McDonald's is putting its own briny twist on marathon weekend in Chicago.The fast-food giant is handing out limited-edition bottles of "Pickle Boost" to runners and spectators during Chicago Marathon weekend, starting Oct.9 and continuing through race day on Oct.
11.McDonald's said the promotion is inspired by pickle juice's popularity among athletes who use it when muscle cramps strike during workouts.COMMON KITCHEN STAPLE MAY HELP RELIEVE MILD CONSTIPATION, NEW RESEARCH SUGGESTSRunners can pick up the bottles at a Friday morning pop-up on Chicago's Lakefront Trail, then at five McDonald's locations along or near the marathon route on race day, while supplies last.McDonald's "Pickle Boost" will be available at select locations along or near the Chicago Marathon route.(McDonald's)The promotion taps into a longstanding belief that pickle juice can help prevent muscle cramps, which science partially backs up.MCDONALD'S ROLLS OUT NEW 'PROTEIN' MENU BADGES, AND SOCIAL MEDIA USERS QUESTION THE NUMBERS"Pickle juice may help relieve muscle cramps, but the research is mixed," said Jena Brown, RD, CSSD, a Texas-based sports dietitian and owner of Victorem Performance Nutrition, which works with endurance athletes.Pickle juice is thought to help with muscle cramps, but the research is mixed, a sports dietitian told Fox News Digital.
(iStock)One small study found that pickle juice appeared to help electrically induced cramps subside more quickly than water in dehydrated participants, said Brown, who is a longtime runner herself.But that research did not examine runners during an actual marathon, and another study found no benefit."I would not recommend trying pickle brine for the first time on race day.""Muscle cramps are not fully understood and are likely not induced by a singular cause for all runners," she said.CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP FOR OUR LIFESTYLE NEWSLETTERElectrolyte losses may contribute to cramps in some athletes, but pickle juice's possible benefit may not be as...