Grant: Doctoral Research Award - Aging

Waking at night with a painful leg cramp is increasingly common as we age. One third of adults over the age of 60 will have experienced such cramps over a 2 month period and 40% of those will have them 3 or more times per week. Knowledge about what causes them is lacking, and common treatment options are inadequate - having little effectiveness and, in the case of the drug Quinine, risk of toxicity. Our project has three phases: 1) An exploration of magnesium deficiency as a potential cause of cramping, and magnesium infusions as a potential treatment. 2) A search of the BC healthcare databases to see if any existing prescription drugs appear to make cramping more or less likely. 3) A collaborative effort with cramp sufferers who are brought together in a large group. The group is invited to search for common experiences with respect to potential triggers and treatments and is provided relevant knowledge on muscle and nerve function. The group will discuss what is known about cramps to date and generate / discuss potential treatment ideas that will then be put to the test with a clinical trial. This approach optimally brings the knowledge, insights and values of cramp sufferers to the exploration of their own condition.