Magnesium often gets less attention than sodium and potassium, but it plays an important role in keeping your body healthy and active. From helping your cells use energy to supporting normal muscle and nerve function, magnesium is an essential nutrient for everyday health and physical activity.
What is it?
Magnesium is an essential mineral and electrolyte found throughout your body. About 50–60% of your body's magnesium is stored in your bones, with most of the rest found in muscles and other tissues (de Baaij et al., 2015). It also helps hundreds of chemical reactions take place in the body.
Why does it matter?
Magnesium supports normal muscle and nerve function, bone health, and heart function. When magnesium levels become too low, symptoms can include fatigue, weakness, and muscle cramps. Severe deficiency can also cause abnormal heart rhythms. Certain health conditions and diets low in magnesium can increase the risk of deficiency (Gröber et al., 2015).
How does magnesium work in the body?
Your cells use a molecule called ATP (adenosine triphosphate) to power many of their activities. Magnesium binds to ATP and helps it take part in the chemical reactions that keep your cells working. Magnesium is also needed for several steps involved in breaking down carbohydrates for energy (de Baaij et al., 2015).
Magnesium also helps control how calcium and potassium move in and out of cells. This supports nerve signaling and normal muscle function. Getting too little magnesium may affect exercise performance, particularly when intake is low enough to cause deficiency. However, research has not consistently shown that taking extra magnesium improves performance in people who already get enough (Nielsen & Lukaski, 2006; Zhang et al., 2017).
Where do we get magnesium?
Good sources of magnesium include pumpkin seeds, almonds, cashews, beans, whole grains, and leafy green vegetables. Adult men generally need 400–420 mg per day, while adult women need 310–320 mg. These recommendations include magnesium from food and supplements (Gröber et al., 2015). Eating a variety of magnesium-rich foods is a good way to meet your daily needs.
Squatch Juice Hydration contains magnesium citrate. Studies show that magnesium citrate is generally better absorbed than magnesium oxide (Lindberg et al., 1990; Firoz & Graber, 2001).
What about magnesium and hydration?
When you sweat during a long hike, hunt, or workout, you lose water and electrolytes. Sweat contains magnesium, but the amount lost varies between people. Squatch Juice Hydration provides 20 mg of magnesium per serving alongside sodium and potassium. Although magnesium losses through sweat are relatively small, magnesium supports normal muscle and nerve function, making it a useful part of the hydration formula.
Conclusion
Magnesium may not get as much attention as other electrolytes, but it plays an important role in energy metabolism, muscle function, and overall health. Eating magnesium-rich foods and staying properly hydrated can help support your body's needs. Whether you're training, hiking, or preparing for your next hunt, giving your body the nutrients it needs is an important part of staying active.
—Stephen Mengoni, PhD, CSCS
*Disclaimer
The content on this blog is for general wellness and educational purposes only. It is not a substitute for professional medical, nutrition, or health advice. While we aim to provide accurate and up-to-date information, individual health and nutritional needs vary. Always consult a qualified healthcare professional before making significant changes to your diet, supplement routine, hydration strategy, or lifestyle. Use of the information provided on this blog is at your own discretion.
References
de Baaij, J. H. F., Hoenderop, J. G. J., & Bindels, R. J. M. (2015). Magnesium in man: Implications for health and disease. Physiological Reviews, 95(1), 1–46. https://doi.org/10.1152/physrev.00012.2014
Firoz, M., & Graber, M. (2001). Bioavailability of US commercial magnesium preparations. Magnesium Research, 14(4), 257–262.
Gröber, U., Schmidt, J., & Kisters, K. (2015). Magnesium in prevention and therapy. Nutrients, 7(9), 8199–8226. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu7095388
Lindberg, J. S., Zobitz, M. M., Poindexter, J. R., & Pak, C. Y. C. (1990). Magnesium bioavailability from magnesium citrate and magnesium oxide. Journal of the American College of Nutrition, 9(1), 48–55. https://doi.org/10.1080/07315724.1990.10720349
Nielsen, F. H., & Lukaski, H. C. (2006). Update on the relationship between magnesium and exercise. Magnesium Research, 19(3), 180–189.
Zhang, Y., Xun, P., Wang, R., Mao, L., & He, K. (2017). Can magnesium enhance exercise performance? Nutrients, 9(9), 946. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu9090946
