Reflex inhibition of electrically induced muscle cramps in hypohydrated humans.
Level 2 - randomized trial
Controlled crossover human experimental trial
PubMed 19997012 · doi:10.1249/MSS.0b013e3181c0647e
What was done
Hypohydrated male subjects (~3% body weight loss, plasma osmolality ~295 mOsm/kg H2O) underwent percutaneous tibial nerve stimulation on two separate days (1 week apart) to induce cramps in the flexor hallucis brevis (FHB) muscle. Thirty minutes after an initial unassisted baseline cramp, a second cramp was induced and immediately treated with 1 mL/kg body weight of either deionized water or pickle juice (73.9 ± 2.8 mL). Authors evaluated cramp duration, FHB electromyography (EMG) activity, and changes in plasma constituents 5 minutes post-ingestion.
What was found
Baseline cramp duration without fluid was similar between trials (water: 151.9 ± 12.9 s; pickle juice: 153.2 ± 23.7 s, P > 0.05), as was baseline FHB EMG activity (water: 60% ± 6%; pickle juice: 68% ± 9% of maximum voluntary isometric contraction). Following fluid ingestion, FHB EMG activity remained similar (water: 55% ± 9%; pickle juice: 66% ± 9%, P > 0.05). However, cramp duration was 49.1 ± 14.6 s shorter after pickle juice ingestion than water (84.6 ± 18.5 s vs 133.7 ± 15.9 s, P < 0.05). Plasma composition showed little change 5 minutes after ingestion of either fluid.
Why it matters
This trial offers laboratory evidence that pickle juice ingestion rapidly alleviates muscle cramps, likely via an oropharyngeal neural reflex that inhibits alpha motor neurons rather than through systemic fluid or electrolyte restoration.
Limits
The abstract does not state the sample size. The model evaluated electrically induced cramps in a single small foot muscle under hypohydrated conditions, which may not fully represent spontaneous exercise-associated muscle cramps in large muscle groups or across broader populations.
Cited by
- supports Acetic acid in pickle juice activates sensory receptors in the mouth and throat to trigger a reflex in the brain that calms sensory and motor nerve activity.