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Published in: European Journal of Applied Physiology 11-12/2019

01-12-2019 | Original Article

One week of magnesium supplementation lowers IL-6, muscle soreness and increases post-exercise blood glucose in response to downhill running

Authors: Charles James Steward, Yue Zhou, Gary Keane, Matthew David Cook, Yunyi Liu, Tom Cullen

Published in: European Journal of Applied Physiology | Issue 11-12/2019

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Abstract

Purpose

Magnesium supplementation modulates glucose metabolism and inflammation, which could influence exercise performance and recovery. This study investigated the effect of magnesium intake on physiological responses and performance during eccentric exercise and recovery.

Methods

Nine male recreational runners completed a counterbalanced, double-blind, placebo-controlled, cross-over study, registered at ClinicalTrial.gov. Participants consumed low magnesium diets and were supplemented with 500 mg/day of magnesium (SUP) or placebo (CON) for 7 days prior to a 10 km downhill (− 10%) running time trial (TT), separated by a 2-week washout period. At baseline and 24 h post-TT, maximal muscle force was measured. Interleukin-6 (IL-6), soluble interleukin-6 receptor (sIL-6R) and creatine kinase (CK) were measured at rest, 0 h, 1 h and 24 h post-TT. Muscle soreness was measured at the previous times plus 48 h and 72 h post. Glucose and lactate were measured during the TT.

Results

The main effect of condition was detected for IL-6 (SUP: 1.36 ± 0.66 vs CON: 2.06 ± 1.14 pg/ml) (P < 0.05, η2 = 0.54), sIL-6R (SUP: 27,615 ± 8446 vs CON: 24,368 ± 7806 pg/ml) (P < 0.05, η2 = 0.41) and muscle soreness (P < 0.01, η2 = 0.67). Recovery of blood glucose and muscle soreness were enhanced in SUP post-TT. There were no differences in glucose and lactate during the TT, or post measures of CK and maximal muscle force.

Conclusion

Magnesium supplementation reduced the IL-6 response, enhanced recovery of blood glucose, and muscle soreness after strenuous exercise, but did not improve performance or functional measures of recovery.
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Metadata
Title
One week of magnesium supplementation lowers IL-6, muscle soreness and increases post-exercise blood glucose in response to downhill running
Authors
Charles James Steward
Yue Zhou
Gary Keane
Matthew David Cook
Yunyi Liu
Tom Cullen
Publication date
01-12-2019
Publisher
Springer Berlin Heidelberg
Published in
European Journal of Applied Physiology / Issue 11-12/2019
Print ISSN: 1439-6319
Electronic ISSN: 1439-6327
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1007/s00421-019-04238-y

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