Ever felt your muscles tighten or unable to touch your toes? The muscles in our bodies tend to get tighter with increasing inactivity on a daily basis. Considering a large majority of us spend numerous hours perched up behind a desk, it is essential to understand ways to improve our muscle flexibility. Nutrients such as magnesium can help improve your muscle flexibility.
Magnesium is an abundant mineral found in the body and plays a significant role in maintaining healthy nerve and muscle function (Volpe 2015). Magnesium has the ability to loosen up sore or tight muscles thereby, preventing injuries. All of our body’s energy comes from ATP or Adenosine triphopsphate, a molecule responsible for converting chemical energy from food to drive other functions. ATP production is dependent on magnesium levels in our bodies.
Several studies have shown that magnesium deficit in the body may cause cramping and/or muscle tightening, especially after an intense workout. This occurs as a result of excessive lactic acid build-up causing muscles to fatigue quicker. Magnesium regulates calcium influx at the cell membrane allowing muscle contraction/relaxation (Gröber, Schmidt et al. 2015). Individuals with low magnesium levels may experience improper muscle relaxation.
Studies have suggested that magnesium helps in improving your muscle flexibility. Increased uptake of magnesium enriched food and/or supplements will allow significant improvements to your muscles and help you maintain a healthy and a balanced lifestyle.
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References:
- Gröber, U., J. Schmidt and K. Kisters (2015). "Magnesium in prevention and therapy." Nutrients 7(9): 8199-8226.
- Volpe, S. L. (2015). "Magnesium and the Athlete." Current Sports Medicine Reports 14(4): 279-283.