Some of you may know that I have quite a specific diet, one that is looked upon as being weird if not straight out bizarre. The carnivore diet, I know how odd, we’ve only been eating meat since we started drinking water and breathing air 😂

Something that has come up while on this diet is the importance of electrolytes in the body and specifically magnesium.

This mineral plays a crucial role in the endurance, strength and recovery of martial artists and anyone involved in sports.

Magnesium is involved in over 300 biochemical reactions within the body, including muscle and nerve function, protein synthesis, and energy production. For athletes and martial artists, this means that adequate magnesium levels are essential for optimal performance.

How Magnesium Aids in Muscle Relaxation

One of the most notable benefits of magnesium for athletes is its ability to promote muscle relaxation. Magnesium acts as a natural calcium antagonist, helping to regulate muscle contractions and prevent spasms. This property makes it particularly valuable for alleviating post-exercise soreness and stiffness.

Alleviating Soreness and Stiffness After Intense Workouts

After a strenuous training session or competition, muscles can become tight and sore due to microscopic damage and inflammation. Magnesium supplementation has been shown to reduce muscle soreness and enhance recovery by facilitating the removal of lactic acid and other metabolic byproducts.

Reducing Inflammation and Swelling Post-Exercise

In addition to its muscle-relaxing properties, magnesium also exhibits anti-inflammatory effects, helping to reduce swelling and inflammation following intense physical activity. By modulating inflammatory pathways, magnesium can speed up the recovery process and minimize the risk of overuse injuries.

Enhancing Recovery Time

Faster recovery is essential for athletes and martial artists looking to maintain peak performance. By reducing inflammation and promoting tissue repair, magnesium can help shorten recovery time between workouts or bouts, allowing athletes to train more consistently and effectively.

Regulation of Electrolyte Balance

Electrolyte balance is crucial for proper hydration and muscle function during exercise. Magnesium works in concert with other electrolytes, such as sodium, potassium, and calcium, to maintain fluid balance within the body. This is especially important for athletes engaged in prolonged or intense physical activity.

Impact of Magnesium on Cognitive Function

In addition to its physical benefits, magnesium also plays a role in cognitive function and mental clarity. Adequate magnesium levels have been linked to improved mood, focus, and concentration, which are essential for maintaining peak mental performance during training or competition.

Maintaining Focus and Concentration During Training or Competition

Whether executing complex techniques in martial arts or making split-second decisions on the field, athletes rely on mental sharpness and alertness to perform at their best. Magnesium supplementation can support cognitive function, helping athletes stay focused and mentally resilient under pressure. Focus is a huge part of Wing Chun and all types of martial arts.

Foods Rich in Magnesium

While supplementation can be beneficial for athletes with increased magnesium needs, obtaining magnesium from whole foods is the preferred method for most individuals. Good dietary sources of magnesium include leafy green vegetables, nuts and seeds, whole grains, and legumes.

Nowadays you’ll notice it is hardly mentioned that you can get all nutrients that the body needs from animal based products, for some reason the media doesn’t want people to know this fact.

Magnesium can also be found in beef, pork, chicken, turkey, lamb and is quite high in fish.

What’s the dose?

The recommended dose of magnesium for adults is 420mg for males and 350mg for females. This being said please keep in mind that only 30% of magnesium ingested is absorbed by the intestine (some sources may vary) so you may need more than you think. As humans we actually absorb magnesium through our skin very efficiently. Ever heard of bath salts?

If you want to be a super human, kung fu master give nutrients a thought and definitely look into adding a healthy dose of magnesium to your diet and perhaps adding up to 1 or 2 cups of Epsom Salt to your nice, relaxing bath.