salt (athletes read others ignore please)

from muscleandfitness.com

NUTRITION NO-NOS

“The most common cause of muscle cramps tends to be something nutritional,” says Jordan D. Metzl, M.D., a sports medicine physician at the Hospital for Special Surgery in New York. That’s especially true for endurance athletes like distance runners, cyclists, and triathletes, who have lost lots of electrolytes through their sweat without replacing them. This can lead to a deficiency in sodium levels, which triggers cramps. “In order to combat these deficiencies you need to make sure you’re being nutritionally smart,” Metzl says. That means getting enough electrolytes in your diet with salty foods like pretzels or taking salt tablets during workouts.

In addition to sodium, the minerals potassium, magnesium, and calcium can help prevent your muscles from locking up. Aim to get these nutrients through foods first, advises Beck. Key sources include bananas for potassium, leafy green vegetables for magnesium, and dairy products for calcium.

Proper hydration is also important, since dehydration causes an alteration in electrolyte concentration as well as
a buildup of lactic acid from muscle metabolism, both
of which can cause cramps. Individual needs vary—some people do fine with just a little water, while others require more fluids or a sports drink with electrolytes.