Triathlons are widely regarded as one of the world’s most challenging and physically demanding sporting events, with competitors pushing their minds and bodies to the limit in both training and racing. That’s why leading athletes such as GB triathlete Alex Rhodes, are turning to our transdermal magnesium to help to keep them in top condition and speed up recovery.
Twenty-seven-year-old Alex, from Emsworth in Hampshire, has recently won a silver medal at the European Cross Duathlon Championships and has also qualified for the World Cross Triathlon Championships. Alex puts this impressive success down to using our Informed-Sport certified Magnesium Oil Body Spray and Magnesium Flakes as part of his routine.
A game changer
Here, Alex explains how using our magnesium chloride spray and bath soak is making all the difference to his performance.
“BetterYou’s transdermal magnesium helps me to push my limits and stay there for as long as possible, delaying muscle fatigue and allowing my body’s energy system to become as effective and efficient as possible”says Alex.
“In a Xterra or cross race, you require maximum effort bursts on the bike, and this takes a lot out of your legs. But when you get off the bike and want to run hard, the different muscle groups don’t like that quick change. By this time, I have already depleted a lot of magnesium during energy production and sweat."
“In the first few races I took part in at the beginning of the season, I suffered from cramp a lot. I then started using BetterYou Magnesium Oil Body Spray before a race, and guess what – no cramps!"
“I sprayed the BetterYou Magnesium Oil onto my calves every day for a couple of weeks before the European Championships. I ran very well that day and certainly believe that was a huge factor of in performance."
“The most important part of that recovery cycle is sleep. I use BetterYou Magnesium Flakes in a bath to achieve a deep sleep and allow my muscles to relax. The relaxation element of magnesium helps ease all the knots in my muscles and flush out toxins, enhancing the recovery process and preventing injury. Using BetterYou Magnesium has certainly contributed to my recent success."
"As a competitive athlete, it’s important if you take any supplements, to take them in the best form possible, which is why I use magnesium transdermally as opposed to orally, as this guarantees me to get the best absorption into the muscles and cells that need it most. I don’t have to worry about taking it with food or fluids that are going to prevent full absorption."
Magnesium deficiency plaguing modern athletes
An increasing amount of research shows magnesium deficiency can be linked to a number of conditions plaguing modern athletes, resulting in reduced performance, lactic acid build up, cramping and poor recovery and sleep. Not only is this lost through sweat, but also in the intensified metabolism of strenuous exercise.
Magnesium is responsible for over 300 biochemical reactions in the body. It is needed for optimal contraction, skeletal strength, and helps sustain the high oxygen consumption necessary for high intensity sport performance - plus, magnesium can help with running recovery, too.
Magnesium is also essential for processes the body goes under during stress, from nerve function and cardiac support, to processing fats and protein, but most importantly the metabolism of adenosine triphosphate (ATP) for effective energy production and recovery.
Transdermal application of magnesium is particularly suitable for sporting professionals that need to gain a high level of magnesium, and where other form of magnesium supplementation is much less effective for the training and recovery process.
We also lead the way within the health supplement industry in our commitment to test every product for effective absorption making our range of transdermal magnesium among the most tested in the UK market.
A clinical trial by Cardiff University showed how well magnesium is absorbed through the skin, feeding every cell. Watkins & Josling tested whether transdermal application of magnesium chloride could alter serum magnesium levels and whole body calcium/magnesium ratios. After 12 weeks’ subjects saw a rise in cellular magnesium levels which represented an estimated five times quicker result than comparable oral supplementation.
