StephenH

When I first started randonneuring, the prevention for cramping was Endurolytes, and the cure for cramping was Rolaids (and specifically not Tums). I do remember one ride where I started cramping, ate Rolaids, and the cramping went away. But like I mentioned, those results are irregular, what works one time won't the next, what works for one person won't for someone else, so you're never sure if anything actually "worked" or it just happened that the cramp went away. I mentioned cramping on the Hotter-n-Hell 100, but that was about mile 70, those cramps went away and I was able to finish the ride, basically doing what I'd been doing all along. As often as not, cramps will be in muscles that aren't being used in the exercise. The most common places I get cramps now are backs of my thighs, and that's after I do a long ride, then sit in the car or sit at the computer a while, then get up- but I have no idea if sitting on those muscles after a long workout is what does it or not.

Oh, supposedly, Rolaids had 3 different minerals/ingredients, Tums only had 2 of the 3, but I forget what they were, maybe magnesium was the missing one in Tums. Anyway, Rolaids had a major recall due to some contamination in the product, and I don't know if they ever made it back onto store shelves or not- I don't recall seeing them, at least.