Restless Legs Syndrome - People with restless leg syndrome may have an iron deficiency

SEARCH :

Featured Health Topics

View All Health Topics

Search :

Sleep Disorders Restless Legs Syndrome

People with restless leg syndrome may have an iron deficiency

Restless leg syndrome (RLS) is a sleep-related neurological disorder that causes an uncomfortable crawling sensation in the legs that is only relieved when people move their legs. People with low levels of iron in their blood often experience symptom relief when they are treated with iron supplements, and a study has shown that people with normal blood levels of iron benefit from iron that administered intravenously. New research suggests that the problem is that the brains of people with RLS do not absorb iron normally. It's theorized that iron is required to maintain normal levels of the brain chemical dopamine, and that insufficient dopamine levels leads to RLS symptoms. A group of medications called dopamine agonists is also used to treat RLS.

RELATED PROGRAMS
Article	-	Iron Works: A Cause of Restless Leg Syndrome
Video	-	Why Can't You Sleep?: Understanding Sleep Problems Transcript

HealthVideo.com © 2008 NBC Digital Health Network, Inc. All Rights Reserved
Privacy Policy - Disclaimer - Editorial Policy
We subscribe to the HONcode principles. Verify here