anyone cured their cramps?

"the blur" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]

Quoted message said:

so my buddy reliably gets fairly severe cramps about 2 1/2
-3 hrs into a ride. he drinks a lot of gatorade, eats
snacks (sports bars) during the ride, but still has to get
off his bike and lie in the dirt at the side of the road,
while we try to staighten his rather strong legs out. has
anyone had a similar problem? did anything help? thanks.
sorry if this isn't about cycling equipment.

Dehydration is not the only source of cramps. Lack of
quinine and/or potassium can also cause them. Non-
prescription quinine you can get from tonic water, potassium
from bananas.

--

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[QUOTE]Originally posted by Drs

Dehydration is not the only source of cramps. Lack of
quinine and/or potassium can also cause them. Non-
prescription quinine you can get from tonic water, potassium
from bananas.

--
gatorade has potassium in it.
i was thinking of recomending tonic water, however i was concerned with strenuous exercise and arythmias, since i guess it is similar ( an isomer) to quinidine, a cardiac rhythm drug. anyone used quinine?

I have a friend that lives on quinine when we do long rides.
I believe you can only get it with a prescription. Years ago
it was taken off the shelves because women were using it to
cause abortion.

the blur <[email hidden]> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Originally posted by Drs

Dehydration is not the only source of cramps. Lack of
quinine and/or potassium can also cause them. Non-
prescription quinine you can get from tonic water,
potassium from bananas.

--
gatorade has potassium in it. i was thinking of
recomending tonic water, however i was concerned with
strenuous exercise and arythmias, since i guess it is
similar ( an isomer) to quinidine, a cardiac rhythm drug.
anyone used quinine?

--

In article <[email hidden]>,

the blur said:

so my buddy reliably gets fairly severe cramps about 2 1/2
-3 hrs into a ride. he drinks a lot of gatorade, eats
snacks (sports bars) during the ride, but still has to get
off his bike and lie in the dirt at the side of the road,
while we try to staighten his rather strong legs out. has
anyone had a similar problem? did anything help? thanks.
sorry if this isn't about cycling equipment.

To rule out dehydration, try weighing before and after the
ride. In some climates you can drink a lot and still end up
with a deficit.

This web page has some useful cramping information for
cyclists:

roadbikerider.comcramps.htmOpen ↗

I have had some success use calcium-magnesium pills which
are available at the supermarket. Some people report success
eating Tums as well which are also conveniently available.

You can get a more comprehensive (and expensive) mineral
supplement such as this:

e-e-Open ↗
caps.com/products/detail.cfm?div=Products&cat=Hammer&det=En-
durolytes&sku=EL

Quoted message said:

....Non-prescription quinine you can get from tonic
water...

A quick Google search turned up these... draw your own
conclusions.

A few small studies suggest that quinine is effective in
decreasing the frequency of nocturnal leg cramps but not
their severity or duration. Quinine consumed in commercial
beverages has been reported to cause potentially fatal
immunologically mediated hypersensitivity reactions. The
concentration of quinine in commercial beverages varies
greatly. Although commercial beverages containing quinine
generally are labeled "Contains quinine," they typically
lack both nutritional information about the amount of
quinine and warnings of the health risks. It appears that
325 milligrams of quinine taken by mouth at bedtime
typically relieves nocturnal leg cramps, but lower starting
doses are appropriate for senior citizens and individuals
with impaired renal function. In general, quinine in any
form should be avoided by pregnant women and people with
hepatic failure. Quinine consumed for the treatment of leg
cramps should be prescribed and monitored by physicians, and
people who consume quinine in commercial beverages must be
warned of the health risks.

From another site:

The risks associated with quinine relate to the side
effects. These include ringing in the ears, decreased
hearing, vertigo, blurred vision, nausea, vomiting,
diarrhea, abdominal pain, flushing or itching of the skin,
headache, and fever. In particular, quinine should not be
used by people with ringing in the ears (tinnitus) or
nerve disease of the nerve to the eyes (optic nerve).
Patients with irregular heart rhythms, such as atrial
fibrillation, should talk to their doctor about whether
they can take quinine.

Cheers, Shawn

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In article <[email hidden]>, the

blur said:

so my buddy reliably gets fairly severe cramps about 2 1/2
-3 hrs into a ride. he drinks a lot of gatorade, eats
snacks (sports bars) during the ride, but still has to get
off his bike and lie in the dirt at the side of the road,
while we try to staighten his rather strong legs out. has
anyone had a similar problem? did anything help? thanks.
sorry if this isn't about cycling equipment.

_ Gatorade is pretty awful stuff. I've had much better luck
with Cytomax. I've dealt with this problem in several sports
(windsurfing, skiing, running, cycling) and generally if I
keep the fluids up I don't have problems. However, nobody
really knows what causes exercise induced cramps, so there
is no "one size fits all" solution. Sports bars in this case
could actually worsen the problem as your stomach uses blood
when digesting. For 3 hr rides, eating is probably not a
good idea. If this is 3 hrs into a longer ride, I would try
eating banannas rather than "sports bar", some of which are
just awful. They are just slightly more nutrious candy bars.
Clearly, what he's doing now is not working.

_ He might also try sport gels like GU, but be careful. Most
of them have some level of caffiene.

_ Booker C. Bense

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Quoted message said:

I have a friend that lives on quinine when we do long
rides. I believe

you

Quoted message said:

can only get it with a prescription. Years ago it was
taken off the shelves because women were using it to cause
abortion.

Quinine sulfate is distributed by prescription. Maybe the OP
was talking about quinine water solutions.

Pat in TX

I used to have a severe problem with hyponatremia. I'd not
only cramp (and for hours after the ride) but have almost
colorless urine for hours as well - while continuing to
experience dehydration symptoms.

What worked for me is a HammerGel product - Endurolytes.
They have sodium, potassium, magnesium, chromium, and a few
other ions.

Last AUG, I rode across (very humid!) southern IL where a
heat index approached 110 F. Popping the Endurolytes like
M&M's, I experienced no dehydration or electrolyte
balance problems.

the blur <[email hidden]> wrote in
news:azwmc.212$im1.51 @fe14.usenetserver.com:

Quoted message said:

so my buddy reliably gets fairly severe cramps about 2 1/2
-3 hrs into

a

Quoted message said:

ride. he drinks a lot of gatorade, eats snacks (sports
bars) during

the

Quoted message said:

ride, but still has to get off his bike and lie in the
dirt at the

side

Quoted message said:

of the road, while we try to staighten his rather strong
legs out. has anyone had a similar problem? did anything
help? thanks. sorry if this isn't about cycling equipment.

the blur said:

so my buddy reliably gets fairly severe cramps about 2 1/2
-3 hrs into a ride. he drinks a lot of gatorade, eats
snacks (sports bars) during the ride, but still has to get
off his bike and lie in the dirt at the side of the road,
while we try to staighten his rather strong legs out. has
anyone had a similar problem? did anything help? thanks.
sorry if this isn't about cycling equipment.

A friend cured his hamstring cramps by weight training to
make them stronger. He reasoned they were weak enough than
even the low stress he put on them while cycling was
nevertheless taxing them to the
limit.

the blur said:

so my buddy reliably gets fairly severe cramps about 2 1/2
-3 hrs into a ride. he drinks a lot of gatorade, eats
snacks (sports bars) during the ride, but still has to get
off his bike and lie in the dirt at the side of the road,
while we try to staighten his rather strong legs out. has
anyone had a similar problem? did anything help? thanks.
sorry if this isn't about cycling equipment.

Ride more. I used to be mainly a weekend warrior. When our
club had those more taxing rides I would inevitably cramp-
up. Now that I ride five days a week I rarely cramp-up.
Still get them though. Just not as often or severe.

Kenny Lee

"Shawn Amir" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

....Non-prescription quinine you can get from tonic
water...

A quick Google search turned up these... draw your own
conclusions.

A few small studies suggest that quinine is effective in
decreasing the frequency of nocturnal leg cramps but not
their severity or duration.

I take prescribed quinine bisulphate tablets precisely
because I suffer from cramps in my calves and feet, mostly
but not always at night. They're the next best thing to
magic. However, since I now train regularly (gym/road
cycling), eat properly and have given up the smokes they
have all but disappeared.

[...]

Quoted message said:

The risks associated with quinine relate to the side
effects. These include ringing in the ears, decreased
hearing, vertigo, blurred vision, nausea, vomiting,
diarrhea, abdominal pain, flushing or itching of the skin,
headache, and fever.

I've never suffered any of those side effects from quinine.
Then again, I ignore the "take one daily after food"
nonsense on the label and just have one when I need to, at
most once per week these days and that's more prophylactic
than anything else.

--

A: Top-posters.
B: What is the most annoying thing on Usenet?

the blur <[email hidden]> wrote in message news:<[email hidden]>...

Quoted message said:

so my buddy reliably gets fairly severe cramps about 2 1/2
-3 hrs into a ride. he drinks a lot of gatorade, eats
snacks (sports bars) during the ride, but still has to get
off his bike and lie in the dirt at the side of the road,
while we try to staighten his rather strong legs out. has
anyone had a similar problem? did anything help? thanks.
sorry if this isn't about cycling equipment.

for relief: firmly press between the lip & nose, the skin
to the teeth. it's an acupunture kinda pressure point.
(tho some say press the lower lip for lower body issues.)
i don't think Gatorade have anywhere near enuff Na or P:
consider how much salt collects on your togs. i'd spike
whatever i'm drinking, typically powdered Ice-Tea, w/
Morton Lite-Salt. (i don't cook w/ it; i think the heat
breaks it down & give the food a metallic taste.)

the blur <[email hidden]> wrote in message news:<[email hidden]>...

Quoted message said:

so my buddy reliably gets fairly severe cramps about 2 1/2
-3 hrs into a ride. he drinks a lot of gatorade, eats
snacks (sports bars)

---------------

I've tried all kinds of things.... have a tendancy to cramp
up after 2-3 hours myself, or in the bike/run transitions of
triathlons. I ride almost every day commuting, and then long
rides a couple times a week.
- 12-16 oz of tonic water the night before seems to help,
but it may be the Gin. 😉
- before a ride, take a swig of pickle juice. Pro football
teams are doing it, and it seems to help.
- drink mostly water, not sports drinks... it seems to
rehydrate faster
- I had no improvement with mag-calcium suppliments

d

dan baker said:

- drink mostly water, not sports drinks... it seems to
rehydrate faster

No, it doesn't. Plain water is absorbed more slowly than a
sports drink. On long, hot rides, drinking plain water is a
recipe for hyponatremia. At the Hawaii Ironman, about half
of the competitors finish being both dehydrated and
hyponatremic.

geo-outdoors.infohyponatremia.htmOpen ↗
--
terry morse Palo Alto, CA bike.terrymorse.combike.terrymorse.comOpen ↗

the blur said:

Originally posted by Drs

Dehydration is not the only source of cramps. Lack of
quinine and/or potassium can also cause them. Non-
prescription quinine you can get from tonic water,
potassium from bananas.

--
gatorade has potassium in it. i was thinking of
recomending tonic water, however i was concerned with
strenuous exercise and arythmias, since i guess it is
similar ( an isomer) to quinidine, a cardiac rhythm drug.
anyone used quinine?

Gatorade doesn't have much of nothin' in it. Use it as a
base if you like, or get some lemonade mix. Add a pinch of
salt -- lite salt (potassium) every now and then. Drink.
Ride. Drink.

Pat