Restless Legs Syndrome (RLS) Discussion Board

Does anyone know if weight loss helps stop RLS? Thanks

I don't know. I do know that weight gain does NOT stop it. LOL.

stjohnh wrote:I don't know. I do know that weight gain does NOT stop it. LOL.

LOL. I keep reading that being overweight increases your chances of getting RLS, but I haven't heard anyone mention weight loss as a remedy.

There is the old adage about how we are all different. In my case, my genetics are such that I don't gain weight easily. I hear "you need to gain some weight" all the time, occasionally even from my doctor. My BMI has always been low, 19 or 20, and my RLS is severe. So, at least in my case, weight loss has nothing to do with my RLS.

zeefy wrote:

stjohnh wrote:I don't know. I do know that weight gain does NOT stop it. LOL.

LOL. I keep reading that being overweight increases your chances of getting RLS, but I haven't heard anyone mention weight loss as a remedy.

I had the same question about 5 years ago http://bb.rls.org/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=8863&p=74803

Today I know the answer: It's an urban myth. I have yet to see a study that even hints at a cause-effect relation, all I see is correlations -- people with RLS tend to have a higher BMI. Duh! You might as well claim that ambulances cause traffic accidents, because ambulances are almost always present if there is a traffic accident, right?

Sleeplessness equals weight gain. There are some hormones regulating appetite and food processing (something about how our body reacts to food, whether it can burn it or stores it as fat), I don't remember the details though. But there was a study where students were checked after (a) 8+ hours sleep or (b) 6 hours sleep. The second group had signficiant higher concentrations of those appetite hormones. (And 6 hours is a good night for us, of course.) The study was referenced in one of Gundrys books IIRC.

I have been as thin as 120 pounds and as heavy as 250. I have been all over the place in between. Gain, lose, stay the same, doesn't matter.