Magnesium for Muscle Health and Recovery

The Role of Magnesium in the Muscles

Magnesium supports overall muscle health and plays a central role in their contraction and relaxation - including the heart. How does magnesium relax muscles? The mineral calcium binds to muscle protein sites, modifying their structure to cause muscles to contract. Magnesium also binds to the same proteins, blocking calcium after contraction to relax the muscles.

In addition, this essential mineral supports the muscles in other ways:

• Promotes Protein Synthesis - Magnesium helps activate protein synthesis, essential for muscle growth and development.
• Balances Electrolytes - One of the functions of magnesium is to maintain levels of the minerals calcium, potassium, and sodium, promoting the optimal electrolyte balance required for healthy muscle function.
• Prevents High Lactic Acid - This mineral helps prevent an excess, buildup of lactic acid in the muscles, helping to ease tension.
• Boosts ATP Production - Magnesium stimulates the mitochondria in the cells to boost ATP production, increasing cellar energy to support muscle contraction and relaxation.

How Does Magnesium Help Muscle Recovery?

When you exercise or engage in strength training, muscles become constricted, and sometimes they can remain tense afterward and cause discomfort. Does magnesium help muscle recovery? Magnesium is essential in relaxing the muscles after they contract, so it plays a central role in muscle recovery after exercise.

In addition to speeding up healing and recovery, magnesium may help ease muscle pain after training and boost performance. Magnesium has antioxidant properties, helping to lower oxidative stress to repair damage to muscle tissue, and it also exerts anti-inflammatory effects that reduce swelling and help relieve discomfort and pain.

A study of college-aged adults published in the Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research highlighted the link between magnesium and muscle pain reduction. The researchers concluded that magnesium supplementation relieved soreness, enhanced recovery, and improved perceived exertion after a bench-pressing session.

How else does magnesium help muscle recovery?

• Sleep Quality: Evidence indicates that magnesium may help improve sleep quality by lowering cortisol levels, improving neurotransmitter synthesis, and boosting melatonin levels. Solid rest is essential for proper muscle recovery and healing.
• Increases Vitamin D Levels: Low levels of vitamin D can lead to weakness and pain in muscles because it helps regulate calcium and protein synthesis. Magnesium activates increased levels, helping to ease pain and weakness and speed up healing.

Advertisement

Best Magnesium Types for Muscle Recovery

Magnesium exists in many different forms, and the benefits of each and its absorption ability vary. Which magnesium is best for muscle recovery? Organic forms of magnesium (read: contains carbon and created by living organisms) are better absorbed than inorganic forms (read: not related to plants or animals). The more absorbable organic forms include:

• Magnesium Sulfate - Also called Epsom salt, magnesium sulfate is arguably the best form of magnesium for muscle recovery. Adding it to a bath for a soak helps ease muscle tension, detoxify the body, decrease inflammation, and speed up muscle healing.
• Magnesium Chloride - Magnesium chloride is absorbed easily by the body, and it is also the easiest to find in both oral and topical forms. Whether you take capsules or use a spray, lotion, or cream, it helps ease muscle pain and tension and detoxify the body.
• Magnesium Citrate - Which magnesium is best for muscle cramps? Bound to citric acid, this magnesium form is most easily absorbed by the body. It supports nerve transmission to the muscles, helping to ease pain after a workout, and is the top form to relieve cramping and spasms.
• Magnesium Malate - This form of magnesium, bound to malic acid, supports energy production and muscle metabolism. It helps to decrease fatigue and is a good form of magnesium for muscle pain.
• Magnesium Glycinate - This is magnesium combined with the amino acid glycine, which plays a role in relaxation and improving sleep quality. It helps ease muscle tension and improve recovery and is least likely to cause digestive upset.
• Magnesium Glycinate - Magnesium bound to the amino acid taurine is also well-absorbed. This magnesium-taurine combination has additive effects on improving hypertension and overall cardiovascular health. In particular, taurine has been shown to improve recovery from exercise-induced muscle damage. Some forms of the less bioavailable inorganic forms of magnesium include magnesium oxide, magnesium chloride, and magnesium sulfate (Epsom salt). Because of their poor absorption (relative to organic forms), they are more appropriately used as laxatives and/or antacids. Magnesium sulfate (Epsom salt) is often added to a bath for a soak to help ease muscle tension, detoxify the body, decrease inflammation, and speed up muscle healing. However, effective absorption of magnesium via the skin has yet to be proven scientifically.

Daily Magnesium Requirements: How Much Do You Need For Optimal Recovery?

While topical forms are available, magnesium is more bioavailable for muscle health in oral supplement form. You can also derive it from the best foods for muscle recovery like nuts, seeds, legumes, leafy greens, yogurt, quinoa, yogurt, milk, bananas, spinach, tofu, soy milk, and and fatty fish (e.g., salmon, halibut).

How much magnesium do you need daily? According to the National Institutes of Health, the recommended daily intake for adults is as follows:

• Adult Men - 400-420 mg
• Adult Women - 310-320 mg
• Pregnant Women - 350-400 mg
• Lactating Women - 310-360 mg

Advertisement

Are You Getting Enough Magnesium?

While serious magnesium deficiency is not common in the U.S., the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey concluded that 48% of Americans take in low levels of this essential nutrient.

Factors that can impact magnesium uptake and increase your chances of low levels include medical conditions like type 2 diabetes, kidney disease, and gastrointestinal disorders, and taking medications like proton-pump inhibitors, antibiotics, and diuretics.

How do you know if your levels are too low? If you suspect you are deficient in magnesium, see your doctor for a blood test and to discuss options. Some of the symptoms of low magnesium levels may include:

• Muscle cramps or pain
• Fatigue
• Tingling or numbness
• Decreased appetite
• Nausea or vomiting
• Irregular heartbeat
• Seizures

Magnesium Supplementation: Tips for Safety

While it's important to meet the daily magnesium requirement, taking in too much of this nutrient daily can lead to side effects like stomach cramps, diarrhea, nausea, lethargy - and weaker muscles. When taking magnesium for muscles, follow these tips to ensure safe supplementation:

• Consult with your physician before taking a magnesium supplement, especially if you have a health condition or take medication.
• Magnesium supplements with more than 350 mg of elemental magnesium may cause diarrhea and other side effects in some people. This often depends on the form of magnesium. It is best to take magnesium in divided doses, especially when supplementing with amounts greater than 350 mg.
• Magnesium can be taken with or without food. Nevertheless, taking magnesium supplements with a meal rather than on an empty stomach can minimize the risk of side effects in some people with sensitive digestive systems.
• Inorganic magnesium forms are more likely to lead to side effects, in particular magnesium carbonate, magnesium sulfate, and magnesium oxide.