Improved performance starts with the right nutrition, and that means making sure your body is fueled properly. Getting the right nutrients, including vitamins and minerals, in the right amounts will enable your body to maximize its recovery and help you perform to your true potential. This can be a challenge, and some vitamins and mineral deficiencies are more common than others. Magnesium deficiencies are the second most common deficiency in developed countries, after vitamin D.
A lack of magnesium raises blood pressure, reduces your glucose tolerance, neither of which are positive for your body or your performance. We’ll talk more about why magnesium is important for swimmers and how you can make sure you’re getting enough of this important mineral in your diet.
Electrolyte balance
Magnesium is an essential dietary mineral that is involved in energy production and protein synthesis. It is also the second most common electrolyte found in humans. As a swimmer, whether you are training in the pool or the weight room you are losing electrolytes, like magnesium, through sweat. These electrolytes need to be replaced. You’ll want to keep an eye on your electrolyte balance when you’re participating in any endurance activity, especially those lasting over an hour.
Muscle relaxation:
Magnesium helps to ensure proper muscle contraction and a lack of it may result in muscle cramps. It is involved in the production of ATP (adenosine triphosphate), which is important for red blood cell production in muscle cells. When your magnesium levels are too low to aid ATP production, your muscles may struggle to contract effectively. Magnesium also helps maintain normal nerve, heart and muscle function, in addition to promoting calcium absorption.
Better recovery
Another benefit to magnesium is that it helps with quality sleep, which is important for swimmers. Studies have shown altered electrical activity in the brain when magnesium is lacking, which can cause you to wake up multiple times during the night, and have an agitated sleep. Poor rest detracts from your recovery time and increases the chance your body won’t be well prepared for your training or race the following day. Magnesium has a calming effect, lowers blood pressure and improves insulin sensitivity.
What’s a good source of magnesium
Magnesium deficiencies can be fixed through proper nutrition. Grains, more common in the western diet, are not a good source of magnesium, whereas nuts and leafy vegetables, which are a good source of magnesium tend not to be eaten as often.
Magnesium can be found in dark leafy greens, nuts, fish, beans, whole grains, avocados, yogurt, bananas, dried fruit and dark chocolate. It is recommended that athletes get around 410mg of magnesium per day. Not getting enough of these foods, and not getting enough magnesium is quite common. An estimated 75% of Americans lack sufficient magnesium in their diet so you might also consider supplementing your diet with a nutritional shake to fill in the gaps. Something like NutriBoost Shake, which contains 100% of the recommended daily amounts of magnesium in just 3 scoops.
If you’re finding you’re fatiguing, having frequent muscle cramps, or poor sleep and want to determine whether you’re getting enough magnesium, check with your healthcare professional. They’ll be able to run a red blood cell test, which is more accurate than a regular blood test, to determine whether or not you have a magnesium deficiency.
Keeping an eye on your magnesium intake will help you make sure your body is getting the minerals it needs to optimize its recovery and prepare you to perform at your best.
Sources:
- https://examine.com/supplements/magnesium/
- http://www.chiro.org/nutrition/FULL/Essential_Nutrients_for_Endurance_Athletes.shtml
- http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17172008
- https://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/Magnesium-HealthProfessional/
- http://www.webmd.com/diet/supplement-guide-magnesium
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/26166051
- http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/844214
- http://apps.who.int/iris/bitstream/10665/43836/1/9789241563550_eng.pdf
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