Effects of Magnesium L-Threonate on Sleep, Recovery, and Athletic Performance in Collegiate Athletes (MgT-Athletes)

October 13, 2025 updated by: Jeremy Swisher, MD, University of California, Los Angeles

Effects of Magnesium L-Threonate on Sleep, Recovery, and Athletic Performance in UCLA Athletes: A Randomized, Placebo-Controlled Trial

This study is testing whether a special form of magnesium called magnesium L-threonate can help improve sleep quality, recovery, and physical performance in college athletes. Magnesium is important for muscle recovery and sleep, but many forms of it do not enter the brain well. Magnesium L-threonate is unique in that it can cross the blood-brain barrier and may improve deep and REM sleep, heart rate variability, and brain recovery.

In this study, healthy UCLA varsity athletes aged 18 to 35 will be randomly assigned to take either magnesium L-threonate or a placebo each evening for 4 weeks. They will wear a WHOOP strap to track sleep, recovery, and heart rate data. Performance tests including jump height, grip strength, and reaction time will be completed before and after the 4-week period.

This study will help researchers determine if this supplement can support recovery and training in athletes and whether wearable technology can help monitor these changes in real time.

Study Overview

Status

Active, not recruiting

Conditions

Intervention / Treatment

Detailed Description

This is a randomized, placebo-controlled trial examining the effects of magnesium L-threonate (MgT) supplementation on sleep architecture, autonomic recovery, and physical performance in collegiate athletes. Magnesium is a critical mineral for neuromuscular and autonomic function, but common forms have limited central nervous system penetration. MgT crosses the blood-brain barrier and has been shown in non-athletic populations to improve sleep depth, REM sleep, and cognitive function. No prior studies have evaluated its effects in athletes.

Approximately 100 UCLA varsity athletes aged 18-35 will be randomized in a 1:1 ratio to receive 1 gram of MgT or placebo nightly for 4 weeks. Participants will wear a WHOOP strap to continuously monitor deep sleep, REM sleep, heart rate variability, resting heart rate, and recovery score. Daily surveys will track subjective sleep quality, recovery, and for female athletes, menstrual phase and symptoms. Performance outcomes including countermovement jump height, handgrip strength, and light-based reaction time will be measured before and after the intervention.

Primary outcomes include objective changes in sleep stages and HRV. Secondary outcomes include changes in physical performance and subjective recovery. This study will provide insight into whether brain-targeted magnesium supplementation can enhance recovery and performance in an athletic population.

Study Type

Interventional

Enrollment (Estimated)

100

Phase

  • Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

This section provides the contact details for those conducting the study, and information on where this study is being conducted.

Study Locations

  • United States
    • California
      • Los Angeles, California, United States, 90094
        • UCLA

Participation Criteria

Researchers look for people who fit a certain description, called eligibility criteria. Some examples of these criteria are a person's general health condition or prior treatments.

Eligibility Criteria

Ages Eligible for Study

  • Adult

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Yes

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

  • • Age 18-35 years

    • Current UCLA varsity athlete (any sport)
    • Actively training or competing during the study period
    • Willing to wear a WHOOP strap continuously for 4 weeks
    • Willing to ingest a nightly capsule for 4 weeks
    • Able to provide informed consent and comply with study procedures

Exclusion Criteria:

  • • Current use of magnesium supplements or investigational drugs

    • Use of prescription or over-the-counter sleep medications
    • Diagnosed sleep disorder (e.g., insomnia, sleep apnea)
    • Major medical condition limiting training or participation
    • Pregnancy or breastfeeding
    • Known history of chronic kidney or liver disease
    • Allergy or intolerance to magnesium
    • Inability to comply with study procedures (e.g., wearing WHOOP or completing surveys)

Study Plan

This section provides details of the study plan, including how the study is designed and what the study is measuring.

How is the study designed?

Design Details

  • Primary Purpose: Supportive Care
  • Allocation: Randomized
  • Interventional Model: Parallel Assignment
  • Masking: Single

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm
Intervention / Treatment
Experimental: Magnesium L-Threonate
Participants assigned to this arm will take 1 gram of magnesium L-threonate (Magtein) in capsule form each evening for 4 weeks. They will wear a WHOOP strap continuously to collect sleep and recovery metrics and complete baseline/follow-up performance testing.
Dietary supplement: Magnesium L-Threonate
Participants in this arm will take 1 gram of magnesium L-threonate (Magtein), provided in capsule form, once daily in the evening for 4 weeks. This supplement is known for its ability to cross the blood-brain barrier and may enhance sleep architecture, autonomic recovery, and cognitive function.
Placebo Comparator: Placebo
Participants assigned to this arm will take an identical-looking placebo capsule each evening for 4 weeks. They will wear a WHOOP strap continuously to collect sleep and recovery metrics and complete baseline/follow-up performance testing.
Other: Placebo
Identical-looking inert capsule taken nightly for 4 weeks. Used as a comparator to magnesium L-threonate to assess changes in sleep, recovery, and performance metrics.

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Change in Deep Sleep Duration (minutes) from Baseline to Week 4
Time Frame: Baseline to Week 4
Deep (slow-wave) sleep duration will be measured nightly using WHOOP wearable sensors. Average weekly deep sleep duration will be calculated and compared between groups.
Baseline to Week 4
Change in Heart Rate Variability (HRV) from Baseline to Week 4
Time Frame: Baseline to Week 4
HRV (measured in ms) will be captured nightly via WHOOP device. Weekly averages will be analyzed to assess autonomic recovery across time points.
Baseline to Week 4

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Change in Countermovement Jump Height (cm) from Baseline to Week 4
Time Frame: Baseline and Week 4
Jump height will be assessed using force plate technology.
Baseline and Week 4
Change in Reaction Time (ms) from Baseline to Week 4
Time Frame: Baseline and Week 4
Reaction time will be measured using a standardized light-based reaction test (e.g., BlazePod). Group differences will be analyzed after 4 weeks of supplementation.
Baseline and Week 4
Change in Handgrip Strength from Baseline to Week 4
Time Frame: Baseline and Week 4
Grip strength will be measured using a calibrated handheld dynamometer. The average value from three trials on the dominant hand will be recorded and analyzed.
Baseline and Week 4
Change in Subjective Sleep Quality Score from Baseline to Week 4
Time Frame: Daily for 4 Weeks (averaged weekly)
Participants will complete a Single-Item Sleep Quality Scale (rated 0-10) each morning via REDCap. Weekly averages will be used to assess within- and between-group changes.
Daily for 4 Weeks (averaged weekly)

Collaborators and Investigators

This is where you will find people and organizations involved with this study.

Sponsor

University of California, Los Angeles

Study record dates

These dates track the progress of study record and summary results submissions to ClinicalTrials.gov. Study records and reported results are reviewed by the National Library of Medicine (NLM) to make sure they meet specific quality control standards before being posted on the public website.

Study Major Dates

Study Start (Actual)

October 1, 2025

Primary Completion (Estimated)

July 1, 2026

Study Completion (Estimated)

July 15, 2026

Study Registration Dates

First Submitted

June 3, 2025

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

June 3, 2025

First Posted (Actual)

June 11, 2025

Study Record Updates

Last Update Posted (Estimated)

October 15, 2025

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

October 13, 2025

Last Verified

October 1, 2025

More Information

Terms related to this study

Keywords

Additional Relevant MeSH Terms

Other Study ID Numbers

  • IRB-25-1201

Drug and device information, study documents

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product

No

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product

No

This information was retrieved directly from the website clinicaltrials.gov without any changes. If you have any requests to change, remove or update your study details, please contact register@clinicaltrials.gov. As soon as a change is implemented on clinicaltrials.gov, this will be updated automatically on our website as well.

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