MAGNESIUM & TESTOSTERONE
I started researching Magnesium because I was having some muscle spasm issues while working out and I knew there was a correlation there but I what didn’t realize was there was a correlation between Magnesium and my Test levels. So the digging began and looking back I am now grateful for those annoying muscle spasms because it led down a path I never would of ventured.
Recently the bio-molecular interactions between Testosterone SHBG, and magnesium have been studied by high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) [3]. Excoffon and colleagues [3] provided evidence of a magnesium-mediated variation in the Test-SHBG affinity. The change in magnesium levels inside the biological serum concentration range could lead to an enhancement of the Bio available Test. Which is the Testosterone we really care about . In fact, the affinity of Test to SHBG seems to change with the magnesium concentration. Magnesium binds to SHBG in a nonspecific mode, leading to an inhibition of the Testosterone binding site in SHBG and to a subsequent enhancement of Bio-avaiiable Testosterone. This data supports, at molecular level, the role of magnesium in modulating Test bio-activity.
The hypothesis of a link between magnesium and Test has been tested in pivotal experiences using magnesium supplementation in adult subjects. Brilla and Conte investigated the combined role of magnesium supplementation and exercise on Test levels [4]. The highest levels of T were found in athletes both exercising and receiving magnesium supplementation. Moreover, significant differences in muscle strength via torque measurements and functional power were noted between the 2 groups These data have been confirmed in a recent study performed on young subjects, where 4-week magnesium supplementation and exercise increase free and total Test concentrations at exhaustion before and after supplementation compared to resting levels [5, 6].
The figure below shows the relationship between Testosterone and magnesium, and its potential underlying mechanisms and clinical implications. The aging process is frequently characterized by an impaired homeostatic reserve due to an imbalance between energy assumption (left side) and utilization and consumption (middle and right sides). The activity of anabolic hormones, where Test plays a central role, is influenced by mineral status (magnesium), along with caloric and protein intake. Down regulated by these 2 factors.
What causes magnesium deficiency ?
So a small amount of research was telling me that magnesium was definitely crucial for my muscle spasms but more importantly crucial for my Test levels. I felt like was eating a good amount of the things high in Magnesium. A little more digging caused me to find the culprit . Coffee. the more coffee we drink the harder it is for our intestines to absorb magnesium. I also came across the info graphic below which illustrates a whole gamut of issues related to magnesium deficiency.
Conclusion
Magnesium is way more important than I realized. Since there is a gamut of negative affects from Magnesium deficiency and it is essentially impossible to over dose I highly recommend taking a Magnesium supplement or taking Epsom Salt baths after strenuous workouts. To guarantee an optimal magnesium homeostasis the recommended intake from dietary sources is estimated in 420 and 320 mg/day for healthy men and women, respectively [1]. Food-rich magnesium sources are cereals, green leafy vegetables, seeds, nuts, cocoa, and seafood [2]
1. E. S. Ford and A. H. Mokdad, “Dietary magnesium intake in a national sample of US adults,” The Journal of Nutrition, vol. 133, no. 9, pp. 2879–2882, 2003. View at Google Scholar · View at Scopus
2.J. R. Marier, “Magnesium content of the food supply in the modern-day world,” Magnesium, vol. 5, no. 1, pp. 1–8, 1986. View at Google Scholar · View at Scopus
3. L. Excoffon, Y. C. Guillaume, M. C. Woronoff-Lemsi, and C. André, “Magnesium effect on testosterone-SHBG association studied by a novel molecular chromatography approach,” Journal of Pharmaceutical and Biomedical Analysis, vol. 49, no. 2, pp. 175–180, 2009. View at Publisher · View at Google Scholar · View at Scopus
4. L. R. Brilla and V. Conte, “Effects of a novel zinc-magnesium formulation on hormones and strength,” Journal of Exercise Physiology Online, vol. 3, no. 4, pp. 26–36, 2000. View at Google Scholar · View at Scopus
5.V. Cinar, Y. Polat, A. K. Baltaci, and R. Mogulkoc, “Effects of magnesium supplementation on testosterone levels of athletes and sedentary subjects at rest and after exhaustion,” Biological Trace Element Research, vol. 140, no. 1, pp. 18–23, 2011. View at Publisher · View at Google Scholar · View at Scopus
6.A. C. Fry, W. J. Kraemer, and L. T. Ramsey, “Pituitary-adrenal-gonadal responses to high-intensity resistance exercise overtraining,” Journal of Applied Physiology, vol. 85, no. 6, pp. 2352–2359, 1998. View at Google Scholar · View at Scopus
I started researching Magnesium because I was having some muscle spasm issues while working out and I knew there was a correlation there but I what didn’t realize was there was a correlation between Magnesium and my Test levels. So the digging began and looking back I am now grateful for those annoying muscle spasms because it led down a path I never would of ventured.
Recently the bio-molecular interactions between Testosterone SHBG, and magnesium have been studied by high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) [3]. Excoffon and colleagues [3] provided evidence of a magnesium-mediated variation in the Test-SHBG affinity. The change in magnesium levels inside the biological serum concentration range could lead to an enhancement of the Bio available Test. Which is the Testosterone we really care about . In fact, the affinity of Test to SHBG seems to change with the magnesium concentration. Magnesium binds to SHBG in a nonspecific mode, leading to an inhibition of the Testosterone binding site in SHBG and to a subsequent enhancement of Bio-avaiiable Testosterone. This data supports, at molecular level, the role of magnesium in modulating Test bio-activity.
The hypothesis of a link between magnesium and Test has been tested in pivotal experiences using magnesium supplementation in adult subjects. Brilla and Conte investigated the combined role of magnesium supplementation and exercise on Test levels [4]. The highest levels of T were found in athletes both exercising and receiving magnesium supplementation. Moreover, significant differences in muscle strength via torque measurements and functional power were noted between the 2 groups These data have been confirmed in a recent study performed on young subjects, where 4-week magnesium supplementation and exercise increase free and total Test concentrations at exhaustion before and after supplementation compared to resting levels [5, 6].
The figure below shows the relationship between Testosterone and magnesium, and its potential underlying mechanisms and clinical implications. The aging process is frequently characterized by an impaired homeostatic reserve due to an imbalance between energy assumption (left side) and utilization and consumption (middle and right sides). The activity of anabolic hormones, where Test plays a central role, is influenced by mineral status (magnesium), along with caloric and protein intake. Down regulated by these 2 factors.
What causes magnesium deficiency ?
So a small amount of research was telling me that magnesium was definitely crucial for my muscle spasms but more importantly crucial for my Test levels. I felt like was eating a good amount of the things high in Magnesium. A little more digging caused me to find the culprit . Coffee. the more coffee we drink the harder it is for our intestines to absorb magnesium. I also came across the info graphic below which illustrates a whole gamut of issues related to magnesium deficiency.
Conclusion
Magnesium is way more important than I realized. Since there is a gamut of negative affects from Magnesium deficiency and it is essentially impossible to over dose I highly recommend taking a Magnesium supplement or taking Epsom Salt baths after strenuous workouts. To guarantee an optimal magnesium homeostasis the recommended intake from dietary sources is estimated in 420 and 320 mg/day for healthy men and women, respectively [1]. Food-rich magnesium sources are cereals, green leafy vegetables, seeds, nuts, cocoa, and seafood [2]
1. E. S. Ford and A. H. Mokdad, “Dietary magnesium intake in a national sample of US adults,” The Journal of Nutrition, vol. 133, no. 9, pp. 2879–2882, 2003. View at Google Scholar · View at Scopus
2.J. R. Marier, “Magnesium content of the food supply in the modern-day world,” Magnesium, vol. 5, no. 1, pp. 1–8, 1986. View at Google Scholar · View at Scopus
3. L. Excoffon, Y. C. Guillaume, M. C. Woronoff-Lemsi, and C. André, “Magnesium effect on testosterone-SHBG association studied by a novel molecular chromatography approach,” Journal of Pharmaceutical and Biomedical Analysis, vol. 49, no. 2, pp. 175–180, 2009. View at Publisher · View at Google Scholar · View at Scopus
4. L. R. Brilla and V. Conte, “Effects of a novel zinc-magnesium formulation on hormones and strength,” Journal of Exercise Physiology Online, vol. 3, no. 4, pp. 26–36, 2000. View at Google Scholar · View at Scopus
5.V. Cinar, Y. Polat, A. K. Baltaci, and R. Mogulkoc, “Effects of magnesium supplementation on testosterone levels of athletes and sedentary subjects at rest and after exhaustion,” Biological Trace Element Research, vol. 140, no. 1, pp. 18–23, 2011. View at Publisher · View at Google Scholar · View at Scopus
6.A. C. Fry, W. J. Kraemer, and L. T. Ramsey, “Pituitary-adrenal-gonadal responses to high-intensity resistance exercise overtraining,” Journal of Applied Physiology, vol. 85, no. 6, pp. 2352–2359, 1998. View at Google Scholar · View at Scopus