We had a good and fairly hard ride today. On longer rides I sometimes have had issues with muscle cramps....
I am fairly confident my muscle cramps are NOT due to issues with calcium/magnesium/sodium/potassium or hydration status. They still might be, but I am pretty sure my cramps come under the classification of "muscle overuse cramps" as they happen despite adequate intake of fluids/electrolytes.
I know some of my club-mates SWEAR by using pickle juice or mustard packets for cramps. I am also aware of the "HotShot" product which is $$$$ and allegedly works but I have not tried it.
My understanding is that eating something that is spicy/bitter/sour triggers the autonomic nervous system and reflexively relaxes cramping muscles, at least that's the theory. Maybe
MoAlpha can comment/confirm.
Anyway, at about mile 70 on today's ride I started to have some early signs of cramps. I used two strategies, and both of them SEEMED to work...
First, I figured I needed to eat something very bitter/sour and did not have anything handy, but I realized that there are dandelions EVERYWHERE and I am aware that the dandelion greens are edible and also quite bitter/sour. I was rolling along so I did not pick them right away, but simply IMAGINED I was eating some of them and other unpleasant sour food....and it worked!! The cramps went away. A few minutes later, I crested a hill and stopped at the top to pick a handful of dandelion greens, which I held onto for a few minutes on the downhill, but for the next climb I wanted to push myself to test the theory, so I ate the greens (they were indeed bitter!) and pushed my pace well into the zone where I would ordinarily cramp up, and guess what? No cramps!!
Clearly today's experience is NOT science but anecdotal....however, I am optimistic I might be onto something.
Comments??