High Strength Magnesium Can Energise Muscles

(article courtesy of Nutri Ltd)

Using High Strength Magnesium to Naturally Revitalise and Re-energise your Muscles and Improve Energy Levels - by Rachel Ainscough BA (Hons)

It’s not just athletes who suffer from aching, tired muscles and symptoms of fatigue. The stresses and strains of modern day living have made these complaints all too common among many people every day. Conditions ranging from PMS associated muscular cramps and sports related muscle spasms, to more severe cases of fibromyalgia and chronic fatigue are becoming increasingly common. Fortunately, there are simple nutritional steps, incorporating high strength magnesium supplementation, which can be taken to help improve these often debilitating symptoms.

The diverse role of magnesium
Research studies have recently shown that magnesium plays an even greater role in health than was previously thought. Second only to potassium in terms of concentration within the individual cells in the body, the function of magnesium revolves primarily around its ability to activate many enzymes. Magnesium participates in more than 300 enzymatic reactions in the body and these include those responsible for energy metabolism, fatty acid metabolism, protein synthesis (essential for rebuilding after injury), neuromuscular contractions / relaxations, bone integrity and prostaglandin synthesis to name but a few.

This often forgotten mineral therefore has a significant role to play in the production of energy and in maintaining and optimising muscle health.

Widespread deficiency
Unfortunately, poor soil and food processing now make it highly unlikely that we are getting enough magnesium in our diet and consequently have contributed to widespread deficiencies in this vital mineral, significantly increasing the need for its supplementation.

Magnesium – for energy production and faster muscle recovery
Energy in the body is produced in the form of ATP, through the process of cellular respiration. There are various stages involved in cellular respiration and various micro-nutrient co-factors needed at each stage. Magnesium is perhaps the most important, as it is actively involved as a co-factor in every single step. It is often recommended therefore that professional athletes or anyone who engages in heavy physical labour should keep magnesium levels up, as this is what facilitates oxygen and energy being delivered to working muscle tissue. It is also interesting that the muscles themselves actually contain about 26% of all magnesium found in the body, with 60% in the bone and the rest in soft tissue and body fluids. The tissues with the highest concentration of magnesium are those that are metabolically active, which again attests to magnesium’s critical role in energy production.

Magnesium deficiency in chronic fatigue syndrome
Magnesium supplementation has also had some success in the treatment of chronic fatigue. Research suggests that an underlying magnesium deficiency, even if “subclinical”, can result in chronic fatigue and symptoms similar to chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS). In a UK trial assessing the effect of magnesium supplementation in CFS, significantly more of the patients who had received magnesium reported improved energy levels, better emotional state, and less pain than placebo (1).

Magnesium and fibromyalgia
Some researchers suggest that magnesium status should be checked in all patients who present with chronic muscle pain (2). Insufficient erythrocyte magnesium content has been identified in individuals with CFS, myalgia and FMS compared with those of normal controls in several studies (3). Magnesium abnormalities in patients with fibromyalgia have also been associated with impairment of thiamin (B1) metabolism (4). Since this vitamin is needed in the bioenergetics of the mitochondria, reduced output of ATP can therefore occur as a result of altered magnesium levels.

Gastro-intestinal tolerance
Oral magnesium supplementation has often been complicated by side effects of poor gastrointestinal tolerance, including malabsorption and diahorreah. Using a glycinate chelated form of magnesium overcomes these problems. Even in individuals with known malabsorption and intestinal permeability alteration, the absorption of magnesium diglycinate has been shown to be substantially greater than inorganic magnesium salts (23.5% vs. 11.8%) and is better tolerated (5).

Research indicates that high strength magnesium supplementation can be more effective for muscle support and cellular energy production when combined with a specific range of supporting nutrients.

Malic acid
Malic acid is synthesised as part of the Kreb’s cycle and studies indicate the importance of its role in this energy producing cycle (6&7). Low levels of malic acid have been shown in patients who have fibromyalgia (8). Studies indicate that supplementation with malic acid, especially in conjunction with magnesium, may relieve the symptoms of pain and fatigue associated with fibromyalgia and CFS (9).

Taurine
Taurine is an amino acid-like compound found in abundance in most tissues. In skeletal muscle its distribution depends on the type of fibres present, with muscles of the slow, oxidative type having the greatest concentrations (10). Taurine can help to protect against cellular dysfunction and oxidant induced tissue damage (11). Studies also show that it can also help to preserve healthier mitochondrial function through improved mitochondrial respiration and ATP production (12, 13 & 14).

Glutamine
Glutamine is a conditionally essential and the most abundant amino acid in the plasma and muscle of humans (15). Heavy exercise has been shown to result in reduced plasma glutamine levels, this is most probably because glutamine is used by cells to provide energy (16). Energy deficits and post event immune suppression have also been shown to occur when glutamine levels are low in athletes.

L-Carnitine
Research on the amino acid carnitine has revealed its importance in mitochondrial energy production and waste management. Carnitine carries fatty acids from fat metabolism and pyruvate from carbohydrate metabolism into the mitochondria for aerobic metabolism. It then carries mitochondrial waste products back into the cytoplasm and helps detoxify organic acids (17, 18). This amino acid is also important in the modulation of coenzyme A, another key player in energy metabolism (19). Studies have demonstrated that carnitine levels in individuals with CFS are lower than in normal subjects, with carnitine deficiency resulting in muscle energy deficits. When carnitine levels are depleted over time, the energy deficits can result in fatigue, myalgias, muscle weakness and post exertional malaise, all of which are common symptoms of chronic pain and fatigue syndromes. As carnitine levels begin to rise, these symptoms improve (20).

Selenium and Calcium
Selenium is a vital mineral, which plays an essential role as an antioxidant. It also serves as a mineral co-factor in the free radical scavenging enzyme glutathione peroxidase.
It is also important to ensure a healthy balance of calcium and magnesium in supplementation, as they can compete for absorption. Supplementing both minerals together is the safest way to avoid any problems arising from absorption competition.

Synergistic nutrients such as molybdenum, B6, B12 and folic acid are also effective for improving cellular uptake of magnesium.


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