Muscle cramps got you in a sour mood? Ironically, the solution could be pickle juice, but not for the reason you’d expect. Last year, we covered a story investigating whether pickle juice was actually a good choice for hydration. Evidence didn’t really support that claim, and yet, tons of elite athletes still swear by it. According to a recent story from Time, however, we may have been investigating the wrong mechanism: “Does Pickle Juice Really Help Muscle Cramps?” Dr. Jeanne Doperak notes that in the case of muscle cramping due to fatigue, the strong acidic taste of pickle juice may help by sending signals to the nervous system that trigger overexcited nerves to calm down. Yellow mustard could work the same way, and that idea is explored in: “The longest game in PWHL history featured mustard packets taped to the glass. Why?” (We’re taking that as a sign to have a few extra hot dogs with mustard on our cookout this weekend). Experts stress that there can be a number of causes and solutions to muscle cramping, and every situation and individual is unique – unfortunately, there’s no one-size-fits-all answer to the problem. If hydration is contributing to cramps or other health issues (as it’s likely to this week as we battle the heat wave), then electrolyte packs like the ones from Skratch Labs are one way to get everything you need, including sodium, potassium, calcium and magnesium. To learn more about how they work and if you really need them, you can read: “Do Electrolytes Really Boost Hydration?” The short answer is, if you’re exercising for over an hour, sweat heavily, or are exposed to high heat, it could be smart to keep an electrolyte pack on hand.

#TakeYourPickle