update regarding a specific cause of RLS symptoms

[NatWest]

This is an update to a post I made in early January. I want to share my experience because I truly believe it may help some of you who are suffering.

I’ve suffered from RLS for at least 20 years. My symptoms over the last couple of years had been quite severe. I would even describe them as violent at times, making me feel helpless, desperate, and frustrated, and feeling sick in the mornings, both from fatigue and from side-effects from taking too much Requip. During most of 2009, the Requip was actually causing symptoms: as soon as I took them, the RLS would start, and last at least 2 hours. I tried taking iron supplements, folic acid, magnesium, but they made no difference.

In December, I discovered quite by accident, that aluminum was causing my symptoms to worsen significantly. I found that the Mylanta I was taking for a stomach ailment was made out of aluminum. Since then I’ve eliminated virtually all aluminum from my life. I found that my multi-vitamin contained aluminum, as did my anti-perspirant. I stopped using aluminum foil in cooking and baking, and got rid of all aluminum utensils. I don’t eat food out of cans anymore, and don’t purchase bakery items that are packaged in aluminum pans. I stopped using toothpaste that comes in an aluminum tube. I’ve also stopped eating foods that contain preservatives, artificial flavors, and artificial colors. I also think it’s possible that things like mercury and Teflon could be culprits. It seems logical to me that toxins would have a negative impact on a person’s nervous system.

It took a few days to detox my body. I ate lots of apples and drank lots of water. I also started taking apple cider vinegar tablets, which also help to rid the body of toxins. Within a week, my symptoms were gone.

I’ve found that I still occasionally, though quite rarely, have an episode of extremely MILD symptoms, so mild that I can roll over and go right back to sleep, or get up and walk to the bathroom and back, and they are gone, or I can take 1 Requip and the symptoms immediately go away. For me, it is like I no longer have RLS. This leaves me much more time to focus on the pain of my arthritis! =) It’s always something ….

I feel certain that I am not the only person whose symptoms are/were caused by aluminum or other toxins. I hope some of you will try this, and if it helps I’d love to hear about it. It’s very disappointing that there is so little research on what causes RLS. I think it would be very helpful.

[badnights]

Interesting. Some people are convinced that toxins cause ALS and other neurological diseases too. Was the Al listed as an ingredient in your vitamin pills? How can you tell what your toothpaste tube is made of? Does Al vaporize at typical oven cooking temperatures - i.e. would you use it to line a drip-tray under cooking food?

[NatWest]

Yes, aluminum was listed as an inactive ingredient on the multi-vitamins. As for the toothpaste tube, my thinking there is similar to canned food. I decided not to put anything in my mouth that comes in a metal container. I was unable to find out what metals are in specific containers, only that some do contain aluminum, so I decided to play it safe. I also learned that some toothpaste actually contains aluminum, and was only able to find out that Colgate doesn't. I hadn't heard about ALS, but did find some articles relating aluminum with Alzheimer's.