Magnesium and energy
Magnesium is involved in ATP (adenosine triphosphate) production, the primary source of energy for cellular function. We use ATP for muscle contraction, nerve transmission, and overall energy metabolism. By supporting ATP synthesis, magnesium helps maintain energy levels during workouts and promotes endurance and stamina.
Muscle Function and Performance
Magnesium plays a key role in muscle contraction and relaxation, making it essential for optimal muscle function and performance. Adequate magnesium levels help prevent muscle cramps, spasms, and fatigue during exercise, allowing athletes to push harder and train more effectively.
Electrolyte Balance
Magnesium is an essential electrolyte that works alongside other minerals such as potassium, sodium, and calcium to maintain proper fluid balance and electrolyte levels in the body. Electrolytes are critical for hydration, nerve function, and muscle contraction, making magnesium supplementation beneficial for athletes, especially during intense or prolonged exercise.
Oxygen Delivery
Magnesium helps regulate blood flow and oxygen delivery to working muscles during exercise. By dilating blood vessels and improving circulation, magnesium supports oxygen and nutrient delivery to muscles, enhancing endurance and performance during workouts.
Recovery and Muscle Repair
Magnesium plays a role in protein synthesis and muscle repair processes following exercise. Adequate magnesium levels help reduce inflammation, promote muscle recovery, and support tissue repair, allowing athletes to recover faster and minimise post-exercise soreness and fatigue.
Reducing stress
Magnesium has calming properties that help regulate the body’s stress response and promote relaxation. During intense training or competition, athletes may experience elevated stress levels and cortisol levels, which can negatively impact performance and recovery. Magnesium supplementation can help reduce stress and anxiety, supporting overall well-being and performance.
Taking magnesium supplements
Overall, if you’re playing sports or training regularly, magnesium supplements could help you by supporting energy production, muscle function, endurance, recovery, and overall performance. Many athletes take magnesium supplements to make sure they meet their daily magnesium needs, especially if they engage in intense or prolonged exercise regularly which can bump up your daily requirement.
How to absorb more magnesium
Look for “chelated” magnesium, which means the magnesium is in a compound with an organic molecule. It will and in -ate, like magnesium glycinate, magnesium citrate, magnesium lactate and so on. This means you can absorb far more of it than if you take the cheaper option magnesium oxide, which research suggests we absorb very poorly – one study found people were only absorbing 12% of that form.
For most people, getting a mix of different types of magnesium is better than just going for one kind. This tends to increase absorption.
Consider also taking zinc, vitamin B6 and vitamin D3 at the same time as your magnesium supplement. These partner nutrients don’t just increase how much you absorb: they also work with magnesium in your body to help it do its job.
Finally, research has found we absorb magnesium the best when we take it with protein-rich foods and with prebiotics found in fresh fruit and vegetables. So the ideal partner to your magnesium supplements would be a home made fruit milkshake, protein shake or maybe some eggs and avocado on toast.
