If you’ve ever done everything “right” after a workout, hit your protein goal, stayed consistent with training, and still felt sore, sluggish, or slower to recover than expected, there may be a missing piece in your routine.
Most people focus heavily on protein when it comes to recovery, and for good reason. Protein is essential for repairing and rebuilding muscle. But to fully recover, you need to focus not only on muscle repair, but also on giving your body what it needs to relax, recharge, and actually use the nutrients you’re consuming.
Enter magnesium. While the mineral hasn’t always gotten the same attention as protein amongst fitness-minded folks, that’s starting to change. Why? Magnesium is important for muscle and nerve function, sleep quality, digestion, and more.
In fact, by combining protein and magnesium, you can support your fitness from all angles. Here’s a closer look at why the magnesium plus protein pairing works so well, and how it can help you feel and perform better over time.
- ABOUT OUR EXPERT: Kat Benson, R.D.N., C.S.S.D., L.D., is a registered dietitian and sports nutritionist.
Protein Builds the Muscle, Magnesium Supports the Process
Protein is usually the first thing people think about after a workout, and that makes sense, considering it’s needed for muscle protein synthesis, which drives muscle repair, growth (hypertrophy), and adaptation to exercise.
When you train, you create small amounts of damage in your muscle fibers. Your body then repairs that damage using amino acids (the “building blocks of protein”) to rebuild stronger, more resilient tissue.
What many don’t realize is that magnesium assists in muscle repair, too. “Magnesium and protein are one of those combinations that don’t get enough credit, but they matter a lot if you’re active,” says registered dietitian and sports nutritionist Kat Benson, R.D.N., C.S.S.D., L.D.
As an electrolyte, magnesium is the second most abundant mineral in the body, and is involved in more than 300 biochemical reactions, including those that regulate muscle contractions, nerve signaling, blood sugar regulation, and production of ATP (the energy your cells rely on to function).
“Magnesium is less flashy, but it works behind the scenes. It helps with muscle contraction and relaxation, supports nerve function, and plays a role in energy production,” says Benson.
Without enough magnesium, your body can struggle to fully carry out the recovery process, even if your protein intake is on point. In a very real way, protein provides important building blocks, but magnesium helps your body actually use nutrients to make you energized, stronger, and fitter.
The Benefits of Combining Protein And Magnesium
When you combine protein and magnesium, you’re supporting both the rebuilding of muscle tissue and your nervous system, so your body adapts more easily to stress, including the “good stress” from exercise. Together, this pairing can help you feel better between workouts and get more out of your training over time.
1. Faster Recovery and Less Muscle Soreness
One of the biggest frustrations after a tough workout is lingering soreness that sticks around longer than expected, sometimes to the point of preventing you from continuing to train.
Some achiness is normal, especially after new or intense training. This is referred to as Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness (DOMS), which describes muscle pain, stiffness, or tenderness that develops 24 to 72 hours after intense or unfamiliar physical activity.
Read More: 5 Low-Calorie Ways To Increase Your Protein
That said, if soreness seems more intense than it should, magnesium can sometimes help to take the edge off, which is why Benson recommends giving it a try.
Research suggests that supplementing with magnesium can reduce markers of tissue damage and improve recovery, particularly in active adults. For example, a 2024 review found that magnesium can help decrease exercise-induced inflammation following intense training. And other studies show it helps decrease soreness, too.
Magnesium’s benefits are amplified even more when paired with protein.
Protein helps damaged muscle fibers rebuild, while magnesium supports the processes that reduce inflammation and fatigue, explains Benson. “Protein helps repair the tissue, but magnesium helps your muscles actually relax,” she says. Together, they make it easier to bounce back from tough physical activity, which can mean less downtime between workouts and a quicker return to feeling like yourself again.
2. Better Muscle Function and Exercise Performance
Your ability to recover from exercise directly impacts how you perform the next time you train.
Magnesium helps manage how your muscles contract and relax, including by regulating calcium flow within muscle cells, which is needed for proper muscle movement. That’s why low magnesium levels can cause muscles to feel tighter, less responsive, or more prone to fatigue.
There’s also evidence that magnesium supports performance by helping to increase glucose availability in muscles, which they use for energy, and reducing the buildup of lactate, which is associated with the “burn” you feel during challenging workouts.
One study of older women found that daily magnesium supplementation for 12 weeks improved physical performance and may help prevent or delay age-related declines in exercise capabilities.
3. Supported Muscle Growth Behind the Scenes
Protein is the main nutritional driver of muscle growth. “You break muscle down when you train, and protein provides the amino acids needed to build it back stronger,” Benson explains.
Lesser known: Magnesium also supports that process in several important ways, she says. Because magnesium is involved in energy production and enzyme activity, it helps create the internal conditions needed for muscle protein synthesis to occur. Some research suggests that magnesium directly supports muscle protein synthesis.
This doesn’t mean magnesium replaces protein, but it does mean that without enough magnesium, your body might not fully capitalize on the protein you consume.
4. Quality Sleep And Recovery
If there’s one area where magnesium really stands out, it’s sleep, which is undoubtedly one of the most important, yet most overlooked, parts of recovery. During sleep, your body carries out many of its most important repair processes, including muscle recovery, hormone regulation, and nervous system reset.
According to the Sleep Foundation, magnesium has been shown to support sleep quality by helping to regulate neurotransmitters like GABA and melatonin, both of which are involved in relaxation and sleep cycles.
Read More: The Perks Of Pre-Sleep Protein
“Magnesium tends to support sleep, which is significant because that’s when a lot of recovery is actually happening,” notes Benson. Research suggests that magnesium supplementation can improve overall sleep quality, increase total sleep time, and help people fall asleep more easily.
Even if nutrition is dialed in, poor sleep can limit recovery. When your routine includes enough protein and magnesium, you build a stronger foundation for getting the rest you need for your body to repair and grow back stronger.
5. Less Muscle Tension And Cramping
If your muscles tend to feel tight and sore or cramp easily, magnesium can be a smart addition to your supplement routine, according to Benson.
Since magnesium helps regulate muscle contractions and relaxation, it’s useful for keeping muscles out of a constant state of tension. This is why it’s often associated with reducing muscle cramps and improving overall muscle comfort.
How to Use Magnesium and Protein Together
Start by making sure you’re hitting your daily protein needs. For most active adults, that falls somewhere around 0.7 to 1.0 grams per pound of body weight, depending on your goals, according to the National Academy of Sports Medicine.
From there, look at your magnesium intake. While magnesium is found in foods like leafy greens, nuts, seeds, and legumes, many people still fall short of meeting their needs, especially if they’re very active or under higher stress, according to Benson. You see, if you’re generally active, there’s a good chance your magnesium needs are actually higher due to losses through sweat and increased demand from training. Some research suggests athletes may require up to 10 to 20 percent more magnesium than those who are less active. That’s why she often recommends supplementing.
“I typically recommend magnesium glycinate since it’s often well-tolerated, well-absorbed, and easier on the stomach than other forms, especially if someone is taking it for sleep, stress, and/or muscle recovery,” she says. “Most people do well starting around 100 to 250 milligrams and adjusting as needed, keeping total supplement intake around or under 350 milligrams.”
Paying attention to timing can also help. Protein is useful around workouts or spread throughout the day, while some forms of magnesium are best taken in the evening to support relaxation and sleep, Benson suggests. “Taking it with food can also help reduce any GI issues,” she adds.
Most importantly, stay consistent. The benefits of both protein and magnesium build over time, especially when paired with regular training and good sleep habits.
The Bottom Line
Overall, the biggest advantage of combining magnesium and protein is that it shifts your approach from one-dimensional to more complete.
“It’s less about one being better than the other and more about them working together. Protein builds, while magnesium supports. And if one is off, you usually feel it, either during performance or in recovery,” Benson says.
If you’re training consistently or trying to improve performance over time, making sure to consume enough of both of these nutrients can really move the needle in helping you reach your goals.