Top 3 Types of Magnesium Supplements for Athletes

Magnesium is one of the 24 essential vitamins and minerals humans need to maintain a healthy lifestyle. It is one of the most abundant mineral in your body. It’s involved in many metabolic reactions that are essential for human health, including energy production, blood pressure regulation, nerve signal transmission, and muscle contraction.

While our bodies need large quantities of this essential mineral, we do not produce magnesium independently, and therefore must rely on diet or supplements to get the recommended dose.

On average, a healthy adult will have about 25 mg of magnesium in their system, well below the recommended levels. About half of your magnesium is found in your bones. The other 40-50 percent is in your soft tissue. It is recommended to supplement with 310-320 mg a day for women ages 19 and older; men in the same age bracket should take 400-420 mg a day.

Lots of side effects linked to a magnesium deficiency; poor sleep, hypertension, cardiovascular disease, and type 2 diabetes.

This mineral is present naturally in many whole foods like green leafy vegetables, legumes, nuts, and seeds. However, Magnesium is usually bound to other molecules forming multiple varieties of supplemental magnesium; each has different uses and benefits. Thus, it can be difficult to know which one is most appropriate for your needs.

Here are the most common types used for athletic performance, sleep, and recovery.