Does coconut water actually help with workout cramps, or is it placebo?
Quick one — been getting calf cramps at the tail end of my long runs (18+ miles). A running buddy swears coconut water post-run fixes his. Had some yesterday for the first time and I swear it helped, but I also know I want it to be true.
Anyone have a real take? Is this potassium? Magnesium? Just hydration? Or is the coconut water nothing special and I should just take an electrolyte tab?
Probably a mix: real hydration + real potassium (coconut water has ~600mg per cup) + some placebo. The interesting thing: cramps at mile 18+ are almost always a SODIUM issue, not potassium. Coconut water is low sodium. You're probably also compensating by eating salty stuff with it.
Straight answer: a decent electrolyte tab with 400-600mg sodium will probably fix the cramps better than the coconut water does.
Seconding the sodium point. I spent years chasing "magnesium" for my cramps and finally got a sweat test done — I'm a salty sweater, losing ~1200mg sodium per liter. Nothing fixes my cramps except actual sodium. Coconut water won't cut it at marathon distance.