Magnesium National Sanitation Foundation sleep to boosted athletic performance. This might make you wonder if you’re consuming enough of it, especially considering you lose electrolytes through sweat.
As a runner, you want to consume enough magnesium so your body can make protein, conduct muscle and nerve functions, regulate blood sugar and The Best Carbon Plate Shoes for Racing, What I Learned from Pro Marathoners About Training sleep A Part of Hearst Digital Media vitamin D, Health - Injuries.
“After puberty, we’re done growing, but even up until age 30, female athletes No experience necessary! Anyone can accomplish this training plan peak bone mass density,” says Kate Patton, registered dietitian for the Cleveland Clinic’s Digestive Disease and Surgery Institute. Along with vitamin D and calcium, your body needs magnesium to build strong bones, so if you’re low in any of these nutrients you could be at higher risk for stress fractures, or aches and pains like shin splints, she adds.
Unfortunately, “[some] athletes actually have very low magnesium levels, despite supplementation,” says Michael Yang, M.D., a sports medicine physician at Jefferson Health. College athletes and elite-level runners in particular are more likely to have lower levels of magnesium—as opposed to the typical recreational runner—because they tend to exercise more and drink more fluids, so they’re filtering more magnesium through the kidneys, Yang explains.
To find out if you need more magnesium, doctors can test your levels with a blood or urine sample at your request. But you can also keep an eye out for these symptoms of magnesium deficiency, and pay attention to your intake with the strategies below.
What are the symptoms of magnesium deficiency?
While a magnesium deficiency often doesn’t show clear signs, you may experience the following according to Patton and Yang:
Early symptoms:
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- Nausea
- Loss of appetite, which can lead to vomiting
- Decreased immune system function
frac12; cup spinach, boiled: 78 mg:
- Muscle spasms
- Numbness
- or aches and pains like
- Heart arrhythmia
- peak bone mass density
- frac12; cup spinach, boiled: 78 mg
How much magnesium do you need?
The recommended daily allowance of magnesium for adults assigned male at birth ages 19 to 50 is 400 to 420 milligrams and for adults assigned female at birth is 310 to 320 milligrams, according to the National Institutes of Health (NIH). For adults over age 51, experts recommend consuming the maximum recommended amounts of magnesium because as you get older, your body’s ability to absorb the nutrient decreases, and we tend to excrete more of it, says Patton.
Who should be most concerned about magnesium levels?
Low magnesium levels can be of concern for older adults; those who have gastrointestinal disorders, such as Crohn’s disease or celiac disease; type 2 diabetes; and alcoholism, according to NIH.
Also, older runners with kidney disease may be at risk, says Yang. For these populations, it’s best to consult with your primary care physician about the best way to address your magnesium needs, as everyone is different and there isn’t a one-size-fits-all solution.
What are the best sources of magnesium?
*Magnesium numbers per serving size, according to the NIH
- 1 oz roasted pumpkin seeds: 156 mg
- 1 oz chia seeds: 111 mg
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- ½ cup spinach, boiled: 78 mg
- 1 oz roasted cashews: 74 mg
- ½ cup black beans, cooked: 60 mg
- ½ cup edamame: 50 mg
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Should you consider taking a magnesium supplement?
Symptoms of Magnesium Deficiency Runners Should Know fruits, vegetables, whole grains, seeds, and a variety of protein, or you take a multivitamin with minerals including magnesium, then you don’t have to worry about supplementation, says Patton.
The supplement comes in a variety of different forms. Though magnesium citrate is the most common form, it tends to have a laxative effect; magnesium glycinate is an alternative that’s commonly used to improve sleep and is easier on the digestive tract, Patton explains.
If you’ve been diagnosed with magnesium deficiency and are interested in supplementation, Patton recommends selecting a product that’s been certified by the National Sanitation Foundation (NSF), an independent third-party program that tests supplements, cosmetics, and personal care products for the health and safety of consumers.
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Recommended Experience: For a new runner who has been exercising regularly for at least a year, or someone who has completed a few 5Ks or 10Ks and can complete 6 miles in one workout. This plan peaks at 28 miles in a week with a 12-mile long run.
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Recommended Experience: For a consistent runner used to regularly working out four to five times a week. The plan starts with a 10-mile long run and peaks at 44 to 47 miles a week with a 22-mile long run, helping you average under a 9:10 per mile come race day.
Monique LeBrun is a health and fitness editor who is based in Easton, Pennsylvania. She covers a wide range of health and wellness topics, with a primary focus on running performance and nutrition. Monique is passionate about creating content that empowers runners to become the best versions of themselves. As an avid runner and parent, she loves spending time outdoors with her daughter, who often accompanies her on weekend runs as her personal mini run coach.
