10 Ways To Treat Muscle Cramps From Exercise

Exercise Associated Muscle Cramps (EAMC) 

If you are an athlete and experience Exercise Associated Muscle Cramps (EAMC), the pain can be excruciating. These sudden, involuntary, sharp and stabbing pains are awful to experience. In my last pickleball tournament, two guys, both younger than 40, got cramps in the middle of our match and had to forfeit because they couldn’t continue. These cramps can make one feel fearful, frustrated, and powerless. You shouldn’t have to suffer this way by feeling embarrassed or ashamed for having to stop in the middle of your match!

I completely understand and empathise with your pain. The good news is I have helped many athletes with this issue clinically so they don’t have to experience this issue ever again. Chinese medicine knows the exact cause of this issue and exactly what to do in order to remedy it.  

So let’s talk about why this happens and the different things you can do to make sure that you never cramp on the court ever again.

In Chinese medicine, muscle cramps occur as a result of an imbalance within the organs of the spleen/pancreas leading to an imbalance/deficiency with the liver. We would refer to it as Liver Blood or Liver Yin Deficiency. As a result of deficiency, blood stagnation occurs. The liver stores the blood when you are not active and when you are active, it sends blood (that has been nourished by the spleen/pancreas) to the muscles to moisten and nourish them. If the liver does not have the necessary nutrients to keep the muscles hydrated and nourished, cramping (stagnation) will occur. When blood stagnates, pain occurs. Most cramps occur in the quads, calf and hamstrings because they are the largest muscles. 

Other symptoms that can arise as a result of cramping are anxiety, trouble concentrating, blood pressure swings, heart palpitations, digestive issues like constipation or diarrhea, headaches, fatigue, and dizziness.

Cramping is an imbalance within the liver, but it is the spleen/pancreas which is in control of sending nutrients to the liver through the breakdown of food and delivery of good usable sugar to feed the muscles. In Western terms simply put, it is poor digestion and lack of good dietary nutrients. In addition to this, the last factor that affects the liver more than anything else is the accumulation of heavy metals and chemicals over decades that we are exposed to daily that cause the liver to not function properly. 

Here is a summary of the primary root cause factors in cramping (EAMC).

1. Poor dietary habits 
2. Lack of proper nutrients (gatorade and sports drinks are not the answer)
3. Lack of hydration which goes deeper than water
4. Heavy metals and chemicals accumulated in the liver
5. Mental and emotional stress
6. Certain medications like diuretics to lower blood pressure, osteoporosis meds, asthma meds/inhalers, ibuprofen/aleve, statins, diabetes meds and having underlying thyroid dysfunction.
7. Not properly stretching/warming up before a match begins. 
8. Overuse and over exercising of the muscles. 
9. Lastly, higher levels of cramping are seen in those of older age, higher body mass index (being overweight), and a family history of cramping.

Out of these factors, it is the diet which plays the most important role. Therefore, the simple solution to cramping is to strengthen digestion, get more nutrients from the diet and cleanse the body of metals and chemicals. 

Before we do that, let’s take a look at what the latest research says about cramping – EAMC.

In Western medicine cramps have been largely addressed scientifically over the years by encouraging athletes to stay hydrated and making sure one has adequate levels of electrolytes. Some recent research has shown that there are no clinically significant alterations in serum electrolyte concentrations in those that cramp and those that do not cramp. In other words, cramping athletes were not more dehydrated with less electrolytes than non-cramping athletes. This is probably true for some people but not for others, especially those with very poor diets. 

With these folks, something else must be at play when they cramp up. That factor is dependent upon the health of the diet, the spleen/pancreas with its ability to get good nutrients into the blood and the health of the liver to deliver those nutrients to the muscles. New research is pointing in a new direction that actually confirms what Chinese medicine has said for thousands of years. Additionally, the reason why cramps are worse at night is because blood flows back to the liver to be stored at night away from the extremities, especially the legs. If the diet/blood is already deficient in nutrients and good clean carbs cramping may also occur at night. 

Most recent evidence suggests that EAMC may be mediated by muscle fatigue that alters neuromuscular control. This new evidence shows that muscles get fatigued first which is then followed by cramping. Not enough good clean carbs and glycogen depletion from the liver are huge contributors. Therefore, it is imperative to consume good clean carbohydrates (organic fruits, vegetables, sweet potatoes, potatoes and NOT junk food, refined sugar, GMO wheat products and white rice) in order to avoid muscle fatigue leading to cramping. Only 10% of adults in the USA eat the recommended daily amount of fruit. Athletes should consume far over the recommended amount of 2 – 3 servings per day. I suggest at least 6-10 servings (cups) of veggies and fruits combined per day for athletes. Especially consider having a piece of fresh organic fruit before and after every athletic event. Bananas are high in potassium, but the research suggests sodium during and magnesium/calcium before and after workouts. 

Other recent evidence also suggests that oral ingestion of transient receptor potential  (TRP) channel agonists like cinnamon, cayenne pepper, ginger, or garlic may lessen the intensity and/or duration of muscle cramps, presumably by dampening alpha motor neuron excitability. Orally ingesting a TRP agonist could increase an individuals’ cramp-threshold frequency for up to six to eight hours after it is taken. 

Things that are hot in nature, such as these herbs, open up blood vessels and increase circulation allowing for good clean carbohydrates and electrolytes/minerals from fruits and vegetables to nourish the muscles. Make sure you put some cinnamon into your oatmeal every morning! Cayenne pepper may be the best dilator of the blood vessels. It is also great for digestion, killing parasites, and destroying pathogenic bacteria in the gut. 

Now that we have talked about some of the latest research, let’s talk specifically about how we can heal Exercise Associated Muscle Cramps (EAMC). This is also good advice for women that experience painful menstrual cramping. There are some incredible Chinese herbal formulas for menstrual cramps. Here are 10 ways we can go about doing that. 

1. Stay Hydrated. The average adult in the US only consumes 39 ounces of water per day. It should be at least 60-100 ounces per day of filtered water for adults. The science says that we especially need to hydrate 30 minutes to 1 hour BEFORE a match and not just during or after. Fluid depletion causes nerve endings to become sensitized which triggers contractions in the space around the nerve and increases pressure on motor nerve endings.
2. Load up on minerals (all major electrolytes). Here are the major electrolytes and some of their functions. Calcium: Nerve signaling, muscle contractions, cell division, bone and teeth formation. Magnesium: Stabilizing heart rhythm, nerve signaling, central nervous system regulation, muscle relaxing. Potassium: Maintain blood pressure, nerve signaling, maintain normal heart rhythms. Sodium: Maintain fluid balance, proper nerve function. Phosphate: Energy production, bone formation. People are deficient in calcium, magnesium, and potassium these days. This can be even more true with athletes. Athletes burn through these nutrients faster as a result of doing exercise. The science seems to point in the direction of specifically ingesting sodium before/during exercise but replenishing with calcium/magnesium after exercise. Do not just supplement these, get them from fruits and vegetables. In addition to lots of veggies and fruits, you can supplement as well. Here is a great calcium/magnesium product. It is critical for calcium absorption to have adequate levels of vitamin D3 (get your blood checked) and omega 3s to get calcium into your tissues. The Tarahumara Indians have been known to run 80 miles in a single day and from a dietary standpoint attribute their ability to run that long by consuming chia seeds (and obviously not the Standard American Diet). Chia seeds have calcium, magnesium and omega 3 fatty acids.
3. Ingest good clean carbohydrates. Every athlete I see in the clinic is ALWAYS instructed to start consuming freshly made vegetable juice one or more times per day. This is imperative for performance and for staying cramp free. Download my free Liquid Health Juicing Guide here. Choose any of the downloadable guides and it will open up a page to get the juicing guide. Celery juice (with nothing else added to it) is nature’s perfect electrolyte drink.  A 16 ounce glass of organic celery contains 36% calcium, 25% phosphorus, 25% magnesium, 25% sodium, 60% potassium of the RDA. It needs to be made fresh with a juicer, and not bought in a can on the shelf of a store.  
4. Avoid the consumption of foods that I call “The Nasty Nine.” You can download my free Nasty Nine Food Guide here as well. These foods cause the majority of the health problems we have in the world today and deplete the body of nutrients. I cringe every time I see athletes consume GMO wheat (pasta, bread, donuts, bagels), fried food, soft drinks/refined sugar/gatorade, and especially alcohol before and after sporting events. These foods will dehydrate athletes, increase inflammation and lead to worse cramps and poorer performance over time. They will also cause cancer, diabetes, heart disease and other inflammatory diseases. 
5. Cleanse the body of heavy metals and chemicals. Download my free 10 Day Detoxification Guide. In general, things that help the liver to detoxify are green in nature. This is why juicing is so important and also consuming lots of organic green vegetables.
6. Go get acupuncture. Acupuncture will help strengthen, cleanse and assure the proper functioning of both the liver and the spleen. The acupuncture system is principally an electrical system and when electrical signals flow freely, one will experience balance and less pain. Many athletes I have treated have gotten significant or complete alleviation of pain with acupuncture. A fantastic Chinese medicine herbal remedy that is great for cramping is called Free and Easy Wanderer (Xiao Yao San). It is also great for depression, anxiety and so many other things.
7. If you are under mental and emotional stress, I highly suggest learning The Sedona Method so that you can surrender and let go of your negative emotions. I have seen all kinds of miraculous things physically disappear from the body when the emotions behind the physical issues are let go of.  Our bodies literally store negative emotional experiences all over. To read about all the fascinating science of this read The Body Keeps The Score by Bessel Vander Kolk, MD. Personally, I have used The Sedona Method to feel more free and less dependent upon game outcomes.  I have been more in the flow of loving to play without as much fear, anger, desire/lust or pride that may accompany needing to win. It has helped me to play better.
8. Properly stretch, warm up and don’t over exercise when your body has had enough.
9. Consider consumption of one the following TRP Agonists. Consume one of the below supplements in the morning preferably. They can cause disruptions in sleep at night if taken too late in the day due to them being “hot” in thermal temperature. Cinnamon – 1-2 capsules day. Ginger with Turmeric – 1-2 capsules per day. Cayenne Pepper – 1 capsule per day. Garlic – 1-2 capsule per day.
10. When a cramp does occur, immediate sodium is the preferred electrolyte by trainers and athletes. High chloride is found in sweat of those who cramp. Salt is sodium chloride, so sodium makes a huge difference. Don’t consume table salt, processed foods high in salt or pickle juice. Pickle juice contains regular table salt and vinegar, which is harsh on the liver. Apple cider vinegar can do wonders for instantly alleviating the pain of EAMC, but it is very harsh on the liver and is not a good long term solution. Eat a cucumber instead BEFORE your event or activity. 20-30% of the body’s sodium reserves get depleted in the body during exercise and can lead to cramping, weakness and fatigue. This is why I highly suggest celery juice made fresh every morning (not chewing celery), cucumbers and consuming mineral dense herbs that contain naturally occurring sodium like dulse flakes. Magnesium seems to be the go to for the prevention of cramps by the same group. 

EAMC or muscle cramps are problematic for so many athletes today. This is due in large part to a poor diet, not consuming enough life giving vegetables and fruits and having a body/liver that has accumulated metals and chemicals over the years. By following these steps you can see the reduction or elimination of cramps very quickly.