All about Nutrimuscle magnesium citrate

Do you know your magnesium needs? Did you know that sports significantly increase magnesium needs? What are the effects of magnesium on health and physical performance?

When it comes to magnesium, around 70% of French people do not reach the minimum healthy intake (1-2). These same deficiencies are found in many athletes, including professionals (3).

Effects of regular and intense sports practice on magnesium levels

Sport increases magnesium requirements because it accelerates the use and elimination of this mineral in sweat and urine. (4-5-6-7-8-9).

This phenomenon of increased needs is particularly true in strength sports (10-11). It is for these reasons that athletes are recommended to increase their magnesium intake by 10 to 20% compared to the basic recommendations (12).

Effects of magnesium on health and physical performance

The effects of magnesium are numerous:

• Gain muscle and strength (13-14-15-16);
• Performance increase (17-18-19-20-21);
• Role in muscle anabolism (22);
• Reduction of inflammation and fight against acidosis (23);
• Reduced muscle injury and DNA damage, facilitates recovery (24-25-26);
• Optimization of testosterone secretion (27);
• Promotes glucose metabolism, maintaining blood sugar levels and anti-fatigue (28-29);
• Fight against cardiovascular diseases and certain cancers (30-31-32-33-34);
• Inhibits vascular calcification (promoted by physical activity) (35);
• Fight against kidney stones;
• Improves some symptoms of fibromyalgia (36).

>What is the best form of magnesium?

The forms that vendors tout as the best absorbed are also the most expensive. These forms do not always work as well in practice as they do in theory. Sometimes the forms that are thought to be the least assimilated work best (37).

It is more appropriate to use high, frequent doses of a well-absorbed, less expensive form, such as magnesium citrate (the chemical form of magnesium is much less important than previously thought; the most important factor is the total dosage (38)).

Differences between ZMB and magnesium citrate?

If you are already taking ZMB, is it worth taking magnesium citrate as well or will it be duplicative?

If you have excellent magnesium absorption capacity, adding magnesium citrate may not be helpful. However, if your absorption capacity is not optimal, it is wise to add magnesium citrate to increase your magnesium intake .

More than a magnesium supplement, ZMB is above all a recovery supplement thanks to its pidolate content , a relaxing amino acid. ZMB is mainly used in the evening, but not before training. Magnesium citrate can be taken throughout the day in order to split the intake to optimize its absorption (see below).

Two supplements for the price of one

A big advantage of magnesium citrate is that it also provides citrate . This form is therefore ideal for pre-workout intake. Indeed, the action of citrate is to raise the athlete's pH which is lowered due to the acid that the muscles generate during exercise .

How do you know if your magnesium assimilation is good or not?

The laxative action of magnesium citrate comes mainly from the magnesium rather than the citrate part. So, if you are very sensitive to the laxative action of magnesium, it is a sign that you assimilate it rather well.

Similarly, migraines significantly reduced by regular use of magnesium represent a sign of good magnesium assimilation (39-40-41).

In fact, abnormally low levels of magnesium are found in the brain and blood of migraine sufferers (42).

As with all supplements, it is still advisable to start low with magnesium citrate and slowly progress day by day if all goes well .

To optimize absorption, it is especially important to divide intake into small doses throughout the day , rather than taking one or two large doses per day. Similarly, it is best to take magnesium citrate with meals, as protein and carbohydrates improve its absorption .

Contrary to what has long been thought, unless you take "megadoses", calcium does not reduce the absorption of magnesium. Moreover, casein, which contains calcium, promotes the assimilation of magnesium.

You can also enrich your water with magnesium citrate , which you can drink in small sips throughout the day.

Should I take magnesium citrate cures or use it non-stop?

Since the body stores magnesium poorly and the elimination of this mineral is constant, a continuous supply must be ensured if we do not want to create a nutritional deficit.

What can be done is to modulate the intake according to your needs . These increase during periods of stress, intense training or when it is hot.

On the other hand, for people who suffer from migraines or who experience poor assimilation, we recommend a constant, relatively high intake throughout the year, without taking a break.

To the product sheet, for more details on magnesium citrate

Scientific references

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