The NY Times has an interesting article this morning about the endurance sports and weather and cramping. They say that certain long-held beliefs including ideal running weather and what causes cramps are myths. One quote I found interesting is:
“He has studied cyclists, marathoners and triathletes, measuring levels of electrolytes and body-weight changes, both of which are indicators of dehydration. Those who cramped were no different from those who did not.”
I had heard the relationship b/w dehydration and cramping was questionable, but I always thought the electrolyes-cramping issue was pretty clear-cut. Have I been wrong all this time?
“The cause of cramps, Schwellnus believes, is an alteration in the electrical signals going to exhausted muscles so that the balance between those signals activating muscles and those inhibiting them is distorted. One way to protect yourself is with proper marathon training and proper pacing. “Racing at too high of an intensity is one of the single most important risk factors,” Schwellnus said.”
Doesn’t your electrolyte balance have something to do with this? I mean, that’s why they call them electrolytes, right?
The cause of cramps, Schwellnus believes, is an alteration in the electrical signals going to exhausted muscles so that the balance between those signals activating muscles and those inhibiting them is distorted.
That is the stupidest statement in the whole article and completely throws out the “electrolytes aren’t the problem” idea … what the hell does he think electrolytes do?? They are the fuel for the firing mechanisms that he talks about with the “alteration in electrical signals.”
The cause of cramps, Schwellnus believes, is an alteration in the electrical signals going to exhausted muscles so that the balance between those signals activating muscles and those inhibiting them is distorted.
That is the stupidest statement in the whole article and completely throws out the “electrolytes aren’t the problem” idea … what the hell does he think electrolytes do?? They are the fuel for the firing mechanisms that he talks about with the “alteration in electrical signals.”
Idiot …
He goes on to say that if you cease the activity, then resume, the cramps will go away. Since no electrolytes magically appear in your system, it follows that it wasn’t an electrolyte deficiency that caused the cramps in the first place.
The NY Times has an interesting article this morning about the endurance sports and weather and cramping. They say that certain long-held beliefs including ideal running weather and what causes cramps are myths. One quote I found interesting is:
“He has studied cyclists, marathoners and triathletes, measuring levels of electrolytes and body-weight changes, both of which are indicators of dehydration. Those who cramped were no different from those who did not.”
I had heard the relationship b/w dehydration and cramping was questionable, but I always thought the electrolyes-cramping issue was pretty clear-cut. Have I been wrong all this time?
Yes.
So what do electrolytes do for you then? I always assumed I was taking them in mainly to prevent cramping up. This is throwing my whole world upside-down!!! =)
I’m all confused now too. An electrolyte is an ion that conducts electricity when dissolved in water, right? So if the electrical signals are “altered” then it seems like the electrolytes ought to have something to do with it…
The cause of cramps, Schwellnus believes, is an alteration in the electrical signals going to exhausted muscles so that the balance between those signals activating muscles and those inhibiting them is distorted.
That is the stupidest statement in the whole article and completely throws out the “electrolytes aren’t the problem” idea … what the hell does he think electrolytes do?? They are the fuel for the firing mechanisms that he talks about with the “alteration in electrical signals.”
Idiot …
He goes on to say that if you cease the activity, then resume, the cramps will go away. Since no electrolytes magically appear in your system, it follows that it wasn’t an electrolyte deficiency that caused the cramps in the first place.
I’m confused. First he says cramps occur most often after you’re done:
“Then there is the issue of cramping, that often excruciating, spasmodic, involuntary contraction of muscles that can occur during or, more often, just after a marathon”
But also says "When muscles cramp, there is a simple and effective treatment: stop running and stretch that muscle. "
The runners have already stopped running. So is he saying if they stretched they wouldn’t have cramped?
That said, I’ve struggled with cramps for years. For me, it seems the culprit is indeed intensity. If I push it too hard, I will cramp.
He goes on to say that if you cease the activity, then resume, the cramps will go away. Since no electrolytes magically appear in your system, it follows that it wasn’t an electrolyte deficiency that caused the cramps in the first place.
Wow, wish my body would have known that during my marathon last year and Eagleman this year! Then maybe after each time I stopped to stretch a little, walked some and then resumed running again I would not have had any problems! It should have known that, but it didn’t read the article I guess … (And considering I was still peeing relatively clear and was not super dehydrated in both instances).
All the current sports physiologists and Gatorade/Gu/Hammer/Accel/etc. researchers are just full of sh-t then, guess they should stop making products …
i’ve always found it unscientific to take K+ supplements when i suspect it is excess K+ in the ECF that causes cramping problems in the first place. Would something that mops up K+ very quickly help? How about a pure Chloride pill?
I once read an abstract talking about how adrenaline might act by re-distributing the K+ into other tissues (to prevent cardiac arrest). Maybe we should try epipens instead.
He goes on to say that if you cease the activity, then resume, the cramps will go away. Since no electrolytes magically appear in your system, it follows that it wasn’t an electrolyte deficiency that caused the cramps in the first place.
Wow, wish my body would have known that during my marathon last year and Eagleman this year! Then maybe after each time I stopped to stretch a little, walked some and then resumed running again I would not have had any problems! It should have known that, but it didn’t read the article I guess … (And considering I was still peeing relatively clear and was not super dehydrated in both instances).
All the current sports physiologists and Gatorade/Gu/Hammer/Accel/etc. researchers are just full of sh-t then, guess they should stop making products …
Well, the fact that Hammer’s Endurolytes have a trivially small amount of sodium (read: useless) might tell you something about their marketing.
What do electrolytes do ?
This is in response to several of the above:
THEY DO NOT CONDUCT ELECTRICITY IN ANIMALS AT ALL !!!
They are involved, among other things, in membrane function. One relevant function is in nerve signal conduction along an axon (Na and K), another is signaling across a synapse (Ca associated with release of neurotransmitters), another is muscle contraction (Ca).
This is a bit too involved to describe in a short post, but essentially they move across membranes, alter the charge potential and induce (or not) ion channels to open in their neighborhood. Ion channels allow specific ions to move across the membrane down diffusion gradients. Signals spread because of the relatively localized alterations in ion channels.
I have not read the article, but the brief description up thread is consistent with what my PT told me about my chronic calf cramping problems. Fatigued muscles do not respond to nervous system signals, NS responds by excess signaling, muscle spasms. Or something like that. I have not searched for or come across any scientific literature on the mechanisms, what is known, etc. but maybe AC is up on this ?
I am a biologist (PhD) but physiology is not my specialty.
I dont know about this study but in my personal experience I used to get cramps on my calves when going hard at the end of races. After I started religously using endurolytes while racing/hard training i has not happened once ever again (knock on wood…) some discomfort sometimes but never cramps.
Me too
Actually, I teach Intro Biol so I have had a lot of reinforcement of stuff outside my real expertise that I would prob have forgotten (or that wasn’t even known) since my student days
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Imagine that Just went through this 3 weeks ago at mile 20 in my last marathon. I was not dehydrated. I did not need more K+ or NaCl. I was just too fast from miles 14-18.
