Why Your Muscles Need Magnesium

Magnesium supplements have been all over our algorithms recently, and it’s no surprise due to its myriad of benefits. Whilst it's probably best known for its role in stress and relaxation, one of the most underrated benefits is its effect on muscle health. Here’s what you need to know.  

What is Magnesium? 

Magnesium is a mineral in the body that is a co-factor in over 300 enzymatic reactions. It is critical for everything from energy, mood, and metabolism to hormone health, athletic performance and musculoskeletal function. Magnesium is what is called an essential mineral, which means that the body cannot produce it on its own. As such, we need to get it from our food intake or via supplementation. Whilst it’s possible to get enough from our diet, it’s not often happening, and magnesium insufficiency is thought to be one of the leading mineral deficiencies in western populations. (1) The National Diet + Nutrition survey revealed that, of the 3200+ people studied, neither men nor women in the UK met the RDA (2). In addition, the RDA is believed to be antiquated and underestimates the current Magnesium requirements. Clinical data now suggests we should be consuming 6mg per kg of bodyweight in order to avoid an imbalance of magnesium. (2) Ensuring an adequate intake of magnesium can contribute significantly to maintaining healthy and resilient muscles. Here’s why.  

It helps to regulate contraction and relaxation of our muscles.  

Magnesium is often called the relaxation mineral because of its calming effect on the nervous system, but it also plays an essential role in keeping our muscles relaxed. Magnesium and calcium work together to orchestrate muscle contraction; calcium causes muscles to shorten and contract, and magnesium triggers them to relax and lengthen. When we have insufficient magnesium, our muscles can struggle to relax, which in turn, can lead to cramping, spasms and stiffness. Because of this, magnesium is crucial to help fuel workouts and aid in muscle repair.  

It supplies the muscle with energy to enhance performance.  

Energy metabolism is dependent on Magnesium because of its role in ATP production.  ATP is our energy currency, and creating an adequate supply ensures that our muscles have fuel for activity. ATP is produced in our Mitochondria, which are known as the ‘powerhouses’ of our cells, and every muscle fibre contains hundreds and of thousands of them. When magnesium is inadequate, our mitochondrial function suffers and can become impaired. This can compromise exercise performance due to the lack of fuel in our muscles. Prolonged magnesium insufficiency can contribute to age-related muscle dysfunction. (4) This makes magnesium a core mineral for enhancing performance. 

It promotes recovery and decreases exercise-related inflammation. 

When we exercise, acute inflammation naturally occurs as a part of the recovery process.  Delayed onset muscle soreness, also known as DOMS, happens when the micro-damage to muscle fibers is paired with inflammation. This is a normal process in which our muscles become conditioned to physical activity, but how quickly we recover can be influenced by our underlying nutrient status. Whilst inflammation is a normal part of recovery, if we’re unable to resolve it, it can lead to prolonged soreness, muscle dysfunction and a greater risk of damage. In addition to its role in relaxing stiff muscles, magnesium has been shown to reduce C Reactive Protein (CRP), a marker of inflammation, and increase Nitric Oxide (NO), which encourages blood flow and helps in lactic acid excretion, making it an essential mineral for muscle recovery. (7) 

How to Increase Magnesium: FOOD

Magnesium is available in a variety of foods -  here are the ones we love: 

- spinach, pumpkin seeds, chia seeds, almonds, cashews, peanut butter, brussels sprouts, broccoli, avocado, edamame, black beans, banana, halibut, salmon, amaranth, quinoa and brown rice.  

How to Increase Magnesium: SUPPLEMENTS

Essential Magnesium is a blend of Magnesium Malate and Magnesium Glycinate. Malic acid is an intermediary in the Krebs cycle which is a key energy-producing process in the body. This makes it the best form for energy production. Glycine has a calming effect on the nervous system and helps to regulate core body temperature which may aid sleep, (5) stimulate muscle growth, and it protects muscle tissue from damage. (6) 

SHOP MAGNESIUM  

Disclaimer: The information presented in this article is for educational purposes only and is not intended to diagnose, prevent, or treat any medical or psychological conditions. The information is not intended as medical advice, nor should it replace the advice from a doctor or qualified healthcare professional. Please do not stop, adjust, or modify your dose of any prescribed medications without the direct supervision of your healthcare practitioner. 

References: 

1. Derbyshire E. Micronutrient Intakes of British Adults Across Mid-Life: A Secondary Analysis of the UK National Diet and Nutrition Survey. Front Nutr. 2018 Jul 19;5:55. doi: 10.3389/fnut.2018.00055. PMID: 30073167; PMCID: PMC6060686.
2. Mildred S. Seelig. The Requirement of Magnesium by the Normal Adult: Summary and Analysis of Published Data. The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. 14;6:1964, pg. 342-390. https://doi.org/10.1093/ajcn/14.6.342.
3. Krans, J. L. (2010) The Sliding Filament Theory of Muscle Contraction. Nature Education 3(9):66

4. Souza ACR, Vasconcelos AR, Dias DD, Komoni G, Name JJ. The Integral Role of Magnesium in Muscle Integrity and Aging: A Comprehensive Review. Nutrients. 2023 Dec 16;15(24):5127. doi: 10.3390/nu15245127. PMID: 38140385; PMCID: PMC10745813.
5. Bannai M, Kawai N. New therapeutic strategy for amino acid medicine: glycine improves the quality of sleep. J Pharmacol Sci. 2012;118(2):145-8. doi: 10.1254/jphs.11r04fm. Epub 2012 Jan 27. PMID: 22293292.
6. 6. Koopman R, Caldow MK, Ham DJ, Lynch GS. Glycine metabolism in skeletal muscle: implications for metabolic homeostasis. Curr Opin Clin Nutr Metab 2017 Jul;20(4):237-242. doi: 10.1097/MCO.0000000000000383. PMID: 28375879.
7. Veronese N, Pizzol D, Smith L, Dominguez LJ, Barbagallo M. Effect of Magnesium Supplementation on Inflammatory Parameters: A Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials. Nutrients. 2022 Feb 5;14(3):679. doi: 10.3390/nu14030679. PMID: 35277037; PMCID: PMC8838086.