Why Magnesium Is So Important for Athletes
by Melinda Burris

You may not give a lot of thought to magnesium, and all it does for your body, but you should, especially as a high-endurance athlete. Read on to learn more about how maintaining an adequate magnesium level is key to giving you a high energy level, can help prevent serious injury, and promotes quick recovery times.

Despite the important role magnesium plays in proper body function, research has established that it is one of the micronutrients most Americans are commonly deficient in, with one source claiming that approximately two-thirds or 66.67% of people in this country are failing to include an adequate amount of magnesium in their diets, while the World Health Organization’s findings suggest that number may be as high as 75% of the population.^1,2

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This is of particular concern to athletes as the physical demands they place on their bodies in training workouts and while competing cause additional magnesium loss through sweating and increased urination. Through their exertions, research shows that athletes can lose as much as 20% of the magnesium stored in their bodies, significantly increasing their probability of magnesium deficiency.¹

This can prove detrimental as insufficient magnesium levels can place athletes at risk not only for increased muscle damage but may also impede their recovery efforts.¹

Other micronutrients, including vitamin C, B vitamins, and zinc, are all important elements in promoting bodily functions, including energy production and red blood cell synthesis. These micronutrients are also necessary to ensure good bone health, proper immune function, and the repair of damaged muscle tissue (muscle reparation). All of these bodily processes are crucial for optimal physical performance. That said, many scientific studies have demonstrated that of all the micronutrients, it is magnesium that is linked to enhanced sports performance.¹

When we engage in moderate exercise, this places stress on the body to a degree that is healthy and good for us. Even moderate exercise will trigger the body’s natural protective response, which is a temporary and mild increase in inflammation. Professional and high-endurance athletes regularly go beyond modern exercise, training vigorously to perform at competition levels. This often leads to pushing the body to the limit. Regularly engaging in such strenuous exercise without sufficient warm-ups, cool downs, and, most importantly, breaks to allow the body necessary recovery time often results in negative consequences, including chronic inflammation, decreased energy levels, and mood shifts. It can also lead to muscle damage.¹ It’s important to remember that vigorous workouts should be undertaken thoughtfully to optimize your body’s condition, not recklessly endanger it.

The Benefits of Magnesium Supplementation

Investigative studies have demonstrated that diminished levels of magnesium in the body may be linked with excessive production of C-reactive protein (CRP), which is produced in the liver. CRP is released into the bloodstream when the body senses it has suffered injury or infection. High levels of inflammation will trigger this reaction from the body as a natural defense mechanism to protect the immune system.¹

A body in a constant state of excessive inflammation can cause constant production of CRP, which is believed to harm cellular health. Multiple recent research studies on this topic find that magnesium supplementation has a tendency to decrease CRP levels. Recent findings also suggest magnesium supplementation has the propensity to assist in protecting against muscle damage that can result from extensive training and the rigors of competition.¹

A 2019 study considered the hypothesis that magnesium supplementation impacts the propensity of professional cyclists to develop muscle damage.  The participants were to compete in a three-week cycling race. The test subjects were separated into two groups. One group was given 400 milligrams of magnesium throughout the 21-day event. The second group received no magnesium supplementation.¹

As expected, at the conclusion of the race, the athletes in the group that received magnesium supplementation experienced less muscle damage compared to the group that did not. Blood magnesium levels were checked in participants from both groups and as expected, knowing what we do about how magnesium is lost through sweating, the levels of blood magnesium levels dipped in subjects from both groups.¹

It is important to note that while both groups experienced a loss in magnesium, the athletes who had received magnesium supplementation throughout the duration of the race had magnesium levels significantly higher than the group that received no supplementation. This finding supports the idea that maintaining higher blood levels of magnesium while competing may provide protection against muscle damage while participating in vigorous exercise.¹

Proper levels of magnesium are important for athletes to maintain for other reasons besides muscle protection and recovery.  As Laura Kunces, a registered dietician and Certified Specialist in Sports Dietetics, points out, “Magnesium, for athletes, is also an integral factor in cellular energy production pathways, oxidative phosphorylation, and glycolysis – all ways the body makes and uses energy. This is all important to understand if you are an athlete looking to optimize your performance and recovery.”²

Kunces also points out there is “a positive association between magnesium, muscle recovery, and muscle performance for movements that play key roles in almost all sports…” ² Some of the examples she mentions are directly related to the strengths required for hurdlers and track athletes including:²

• Ankle extension strength
• Core strength
• Jumping performance
• Knee extension torque
• Lower-leg power

A 2024 research study demonstrated that magnesium supplementation has numerous benefits, including a reduction in muscle soreness, enhanced performance and recovery times, and helped mitigate the risk of muscle damage.³

The study findings recommended that to optimize these positive effects, athletes and other people who regularly take part in intense exercise should maintain a magnesium level that is 10–20% higher than individuals who live a sedentary lifestyle. The recommended course of action to achieve this increased level is to take magnesium capsules as directed two hours before commencing with training.³

Notably, experts also advise athletes to be vigilant about maintaining recommended levels of magnesium during the off-season.³

Athletes who go on highly restrictive or “crash” diets to lose weight quickly are especially at risk for developing magnesium deficiency.¹ Keep in mind that magnesium is found in loads of healthy foods that you can incorporate into your daily diet to naturally boost your magnesium level. The list below is just a sample of the many foods high in magnesium:

12 Nutritious Foods Naturally High in Magnesium

• Bananas
• Nuts
• Pumpkin Seeds
• Brown Rice
• Quinoa
• Black Beans
• Yogurt
• Broccoli
• Leavy Greens
• Avocados
• Salmon
• Tofu

References:

1. Smith, A. (11 October 2019). Do Athletes Need More Magnesium?
2. Kunces, L. (16 September 2024). The Role of Magnesium for Athletes in Exercise Performance.
3. Tarsitano, M.G. (5 July 2024). Effects of Magnesium Supplementation on Muscle Soreness in Different Type of Physical Activities: A Systematic Review.

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