We all sometimes work a bit too hard and engage in physical exercises that push our bodies to their limit. It’s normal, in fact, it’s the best way to realize you are making real progress and you are improving both when it comes to strength and endurance. However, a significant percentage of the unwanted effects of high-intensity training can be mitigated, at least in part, by the ingestion of magnesium malate. What are the main magnesium benefits, and how does it affect the human body? Well, let’s dive right in.
Magnesium is needed in no less than 300 separate biochemical reactions crucial for the proper functioning of the human body. From sustaining proper muscle function to supporting our immune systems or even keeping our hearts within a normal rhythm, magnesium, together with sodium, is perhaps the most important electrolyte found in our blood. It aids in the production of proteins; it can give us the energy required to continue our activities, and it aids in both glycolysis and oxidative phosphorylation. But there is an issue. Magnesium reserves, like all electrolytes, can be affected by high-intensity exercises.
Have you ever felt nauseated after a workout? Did you experience fatigue, muscle cramps, weakness, and spasms? It’s normal. I’ve been there, you’ve been there, and so have pretty much all aspiring athletes who try to push their bodies and reach a new physical peak. These symptoms are typically caused by magnesium deficiency and are often resolved by the ingestion of magnesium malate.
What Is Magnesium Malate?
Magnesium malate is a supplement that consists of magnesium combined with malic acid, a natural compound that is often encountered in fruits. Compared to other types of magnesium supplements, Mg that’s also combined with malic acid is better absorbed by the body and it not only boosts the body’s magnesium levels but also contributes to a surge in energy. It’s not empty promises. Mg malate is scientifically proven to have a positive effect on ATP synthesis, and is therefore useful for individuals who are prone to feeling sluggish after intense workout sessions.
Magnesium malate is better absorbed in the body than magnesium sulphate, carbonate, and oxide. The malic acid in the composition of the supplements is naturally used by the body in the Krebs cycle, and specifically for post-workout sessions, malate, when combined with Mg, can reduce the levels of lactic acid present in our muscles and therefore aid in relaxation and recovery. Not least, it’s gentler on digestion than magnesium oxide and the Mg is released more steadily, which is great for keeping your blood’s electrolyte levels in check.
Does It Really Work?
Yes. Magnesium benefits are well-recorded and can help prevent brain fog, give you the energy required for daily physical activities and reduce post-workout cramps, stiffness, and soreness. Of course, it’s not magic. Exercise hard enough, and you will still feel fatigue and muscle pain. But the difference lies in how long these unwanted effects last and how they can impact your long-term physical development perspectives. Magnesium can reduce the impact of chronic fatigue; it’s scientifically proven to help improve sleep quality, it’s one of the most recommended supplements for stress reduction, and of course, together with potassium, is one of the key electrolytes used for muscle contractions.
Personally, I went years on end without actually trying to manage my post-workout sessions with the help of magnesium malate supplements. And you know what? That was a mistake. The magnesium benefits, in my case, become apparent after the first week of use. My muscles got less tight after pull-ups, which used to be a struggle before. Plus, it reduced my DOSM by somewhere around 50%, and I noticed that it also made me sleep better.
Sure, long-term magnesium benefits do not apply equally to all people. In my case, the effect was substantial, but for you, the effect might be more nuanced. Everyone is a bit different when it comes to these things, but what is good to know is that Mg is a crucial electrolyte for so many processes happening inside our bodies, and during intense exercise, we lose a significant percentage of the minerals that make us tick. Magnesium malate can replenish what we lose through sweat, and just for this, in my personal opinion, it is a supplement that’s worth taking.
What If I’m Not Working Out?
First of all, you should. If the world around us is going to the gutter, at least you can look and feel good while everything else is turning to ash. Secondly, magnesium benefits are not limited only to post-workout routines. You don’t really need to be an aspiring athlete in order to need magnesium supplementation. In fact, magnesium is one of those electrolytes that pretty much everyone has a deficiency in. The combination of magnesium with malic acid helps in the ATP process, which in turn, is responsible for our energy levels. In other words, are you feeling a bit under the radar lately, and your sleep patterns are all thrown out of whack? Perhaps what you need is a bit more magnesium.
Yes, Mg is not the only electrolyte that counts. Sodium, potassium, calcium, chloride, phosphate, and bicarbonate all play a role in the proper functioning of your body. But magnesium is perhaps the most important mineral in our blood when it comes to the regulation of our mood and for the production of serotonin. The ingestion of magnesium supplements is scientifically proven to help with mood disorders, reduce stress, improve sleep quality, and aid with muscle tension, which is essential since most of us have desk jobs that require us to stay still for hours on end.
Plus, and I can’t stress this enough, magnesium supplements are safe. While it’s true that it is technically possible to ingest too much magnesium, the real risks start to happen only when ingesting more than 1,200mg of Mg per day. Currently, the upper limits for supplements are set at around 350mg of elemental Mg per day, and typically, the excess in our blood is flushed out by our kidneys.
