What causes muscle twitching?

Muscle twitches happen involuntarily. Examples of muscle twitches may include your leg twitching and keeping you awake at night, an irritating tic in the eye, or spasms of the muscles. 

A muscle twitch can have many causes, some of which may include stress, physical exertion, caffeine overload, dehydration and hormonal disturbances. They may also be associated with more serious health concerns. In this article, we’re taking a look at what causes muscle twitching and muscle spasms and what you can do about them.

What is muscle twitching?

Muscle twitching, medically referred to as muscle fasciculation, is an involuntary firing of a single motor neuron and all of its innervated muscle fibres. This small, spontaneous muscle contraction and relaxation of fine muscles can occur anywhere in the body. Many of these actions go unnoticed and are generally not large enough to register a jerk action. Muscle twitches differ from muscle cramps mainly because they are noticed and felt but are rarely painful.

Why do muscles twitch?

For some people, muscle fasciculations are a benign phenomenon which are usually triggered by some prior occurrence. This could include:

Psychological stress. This may result in nervous twitches affecting any muscle in the body.

Physical exertion. Muscle twitches and cramps may be due to physical activity, fatigued muscles or as a result of electrolyte imbalances (from heavy perspiration that leads to dehydration for example).

Caffeine. Too much caffeine, especially in the form of energy drinks, may stimulate the nervous system and cause involuntary tension of muscle fibres.
Caffeine may also change the amount of energy at the muscle site – causing the muscle to twitch.

Sleep deficits. During sleep, the body has a chance to recharge and balance. When the sleep cycle is incomplete, the ratio of neurotransmitters in the brain can affect the excitability of muscle.

Hormones. Oestrogen has a major effect on musculoskeletal function and any changes in hormonal balance may cause alterations in the excitability of muscle fibres. Other areas influenced by the hormonal system which affect the excitability of muscles and nerves include imbalances of thyroid hormones and cortisol.

Medication. Many pharmaceutical medicines have side effects that may cause muscle twitches. Check with your healthcare professional if you are on medication and experiencing muscle twitches. 

Trauma or pressure on the nerves. Possibly caused by a nervous system condition.

What is peripheral neuropathy?

Symptoms are described as stabbing, burning, tingling or stinging, along with numbness, weakness and pain. Peripheral neuropathy is a result of damage to the peripheral nerves of the body (not the spinal cord or brain). 

The peripheral nerves are responsible for sending messages from the brain and spinal cord to the rest of the body and also sensory information to the central nervous system. Damage to nerves can occur for many reasons, some of which include: diabetes, metabolic disorders, autoimmune disorders, trauma, infection, tumour or inherited disorders.

Nutritional deficiencies that may cause muscle twitching 

Micro and macro nutrients are important for nerve and muscle functions. Some nutrient of these nutrients include:

• Vitamin B - the B group vitamins especially B1, B3, B6 and B12; and vitamin E are vital for the health of nerves
• Vitamin D - deficiency is associated with muscle pain (growing pain in children especially) and hypersensitivity of muscles. Vitamin D is needed for calcium absorption
• Calcium - deficiency symptoms may include muscle spasms and cramps
• Magnesium - known as the muscle relaxer

Other reasons why twitching muscles may occur

Neuropathies. Damage to the nervous system such as:

• Motor neuron disease (MSD). These are a group of muscle disorders diseases commonly associated with progressive loss of motor neurons at various sites of the brain stem nuclei, the anterior horn of the spinal cord and cerebral cortex.

The importance of magnesium when it comes to muscle twitching

Magnesium is primarily involved in ATP metabolism, the contraction and relaxation of muscles, the correct neurological functioning, and neurotransmitter release. When muscle contracts, calcium re-uptake by the calcium-activated ATPase of the sarcoplasmic reticulum is brought about by magnesium. Put simply, magnesium relaxes muscles and nerve function.

In summary

Muscle twitches are involuntary contractions of small groups of muscles. They commonly occur in the muscles of the face, legs and upper arms. Muscles normally contract when told to by nerve impulses from the brain. 

Lifestyle and disease may create imbalances in nerve conductivity (brain, spinal and nerves) and signal reception (in muscles), resulting in muscle twitches. Stress, lack of sleep, too much caffeine, poor nutrition, dehydration, hormonal dysfunction, medications and neurological disorders are causes of muscle twitches.

Related Reads:

• 5 herbs that may calm a racing mind
• What happens when you don’t sleep?
• Do hormones impact your energy levels?

References:

1. https://medlineplus.gov/ency/article/003296.htm   
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5. Shrimanker, I., & Bhattarai, S. (2021). Electrolytes. PubMed; StatPearls Publishing./Electrolytes https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31082167/
6. Chidi-Ogbolu, N., & Baar, K. (2019). Effect of Estrogen on Musculoskeletal Performance and Injury Risk. Frontiers in Physiology, 9(1). https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6341375/