Training & Nutrition - The Benefits of Magnesium

I was wondering if anyone had had a similar experience with any supplements/vitamins.

I was finding myself pretty irritable, having trouble sleeping and feeling stressed after my big smash up sessions either races or training. And by the third week of a cycle this was worst.

I recently started taking a Calcium and Magnesium tablet twice a day and these symptoms have disappeared. I did see that this is one of the possible benefits when I googled magnesium. Anyone else have a similar experience? I have to say it has really calmed me.

I take it to prevent cramps.
No cramps in 28,000 miles of riding.

definitely. I'm always raving about the benefits of Magnesium and to me the way magnesium helps you sleep and relax is extraordinarily beneficial. Its not just about muscle cramps. Watch how much calcium your taking. Too much calcium will counter magnesium.

Anthony

how much Magnesium is in your 2 tablets?

how much Magnesium is in your 2 tablets?

Will have to check... will answer later

Your body will tell you when you get to much Mg. You will have a case of the runs.

128mg per tab I assume, so it says on the jar.

Cue AnthonyG ............. oh wait, he's already here.

Your body will tell you when you get to much Mg. You will have a case of the runs.

Yep. For hours ... you'll camp in the bathroom for hours while your body rids itself of everything you've eaten in the past three days.

Yep. For hours ... you'll camp in the bathroom for hours while your body rids itself of everything you've eaten in the past three days.

Machka, In my time I have taken WAY too much magnesium from time to time and I've certainly had some loose bowel movements from it and it IS something I try to avoid but I have NOT ever had quite the same reaction as you had. The fact is that I have a big bowel movement and then I'm fine for quite a while. I strongly suspect that you had something else going on at the time. Maybe you were having a cleansing reaction. The first time you have these there quite unpleasant but they're not all like that and in fact having a cleansing reaction is a GOOD thing.

Sure, its not fun while its happening but you don't want to swing the other way and suffer from constipation either. That will make you VERY sick.

So, yes, don't take too much magnesium because it does have laxative effects but don't be scared of it either.

Anthony

calcium and magnesium (and potassium) are known blood pressure lowering nutrients so i'm not surprised you feel more relaxed

Yeah, same here, it definately calms me down after hard training when I sometimes get irritible the day after. Also seems to stop me craving crappy foods somehow? Definately helps recovery on the whole. One reason probably why those off the shelf recovery drinks work so well - they contain all the electrolytes, including magnesium.

Cal/Mag capsules are great.

What sort of Mag capsules are you guys using? I'm using Mag Citrate I got off ebay. I also have some Mag/Bvit ones too, although they don't seem quite as effective.

What sort of Mag capsules are you guys using? I'm using Mag Citrate I got off ebay. I also have some Mag/Bvit ones too, although they don't seem quite as effective.

Not all magnesium supplements are created equal.

The good forms of magnesium tend to have "ate" on the end such as citrate, orotate, aspartate, phosphate, ect so the Mag citrate you have are a good form of magnesium. Forms of magnesium such as oxide or heavy magnesium are hard to digest and are in fact good laxatives. Chelated magnesium is sort of middle of the road when it comes to digestibility.

Anthony

I only take it when I'm going to be on the bike for the day.

Magnesium is lost in sweat so it's very likely the OP's problems were caused by lack of Mg.

Magnesium sulfate i.e. epsom salts is a good, rapid source of Mg for those nights when you wake up cramped after a long ride. It's a magnesium salt so it absorbs very quickly. I use a little after a hard ride because then your needs are likely to be higher.

I think that as you train the body learns to conserve electrolytes like mg.

I find a hot soak with Epsom salt to be very good for my sore muscles after the long rides, or even short 15 mile rides in cold weather

I take about 1/4 of the laxative dose internally.

They say one sign of magnesium deficiency is you will crave the smell. The taste of epsom salts, though, is ultra bitter probably due to the sulfur.

Just remember to take high quality forms of magnesium, the ones that end in "ate" such as "manesium citrate", and not ones ending in "ide" such as "magnesium oxide" because your body will be able to absorb the higher quality ones more readily. Mangesium oxide is commonly used in laxatives.
Although im sure that taking a lot of Magnesium citrate will still lead to loose bowels, you will have to take a lot more of the Citrate form than the Oxide form to get those symptoms.

Magnesium is lost in sweat so it's very likely the OP's problems were caused by lack of Mg.
Possibly. I did a nutrition study to determine if I needed to supplement any vitamin or minerals. The ONLY thing I consistantly came up short in was magnesium. Some days I was short on one vitamin/mineral or another. But magnesium... every single day I was significantly below recommended amounts.