Overview
- New articles detail when to take magnesium: 150–200 mg one to two hours pre‑workout to help prevent cramps (per sports physician Dr. Markus Braun), post‑exercise for regeneration and electrolyte balance, and 30–60 minutes before bed to aid relaxation and sleep.
- For active adults the suggested daily intake is roughly 300–400 mg, rising to about 500 mg with heavy sweating or high stress, while the DGE baseline for men aged 25 and older is about 350 mg per day.
- Compound choice affects absorption and tolerability, with citrate favored for quicker uptake and sport or morning use, bisglycinate for gentler evening use, malate as an additional option, and oxide generally viewed as poorly absorbed.
- Because typical bioavailability is only about 30–40%, coverage advises spacing magnesium away from calcium or iron supplements, certain antibiotics and coffee to reduce interference with uptake.
- A 2025 scoping review reported associations between supplementation and increased muscle mass and strength, reduced oxidative stress and soreness, and better protein and glucose metabolism, with the largest gains seen in people with deficiency and a continued need for higher‑quality trials.