the thing is crikey, I’m not even saying you’re wrong. I’m not saying the article is wrong, I’m saying I won’t believe something like that without further research, in the meantime I’ll keep doing what I think works for me.
Quite possibly what does work for me, is keeping hydrated allows me to keep training / riding / sailing longer, and that in turn allows me to stave off cramps, however that doesn’t explain why I then cramp when I’m not hydrated, but also leave the mystery that only the tired muscles cramp, not all over the body.
This is why I need to talk to people who know this stuff!

Real food, especially chorizo.

The major problem is that there are a large number of vested interests selling stuff we may not need to prevent a problem that is only really resolved by training more.

I’m sure more research will emerge, but it will take time to change a very profitable marketing theme…

Muscle Cramps during Exercise-Is It Fatigue or Electrolyte Deficit? – Bergeron, Michael F.

Heat cramps: fluid and electrolyte challenges during tennis in the heat – M.F. Bergeron

This Bergeron chap thinks it does, i wonder if he works for Gatorade

Serum electrolyte concentrations and hydration status are not associated with exercise associated muscle cramping (EAMC) in distance runners – M P Schwellnus1, J Nicol1, R Laubscher2, T D Noakes

These chaps say no*

*Abstracts found using Google Scholar. I have no real knowledge of this subject.

You sweat out lots of water and a very small amount of salt.

I hate subjective statements. Some numbers from skratch labs.

400 to 800 mg per litre of sweat. 1 litre of sweat per hour at 150 watts. 2 litres of sweat per hour at 250 watts.

My problem is, I’m not a doctor / dietitian / gatoraid marketer, so I don’t fully understand the research.
I still don’t know why it appears to work – when I’m dehydrated, I tend to get cramps. And that can be at the very start of exercise!

http://www.sportsscientists.com/2007/11/muscle-cramps-part-ii.html

It’s in the link, dude.

Those muscle cramp articles are interesting and would suggest I get less cramp just because I’m fitter.

I can accept that 🙂

No, the answer to the question of ‘why does it appear to work’ is not in the link.

No, the answer to the question of ‘why does it appear to work’ is not in the link.

I can’t answer why it ‘appears’ to work, unless, as above it’s related to training intensity and product usage. The science, which is done properly, in a scientific way, would suggest that it doesn’t work in the way you assume, and so I would suggest that the onus is on you to determine an alternative scientific method by which it could work. 😉

I don’t disagree with you, but it does appear to work!

Ok, i’ll ask another question, why is it important to stay hydrated? What impact does dehydration have on the body?

…my interest is also partly professional; I monitor and adjust peoples electrolyte values on a daily basis, and so I am familiar with the effects of profound, severe electrolyte disturbance.

I therefore find the claims made for electrolyte drinks to be less than believeable.

Although my spelling appears to be problematic..

So until I can make a significant improvement in fitness, I’ll continue to carry rehydration salts and a bottle of water: only now I’ll feel confident that the placebo effect will fix my cramp.

I used to rarely get cramp during a race, but I’d often get it after I’d got home and was lying in bed in the evening. I found that Crampex tablets from the pharmacy helped that.

Never actually had cramp whilst riding, had it getting on or off the bike though, which usually results in a comedy fall.

I get really bad cramp, my legs can lock straight at inopertune moments. I have found 2 things work, 1 is fitness the other is bananas, and I need both or it will happen around 2.5 hours in. Temperature seems to effect it too, but it might be that my fitness is lower during the colder months. I have found bananas way more useful than the usual nuun tablet route…

I completely agree with Bananas, after years of playing footy I always felt a banana really helped my legs and helped any feel of cramp.

Haven’t had cramp in a while but when doing the Whinlatter Challenge in that stupidly hot march we had I the worst calf cramp ever. I put it down to not drinking enough and trying too hard to keep up with the XC whippets so i now swear by High 5 Zero tablets even thought it hasn’t been hot enough to test them…..Oh well

I came to believe it was down to fitness. Two years ago I did 10@Kirroughtree solo and did a fair amount of training, following a training plan as much as possible. I built up to doing a couple of 8 hour rides in the weeks before the event. The weather before the event was generally pretty warm and I never had any probs with cramp. On the day the weather was cool and wet, I had trained on my singlespeed running 32:16, on the day I went for 32:18 thinking this would allow me to pace myself better as I have a habit of going too hard at the start and it might be better for the muddy conditions. Anyway end result was I got cramp after about 3 hours. Still felt pretty good energy wise but the cramp had me walking the fireroad climbs. So I’m still none the wiser.

I always thought electrolytes and hydration where more to do with maintaining performance.

Would just like to butt in and add that I actually suffer more with cramp now that I am fitter, and possible more when it’s cold. Maybe I just feel able to push myself harder?

You quite often see pro tennis players getting cramps don’t you? I wonder how they deal with it?