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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.
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