Does Drinking Pickle Juice Actually Help with Muscle Cramps? (2024)

It's tennis season, and Carlos Alcaraz has been making headlines left and right for winning Wimbledon, defeating seven-time champion Novak Djokovic. Some wonder how the young athlete overcame previous injuries as he struggled with severe leg cramps and was defeated by Djokovic just last month at the French Open.

According to the speculations of Wimbledon announcers, 20-year-old Alcaraz may have been following the remedy that his fellow athletes swear by to help prevent muscle cramps: pickle juice.

Yes, really, and this isn't a new trend. Tennis star Frances Tiafoe, Philadelphia Eagles players and many athletes around the world drink or gargle shots of pickle juice in order to decrease the risk of muscle cramps and help them perform their best. But does this actually work? Here's what we think about this briny solution.

Does Drinking Pickle Juice Help with Cramps?

First, here's the nutrition breakdown of a 100-milliliter serving of pickle juice (about 3.4 ounces) from The Pickle Juice Company:

• 0 calories
• 0 grams total fat
• 342 milligrams sodium
• 0 grams carbohydrates
• 0 grams total sugar
• 0 grams protein
• 29 milligrams potassium

We can see why athletes take shots of pickle juice, based on this information. Pickle juice is packed with electrolytes like sodium and potassium, and electrolytes can help decrease the risk of muscle cramps, according to a research study published in the Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition in 2021. The study showed that drinking electrolyte-packed beverages was more effective in helping prevent muscle cramps than drinking water.

So while, yes, pickle juice may help decrease the risk of cramps when you drink it before exercise, due to its high amounts of electrolytes, it won't necessarily relieve your already-existing muscle cramps. Plus, there's something to keep in mind before you take a swig.

A 100-milliliter serving of pickle juice contains 343 milligrams of sodium, which is nearly 15% of your recommended daily intake of sodium per the Food and Drug Administration's guidelines. So if you're looking to add pickle juice to your fitness routine, try to be mindful of your sodium intake throughout the day. If you consume too much salt, your body may experience negative symptoms like bloating, puffiness and headaches.

The Bottom Line

In general, pickle juice can actually lessen the risk of muscle cramps if you're in need of an easy remedy. But if you're already consuming too much salt in your diet—which is common for Americans, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention—you may want to try focusing on other electrolytes by eating high-potassium foods like bananas, avocados and yogurt to prevent cramping instead.

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