[joxcole]

Hey all. My name is Jacques. I am an ER Nurse who has ridden and raced for 20 plus years. I am new to this rockin site and would like to offer any assistance I can.

I deal in Natural Supplements, and am uniquely qualified to help people achieve sports and medical goals in safe and natural ways. LET IT BE SAID NOW, I will help ANYBODY I CAN, whether you are interested in MY SUPPLEMENTS or NOT.

I enjoy helping and spend a lot of time educating people about their health issues. If you have a question, please ask and I will either give you the straight info, or tell you "This is what the so and so says" and if I don't know something I'll tell you that too instead of shooting you a load of bull.

Jacques

[kingofthewoods]

I've got one. i am 15, 6 '2 160 pounds, and in very good shape. I exercise regularly and do other sports. I eat healthier than 99% of people my age, electrolytes, sodium, calcium,protein, potasium, all vitamins.

My problem is that i get very bad cramps everywhere in my body. I have had ones in my sides when i run or even walk for 100 ft...? This has been like that for a long time, but in the last 2 years I have started to get them all over my body. My toes cramp and fold onto each other, and my foot trys to point itself like a dancer for no reason. The worst are in my legs, charley horses my thigh and my calf simataniously ( leaving me no where to bend to release the pain) I have even woke up 3 in the morning screaming from a cramp in my leg. When i ride I get them in my hands where they try to fold into a ball. Others include back, shoulders, neck, trapps. And this is with no physical exersize to just a tiny bit.

I've been to doctors all around the tri state area with no result. They know somethings wrong but not sure what it is. I have done all sorts of blood work, some needles with electric current that made noise or somthing, and everything else. So see if you can help with this.......

~Kyle~

[CAMERON]

My brother had the same problem. He was drinking to much water. he was drinking about 2 gallons per day. During motos he was over hydrated, cramping, and was sweating to much. He cut down to about 60 ounces per day, started taking vitamins, and started eating pickles. The pickle part sounds funny but it worked.

[joxcole]

I sent kingofthewoods a detailed PM on this, but I will do a brief public response as well.

As the previous person said, too much water can cause generalized cramping. A person who is not exercising or working outside should drink 64 ounces or 1/2 gallon of water a day. I double that when I am outside and drink about a gallon a day. The Army says you should drink 1 quart of water every hour that you are outside in extreme heat, but with higher volumes (Maybe 1 gallon per day and up) you need to replace electrolytes.

Several vitamins and minerals in the body can cause generalized cramping when they are low. Doctors do not test these levels so your medical blood work could still look good. Not all vitamins are created equal. Make sure your vitamins are derived from natural plant sources and it is also good if they use a secondary technique to increase absorption like amino acid encapsulation.

Acidosis of the body would in theory cause generalized body cramping. Please don't confuse this with Metabolic Acidosis which is a dangerous condition in which the blood pH is off. The body must maintain a very narrow range for blood pH and the pH of less critical body fluids is adjusted to keep your blood normal. It is estimated that 90% of Americans live in a state of Chronic Acidosis largely in part to diet and stress. If the interstitial fluids (fluid between cells) is acidic it can cramping similar to when lactic acid builds up around the muscles during anaerobic exercise. You can easily test your pH by testing your urine with pH strips. It typically runs around 6.4. I suggest a goal of 7.0 for urine pH of people with cramping problems during exercise. You can use alkalizing greens drinks like "Core Greens" to Alkalize these fluids.

Another method of alkalizing the body is with a water ionizer/alkalizer. These concentrate minerals like calcium and sodium in the water causing the pH to go up. A side effect of this process is the oxygen molecules in the water are broken down from the normal cluster size of 30 - 40 molecules per cluster to 8 - 10 molecules per cluster allowing better oxygenation of the body. (I use this method and went from arm pump starting in the first 5 minutes of the ride to never having another muscle cramp since. Unfortunately the machine runs $600 plus)

Finally, a chronic generalized cramping, especially one that is undiagnosable by western medicine, could easily be some kind of environmental toxin. These are usually very ambiguous and difficult to identify and could be related to diet, water source, geographical location, or chemical and metal exposures. I can't help with this, but there are people who specialize in this area. One way of identifying if you fit into this category is to do a thorough detox and see if the symptoms resolve.

[nedirtbikr]

Great explanation, but a bit over my head. I will get arm pump now and then. I also, at time, get "leg pump" (right around the inside of my thighs.) I am definately not in the best shape that I could be (and am working on it,) but I am far from a couch potato.

What I'm most interested in is how/what to drink/eat before and during a hard days ride to help keep the cramping at bay. It doesn't happen all the time, but when it does, it's a bit tough to overcome.

Do you have any recommendations of what to do/eat/drink at the time of cramping to help it subside/go away. Or, is it one of the those things like dehydration...once you're feeling thirsty, you're already dehydrated?

Is gatorade and those kinds of drinks all they're hyped up to be? (it's typically what we use.) Also, we keep bananas handy because I've alway been taught they help with muscle cramping in general. I have eaten them and they have seemed to help some, but I don't know if they actually helped or I'm just tricking myself into thinking so and just not riding as hard.

I guess I'm looking for some "at the time" remedies to help. Thanks for sharing your knowledge. I'm far from a "medical" type person, so please use small words.

Thanks again.

[joxcole]

Once you get a cramp, there is no quicker remedy than having it massaged out by a good looking young girl. In a pinch, I guess you can massage it and stretch it out yourself.

Potasium and Sodium replacement with Bananas or Sports drink should help over the next couple of hours. Sports drinks are acceptable for water and electrolyte replacement when you are working out. I usually mix 50/50 with water but full strength is okay for an adult. I do not suggest Energy drinks, EVER! They actually cause increased dehydration. I also never drink sports drinks if I am not working out because they have been linked to high blood pressure from the extra salt and are suspect for diabetes when taken by children. Lastly, on sports drinks, I don't suggest drinking them before your workout. What happens is your body gets an excess of electrolytes which triggers you to urinate a lot and you end up with lower electrolytes than you started with.

Alkalizing your body the day before and day of riding (I suggest all the time) can help prevent muscle cramps because you start out farther from that acidic level at which the cramps start. I use "Core Greens" which is an Alkalizing greens drink that is equivalent in nutrients to 7 pounds of raw vegetables so you get your vitamins too. Send a private message if you want to know where to get this.

In summary:

Energy Drinks - Very Bad

Water 1/2 gallon to 1 gallon a day - Good

Sports Drinks - In Moderation only during & after workout

Bananas - Okay for cramps, takes a couple of hours to work

Cramps rubbed out by pretty girl - Best Idea Yet

[Asmith]

Great Post!!!!!

Thanks for the info.

[uniped]

Verygood post, great info not only for the purpose of riding. There will be one less 4 year old drinking Gatorade and one less 12 year old drinking it before soccer od any other activity. I will most likely quit haveing a Red Bull before riding as well. Thanks.

Scott
________
TOYOTA U ENGINE

[Asmith]

I will most likely quit having a Red Bull before riding as well. Thanks.

Scott

I'm guessing your sponsor isn't gonna be happy with that statement...

[uniped]

Guess I will have to get a RedBull water bottle for podium shots.
________
Vaporizer wiki

[Asmith]

Guess I will have to get a RedBull water bottle for podium shots.

Yeah, you don't want to have the Red Bull Trophy girls standing next to the second place guy.

[nedirtbikr]

In summary:
- Energy Drinks - Very Bad
- Water 1/2 gallon to 1 gallon a day - Good
- Sports Drinks - In Moderation only during & after workout
- Bananas - Okay for cramps, takes a couple of hours to work
- Cramps rubbed out by pretty girl - Best Idea Yet

Well, even though the "pretty girl" thing is fine with me, my wife may have an issue. Maybe I can show her this post and point out the fact that particular remedy is most recommended by a medical/nutritional professional?

Thanks A LOT for the info. I'm gonna do a little research on the Core Greens product. I see it's about $50/bottle. It does sound like a pretty decent product. Again, let me do a little research, formulate questions I'm sure I'll have, and I'll get with you.

THANKS!

[NCLR1]

Tell her she is the pretty girl

[djh65]

Show her the post first. Then ask her if she will do it for you. You'll be in.
David

[nedirtbikr]

"She IS the pretty one"...good plan guys! If she refuses, then I'll get joxcole to write me a prescription for the local "massage parlor." Wonder if insurance would cover that?