Magnesium and Your Workout: What Comes First? Your supplemental needs can vary depending on your diet and the intensity of your workout
Taking magnesium supplements may improve your muscle recovery
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- Magnesium is crucial for muscle function, energy production, and recovery, supporting aerobic and anaerobic exercise performance.
- Athletes may need 10-20% more magnesium, and taking supplements may help reduce muscle soreness and fatigue.
- Magnesium supplements, especially magnesium citrate, can aid in muscle recovery, but more research is needed on optimal timing, dosage, and type.
Magnesium is an essential mineral that helps keep your muscles moving, heart beating, and body functioning. It plays a key role in energy production and supports calcium transport, helping muscles contract and relax properly.
Having optimal magnesium levels may improve how your body uses oxygen, elevating your endurance during aerobic exercise. Magnesium helps regulate glucose (your body's primary energy source), prevent muscle soreness, and fatigue.
When Is It Better to Take Magnesium for Exercise?
Taking magnesium supplements can support muscle recovery, especially if it's lacking in your diet. Low magnesium levels may contribute to muscle weakness, cramping, and increased risk for muscle damage.
Athletes may require 10-20% more magnesium than people who move less. Long, intense exercise can deplete magnesium levels.
Some studies indicate that taking a magnesium supplement about two hours before intense exercise may enhance performance and reduce muscle soreness.
Before a Workout
During anaerobic (high-intensity) exercise, glucose in your muscles is converted to lactic acid. Lactic acid build-up causes muscle fatigue. Taking a magnesium supplement before your workout may help delay lactate accumulation because it helps regulate glucose.
Cycling, for example, can involve aerobic capacity and anaerobic spurts, such as racing to the finish line, or “sprint intervals” during a spin class.
In one study, competitive cyclists took a 400-milligram magnesium supplement each morning with breakfast throughout a cycling competition. The results showed that magnesium supplementation supports muscle strength and tone. It may have also helped their muscles recover faster.
After a Workout
Magnesium supplements are safe; clinical studies suggest that enough magnesium may improve health and reduce muscle soreness.
Magnesium supplementation before working out may help delay or prevent muscle soreness and fatigue. More research is needed to determine if taking magnesium after a workout provides significant relief.
How to Take Magnesium for Exercise
The adult recommended daily allowance (RDA) for magnesium is:
- People assigned female are birth: 310-320 milligrams
- People who are pregnant: 350 to 360 milligrams
- People assigned male at birth: 400-420 milligrams
Studies on magnesium and exercise suggest 300 to 500 milligrams may support muscle recovery.
Eating magnesium-rich foods like nuts and seeds (pumpkin seeds, chia seeds, almonds, and cashews), spinach, soy milk, edamame, black beans, brown rice, peanut butter, and dark chocolate is helpful to meet the RDA.
Magnesium citrate, magnesium lactate, and magnesium chloride are easier for your body to absorb than magnesium oxide or magnesium sulfate. Magnesium citrate may be best for recovery needs.
More research is necessary to determine the timing, dosage, and type of magnesium that is best for muscle recovery.
Downsides and Considerations
Some drugs, like diuretics and proton-pump inhibitors (PPIs), can cause magnesium loss. On the other hand, magnesium can interfere with the absorption of certain drugs like tetracycline (an antibiotic).
Regular, intense exercise may mean you need more magnesium. Consult with your healthcare provider to determine your personal needs.
People assigned female at birth may have greater magnesium needs while training due to fluctuations in progesterone and estrogen during the follicular phase of their menstrual cycle (the first 14 days, starting from the first day of their period). Both influence magnesium levels, often peaking during the luteal phase. This may explain why cravings for magnesium-rich foods like chocolate occur during their period.
A Quick Review
Magnesium is essential for overall health and can be beneficial for workouts. It supports oxygen use, muscle contraction, and glucose regulation, which can affect energy levels and recovery.
Due to increased demands and depletion during intense exercise, athletes may need 10-20% more magnesium than less active individuals.
Medications and menstrual cycles can influence magnesium levels. Deficiencies may lead to muscle cramps and fatigue. With no clear consensus on the best timing for supplementing, keeping magnesium levels optimal is important.
This story originally appeared on: Health News - Author:Lauren O'Connor, MS, RDN
