Effects of magnesium supplementation on testosterone levels of athletes and sedentary subjects at rest and after exhaustion.
Level 3 - non-randomized controlled study
Controlled trial without reported randomization in the abstract
PubMed 20352370 · doi:10.1007/s12011-010-8676-3
What was done
Sedentary individuals and tae kwon do athletes (training 90–120 min/day) were allocated to three groups for 4 weeks: sedentary controls receiving 10 mg/kg body weight daily magnesium (Group 1), athletes receiving 10 mg/kg magnesium daily (Group 2), and athletes receiving no magnesium supplementation (Group 3). Free and total plasma testosterone levels were measured at four time points: at rest and after exhaustion before supplementation, and at rest and after exhaustion after 4 weeks of supplementation.
What was found
The abstract reports directional findings without specific numbers, effect sizes, or p-values. Free and total plasma testosterone increased post-exhaustion compared to resting levels, and exercise was associated with higher testosterone compared to the sedentary state. Magnesium supplementation increased free and total testosterone levels in both sedentary controls and athletes, with greater increases observed in the exercising athletes.
Why it matters
The study suggests that daily magnesium supplementation combined with exercise may augment free and total plasma testosterone levels more than exercise or supplementation alone.
Limits
The abstract provides no sample size (n), demographic details, numerical concentrations, or statistical metrics (such as p-values or confidence intervals). There is no mention of randomization, blinding, a placebo control for the non-supplemented group, or assessment of baseline dietary magnesium intake.
Cited by
- supports Zinc and magnesium are essential micronutrients for testosterone synthesis.