RECRUITING Not applicable ClinicalTrials.gov

UCLA Magnesium Formulation Athlete Study

Sponsor: University of California, Los Angeles • ClinicalTrials.gov ID: NCT07640685

Registry updated: 2026-10-15

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Description

This randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial will compare magnesium glycinate, magnesium L-threonate, and placebo in UCLA varsity athletes. Participants will complete a baseline monitoring period followed by 4 weeks of blinded nightly supplementation. WHOOP 4.0 data will be used to evaluate sleep efficiency, total sleep time, sleep consistency, heart rate variability, resting heart rate, and recovery metrics. Baseline and final testing will assess selected reaction and physical performance outcomes. The primary outcome is change in WHOOP-derived sleep efficiency from baseline week to final treatment week.

Interventions

Magnesium glycinate (Dietary supplement)
Blinded oral magnesium glycinate, exactly two capsules nightly for 28 days. The nightly dose is 240 mg elemental magnesium by label claim (120 mg per capsule) and 288 mg by lot-specific assay (144 mg per capsule). Take approximately 1 hour before intended bedtime, with food, while upright, and with at least 8 oz water. No study product is taken during the 1-week baseline period.
Magnesium L-threonate (Dietary supplement)
Blinded oral magnesium L-threonate (Magtein), exactly two 1-g capsules nightly for 28 days, for 2 g Magtein and 156 mg elemental magnesium nightly based on the linked raw-ingredient assay of 7.8% magnesium. Take approximately 1 hour before intended bedtime, with food, while upright, and with at least 8 oz water. No study product is taken during the 1-week baseline period.
Placebo (Other)
Matched oral placebo, exactly two capsules nightly for 28 days. Each capsule contains calcium laurate 300 mg plus silicified microcrystalline cellulose 440 mg and no active magnesium. Take approximately 1 hour before intended bedtime, with food, while upright, and with at least 8 oz water. No study product is taken during the 1-week baseline period. One matched-placebo regimen is used, without double-dummy.

Eligibility criteria

Inclusion Criteria: * Age 18-35 years. * Current NCAA Division I athlete at UCLA. * Actively participating in team training and/or competition. * Willing to wear a WHOOP 4.0 device continuously during the baseline and treatment periods of the study block. * Able to swallow oral capsules and follow supplement instructions. * Able and willing to complete daily REDCap surveys and weekly check-ins during the study block. * Fluent in English. * Able to provide informed consent. Exclusion Criteria: * Known kidney disease or impaired renal function, assessed by participant-completed screening questions and review by the PI or designated study clinician. Screening asks about known kidney disease, reduced kidney function, dialysis, a history of abnormally high magnesium, and prior medical advice to avoid magnesium supplementation. A positive or uncertain response requires clinician review. If safety cannot be established from the questionnaire and participant interview alone, the athlete will not be enrolled. The study will not access medical records or perform research laboratory testing for this screening. * Current use of non-study magnesium supplements within the past 30 days or unwillingness to avoid non-study magnesium supplements during the study unless approved by the study clinician. * Diagnosed or treated sleep disorder likely to confound sleep outcomes, such as untreated or unstable insomnia, sleep apnea, or regular use of sleep medication expected to affect study outcomes. * Known difficulty swallowing capsules or history of choking. * Known allergy or sensitivity to magnesium or inactive capsule ingredients. * Known current pregnancy or breastfeeding, determined by participant self-report; no pregnancy testing is planned for this minimal-risk study. A participant who becomes pregnant or begins breastfeeding during the study will stop study product and notify the study team. Additional exclusionary circumstances include use of magnesium-containing laxatives or antacids during the study unless approved by the study clinician, or significant recent or planned changes in training load, diet, sleep medication, or recovery supplements that the investigator believes would confound interpretation.

Conditions

Athletic Performance Recovery Sleep

Locations

University of California, Los Angeles — Los Angeles, California, United States

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Official Source

Data sourced from ClinicalTrials.gov, a service of the U.S. National Institutes of Health.

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