The Magnesium Effect: From Pilates Performance to Menopause Support

19 Jan

Feeling constantly tired? Muscle cramps keeping you up at night? Navigating the perimenopause rollercoaster?

Meet your new secret weapon: magnesium.

While it doesn't get the same hype as protein or vitamin D, this powerhouse micronutrient is the fourth most abundant mineral in your body, quietly orchestrating over 300 biochemical reactions in your bones, muscles, and soft tissues while you go about your day.

What Does Magnesium Actually Do?

Think of magnesium as your body's behind-the-scenes crew – the one making everything run smoothly while getting zero credit. Here's what it's doing for you:

Muscle Manager

Controls muscle contraction and relaxation, crucial whether you're crushing a reformer pilates session at our Freshwater studio or simply trying to avoid those annoying 2 am leg cramps.

Nervous System Regulator

Maintains balanced nerve function and helps manage your stress response. Think of it as your internal calm button when life gets chaotic.

Bone Builder

Facilitates the absorption of calcium and vitamin D, helping to maintain healthy bone density – especially important as we age.

Sleep Supporter

Regulates neurotransmitters that help you wind down at night, supports your circadian rhythm, and boosts natural melatonin production. Translation? Deeper, better quality sleep.

Protein Synthesizer

Essential for building and repairing muscle tissue after your Soul Squad puts you through your paces during strength circuit sessions.

Blood Sugar Balancer

Helps maintain already healthy blood glucose levels by supporting insulin function – vital for steady energy and long-term metabolic health.

Here's the catch: Your body can't make magnesium. You need to get it from food or supplements – and that's where most of us fall short.

Best Food Sources of Magnesium

The good news? Magnesium is hiding in plenty of delicious foods you're probably already enjoying:

Dark leafy greens – spinach, kale, silverbeet
Nuts and seeds – pumpkin seeds, almonds, cashews, peanuts
Whole grains – brown rice, quinoa, oats
Legumes – black beans, chickpeas, lentils
Dark chocolate – 70% cacao or higher (you're welcome)
Avocados – as if you needed another reason
Fatty fish – salmon, mackerel
Bananas – your perfect pre-workout carb hit with double the benefits

The Perfect High-Protein, Magnesium -Rich Breakfast Bowl

This breakfast bowl is a game-changer for busy Northern Beaches mornings. Prep it the night before your early reformer class, and you're sorted.

Base

Full-fat Greek yoghurt – fermented goodness, high protein, magnesium
Your favourite protein powder – bonus protein + sweetness (instead of honey)

Seeds & Grains

Chia seeds – magnesium, omega-3s, fibre
Brown flax seeds – omega-3s, fibre
Rolled oats – energy-boosting carbs, magnesium, fibre

Toppings

Organic berries – rotate blackberries, blueberries, raspberries, strawberries for variety
Banana – magnesium, potassium, carbohydrates
Mixed nuts & seeds – pumpkin seeds (magnesium + protein), almonds (magnesium + healthy fats), walnuts (omega-3s + healthy fats)
Cinnamon – helps balance blood sugar

Pro tip: Eat this after your early morning Soul Session when your body is primed for nutrient absorption and recovery.

Should You Supplement Magnesium?

Even with the best intentions, many of us don't hit the recommended daily intake. Modern farming practices have depleted soil quality, meaning our food contains less magnesium than it did decades ago. Stress, exercise, and certain medications can also increase your magnesium needs.

Daily Magnesium Targets

Women: 320mg
Men: 420mg
Pregnant/lactating women: 350-360mg

This is where supplementation comes in, never as a replacement for a balanced diet.

Choosing the Right Magnesium Supplement

Magnesium Glycinate: Highly absorbable, gentle on the stomach, excellent for sleep and muscle relaxation. Perfect to take a post-strength circuit when your muscles need recovery support.

Available at Soulhub: True Protein ZMA Magnesium supplement at reception – grab one after your next session.

Important: Before starting any supplement, chat with your healthcare provider, especially if you're on medications or have kidney issues.

Magnesium for Perimenopause & Menopause

If you're navigating perimenopause or menopause, magnesium becomes even more critical. Dr. Mary Claire Haver, a leading expert on women's health specialising in menopause, emphasises why this mineral deserves your attention during this life stage.

Oestrogen's Drop Affects Magnesium Utilisation

As oestrogen declines, your body's ability to utilise magnesium changes. This can exacerbate symptoms you're already dealing with - fatigue, brain fog, and muscle tension.

Sleep Disruption

Hot flushes and night sweats already wreck your sleep. Research published in the Journal of Women's Health shows that magnesium helps regulate GABA (your calming neurotransmitter) and can significantly improve sleep quality, something 60% of menopausal women struggle with.

Bone Health

Post-menopause, bone density loss accelerates. Magnesium is essential for calcium metabolism and bone formation. Without adequate magnesium, calcium can't do its job properly. This is why we recommend combining reformer pilates and our strength circuits (for bone-loading exercise) with proper magnesium intake.

Mood & Anxiety

The hormonal rollercoaster often brings anxiety, irritability, and mood swings. Magnesium supports your nervous system and helps regulate cortisol (your stress hormone). Pairing magnesium-rich nutrition with regular infrared sauna sessions can amplify stress reduction benefits.

Muscle & Joint Pain

Many women report increased muscle tension and joint discomfort during this transition. During your reformer session, magnesium is working behind the scenes to facilitate every muscle contraction and relaxation. Adequate levels become even more vital for recovery.

Heart Health

Cardiovascular risk increases post-menopause. Magnesium supports healthy blood pressure and heart rhythm – yet another reason it's foundational to your wellness routine.

Dr. Haver's approach: Magnesium supplementation, combined with adequate protein, strength training (SH reformer pilates or strength sessions, anyone?), and stress management, forms a crucial part of thriving through this life stage, not just surviving it.

The Bottom Line

Magnesium isn't sexy. It won't trend on TikTok. But it's quietly powering almost everything your body does.

For our Northern Beaches soulmates navigating perimenopause and menopause, it's a non-negotiable part of your wellness toolkit. For everyone else, it's the foundation that makes everything else – your workouts, your recovery, your energy, your mood – actually work.

Post-infrared sauna, your muscles need magnesium to fully relax and recover. Before your next reformer class, consider whether you're giving your body the magnesium it needs to perform. During strength training, this mineral facilitates every single rep.

So whether you're loading up on leafy greens, taking a quality supplement, or booking in for that infrared sauna session, you're not just ticking a nutrition box. You're investing in wellbeing amplified.

Ready to Amplify Your Wellbeing?

Book your next session through the Soulhub app – whether it's reformer pilates or a strength circuit to boost metabolic health and build strength, an infrared sauna to support recovery, or an LED light therapy for cellular repair. Your body (and your magnesium levels) will thank you.

Try Our All-Inclusive Soulhub Starter Pack

Dynamic Trio for Building Strength + Busting Stress:

3 × Pilates Reformer Classes
3 × Strength Circuit Sessions
1 × 30-minute Infrared Sauna Session
1 × 20-minute LED Light Therapy Session

Only $99 (save 60%)

Buy online here or via our Soulhub app 📱

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the signs of magnesium deficiency?

Common signs include muscle cramps or twitches, fatigue, poor sleep quality, anxiety, irregular heartbeat, and weakness. If you're experiencing these, chat with your GP about getting your levels tested.

Can I get enough magnesium from food alone?

Theoretically, yes – but in reality, most Australians fall short. Soil depletion, stress, intense exercise (hello, strength circuit warriors), and certain medications increase your needs. A combination of magnesium-rich foods plus strategic supplementation often works best.

Does magnesium help with post-workout recovery?

Absolutely. Magnesium supports protein synthesis and muscle relaxation. After an intense session at our Freshwater studio, your muscles need magnesium to repair and rebuild. It also helps reduce muscle soreness.