During the grueling final Wimbledon match on Sunday, Carlos Alcaraz appeared to take a swig of a mysterious liquid that commentators said was pickle juice. He’s not the first tennis player or elite athlete to down the briny brew to ward off cramps by replenishing sodium and salts lost during hot and humid environments, says Mayur Ranchordas, a British professor of nutrition and exercise metabolism.

With Alcaraz's upset victory over Novak Djokovic for the title, it put the spotlight on the powers of pickle juice to reduce cramping.

According to the Washington Post, leg cramps can happen to anyone ─ and at any time, including in the middle of the night without any warning, or during exercise. They do occur more frequently among the elderly and among athletes, during pregnancy and dialysis, and in those with certain health conditions, such as diabetes.

Leg cramps peak in midsummer and decrease in the winter. Cramping among athletes also tends to increase during periods of hot weather, but it seems these cramps aren’t related to dehydration and electrolyte imbalances from sweating as previously thought, says Dr. Trisha Pasricha, a gastroenterologist at Massachusetts General Hospital and an instructor of medicine at Harvard Medical School.

“I often recommend trying two simple solutions: gently stretch the muscle or take a sip of pickle juice,” she tells the Post. Experimental data suggests that pickle juice works by inhibiting muscle cramps through a reflex involving a nerve in our throats. A tablespoon of pickle brine hitting the back of the throat seems to bring relief in seconds.

And pickle juice may even help to reduce muscle cramp intensity in patients with cirrhosis, says Pasricha, adding that more rigorous research is needed on pickle juice’s effect on muscle cramps.

“This strategy might be less helpful for people whose leg cramps are rare or disappear on their own too quickly to justify keeping pickle juice handy,” she says. Some medications may cause cramping such as long-acting beta-agonists like those found in Advair or Symbicort and diuretics like spironolactone, so you may want to discuss this with your physician.

According to Healthline, here are other ways to help treat muscle cramps:

• Relax the cramping muscle. Stop any activity that may have induced the cramp and lightly stretch the muscle, gently holding the stretch. You may massage the muscle while you stretch or after you finish.

• Add more magnesium to your diet. Studies vary, but some find this mineral effective in reducing leg cramps. Nuts and seeds are good sources. Or, add magnesium in the form of Epsom salts to your bath for a muscle-relaxing soak.

• Stay hydrated. You could prevent a muscle cramp by staying hydrated with water or a sports drink that contains electrolytes.

• Get moving. Walking around may ease muscle cramps by signaling to the muscle that it needs to relax after it contracts.