Magnesium for Cyclists

Magnesium supplements are often promoted and used by athletes but there can also be some confusion around whether they are needed and; if so, which form of magnesium athletes should choose to supplement their diet. 

Magnesium and it’s various roles

Magnesium is involved in many different metabolic processes in the body including energy metabolism and blood glucose control. It also contributes to muscle contractile function and has a potentially protective effect in muscle, thereby playing a role for muscle recovery and improving muscle soreness.

Signs and Symptoms magnesium deficiency

Women need ~320 mg/day and men ~420 mg/day, but athletes may require more, up to ~390 mg/day for women and ~500 mg/day for men. Some signs and symptoms of deficiency could be muscle soreness, muscle cramping, and poor recovery. 

Unfortunately, a magnesium deficiency would be difficult to detect in a blood test as a very small percentage of the body’s magnesium is circulating in the blood while the majority is stored in bone and other soft tissue. I recommend analyzing your dietary intake with a program such as Hexis to assess adequacy of daily magnesium intake before trying a regular supplement.

Food-first approach vs. supplement

Foods that are higher in magnesium include:

• pumpkin seeds

• chia seeds

• cashews

• almonds

• whole grains

• black beans

• avocado

• spinach

• dark chocolate

Trying a food-first approach makes sense, and; in some cases if your diet is not particularly high in these magnesium-rich foods, additional supplementation can be warranted, particularly in times of higher training load. There are several different forms of magnesium supplements which are described below but always choose supplements that are third-party certified safe.

Choosing a magnesium supplement

Magnesium Glycinate or Bisglycinate: Often used to improve sleep and cognition due to its possible calming effect. This form can also possibly help with muscle soreness and improved recovery.

Magnesium Malate: May help with symptoms of chronic pain or fatigue and muscle soreness, though more research is needed. 

Magnesium Threonate: Due to its ability to cross the blood-brain barrier, this form may support cognition, memory, and sleep but additional research is also needed.

Magnesium Citrate: May help with improving constipation therefore high supplementation amounts should be tested with caution.

Magnesium Chloride: May help support bone health if a clinical deficiency is evident.

Magnesium Taurate: May also help with blood pressure but additional research is needed.

The bottom line

Athletes may find that regular or semi-regular supplementation with magnesium results in improved recovery, sleep, muscle soreness and cramping. Over time, it’s possible that regular adequate magnesium intake through diet/supplementation can also improve energy levels, cognition, health and performance.

First, assess your regular dietary intake of magnesium to determine your daily supplement dosing need. For example, ~200-350 mg per day could be a decent starting point when beginning to supplement. Remember, as an athlete, your daily magnesium needs also can increase with higher training loads. When in doubt, consult with a nutrition professional to tailor magnesium intake to your individual needs in order to gain optimal benefits.

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