OK, here's a link:
http://biestmilch.com/pulp-research/...t-deficit.html
"The results of the Schwellnus study confirm that there is no correlation between exercise-associated muscle cramping and changes in electrolyte concentrations or changes in hydration status."
Other articles I've looked at suggest that cramping is just one of the risks associated with going faster. Typically, when they divide competitors into a cramping and a non-cramping group, the cramping group turns out to have higher expectations, and they tend to finish faster!
So basically, the studies tend to show that crampng is caused by:
- inadequate recovery from the previous competitin or training,
- a predeliction to cramping, or a previous history of cramping,
- starting off too fast, or going too fast for the amount of training you've done.
- one study even showed that taller and heavier competitors are more likely to cramp!
Consensus appears to be that hydration or electrolytes have little to do with it, all else being equal. But the studies warn that these are correlational observations, although the factors may help predict cramping.
Luis