JAMA Intern Med

Vitamin K2 shows promise for treating nocturnal leg cramps

November 4, 2024

Among older patients, vitamin K₂ supplementation significantly reduced frequency, intensity, and duration of nocturnal leg cramps (NLCs) with a good safety profile.

This double-blind, placebo-controlled randomized trial, conducted in China between September 2022 and December 2023, included a volunteer sample of community-dwelling individuals ≥65 years of age with ≥2 documented episodes of NLCs during 2 weeks of screening. Participants were randomized (1:1) to receive PO vitamin K₂ (menaquinone 7) 180 μg or placebo daily for 8 weeks.

Of 310 participants, 111 were excluded. Of the 199 remaining individuals, 108 (54.3%) were female, and mean age was 72.3 years. A total of 103 patients were randomly assigned to receive vitamin K₂ and 96 were assigned to placebo. Mean baseline weekly frequency of cramps was comparable in both the vitamin K₂ group (2.60) and placebo group (2.71).

During the 8-week intervention, the vitamin K₂ group experienced a reduction in mean weekly frequency of cramps to 0.96, while the placebo group maintained mean weekly frequency of cramps at 3.63 (difference, −2.67; 95% CI, −2.86 to −2.49; P < .001). Vitamin K₂ recipients had a more significant mean reduction in NLC severity (−2.55 points) compared with the placebo group (−1.24 points). The vitamin K₂ group showed a more pronounced mean decrease in duration of NLCs (−0.90 min) than the placebo group (−0.32 min). No adverse events related to vitamin K₂ use were reported.

Source:

Tan J, et al. (2024, October 28). JAMA Intern Med. Vitamin K2 in Managing Nocturnal Leg Cramps: A Randomized Clinical Trial. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/39466236/