Can Pickle Juice Stop Muscle Cramps?

Phys Ed: Can Pickle Juice Stop Muscle Cramps?

Here's a quick summary:

Researchers at Brigham Young University recently concluded a scientific experiment on college athletes to determine whether if taken during a cramp pickle juce is more effective than water at reducing the cramps.

Athletes were worked on a bicycle with one pedal until reaching a state of mild dehydration, mild dehydration meaning a water loss of 3% of one's body weights. Cramps were then induced by shocking the tibial nerve in the athlete's ankle of which had not been peddling.

Results showed that in a mildly dehydrated state drinking just 2.5 ounces of pickle juice reduced cramps 37% faster than water. Interestingly, the pickle juice stopped the cramps in just 85 seconds which is not enough time to be adsorbed in the stomach, meaning that fluids and salt are not the immediate answer.

Experts believe that there is something smaller at work in the pickle juice, and more likely its something in the vinegar which reacts with specialized nervous system receptors through a biochemical process which signals that disrupt the nerves responsible for the cramping.

At the moment the best their best advise is to avoid muscle fatigue saying, "if muscle fatigue is the cause then train properly, building up your mileage slowly and perhaps adding strength training that focuses specifically on muscles that have cramped in the past, may help." In addition being well conditioned one should always be hydrated, and if need be carry a bottle of vinegar!

http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/06/09/phys-ed-can-pickle-juice-stop-muscle-cramps/