6 Min
Zuletzt aktualisiert am 01.09.2025
Did you know that typical nighttime calf cramps often have nothing to do with a magnesium deficiency? Where magnesium really plays a role is in sports. There, magnesium can, for example, influence your energy metabolism and make a real difference. No wonder many active people swear by magnesium. But one question remains: Should magnesium be taken before or after exercise? What makes the most sense?
Your knowledge to go: Magnesium before or after exercise?
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Adequate magnesium supply is a prerequisite for giving your best performance in sports.
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Magnesium needs can be met through a balanced diet and (if necessary) through supplements.
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Whether magnesium should be taken before or after exercise depends on your personal goals and preferences.
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Before exercise, magnesium can help you give your best performance in training and support your energy metabolism.
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After exercise, magnesium can contribute to recovery.
Why magnesium in sports at all?
Let’s start with the elephant in the room: Why should you take magnesium at all – regardless of the question “magnesium before or after exercise?”.
Magnesium, like all other nutrients, is very important for us and is involved in many processes in the body such as muscle contraction, the immune system, and bone metabolism. For example, magnesium contributes to the maintenance of normal bones and teeth and also to normal muscle function. That brings us to the topic of sports!
An insufficient intake of magnesium or even a magnesium deficiency can therefore affect your performance during training. Depending on how severe the deficiency is, the consequences can be as mild as reduced performance capacity. But other symptoms such as fatigue or cramps may also occur.
What benefits does magnesium have in sports exactly?
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If magnesium levels are too low, increasing magnesium intake can help bring performance capacity back to a normal level. Adequate magnesium supply is the foundation for delivering your best in sports.
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Cramps caused by magnesium deficiency can also be reduced by normalizing magnesium levels – makes sense, right?
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Some studies show that strength in the leg muscles may directly depend on magnesium supply. (But that doesn’t mean we can skip leg day – sorry!)
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Adequate magnesium supply contributes to normal energy metabolism with good ATP production. Remember: We need ATP as an energy carrier to have real power. Magnesium helps ensure we have enough energy!
Who needs magnesium?
So, who is this relevant for? Do we all need to take magnesium now? No worries! In general, many people are already well-supplied with magnesium, especially with a balanced diet as a good foundation.
There are three scenarios in which supplementation can make sense:
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Low magnesium intake: Especially in sports that focus on weight control or in the case of an unbalanced diet, magnesium intake may be insufficient. In such cases, other supplements are often needed too!
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Increased magnesium needs: Athletes often have a very active metabolism, which increases the need for magnesium and other nutrients.
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Increased magnesium loss: Do you lose magnesium through sweat during training, or is that a myth? Well, studies are currently examining how relevant magnesium loss through sweat or urine really is.
Do you see yourself in one of these groups? Then it’s especially important to pay attention to your magnesium intake and supplement if needed. How to do that? You’ll find out next!
Taking magnesium (diet & supplements)
How much magnesium do you need daily? Healthy women without additional needs require about 300 mg of magnesium daily, while men need 350 mg. That doesn’t sound like much – and it isn’t. With 100 g of oats, 30 g of pumpkin seeds, 100 g of cooked spinach, and a banana, you’re already well supplied!
If you can’t meet your needs through diet, supplements can be helpful.
Important: First check if you can improve your diet: Do you eat many seeds and kernels, whole grains, or legumes? No? Then maybe leafy greens, fish and seafood, or fortified mineral water?
If your answer is no, start here first. Otherwise, here’s your magnesium supplement:
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Our tip: Look for high-quality products and follow the daily intake recommendation. Especially if you are sensitive to magnesium supplements, using sustained-release products or splitting your magnesium intake throughout the day can help.
Oops, we’ve gone off track a bit: Back to the topic! In case you’ve forgotten: We’re talking about the question: “magnesium before or after exercise?”. So how should you take magnesium?
Magnesium before or after exercise? The facts
Should you take magnesium before or after exercise? It’s not that simple.
The most important thing is to have an overall good magnesium supply and avoid deficiency. In that case, the difference between magnesium before or after exercise makes no difference!
When it comes to the extra boost for sports, we can conclude: Magnesium before exercise helps you perform well during training or competition and supports your energy metabolism. Magnesium after exercise can help with recovery. Whether you prefer to take magnesium before or after exercise is up to you. Both options can benefit you and are suited to different goals.
So how about a combination of both?
Magnesium before exercise
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Full magnesium stores are a good starting point for an effective workout. Magnesium before exercise supports your energy metabolism so you can perform well.
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It supports normal muscle function during exercise and can reduce magnesium-deficiency-related cramps.
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Magnesium may potentially prevent muscle soreness!
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Magnesium before exercise prevents possible magnesium loss during training.
Note: Sensitive individuals may experience gastrointestinal discomfort after taking magnesium – in that case, taking it right before training is less advantageous.
Magnesium after exercise
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Magnesium after exercise can contribute to muscle recovery, so you’re ready for your next workout sooner.
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It can help replenish possible magnesium loss during training.
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Magnesium after exercise can potentially also help with muscle soreness symptoms as it relaxes the muscles.
Important: Randomly taking magnesium is not necessarily useful. Studies show that additional supplementation when you are already well-supplied offers no further benefits. You can also take too much magnesium!
Conclusion: Magnesium before or after exercise?
When should you take magnesium for sports? Both have advantages and can support you in certain situations. However, neither is clearly better or worse than the other. Just try out what works for you. And remember: Magnesium before exercise gives you energy for training, magnesium after exercise helps your muscles recover.
Many active people also rely on other supplements in addition to magnesium: Supplements for muscle building
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References & Sources
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Bechtold, K. (2024). Beratung zu Magnesium. In: DAS PTA MAGAZIN, 18(7).
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DGE (2022). Ausgewählte Fragen und Antworten zu Magnesium.
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DGE (o.J.) Referenzwerte. Magnesium.
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Kisters, L., Gröber, U. & Kisters, K. (2024). Magnesium im Leistungssport. In: Zeitschrift für Orthomolekulare Medizin, 22(03).
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Saur, P. (2004). Magnesium und Sport. In: Deutsche Zeitschrift für Sportmedizin, 55(1).
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Vormann, J. (2015). Magnesium im Sport – ein unterschätzter Mineralstoff? In: Zaenmagazin, 7(3).
Do you have any questions or comments? Then feel free to send me an email – I look forward to hearing from you! :)
The information shared in this article does not replace individual medical or nutritional advice.
