Did you know that magnesium plays a key role in regulating muscle contractions and relaxing tired, sore muscles?

Muscles are important in stabilising and moving the body. They’re also helpful to regulate body temperature, keep your blood pumping, and help you do a range of actions, from writing to lifting heavy objects (1). However, many factors can affect muscle health. Muscles can be influenced by weather changes (2), similar to how changes in temperature may affect fluids in the joints (3) which can cause pain (4).

Different factors such as poor physical condition, inadequate diet, dehydration or muscle conditions such as injury, fatigue, or overexertion can cause pain and dysfunction of the muscles (6).

Let’s learn more about the use of magnesium for relaxing muscles and promoting muscle health.

How do you avoid muscle injury?

There are different ways to prevent muscle injury from occurring. Aside from a regular exercise routine and a proper diet, factors like rehydration, rest and frequent massages can help keep your muscles healthy.

Upping your nutritional intake with sufficient supplements, which at times is not provided by a healthy diet, is vital to keep muscles of the body supple. One of the key nutrients known to help maintain and improve muscle health is magnesium.

Magnesium is needed for multiple functions in the body, and can be sourced from most foods that we eat. It has a role in transporting calcium and potassium ions in cell membranes which is important to deal with muscle contraction (5). Aside from nourishing food, supplements such as Vitable Magnesium Night Powder helps provide the base requirement of Magnesium to relax muscles.

How does magnesium help your muscles?

Keeping your muscles healthy isn't just about ensuring your body moves with ease; it is also about moving with little or no pain or strain and incurring fewer injuries (7). It’s also important that all involuntary functions of the body are working at optimum by ensuring it gets the proper nutrients.

Muscles and nerves work together to create movement. A neuromuscular junction is where these two parts connect and interact; and where neurons send messages to the muscles (8). Magnesium supports healthy neuromuscular function by playing a role in the conduction of nerve impulses and muscle contractions (9). It also helps regulate contractions within the neuromuscular function to prevent unusual reactions, which sometimes causes disorders (10).

You can get your recommended daily requirement of magnesium from nuts, seeds, grains, beans, and cereals such as almonds, cashews, oatmeal, bread, rice, and pumpkin seeds (5). Magnesium powder for relaxing muscle cramps can supplement your nutrient consumption to support your overall muscle health.

Preventing uncontrollable muscle contractions

Muscles experience different uncontrollable contractions. These can manifest through muscle cramps, spasms and tension which can be caused by different factors.Your body uses magnesium for relaxing muscles (16)

Cramps are defined as uncontrollable contractions in the muscles that can be painful and can last for seconds or even longer. Spasms or twitches are involuntary contractions that are shorter and may not cause pain for the person (12). However, these uncontrollable muscle movements can go away without you doing anything (12).

Muscle tension on the other hand, happens when the muscles are unable to relax on their own. Prolonged stiffness or tension caused by muscle contraction can also be caused by underlying illnesses or deficiencies in the body (13). One possible cause of muscle tension and contraction is magnesium deficiency (14, 15). This can be prevented with the proper amount of magnesium in the body (5).

Magnesium also helps reduce the occurrence of muscle tension or stiffness as it blocks calcium-related contractions (17). Magnesium minimises acetylcholine release from neuromuscular junctions which causes muscle contractions (18). By having fewer uncontrollable contractions, it allows the muscles to be at rest and move only when it’s needed.

With relaxed muscles, your body feels less fatigued and is able to move the way you want to. It also helps you receive the rest that you need. Vitable Magnesium Night Powder can aid your muscles to maintain and support their relaxed state. Along with exercise and proper nutrition, it helps you improve not just your muscles’ condition, but also your overall health and well-being.

Magnesium Night Powder: What is it?

Vitable Magnesium Night Powder can maintain your muscle health. Packed with premium quality ingredients such as Magnesium Bisglycinate, natural Passionflower extract and Glutamine, it ensures that you’re getting the support your muscle health needs. With its refreshing naturally-flavoured Summer Berries, it makes taking magnesium supplements more exciting and delicious. Along with a proper diet, it helps you get the right amount of magnesium your body needs for its everyday function.

Get your own Magnesium Night Powder

Magnesium is known for lots of health benefits which include reducing muscle cramps and tension. One of the easiest and most refreshing ways to get your magnesium for relaxing muscles is through Vitable Australia’s Magnesium Night Powder. This naturally-flavored with Summer Berries powder is being offered as part of the vitamin daily packs which you can customize to fit your needs.

Create your own custom vitamin packs from a wide selection of vitamins that support your health goals. With this vitamin subscription, you get to pay only for the ones that you select and have a continuous supply of vitamins for a worry-free healthy habit. Have it delivered to your home with vitamin delivery included in the subscription to make it accessible to you when needed.

Find out more about other supplements that can support energy:

Iron | Ashwagandha | Magnesium | B complex | Acetyl L-carnitine | Vitamin C | Vitamin B12

*Always read the label. Follow the directions for use. If symptoms persist, talk to your health professional. Vitamin and/or mineral supplements should not replace a balanced diet.

References:

1. “Bones, muscles and joints”. Health Direct. Published Sep. 2021 on https://www.healthdirect.gov.au/bones-muscles-and-joints. Accessed on Dec. 1, 2021
2. Timmermans, E., Schaap, L., Herbolsheimer, F., Dennison, E., et al. “The Influence of Weather Conditions on Joint Pain in Older People with Osteoarthritis: Results from the European Project on OsteoArthritis”. The Journal of rheumatology. Published Oct. 2015 on https://doi.org/10.3899/jrheum.141594. Accessed on Dec. 1, 2021
3. Moghadam, M., Abdel-Sayed, P., Camine, V., and Pioletti, D. “Impact of synovial fluid flow on temperature regulation in knee cartilage”. Journal of biomechanics. Published Jan. 21, 2015 on https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jbiomech.2014.11.008. Accessed on Dec. 1, 2021
4. Jamison, R., Anderson, K., and Slater, M. “Weather changes and pain: perceived influence of local climate on pain complaint in chronic pain patients”. Pain. Published May 1995 on https://doi.org/10.1016/0304-3959(94)00215-Z. Accessed on Dec. 1, 2021
5. “Magnesium”, National Institute of Health: Office of Dietary Supplements. Published on https://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/Magnesium-HealthProfessional/. Accessed on Dec. 1, 2021
6. “Muscle Cramp”. Better Health Channel. Published on https://www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au/health/conditionsandtreatments/muscle-cramp. Accessed on Dec. 1, 2021
7. "Healthy Muscles Matter". National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases. Published Dec. 202 on https://www.niams.nih.gov/health-topics/kids/healthy-muscles. Accessed Dec. 1, 2021
8. “Neuromuscular system”. Health Direct. Published Apr. 2021 on https://www.healthdirect.gov.au/neuromuscular-system. Accessed on Dec. 1, 2021
9. Higdon, J., Drake, V., Delage, B., and Volpe, S. “Magnesium”. Oregon State University: Linus Pauling Institute. Published Feb. 2019 on https://lpi.oregonstate.edu/mic/minerals/magnesium. Accessed on Dec. 1, 2021
10. Kirkland, A., Sarlo, G., and Holton, K. “The Role of Magnesium in Neurological Disorders”. Nutrients. Published Jun. 2018 on https://doi.org/10.3390/nu10060730. Accessed on Dec. 1, 2021
11. "Magnesium". Australian National Health and Medical Research Council: Nutrient Reference Values. Published Sep. 22, 2017 on https://www.nrv.gov.au/nutrients/magnesium. Accessed on Dec. 1, 2021
12. “What Causes Muscle Twitches?”. Nemours KidsHealth: For Teens. Published on https://kidshealth.org/en/teens/twitches.html. Accessed on Dec. 1, 2021
13. “Spasticity”. John Hopkins Medicine. Published on https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/conditions-and-diseases/spasticity. Accessed on Dec. 1, 2021
14. Guerrera, M., Volpe, S., and Mao, J. "Therapeutic uses of magnesium". American family physician. Published Jul. 15, 2009 on https://www.aafp.org/afp/2009/0715/p157.html. Accessed on Dec. 1, 2021
15. Altura, B. and Altura, B. “Tension headaches and muscle tension: is there a role for magnesium?”. Medical hypotheses. Published Dec. 2001 on https://doi.org/10.1054/mehy.2001.1439. Accessed on Dec. 1, 2021
16. Roffe, C., Sills, S., Crome, P., and Jones, P. "Randomised, cross-over, placebo controlled trial of magnesium citrate in the treatment of chronic persistent leg cramps". Medical science monitor. Published May 2002 on https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/12011773/. Accessed on Dec. 1, 2021
17. Potter, J., Robertson, S., and Johnson, J. "Magnesium and the regulation of muscle contraction". Federation proceedings. Published Oct. 1981 on https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/7286246/. Accessed on Dec. 1, 2021
18. Kercsmar, C. “Chapter 56 - Wheezing in Older Children: Asthma”. Kendig's Disorders of the Respiratory Tract in Children 7th Edition. Published 2006 on https://doi.org/10.1016/B978-0-7216-3695-5.50060-2. Accessed on Dec. 1, 2021