Why Wine, Beer, & Other Alcohol Can Cause Cramp [6 Reasons]

You may have noticed that following an increased period of alcohol intake, you experience an increased instance of cramps, particularly in the legs.

But why is this?

In this article we will look at the reasons why your favorite alcoholic beverage may be giving you cramp.

Does Drinking Alcohol Directly Cause you To Have Cramp?

Well not exactly.

Just ingesting alcohol will be unlikely to cause you to experience cramp.

It is more to do with the effect that alcohol has on your body that results in secondary effects which may cause cramp.

Let us have a closer look at 6 reasons why alcohol may be giving you cramp.

1/ Standing At The Bar

If you are the type to ‘prop up the bar’ during a long drinking session, this could be contributing to you experiencing cramps afterwards.

It is know that exercise can increase lactic acid [1], a common cause of cramp.

Standing at the bar, or dancing on a night out can have the same effect as exercise due to the way your body exerts itself.

You may not think of it in this way, but a night out is basically a work out!

You may wish to consider sitting down more on a night out to stave off any episodes of cramp later in the evening, or the next day.

2/ Dehydration

This is an obvious but sometime overlooked reason.

Fluid hydrates the muscles, allowing them to contract and relax easily.

Therefore dehydration can have the opposite effect, and can cause cramping, particularly in the legs.

Not being sufficiently hydrated can cause your muscles to stop functioning optimally and start to spasm.

Individual hydration requirements can depend on many factors, including a person’s diet, age, gender, activity levels, climate, and overall health status (including any prescribed medications).

3/ Low Blood Glucose (hypoglycemia)

It is easy to forget about the importance of eating when on a night out.

As a result, low blood glucose can result in an increase of lactic acid [2], which as we have mentioned is a common cause of cramp.

If you skip that last meal before heading out, then you may find before long you are experiencing an episode of cramp.

4/ Poor Nutrient Absorption

It has been noted that heavy drinkers fail to absorb certain nutrients, such as thiamine (vitamin B1) from food. Or may have a poor diet in the first place.

A symptom of thiamine deficiency is leg and foot cramping [3].

Unfortunately, individuals with a high alcohol dependency can often substitute alcoholic drinks for food.

5/ Sleep

The more you drink before bed, the greater the reduction in REM (Rapid Eye Movement) sleep.

This is the stage of sleep when people dream, and it’s thought to be the most restorative sleep phase.

Disruptions in REM sleep may cause daytime drowsiness and poor concentration.

Nocturnal leg cramping in particular is linked to muscle fatigue and nerve dysfunction [4]. Both of which are known to worsen without enough sleep.

And since sleep is linked to a person’s pain threshold, the cramping you experience when sleep-deprived may be especially gruelling.

Being overly tired may also cause you to become forgetful when it comes to essential tasks, such as keeping yourself hydrated.

You may be so tried even that you forget to take in enough water.

6/ Alcoholic Myopathy & Neuropathy

Alcohol can affect muscle fibers, which can cause alcoholic myopathy.

Drinking too much alcohol over time can weaken muscles and this condition can be acute or chronic.

Symptoms of this myopathy include muscle cramps and stiffness.

Alcoholic neuropathy occurs when the peripheral nerves in your body are damaged (sometimes permanently) by consuming too much alcohol.

Deficiencies in B-6 and B-12, thiamine, folate, niacin, and vitamin E can make it worse.

These vitamins are all needed to promote nerve function, and a shortfall in these vitamins can cause muscle spasms, weakness, and cramps [5].

So there you have it, 6 reasons why alcoholic drinks may be giving you cramp.

I hope you found this article useful.

Check out curemycramp.com for more articles like this.