You may have seen buzz about Wimbledon in July and Carlos Alcaraz with his pickle juice. He claims that this helped get him through almost 5 hours of tennis in the heat.
Could the claims about pickle juice hydration benefits be true? Does pickle juice really help muscle craps? The short answer is Yes. The longer answer is that pickle juice can be a great addition to a health-conscious lifestyle. Let’s break the pickle juice hydration benefits down…
Pickle Juice Hydration Benefits
When you sweat, you lose not only water but electrolytes. Things like sodium, magnesium, potassium. If you combine the water loss and the loss of electrolytes, you can get some pretty nasty muscle cramps. In fact, if you consume only water, you dilute your sodium levels to the point that the water actually can’t get into the cell. This creates a state of low sodium known as hyponatremia and not only makes you feel terrible, but it can become a medical emergency. You have all of this water pooling, but it can’t enter the cells where it is needed because the sodium is the gate keeper and if it’s too low, it won’t open the gate. For some people who are trying to follow advice to consume a low sodium diet, this can actually cause problems in the heat.
Pickle Juice for Muscle Cramps and Electrolytes
Enter pickle juice. It’s a salty wonderland that helps the water enter the cells. If you add other electrolytes like magnesium, which can help relax muscles, you have a much needed cocktail that helps hydrate and supply electrolytes.
But, there is more to this story… When a muscle starts to cramp, hydration and electrolytes are important, but the nervous system plays a crucial role as well. Pickle juice is very acidic. This acid triggers a reaction in the nervous system that basically “overrides” the cramping sensation that people experience. That means that it quickly stops the cramp from progressing. Electrolytes and hydration alone won’t do that.
If you have watched a tennis match in the heat or been part of something like a triathlon, you will notice athletes, like Carlos Alcaraz, reaching for the pickle juice.
Now, hopefully, you will understand why they do it and why Pickle Juice Hydration really works!
