Thread: Intense Cramping during Soccer

buy the powdered gatorade and mix it with water.....it is usually pretty cheap compared to buying a bottle everytime.

Originally Posted by YSK

Hi, its been quite awhile since ive posted here. anyways I play soccer at a competitive level, and for sometime now, ive been experiencing cramping near the last 15 minutes of play, which are critical. Its mostly in my calfs, so i figured that maybe during stretching, i focus more on my calfs but it often makes no difference. my dad tells me its a lack of sodium that leads to my cramping, so instead of water my dad got me gatorade once, and it did help, but i dont wanna buy gatorade all the time, is there like a homemade version of gatorade or something to help with the cramping i could just mix in my water?

Take a sodium tablet before the game. It helps your body retain water and helps cramping stop. -Don't know much else about them or where to get them sorry.

Bodybuilding.com has some good articles on cramping. Sounds like it is most likely caused by low electrolytes. Nerve impulses use altenating of electrolytes across the nerve in sending an electrical signal. Mess up the electrolytes and you will mess up your nervous system. Most americans get plenty of sodium and chloride in table salt. It is most likly potassium, calcium or magnesium. Never overdue any one electrolyte as they can be toxic, Potassium Chloride is used in lethal injection for serial killers to cause ventricular fibrilation with the excess potassium infused rapidly. Sports drinks like gatoraid in moderation sounds like a good starting place. Otherwise see your doctor if the problem does not resolve.

Sounds like dehydration...

I looked at the contents of gatoraid and see no calcium or magnesium. You could take a calcium magnesium zink supplement and eat a bannana 45 minutes prior to your soccerer games/practice to get potasium. Eat a pinch table salt and you have covered all your electolytes. Then it is likely just a matter of keeping hydrated.

gatorjuice!

Originally Posted by Bernie2

I looked at the contents of gatoraid and see no calcium or magnesium. You could take a calcium magnesium zink supplement and eat a bannana 45 minutes prior to your soccerer games/practice to get potasium. Eat a pinch table salt and you have covered all your electolytes. Then it is likely just a matter of keeping hydrated.

huh?

http://www.gatorade.com/formula_and_nutrition_info/


What's In It?

Gatorade Thirst Quencher has been scientifically formulated to provide athletes an optimal choice for hydration before, during and after training and competition. The specific formulation – which has been tested and retested in numerous lab settings since 1965 – contains four key components:


Electrolytes

Gatorade Thirst Quencher contains a blend of lab-tested electrolytes – sodium, potassium and chloride – to replenish the minerals athletes lose through sweat during exercise and competition. (1, 2, 3) Electrolytes help regulate a number of body functions, and athletes with a substantial electrolyte deficit may experience muscle cramping, heat stress and fatigue. In addition to replacing what is lost through sweat, the electrolytes in Gatorade trigger activation of the body’s thirst mechanism, encouraging athletes to fully hydrate themselves. (1, 4)

Flavor

Studies have shown people are apt to hydrate themselves more completely with flavored beverages as opposed to unflavored water. (4) Each Gatorade flavor endures a rigorous array of tests to ensure that its great taste falls within a range that encourages athletes to adequately hydrate themselves, regardless of their perceived hydration needs, which can often be misleading. (10)

Carbohydrates

During lab tests, the 6% carbohydrate solution in Gatorade (14 grams per 8 oz) has repeatedly demonstrated itself to be the optimal percentage for speeding fluid and energy back into the body. (5, 6) The right mix of glucose, sucrose and fructose assures rapid fluid delivery (7) and use of carbohydrates by the body. 8 Higher concentrations of carbohydrates or carbohydrate mixes different from Gatorade have been shown to actually slow overall fluid absorption, and they do not produce better performance. (9, 10)

Maximized Fluid Osmolality

Research shows that with the right types and amounts of carbohydrates, fluid absorption occurs as quickly as water as long as the osmolality (particle content of the fluid) is close to that of blood (280 mOsm/kg). Gatorade features a 6% carbohydrate formula that ranges between 280 and 340 mOsm/kg, enabling Gatorade to promote faster fluid absorption than other sports drinks with higher carbohydrate concentrations and osmolality levels.

Gatorade. All that you need. Nothing that you don’t.


Footnotes:

1. Wilk, B. and Bar-Or, O. J Appl Physiol, 80:1112-1117, 1996.
2. Meyer, F. et al. Med Sci Sports Exerc, 24:776-781, 1992.
3. Vrijens, D.M.J. and Rehrer, N.J. J Appl Physiol, 86:1847-1851, 1999.
4. Passe, D.H. et al. Appetite 35:219-229, 2000.
5. Murray, R. et al. Int J Sports Nutr 9:263-274, 1999.
6. Ryan, A.J. et al. J Appl Physiol, 84: 1581-1588, 1998.
7. Shi, X. et al. Med Sci Sports Exerc, 27: 1607-1615, 1995.
8. Adolpho, et al. J Appl Physiol 76:1014-1019, 1994.
9. Schedl, H.P. et al. Med Sci Sports Exerc 26:267-280, 1994.
10. Casa, DJ, et al. NATA Position Statement: Fluid Replacement for Athletes. J Athl Training 35:212-224, 2000.

"Heat, Dehydration & Electrolyte Depletion:
Muscle cramps are more likely when you exercise in hot weather because sweat drains your body’s fluids, salt and minerals (i.e., potassium, magnesium and calcium). Loss of these nutrients may also cause a muscle to spasm."

That is a direct copy and paste from a bodybuilding article on cramping. I don't see any magnesium or calcium in gatoraid. Gatoraid is great for rehydration but it does not contain all the electrolytes as I stated in my previous posting. If a person wanted to get electrolytes they could eat them as I stated in my previous positng. Just give time for it to get out of the gut before activity and get enough h20. Gatoraid is a great product but it is not the cureall for cramping. Please read my posting closely before you play gotcha. Check mate.

Originally Posted by Bernie2

"Heat, Dehydration & Electrolyte Depletion:
Muscle cramps are more likely when you exercise in hot weather because sweat drains your body’s fluids, salt and minerals (i.e., potassium, magnesium and calcium). Loss of these nutrients may also cause a muscle to spasm."

That is a direct copy and paste from a bodybuilding article on cramping. I don't see any magnesium or calcium in gatoraid. Gatoraid is great for rehydration but it does not contain all the electrolytes as I stated in my previous posting. If a person wanted to get electrolytes they could eat them as I stated in my previous positng. Just give time for it to get out of the gut before activity and get enough h20. Gatoraid is a great product but it is not the cureall for cramping. Please read my posting closely before you play gotcha. Check mate.

As far as I know, no significant amount of any elecyrolyte except salt is lost in sweat. Some potassium is lost, but not enough to upset elecrolyte balance.