Geeky athletes who do the numbers know that cramps afflict 39 percent of marathon runners, 79 percent of triathletes, and 60 percent of cyclists at one time or another. What they don’t know is why. Cramps are, as Gina Kolata writes in this New York Times piece, a medical mystery. The Times reports that cramps are commonly attributed to one of three factors: dehydration, electrolytic deficiency, and, more likely, an imbalance between nerve signals that excite a muscle and those that
inhibit its contractions. Such an imbalance is more likely to occur when a
muscle is growing fatigued. Geezer, who barely passed high school biology, goes with door number three.
Read more about what may cause cramps, but probably doesn’t, in the New York Times.
Health, fitness and lifestyle tips for people over 50 who still like to play hard
Saturday, May 31, 2025
This was interesting.
I have always gotten very severe “charlie horses” after a work out or a ride. Never while riding but almost always after. And very painful lockups they were.I drink gallons of fluid and carbed up but they always came.A simple fact of life to be endured said I.
2 years ago I was not recovering well from work outs or rides so I sat down and added up all I was eating and drinking and discovered that although I was getting plenty of calories and fluid my protein consumption was no where near even close the the lower limit recommended. To that end I started a regimen of using a whey protein supplement after every workout.It had a immediate effect on fatigue level and recovery rate. What was not expected was the fact that I have had only one “charlie horse “session in the past 2 years.
My take on this unexpected result is that the muscles cramp up because they are rebuilding after a workout and if protein is not available they cannibalize neighboring tissue.Merely a guess of course but the results are there nonetheless.