I am very active – I work on my feet all day and exercise regularly. Lately though, I have begun to experience pain in my thigh and calf muscles. I haven’t done any more exercise than usual and was wondering if perhaps something is lacking in my diet which may be contributing to the problem. Do you have any supplements you could recommend for this?

Hi there, unfortunately we couldn't say for sure what is at the root of this problem, though it could be that working long hours standing up has taken its toll on your muscles and joints.

Also, magnesium deficiency is a common cause of pain and cramps in the body so this could be contributing to your discomfort. It is certainly worth adding some more magnesium to your diet to see if this makes a difference. Magnesium is most abundant in foods like spinach, avocado, nuts and more. It also found in our Balance Mineral Drink, alongside calcium, potassium, vitamin D. This drink is helps to support the muscles and joints so may be a good addition to your diet.

Ensuring your diet contains plenty of protein is also important as protein helps support muscle repair and recovery. Foods high in protein include lean meats, fish, nuts, seeds, beans, legumes and dairy products. Plant-based protein powders are also available from health food stores which you could add to drinks or smoothies once daily.

In addition, sufficient sleep is important to support normal recovery processes so this should also be a priority. You can take a look at our sleep hub if you would like more information on topics like sleep deprivation and how to get a better night's sleep.

If these steps do not improve symptoms, it may be best just to get the issue checked out by a doctor as well.