Magnesium status and the physical performance of volleyball players: effects of magnesium supplementation

• Published in: Journal of sports sciences 2014-03, Vol.32 (5), p.438-445
• Main Authors: Setaro, Luciana, Santos-Silva, Paulo Roberto, Nakano, Eduardo Yoshio, Sales, Cristiane Hermes, Nunes, Newton, Greve, Júlia Maria, Colli, Célia
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adolescent; Adult; Athletes; Athletic Performance - physiology; Creatine Kinase - blood; Dietary Supplements; Double-Blind Method; Effects; Energy Metabolism; Human performance; Humans; Knee - physiology; Lactic Acid - blood; Magnesium; Magnesium - administration & dosage; Magnesium - blood; Magnesium - urine; magnesium supplementation; Male; Muscle Strength; Oxygen Consumption; Physical Endurance - physiology; physical performance; Plyometric Exercise; Urinalysis; vertical jump; Volleyball; Volleyball - physiology; Young Adult
• ISSN: 0264-0414; 1466-447X
• DOI: 10.1080/02640414.2013.828847

The aim of this study was to test the hypothesis that magnesium supplementation influences the physical performance of volleyball players, as the efficacy of this approach remains questionable. Twenty-five professional male volleyball players were assigned randomly to experimental (350 mg Mg · d -1 , 4 weeks) and control groups (500 mg maltodextrin · d -1 , 4 weeks) maintaining inter-group homogeneity of urinary magnesium. Erythrocyte, plasma and urinary magnesium levels, plasma creatine kinase activity, lactate production, maximal oxygen uptake (VO 2 max) and plyometric (squat jump, countermovement jump, countermovement jump with arm swing) and isokinetic (peak torque, potency and total work) performances were evaluated before (T 0 ) and after (T 1 ) supplementation. Levels of erythrocyte and urinary magnesium and creatine kinase activity and VO 2 max remained within normal ranges in both groups. Plasma magnesium decreased significantly only within the experimental group. Significant decreases in lactate production and significant increases (of up to 3 cm) in countermovement jump and countermovement jump with arm swing values were detected in the experimental group following magnesium supplementation, but not in the control group at T 1 . It is concluded that magnesium supplementation improved alactic anaerobic metabolism, even though the players were not magnesium-deficient.