If you’re a recreational or professional athlete, you’ve likely had muscle cramping at some point in time! At the Toronto Functional Medicine Centre, our IV Lounge can customize IV therapy drips to target muscle recovery. After all, key nutrients can potentially help prevent or relieve these aches.

Cramps during and after physical activity are known as exercise-associated muscle cramps (EAMC). Though these aches are short-lived, the pain can be random and intense and may exacerbate performance anxiety. Surprisingly though, anxiety can also trigger EAMC! Mental tension can stiffen your muscles from the fight-or-flight response, which can hinder overall athletic performance. 

So, what can be done to lessen or prevent EAMC? In this article, our clinical practice features key points about this condition, the types of nutrients to supplement with, and lifestyle tips to consider adopting. 

What are exercise-associated muscle cramps (EAMC)?

• • EAMC is common in athletes who train for high-intensity endurance sports (i.e. triathlons), and has been observed in basketball, football, tennis, cycling and rugby players. 
  • The causes of sports cramping may include: insufficient blood flow surrounding the painful areas; dehydration; vitamin and mineral deficiencies; muscle overuse; physical exertions in hot conditions; lack of stretching/warming up prior to physical activities. 
  • EAMC tends to come with these symptoms: sharp pain or spasms around the affected body parts; twitching; stiffness; and muscle knots. Some athletes have reported sports cramping to last for over a week. 
  • To help prevent or treat these aches, a functional medicine practitioner can explore the root cause of these concerns; this may involve lab testing to explore underlying issues, such as nutrient deficiencies. Functional medicine is an individualized approach to wellness that targets the cause of your health issues. Personalized therapies from an integrated clinic may include acupuncture, nutrient IV drip therapy treatments, and lifestyle changes. When functional strategies are amalgamated into a treatment plan, they can contribute to alleviating or preventing sports cramping. 

Types of complimentary nutrient therapy for sports muscle cramping

If you were to visit our IV Lounge for EAMC, we may recommend supplementing with key nutrients. Certain vitamins and minerals can potentially boost your healing potential, especially if cramps are due to a nutritional deficiency. 

As athletes quickly lose fluids from sweating, they can be prone to dehydration. IV therapy drips contain fluids and electrolytes that can help you promptly rehydrate from physical exertions; this is why getting intravenous therapy after physical activities is advised. Plus, doses of vitamins can be administered intravenously! IV therapy treatments allow the body to get a rapid absorption of nutrients. This doesn’t require actions from the digestive tract, which sometimes takes ample time to process ingested foods and beverages. IV vitamin drips are designed to enter the bloodstream for your body’s immediate use. 

Tailored-made drip therapy treatments can be prescribed by our IV Lounge. These vitamin drips may be freshly blended into a post-workout IV drip and administered after a training session! Read the table below for our IV nutrient recommendations: 

Nutrient	How it may help prevent/reduce muscle cramping
B12	Lacking vitamin B12 can impede red blood cell production, which may reduce oxygen levels in the muscles and cause sharp cramps. Replenishing these vitamin levels can diminish cramping, while helping to improve mood and energy levels.
Calcium	Consuming foods and supplements rich in calcium may contribute to beneficial effects, such as strengthening bones and preventing EAMC. In fact, muscle cramping is a symptom of calcium deficiency! This makes sense, as calcium is imperative for muscle contractions in the human body.
Magnesium	If you have anxiety on the playing field, upping magnesium could promote stress reduction. And if you’re already deficient in magnesium, EAMC can be a symptom of this shortcoming. Overall, boosting your magnesium intake may be beneficial for sports-related cramps if you’re mineral status is already low.
Vitamin D*	According to a Journal of Human Nutrition and Dietetics report, muscle cells have been shown in labs to contain vitamin D receptors, which may influence muscle contractions. Studies insinuate that 2000 IU daily for over a week could contribute to reducing post-workout muscle damage and inflammation.

*Vitamin D can only be administered as intramuscular injections at the Toronto Functional Medicine Centre. Please call us if you’re interested in getting booster injections prescribed for your nutrient deficiencies. 

Additional lifestyle tips for preventing EAMC

When combined with intravenous therapy, lifestyle modifications can help avoid muscle cramping for sports. Some of these tips include: 

• • Practicing a proper warm-up and cooldown, and don’t forget to stretch! “… [M]oderate stretching of the affected muscle has proven to be effective for muscle cramps of all types including those that are heat related,” confirms an Archives of Sports Medicine piece. 
  • Hydrating with coconut water. This beverage is ladened with minerals and electrolytes for supporting muscles, and it doesn’t contain excessive amounts of unwanted sugars. 
  • Bathing in warm water and Epsom salt. Epsom salt contains magnesium, which can encourage the body to prevent muscle tightness. 

Suggested reading: Top 6 Toronto IV Therapy Nutrients to Combat Stress

Choose the Toronto Functional Medicine Centre for your sports health needs

Did you know that treatment plans can target sports-related health goals? Functional medicine treatments, including complementary nutrient therapy, may help foster positive effects for:  

• • Improving concentration levels;
  • Rehydration;
  • Muscle growth and tissue repair; 
  • Speeding up recovery from injuries;
  • Boosting immune health;
  • Optimizing overall athletic performance. 

Along with integrating treatment modalities (i.e. Western and naturopathic medicine, herbal remedies, psychotherapy, etc.), we personalize IV vitamin infusions. IV therapy may act as adjunctive therapies for general health needs, including chronic stress, inflammation, collagen production, and more. 

Our in-house IV Lounge is where we administer IV vitamin drips and nutrient injection therapy. These can be prescribed by our functional medicine clinicians. Our drip treatments are not meant to replace healthy habits; when they’re amalgamated with additional formal health interventions and lifestyle modifications, then drip therapies may contribute to optimal health outcomes. Our clinical practice carefully blends custom-made IV drip therapies, which means that your prescribed dosage is only unique to you! These therapeutic doses are modified with the principles of functional medicine, and prescriptions are provided for biological needs only. 

As we consider various needs for our patients, our IV Lounge offers a wide range of drip ingredients. Your IV drip can be personalized with high doses of vitamin C, several amino acids and antioxidants, NAD+ IV therapy, glutathione, and other key nutrients. Do you want to maximize your post-workout nutrition? A custom hydration drip can be arranged by our IV Lounge – just ask us for more details! 

Revive your wellness with adjuvant IV therapy from the Toronto Functional Medicine Centre. Start your fight against muscle pain, brain fog, and poor energy levels – just send us a quick message to request your initial appointment. 

Disclaimer: The information in this article is designed for educational purposes only and is not intended to be a substitute for informed medical advice or care. This information should not be used to diagnose or treat any health problems or illnesses without consulting a doctor. You should always consult with a health care practitioner before relying on any information in this article or on this website. Never delay or disregard seeking professional medical advice from your doctor or other qualified healthcare provider because of information you have read from the Toronto Functional Medicine Centre website or other affiliate media. 

 

References

“5 Signs You’re Not Getting Enough Calcium” from Runner’s World magazine, posted on February 5, 2019, viewed on April 27, 2025. 

Bordoni B, Sugumar K, Varacallo MA. Muscle Cramps. [Updated 2023 Aug 4]. In: StatPearls [Internet]. Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing; 2025 Jan-. Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK499895/

Kevin C. Miller, Brendon P. McDermott, Susan W. Yeargin, Aidan Fiol, Martin P. Schwellnus; An Evidence-Based Review of the Pathophysiology, Treatment, and Prevention of Exercise-Associated Muscle Cramps. J Athl Train 1 January 2022; 57 (1): 5–15. doi: https://doi.org/10.4085/1062-6050-0696.20

Maughan, R. J., & Shirreffs, S. M. (2019). Muscle Cramping During Exercise: Causes, Solutions, and Questions Remaining. Sports Medicine (Auckland, N.z.), 49(Suppl 2), 115. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40279-019-01162-1

Qiu J, Kang J (2017) Exercise Associated Muscle Cramps – A Current Perspective. Arch Sports Med 1(1):3-14.

Miller KC, Stone MS, Huxel KC, Edwards JE. Exercise-associated muscle cramps: causes, treatment, and prevention. Sports Health. 2010 Jul;2(4):279-83. doi: 10.1177/1941738109357299. PMID: 23015948; PMCID: PMC3445088.

Moretti, A. (2021). What is the role of magnesium for skeletal muscle cramps? A Cochrane Review summary with commentary. Journal of Musculoskeletal & Neuronal Interactions, 21(1), 1. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC8020016/

Rojano-Ortega, D. (2023). Effects of vitamin D supplementation on muscle function and recovery after exercise-induced muscle damage: A systematic review. Journal of Human Nutrition and Dietetics, 36(3), 1068-1078. https://doi.org/10.1111/jhn.13084

Schwalfenberg, G. K., & Genuis, S. J. (2017). The Importance of Magnesium in Clinical Healthcare. Scientifica, 2017(1), 4179326. https://doi.org/10.1155/2017/4179326

Tarsitano, M.G., Quinzi, F., Folino, K. et al. Effects of magnesium supplementation on muscle soreness in different type of physical activities: a systematic review. J Transl Med 22, 629 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1186/s12967-024-05434-x

Wilson PB, Russell H, Pugh J. Anxiety may be a risk factor for experiencing gastrointestinal symptoms during endurance races: An observational study. Eur J Sport Sci. 2021 Mar;21(3):421-427. doi: 10.1080/17461391.2020.1746836. Epub 2020 Apr 6. PMID: 32251613.

Wolffenbuttel BHR, Wouters HJCM, Heiner-Fokkema MR, van der Klauw MM. The Many Faces of Cobalamin (Vitamin B12) Deficiency. Mayo Clin Proc Innov Qual Outcomes. 2019 May 27;3(2):200-214. doi: 10.1016/j.mayocpiqo.2019.03.002. PMID: 31193945; PMCID: PMC6543499.