Magnesium plays a crucial part in relaxing muscles and helping them to function. If your body is magnesium-deficient, this can cause spasms, tightness and tension in your skeletal muscles and joints.
Muscle spasms
Spasms are painful muscle contractions, and one of magnesium’s functions within the body is to prevent them. It does this by encouraging the body to absorb calcium, another abundant mineral essential to good health, and prevent muscles and soft tissues from calcifying (hardening due to excess calcium).
Inside the body, calcium and magnesium are in competition, binding with the same proteins within your muscles. A build-up of calcium causes muscles to over-contract, leading to spasms or twitches.
Magnesium regulates those contractions and allows the muscles to relax. This is why some health professionals advise increasing intake to alleviate and prevent spasms.
Muscle spasms, particularly leg spasms, are often considered symptoms of magnesium deficiency, where the body lacks the magnesium it needs to stop the contractions. Other spasms are side effects of certain medications or linked to specific health conditions.
Although lots of people suffer with nocturnal leg spasms when sleeping, supplementing magnesium has had positive results in treating leg spasms in pregnant women and the elderly.
If your muscles spasm or twitch after you’ve been exercising or standing for a long period of time, this might be a sign that you’re deficient in magnesium.
Muscle strains
A muscle strains when it overstretches or tears. This kind of injury is quite common, and most frequently happens to:
• neck muscles
• back muscles
• the hamstring
As straining a muscle can cause it to tighten and/or spasm as well as feel very sore, taking a transdermal magnesium supplement such as a bath soak or an oil can help limit any tension by helping the muscle to contract and relax.
Why is magnesium good for the muscles?
Magnesium is absolutely necessary for proper muscle function. It works with other essential minerals in your body to keep the muscles loose and flexible.
When you exercise or do some kind of physical activity, magnesium relaxes your muscles and controls their contractions. It helps lessen the build-up of lactic acid, which can cause muscular tension, and enables your muscles to get the oxygen they need.
Indeed, magnesium plays an important role in your body’s energy production. Much of your energy comes from adenosin triphosphate (ATP), a molecule that converts energy from food sources into fuel for other bodily processes. This process contributes to proper muscle function.
Magnesium also helps your body produce growth factors, proteins that facilitate muscle growth and strength over the long term.
Not having enough magnesium in your body puts you more at risk of suffering muscle:
• spasms (especially in the legs or feet)
• tightness
• aches
• weakness
• fatigue
Speak to your Bodyevolve Chiropractor in Stockport if you have any concerns regarding tight or fatigued muscles including muscle spasms. They can give you advice on treatment and supplements that can help.