AngelLeigh
10-14-2004, 11:05 AM
To all you personal trainers or fitness gurus out there...
I just tried a class at my gym that involves toning exercises a few days ago. It was an intense workout, especially for someone who just recently started going to the gym regularly. Well, I'm pretty sore after that class, which I expected. But one thing that I didn't expect was muscle twitching of my left tricep. It seems to spasm every 1-5 seconds with brief breaks at times. What exactly is this? Why aren't my other muscles doing it if this is a normal thing? Anything I can do to help this?
Thanks for your help!
Erin
I just tried a class at my gym that involves toning exercises a few days ago. It was an intense workout, especially for someone who just recently started going to the gym regularly. Well, I'm pretty sore after that class, which I expected. But one thing that I didn't expect was muscle twitching of my left tricep. It seems to spasm every 1-5 seconds with brief breaks at times. What exactly is this? Why aren't my other muscles doing it if this is a normal thing? Anything I can do to help this?
Thanks for your help!
Erin
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Gopherhead
10-14-2004, 11:26 AM
It could be from dehydration/rehydration and loss of salts and minerals. Are you taking any calcium and magnesium? If not I'd add it to my regime if I were you. Potassium is also something to watch. Twitching is typically because of magnesium depletion when it's sports related, potassium loss tends to make you dizzy, fatigued and irritable. The key is the magnesium, however - w/o it in adequate amount other minerals and vitamins can't work properly.
Calcium/Magnesium tend to come together as one supplement because they work in tandem. A good ratio is 2:1 (2x as much cal as mag). Look for a supplement that is anything but carbonate from oyster shells - this is hard to absorb and digest and cause tummy troubles. RDA for cal is 1200-1500mg and for mag it is 400-600mg. You need to split your dose up as only so much can be absorbed at once.
Potassium can be obtained from a pill or from a salt substitute like 'half salt' - you can also eat foods that have more potassium in them...
Potassium rich foods:
1 can (7 oz/ 200g) sockeye salmon - 1,391mg
1 medium california avocado - 1,097mg
1/2 pkg (5 oz/ 140g) spinach - 824mg
1 medium stalk broccoli - 526mg
1/3 cup natural sunflower seed kernels - 331mg
1/2 cup canned diced tomatoes - 290mg
1 Tbsp dutch process unsw. cocoa powder - 254mg
2 Tbsp peanut butter - 214mg
1/8 tsp potassium-salt substitute - 325 to 500mg
When I forget to take my cal/mag I get minor twitching in my calf and often my lower eyelid (very freaky), if I have been very active that day and I forget it can turn into charlie horses / cramps.
Nat
Calcium/Magnesium tend to come together as one supplement because they work in tandem. A good ratio is 2:1 (2x as much cal as mag). Look for a supplement that is anything but carbonate from oyster shells - this is hard to absorb and digest and cause tummy troubles. RDA for cal is 1200-1500mg and for mag it is 400-600mg. You need to split your dose up as only so much can be absorbed at once.
Potassium can be obtained from a pill or from a salt substitute like 'half salt' - you can also eat foods that have more potassium in them...
Potassium rich foods:
1 can (7 oz/ 200g) sockeye salmon - 1,391mg
1 medium california avocado - 1,097mg
1/2 pkg (5 oz/ 140g) spinach - 824mg
1 medium stalk broccoli - 526mg
1/3 cup natural sunflower seed kernels - 331mg
1/2 cup canned diced tomatoes - 290mg
1 Tbsp dutch process unsw. cocoa powder - 254mg
2 Tbsp peanut butter - 214mg
1/8 tsp potassium-salt substitute - 325 to 500mg
When I forget to take my cal/mag I get minor twitching in my calf and often my lower eyelid (very freaky), if I have been very active that day and I forget it can turn into charlie horses / cramps.
Nat
Tank53
10-14-2004, 12:05 PM
Personally, if you just started working out and it just starting twitching, I wouldn't worry about it. Muscles can react oddly when first working out. You mentioned spasms but usually when I think of spasms I associate it with pain. From the way you sounded, you didn't make it sound like there was any pain. Sounds like a twitch without any tightening pain. So because of that, that's why I say I wouldn't worry about it. I'd say if its a re-occuring thing then maybe question it, but you just started your routine.
And maybe its just a twitch. I recall my eye lid, like GH, twitching for a few days. Pretty annoying. But it just went away. Perhaps that's your case too. I wouldn't go running out for supplements or seeing a doctor until it was a confirmed issue. It just seems too short of a time period to say anything definitely. IMHO anyhow.
And if you are worried its a potassium thing, eat a banana. lol. Mmm and sugar!
And maybe its just a twitch. I recall my eye lid, like GH, twitching for a few days. Pretty annoying. But it just went away. Perhaps that's your case too. I wouldn't go running out for supplements or seeing a doctor until it was a confirmed issue. It just seems too short of a time period to say anything definitely. IMHO anyhow.
And if you are worried its a potassium thing, eat a banana. lol. Mmm and sugar!