Today's true sports drinks are still the classic Gatorade -- packed with the electrolytes potassium, magnesium, calcium, and sodium to provide energy during intense workouts -- as well as competitors such as Cytomax, Allsport, and Accelerade.
1 In most of the cases, Charlie horses are the late responses of overstraining a muscle during exercise, or otherwise. 2  Charley horse might be the result of an electrolyte or mineral imbalance in the body.  In some of the cases, Charlie horses have been found to be a signal of the onset of a vascular disease.
What Causes a Charley Horse. A charley horse can be a sign of several conditions. The cramps can be related to spinal stenosis, a natural wear-and-tear condition that leads to the narrowing of the open spaces within your spine, which in turn puts pressure on the nerves that travel through it.