Effect of magnesium supplementation on muscular damage markers in basketball players during a full season

Although it has been widely accepted that Mg has a positive effect on muscle function, studies on the efficacy of Mg supplementation in young athletes have generated contrasting results. The aim of this work was to examine the effect of Mg supplementation on muscular damage markers and the association between serum Mg levels with these muscular markers. Twelve elite male basketball players (PB) from a team of Spanish Professional Basketball League and a control group (CG) comprising twelve university students who practiced regularly recreational basketball and competed in minor university leagues participated in this study. The athletes were supplemented with 400 mg/day of Mg, in the form of Mg lactate. Blood samples were taken four times during the season, each separated by eight weeks: T1: October, T2: December, T3: March, and T4: April. Serum Mg concentrations showed a significant decrease in T3 (1.56 ± 0.03 mg/dL), with respect to T1 (1.69 ± 0.04 mg/dL) and T2 (1.69 ± 0.04 mg/L). At the end of the study, serum Mg concentration was significantly higher (T4: 1.79 ± 0.06 mg/dL) than at T3. Levels of muscle damage parameters remained the same during the entire season (P > 0.05), except for creatinine, which significantly decreased after T2, and then increased significantly in T3 and T4 compared to T2. In conclusion, these results suggest that the supplementation with Mg during the season of competition may prevent associated tissue damage.