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- Fight leg cramps with tomato juice.

Do you struggle with leg cramps - especially at night? Did you know that tomato juice can be a natural fighter against leg cramps? Leg cramps - especially at night - can be extremely painful and troublesome. It can go beyond the night's sleep, which in turn results in poor sleep quality and thus less recovery for muscles and joints. With reduced quality of rest time, the muscles and joints will have a lower capacity the next day - it is known sports physiology.

Acute, sudden leg cramps, often after you fall asleep, may be due to a variety of causes. Tight leg muscles, muscle dysfunction / myalgia In gastrocsoleus and tibialis anterior, complete nutrition and dehydration are all possible culprits. In this article we will look at the last two points we mentioned, but you can read more about muscle myalgia here:

- Also read: Pain in the muscles? This is why!

Electrolyte deficiency - a cause of cramps

Electrolytes are a form of signal conductors, responsible for telling the muscles whether to contract (concentric movement) or relax and grow longer (eccentric movement). The most important electrolytes we have are magnesium, potassium (also known as potassium), sodium, calcium and chloride.

The main functions of the electrolytes include:

- Energy transfer

- Regulates fluid balance

- Carries food

- Supports normal muscle function

- Supports normal mental function

- Regulates the PH value in the body

When there is a direct lack of electrolytes or an imbalance between electrolytes - between those that give signals to contract or relax, this can lead to cramps. Let's take two examples:

1) You play football on a hot summer day. The sweat goes through a long session and you could be better at staying hydrated both before and during the match. When you sweat, you lose fluid - and with it: important electrolytes. A high ball comes in from the corner flag, the brain tells the calf muscles to perform max. An explosive muscle movement is what it takes to hit the midfielder in the air and head in the crucial goal in overtime. You can already see the headlines:

«Plumber (33) heads in the 2-1 score 5 minutes of overtime for Rør & Kran AS in the corporate league's very first match. Is this Norway's answer to Leicester City's Jamie Vardy? »

But no, the calf muscles want it differently. The headlines fade into what you feel a razor-sharp cut in the lower leg - like an electric shock that shoots through the lower leg and causes the muscles to tighten at lightning speed. A less masculine scream. A missed header. And now you are in the grass with leg cramps.

How could you prevent this? The simple solution would be to stay hydrated both before and during the match. Electrolytes are found naturally in tap water - but if you know you are going to perform beyond your means (read: business league) then you may want to supplement before the match with electrolyte-containing drinks. Effervescent tablets can be bought at most pharmacies and health food stores. Another on-topic source of electrolytes: tomato juice.

2) It has been a long day. You lie in bed waiting for your sleep to wash over you - when it suddenly feels as if someone has run a live knitting needle into the back of your leg. The pain is so strong that you have to stand up. Tight back of calf. Move leg and foot. It lets go a little bit, but the adrenaline rushing through your body makes you feel light awake. As Norwegian rapper Chem said: It will be a long night.

The solution to such problems can be brilliantly simple; drink one glass of tomato juice 1-2 hours before going to bed. Do this daily and you should feel a clear improvement within 1-3 weeks time. Depending on how bothered you are with nocturnal cramps in the leg.

- Tomato juice for muscular leg cramps, you say?

Yes, tomato juice is a very good source of antioxidants, vitamins and is a strong source of potassium. Other products that can help with night cramps are bananas, milk, mustard and the like - sources with a high content of potassium, magnesium or calcium. Many people report that their leg cramps disappear completely with tomato juice intake - others have a better effect of other measures, but one thing is for sure… you should evaluate your nutritional intake. If you suffer from nocturnal leg cramps, then maybe you have a slightly varied diet?

- Also read: How to reduce the chance of kidney disease