Does Dehydration Cause Cramps
Cramps are extremely frustrating to experience, and theyre also a source of confusion regarding where they come from. Traditional wisdom points to dehydration as the origin of most cramps. The theory goes that when your body is low on water, it cant supply valuable nutrients to your muscles, and in the absence of vitamins, minerals, and electrolytes, muscles can seize up and cramp. Electrolytes such as sodium and potassium are the most important in this theory of dehydration, as they help to conduct nerve impulses throughout your body. When they cant be carried where they need to be, the reaction ceases and cramping occurs.
The other theory regarding cramping has to do with muscles being overworked and fatiguing prematurely. Neurotransmitter communication becomes skewed and muscles keep firing, causing rapid contractions that create cramps. This is why cramping tends to occur in concentrated areas and not throughout the entire body at once.
Recently, the dehydration theory has lost a little bit of steam, and pickle juice has a lot to do with this. While dehydration can cause cramping, it might not be the reason you experience cramps during certain activities such as running, playing sports, or cycling. In any event, drinking pickle juice for cramps is a good treatment regardless of why they occur.
Is Your Fitness Trainer Crazy For Telling You To Drink Pickle Juice
And its not just Eastern European grandmothers who prescribe PJ. According to this research in the Journal of Athletic Training, of 370 athletic trainers polled for the study, 25% of them gave PJ to athletes for the prevention or treatment of muscle cramps.
But lets get back to the Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise research.
On two different days, one week apart, muscle cramping was induced in a muscle in the sole of the foot. The abbreviation of the muscle is FHB. And for anybody who has ever experienced a cramp in this area, they are all too familiar with the location of the FHB.
As if this torture werent enough, 30 minutes later, test subjects were induced with yet another cramp. Immediately after the cramp, the subjects drank one milliliter per kilogram of bodyweight of PJ.
The verdict? The researchers conclude that PJ, not water, prevents cramping. Especially if someone lacks hydration to begin with. But the curious thing is the researchers arent sure why it works.
This effect rapid restoration of body fluids or electrolytes.
The theory the researchers provide for why pickle juice for cramps might work is a neurally mediated reflex that originates in the oropharyngeal region and acts to inhibit the firing of alpha motor neurons of the cramping muscle.
In other words, maybe PJ tells your brain to shut off the cells that transmit nerve impulses, including the ones the brain registers as pain.
Can You Lose Weight Eating Dill Pickles
Including pickles in your diet as a healthy snack can help you shed pounds, thanks to their low calorie count. A cup of dill pickles regular or low sodium has just 17 calories. Even if youre following a very restricted diet of 1,200 calories per day, thats less than 2 percent of your daily calorie allowance.
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Why Does Vinegar Stop Leg Cramps
Vinegar is seemingly able to outwit this reflex. Scientists suspect that the sour taste of the pickled cucumber water causes the receptors in the mouth to send a neural signal to the brain. The muscles are then controlled differently and as a result, cramps quickly disappear again or do not even occur.
Claim: Pickle Juice Cures Muscle Cramps
A study from 2010 found that muscle cramps could be resolved in 1.5 minutes by drinking 1.5 oz of pickle juice for every 100 lb of body weight. Also, the recovery was 45% faster after drinking the juice than after drinking no liquid at all.
The researchers suggested that something in the pickle juice might trigger a reflex in the mouth, sending a signal to the nerves to stop cramping.
However, confirming this effect will require more research.
Bottom line: Evidence suggests that pickle juice might help relieve muscle cramps, but more research is needed.
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What Else Could Cause Cramps
Scientist speculate that nerves that are controlling the muscles which cramp may be the problem. Possibly even nerves located in the brain stem and spinal column.
When muscles get fatiuged the nerves that are causing them to fire start overacting and induce something called the stretch reflex. It is the stretch reflex that actually caused the prolonged muscle contraction that is the hallmark symptom in cramps.
What Can I Do To Be More Mindful Of Alcohol Consumption During My Cycle
Everyone is different, and alcohol affects everyone what affects one person may not affect someone else the same way. But its a great idea to keep in mind that more than one drink per day is considered excessive for most women, especially women who are seeking to keep their hormones in check.
Try replacing an alcoholic beverage with something that you enjoy just as much but doesnt have the side effects, like sparkling water with lemon or a nice cup of hot tea. If you like to sip on handcrafted beverages in a pretty glass, you can find thousands of mocktail recipes online some featuring newer zero proof alcohol alternatives. Often, alcohol consumption boils down to habit and perception of social benefit rather than a real desire to drink. Keeping this in mind can help you to imbibe more responsibly.
For more hormone friendly tips and tricks, Id encourage you to It includes an amazing hormone-supportive meal plan and recipe guide, plus tons of information about your cycle and how to understand your hormones. Thousands of women have used this information to get their hormones in optimal condition.
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Are Muscle Cramps Because Of Low Electrolytes
You might be wondering:
Do the impressive effects of pickle juice revive the cramps are because of electrolytes hypothesis?
Miller and his co-workers designed another experiment to test this idea.
This time, nine healthy men underwent three trials where they were given two to three fluid ounces of pickle juice, a sports drink, or plain water.
After ingesting the liquid, Miller et al. took blood samples every few minutes over the course of the next hour, then analyzed the water and electrolyte content of the blood samples to observe the impact of each liquid.
None of the three liquids produced any substantial changes in electrolyte or hydration levels, which is perhaps not surprising considering how small the ingested volume of liquid was when compared to the amount of water in the entire body .
Miller et al. conclude that any explanation of the efficacy of pickle juice that is related to electrolytes or hydration isnt satisfactorythe electrolytes in 2-3 ounces of pickle juice are negligible when compared to sweat losses during exercise.
Further, theres no way the electrolytes could make their way into the blood within a minute or two after ingestion.Heres why it works:
The researchers propose that the acidic pickle juice triggers a reflex when it hits a nerve center on the back of the throat. This reflex sends a signal to the nervous system to shut down the overactive neurons causing the cramp.
Does Pickle Juice Burn Belly Fat
The high amount of vinegar in pickle juice is said to boost fat burning abilities and promote overall weight loss. Sounds like a delicious win/win to me! That may be an exaggeration, but its true that the amount of potassium in pickle juice can be enough to prevent or rid your body of muscle cramps.
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Can Pickle Juice Really Cure Muscle Cramps
John Davis
Muscle cramps.
Those words alone are enough to make most people cringe. At some point we have all been through those sudden, intense moments where a cramp hits you hard.
As you instinctively grab for the muscle in pain, you swear that you are going to research how to prevent this..as soon as this excruciating pain goes away.
You finally remembered, and you are on a mission to find the best solution to your running cramps.
This is the article for you. Rather than looking at what one friend told another, we are going to look into the science behind using pickle juice as a cure for cramps, and you may be surprised by what we found!
We have previously covered what causes exercise-associated muscle cramps, the painful and seemingly random muscle spasms that can fell everyone from recreational marathoners to professional basketball players.
Popular wisdom holds theyre caused by a lack of electrolytes, but scientific research shows that its more likely that muscle cramps are due to the failure of a neuromuscular mechanism that usually keeps extreme muscle contraction in check.
Now:
Like any ailment that affects athletes, theres a veritable arsenal of remedies and tricks that runners and athletic trainers swear by to prevent or clear up a muscle cramp. Some of these remedies end up being subjected to scientific testing to validate or bust them.
Pickle Juice Can Help With Weight Loss
Drinking pickle juice daily may help you shed pounds. One study from Bioscience, Biotechnology, and Biochemistry found regular vinegar intake reduced body weight and body fat mass in subjects.
While pickles themselves might not be considered a regular health food, the bacteria in most fermented food can solve an array of health problems, from remedies as varied as solutions to control blood pressure to control blood sugar.
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Evidence To Support This Claim
To understand the action of pickle juice on muscle cramps clearly, here are some details of a survey that was conducted a few years back. This survey was carried out on individuals who were suffering from cramps.
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Out of all the participants, some were provided with pickle juice, and others were given plain water. The results of the survey showed that individuals who drank pickle juice had cramps that lasted less than 50 seconds when compared to the ones who had just water.
So considering the insights from this survey, pickle juice did lower the time. Therefore, it can be suggested that pickle juice can help the body fight dehydration after long hours of rigorous sports and workout.
Well, pickle juice is surely an effective way to treat muscle cramps. And it is a reliable option to get instant relief. However, it is not known whether it can help all sorts of muscle cramps or just one in particular, apart from the type that results due to intense workout or sports activities. However, pickle juice for muscle cramps is a handy option that you can definitely try to ease out muscle cramps.
Do Dill Pickles Help You Lose Weight
Including pickles in your diet as a healthy snack can help you shed pounds, thanks to their low calorie count. A cup of dill pickles regular or low sodium has just 17 calories. Even if youre following a very restricted diet of 1,200 calories per day, thats less than 2 percent of your daily calorie allowance.
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Is All Chocolate The Same
Unfortunately, not all chocolate is created equally. If youre a milk chocolate lover, you might have to join the dark side to get relief from cramps before your period. Milk chocolate doesnt contain a high enough concentration of cocoa to net you the cramp-relieving benefits you need. It also contains more sugar than dark chocolate, which can make you feel worse.
If youre craving chocolate before your cycle, pick up dark chocolate varieties that contain at least 70% cocoa. The darker the chocolate and higher the concentration of cocoa, the more beneficial ingredients and cramp relief youll get.
Youll also want to set some personal limits on how much chocolate you eat before your period. While it can definitely help give you a much-needed boost and reduce the cramps you feel, it doesnt replace eating healthfully and practicing good self-care.
Can Pickle Juice Affect Your Menstrual Cycle
The cold season is here and pickles are among the foods that are so appreciated in cold weather. Because we tend to eat more consistent when the weather outside is cold, pickles are a great way to cut the taste of fatty foods. Also, they are a great way to preserve various veggies throughout the winter.
The reason people have pickles around is that veggies are cheaper during autumn, so buying them and preserving them through pickling is a great way to cut some costs, and because they are healthy. Yes, pickles are fermented foods that are incredible for our health, due to the great content of minerals and good bacteria that help our body.
That said, can the juice of pickles have anything to do with the way the period manifests? If it does, in what way will this juice affect it?
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Plasma Osmolality And Sodium Concentration
Plasma osmolality did not differ over time among fluids . Despite ingesting 35.7 mmol sodium with pickle juice, average plasma osmolality never exceeded 284.1 mOsmol/kg H2O for the duration of testing.
Plasma sodium concentration differed over time among pickle juice, CHO-e drink, and water ingestion . Plasma sodium concentration was higher after pickle juice ingestion than after water ingestion at 15 and 25 minutes postingestion and was also higher than after CHO-e drink ingestion at 25 and 30 minutes . Compared with baseline, none of the drinks altered plasma sodium concentration over the 60-minute postingestion period .
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Does Pickle Juice Prevent Or Alleviate Muscle Cramps
Muscle cramps during training or an event can range in severity from uncomfortable to debilitating, and theories abound regarding methods of avoiding and/or treating them. Some of these are backed by solid science, while others are myths and misconceptions. One increasingly popular home remedy for muscle cramping is pickle juice its not only high in sodium , its also acidic. Some exercise physiologists wonder whether the acid could have metabolic consequences or speed hydration.
A number of studies have examined the use of pickle juice in athletic settings. A compositional analysis looked at the sodium content of various commercial pickle juices. Values ranged from about 220-390 mg of sodium per serving, where osmolarity in all cases was much higher than that recommended by exercise physiologists for use as a rehydration fluid. The concerns raised by this study were twofold: first, that such high concentrations and net quantities of sodium could have negative physiological consequences, and second, that the risk of these consequences was not mitigated by clear scientific evidence of pickle juices ability to relieve cramps.
Base upon the existing data, it does not appear that scientific evidence supports pickle juice consumption for prevention or alleviation of cramps.
Have you tried pickle juice for cramps?
References:
Dale et al. A Compositional Analysis of a Common Acetic Acid Solution With Practical Implications for Ingestion. J Athl Train. 2003 Mar 38:57-61.