Black wallnut 

Except the part about your whole post is factually incorrect.

Pickle juice works before, during and after exercise better than anything else I have ever tried. If I drink it during and after I have no cramps. I am not the only one with this experience. Times that I do not drink it I do sometimes have cramps, sometimes sever ones.

ColaJacket

The article specifically states that the effects of the pickle juice for a cramp occurred befored the pickle juice could get into the bloodstream, so it had to be some type of nervous system effect.

And the contents of the pickle juice is similar enough to other electrolyte drinks that they would have the same effect before, during, and after the ride.

While you have anecdotal evidence, it could just be the placebo effect in action. The studies reported in the article, used double-blind methodology to get their results.

GH

Black wallnut 

The problem is there are other studies that conclude exactly what I am saying which is it works and science does not currently know why. The same studies I have read have said that cramping may not be related to electrolyte imbalance. Placebo effect does not cause cramps 37 miles into a century that do not go away with electrolyte replacement. Placebo effect does not explain cramping when I am well hydrated and have had plenty of electrolytes after a long ride. Pickle juice has prevented cramping in both those situations for me and others. Placebo effect or not guess what I am going to keep doing?

You wish to discount my anecdotal evidence, fine. Where is your evidence where you have ridden several centuries (metric, imperial, and double imperial) with pickle juice and experienced no cramping after? When did you spend 10+ hours on a trainer in one day and had no cramps during or after and drank pickle juice? Often times anecdotal evidence is better than peer reviewed science. Science asks the wrong questions and as often as not has reached conclusions that were not supported by the evidence or study methods. If you have cramps during or after exercise try pickle juice, it may be the cure you are seeking. If you do not have cramps then consider yourself lucky.

ColaJacket

I've worked in the pharmaceutical field, so I'm skeptical of claims without good studies. Even claims backed up by anecdotal evidence.

That being said, if it's legal to buy the product, and the product is not dangerous. If you think it will help you, then go for it.

That being said, the definition of a placebo effect is there is nothing to explain it other than your brain thinking it will help, so it does help.

And there is plenty of emperical evidence that cramps are caused by going harder than you are prepared to go on that day. And that pickle juice only works to stop a cramp that is in process. And several of them have been linked in this thread.

GH

Black wallnut 

Hence the problem with science. Testing to determine that "cramps are caused by going harder than you are prepared to go" may tell you if that is the cause or it might just give you a result that has no cause/effect relationship to the conclusions drawn. There must be more reasons to cramps than going harder......

Science has been wrong before I.E. dietary cholesterol vs blood cholesterol.

I've been a customer of "the pharmaceutical field" and have taken two drugs with known side effects of higher blood glucose readings before being dx as diabetic. I take neither now and guess what, I'm no longer considered as diabetic by my Dr. I'm skeptical of any claims but much more-so to those made by anyone in big pharma.

Pickle juice just happened to be something that I stumbled upon. One day I just decided to drink some, sounded good for some reason. This was after I started riding lots. It hit the spot. It was some time later when I read about it working for cramps. I tried it and no cramps. Cause and effect, I don't know but when I've used it I have not had cramps, when I've not used it I sometimes have had cramps, sometimes even rather early into a ride when I was well rested and well fed and completely hydrated.

The conclusions you have drawn from the source cited and others do not agree with what I have found by reading and with my own anecdotal evidence.

sstorkel

Water with added electrolytes works before, during and after exercise better than anything else I have ever tried. If I drink it during and after I have no cramps. I am not the only one with this experience. Times that I do not drink it I sometimes have cramps.

As much as I like pickles there's no way you'd convince me to drink a bunch of disgusting pickle juice. Sounds like a good weight-loss plan, though. I'm losing my appetite just thinking about it

dagray

For me water with Hammer Nutrition "Heed" or Nuun hydration tablets (two per 29 ounces of water), or Hammer nutrition "Fizz" hydration tablets that also have calcium (two per 29 ounce bottle) just aren't enough to keep the cramping after a ride at bay, and the last few rides I have cramped at the beginning of the ride.

The Pickle juice helps.

indyfabz

I am surprised at all the cramping going on out there. I sweat like a pig just thinking about riding, I tend to ride long distances, and it's been known to get hot and humid in my parts. I maybe get an episode of cramping once or twice every couple of years. When it happens, it's almost always in the car while returning from a ride when I can't stretch my legs out.

grampa.sjb

Nothing to do with cramping, but my wife makes an awesome cole slaw with dill pickle juice and a bit of chopped dill pickles! Fantastic with a pulled pork sandwich!

Wilfred Laurier

You know how you periodically read about a fad diet or 'health trick' that is rapidly gaining in popularity, and you say to yourself 'that sounds totally stupid', and then a year later the trend has disappeared and no-one you talk to would ever admit having tried it?

Well, I just read about using pickle juice as a recovery drink.

ColaJacket

Because of the studies linked in this thread, I'm thinking about getting a small plastic container to hold pickle juice.

But, I'll only use it, if I have a cramp. Otherwise, I'll use one of the electrolyte additives (e.g. Nunn, Skratch, Osmos, etc.) in my water for before, during, and after a ride. They'll work just as well to prevent cramps as pickle juice. But it does look like the studies show that pickle juice can actually help stop/ease an active cramp.

And as a fairly new rider, I'm sure I'll run into circumstances where I'm pushing myself more than I have before, which seems to be the cause of cramps.

GH

Catinella

I don't want a pickle. Just want to ride my cicle.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BvLtNBm1yyA

dagray

And I don't want a tickle I just want to ride my motor-cycle..... ahhh good old Arlo Guthrie.


I think the majority of my cramping/leg muscles not releasing is due to the Metformin (an oral medication for diabetes), but if I don't take it my fasting glucose numbers go higher than I am willing to accept (140-160 range), I know massage helps the tightness/cramping but around here there are very few options.

We are in a town of 3000 in the middle of the desert in NE Oregon.

dr_lha

Some people suffer from cramping more than others. It's not because you're doing it right and others are doing it wrong.

indyfabz

Never suggested that was the case. I know a lot of people who ride and I ride with a lot of different people. While I do ride with one person who seems to have somewhat frequent episodes of cramping (The GF and I secretly call him Sir Cramp-A-Lot, but don't tell him that ), it's not something I see frequently in my cycling universe.

Willbird

I'm really grateful I not suffer from cramps. But as to placebo effect, some science has shown that if you TELL people they are taking a performance enhancing drug they perform around 3% better even on a placebo :-). So we need to start a rumor that fresh cat poo rubbed behind the left ear prevents and cures cramps, and see where it goes :-)

dr_lha

Yeah, my reply sounded more terse than it was meant. I really meant was: count yourself lucky!

I tend to only get cramping after very long rides (e.g. century), but when it happens it sucks big time. I also suffer from cramping in the middle of the night, i.e. waking up with a leg cramp. Not pleasant, and can really screw up riding because if I don't get to it quickly I end up with a pulled muscle.

Last Century I did my buddy I was riding with collapsed of his bike with a terrible leg cramp 99.2 miles into the century! Great timing.

Black wallnut 

Those of you that don't get cramps seem to not appreciate how much it sucks. I mostly have cramps hours after a ride. Sometimes waking in the middle of the night with one. It is rare that i have a cramp while riding but it has happened twice on long rides. Once this spring about 37 miles into a century and last year 160 miles into a double century. In the later slamming Gatorade and water did not relieve it, dehydration likely played a part on this one. This year I did not cramp, nor did I the year before on the same ride. This year I rode faster and consumed pickle juice before, during and after. No cramps.

Some folks like to mix tequila with fruit juices, others like myself prefer it straight with salt and lime.

Willbird

My wife gets them, not anything related to athletics though. But she utterly resists anything like eating a few things rich in minerals and electrolytes if it is not already part of the food choices she has made for the last 50 years.

lurch0038

Worked for me on a ride. I was crashing and could feel the cramps coming....took the pickle juice and was able to finish the ride without a cramp.

Ghefty

A friend from Texas gave me a few bottles of Pure Pickle Juice on a century ride many years ago, no cramps on that ride. Thanks Ray! I've used pickle juice ever since, I find that most convenience stores on my routes have prepackaged pickles with juice so I don't bother carrying the bottled stuff anymore. But that stuff does work, or at least my brain believes it enough to keep my muscles for cramping up.

Null66

One theory is blood acidification in response to metabolism. Perversely, some acids seem to have alkalizing effect on the blood.

About pharma co "science" when there is motivated selection bias in the test results that are promoted vs. the ones that are hidden... It's not science anymore.

Null66

One cause of cramps, or spasms, in some people is magnesium deficiency.
Another is potassium deficiency.

Dietary ingest has been shown to be far more effective in raising blood levels then supplementation.

Willbird

I recently read that iron and magnesium do not play well together, so if you supplement with say a calcium magnesium supplement you should alternate weeks if you also supplement iron. Pumpkin seeds have loads of magnesium

NYSteve

"Except the part about your whole post is factually incorrect"

This whole tread is based on anecdotal evidence.