Magnesium Malate

What is Magnesium Malate?

Magnesium is a mineral electrolyte involved in over 300 enzymatic reactions in the human body (1). It helps muscles contract and relax, supports nerve transmission, regulates energy production, balances electrolytes, and helps you get a decent night’s sleep, which is not only critical in daily life but essential for optimum performance and recovery on the trail (2).

Optiventure Sunrise uses magnesium malate, a highly absorbable form that pairs magnesium with malic acid, a compound naturally found in apples that plays a key role in energy production (3). It’s gentle on the gut, easily absorbed, and particularly beneficial for muscular endurance and recovery (4).

Why Do Outdoor Adventurers Need Magnesium?

Sweating, physical exertion, high-carb trail snacks, caffeine, and alcohol consumption all increase magnesium loss (5). Combine that with a diet low in whole grains, leafy greens, nuts, and legumes, and you’ve got the perfect recipe for suboptimal magnesium levels.

Low magnesium can show up as cramps, muscle twitches, low energy, fatigue, poor sleep, and even mood disturbances (6). None of these are ideal when hiking or in remote areas. 

Magnesium is especially useful for:

• Muscle recovery after long treks or elevation gain
• Reducing cramps and spasms in the calves, feet, or hands
• Supporting energy metabolism during multi-day efforts
• Regulating sleep cycles in unpredictable camping conditions

Dietary Sources of Magnesium?

Magnesium is found in leafy greens, legumes, whole grains, seeds, nuts, and dark chocolate (if you wanted justification for packing chocolate, there it is!). But trail diets tend to rely on refined carbs, packaged meals, and convenience snacks, which often lack significant magnesium content (7).

Plus, dehydration and electrolyte loss from sweating, altitude, and diuretic beverages like coffee or tea can further sap magnesium levels (8,9).

That’s why having a bioavailable, gentle magnesium supplement like malate can help keep your system running smoothly in rugged conditions.

What’s the Best Form of Magnesium For Hikers?

Magnesium comes in many forms, and they’re not all created equal:

• Magnesium oxide: Cheap, but poorly absorbed, and can cause digestive upset (11)
• Magnesium citrate: Better absorbed, but has a laxative effect in larger doses (12,17)
• Magnesium glycinate: Great for anxiety and sleep (13). We’ve included this in the Sunset capsule of Optiventure!
• Magnesium malate: Highly bioavailable, supports muscular energy production, and is gut-friendly — making it the ideal choice for adventurers (10)

Key Information About Magnesium Malate

Deficiency Stats

Up to 50% of Australians don’t meet their daily magnesium needs from food alone (15,16). Rates can be even higher in people who exercise regularly, are under stress, or follow restrictive diets.

Magnesium deficiency is typically underdiagnosed or unrecognised but can contribute to fatigue, insomnia, headaches, muscle weakness, and even mood changes.

Why Optiventure Has 100mg of Magnesium Malate

Optiventure’s 100mg dose provides a supportive but gut-friendly amount of magnesium, perfect for daily use in an active lifestyle. Magnesium is found in nuts and with most multi-day adventurers consuming nut-heavy trail mix, it’s a fair assumption that adventurers are at least getting some highly bioavailable magnesium each day. With that in mind, this dose aims to boost existing intake, not replace the need to source it from food. 

Why this dose matters:

• It’s well-tolerated, even for sensitive stomachs
• It boosts your baseline magnesium levels without acting like a laxative
• It supports muscle recovery, energy metabolism, and stress resilience
• It can be taken daily or stacked with higher doses if needed on tough treks

While not a megadose, this 100mg of elemental magnesium from malate helps bridge the gap left by hiking diets, and gives your muscles and mitochondria some well-deserved backup.

References

1. Gröber, U., Schmidt, J., & Kisters, K. (2015). Magnesium in prevention and therapy. Nutrients, 7(9), 8199–8226. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu7095388
2. National Institutes of Health. (2022). Magnesium fact sheet for health professionals. Office of Dietary Supplements.https://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/Magnesium-HealthProfessional/
3. Brilla, L. R., & Haley, T. F. (1992). Effect of magnesium supplementation on strength training in humans. Journal of the American College of Nutrition, 11(3), 326–329. https://doi.org/10.1080/07315724.1992.10718240
4. Ates, M., Kizildag, S., Yuksel, O., Hosgorler, F., Yuce, Z., Guvendi, G., Kandis, S., Karakilic, A., Koc, B., & Uysal, N. (2019). Dose-dependent absorption profile of different magnesium compounds in rats. Biological Trace Element Research, 192(1), 244–251. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12011-019-01663-0
5. Lukaski, H. C. (2004). Magnesium, zinc, and chromium nutrition and athletic performance. Canadian Journal of Applied Physiology, 29(3), 282–298. https://doi.org/10.1139/h04-019
6. Nielsen, F. H. (2010). Magnesium deficiency and increased inflammation: Current perspectives. Journal of Inflammation Research, 3, 109–117. https://doi.org/10.2147/JIR.S11838
7. Food Standards Australia New Zealand. (2023). NUTTAB 2023 – Australian Food Composition Database. https://www.foodstandards.gov.au/science/monitoringnutrients/nutrientables/nuttab/Pages/default.aspx
8. Kenefick, R. W. (2015). Hypohydration and human performance: Impact of environment and physiological mechanisms. Sports Medicine, 45(S1), 51–60. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40279-015-0395-7
9. Martin, J. (2025). The chelating effects of caffeine: How it impacts mineral absorption and long-term health. Jo Martin Osteopathy. https://www.jomartinosteopathy.com.au/resources/2025/1/23/the-chelating-effects-of-caffeine-how-it-impacts-mineral-absorption-and-long-term-health
10. Uysal, N., Ates, M., Kizildag, S., Yuksel, O., Hosgorler, F., Yuce, Z., Guvendi, G., Kandis, S., Karakilic, A., & Uysal, N. (2018). Timeline (bioavailability) of magnesium compounds in hours: Which magnesium compound works best? Biological Trace Element Research, 186(1), 1–10.https://doi.org/10.1007/s12011-018-1351-9
11. Synthorum. (n.d.). Magnesium oxide in food: A comprehensive examination.https://synthorum.com/articles/magnesium-oxide-food-analysis/
12. Walker, A. F., Marakis, G., Christie, S., & Byng, M. (2003). Mg citrate found more bioavailable than other Mg preparations in a randomized, double-blind study. Magnesium Research, 16(3), 183–191.
13. Abbasi, B., Kimiagar, M., Sadeghniiat, K., Shirazi, M. M., Hedayati, M., & Rashidkhani, B. (2012). The effect of magnesium supplementation on primary insomnia in elderly: A double-blind placebo-controlled clinical trial. Journal of Research in Medical Sciences, 17(12), 1161–1169.
14. National Health and Medical Research Council. (2006). Nutrient reference values for Australia and New Zealand: Magnesium.https://www.nrv.gov.au/nutrients/magnesium
15. Australian Bureau of Statistics. (2014). Australian Health Survey: Nutrition first results, 2011–12. https://www.abs.gov.au/statistics/health/health-conditions-and-risks/usual-nutrient-intakes/latest-release
16. Baghurst, K. I., Record, S. J., Baghurst, P. A., & Syrette, J. A. (1991). Zinc and magnesium status of Australian adults. Nutrition Research, 11(1), 23–32.https://doi.org/10.1016/S0271-5317(05)80147-2
17. Walker, A. F., Marakis, G., Christie, S., & Byng, M. (2003). Mg citrate found more bioavailable than other Mg preparations in a randomised, double-blind study. Magnesium Research, 16(3), 183–191.https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/14596323/