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Health

31st Oct 2016

Here’s what you should be drinking if you get muscle cramps

Megan Roantree

Would you drink it?

If you’re a runner or love working out, chances are you’ve been cursed with muscle cramps for than a few times.

Even if you’re not overly athletic, many people experience painful spasms at night in their legs, arms or abdomen.

This painful occurrence can happen for numerous reasons, it may be due to poor circulation, not stretching enough, a calcium deficiency and much more.

You probably know by now that consuming more vitamins, staying hydrated and using Epsom salts are all advised when it comes to cramps but there is another way to ease the pain.

It might not taste the best but pickle juice has long been hailed as a bit of a miracle cure when it comes to muscle cramps.

A study on muscle cramps found that consuming pickle juice mean’t that cramps lasted about 49 seconds less.

Pickles

There are lots of theories about why pickle juice is so effecting but many experts believe it’s because of the acidic vinegar content.

It is believed that vinegar effectively triggers a reflex which alerts our brains to tell our muscles to relax. So the muscle cramps are reduced as it stops contracting almost as soon as you drink the vinegar/pickle juice.

It might not be the most tasty or satisfying drink, but if you suffer from muscle cramps it might be worth giving this cheap alternative to medication a try.

Topics:

exercise,running