The Truth About Magnesium for Athletes

Social media and simple internet searches inundate us with miracle solutions that reduce stress, offset sore muscles and improve sleep quality. Most often, these touted miracles entail questionable supplements with even more dubious ingredients. While we are bombarded with information overload, let’s get back to the basics on one mineral that continues to capture our attention. Is magnesium for athletes the miracle mineral we need? Be sure to read on and find out!

Why is magnesium for athletes important?

Magnesium is a mineral that is crucial for energy metabolism, cardiorespiratory function, and muscle actions. Because of these important roles, it is a necessary electrolyte mineral for any endurance athlete. According to studies, a lack of magnesium can cause unwanted symptoms such as weakness and muscle cramps, both of which can be harmful to overall training and sports. Other signs of magnesium deficiency include irritability, muscle twitches, weakening of the bones and abnormal heart rhythm. 

But first, food.

Unfortunately the general population, including athletes, have documented insufficient magnesium intake in their diets. As with any vitamin or mineral, I encourage my athletes to optimize food sources before relying on any nutrition supplement to boost intake. The RDA (Recommended Dietary Allowance) for magnesium for females is 310-320mg/day while men is 400-420 mg/day.  Athletes can easily boost their diet in magnesium-rich food sources by regularly including foods such as:

• Pumpkin seeds (1oz= 156mg)
• Chia seeds (1oz= 111mg)
• Almonds (1oz= 80mg), cashews (1oz= 74mg), peanuts (¼ cup= 63mg)
• Soy milk (1 cup= 61mg)
• Black beans (½ cup cooked= 60mg)
• Edamame (½ cup cooked= 50mg)
• Dark chocolate (1oz= 50mg)
• Peanut butter (2 tbsp= 49mg)
• Whole wheat bread (2 slices= 46mg)
• Baked potato with skin (3 ½ oz= 43mg)
• Brown rice (½ cup cooked= 42mg)
• Instant oatmeal (1 packet= 36mg)

To ensure adequate intake, be sure to add magnesium-rich foods regularly into your flexible meal planning and prepping routine. A simple strategy for increasing magnesium intake is by adding pumpkin seeds into your no-bake energy bites, which are a convenient on-the-run snack (literally). Or try nibbling on dried edamame mixed into an easy homemade snack mix. Slivered almonds or chia seeds are a great addition to an easy oatmeal bake. Even consider enjoying a small square of dark chocolate (a personal favorite) as an occasional post-dinner treat.

If you are finding it increasingly difficult to meet your dietary magnesium needs on a regular basis, it may be time to consider a magnesium supplement. 

Are there benefits with a magnesium supplement?

Some research shows that magnesium supplementation may improve performance parameters in both aerobic and anaerobic exercises. Magnesium supplements can assist athletes in maintaining proper magnesium levels and lower their risk of cramping and exhaustion. Additionally, supplementation can assist to control hormone levels, enhance sleep, and guard against other mineral deficiencies.

Which type of magnesium supplement is best? 

Phew! Glad you asked, because magnesium supplements are available in a very wide variety of forms. Before you start any nutrition supplements, please make sure you opt for one that is third-party tested, such as Informed Choice for Sport or NSF-Certified for Sport. Two chelated forms of magnesium—magnesium glycinate and magnesium taurinate—are more readily absorbed by the body and may be preferable for athletes because of their higher absorption rates. A few common forms include:

Magnesium glycinate (or bisglycinate)- is formed by combining elemental magnesium with the amino acid glycine.  This form of magnesium is highly bioavailable, meaning the magnesium is easily absorbed through the small intestine.

Magnesium taurinate- is formed by combining elemental magnesium with the amino acid taurine. This form is primarily recommended for heart health since magnesium and taurine both have heart-healthy benefits.

But also, magnesium oxide and citrate- are the two most common forms of magnesium supplements. Magnesium oxide is magnesium bound to oxygen and magnesium citrate is magnesium bound to citrate. Both of these supplements have high bioavailability and are often used to treat digestion issues. Magnesium citrate can be beneficial for treating chronic constipation, so for athletes with normal stools it could cause them to be looser.

A supplement brand that I personally love and trust is Thorne Research!  You can use this link to get 15% off your supplement order. 

When should athletes take a magnesium supplement?

Magnesium supplements should be taken with meals as according to the Mayo Clinic, taking on an empty stomach may cause unwanted gastrointestinal issues. For individuals taking a pill form of the supplement, swallow the tablets whole. If consuming the powder form of the dietary supplement, pour powder into a glass, add water, stir and consume. It is important to speak with your medical care provider regarding a dosage amount as excessive magnesium intake can lead to diarrhea.

How can magnesium benefit sleep in athletes?

Perhaps, though this is contingent on the individual. Research shows that magnesium supplementation at a dose of 500mg daily for 8 weeks helps individuals to fall asleep faster and also helps to improve sleep quality. Many of my endurance athletes find that simply soaking in a magnesium-rich epsom salt bath in the evening can also help improve sleep quality. Epsom salt soaks are also effective for helping to reduce muscle soreness and cramps associated with the demands of training and racing.

Can taking a magnesium supplement reduce muscle cramps in athletes?

For some individuals, yes! But it is also important to consider other common offenders of muscle cramping in athletes. While athletes seldom escape the painful experience of muscle cramps at some point during their training cycle, research shows that it is important to also consider factors such as acute or chronic dehydration, electrolyte imbalances, among other factors. Muscle cramps during exercise have often been linked to low levels of sodium in the blood.

Before you reach for any magnesium supplement, it is always best to optimize food sources first and also speak with your primary medical care team prior to starting. Optimizing magnesium intake is important for all athletes at all levels. My team and I are here to support you. We are an experienced and passionate team and can get you fueling your best to support you every day with performance nutrition goals. If you are feeling that your nutrition needs some fine tuning, check out my 1:1 performance nutrition coaching.