Benefits of Magnesium for Athletes

The importance of Magnesium

 If you have the following symptoms, you could be part of that 75 percent:

Muscle twitches and cramps

Mental health conditions

Osteoporosis

Fatigue/ weakness

High blood pressure

Asthma

Irregular heartbeat

Difficulty sleeping

Slow or difficult bowel movements

Because it’s an essential mineral your body doesn’t produce, magnesium must be obtained through food and supplementation. Magnesium is a cofactor in more than 600 of the body’s enzymatic reactions. Fortunately, magnesium products work to increase your magnesium levels so that your body can function optimally. 

Magnesium for athletes

The body stores nearly all (99 percent) of its magnesium in the bones and other soft tissues, such as muscle, which makes its availability extremely important to athletes and anyone who is training or working out on a regular basis.

Although it’s found in many foods, such as whole grains, green leafy vegetables, and nuts, very few foods are considered to be magnesium-rich.

Studies have shown the importance of magnesium for athletes when examining players in various sports such as soccer, gymnastics, and rugby. Results have shown low dietary intakes of magnesium,2-6 specifically in young athletes.7

An athlete can fail to achieve recommended magnesium levels even when following a balanced diet that meets the needs for most other nutrients.

By aggravating the problem of inadequate intake, athletes can have a higher baseline need for magnesium because it is excreted through sweat and is involved in assisting carbohydrate and fat metabolism, energy production, protein synthesis, and healing – requirements that increase with physical activity.*

 If a Google search such as “magnesium athletes” took you to this page, then you’re probably wondering about the magnesium benefits for athletes. Here’s why the mineral is essential for peak performance:

Muscle energy

 So, does exercise deplete magnesium? Yes, exercise and magnesium levels go hand-in-hand. The reason you need magnesium for athletic performance is because this mineral is a crucial factor in the production of ATP, which provides energy for the muscles.* Strenuous exercise greatly increases the demand for muscle energy and triggers a magnesium-dependent process to continuously supply the ATP needed to fuel performance and recovery.* Studies suggest that strenuous exercise increases the need for magnesium by up to 20 percent.8

Bone health

With as much as 50 percent of the body’s total amount of magnesium stored in bone, magnesium is essential for maintaining healthy bones.

Inadequate intake is associated with bone disorders, and bone loss has been observed to increase in subjects who have low magnesium intake.*

Because the science of bone health during growth and exercise continues to evolve, the best advice for athletes, especially young athletes, is to be aware of magnesium status on an ongoing basis given its role in predicting bone mineral density.9

Knowing your magnesium status

So, what is the right magnesium dosage for athletes?

Although studies have shown the benefits of correcting an existing magnesium deficiency, the jury is still out on its impact on performance when supplementing above the recommended limit.

Your primary focus should be on achieving an optimal magnesium level for your activity level.

Considering that less than 1 percent of the body’s magnesium is stored in the blood, a total serum magnesium level measured in a laboratory might not give an accurate picture of magnesium status. Testing red blood cell magnesium levels is a preferable way to monitor magnesium status.

The takeaway

Not sure how much magnesium for athletes is ideal? Try Thorne’s Magnesium Bisglycinate, a powdered magnesium supplement for athletes. Formulated with 200mg of magnesium – about half of the FDA’s recommended daily intake1 – this formula can help promote restful sleep and muscle relaxation* and is NSF Certified for Sport®.

Not sure which one is for you? Check out our other magnesium products.

References

World Health Organization. Calcium and Magnesium in Drinking Water: Public health significance. Geneva: World Health Organization Press; 2009.

Clark M, Reed D, Crouse S, Armstrong R. Pre- and post-season dietary intake, body composition, and performance indices of NCAA division I female soccer players. Int J Sport Nutr Exerc Metab 2003;13:303-319.

Noda Y, Iide K, Masuda R, et al. Nutrient intake and blood iron status of male collegiate soccer players. Asia Pac J Clin Nutr 2009;18:344-350.

Silva M, Paiva T. Low energy availability and low body fat of female gymnasts before an international competition. Eur J Sport Sci 2014;16:1-9.

Heaney S, O’Connor H, Gifford J, Naughton G. Comparison of strategies for assess ing nutritional adequacy in elite female athletes’ dietary intake. Int J Sport Nutr Exerc Metab 2010;20:245-256.

Imamura H, Iide K, Yoshimura Y, et al. Nutrient intake, serum lipids and iron status of collegiate rugby players. J Int Soc Sports Nutr 2013;10:9.

Juzwiak C, Amancio O, Vitalle M, et al. Body composition and nutritional profile of male adolescent tennis players. J Sports Sci 2008;26:1209-1217.

Nielsen F, Lukaski H. Update on the relationship between magnesium and exercise. Magnes Res 2006;19(3):180-189.

Matias C, Santos D, Monteiro C, et al. Magnesium intake mediates the association between bone mineral density and lean soft tissue in elite swimmers. Magnes Res 2012;25:120-125.