Remedies for leg cramps (besides bananas)

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Replies

  • tlou5
    tlou5 Posts: 497 Member
    Iron deficiency can also cause cramping, once the MD tested me and found out I was deficient in that and I started taking supplements, no more cramps....if you are stretching and getting potassium as well as staying hydrated I would recommend a visit to the dr for testing to make sure you are not deficient in something else (such as iron or magnesium as someone else suggested)
  • nlewis22
    nlewis22 Posts: 107 Member
    This is going to sound gross, but I swear it works... I use it for my athletes all the time: pickle juice or a mustard packet. They both have something in them that make you stop cramping. I keep mustard packets in my med kit while at soccer practices/ games and every time someone gets cramps, they get a pack. They hate it, but it works! My dad also suffers from charlie-horses in him hamstrings and he drinks pickle juice all the time to help get rid of them. I do it too whenever I get them. It works! but brush your teeth afterwards :wink:

    It's the vinegar. Our varsity football team keeps jars of pickle juice on the sidelines. I have a friend who sticks her tongue in a spoonful of vinegar and she swears the leg cramps are almost instantly gone.

    I thought it was the vinegar! But when I wrote this I also thought people were going to say I was crazy! I have a MS in Exercise Science, so I really do know what I'm talking about, but sometimes people get ripped so hard on this site, I don't wanna speak up!
  • a1wonder
    a1wonder Posts: 95 Member
    Someone mentioned this already but it worth repeating proper shoes new ones or better fitting ones suited the activity your doing. Arch or ankle support can really make a huge difference :)
  • jljshoe1979
    jljshoe1979 Posts: 325 Member
    This is going to sound gross, but I swear it works... I use it for my athletes all the time: pickle juice or a mustard packet. They both have something in them that make you stop cramping. I keep mustard packets in my med kit while at soccer practices/ games and every time someone gets cramps, they get a pack. They hate it, but it works! My dad also suffers from charlie-horses in him hamstrings and he drinks pickle juice all the time to help get rid of them. I do it too whenever I get them. It works! but brush your teeth afterwards :wink:

    It's the vinegar. Our varsity football team keeps jars of pickle juice on the sidelines. I have a friend who sticks her tongue in a spoonful of vinegar and she swears the leg cramps are almost instantly gone.

    I thought it was the vinegar! But when I wrote this I also thought people were going to say I was crazy! I have a MS in Exercise Science, so I really do know what I'm talking about, but sometimes people get ripped so hard on this site, I don't wanna speak up!

    Yeah - this is one of the things I'm going to try...I used apple cider vinegar before to help with kidney problems, but it was hard to get down - taste wise. I bet with the mustard, it would be easier.
    (As for people getting ripped on here, tell me about it. Some people are just plain mean, but do speak up....given your background you're probably right and they're probably wrong. AND if not, who cares...I'm on here to get information and to get/give support, not tear people down about things.)
  • gddrdld
    gddrdld Posts: 464 Member
    Thanks everyone for all the replies...lots of great suggestions. Just to clarify - I do drink ~10cups of water per day (today I will drink 12 with the exercise). I had 8 oz of Gatorade when I got home. Maybe that wasn't enough?? I don't know. I also take a Calcium/Magnesium/Zinc with vit D supplement daily, extra vitamin D (all by itself), and right now, a "Hair, Skin, and Nails" supplement (it says to take like 3/day, but I only do 1 because of the other supplements I take, and I try to eat healthier type food...although, not as strict about that). I will look into some of the other ideas mentioned here that I haven't tried. I usually have bad leg cramps or stiffness, if I skip the banana...we'll see how things go.

    Your issue is most likely related to a lack of sodium, not potassium. You need SALT, not a banana...
  • jljshoe1979
    jljshoe1979 Posts: 325 Member
    Thanks everyone for all the replies...lots of great suggestions. Just to clarify - I do drink ~10cups of water per day (today I will drink 12 with the exercise). I had 8 oz of Gatorade when I got home. Maybe that wasn't enough?? I don't know. I also take a Calcium/Magnesium/Zinc with vit D supplement daily, extra vitamin D (all by itself), and right now, a "Hair, Skin, and Nails" supplement (it says to take like 3/day, but I only do 1 because of the other supplements I take, and I try to eat healthier type food...although, not as strict about that). I will look into some of the other ideas mentioned here that I haven't tried. I usually have bad leg cramps or stiffness, if I skip the banana...we'll see how things go.

    Your issue is most likely related to a lack of sodium, not potassium. You need SALT, not a banana...

    I thought maybe drinking the Gatorade would help with replenishing the salt...am I wrong or is 8 ozs not enough? I walked for 31minutes today and jogged for 9min...I'm doing a C25K program (that I modified because it is really hard for me, but I will get there)...I'm only on week 3, so I know the workouts will get a little harder, and I'm trying to prepare myself before these leg cramps really get bad (with eating the whole banana, I'm just a little sore, no cramping at all).
  • JessieTangerine
    JessieTangerine Posts: 91 Member
    Your cramps probably aren't caused by a potassium deficiency, especially if you normally eat bananas. Maybe you need new shoes, or less pounding. You could substitute biking or swimming for some of your walks/runs, exercise on softer surfaces, like dirt or a track instead of pavement, and make sure that your footwear is working for you.

    ^This

    If you are already going out of your way to eat potassium-filled foods like bananas and potatoes, its not as likely that the problem is related to lack of potassium. The FDA does not require food labels to list the amount of potassium in the product, but that does not mean that there isnt any potassium in the food. As a result, the daily potassium total you see is usually far less than your actual total consumption.

    Those doing hard physical activity for extended periods of time like marathoners, ultra-marathoners, and cyclists sweat a lot and will need to replenish both sodium and potassium to keep their muscles working but this usually is not a problem when exercising under an hour.

    If you are concerned about your levels of magnesium and potassium it is better to go to a doctors for a blood test. It is easy to oversupplement minerals (when taken in vitamin format-with real foods its a lot harder) which can lead to many health problems. More likely, its a small problem with form, breathing, shoes, or running surface which can be easily solved. People on a dedicated running website, such as runnersworld online, may be able to help figure out your problem and will have great advice for getting through c25k
  • greenmonstergirl
    greenmonstergirl Posts: 619 Member
    Calcium saved me from having them every night, now I rarely have them!
  • cyreta
    cyreta Posts: 19 Member
    Ok, this is going to make the person who recommended vinegar as a cramp reliever sound completely rational lol. If you have leg cramps at night, put a bar of soap at the bottom of your bed. Regular soap, no Dove or one of those with a bunch of moisturizers or perfumes. Just put it there and leave it there. No more cramps. I know it sounds nutty, but it is old Appalachian mountain medicine that actually works.

    Try it- it costs very little. If it doesn't work after a week, you can always actually wash with it. But I've never met a person that tried it who said it didn't work for them. You just have to ask the right generation of people.

    Good luck- cramps are the worst!!
  • Kittyvicious1
    Kittyvicious1 Posts: 190 Member
    could it be something more than a cramp, such as a torn muscles or shin splint, especially if you always exprience the same reaction. Rest, elevate your leg, rub it down.
  • gmallan
    gmallan Posts: 2,099 Member
    Thanks everyone for all the replies...lots of great suggestions. Just to clarify - I do drink ~10cups of water per day (today I will drink 12 with the exercise). I had 8 oz of Gatorade when I got home. Maybe that wasn't enough?? I don't know. I also take a Calcium/Magnesium/Zinc with vit D supplement daily, extra vitamin D (all by itself), and right now, a "Hair, Skin, and Nails" supplement (it says to take like 3/day, but I only do 1 because of the other supplements I take, and I try to eat healthier type food...although, not as strict about that). I will look into some of the other ideas mentioned here that I haven't tried. I usually have bad leg cramps or stiffness, if I skip the banana...we'll see how things go.

    Have you ever considered the fact that you might be over-hydrating. The drinking water thing is often taken to excess. When you drink water you are effectively diluting the salt in your body and might be undoing the hard work and wasting the dollars you're spending on the supps. You also need to make sure you have enough sodium in your diet.

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