Charley horses – they’re the Achilles heel for athletes and the occasional workout enthusiast. Some can pass easily with minimal pain, while others strike you when you least expect it, causing heart-wrenching pain. The excruciating agony Charley horses cause can sometimes deter you from continuing your workouts, but this shouldn’t cause you to quit forever. Exercise is key to remaining healthy and youthful, and if you buy HGH to use with your workouts, you can enhance your fitness results.
What is a Charley Horse?
A Charley horse normally occurs in your calf muscles, but can occur anywhere you have muscles. It is very common for people to have this every now and then, especially when they’re physically active. The pain is caused by your muscle becoming very tight and stiff.
The term Charley horse is mainly used in North America, and stems from a baseball pitcher from the 1880s by the name of Charley “Old Hoss” Radbourne. He was known for suffering from muscle cramps during his games.
Some believe the term Charley horse comes from the lame work horse by the name of Charley who limped about the baseball park during the same time. But wherever it came from, the term became popular after baseball players started calling the cramp a Charley horse.
Today, it’s used by Americans everywhere who witness it during their workouts. If you’re attempting to get back into shape, you can buy HGH, such as Genotropin or the Norditropin pen to streamline your workout efforts.
What Causes Charley Horses?
Numbers show that one-third of adults suffer from Charley horses in their lower limbs. In most cases, the pain is temporary and will go away by itself. However, there are some folks who have their sleep, daily activities and quality of life diminished by these cramps.
One study shows that 31 percent of over 500 people 60 and older woke up in the middle of the night from muscle cramps. Another 15 percent stated they get muscle cramps at least three times each month. There are a variety of scenarios where you’d get a Charley horse, such as:
- While working out
- During the night while sleeping
- During pregnancy
- During kidney dialysis
- While suffering from a neurological disease
It’s still not clear why Charley horses occur, but it’s believed that it has something to do with your nerves rapidly firing up, causing the muscle to tense. It’s not believed that there’s something wrong with the actual muscle tissue.
There are a number of medications that have been used to help with muscle cramps, such as statin cholesterol-lowering drugs, asthma drugs, diuretics and ACE inhibitors. It’s also believed that the following are risk factors for muscle cramps:
- Dehydration
- Muscle fatigue
- Poor circulation
- Deficiencies in potassium, magnesium, calcium and other minerals
Mineral Deficiency a Possible Cause
According to some estimates, there are up to 80 percent of Americans deficient in magnesium. Other studies show that only 25 percent of Americans are actually getting their recommended daily dose, which is between 310 and 320 mg for women and 400 and 420 mg for men.
Most know magnesium as being the mineral that’s good for the heart and bones, but recent research shows that it plays an even bigger role in the human body. It’s very possible that a lack of magnesium could lead to Charley horses, since magnesium is needed to activate the muscles and nerves. Ongoing muscle contractions and cramps could mean you need to increase your magnesium consumption. The same goes for potassium and calcium, which are all needed to maintain healthy muscles.
If you’re currently working out, try consuming more nutritious foods and smoothies. You can also buy HGH, which can help enhance your results, so you don’t have to exercise as hard.
