Pickle juice was once again front-and-centre during the Australian Open.
When men’s champion Jannik Sinner was struggling physically during the semi-final against Ben Shelton, he turned to pickle juice as a remedy.
But why do so many athletes across a variety of sports use pickle juice?
The Sporting News explains why the salty liquid is becoming a regular staple in sport.
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Why do athletes drink pickle juice?
Athletes across most sports use pickle juice to stop their body from cramping.
The liquid contains high levels of sodium and potassium which replaces salt loss in athletes. meaning the beverage serves an electrolyte drink alternative.
While we often see tennis players using the liquid the most as their breaks between games are captured entirely on the broadcast, literally any sport where athletes can cramp has a benefit for ingesting pickle juice.
In a 2022 Michigan Medicine study, nearly 30 percent more participants saw their cramps stopped with pickle juice than tap water.
When Sinner started to cramp during his last four AO match with Shelton, the world no.1 used pickle juice to recover from the issue that was causing hinderance in his legs.
What does pickle juice taste like?
The product is essentially as advertised – the juice of pickles.
It’s high salt content means the drink tastes quite salty, with a hint of pickle.
Vinegar is an ingredient used to ferment pickles, so the drink also tastes quite sour and bitter.
Is there everyday benefits for drinking pickle juice?
Apart from cramp recovery, there is other health benefits for drinking pickle juice.
The existence of probiotics in pickle juice help with an individual’s gut health.
However, consuming large amounts of pickle juice can cause indigestion or acidity issues for those with acid reflux.
With the high sodium content, consumers can get increased blood pressure from the water retention and bloating.
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