Hotshot Sports Shot
Reviewed by
David Link
REVIEW CORPS
+3,469
May 17, 2019 (original May 11, 2019)
Relieves muscle cramps fast!
Pros
- Easy to use
- Works fast
- Can also be used to prevent cramping
Cons
- A little pricey
I had returned from several days of backpacking in the Trinity Alps. The last day was long and hot, and I'd probably not drunk as much water as I should have. But the beer was cold, and it was sooo nice to sleep in a real bed. And at 3 a.m., the cramping started. It began in my right calf, and as I tried stretching/rubbing it out without waking up my wife (sorry, honey!), the left calf started to kick in too.
As they both got tighter and more painful, I remembered the sample bottle of HotShot I had gotten at a cycling event. I stumbled to the bathroom and found the bottle, and downed the SPICY concoction. Within minutes I could literally feel my muscles relaxing, and after ten minutes, it was over.
How does this miracle elixir work? The principle active ingredients in HotShot are cassia oil, ginger, and capsicum. The manufacturer says that the spice in it "stimulates sensory neurons in the mouth, esophagus, and stomach, to prevent and relieve cramping where it starts... in the nerve endings."
I don't understand all the science in this, but this stuff works! HotShot says you can use it to prevent cramping, if you think that cramping is likely. They also suggest not drinking or eating anything for ten minutes or so after a shot, as it will neutralize the effect.
At $6.50 for a 1.7 oz shot, this stuff is not cheap. And the intensity of the spice may not be for everybody. But it truly WORKS, and there is always a bottle in my pack.
Background
Most recently on a hot, long hike in the Castle Crags wilderness, where I underestimated the amount of water I'd need.
Source: received it as a sample, freebie, or prize (Manufacturer at Levi Leipheimer's Gran Fondo)
