RLS – A Sign That Something’s Wrong

Not a diagnosis you have to live with – but a conversation waiting to be heard.

 

"The most common disease you've never heard of.”
– American patient association

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Restless Legs Syndrome (RLS) affects up to 15% of the population in the Western world. About 5% experience symptoms severe enough to significantly impact their quality of life. One-third of those affected require daily medication.

Yet RLS remains both underdiagnosed and often mistreated. Most people don’t seek help until sleep has become unbearable. On average, it takes 18 years from the onset of symptoms to a diagnosis. For me, it took 37.

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"What we call idiopathic is often just undiscovered connections."

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A 350-Year-Old Treatment Path

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As early as 1672, physician Thomas Willis discovered that opiates could relieve RLS symptoms. At the time, they were administered as tinctures—dissolved in alcohol and dosed drop by drop.

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Three and a half centuries later, opiates remain one of the main treatment options for RLS. Despite medical advances, the core approach hasn’t changed much. Newer medications—like dopamine agonists and anti-epileptic drugs—are now also prescribed, but they often come with side effects, dependency risks, and difficult tapering.

Remarkably, there is still no medication developed specifically for RLS.

But there is hope.

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"RLS is not psychological. It’s electrical, chemical, physiological – and often reversible."

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Magnesium and Vitamin B1 – More Complex Than You Think

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Many talk about using magnesium for RLS. But what kind of magnesium? During my research for this book, I identified 33 different types – many of which are industrial additives. The same goes for vitamin B1 (thiamine). There are over 25 known forms, each with very different effects.

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"The body doesn’t lie. First it whispers – then it screams."

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"80% of my patients with restless legs are magnesium deficient."
– Dr. John Bergman, D.C.

What Do the Experts Say?

Chiropractor Dr. John Bergman shared several key insights in a lecture on RLS:

"Magnesium malate is one of the few forms that can cross the blood-brain barrier. It also binds to aluminum and other toxins that block dopamine receptors."

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"When you use the right kind of magnesium – not the kind sold in cheap supplement bottles as a laxative – you can see amazing results. But you need to know what you’re looking for."

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I’ve personally found 33 forms of magnesium and 26 forms of vitamin B1.

 

When choosing magnesium, two factors matter most:

• Bioavailability – how well your body can absorb it.

• Ability to cross the blood-brain barrier – to actually reach the brain.

Out of all 33 forms, only four meet these criteria. If you suffer from RLS, I strongly recommend focusing on those specific types for the best results. I cover them all in my book.

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As for Vitamin B1 – the standard form often does nothing. But there are potent versions that can have very different effects. Some even have pain-relieving properties.

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Conclusion

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RLS is a complex condition, but far from hopeless. There are ways to improve – sometimes entirely without medication.

In my book, now available on Amazon, I share my best biohacks, my experience with supplements, lifestyle changes, and what actually works for RLS. My goal is to help more people truly understand the condition – and reclaim their nights.

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"Nerves don't swell by chance. Signals aren't created without cause. We just haven't asked the right questions yet."

​-Jack Bloom