Most people have already experienced muscle cramps, above all in hot temperatures and under intensive loads. Vinegar water is beginning to establish itself as an antidote.

Whether out on the bike in the middle of an ascent, running downhill shortly before the finishing line, or suddenly in sleep: all endurance athletes have probably suffered a muscle cramp at one point in their lives and know how painful and severe it is. With a persistent cramp, an athletic achievement is unthinkable.

Until now the causes of muscle cramps have not been thoroughly researched. Mechanical overloading due to an intensity that is too high, a load duration that is too long, unfamiliar types of sport, or causes such as heat, cold, fluid and/or electrolyte deficiencies, or an inadequate energy supply are all involved. Multiple and cumulative factors often play a role in triggering cramps, and they also have different effects on the individual. There is therefore neither a recipe for how to prevent cramps, nor a remedy when they suddenly occur.

The only «therapy» for a muscle cramp is to either greatly reduce the load, such as slowing down the tempo, or completely interrupt the athletic performance to stretch the affected muscles. Not a satisfactory solution in the fight against seconds.

Neural signal to the brain

Pickled cucumber water carries the promise of new hope for cramp-ridden athletes. Just a few years ago, an American study found that the vinegar-containing liquid of conventionally pickled cucumbers could significantly shorten the cramp duration in athletes. Interestingly enough, this not only happened when the test persons drank the cucumber water, but practically the same effect could be achieved when they simply rinsed their mouths.

Why the sour cucumber water shortened the cramp duration is not entirely clear. The thesis is as follows: contrary to what was previously believed, it is not dehydration or electrolyte deficiencies that are mainly responsible for unpleasant muscle cramps, but a faulty spinal cord reflex, whereby the muscle activity cannot be optimally controlled and the muscle contracts too much.

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. This theory, however, is not scientifically proven.

Positive feedback

Since the success of products in sports is not necessarily based on whether they are scientifically proven or not, the first studies in the USA resulted in the rapid launch of commercial sports drinks that contain similar ingredients to pickled cucumber water (i.e. Pickle Juice) to combat muscle cramps. In Switzerland, the company Sponser dealt intensively with this topic and developed the product «Muscle Relax» out of the ingredients vinegar, cucumber juice, salt, citric acid, potassium, magnesium and quinine. According to the feedback from numerous athletes, it is also said to have a strong cramp-relieving effect.

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