mineral stones" are made of aluminum. Learn from my sheeple move and read the fine print~

I've been trying a bunch of stuff that has been reported on this site. It seems to help, unfortunately, I'm not sure exactly which thing is working. One thing I've done too is cut way back on eating Tums for indigestion. I read on the internet it can be an iron blocker. Since I'm a vegetarian, I have to be careful about getting enough iron as it is. I've started back using vinegar for indigestion, it works well and is supposed to be good for rls anyway. I've also cut way back on aspirin, it supposedly can block iron absorbtion is what I read. I've beefed up on slow absorbtion, fem iron (not taking within one hour of tea- tea (chai) is supposed to block it), molasses, magnesium, D-3, folic acid, taking vita C with iron pill, and I tried the baking soda in the water. Baking Soda is really not the healthiest thing long term either, but when you're hurting, you really don't care. I also tried a massager, and hot bathes, so far all those things have helped some. The socks in the bed have helped a lot, I do have a problem with cold feet. I'm going to try the sliver of ivory soap in the socks tonight when I go to bed. What's kind of weird right now is, my legs quit aching and now my arms are instead. They never hurt before.

Hopefully, stopping the aluminum deoderant will make it go away. These other things to speed it up. I knew the Tums were my downfall also.

I'm certain if I keep diligent, I'll get back on top of it again.

Thanks again for this site and for everyone's posts. Thank God for the internet. If we had to rely on doctor's we'd really be screwed! They have their place, but it helps to have tried and true natural and safe remedies that work and being able to share them. God bless you all~ Namaste, Cynthia

Replied by Beth
(Vista, Ca, Usa)
03/18/2010

You can make your own deodorant:

5 tbsp. Virgin Coconut Oil
1/4 cup Arrowroot Powder (or Corn Starch)
1/4 cup Baking Soda
5 drops Tea Tree Oil
Optional: Jasmine Oil or any Good smelling Essential Oil

Mix the powdered ingredients together
Add the Tea Tree Oil to Coconut Oil (and Essential Oil Fragrance) and stir

Drizzle into powdered mixture until it forms a ball sort of like play dough consistency.

I store mine in a small jar. Cleaned out pimento or small artichoke jar works well.

Apply with fingers.

Hope it helps!


Avoid Grains

1 User Review
5 star (1) 
  100%

Posted by Dr. Flora Mason Van Orden (Triangle, Va) on 05/05/2014
★★★★★

Restless Leg Syndrome:

Something that has helped my patients/students is to understand that all grains have a calcium-magnesium ratio that throws the natural balance totally out of whack when they eat processed grains. The ratio should be 2-1, but when grains are thrown in (which we do not need to eat, but which are addictive; read "Grain Damage" by Dr. Doug Graham), there is a backwards ratio of 1-9, way too much magnesium, and then leg cramps, restless leg syndrome, foot cramps, etc. begin. Once a person leaves out grains, even whole, organic, wonderful things start happening! Brain fog disappears, for one. Mental ups and downs stabilize. And especially, the leg cramps disappear! Try it! If I eat even one slice, I'm in trouble. It may have something to do with the gluten, because when I sprout the grain and make Essene bread out of it, this doesn't happen. Not the store-bought bread by that name: they actually ADD gluten, which defeats the purpose of spouting it.


Avoid MSG

1 User Review
5 star (1) 
  100%

Posted by Citygirl27 (Richardson, Tx, Usa) on 09/19/2012
★★★★★

Not eating MSG stopped my leg jerks. When I eat MSG, the twitching starts again. I have been avoiding it for several weeks now and my legs have been quiet.


Avoid Sugar

1 User Review
5 star (1) 
  100%

Posted by Kathleen (Pitt Meadows, B.c. Canada) on 11/26/2012
★★★★★

RLS - I find I get this awful sensation in my legs within 1 hour of consuming anything with sugar if I'm not active. Usually it hits in the evening while I'm sitting around and then in the night.

Even one candy is enough to trigger it so try to find something else to snack on in the evening and see if it helps.


B-1

2 User Reviews
5 star (2) 
  100%

Posted by Sophie (Bellevue) on 11/30/2023
★★★★★

My husband had the worst restless leg. We came across video that recommended B-1. We bought dissolvable tablets of B-1 it's also known as Thiamin. He taking it twice a day in the morning and at night . One pill is 100mg he placed it under his tongue and waited for it to dissolve. He began to notice that his restlessness was less and less until it went away altogether. It worked! I hope this information helps someone.

Replied by Roelof
(Pretoria, South Africa)
02/10/2024
★★★★★

Vitamin B-1 is the best. I am a 78-year-old male blessed with good health, but over the past fifteen years, I have had serious trouble with restless legs. I do use prescription medicine, but despite that, I often find that the troublesome problem still bothers me when I want to sleep. I have tried a few of the remedies on this website, but none of them brought relief worth mentioning—although I must add that bicarbonate of soda does help. Then I came upon Sophie's contribution regarding Vitamin B-1. What a blessing that was. I take 100mg twice a day. It is still early days for me, but I cannot believe the calmness Vitamin B-1 has brought to my legs; it is as if the RLS has completely disappeared. I will follow up on this post when I have been using the Vitamin B-1 for a longer period.

I must add that over the years, I have found a few triggers of restless legs which I try to avoid. The most important ones being: coffee late in the day, sugar in any form, and alcohol.


B12, Folic Acid, Niacin

1 User Review
5 star (1) 
  100%

Posted by Alan M. (Oahu) on 04/06/2019
★★★★★

I had been suffering from restless leg syndrome for several years; only in my right leg. The problem would hit me in the evening, and would keep me from being able to sleep at night. I found a product which is a combo of homeopathic preps and herbs, and this works, but only for a few hours, and I think it was giving me nosebleeds too. So I spent time online looking to discover another approach to the problem.

What I came up with is three B vitamins: Vitamin B12, folic acid, and niacin, all in megadoses. Within a matter of a few days on this protocol, my restless leg problem rapidly diminished down to nothing. I now take 300mcg of B12, 800mcg of folic acid, 1000mg of niacin.

I take these amounts with each meal, so that is a total of three times those dosages each day.

Niacin (with flush) (nicotinic acid) is apparently more effective for restless leg than no-flush niacin. I discovered my body quickly adapted to the flush, and barely registers it any more. But I started at a much lower dose so my body could have time to adjust to the niacin.

Replied by Kelly
(Seattle)
06/26/2019

While that's great to hear, I wonder if the B12 or folate is doing much considering you're taking such a massive dose of niacin (which would deplete the B12 and folic acid). Might be worth a try to see if it works on it's own...or...even better, increase the B12 and folate (both methyl donors).


Bach Flower Remedies

1 User Review
5 star (1) 
  100%

Posted by Tweetylynn (Richardson, Tx, Usa) on 11/20/2012
★★★★★

Bach's Rescue Remedy works like a charm. Two sprays in the mouth at night and I'm asleep before my horrible restless legs start up. Five nights in a row so far and no RLS.


Baking Soda

14 User Reviews
5 star (14) 
  100%

Posted by Christine (York PA) on 09/09/2023
★★★★★

I have suffered with RLS for years. I have tried magnesium supplement which does not help. I have also tried tonic water and soaking my feet in warm water with Epsom salts. This helped short term. I was then prescribed ropinerole which was suboptimal. Was then switched to Mirapex which did the trick in the beginning but came with a significant weight gain. I am at the point where Mirapex actually perpetuates the symptoms. In addition, I have fibromyalgia. Some nights I become so frustrated I am in tears. I found this forum this evening as I was once again hoping to find an answer to the torment of RLS.

One hour ago I mixed the baking soda with water and although the taste was unpleasant I have to say my left leg which was driving me crazy has completely calmed down within approximately 15 minutes. Thanks to everyone who shared their experiences. I am hoping this provides the help I need. God knows we need an answer.

Replied by Christine
(York PA)
09/10/2023

I am updating on my post from last evening. After I went to bed within an hour the terrible symptoms of RLS came on with a vengeance. I was hoping the baking soda would work. I must admit I had a significant sugar intake early last evening; no, not from a dessert, but had pork barbecue that I purchased at a farmer's market which tasted sweet. I looked at the label this morning it was made with corn syrup AND sugar. This is a huge issue with me. Our society is obsessed with sugar. I do not want sugar in real food. I make most of what I eat in my kitchen. Long story short, I put ice packs on my calves and took 3 different meds. After suffering for 5 hours I finally slept for a few hours. Good luck to everyone.


Baking Soda
Posted by Ms (Wa) on 08/23/2018
★★★★★

I'm a very active person and would get restless legs regularly or, when doing yoga intensely, restless arms. Rubbing apple cider vinegar worked like magic for me, so I would keep it by the bed. It would immediately stop the restlessness. After changing jobs and being on my feet all day I started getting the restless legs coming down from my lower back. This time a hot water bottle on my lower back did the trick for a while, also rubbing Amol (a rubbing solution made in Poland), but I had days when these remedies didn't work.

So I desperately searched Earth Clinic (which I always do when in need for remedies) and found baking soda. AND THAT DID THE TRICK THIS TIME!

Thank you guys and thank you so much Earth Clinic for bringing so much relief, clarity, and sanity into our stressful and demanding lives.


Baking Soda
Posted by Betty (De) on 06/06/2017
★★★★★

RLS - I tried the baking soda and water remedy about ten minutes ago boy my leg feels great also a bar of dial soap in a sock oh feels better. Thanks for the remedy.



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