The secret of “pickle water” in the World Cup.. Does it really relieve muscle cramps? | Lifestyle

If you were among the millions who watched the match between the United States and Australia in the World Cup finals, you must have witnessed the moment the German match referee, Felix Zweier, suffered a muscle cramp and fell to the ground before the fourth wisdom rushed to him with a rescue drink: a bottle of “pickle water.”

According to an article on the American “Time” website, this was not the first time that “pickle water” or “pickle juice,” as it is known, has appeared in sports competitions, explaining that coaches in the American National Women’s Hockey League said that they serve this salty mixture to female players during matches, and it was also noted that a number of tennis players consumed it during matches.

“Pickle water” or “pickle juice” is water mixed with salt, vinegar, and spices that is used to pickle vegetables such as cucumbers or onions.

“I was an athlete in college in the 1990s, and I think people were passing around pickle juice then, too,” says Dr. Jane Doberak, a sports medicine physician at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center.

She adds that this “has been entrenched as a myth for years,” despite limited scientific support for this matter.

Does pickle water really help relieve muscle cramps?

Nicole Lund, a sports nutritionist at NYU Langone Health, says that pickle water is one of the quickest instant treatments for muscle cramps and spasms, explaining that drinking about 60 milligrams of it can help treat the problem faster than other things, such as drinking water, for example.

According to Jane Doberak, pickle juice can be useful in some cases, explaining that there are different causes of muscle cramps and spasms, such as dehydration, fatigue, or lack of carbohydrates, which makes the treatment of the matter vary depending on the cause.

For example, if dehydration is the cause of cramping, the best treatment is through intravenous solutions or water mixed with electrolytes, which is water enriched with salts and minerals such as magnesium, calcium, sodium and potassium.

Jane Doberak says that if fatigue, not dehydration, is the cause of muscle cramps and spasms, a dose of pickle juice may help relieve the pain.

She adds: “There is no one treatment that suits everyone.” Rather, it depends on an individual assessment and a treatment plan specific to each person based on the cause of his muscle cramps and spasms. She confirms that the matter is more complicated than simply saying: “I suffer from muscle cramps, so I will drink pickle water.”

How does pickle water relieve muscle cramps?

Nicole Lund says the acidic taste of pickle water is thought to send signals to the nervous system to stop cramps. She explains that the signals are like telling highly excited nerves to calm down a little, and points out that some athletes eat a little yellow mustard to get the same effect.

In turn, Jane Doberak says that “pickle water” cannot be considered a truly effective way to treat dryness and restore hydration. But it appears that the salty taste is what helps treat muscle cramps by inhibiting one of the nerve receptors. Therefore, you do not need to drink pickle water; you can just rinse your mouth with it.

Nicole Lund and Jane Doberak agree that pickle water helps treat cramps, not prevent them, but they stress that prevention is better than cure. Jane advises athletes to adequately prevent dehydration before, during and after the match, and to drink water enriched with salts and minerals instead of plain water if the game continues for more than an hour.

Are there health benefits for non-athletes drinking pickle water?

According to Nicole Lund and Jane Doberak, pickle water is rich in sodium, and there is no big problem if you drink small amounts of it. But if you drink large amounts of it, you will get much more than what experts recommend daily.