Magnesium for Muscles: How It Supports Muscle Health

You don't need to be a weightlifter to want to support your muscle health. We use our muscles to do just about everything, so keeping them in tip-top shape should be a priority! One great way to support your muscles is by ensuring your body gets enough Magnesium. Magnesium is essential to muscle relaxation and nerve, heart, and bone health.^†

Magnesium's Function in Muscles

So why would you take Magnesium for muscle support? To understand how Magnesium helps our muscles relax, we need a short primer on how muscles work on the cellular level! Many muscle cells have binding sites for Calcium molecules. When these Calcium molecules bind to these proteins, this changes the structure of the protein in a way that causes muscle contraction.^[1]

Muscle contraction is needed for our muscles to work; flexing, moving, and pumping our heart all rely on these contractions. But the flip side is muscle relaxation, which is also incredibly necessary. Imagine if every time you tensed up, you stayed that way. Not so pleasant, right? Thankfully, the proteins that bind with Calcium can also bind with Magnesium due to their similar structures. When Magnesium binds with these proteins, it blocks off the sites for Calcium, allowing your muscles to relax.^[2] That's why you need good sources of Calcium and Magnesium moving through your body; there needs to be a balance so that muscle contraction and relaxation can work in tandem.

Magnesium also serves another essential role in our cells: ion transport. By modulating Sodium and Potassium pathways in the cell membrane, Magnesium helps transport these ions into and out of cell membranes so they can get where they need to go.^[3] Sodium and Potassium are minerals critical for the transmission of nerve impulses, like when your brain tells your muscles to contract or relax. Magnesium also supports a healthy heart, which is one of the most important muscles in the body!

How Magnesium Aids in Muscle Relaxation

Our muscles do two important things; they contract, and they relax. The mechanism for muscle relaxation relies on free-floating Magnesium in the blood stream, binding with receptors in muscle cells to signal relaxation.^[2] Getting enough Magnesium, whether through diet or supplementation, can support your muscle health by helping support muscle relaxation.^†

Daily Magnesium Requirements

Magnesium is an essential mineral, and we can't produce it within our bodies, so it's on us to ensure we get enough through either diet or Magnesium supplementation. You can find Magnesium in whole grains, beans, and dark, leafy green vegetables like spinach.

Because our bodies change as we age, so do our dietary requirements. Here are the Recommended Dietary Allowances for Magnesium for differing ages, genders, and life stages.^[4]

Nature Made^® Magnesium Tablets support essential nerve, muscle, and heart functions in one daily tablet. Magnesium is an essential mineral required for more than 300 enzymatic reactions in the body, including helping to convert food into cellular energy. And, as we mentioned above, Magnesium supports muscle relaxation and helps to relax the body.^†

Our Magnesium is sourced from high-quality ingredients, and Nature Made^® is the #1 pharmacist-recommended vitamin and supplement brand.*

Different Types of Magnesium

Magnesium comes in many forms, and they all have their benefits. Nature Made^® High Absorption Magnesium Citrate Gummies offer a tasty way to get Magnesium Citrate, which is better absorbed than Magnesium Oxide. Magnesium Citrate is highly bioavailable form of magnesium and is made by combining a salt form of Magnesium with citric acid.

Nature Made^® High Absorption Magnesium Glycinate Gummies are chelated and have better absorption than other Magnesium supplement forms such as Magnesium Oxide. The Magnesium Glycinate form is gentle on the stomach.

We also offer Wellblends™ Calm & Relax™ Capsules, a 2-in-1 blend with Magnesium to help relax the body and clinically studied Ashwagandha to reduce stress. The herb Ashwagandha has long been used in Ayurvedic medicine and is revered as an adaptogen to help support stress resilience. The combination of Magnesium and Ashwagandha helps support your body during stress and helps relax your muscles.^†

Always consult your primary care provider or another healthcare professional when starting or changing your supplement routine. Our team at Nature Made^® recommends taking supplements like Ashwagandha and Magnesium with a consistent meal, like breakfast or dinner, and a glass of water. Always follow the suggested use on the label of your supplement of choice. If you're looking for a way to help supplement your Magnesium intake for muscle support, check out Nature Made^® Magnesium.

How to Choose a Magnesium Supplement

There’s no one-size-fits-all approach when it comes to supplements. Choosing the right form of Magnesium depends on your preferences, routine, and wellness priorities. Here are a few things to keep in mind as you explore your options:

1. Pick a form you’ll stick with
Magnesium is available at Nature Made in tablets, capsules, powders, soft chews and gummies. Tablets might be a good fit for those who prefer something quick and simple. Gummies and Chews, on the other hand, can be a more flavorful option.

2. Consider comfort
Some forms of Magnesium, like Magnesium Glycinate, are known to be gentler on the stomach. This can be helpful if you're looking for a supplement with that benefit.

3. Consider absorption
Different forms of Magnesium are absorbed differently by the body. For example, Magnesium Citrate is often chosen as it’s a highly bioavailable form of Magnesium..

4. Match it to your lifestyle
Magnesium comes in several forms with different benefits, explore our options to find the which works best for you. Magnesium L-Threonate with Vitamins C and D3 includes clinically studied Magtein^® Magnesium L-Threonate to help support mental sharpness and healthy cognitive function in 12 weeks.^◆†

High Absorption^▲ Magnesium Complex Soft Chews offer an easy way to take your Magnesium on the go, with a blend of Magnesium Citrate and Magnesium Malate for muscle relaxation, heart, nerve and bone health support.^†

If you prefer a drink mix powder, check out Magnesium Complex Powder, with a 3-in-1 blend of Magnesium Citrate, Malate & Glycinate in a tasty pink-lemonade flavored drink mix powder.^†

Choosing a Magnesium supplement that suits your preferences makes it easier to stay consistent and feel confident in your wellness routine.

Magnesium Timing: When to Take It for Muscle Support^†

There’s no single best time to take Magnesium, but timing it around your pre-existing schedule can help you maintain consistent supplementation.

Some people prefer to start their day with a supplementation routine, others prefer to do it the last thing before bed. Whichever one sounds like you, we recommend keeping a consistent time for your supplementation routine; it can help you more easily remember to take your supplements.

It's common to take supplements alongside a regular meal, like breakfast or dinner. This ensures you're taking supplements with water and a meal, which can help absorption. Always be sure to follow the suggested use for each individual supplement.

What matters most is consistency. Choose a time that works for your lifestyle and stick with it daily. Whether it's with breakfast, with dinner, or right before bed, keeping a consistent schedule helps ensure you get a daily dose of this essential mineral.

Support Your Muscles with Magnesium^†

Magnesium is key to supporting muscle health. Finding the right type of Magnesium and taking it consistently are most important. If you’re thinking about adding a supplement or starting a new exercise routine, it’s always a good idea to check in with your healthcare provider first.^†

Nature Made^® offers a variety of magnesium supplements designed to fit your needs and help keep your muscles supported. Managing your Magnesium intake is a simple step to help support healthy muscles and maintain a consistent wellness routine.^†

*Based on a survey of pharmacists who recommend branded vitamins and supplements.

◆ Adults experience mild memory loss with age. A clinical study supported mental sharpness (short-term memory) in older adults.^†

▲ Magnesium Citrate is better absorbed than Magnesium Oxide.

‡ SENSORIL^® is clinically studied to reduce cortisol and perceived stress.^†

SENSORIL^® is protected under U.S. Patent No. 7,318,938 and CA Patent No. 2,508,478, and is a registered trademark of Natreon, Inc.

Magtein^® is a trademark of Magceutics Inc. and is distributed exclusively by AIDP, Inc.

Magtein^® is protected under a family of US patents, pending patents, and is protected worldwide.

† These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. These products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.

References

1. Gomes AV, Potter JD, Szczesna-Cordary D. The role of troponins in muscle contraction. IUBMB Life. 2002;54(6):323-333. doi:10.1080/15216540216037
2. Potter JD, Robertson SP, Johnson JD. Magnesium and the regulation of muscle contraction. Fed Proc. 1981;40(12):2653-2656.
3. Bara M, Guiet-Bara A, Durlach J. Regulation of sodium and potassium pathways by Magnesium in cell membranes. Magnes Res. 1993;6(2):167-177.
   
4. National Institutes of Health. Magnesium. June 2, 2022. Accessed on December 20, 2023: https://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/Magnesium-HealthProfessional/.