One of the most popular and well-known folk remedies for preventing and curing leg cramps is drinking apple cider vinegar and honey. There are lots of different versions of this leg cramp drink. Some versions prescribe just using apple cider vinegar and water to prevent leg cramps and some prescribe just using honey, but the most common leg cramp prevention recipe calls for them to be mixed together. Here’s the general recipe:

Mix 4 ounce of high quality organic apple cider vinegar with 4 ounces of the natural honey of your choice. If the honey is too thick to stir, feel free to add 8 ounces (or less) of warm mineral water (cold water or ice will initially thicken the honey).

Stir thoroughly.

Once stirred together you may either add an ice cube or even warm the mixture up in the microwave or stove. You may even brew it with the mulling spices of your choice.

Both apple cider vinegar and honey each have approximately 175mg of potassium in an 8 once portion, so your body is immediately getting some of the benefits of a high potassium food in a liquid form. People who eat a few teaspoons of honey before bed in order to prevent leg cramps are also benefiting from this potassium boost.

You may want to try several different apple cider vinegars and different types of honey because the taste of both can vary quite a bit. Some of the brand name apple cider vinegars have a taste that is not nearly as harsh as the generic label bands. The sweetness of the honey and mulling spices takes some of the sour flavor away from the vinegar, making the drink somewhat comforting once you get used to it. Apple cider vinegar made from organic apples and fermented naturally will most likely offer the most health benefits and leg cramp relief. To prevent leg cramps you probably start with a small amount, no more than 4 ounces at a time to gauge it’s effectiveness.

Apple cider vinegar itself may offer more in the way of leg cramp prevention than just a healthy dose of potassium. Cider vinegar has been used for thousands of years as a natural remedy to a variety of different ailments including runny nose, leg cramps, muscle soreness, excess weight, allergies kidney and bladder problems, upset stomachs, arthritis and even high blood pressure. No one is exactly sure how it works in many cases, but apple cider vinegar does contain a number of healthy vitamins and chemicals including potassium, pectin, acetic acid and malic acid.

Applying Apple Cider Vinegar Directly on Leg Muscles
If you can’t get past the bitter taste of apple cider vinegar then you may have another option for relieving leg cramps. Some people have reported that rubbing undiluted apple cider vinegar on their legs has helped relieve them of their night time leg cramps and lessened the symptoms of restless leg syndrome. Leave out the honey for this one! While there is no clinical evidence regarding using apple cider vinegar as a topic solution, there are still lots of people who swear this method has relieved knee and joint pain as well as nocturnal leg cramps and regular charley horses. Typically the cider vinegar is rubbed on at night before bed and allowed to dry before going to sleep.

Apple Cider Vinegar Pills for Leg Cramps
The stories about apple cider vinegar’s healing properties have been growing over the last couple of years and now you can actually get a concentrated version of cidar vinegar in apple cider vinegar pills. Just like taking potassium supplements to prevent leg cramps, apple cider vinegar pills are designed to give you health benefits without forcing you to change your diet. Apple cider vinegar pills allow you to get the benefits of drinking apple cider vinegar without the bitter taste. Though the cider vinegar pills are mostly marketed towards weight loss though they may also alleviate other symptoms. Again, some people have reported an almost total reduction in leg cramps just by taking these pills on a regular basis.

It’s recommended that you talk to your doctor before starting a diet that’s heavy on apple cider vinegar because it’s high in acetic acid and it can interact with certain drugs and actually cause your body to lose more potassium than it should (which can actually cause leg cramps). You’ll always want to mix apple cider vinegar with something or dilute it with water because it can actually wear away tooth enamel or cause problems with your esophagus if taken straight. Other possible problems with taking excessive amounts of apple cider vinegar: heartburn, stomach upset, throat and esophagus irritation, allergic reactions including hives and wheezing. While the FDA does not officially endorse using apple cider vinegar and honey as a cure for any sickness there are many, many people who believe they have found relief from leg cramps and even restless leg syndrome by introduce apple cider vinegar into their regular diets.