Putting the pickle juice trend under the microscope

Siri Schubert

4/8/2025

Translation: Katherine Martin

Pictures: Siri Schubert

Many endurance athletes seem to think that sour drinks are good for cramps. With pickle lemonade now an established trend, I’m keen to put my reservations aside and give it a try.

Pickle lemonade is the summer drink in the US. After doing the rounds on TikTok, it even made its way into the New York Times. It certainly sounds bizarre enough to make my taste buds perk up with curiosity. The drink – a mix of pickle juice, lemon, sparkling water and sugar – is reportedly both refreshing and able to reduce the duration of cramps during exercise.

In other words, it’s ideal for athletes like me. Besides, I’m always on the lookout for alternatives to sweet electrolyte drinks. One of my favourites at the moment is instant coffee dissolved in cold water. Taking the occasional sip from the flask on my running backpack gives me a caffeine boost and adds some flavourful variety.

So, why not try pickle lemonade? The sour concoction has been super popular with athletes for a long time now. Its ability to reduce cramps was first demonstrated during a small-scale study around 15 years ago. Since then, researchers have been trying (mostly unsuccessfully) to replicate the results and figure out exactly how pickle juice relaxes cramped muscles. Whatever the reason, my facial muscles do the exact opposite when I take a sip of anything sour.

How does pickle juice alleviate cramps?

There are numerous theories. Scientists initially assumed it was pickle brine’s high salt content that prevented cramps, but this has never been proven. However, pickle juice can compensate for salt lost through sweat on hot summer days and, depending on the temperature and level of exertion, either replace or supplement salt tablets.

Researchers later hypothesised that pickle juice activated receptors in the back of the throat, triggering a reflex that suppresses cramps. I imagine the shock of the acid acts like a kind of reset button for muscle tension.

In an article published by the BBC, Mayur Ranchordas, Professor of Sports Nutrition and Exercise at Sheffield Hallam University, says that pickle juice becomes even more effective when you combine it with chillies. «The more horrible the taste, the more effective it is,» Mayur says.

A friend of mine offered me a Sour Shot for the first time when my calf cramped up on a trail run. And brrr, was it sour. She told me to keep the liquid in my mouth for ten seconds before swallowing it – just like it said on the bottle.

I bravely hung in there until the cramp really did subside. I couldn’t tell you how much of this was down to the placebo effect or the shock delivered to my taste buds. However, sometimes, simply believing something will work actually does help. What’s more, the psychological effect of pickle juice has been demonstrated in a small-scale study. With this in mind, I now often take a Sour Shot with me on long runs in hot weather at high altitudes.

I didn’t really pay attention to the exact ratio of ingredients. Instead, I mixed one into the next until I had a drink that tasted pleasantly sweet, sour and a little salty. Since I was drinking it on a run, I didn’t worry about the sugar. In fact, when you’re working out for long periods, you need the carbs that sugar provides.

If you want to boost the electrolyte content even more, you can swap the regular water for coconut water. This also adds potassium to the drink. However, be careful if you have high blood pressure or kidney problems, or if you aren’t consuming the drink during a workout. Otherwise, the high salt and sugar content might cause you problems. Pickle lemonade isn’t great for sensitive stomachs either.

I don’t quite get the hype brewing around pickle lemonade in the US. Still, I do enjoy adding it to my water bottles every now and then to give my sports drink selection a bit of variety. After all, the sweet-and-sour concoction isn’t bad – especially since it’s pickle season.

Siri Schubert

Senior Editor

Siri.Schubert@digitecgalaxus.ch

Research diver, outdoor guide and SUP instructor – I love being in, on and around water. Lakes, rivers and the ocean are my playgrounds. For a change of perspective, I look at the world from above while trail running or flying drones.

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