Quinine: not a safe drug for treating nocturnal leg cramps

Over a number of years in my early 70's I became progressively afflicted with severe nocturnal leg cramping aggravated or set off by stretching on awakening if not the cause of awakening. Anecdotally I found they occurred in the golf season during the warmest weather and were reduced in frequency if I maintained good hydration. During casual discussion with our club manager approximately three years ago he claimed, from experience with elderly golfers over many years, that eating bananas would also be of help. For me that has almost completely eliminated the problem.

The article confirms peak cramping during the warmest months in both Australia and the United States through the clever analysis of Google search frequency. A study of potassium levels in a population affected by the problem may be revealing and reduce the iatrogenic problems from use of quinine.

N. Warren Hindle MD FRCSC (retired) Calgary, Alberta

Conflict of Interest:

None declared