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Magnesium for Sports & Fitness
Magnesium
Why Do Athletes Use It?*
Some athletes say that magnesium helps curb dehydration and prevent muscle cramping.
What Do the Advocates Say?*
People who are doing “heavy-duty” exercise lose a lot of magnesium through urination and sweat, so it’s important that it’s replaced. To keep water in the blood vessels, electrolytes, such as magnesium, need to be replaced. Therefore, to curb dehydration, electrolyte drinks are more effective than plain water.
Magnesium helps to prevent muscle cramping after exercise, too.
*Athletes and fitness advocates may claim benefits for this supplement based on their personal or professional experience. These are individual opinions and testimonials that may or may not be supported by controlled clinical studies or published scientific articles.
Also indexed as:
- fitness,
- magnesio,
- magnesium,
- physical fitness
About this treatment
Magnesium
How Much Is Usually Taken by Athletes?
Magnesium deficiency can reduce exercise performance and contribute to muscle cramps, but sub-optimal intake does not appear to be a problem among most groups of athletes. Controlled trials suggest that magnesium supplementation might improve some aspects of physiology important to sports performance in some athletes, but controlled and double-blind trials focusing on performance benefits of 212 to 500 mg per day of magnesium have been inconsistent. It is possible that magnesium supplementation benefits only those who are deficient or who are not highly trained athletes.
Side Effects
Comments in this section are limited to effects from taking oral magnesium. Side effects from intravenous use of magnesium are not discussed.
Taking too much magnesium often leads to diarrhea. For some people this can happen with amounts as low as 350–500 mg per day. More serious problems can develop with excessive magnesium intake from magnesium-containing laxatives. However, the amounts of magnesium found in nutritional supplements are unlikely to cause such problems. People with kidney disease should not take magnesium supplements without consulting a doctor.
Interactions with Supplements, Foods, & Other Compounds
Vitamin B6 increases the amount of magnesium that can enter cells. As a result, these two nutrients are often taken together. Magnesium may compete for absorption with other minerals, particularly calcium. Taking a multimineral supplement avoids this potential problem.
Interactions with Medicines
Certain medicines interact with this supplement.
 | Some medicines may increase the need for this supplement. |
|---|---|
 | Some medicines interact with this supplement, so they should not be taken together. |
 | Some interactions between this supplement and certain medicines require more explanation. Click the link to see details. |
Note: The following list only includes the generic or class name of a medicine. To find a specific brand name, use the Medicines Index.
Last Review: 05-11-2011
Copyright © 2011 Aisle7. All rights reserved. www.Aisle7.net
Learn more about Aisle7, the company.
The information presented in Aisle7 is for informational purposes only. It is based on scientific studies (human, animal, or in vitro), clinical experience, or traditional usage as cited in each article. The results reported may not necessarily occur in all individuals. For many of the conditions discussed, treatment with prescription or over the counter medication is also available. Consult your doctor, practitioner, and/or pharmacist for any health problem and before using any supplements or before making any changes in prescribed medications. Information expires June 2011.
© 1995-2011 Healthwise, Incorporated. Healthwise, Healthwise for every health decision, and the Healthwise logo are trademarks of Healthwise, Incorporated. This information does not replace the advice of a doctor. Healthwise, Incorporated disclaims any warranty or liability for your use of this information. Your use of this information means that you agree to the Terms of Use. How this information was developed to help you make better health decisions.
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