<<Disclaimer: Verify this information before applying it to your situation.>>

Sorry for the delay in posting the results.  I received over 80 e-mails in response to my question regarding RLS.  11 of the responders suffered from RLS and were curious about the suggestions that I had received.  There was a wide variety of suggestions.  Several suggested supplementing with vitamins, some were not successful with vitamins and are taking prescription drugs, some just live with the symptoms, some suggested that it will clear with a GF Diet and others used exercise or other methods.

The responses included a Doctor that suggested that we should not fool around with nutritional remedies and that there were medications available for RLS.  Although, I don't necessarily agree with him on all levels, I do acknowledge that there are risks of vitamin supplementation and this should be approached with some caution.  That being said... I think you need to make your own decisions.  If that means a traditional doctor, alternative medicine, vitamin supplementation or nothing at all... that's your choice; nobody can make it for you!

The quick and dirty summary is:

50.7% - Vitamins or herbal supplements
16.9% - Medications
12.7% - Nothing you can do, live w/ the symptoms
7% - GF Diet
5.6% - Exercise
5.6% - Other - Diet / Blanket

Good Web sites to check out:
www.rlsf.org
http://surf.to/rls
http://forums.delphiforums.com/celiac/messages
http://neuro-mancer.mgh.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/Ultimate.cgi

If you would like more detail and some comments... read on...

The definite leaders were Calcium, Iron and Magnesium.  Calcium was listed in several combinations.

Calcium  - 6

Calcium and magnesium    - 6
*** Calcium to contract the muscle and magnesium - to relax the muscle
*** "It should be balanced with calcium (Ca) in the ratio 2 parts calcium to 1 part magnesium (if you supplement with 1000mg of calcium per day, then make sure you are getting 500mg of magnesium.)"

Calcium & Vit D - 1

Calcium & Vit B - 1

Calcium/Magnesium & Vit D - 1

Calcium and Potassium - 1

Calcium, Magnesium, Potassium & Vit D - 2

Magnesium - 3
*** suggested brand - Slow-Mag

Vitamin B12 - 1

Vit B, Biotin and folic acid - 1

Iron - 10
*** Ferrous Gluconate
*** Seems that circulating levels of iron vary w/ ""circadian rhythms""...lower at night than during the day.  So if you are low, you are really low at night.  When circulation slows down, less oxygen is available & muscles cramp up. "

KLAMATH Blue Green Algae - 1

Essential Fatty Acids - 1

Valerian Root - 1
*** mimics valium w/out addictive qualities

GF Diet - 5
*** eat nuts, eggs and grain fed meats
*** give your intestines time to heal - otherwise you are just flushing the vitamins down the toilet
*** "gluten-free, sugar-free, very restrictive diet"

Asprin - 1
Klonopin (prescription)- 3
Mirapex (prescription)- 3
Clonazapan (prescription) - 1
Sinemet (prescription) - 3
Requip and Neurontin (prescription)- 1

Exercise - 4

No Answer, Just cope - 9

Paleolithic diet - 1 *** which is high in saturated fats and meat

Stay away from low fat diets - 1 *** His Dr. said if you don't get enough oils and protein your nerves can't repair themselves.

Down Blanket or Heating Pad - 2
*** to cover legs on cool night

Pam
Denver, CO

*Support summarization of posts, reply to the SENDER not the CELIAC List*