Can Nutrition Help Muscle Cramps?
Can Nutrition Help Muscle Cramps?
By Chris Rosenbloom, PhD, RDN, CSSD
A young swimmer asked if there were any nutritional strategies that prevented muscle cramps. If you have experienced the pain of an exercise-induced muscle cramp, you might just try anything to avoid another cramp. Sucking on mustard packets from the local fast food joint to swallowing pickle juice have all been reported to be miracle cures for cramping. One report found that 25% of athletic trainers suggest pickle juice for immediate relief. Muscle cramps have plagued not only athletes, but those who do hard, physical work in hot and humid conditions, like coal miners. But, while cramps are not uncommon in active folks, the reason for cramping remains in question. There are generally two theories on cramping and neither theory has been proven beyond a doubt to be the cause.
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