September 2017
Yijia Zhang, Pengcheng Xun, Ru Wang,2 Lijuan Mao, and Ka He

 

Abstract

Magnesium (Mg) is an essential mineral that plays a critical role in the human body. It takes part in the process of energy metabolism and assists the maintenance of normal muscle function. A number of studies evaluated the association between Mg status/supplementation and exercise performance and found that the need for Mg increased as individuals’ physical activity level went up.

Animal studies indicated that Mg might improve exercise performance via enhancing glucose availability in the brain, muscle and blood; and reducing/delaying lactate accumulation in the muscle. The majority of human studies focused on physiological effects in blood pressure, heart rate and maximal oxygen uptake (VO2 max), rather than direct functional performances.

Some cross-sectional surveys demonstrated a positive association between Mg status and muscle performance, including grip strength, lower-leg power, knee extension torque, ankle extension strength, maximal isometric trunk flexion, rotation, and jumping performance.

Additionally, findings from intervention studies showed that Mg supplementation might lead to improvements in functional indices such as quadriceps torque. Moreover, Mg supplementation could improve gait speed and chair stand time in elderly women.

This comprehensive review summarized the literature from both animal and human studies and aimed to evaluate scientific evidence on Mg status/supplementation in relation to exercise performance.

 

Summary and Future Perspectives

In summary, Mg is an essential mineral involved in energy metabolism, cardiorespiratory function, and muscle actions. The general population, even physically active individuals, is documented to have insufficient Mg intake. Exercise performance may be compromised with deficient Mg levels.

Findings from animal studies suggested Mg supplementation may improve the efficiency of energy metabolism, while human studies indicated Mg supplementation may improve performance parameters in both aerobic and anaerobic exercises. However, more rigorous future studies, especially large-scale intervention studies in humans, are needed to establish the causal relationship.