1. Replenish magnesium stores in the body.
What’s the number one thing you hear when it comes to post workout supplementation? “Drink protein”, “eat a lean meal”, “drink water or a post-workout shake”, right? Well the one thing that most people forget about are electrolytes. A recent study in the Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise Journal outlines the importance of magnesium in athletic performance.
The study was conducted on a group of male marathon runners whose levels of electrolytes were tested after they competed in a marathon. According to the test results, magnesium turned out to be the number one depleted mineral, with potassium coming in second. This depletion also showed signs of oxidative stress in each test subject.
It’s important to understand that magnesium is known to regulate muscle and nerve tones within the body and plays an important role in muscle contractions. Therefore, an ample amount of it is recommended for optimal functioning and performance. So make sure to get plenty of electrolytes after your workout. This is why we created RecoverySpray; it’s quick, easy and effective.
2. Speed recovery from intense training
Whether you are strength training or aerobic training, magnesium is important for post-workout recovery. After all, it’s the 4th most abundant mineral found in the body. Thus, when it’s restored, it may help protect against inflammation and greatly increase recovery from strenuous activity.
The recommended daily dosage is roughly 500mg of magnesium, according to researchers. This is to ensure rapid muscle recovery since this electrolyte is depleted quickly during exertion due to the fact that it helps regulate insulin and blood pressure sensitivity.
A lot of people take protein and creatine pre- or post-workout to help speed recovery and build strength. While creatine monohydrate supplements are proven effective, it’s interesting to note that magnesium may very well be a mineral that helps to optimize the function of creatine.
Having less muscle damage and soreness is beneficial if you need to recover quickly in preparation for competition or because you want to perform a subsequent workout that is more demanding and yields increased soreness.
-Charles, Poliquin Strength Institute
3. Supports ATP
Adenosine triphosphate (ATP) is found in cells as their main source of energy. However, to become active biologically, it must first bind with a magnesium ion. This is another point that shows its importance in the metabolism of ATP.
Without these magnesium-dependent enzymes, or ATPases, the breakdown process within the ATP would take a lot longer since magnesium is incorporated as a cofactor.
Magnesium is also an important factor when it comes to protein biosynthesis.
4. Optimal athletic performance
Once you’re completely rested up and your muscles have fully recovered from their previous bashing, you’re going to want to get back at it. At this point you’ve more than likely already fed your muscles correctly with nutritious meals, glutamine, and protein, to name a few.
When it comes to protein supplementation however, increasing protein intake may decrease magnesium retention, requiring you to increase your magnesium supplementation. The drop in retention may result in lower magnesium stores, which in turn may negatively affect protein metabolism. This is something you don’t want to happen, as it may decrease strength gains throughout your overall workout regimen.
Now that we know some of the ways magnesium functions within the body, we can clearly see how important it is to normal human function and optimal athletic performance.
5. Increased metabolic efficiency
Another study was done over a period of 3 months on the depletion effects of magnesium in 10 women. The study showed reduced metabolic efficiency during low levels of magnesium, which had the tendency of increasing the amount of oxygen consumption required during strenuous activity as well as increasing the heart rates of the test subjects. Most of the measurements were taken at about 80% of each of the female’s maximum heart rate and these findings were directly related to the amount of magnesium that was depleted.
This goes to show that by simply increasing your magnesium stores you can also increase metabolic efficiency, and thus, overall athletic performance.
[image via kafcrossfit]
Linus Pauling Institute; Magnesium; Jane Higdon, Ph.D.; April 2003
Medicine and Science in Sport and Exercise. 2012. Published Ahead of Print.
The Magnesium Miracle. 2006 Carolyn Dean, M.D., N.D.