I was looking in to my sports drink of choice yesterday, comparing it with something from Champion Nutrition, and noticed something. The caloric, sodium and potassium levels between the two were pretty much identical, but the champion product had magnesium where the other, Cytomax, did not.
Why does this matter? Should I care?
bump…
Not as reason to switch with maybe some benefit to having it, but very, very little…
See here
From “The Complete Electrolyte Story
Theoretical and Practical Approaches”
SALLY WARNER MA PHD
Magnesium
Magnesium is an element found in every cell in your body, with the largest concentrations found in the bones, muscles, and soft tissues. Magnesium forms part of 300+ enzymes involved in nerve impulse transmission, muscle contraction, and ATP (or energy) production. Increased levels of exercise deplete your body’s stores of magnesium so it is crucial to replenish what you have lost. Magnesium helps regulate the synthesis of protein and other compounds such as 2,3-DPG, which is essential for optimal oxygen metabolism. Investigators suggest that prolonged exercise increases magnesium losses from the body via urine and sweat. Signs of magnesium depletion include dizziness, muscle weakness, fatigue, irritability, and depression.
Anyone know what the dietary sources if magnesium are?
The body is rarely deficient in magnesium. That’s why it is often not in sports drinks and such. Not a bad idea for some, but too much is bad too (GI distress, lovely natural laxative). Sodium is bar far the most important followed by potassium for long, endurance athletes.
I’ve had trouble with cramps late in races and hard training for the last couple of years. after cramping during a crit early in the year, a teammate suggested I take magnesium supplements. he’d been taking them for several years for cramps on the recommendation of his physical therapist. I’ve been taking them since april, one 400mg pill per day, and haven’t cramped since. I started out taking 2 per day, but the laxitive effect took hold on day 3, so I cut back to 1 pill per day. on the days I have two races (road race in morning and tt in the afternoon), days I’ll take 2,one before breakfast and the other a couple of hours before the tt. I’ll probably stop after the season winds down and re-start next season.
we’re talking muscle cramp here right, not side cramps or any other?
we’re talking muscle cramp here right, not side cramps or any other?
yes.
Your electrolyte profile should include magnesium. You burn through magnesium (and calcium) like crazy on a hot day.
in years past, I would cramp even after taking a handful of endurolytes. I would go through electrolyte caps (endurolytes, succeed, etc.) like jr. mints, but to no avail. since taking the mag pills, I’ve cut way down on endurolytes. I used to go through several bottles each summer, but haven’t even finished off the first bottle this year.