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Players who find themselves in a pickle at this year’s US Open will have an unlikely remedy waiting courtside.
For the first time, Mount Sinai’s medical team is bringing a unique beverage to the tournament that can help ease exercise-related muscle cramps within minutes.
And no, it’s not the Honey Deuce.
Typically, when a cramp strikes, the fix involves gentle stretching, targeted massage, hydration and electrolytes. But a briny swig of pickle juice may also do the trick.
“While hydration and electrolyte replacement remain the most important, research suggest that pickle juice may relieve an acute cramp through a different mechanism than simply replacing sodium or fluids,” Dr. Melissa Leber, a sports medicine physician at Mount Sinai and the director of player medical services at the US Open, told The Post.
That distinction matters because studies show that some people get muscle cramps even when their electrolyte levels are normal. In those cases, downing Gatorade isn’t enough.
“The theory is that the acetic acid or vinegar in pickle juice stimulates sensory cell receptors in the mouth and throat, triggering a neurologic reflex that helps reduce muscle cramping,” Leber explained.
It can happen within a couple of minutes — faster than just replacing electrolytes. But that doesn’t mean athletes will be ditching their water bottles for jars of Vlasic.
Muscle cramps are common among elite athletes, particularly during intense exercise in the heat — making them a familiar foe at the US Open.
Water helps replace fluids lost through sweat, and sports drinks replenish fluids, electrolytes and carbohydrates. Pickle juice, meanwhile, may help stop an acute muscle cramp in its tracks.
Together, the three can give players a well-rounded strategy for staying in the game — and could offer the same benefit to anyone who finds themselves sidelined by a cramp after exercising in the heat.
“That said, pickle juice isn’t something I recommend drinking routinely before every workout,” Leber said. “It’s best viewed as an acute treatment for a cramp, not as a daily hydration strategy or performance
enhancer.”
While the early evidence behind pickle juice is encouraging, the science is still evolving, and Leber said not every cramp will respond the same way — and like anything, pickle juice isn’t for everyone, especially because of the high sodium content.
The exact amount varies by brand, and because pickle juice isn’t typically sold as a beverage, nutrition information for the liquid itself can be hard to pin down.
But one popular pickle brand says its spears contain 330 milligrams of sodium each — about 14% of the daily value. The juice itself could contain even more.
Still, Leber said the amount typically used to treat muscle cramps just two or three ounces rather than an entire bottle.
“Most healthy athletes tolerate those small volumes well,” she said. “People with certain medical conditions, such as hypertension, heart failure and kidney disease, should use caution or discuss it with their healthcare provider.”
Beating the heat: Preventative steps besides pickle juice
There are other steps you can take besides pickles to avoid dehydration and heat-related illness when exercising outdoors in the heat.
“The best way to prevent heat illness starts long before someone becomes thirsty,” Leber said.
For prolonged exercise, that means starting to hydrate the day before and continuing to drink throughout the activity, replacing both fluids and electrolytes along the way.
Nutrition matters, too: “Lack of carbs is thought to contribute to muscle cramping.”
And while pickle juice may come to the rescue when pain strikes, Leber stressed that it’s no substitute for the basics.
“Pickle juice may help treat a cramp, but it does not prevent dehydration or heat illness,” she said. “Those conditions require appropriate hydration, cooling and prompt medical evaluation when indicated.”
