Is Magnesium Good For Working Out?

Magnesium is an essential mineral that plays a critical role in the human body. It takes part in the process of energy metabolism and assists in the maintenance of normal muscle function. A number of studies evaluated the association between Mg status/supplementation and exercise performance and found that the need for magnesium increased as individuals’ physical activity level went up. 

Why Is Magnesium Beneficial For Enhanced Fitness?

When it comes to working out, there’s plenty of evidence to show that magnesium can help improve body performance as well as simply keep us moving. During intense exercise, lactic acid builds up in your muscles. This occurs when there isn’t enough oxygen to break down the glucose and glycogen produced by your body for energy.

Suffering from unexplained spasms during exercise could also be another sign that your magnesium levels are low. That’s because magnesium regulates muscle contractions and inhibits the production of excess calcium. Without that to relax the muscles, it will lead to spasm, causing discomfort and ultimately, reduced performance.

Post Workout Effects 

That ache of the morning after a good workout can result in muscle aches and soreness. If you can’t walk or move properly, though, delayed onset muscle soreness can be a problem.

Muscle soreness delay after a workout is believed to be a result of microscopic attrition to muscle fibers, which creates the stiffness and soreness you feel in the following days. These micro-tears cause an increase in blood flow and inflammation to the area, which makes the area more responsive to movement by stimulating the pain receptors within the muscle tissue.  

Magnesium reduces inflammation, and thus can downgrade post-exercise muscle pain. A 2021 study on the effects of magnesium supplementation on muscle soreness and performance found that magnesium supplementation (350 mg/day for 10 days) significantly reduced muscle soreness at 24, 36, and 48 hours.