Poster Presentation
Magnesium L-Threonate & College Athletes
Results from a 4-Week Randomized, Placebo-Controlled Pilot Study in UCLA Varsity Athletes
AMSSM 36th Annual Meeting · Seattle, WA · April 24–29, 2026
Study Overview
This study investigated whether magnesium L-threonate (MgT) — a form of magnesium uniquely capable of crossing the blood-brain barrier — can improve sleep quality, recovery, and physical performance in collegiate athletes. Healthy UCLA varsity athletes were randomly assigned to take either MgT or a placebo nightly for 4 weeks while wearing WHOOP straps to continuously monitor sleep, heart rate variability, and recovery metrics. Performance testing was completed at baseline and after the 4-week intervention.
Ethics & registration: Approved by the UCLA Institutional Review Board; all participants provided informed consent. Registered on ClinicalTrials.gov as NCT07015047.
Design
Randomized Controlled Trial
Masking
Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled
Enrollment
107 Athletes
Duration
4 Weeks
Key Findings
Preliminary results from the 4-week pilot (n = 107; MgT = 53, placebo = 54) presented at AMSSM 2026.
−52.3 ms
Faster Cognitive Reaction Time
MgT vs. placebo · p = 0.001
Sleep Quantity
+54.6 min
Total Sleep Time (Week 2)
p = 0.002
Sleep Quantity
+45.5 min
Total Sleep Time (Week 4)
p = 0.006
Sleep Quality
+6.27 pts
WHOOP Sleep Score (Week 2)
p = 0.010
Endurance Subgroup
+0.83 pts
Subjective Sleep Quality (Week 3)
p = 0.030
Endurance Subgroup
−1.15 pts
DOMS / Muscle Soreness (Week 4)
p = 0.041
High Adherence (≥90%)
−1.44 pts
Greater Soreness Reduction
p = 0.029
Takeaway
28 days of nightly Magnesium L-Threonate (1 g) was associated with better sleep quantity and quality, and faster cognitive reaction time in NCAA Division I athletes. Benefits appeared within 2–3 weeks and were supported by both wearable (WHOOP) and subjective measures. No pooled between-group benefit was observed for grip strength.
Download the AMSSM 2026 Poster
PDF · 1.6 MB · Presented April 2026, Seattle, WA
From the Poster Session
Scenes from the AMSSM 36th Annual Meeting poster session in Seattle, where Dr. Kimberly Burbank presented the HERO Lab’s Magnesium L-Threonate pilot trial.
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
Outcome Measures
Primary Outcomes
Deep Sleep Duration
Slow-wave sleep measured nightly via WHOOP; weekly averages compared
Baseline → Week 4
Heart Rate Variability (HRV)
Nightly HRV (ms) via WHOOP; weekly averages for autonomic recovery
Baseline → Week 4
Secondary Outcomes
Countermovement Jump Height
Jump height assessed using force plate technology
Baseline & Week 4
Reaction Time
Standardized light-based test (BlazePod)
Baseline & Week 4
Handgrip Strength
Calibrated dynamometer; average of 3 trials on dominant hand
Baseline & Week 4
Subjective Sleep Quality
Single-Item Sleep Quality Scale (0–10) daily via REDCap
Daily for 4 weeks
Investigators
Kimberly Burbank, MD
Presenting Author · AMSSM 2026
UCLA · Primary Care Sports Medicine Fellow
Jeremy Swisher, MD
Principal Investigator
UCLA · David Geffen School of Medicine
Joshua Goldman, MD, MBA
Principal Investigator
UCLA · David Geffen School of Medicine
Brian Donohoe, MD
Co-Investigator
UCLA · David Geffen School of Medicine
Calvin Duffaut, MD
Co-Investigator
UCLA · David Geffen School of Medicine
Nelson Boland, MD
Co-Investigator
UCLA · David Geffen School of Medicine
Nicolas Hatamiya, DO
Collaborating Investigator
UCSF · Department of Orthopaedic Surgery
Jeremy Vail, PT, SCS, OCS
Co-Investigator
UCLA Athletics
References
Key peer-reviewed literature supporting the rationale and design of this pilot study.
- The Role of Magnesium in Sleep Health: A Systematic Review of Available Literature Arab A, Rafie N, Amani R, Shirani F. Biological Trace Element Research. 2023;201(1):121–128. PMID: 35184264
- A Randomized, Placebo-Controlled Trial of Magnesium-L-Threonate to Improve Sleep Quality and Daytime Functioning in Adults Hausenblas HA, Hooper S, Engelen MPKJ. Sleep Medicine: X. 2024;8:100121. PMID: 39252819
- Effects of Magnesium L-Threonate (Magtein) on Cognitive Performance, Sleep Quality, and Mood in Healthy Adults Lopresti AL, Smith SJ. Frontiers in Nutrition. 2026. PMID: 41601871
- Magnesium Bisglycinate Supplementation in Healthy Adults Reporting Poor Sleep: A Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Trial Schuster J, et al. 2025. PMID: 40918053
- Magnesium-L-threonate Enhances Learning and Memory by Elevating Brain Magnesium Slutsky I, Abumaria N, Wu LJ, et al. Neuron. 2010;65(2):165–177. PMID: 20152124
- Sleep and Athletic Performance: The Effects of Sleep Loss on Exercise Performance, and Physiological and Cognitive Responses to Exercise Fullagar HHK, Skorski S, Duffield R, et al. Sports Medicine. 2015;45(2):161–186. PMID: 25315456
- Validity of the WHOOP Strap to Assess Sleep Stages and Heart Rate Variability Miller DJ, Sargent C, Roach GD. Sensors. 2022;22(16):6317. PMID: 36016076
View on ClinicalTrials.gov
Access the full study record, protocol details, and enrollment status.
NCT07015047Want to get involved?
UCLA varsity athletes can join an active study, and researchers or partners can collaborate with the HERO Lab.