Pickle Juice

By Edward Kane

Think fast: What was the biggest news in sports nutrition last summer? Answer: Pickle juice! Professional football trainers for a few NFL teams had their players chugging pickle juice in an effort to rapidly hydrate them. An interesting concept to say the least, but is pickle juice really the best way to hydrate the body when it has been depleted of valuable electrolytes?

Pickle juice is basically acetic acid (vinegar) and water with a bit of salt (sodium chloride) to give it some flavor. All muscle cells, like the heart, use sodium (Na) to close or contract the cell, and potassium (K) to relax the cell. Calcium (Ca) starts the closing process with Na doing the actual closing; magnesium (Mg) starts the reverse side of the pump—relaxing. Potassium (K) is the key element responsible for managing the relaxing process within the cell. In order for the human body to function properly under physical stress, all 4 of the mineral electrolytes (sodium, potassium, magnesium, and calcium) are absolutely required. If they are not replaced, you wind up with a cramp, or arrhythmia. Both are alleviated with K and Mg if you can catch it in time. Prolonged effects of improper replenishment can result in serious injury or death.

Vinegar is used to remove sodium from the body, so drinking pickle juice will, in a way, tend to help balance the lack of K and low Mg (the back side of the beat). Generally we get too much sodium from processed foods like snacks, chips, etc. For over 20 years our team at BodyBio (makers of ElyteSport) have been teaching doctors to use vinegar for high blood pressure because of its ability of acetic acid to lower Na levels. The vast majority of the medical world uses a calcium blocker to control (lower) the timing of the pump. Block the Ca and you lower the beat count. In actuality you block some of the heart cells from performing. Not the preferred route. It would be far better to add in the desperately needed potassium and magnesium rather than lower Ca or Na.

There is also an added benefit to having plenty of K and MG. Quite simply, you increase endurance. One of the principle reasons for fading under stress is that you run out of K and MG. The body has a marvelous ability to conserve Na, but doesn’t do the same with K or Mg. In addition you may need some nutrients, even a bit of sugar to keep you up, but the real key lies in the supply of electrolytes. We will all fade out sooner or later, but those on ElyteSport have the edge. In essence it’s an electrolyte numbers game. Check out the comparison chart at elytesport.com. There is no other product on the market that comes close to replenishing electrolytes like ElyteSport. Keep the pickle juice in the pickle jar and reach for ElyteSport when you need serious electrolyte replenishment!

Don’t hesitate to give me a call or send me an email if you have any questions about hydration or ElyteSport.

More:
• The E-Lyte Story: Why You Need Electrolytes!
• Sugar Free Electrolytes
• Compare ElyteSport with other "Sports" drinks
• Pickle Juice
• Taking A Peek Inside a Muscle Cramp
• Night Cramps
• ElyteSport Preloading

References:
• References depicting the difficulty within the Medical Community to Resolve "Cramping"