Outcome
    Preliminary

    Magnesium for Lactic Acid Clearance

    Magnesium supports muscle function but does not meaningfully change lactate clearance in replete athletes.

    Overview

    Magnesium supports muscle function but does not meaningfully change lactate clearance in replete athletes.

    Verdict

    Insufficient evidence

    How It Works

    Magnesium is a cofactor in glycolytic and oxidative enzymes, so severe deficiency impairs energy metabolism.

    Dosing & Protocol

    Typical dose

    Recommended dose
    200-400 mg daily if intake is low
    Expected timeframe
    Not established

    Protocol

    form
    Not applicable
    duration
    Not applicable
    co factor
    Evidence is insufficient, and the premise is largely mistaken. Lactate is not a waste product and does not cause muscle soreness - that idea was abandoned decades ago. Lactate is a fuel, shuttled between tissues and oxidised or reconverted to glucose, and it clears within roughly an hour of stopping exercise regardless of what you take. Delayed onset muscle soreness peaks 24-72 hours later and is caused by mechanical damage and inflammation, not lactate. Magnesium is a cofactor for glycolytic enzymes and for the ATP complex, so a role in energy metabolism is real, and a few small studies in magnesium-deficient athletes report improved exercise efficiency and lower post-exercise lactate accumulation - but no trial has shown magnesium accelerates lactate clearance in replete individuals.
    titration
    Not applicable
    starting dose
    Not applicable as an established treatment for lactate clearance

    Evidence

    What the studies say

    Trials in magnesium-replete athletes show no consistent effect on lactate kinetics or endurance performance.

    No studies are yet linked to both Magnesium and Lactic Acid Clearance.

    Safety

    Caveats

    Correct deficiency rather than expecting an ergogenic effect.

    Less likely to help if

    Everyone: no evidence supports magnesium for lactate clearance, and lactate is not the cause of soreness.

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    Individual results may vary. The statements on this website have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. Products and information are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.