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Hello B,
My son who is 16 years old trains 6 times a week for three hours each day and his muscles are very sore and he feels he is not recovering fast enough. He takes magnesium glycinate every night and still doesn’t feel the recovery. He is doing ice bath which i am so against. His acupuncturist told him to take a warm bath. Would you recommend another type of magnesium like Malate? What about the bath? Should he do infrared sauna? Thank you.
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Hi @biancachalfoun – nutrition and sleep play a big role in muscle recovery so let’s break them down to see where he can improve.
1. Is he getting in enough animal protein for muscle repair? Aim for a minimum of 0.8â1g of protein per pound of body weight daily, spread evenly throughout the day. Here’s a handout to help calculate his protein needs based on different variables with examples of how to meet that requirement:
https://bbv2.genesisengine.io/resource-library/diet/protein-protein-powders-and-gelatin/
2. Is he getting in enough carbohydrates for glycogen replenishment? If he’s training intensely, he needs to be consuming starchy carbs like potatoes, sweet potatoes, rice, etc to help replenish muscle glycogen. Think of my VPF+C principle from the Beginner’s Health Roadmap and make sure he’s not missing the “C” especially post-workout on days that he trains.
3. Is he getting in enough healthy fats and Omega-3s? These support cellular repair and help reduce inflammation from training. Think of wild-caught salmon, flaxseeds, walnuts, and high-quality fish oil.
4. Is he hydrating well enough? Dehydration slows muscle recovery and increases soreness. Electrolytes (sodium, potassium, magnesium, calcium) help with nerve function and muscle contraction. So coconut water, mineral water, adding sea/Himalayan salt, and potassium-rich foods all support hydration. You can look at making your own electrolyte drink at home. Here’s the recipe: https://bbv2.genesisengine.io/resource-library/beverages-fermented-foods/recipes/
5. Sleep! Does he get to bed too late? Does he have poor sleep hygiene. Sleep is critical for repair and recovery, so if this is an issue, I can share more tips on what to do to help improve his quality of sleep.
6. Supplements to consider:
-Magnesium malate would be a better option since it supports muscle function and ATP (energy) production, which could help with muscle soreness. For example, he can take malate in the morning and glycinate at night to help with sleep.
-Essential Amino Acids and/or creatine monohydrate helps boost ATP production and speeds up muscle repair. Creatine has been studied to be very safe at doses of 3-5g daily.
–Collagen + Vitamin C is another one to consider since it can support tendons and ligaments
-L-Carnitine can be considered as well since it helps with muscle recover and energy production
7. Other training tools that can help with recovery:
-Instead of ice baths which can impair long-term muscle adaptation and gains if used frequently, consider contrast therapy (hot/cold showers) instead which helps suppress inflammation but slow adaptation.
-Epsom salt baths – brings additional magnesium through the skin and helps relax the body
-Infrared sauna or red light therapy – helps support mitochondria
-Compression therapy (lymphatic drainage) to help flush out metabolic waste
Finally, I know it’s not possible for some athletes, but if there’s a way to reduce the intensity and duration of his training, that would be the best suggestion to help his body recover. The body needs time to heal so allowing the body days off to rest or perhaps working different body parts on different days can help with his recovery.
Hope these tips help!
Side note – I encourage you to please use one of the forum categories to post your questions since posting here in the timeline can easily get lost. We are also working on this behind the scenes to help make it easier for posting.
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Dear Bernadette,
Thank you for your thorough reply.
He does well on points 1, 2 and 4. He is not consistent on point 3. Point 5 is the big issue because of the late training during the week hence late sleep. During Ramadan he trains from 9:30-11:00pm so he doesnât sleep before midnight and needs to wake up early for school.
Would you recommend magnesium orotate with the malate? Thank you for recommending the other supplements and tips as well. Is there a place to recommend compression therapy in Dubai?
Please send me a link for the forum post. Thanks.
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@biancachalfoun yes, both orotate and malate combos can work, or taking them separately. There are a few wellness centers offering these types of bio-hacking therapies.
Heal Hub is a beautiful space located in Jumeirah which I love: https://heal.ae/biohacking-recovery-performance-longevity/
Formation is another option to compare in JLT: https://byformation.com/
When in doubt, you can always post your question in the ‘General Discussions’ forum and we’ll categorize it: https://bbv2.genesisengine.io/forums/forum/368086-2/
But as I mentioned, this is something we’re working to fix very soon to make it very easy for members to post. Stay tuned for these changes!
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@Bernadette_Abraham Will try them out. Thank you.
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One more thing, my son had GBS three years ago, are all the above supplements fine for him to take? Especially the creatine one? Thanks.
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@biancachalfoun since his GBS is not currently active, supplementation risks are lower but it’s still better to be cautious with anything that could stimulate the immune system or affect nerve function.
So yes, although creatine is safe, it’s best to start with a low dose (2-3g/day) and monitor how he feels. No studies link creatine to autoimmune issues, but since GBS affects nerve signaling and muscle control, it’s best to introduce it gradually.
Same with L-carnitine since it supports nerve function and mitochondrial health. And high-dose Vitamin C (>2000mg/day) too since it can stimulate immune function, although moderate doses are generally safe.
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Thank you.
He takes Vitamin C 1,000 mg every day. Dr Mercola’s brand.
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