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Skeletal muscle cramps are highly prevalent in endurance sports and often affect cyclists during racing events when the intensity of physical exertion is very high and the duration is long. But there is little consensus among coaches and nutritionists on what causes them, being often associated with dehydration and sodium loss. Additionally, the wrong belief that supplementing with magnesium will prevent/treat exercise associated muscle cramps still remains pretty much alive in the cycling spectrum.

On this episode we interview Dr. Kevin Miller from University of Central Michigan, USA. He’s performed a significant amount of research on the etiology of muscle cramping, particularly on how can pickle juice help relieve muscle cramping.

On this episode:

1. What are exercise associated muscle cramps and what is the most probable cause for them to happen
2. The problem with the dehydration–electrolyte imbalance theory
3. The most probable causes and contributing factors for muscle cramping during exercise
4. The uselessness of Magnesium supplementation in the treatment/prevention fo muscle cramping
5. Pickle juice research and functional mechanisms
6. Pickle juice supplementation protocol and available sources
7. Posible effects of pickle juice on gastric emptying and gut discomfort
8. Rationale for preventing and treating muscle cramping in cyclists
9. Future lines of research

If you wish to contact Dr. Kevin Miller:

Email: mille5k@cmich.edu