Fragrant Lotion Fights Cramps

Q. I have found that drinking Earl Grey tea for a few days seems to trigger nighttime leg cramps. I used to use special soap my sister brought back from France. Her friend in Paris swore that putting it under the sheets would eliminate them and I find it helps.
When the fragrance seemed to disappear, I started using a very fragrant body lotion. It relieved my leg cramps the same as soap. I think, for me, it’s a form of aroma therapy.
A. Your report is the first we have heard of soap under the sheets being a leg cramp remedy in another country. We have heard from many readers in the U.S. who find this approach helpful.
Earl Grey tea can cause muscle cramps in susceptible people (The Lancet, April 27, 2002). This is because the flavor (oil of bergamot) can interfere with potassium moving in and out of muscle cells.