Pickle juice for muscle cramps?

[PamNY]

Apparently there is some evidence that it works.

[ny biker]

Apparently there is some evidence that it works.

Only if you can choke it down....

I did an inline skating race with TNT back in 2001 and there were several people on the team who swore by pickle juice.

[zoom-zoom]

I always thought it was primarily the salt in it that helps with cramps. I think I'd rather take S! Caps or Endurolytes...and I LOVE pickles.

[GLC1968]

Yeah, the same group that did the study showed that the cramps weren't due to dehydration...so they don't think it's related to the salt. Plus, the improvement was so quick that the juice could not possibly have left the stomach and gotten into the blood stream yet.

My bet is on distraction! If you made me drink pickle juice while I was cramping, you can bet that the vomit/gag reflex would totally preoccupy me and I'd no longer notice any cramping!

[zoom-zoom]

My bet is on distraction! If you made me drink pickle juice while I was cramping, you can bet that the vomit/gag reflex would totally preoccupy me and I'd no longer notice any cramping!

I don't know...as someone who has had severe calf cramping during 3 marathons I don't think there's anything that could merely distract that. Calf cramping is a lot like childbirth contractions, just localized to a different part of the body (and they are beyond simply painful...those muscle spasms take over any control over the affected muscles). There's no psyching oneself out of that sort of thing, unfortunately (which is why after 3 marathons I won't do any more).

I have heard of some races serving pickle juice. I definitely would have tried it after reading that article. Would have been interesting to see if my race outcomes had been any different. I never hit the wall during any races, which was frustrating. I always had energy to spare (even as others around me were zombie-like with depleted glycogen stores), just a very painful loss of calf function.

[GLC1968]

I'm pretty sure that if you are violently vomiting, a calf cramp would be a secondary worry, no matter how severe. The brain can only process so much at one time.

I'm kidding though, I'm sure that's not the reason it works. This article is being discussed all over the place right now and it amazes me how common it is that pickle juice is used at all kinds of sporting events. Road races, HS wrestling, football games, etc. I had no idea it was so popular!

I've also seen it mentioned that you can use raw organic apple cider vinegar in the same way.

[zoom-zoom]

I've also seen it mentioned that you can use raw organic apple cider vinegar in the same way.

I think I would drink the pickle juice, first...apple cider vinegar... Icky. It makes good salad dressing, though. Perhaps a fruity vinaigrette would work!

[GLC1968]

I think I would drink the pickle juice, first...apple cider vinegar... Icky. It makes good salad dressing, though. Perhaps a fruity vinaigrette would work!

Good point!

Oooh, I wonder if balsamic vinegar would work? I *might* be able to do a shot of that in an emergency.

[ny biker]

The TNT people I knew drank the pickle juice before the event, not during. Might have even been the night before -- I can't remember.

[zoom-zoom]

Good point!

Oooh, I wonder if balsamic vinegar would work? I *might* be able to do a shot of that in an emergency.

Yeah, I could do balsamic before I could do cider. Especially with some crusty french bread dipped in it!

[PamNY]

Found a sports drink called Pickle Juice.

[OakLeaf]

I guess it if had anything to do with distraction, then capsaicin should work just as well, eh? Bite into an habañero next time you get a cramp, report back.

[OakLeaf]

Whatever the mechanism for pickle juice might be, it's interesting how many of the commenters mentioned magnesium. Magnesium is definitely the issue for me when I get cramps. I wish it weren't so complicated trying to titrate my dosage (of both magnesium and sodium) according to how much I'm sweating.

[Resi]

Not pickel juice... pickels work for me... they zoom me up