The magic of magnesium and how to return it to your body

This deficiency is particularly noteworthy in the case of sportsmen or women or those who live an active lifestyle. This is because dehydration is one of the primary ways we become magnesium depleted.

How does magnesium work?

Magnesium is responsible for over 300 systems in the body. It is nothing short of magic.

Your muscles contract and relax by using calcium and magnesium. The magnesium’s job is to promote the relaxation phase of muscle work. Basically, if you didn’t have magnesium, your muscles wouldn’t be able to relax.

So you can see how a deficiency can cause cramps and twitches, as the muscles can’t fully ‘let go’. It also produces an anti oxidant which helps get rid of lactic acid, so you would be constantly stiff and sore after exercise without magnesium.

Your muscles need magnesium to aid in energy production, which is how it improves the performance of athletes.

How to regain adequate magnesium in your body

Transdermal (through the skin) magnesium therapy is well documented as being one of the easiest ways to top up your magnesium supplies.

Bypassing the stomach and liver means a much greater percentage of the active ingredient goes straight into your blood stream where it is needed. Not only that, but heat aids the magnesium getting into your body, so having it applied to the skin through rubbing is the ideal way to regain lost magnesium.

Our physio edge magnesium massage gel will heat the skin, and the level of fire is dependent on how much you rub to activate it.

The gel was designed by our physio team to ensure that our patients have something to use at home, or on the sports field and we are pretty excited to have it in our armoury. It is available to purchase online and is able to be used before, during or after sport. 

This article originally featured on the Get The Edge blog. 

The author is the founder of the ‘magic’ PhysioEdge magnesium massage gel, designed for muscle performance and recovery (gettheedge.uk.com).