Non-Cochrane · intervention · PM41812583
The Role of Electrolytes in Muscle Pain Syndromes: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis With Implications for Temporomandibular Disorder.
Patil Shankargouda, Falkowski Andrea, Venkataiah Venkata Suresh, et al. · International dental journal · 2026 · PubMed · doi:10.1016/j.identj.2026.109488
Findings
4 findings
| Population | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pregnant women with leg cramps | Oral magnesium supplementation | Placebo | Cramp frequency (responders with >=50% reduction in cramps per figure caption) Treatment period (3 to 4 weeks) · Community | RR 1.35 [1.05, 1.74] GRADE not reported 4 studies · 364 participants |
| Adults with nocturnal or chronic persistent leg cramps | Oral magnesium supplementation | Placebo | Cramp frequency (cramps per week) Treatment period (4 weeks to 60 days) · Community | MD -0.42 [-1.15, 0.31] GRADE not reported 4 studies · 396 participants |
| People with muscle cramps or myalgia | Calcium supplementation | Placebo, no treatment or active control | Cramp or myalgia outcomes | no estimate extracted No studies found 0 studies |
| People with muscle cramps or myalgia | Potassium supplementation | Placebo, no treatment or active control | Cramp or myalgia outcomes | no estimate extracted No studies found 0 studies |
Included primary studies 23
Open in Studies| Study | Year | Also included by | Outcomes it informs here | Trial data |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Araujo 2020 Oral magnesium supplementation for leg cramps in pregnancy—An observational controlled trial DOI:10.1371/journal.pone.0227497 | 2020 | this review only | Cramp frequency (responders with >=50% reduction in cramps per figure caption) | not extracted yet |
| Araujo 2020 Oral magnesium supplementation for leg cramps in pregnancy-An observational controlled trial. PMID:31923242 | 2020 | this review only | Cramp frequency (responders with >=50% reduction in cramps per figure caption) | not extracted yet |
| Barna 2021 A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, multicenter study assessing the efficacy of magnesium oxide monohydrate in the treatment… DOI:10.1186/s12937-021-00747-9 | 2021 | this review only | Cramp frequency (cramps per week) | not extracted yet |
| Barna 2021 A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, multicenter study assessing the efficacy of magnesium oxide monohydrate in the treatment… PMID:34719399 | 2021 | this review only | Cramp frequency (cramps per week) | not extracted yet |
| Dahle 1995 The effect of oral magnesium substitution on pregnancy-induced leg cramps DOI:10.1016/0002-9378(95)90186-8 | 1995 | this review only | Cramp frequency (responders with >=50% reduction in cramps per figure caption) | not extracted yet |
| Dahle 1995 The effect of oral magnesium substitution on pregnancy-induced leg cramps. PMID:7631676 | 1995 | this review only | Cramp frequency (responders with >=50% reduction in cramps per figure caption) | not extracted yet |
| Earp 2019 Electrolyte beverage consumption alters electrically induced cramping threshold DOI:10.1002/mus.26650 | 2019 | this review only | not stated | not extracted yet |
| Earp 2019 Electrolyte beverage consumption alters electrically induced cramping threshold. PMID:31350753 | 2019 | this review only | not stated | not extracted yet |
| Frusso 1999 Magnesium for the treatment of nocturnal leg cramps: a crossover randomized trial. PMID:10907623 | 1999 | this review only | Cramp frequency (cramps per week) | not extracted yet |
| Garrison 2011 The Effect of Magnesium Infusion on Rest Cramps: Randomized Controlled Trial DOI:10.1093/gerona/glq232 | 2011 | this review only | not stated | not extracted yet |
| Garrison 2011 The effect of magnesium infusion on rest cramps: randomized controlled trial. PMID:21289017 | 2011 | this review only | not stated | not extracted yet |
| Lau 2021 Effect of oral rehydration solution versus spring water intake during exercise in the heat on muscle cramp susceptibility of young men DOI:10.1186/s12970-021-00414-8 | 2021 | this review only | not stated | not extracted yet |
| Lau 2021 Effect of oral rehydration solution versus spring water intake during exercise in the heat on muscle cramp susceptibility of young men. PMID:33722257 | 2021 | this review only | not stated | not extracted yet |
| Nygaard 2008 Does oral magnesium substitution relieve pregnancy-induced leg cramps? DOI:10.1016/j.ejogrb.2008.07.005 | 2008 | this review only | Cramp frequency (responders with >=50% reduction in cramps per figure caption) | not extracted yet |
| Nygaard 2008 Does oral magnesium substitution relieve pregnancy-induced leg cramps? PMID:18768245 | 2008 | this review only | Cramp frequency (responders with >=50% reduction in cramps per figure caption) | not extracted yet |
| Ojo 2024 The Effects of Varying Doses of Magnesium-Sulphate on Succinylcholine-Induced Fasciculation and Postoperative Muscle Pain in A Nigerian… PMID:40009802 | 2024 | this review only | not stated | not extracted yet |
| Roffe 2002 Randomised, cross-over, placebo controlled trial of magnesium citrate in the treatment of chronic persistent leg cramps. PMID:12011773 | 2002 | this review only | Cramp frequency (cramps per week) | not extracted yet |
| Roguin Maor 2017 Effect of Magnesium Oxide Supplementation on Nocturnal Leg Cramps DOI:10.1001/jamainternmed.2016.9261 | 2017 | this review only | Cramp frequency (cramps per week) | not extracted yet |
| Roguin Maor 2017 Effect of Magnesium Oxide Supplementation on Nocturnal Leg Cramps: A Randomized Clinical Trial. PMID:28241153 | 2017 | this review only | Cramp frequency (cramps per week) | not extracted yet |
| Supakatisant 2015 Oral magnesium for relief in pregnancy‐induced leg cramps: a randomised controlled trial DOI:10.1111/j.1740-8709.2012.00440.x | 2012 | this review only | Cramp frequency (responders with >=50% reduction in cramps per figure caption) | not extracted yet |
| Supakatisant 2015 Oral magnesium for relief in pregnancy-induced leg cramps: a randomised controlled trial. PMID:22909270 | 2015 | this review only | Cramp frequency (responders with >=50% reduction in cramps per figure caption) | not extracted yet |
| Tapper 2022 Pickle Juice Intervention for Cirrhotic Cramps Reduction: The PICCLES Randomized Controlled Trial DOI:10.14309/ajg.0000000000001781 | 2022 | this review only | not stated | not extracted yet |
| Tapper 2022 Pickle Juice Intervention for Cirrhotic Cramps Reduction: The PICCLES Randomized Controlled Trial. PMID:35416793 | 2022 | this review only | not stated | not extracted yet |
Review question
| Element | Planned (methods) | Found (results) |
|---|---|---|
| Population | Humans with muscle cramps or myalgia (nocturnal, pregnancy-related, exercise-associated, myofascial pain) | Pregnant women with leg cramps (n=4 trials); adults with nocturnal or persistent leg cramps (n=4); older adults with rest cramps (n=1); surgical patients (n=1); healthy volunteers (n=2); cirrhosis (n=1) |
| Intervention | Electrolyte supplementation (magnesium, sodium, calcium, potassium), oral, injectable or topical | Magnesium (n=10 trials); multi-electrolyte or sodium-containing beverages (n=3); no calcium or potassium alone |
| Comparison | Placebo, no treatment or active control | Placebo, placebo infusion, spring water or tap water |
| Outcomes | Cramp or myalgia frequency, intensity (VAS/NRS), duration, responder rate, adverse events | Cramp frequency, intensity, duration, sleep, cramp threshold, postoperative myalgia |
| Study designs | Randomized (parallel or crossover) and quasi-randomized trials | RCTs (n=13) |
| Timing | Not specified | Single dose to 60 days |