food or supps for cramping muscles (traps)?

[MrV]

was wondering if there was anything i could take to relieve the cramping in my traps.. it feels like my neck has been tweaked all night from sleeping.. both sides of my traps tend to cramp if i work them out and they stay cramped for weeks..

i know bananas help a bit with cramping.. is there anything else i should be taking for it, diet or supplements, that might help?

[bodger1976]

potassium,calcium,magnesium,sodium(not to much) and taurine are generally taken to help with cramping, i find taurine to be quite helpful, and stay well hydrated

[access]

^^ Good Advice ^^

Taurine always seems to help me when I get cramps.

[MrV]

thanks for your posts guys.. "Taurnine" was on the tip of my tongue for muscle cramps, but i couldn't think of it.. so thank you for mentioning it.. I haven't tried it yet so i will have to pick some up..

much appreciated..

[Gator_Mclusky]

I get cramps in my traps from time to time and a deep massage always helps too.

[MrV]

Originally Posted by Gator_Mclusky

I get cramps in my traps from time to time and a deep massage always helps too.

THAT is the one thing i need.. i actually have a free pass for a massage, i just haven't had the time to use it.. but yeah, a deep massage would do wonders right now for them..

[pavetim]

i don't know about the other things guys and hate to burst your bubble but the whole banana thing is a wives tale. If you actually look at how action potentials are generated across the cell membrane which basically is firing of the muslces. It is driven by sodium and potassium. And actually taking potassium would worsen the cramps. It actually would take alot of potassium to throw off your balance, and if you were to take too much potassium supplements you could die. I have a degree in biology so i know a little about this too. I'd have to look into the other supplements though. But stay away from potassium supplements.

[access]

pavetim have a read of this article..very interesting read.

Something you REALLY need...

[pavetim]

Well that was a long article LOL. I'm not sure about all the reasearch about deficiencies i was just stating that potassium will not stop cramps in that it could in fact worsen them. The thing is potassium is so vital to muscles including the heart the concentrations are very highly regulated. And you can throw them off but you'd need to take a high concentration. Heck when they give lethal injection it is potassium cause it stops the heart. you can do the same thing to yourself if you take a high enough concentration. And the article says sodium is toxic, well in fact sodium is essential also.
If you'd like I can try to explain exactly what potassium and sodium do in muscle cramps. I'm just saying potassium is not something you wanna fool around with in large supplement quantities.