This One Drink Can Prevent Muscle Cramps, Says New Study
Drinking electrolyte-enhanced drinks showed a significant difference for muscle cramps—both during exercise and afterward. When they had plain water, all participants were much more likely to experience cramping.Many people drink more water while exercising because they believe it's dehydration that causes muscle cramps, according to lead researcher Ken Nosaka, PhD, director of exercise and sports science at Edith Cowan University in Australia. But he says that may actually be increasing the risk of cramps, both during and after exercising.
Staying hydrated
Warmer weather is headed our way, ushering in sweaty outdoor workouts and sizzling afternoons at the beach or pool.
Sunshine is good news if you have a vitamin D deficiency, but it's not so great if you struggle to stay hydrated.
"Warm weather, active lifestyles, and caffeine consumption can all dehydrate us," says Lauren Minchen, New York-based nutritionist and nutrition consultant for Freshbit, the AI-driven visual diet diary app. However, she says adding electrolytes to your water can help.
"Thirst can be masked as hunger—so check in with yourself. Are you sipping water throughout the day?" adds Vicki Shanta Retelny, RDN, a culinary consultant and host of Nourishing Notes podcast. "If you are sweating excessively during your workouts, you'll also have to replace electrolytes."
(Here are the unexpected reasons you're always thirsty.)
What are electrolytes?
"Electrolytes help your body control the water balance in your cells," Minchen explains. "They are also responsible for supporting healthy nerve function and muscle contraction and managing acid balance in the body."
"Electrolytes include sodium, potassium, and magnesium," says Amy Gorin, RDN, a plant-based registered dietitian and owner of Plant-Based Eats in Stamford, Connecticut. She explains that when you sweat, you lose both water and electrolytes.
It's important to quickly replace both the water and electrolytes that you lose after a sweaty gym session or day spent by the pool. Without proper hydration and electrolyte balance, you run the risk of sub-par heart and muscle function, according to Gorin and Minchen.
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Signs of electrolyte imbalance
When your body is low on electrolytes, it struggles to stay hydrated and run on all cylinders.
Minchen says you could experience these symptoms if you don't replenish the electrolytes lost during intense exercise:
Muscle cramping or weakness
Heart palpitations
Dehydration
Fatigue or sluggishness
Irregular blood clotting
Trouble breathing
Nausea or vomiting
Headaches
Keep your muscles happy with electrolytes
You know your body struggles when it doesn't have enough electrolytes. On the flipside, flooding your water with electrolytes before or during a workout might actually enhance athletic performance.
Recent research suggests that drinking electrolyte-infused drinks can prevent muscle cramps better than water alone.
Published in the Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition, the small study required 10 men to run in the heat, then rehydrate with either spring water or an oral rehydration solution full of electrolytes. After drinking, the men received electrical stimulation meant to induce muscle cramps. Cramp susceptibility decreased significantly after drinking electrolyte water versus spring water.
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What makes a healthy electrolyte drink?
You probably already know the perils of consuming too much sugar: pimples, energy slumps, tooth decay, and more. So it makes sense that when you're looking for a healthy way to stay hydrated, sugar-free or low-sugar electrolyte drinks are best.
Minchen also suggests prioritizing drinks containing the full spectrum of electrolytes: calcium, sodium, potassium, magnesium, and chloride.
"Bonus if it also contains zinc, vitamin C, and B vitamins for added energy," she says.
If your heart is set on a deliciously sweet beverage, Minchen says to opt for natural sweeteners (stevia, agave, or monk fruit extract).
She recommends seeking drinks with no more than a couple of grams of sugar and no artificial coloring. "It should contain vegetable or fruit coloring only—beet juice or annatto," she says.
Healthy electrolyte hydration options
We asked our experts about their favorite store-bought electrolyte drinks for hydration. Here's what to order before your next intense exercise session.
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Nuun drink tablets are easy to throw into your gym bag or car when you're headed out for a busy day in the heat.
Plunk a gluten-free, dairy-free, and soy-free tablet into your bottle or glass of water, and watch while it fizzes and dissolves into a flavored drink full of sodium, potassium, and magnesium.
Though Nuun Sport tastes sweet (thanks to stevia), each serving clocks in at only 15 calories and 2 grams of carbohydrates.
It's worth noting that four of the thirteen flavors include 40 mg of caffeine from green tea. That's equivalent to a medium cup of coffee.
"This is one of my favorite electrolyte beverages because it's a natural source of electrolytes, including potassium, magnesium, and calcium. Plus, it tastes delicious. When I drink it after an intense workout, I feel hydrated!" Gorin says.
Minchen also recommends coconut water as a completely natural electrolyte drink. She recommends opting for unsweetened varieties because coconut water already contains natural sugars.
Another electrolyte powder recommendation from Minchen, Ultima Replenisher is an ideal hydration solution if you're counting calories.
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This stevia-sweetened powder has no calories or carbs. It is also naturally colored by ingredients like beta-carotene (an antioxidant that your body converts into vitamin A) and beet juice concentrate.
Ultima Replenisher is also vegan, gluten-free, and certified organic. It's available in several flavors, including pink lemonade and cherry pomegranate. This is a solid hydration choice if you have food sensitivities.
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"Did you know that watermelon is another source of naturally occurring electrolytes, especially potassium? This juice is just watermelon and lemon juice," Gorin says.
One of the most hydrating foods at the supermarket, watermelon is also naturally sweet. The lemon balances the flavor with a kick of citrus.
Despite watermelon's natural sugar content, researchers have found that eating it could help reduce body weight and body mass index (BMI), according to a study published in the science journal Nutrients. That means this juice blend could keep you hydrated and support your weight loss efforts all summer long.
One of Minchen's favorite electrolyte drinks (in any flavor, she says), BodyArmor Lyte is 10 percent coconut water, 90 percent electrolyte- and vitamin-infused sports drink sweetened with stevia leaf extract.
It's worth noting that a bottle of BodyArmor Lyte contains 20 carbs per bottle. While not a good choice for people on the keto diet, this could be a great hydration option if you need more energy and fuel for your workouts.
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If you're looking for a simple, tasteless electrolyte drink to stand in for regular bottled water, try Essentia. Recommended by Minchen, this bottled water is purified through reverse osmosis, then infused with "trace electrolytes," according to the brand.
In other words, Essentia bottled water is best for those who are already hydrated and simply want to replenish a few electrolytes lost during a mildly sweaty workout.
This water is probably more hydrating than regular filtered water, but less hydrating than the other electrolyte-packed drinks in this article.
"This drink contains a mix of potassium, magnesium, calcium, and other nutrients to help with recovery. It does contain added sugar, but I like that this is not in the first few ingredients," Gorin says.
If you're concerned about sugar consumption, Electrolit Electrolyte Hydration Orange is best consumed in small doses. Each bottle is 21 ounces, but the nutrition label states that one serving is 8 ounces.
Still, because of its electrolyte and sugar content, this drink works well for those who need fast recovery after a rigorous workout or long day in the sun. It could also be a solid contender for rehydration if you're suffering from heat exhaustion or food poisoning.
Other tips for staying hydrated
"Your urine is a good indicator of hydration status. If it's darker than lemonade, you are most likely dehydrated," Shanta Retelny says.
Minchen also recommends tracking your caffeine intake to successfully stay hydrated. She suggests chasing down an 8-ounce cup of coffee with sixteen ounces of water. That's in addition to her base recommendation of 64 ounces of water per day.
Here are a few hydration solutions recommended by our experts:
Recharge Your Body With Dr. Berg's Electrolyte Powder
Eating well for your heart is just as important as avoiding foods that are bad for your heart. Prioritizing whole foods, fresh fruits, and vegetables is the easy part. But what about pizza, French fries, and candy? They have ingredients like trans fats, refined grains, and sugar than can increase the risk of heart disease and other cardiac issues.
Keep your ticker in tip-top shape by avoiding the following worst foods for your heart. (Take a look at the foods cardiologists avoid.)
Processed and cured meats, including cold cuts, bacon, and hot dogs, are some of the worst foods for your heart because of their high amount of saturated fats. Plaque buildup, hardening of the arteries, and saturated fats are all connected, according to Barbara George, MD, the director of the Center for Cardiovascular Health Medicine at NYU Winthrop Hospital on Long Island. "Saturated fats raise your ‘bad’ cholesterol, or LDL, as compared to ‘good’ cholesterol, or HDL," she says.
A 2020 study in JAMA Internal Medicine found a link between red and processed meat and a higher risk of heart disease and death. But research on processed meat being bad for your heart goes back some time. A research review from 2012 in Current Atherosclerosis Reports by Harvard University researchers found that eating processed meats is associated with a 42 percent higher risk of heart disease. (Note the study compared processed and unprocessed red meat.)
The bottom line: Limit cold cut sandwiches and save hot dogs for a rare indulgence. If you plan to continue eating animal meats, turn to the best meat options such as lean red meat, skinless chicken, ground turkey, or fish, especially fish rich in omega-3s like salmon, cod, and tuna, Dr. George suggests.
Some of the worst foods for your heart are processed foods, according to Nieca Goldberg, MD, the medical director of NYU Women's Heart Program in New York. "Processed foods cause sharp increases in sugar and insulin levels," Dr. Goldberg explains. "And then the levels sharply decrease, leaving you more hungry, and then you eat more."
Processed foods often contain refined grains, including white flour or white rice. A 2017 study in the International Journal of Clinical and Experimental Medicine found that refined grain intake was associated with a 9.4 percent higher risk of heart disease. Note that not all processed foods necessarily will raise insulting levels, more so those with fast-acting and refined sugars.
Deep-fried foods are one of the top foods that are bad for your ticker, according to Dr. Goldberg. Eating deep-fried foods contributes to heart disease risk factors, including high blood pressure, and obesity. A 2015 review in Nutrients found that eating fried food four or mere times per week is associated with a higher risk of developing type 2 diabetes, obesity, and high blood pressure.
According to the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, two observational studies on men and women from the U.S. found that frequently eating fried foods increases the risk of developing heart disease. Bake, broil, or roast your food for a healthy alternative to frying, Dr. Goldberg recommends.
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Soda and sugar-sweetened beverages (including juice)
Many people associate high triglycerides (a type of fat that circulates in the blood) with high-fat foods. People may not know, however, that concentrated sweets, such as regular soda and sugary beverages, can actually rapidly raise blood triglyceride levels, according to Westchester, New York-based registered dietitian nutritionist Malina Malkani, creator of Solve Picky Eating.
Untreated high triglyceride levels may increase the risk of heart attack and stroke, according to the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute. One 15-year study in JAMA Internal Medicine on added sugar and heart disease found that people who had 25 percent of their daily calories from sugar were more than twice as likely to die from heart disease as those who had less than 10 percent of added sugar make up their daily calories.
Your sweet tooth could get you into lots of trouble when it comes to heart health. Just like sugary drinks aren't great for your heart, it's the same idea with candy. "Dense sugar contributes to obesity, diabetes, and hypertension—all risk factors for heart disease and stroke," Dr. George says.
Satisfy your sugar cravings with fruit slices and unprocessed peanut butter. You get the crunch while benefitting from more protein and fiber. Try your best to stick to whole foods, fresh vegetables, and fruits.
Some studies—like that in Alcohol Research & Health—suggest that moderate drinkers are at a lower risk of heart disease compared to heavy drinkers and non-drinkers. This information, however, is not a license to binge drink. In fact, one of the worst things for your heart is alcohol, according to Dr. George, because of the calories and sugar in alcohol.
The American Heart Association (AHA) recommends one alcoholic drink a day for women and two for men. "The difference is that women metabolize alcohol differently, and there is also a link between higher alcohol consumption and other conditions such as breast cancer and addiction," Dr. George says. Keep an eye on your glasses of wine and consider ways to drink less. And the American Cancer Society updated their guidelines recommending against all alcohol consumption.
Some canned soups and vegetables are high in sodium and fat, making them a poor choice for heart health, according to Dr. Goldberg. "Sodium is a preservative that is often added to foods during the canning process to increase shelf life and palatability," Malkani explains.
The American Heart Association (AHA) recommends limiting daily sodium intake to 2,300 mg per day. The ideal daily limit is 1,500 mg for most adults, especially those with elevated blood pressure.
But canned foods offer a convenient and affordable way to meet daily recommendations for foods like vegetables, legumes, and fruits. "People can incorporate canned foods into meals and still stay within recommended sodium limits for optimal heart health by reading food labels, choosing canned products that are labeled, 'low-sodium,' or 'low salt,' or 'no added salt,' and rinsing canned foods like beans and vegetables with water before using," Malkani says.
Foods packed with artificial trans fats are some of the most detrimental when it comes to heart health, says Malkani. "Artificial trans fats have been shown to lower HDL, or 'good' cholesterol levels and raise LDL, or 'bad' cholesterol levels and increase the risk for heart disease and stroke," she says. In one 14-year review of 80,000 women, published in the New England Journal of Medicine, researchers found a positive connection between heart disease and eating foods containing trans fats.
In 2015, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) ruled that trans fats were unsafe because of research connecting them to poor heart health. Manufacturers were given three years to remove them from food.
But the FDA notes that food containing less than 0.5 grams of trans fats, sometimes listed on the ingredient label as partially hydrogenated oils, can claim they have zero.
Malkani points out that there may still be some products on the market that manufacturers created before the ban. Those goods could contain artificial trans fats. Keep an eye on non-dairy coffee creamers, microwave popcorns, frozen doughs, pastries, pizzas, fried foods, and shortenings. Check the ingredient list on all packaged foods.
Condiments and sauces contain salt. This can raise blood pressure or worsen heart failure symptoms for someone with high blood pressure or heart failure, according to Dr. Goldberg. Try your best to eat unhealthy condiments sparingly and ask for them on the side when you dine out. There is also a lot of added sugar, such as high fructose corn syrup in ketchup, for example, in sauces or condiments.
Next, learn about the foods that may improve circulation.)
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Drinking electrolyte-enhanced drinks showed a significant difference for muscle cramps—both during exercise and afterward. When they had plain water, all participants were much more likely to experience cramping.Many people drink more water while exercising because they believe it's dehydration that causes muscle cramps, according to lead researcher Ken Nosaka, PhD, director of exercise and sports science at Edith Cowan University in Australia. But he says that may actually be increasing the risk of cramps, both during and after exercising. 
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Here’s what you need to know about how electrolytes help the body and why you should give Dr. Berg’s Electrolyte Powder a try. © Unsplash (CC0) Electrolytes are usually lost through sweating whenever we exercise. How do electrolytes work? Electrolytes are substances responsible for forming ions in our bodies. Electrolytes regulate nerve and body function, hydrate the body, balance blood acidity and pressure as well as help repair damaged tissue. 
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