Have you recently found yourself feeling tired during your workouts, with longer recovery times than you used to require? Do you suffer from post exercise migraines, or insomnia? If so, you may be deficient in the vital micronutrient magnesium.

Magnesium is the fourth most abundant mineral in the body. It is needed for more than 300 biochemical reactions, and assists in many processes including regulating blood sugar, supporting a healthy immune system, and maintaining neuromuscular function. When you workout regularly, your body requires more magnesium than a sedentary person does to operate these functions. Unfortunately, many people do not get adequate daily magnesium intake to support their active lifestyles.

According to the National Institute of Health, adult males should take in 420 mg and adult females should take in 320 mg of magnesium per day. The USDA estimates that 57% of Americans do not get consume adequate levels of magnesium each day.

Magnesium deficiency causes a number of problems in the body, many of which affect people with active lifestyles even more. Here are a few ways that magnesium deficiency affects your workouts if you are regularly active:

• Problems with protein synthesis - Magnesium helps “make” proteins by activating amino acids and the attachment of mRNA to the ribosome. Athletes who are deficient in magnesium often find it harder to gain strength even during regular and rigorous training program.

 

• Fatigue - Researchers have found that patients with chronic fatigue syndrome had lower red cell magnesium concentrations than did healthy control subjects. Active people who feel rundown most of the time will not be able to perform at optimum levels during workouts.

 

• Insomnia and longer recovery times - Low magnesium levels and hinder sleep, which is essential to muscular repair and recovery.

 

• Bone density problems – The high calcium to magnesium ratio in the body can actually cause osteoporosis because too much calcium compared to magnesium can make bones brittle. Magnesium makes bones resilient and less rigid.

To ensure that you get getting your daily requirements of magnesium, try taking a daily magnesium citrate supplement. Also, make sure that you eat plenty of the following magnesium-rich foods:

Almonds
Peanuts
Oat bran
Dried herbs – coridander, chives, dill, sage, and basil
Dark chocolate
Pumpkin seeds
Molasses
Dry roasted soybeans

Along with protein, branched chain amino acids, and proper hydration, magnesium is a key factor in strength performance. If left unchecked, magnesium deficiency affects your workouts by causing fatigue and hindering protein synthesis. Make sure to get your daily dose of magnesium to be feel and function your best.