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Restless Leg Syndrome and Cannabis
There is considerable evidence of“ cannabis” relieving unpleasant symptoms. by Peter Kershaw, Contributing Writer
Restless legs syndrome( RLS), also known as Willis- Ekbom disease, is a neurological disorder characterized by uncomfortable and sometimes painful sensations. Most commonly, it manifests in the legs. RLS causes an overwhelming urge to move the legs to relieve the discomfort. These sensations are most pronounced when the body is at rest, such as sitting or in repose, making work meetings, driving, and especially sleep challenging.
RLS sufferers often experience sleep deprivation( insomnia), which can lead to significant adverse impacts on the overall quality of physical and emotional health, including chronic depression. RLS symptoms range from mild to debilitating. RLS can begin at any age( including childhood), often worsening with age.
A 2011 North American and Western European meta-study concluded,“ RLS is a common disorder of major clinical and public health significance in the Western industrialized world, affecting between 4 and 29 % of adults.” 1 The U. S. averages around 8 %. However, the actual figures could be much higher since many cases go undiagnosed and unreported.
Making things even worse, an estimated 80 % of RLS cases also experience“ Periodic Limb Movement of Sleep.” PLMS is characterized by involuntary extremities jerking and twitching, typically occurring every 15 to 40 seconds. Needless to say, sleep partners of RLS sufferers( made all the worse by PLMS) may find it impossible to sleep with them.
Causes
Evidence suggests RLS may be related to a deficiency of dopamine( a neurotransmitter) in the basal ganglia, a cluster of subcortical nuclei in the brain. The basal ganglia utilizes dopamine to help control muscle activity and movement. Dopamine deficiency can cause muscle spasms and involuntary movements. Dopamine levels naturally decline towards the end of the day, explaining why symptoms usually worsen in the evening and night.
Dopamine deficiency is also common with Parkinson’ s patients, which explains why much of the research into the cause( s) of RLS resulted from Parkinson’ s studies.
Other things can trigger, though not necessarily cause, RLS, including iron deficiency anemia. Low iron levels can lead to a fall in dopamine production.
Treatments
Dopaminergic agents are often prescribed for RLS. One such drug is L-Dopa( Levodopa), a prescription drug precursor of dopamine. L-Dopa was featured in the highly acclaimed 1990 movie Awakenings( ft. Robin Williams, Robert De Niro), based on the book of the same name. Unfortunately, the long-term success rate of L-Dopa for RLS hasn’ t often proven much better than it did in the movie for treating catatonic patients. Though RLS patients are likely to see dramatic initial improvements, its effectiveness often wanes and may later even worsen symptoms. 2
A safer and more natural approach for providing the brain with the precursor nutrients it needs to produce dopamine is the amino acids tyrosine and phenylalanine. Both are severely lacking in Western diets, and vegetarians and vegans are especially likely to be deficient. Studies show these amino acids quickly normalize dopamine levels( because amino acids compete with proteins in crossing the blood-brain barrier, take only on an empty stomach). Both are readily available as supplements online and in health food stores.
Though low iron levels aren’ t believed to cause RLS, iron deficiency can trigger it. Given that many Americans are deficient in iron, it’ s a good idea to take a quality multivitamin multi-mineral supplement that includes a healthy dose of iron.
Though evidence is purely anecdotal, some RLS patients swear by magnesium supplementation. Oral magnesium, however, isn’ t particularly bio-available, and getting an adequate daily oral dose to counter RLS can result in unpleasant side effects( e. g., digestive disorders). Gratefully our skin absorbs magnesium quite well. Magnesium spray can be applied directly to the legs and rubbed in. Note that over-applying can cause skin irritation.
Cannabis for RLS
Though there is no evidence that cannabis can“ cure” RLS, 3 there is considerable evidence of it relieving the unpleasant symptoms. Even just CBD has been found to be highly beneficial, particularly for daytime use, both for moderate pain relief and as an anxiolytic( antianxiety) to relieve the stress and anxiety that frequently accompanies RLS.
Including THC often improves outcomes, particularly in managing daytime pain symptoms where CBD alone may prove inadequate. Given that RLS symptoms are often not as severe during the day as at night, in many cases, only a small amount of THC during the day may be needed( e. g., 10:1 CBD to THC), which affords the patient a clear head for the work day.
18 April 2026