Can pickle juice help with cramps?

Pickle juice can indeed help with cramps, and the mechanism behind it is particularly interesting. Experts like Ben Greenfield explain that cramping is often due to an alpha motor neuron reflex rather than just mineral depletion. This reflex can cause muscles to cramp to protect against overuse or strain.

When you consume pickle juice or similarly salty, sour, or bitter substances, the taste can inhibit this reflex almost immediately. This inhibition happens much faster than the time it would take for the compounds to be absorbed into the bloodstream and affect the muscles directly 1 2. This is why pickle juice, which is both salty and tangy, is effective in reducing cramping quickly 1.

Other spicy or salty items like mustard packets are also used for similar reasons by some athletes 3. These substances can provide a rapid solution to cramping by targeting the neural pathways involved in muscle contraction and relaxation 1 2.