Muscle cramps are painful and annoying, but what causes them, and can pickle juice prevent them? Find out more in our article.
Pickle juice can shorten a muscle cramp that has already started – there is no good evidence that it prevents cramps. In one study, cramps ended on average 49 seconds sooner after about 75 ml of pickle juice than after water. The effect probably comes from a reflex in the mouth and throat, not from salt or electrolytes. Here you’ll learn how it works, how much you need and what else helps against cramps.
What is an exercise-associated muscle cramp?
A muscle cramp is a sudden, involuntary and painful contraction of a muscle that does not release on its own. During exercise, it most often affects the calf, thigh and foot. Researchers call these exercise-associated muscle cramps (EAMC). They typically appear during intense or unusually long efforts, often towards the end of a training session or competition.
For a long time, fluid loss and electrolyte deficiency were seen as the main cause. The evidence only partly supports this: in a study by Jung et al. (2005), extra fluid and electrolytes did not prevent cramps – they only appeared somewhat later [1]. A fluid loss of 3% of body weight also did not make muscles more prone to cramping in a lab study [3].
Today, altered neuromuscular control is considered the most likely explanation: fatigued muscles send more excitatory signals to the spinal cord while inhibitory signals decrease. The nerve cells that control the muscle then keep firing uncontrollably [2]. This is exactly where the pickle juice theory comes in.
Does pickle juice help with cramps? What the study shows
Yes, at least for a cramp that has already started, there is some evidence. The key study is by Miller et al. (2010) [4]. Ten young men were first dehydrated through exercise to about 3% of their body weight. The researchers then triggered a cramp in a small foot muscle using electrical stimulation. During the second cramp, participants immediately drank 1 ml per kilogram of body weight of pickle juice or water – about 74 ml on average.
| Cramp duration | Before drinking | After drinking |
|---|---|---|
| Pickle juice | 153 seconds | 85 seconds |
| Water | 152 seconds | 134 seconds |
After pickle juice, the cramp ended on average 49 seconds sooner than after water – about 37% faster. Cramp intensity itself did not change. The study’s limits matter too: it included only ten men, the cramps were triggered artificially rather than during exercise, and drinking pickle juice as prevention was not tested at all.
Why does pickle juice work so fast?
Pickle juice most likely works through a reflex in the mouth and throat, not through its ingredients reaching the blood. Two observations from the study support this: the cramp eased within just over a minute – long before salt or electrolytes can move from the stomach into the blood. And five minutes after drinking, blood plasma composition had barely changed [4].
The researchers suspect that the sour, salty liquid stimulates receptors in the mouth and throat. Via the nervous system, this signal then dampens the overactive nerve cells that control the cramping muscle. A similar idea is behind spicy “anti-cramp shots” with cinnamon, ginger or capsaicin: in a study by Craighead et al. (2017), such a drink delayed calf cramps and made them less intense [7]. The mechanism has not been fully confirmed yet, though.
How much pickle juice helps, and when should you drink it?
In the study, 1 ml of pickle juice per kilogram of body weight was used – about 60 ml at 60 kg and about 80 ml at 80 kg. It was drunk right at the start of the cramp. Based on current knowledge, larger amounts bring no extra benefit, but they do add a lot more salt.
An analysis by Hooper Marosek et al. (2020) measured how much acetic acid various home remedies contain and calculated the amounts that match the acetic acid in the pickle juice study [5]. Whether these alternatives work just as well was not tested:
- Pickle juice: about 74 ml, as in the study.
- Yellow mustard: 1.5 to 3 small single-serve packets, depending on the brand.
- Apple cider vinegar: about one teaspoon – though the taste is too strong for many people.
- Sports drinks: contain hardly any acetic acid. They help replace fluid and electrolytes, but probably not against an acute cramp.
Which pickle juice works?
The study used the brine of classic vinegar pickles – a salt and vinegar brine. The liquid from a jar of dill or vinegar pickles is the obvious choice. Lacto-fermented pickles contain mainly lactic acid instead of acetic acid and were not studied. Ready-made pickle juice shots for sport are easier to carry but follow the same principle.
Keep the salt content in mind: pickle juice is very salty. If you need to watch your salt intake, for example because of high blood pressure or kidney disease, talk to your doctor first.
What else helps against muscle cramps?
For an acute cramp, stretching is the simplest and best-established measure: for a calf cramp, gently pull your toes towards your shin and hold the stretch until the cramp eases. In the long run, appropriate training, good preparation for long efforts and drinking enough reduce the risk of muscles tiring early.
Two popular home remedies are less helpful than their reputation. A Cochrane review by Garrison et al. (2020) concluded that magnesium probably does not offer older adults with ordinary muscle cramps any meaningful protection [8]. Quinine can reduce cramps somewhat but has potentially serious side effects [6]. In many countries it is therefore prescription-only, and the amount in tonic water is too small to have an effect.
If cramps happen very often, also at rest or at night, or last a long time, have the cause checked by a doctor. Medications or medical conditions can also be behind them.
FAQ: Pickle juice for cramps
How fast does pickle juice work for cramps?
In the study by Miller et al. (2010), a cramp ended on average after about 85 seconds once pickle juice was drunk, compared with just over 2 minutes after water [4]. The quick effect suggests that a reflex in the mouth and throat is at work, not the minerals being absorbed.
Can I drink pickle juice to prevent cramps?
There is no evidence for this so far. Only drinking pickle juice during a cramp that had already started has been studied. If the effect really works through a short reflex, a longer-lasting preventive effect is rather unlikely.
Does pickle juice help with night-time leg cramps?
This has not been studied. Night-time calf cramps at rest differ from cramps during exercise and often have other causes. Gently stretching the calf helps in the moment. If they happen often, it makes sense to see a doctor.
Which pickle juice helps with cramps?
The study used the vinegar brine of classic pickles – the liquid from the pickle jar. The sour taste seems to be what matters. Lacto-fermented pickles were not studied. Ready-made pickle juice shots work on the same principle.
Is pickle juice healthy?
In small amounts, pickle juice is unproblematic for healthy people, but it is very salty. Anyone who needs to watch their salt intake, for example with high blood pressure or kidney disease, should only drink it regularly after talking to their doctor.
Conclusion: Pickle juice for cramps
Pickle juice can shorten an acute muscle cramp: in a small study, cramps ended on average 49 seconds sooner after about 75 ml than after water. The effect probably relies on a reflex in the mouth and throat, not on salt or electrolytes. A preventive effect has not been shown. If you tend to get cramps during exercise, you can pack a small bottle of pickle juice in your gym bag and stretch as well if a cramp hits.
