Can you guess where I'm going with today's post?
Did you know that Magnesium spray stings sometimes?!
When I learned recently how many people are Magnesium deficient, I wanted to find out more, so I got The Magnesium Miracle book. Turns out that Magnesium is the missing link for many with unexplained health issues, and after reading it I had to email about five different friends or family (with asthma or sleep issues or problems with blood sugar regulation) to tell them that I may have found the answers they’ve been looking for.
For me it was restless leg issues (I don't think I have the full-blown ‘restless leg syndrome‘, because it's not as bad as described in that link, and only comes on rarely). I thought it was from sitting on the computer too long or drinking too much coffee (coffee depletes minerals, and if I have too much I'll get “charlie horses”, so I've cut way back on that), but sometimes it's not just a restless feeling, it can even get a little painful.
(Update — here's more about that: How I Stopped Painful Leg Cramps at Night (They came with menopause, yippee) & Why we ditched RO water and what we got instead.)
So I tried the Magnesium oil, and you know what? It worked!
Even when I'm sporadic about doing it, it still keeps that leg thing from happening. Topical Magnesium is the best form of Magnesium because it is absorbed well through the skin, so I have the oil that you spray on, let it soak in for 20 minutes, and then shower. I did about 24 sprays. (You'll want a shower after, trust me, otherwise you'll have a salty, gummy feel on your body.)
Get Magnesium flakes here for bathing or get Magnesium oil here to spray on — scroll down a bit to find the oil there.
What NOT to do:
On the bottle it says to avoid sensitive areas, and I thought you'd want to know…
Pay attention to that!
Certain sensitive areas were uncomfortable for a few minutes…zowie! I learned a valuable lesson that day. 🙂
Read a few quotes to learn more about Magnesium from the WAPF article, Magnificent Magnesium:
Magnesium is an alkaline earth metal, the eighth most abundant mineral found in the earth’s crust. Because of its ready solubility in water, magnesium is the third most abundant mineral in sea water, after sodium and chloride. In the human body, magnesium is the eleventh most plentiful element by mass—measuring about two ounces. Most magnesium contained in the body is found in the skeleton and teeth—at least 60 to 65 percent of the total. Nearly the entire remaining amount resides in muscle tissues and cells, while only one percent is contained in our blood.”
Food processing causes enormous loss of magnesium in foods that are commonly fairly good sources of it, such as leafy greens, nuts, seeds and whole grains. Most of the magnesium in grain— found in the bran and germ—is lost in milling whole grains for white flour, which is used nearly exclusively for hundreds of devitalized processed food items. When nuts and seeds are roasted or their oils extracted, magnesium is lost. Cooking greens causes whatever magnesium they might contain to leach into the cooking water.“
“Mental and physical stress, with its related continuous flow of adrenaline, uses up magnesium rapidly, as adrenaline affects heart rate, blood pressure, vascular constriction and muscle contraction— actions that all demand steady supplies of magnesium for smooth function. The nervous system depends upon sufficient magnesium for its calming effects, including restful sleep. Hibernating animals, by the way, maintain very high levels of magnesium. Magnesium deficiency will accelerate a vicious cycle and amplify the effects of chronic stress, leading to more anxiety, irritability, fatigue and insomnia—many of the symptoms of adrenal exhaustion—as well as to hypertension and heart pains—symptoms of heart disease.”
“For reasons not fully understood, the body does not retain magnesium very well; certainly not as well as it holds onto calcium or iron, for example. Heavy sweating from endurance sports such as marathon running or strenuous exercise workouts can dangerously deplete magnesium stores and other electrolytes—although calcium is not wasted, by the way— resulting in trembling, faintness and even seizures and death. The drenching sweats that some menopausal women suffer cause magnesium loss as well, and their diminishing magnesium levels worsen their jagged nerves, sleep disturbances, panic attacks, body aches and depression. If these women have been tempted to consume modern soy products in a misguided attempt to moderate their symptoms, they will in fact lose even more magnesium because it will be bound to the abundant phytates in these concoctions.”
Read the whole article here: Magnificent Magnesium.
Pretty interesting, huh? Have you ever tried supplementing with Magnesium? Did YOU find out the hard way that Magnesium spray stings?!
- Get Magnesium flakes here for bathing or get Magnesium oil here to spray on
- Get The Magnesium Miracle book
- Is Drinking Coffee Good for You?
- Continuous Brew Chaga Tea — Plus More Alternatives for Coffee to Try!
- More posts on coffee are here
Jill-David Boman says
I can’t even spray magnesium oil on my abdomen very many days in a row–it’s definitely better to do it 20 minutes or so before a shower to reduce irritation and stickiness. I have found that the bottoms of my feet are not so sensitive to it, and sometimes spray it there before bed.
Joel Caplan says
Your feet have the largest pores on your body. I spray my oil there. No sting!
Ed Mitchell says
LOL!
I make my own magnesium oil and just dilute the mix if there’s any itching/stinging.
Rachel says
I thought I had heard/ read that mag deficiency can be a cause of morning sickness. I had horrible morning sickness with my two babies. There is a chance that we MAY have a third in a year or two and I’d like to do what I can now to reduce the potential morning sickness then. Does anyone have experience with mag oil helping with this? Anything else I should be doing? Thanks!
Commenter via Facebook says
I’ve been using magnesium to combat morning sickness and notice a huge difference. At first I couldn’t leave it on, but now my skin is used to it and I don’t even wipe off my second application. It’s the best!!
Commenter via Facebook says
Does wonders for morning sickness too.
Commenter via Facebook says
Thank you SO much for sharing this link! Just reading the book info on Amazon, then reading the comments on magnesium flakes… well, I’m wondering if this will really help get rid of the kidney/ gallstones I’ve battled for years. Seems mag can help w/ calcium deposits! From a very grateful Momma!
Angela says
I have been having some leg issues too and was thinking it could be magnesium. I am glad to hear that it worked for you. I have a sample of the magnesium oil so I will give it a try. Thanks!
Commenter via Facebook says
Kelly! You crack me up! Love it!
Sheri says
Thanks for the info Kelly. I started soaking my feet last Thursday. I was so in pain with knee pain and just old age pain. I felt better the day after and didn’t give it a thought. i have improved everyday since. Today I swam an extra 1/2 hour I felt so good. I usually swim an hour and can barely make it. I felt like I could have swam even more but the pool was closing. I feel so good. Thanks.
Coreen says
Do you think washing it off is a matter of preference?
KitchenKop says
I really don’t know how anyone would NOT want to wash it off…? But maybe others feel differently. Try it and let me know what you think!
Kelly
Coreen says
Well, it’s not very practical to spray it all over and hang out naked for 20 minutes then shower. 😉 I prefer to spray it on before bed. It does burn a little but I guess not as much as YOU! And I like to spray it on my kid’s feet after he falls asleep (hoping it will help his asthma). So I’m just hoping it is OK to leave on. Hasn’t bothered us yet.
KitchenKop says
I know! I brought my computer into the bathroom with me to work for a while when I put it on that day, LOL!
Amy says
Kelly, another cause of restless leg is low iron. Not sure if you’ve checked that out.
Pavil, the Uber Noob says
One way to mitigate the burning sensation from magnesium is to dilute the solution. It may also be a good idea to rotate the areas of application.
Ciao, Pavil
Pavil, the Uber Noob says
Do fiery nipples glow in the dark?
Ciao, Pavil
KitchenKop says
I’m not telling, LOL!!
Jeanmarie says
I’m using magnesium spray after reading about it at Cheeseslave. I’m going to try the ionic minerals, too, thanks. I didn’t realize I had to spray so much though! I’ve been doing 2-3 squirts on my stomach, and one under each arm! I guess I need to spray harder. I have noticed my heels haven’t been hurting at night so much since I started increasing my magnesium. Maybe I’ll spray my heels just before bed, see if that helps even more. Thanks, Kelly!
Commenter via Facebook says
^ wow cool! I just take it orally. My understanding is that is is not that easy to OD on Magnesium. It’s a hell of a lot safer than Prozac. I just started Niacin therapy as well.
Commenter via Facebook says
Hi Kelly! Here is my practitioner’s response. “Of course the answer is, it depends. Without testing, it is all guesswork. I have had patients who could not tolerate oral magnesium supplements who used magnesium baths and compresses instead and clearly benefited. Of course, they were taking calcium and other nutrients as indicated by their test results along with it.” She does cutting edge hair analysis that is different than anything else I have seen. I was introduced to her by WAPF board members, one of whom was cured of adrenal burnout under her care. Hope that helps.
Emily says
I used to suffer from restless legs – VERY bad when I was pregnant – until I started taking ConcenTrace, which is high in magnesium. Also keeps down my involuntary muscle twitches.
Beth says
Mine went away when I trashed the old salt and switched to Real Salt a couple of years ago (and those awful foot cramps went away too!). A few weeks ago I had an episode and wondered if I needed more trace minerals and more real salt. I increased my salt, finally got back home from travelling and haven’t had anymore. I thought it weird, though, that I got the episode when I had been being fairly consistent with putting some ConcenTrace in foods where I can’t taste it (scrambled eggs, soups mainly). Maybe I needed more magnesium!
I’ve been using Fibralgia for magnesium for myself daily and dds when they have cramps. It got me off of daily max+ doses of NSAIDS for Lyme pain several years ago. How I wish I had known then what I know now! I’ve been considering a mag spray for a while but wasn’t sure which kind to get. Thanks for the post!!
Carl says
Nice, Kelly. @FireNipples That should be your alternative Twitter account. Justsayin. On a serious note, I can’t say that I experience Magnesium related issues. But, you know how we eat here.
Commenter via Facebook says
From what I understand, 8 sprays of the magnesium oil = only about 100 mg. With that small amount I’m not too concerned about imbalances. Plus I’ve noticed that a lot of the “multi mineral” formulas have trace amounts of toxic minerals, so I’ve tended to stay away from them.
Shannon S says
Kelly, I am in a waiting room at the hospital waiting on my daughter to get out of surgery (just getting tonsils out) but when I read your post I just cracked up! People are still wondering why I was laughing!!!!! hahaha
KitchenKop says
Our middle schooler couldn’t believe I titled the post this way, he said, “You put that on the web?!!!”
I said, “Hey, maybe it will help someone else NOT to have their nipples feel on fire!” LOL!
Mary says
I’ve been taking oral mag drops to help with constipation. So far not much help. Do you think the topical would help with it or not since it doesn’t go through the digestive system? I just ordered more drops and some oil. I’ll try both.
Sue says
My daughter is being treated for chronic constipation. She had way too many antibiotics when she was younger and it destroyed her gut flora. She’s on the mend now, but not quite there yet. Anyway – the integrative doctor that we go to suggested she take Magnesium Taurate to keep her bowls loose while the gut flora re-established. He said that this particular form of magnesium is absorbed much better than other forms. It works really well. For me, it makes me too loose, so I have to find another way to get my magnesium.
As for me, the doctor told me that I have a magnesium deficiency and he gives it to me as part of a vitamin C IV from time to time. I get them when I feel like I’m coming down with something. He said the magnesium helps with asthma symptoms because it relaxes the bronchial passages. I have to say, however, that if it weren’t for the test, I’d have no idea that I was deficient based on how I feel. If I have symptoms, I don’t know what they are.
Mary says
I’ll look into that. Thanks.
Robin says
LOL, LOVE the name of your post by the way 😀
Robin says
I’ve been using the transdermal and love it. I do also have some of the ionic drops but am not great about remembering to add it to my food, and adding it to water (even diluted) makes the water taste kind of “off” and I have a hard time drinking it.
For me, the trick with the transdermal has been to spray it on (usually about 15 to 25 sprays or so all over) and then quickly follow it up with a liberal amount of coconut oil all over. I dont’ really like doing this at night before bed, as it can still feel a little “sticky” which makes it harder to sleep, but if I do it in the mornings it seems to work pretty well (espeically if I’m able to wait several minutes before dressing to let everything absorb somewhat).
I’ve had great results, though. I have several of the symptoms of magnesium deficiency (occasional achy legs at night, back pain, headaches, etc.), and it really seems to be helping. What’s most amazing, though, is that if I use the oil after a day of lots of physical labor (like one day I spent several hours shoveling snow), I wasn’t sore the next day, and I should have been barely able to walk, as I don’t shovel snow very often. Really amazing. There have been other days when I’ve been on my feet all day, to the point where my legs are hurting like crazy, and once I use the oil, within an hour, my legs feel better and I’m able to relax and go to sleep.
I did read the book cheeseslave recommends and am aware of the need to keep it balanced with calcium, but the truth is, I eat lots of dairy and get plenty of calcium in my diet. However, I don’t tend to eat a lot of foods that contain magnesium, so I suspect I get very little of that in my diet, which is why I am not really worried about supplementing with additional calcium (and another reason I strongly suspect I have a magnesium deficiency).
The UnProcessed Kitchen says
I just wrote about magnesium in sensory processing/spectrummy kids! I wouldn’t imagine this is a big problem for you but it takes magnesium to digest sugar, and we eat WAY too much sugar so that can create a deficiency too. When I tried to give my kid an epsom salts bath to increase his magnesium, he had some sensitive areas too and refused to do it again, which is why I started sticking black beans into every recipe I could find to up his levels 🙂
Megh says
I have had great luck with transdermal magnesium supplementation to deal with my restless leg — along with a whole bunch of other issues, like chocolate cravings and cramps!
https://www.yolkskefirandgristle.com/2011/12/21/remediating-my-magnesium-deficiency/
Commenter via Facebook says
Have you tried a balanced trace mineral supplement like ConcenTrace drops rather than transdermal magnesium only? If it works as well as transdermal for preventing restless legs for you, that will also lay to rest any concerns about an imbalance.
jenna Food WIth Kid Appeal says
i use concentrace drops (contains no calcium). how do they eliminate the concerns about imbalance?
Stanley Fishman says
Our ancestors did not put magnesium oil on their skin, and I have my doubts about using anything that irritates sensitive areas.
To me, a better alternative to is Ionic Magnesium, by Trace Minerals. This is magnesium and other trace minerals taken from the Great Salt Lake in Utah,an ancient sea bed, in Ionic form, which makes it easy to absorb. It tastes terrible, but is not a problem if you take it in broth or even a big glass of water. It is so effective that we use much less than the recommended amount, and get great results. We take it with meals, as the body expects to find magnesium with other nutrients. Many people have had their magnesium deficient symptoms disappear within days of taking this.
Commenter via Facebook says
I have heard that your body will only absorb what it needs from transdermal.
Commenter via Facebook says
I’ve contacted my practitioner whom I consider to be a mineral expert. I’ll be back to you. I have one other source whom I can ask as well. He’s pretty good w/ minerals too :-).
Rachel J. says
I just made up some magnesium oil last night and used it for the first time. I ordered Swanson magnesium flakes from Amazon.com. I sprayed it on my chest after my bath and it was still a little wet and greasy after a few minutes so I rubbed it in a bit. I wiped the extra onto one armpit and left the other bare. You can probably guess which side smells this morning and which one doesn’t 🙂 I’m thrilled. Now I need to find a way to get it onto my 8 year old with very dry, rashy skin. Maybe I can talk him into a foot soak.
I’m also curious if the transdermal magnesium will affect calcium levels as well. I don’t want to throw things off balance any more than they already are.
Grace says
I just ordered the magnesium flakes yesterday. I have insanely sensitive skin and I’m just afraid to use the oil. Will footbaths with the flakes actually allow me to absorb enough to be helpful? I pretty much have dinosaur skin on my feet and I’d put them into anything short of molten lava without being worried.
Paula says
Grace, we had Dh soak his feet for the first dose, and we were shocked, when 12 hours later, the super extreme, very thick scales vanished on his feet. They were baby soft!
mgw says
Naomi’s right. Just get the flakes, which are hygroscopic/hydrophilic (?); they’ll liquify sitting in air — overnight or a few days I forget which. I get my flakes from globallight.net. Or use nigari from some tofu-supply source. As I understand, sensitive skin becomes less sensitive with use of transdermal magnesium. I take a Cal/Mag supplement tablet; never take the Calcium without Magnesium. But I think I also need the transdermal soak. GlobalLight also carries a leave-it-on topical combination of Magnesium Oil with a good skin cream which helps with tolerance. Or make your own combination. Great topic, thanks. /mgw
Robyn says
I get magnesium oil from another company. They provide a lot of good details on how to use as well:
https://www.health-and-wisdom.com/
Naomi says
I bought the mag flakes at Swanson’s and made my own oil. The price is way less. The flakes dissolve very easily in the boiling water. I think that Swanson’s must have had an onslaught of orders for this after Ann Marie’s post because when I tried to order it was backordered. However, I didn’t have to wait long before they got another supply in. If you’re on a tight budget you should try this. It’s from Zechstein sea bed just like Ancient Minerals’.
jenna Food WIth Kid Appeal says
can transdermal magnesium supplementation still put your calcium absorption out of balance, or is that only an issue with oral mag supplements?
also, for those of you who use mag oil and notice deodorizing effects are you using it under the arms specifically or do you get the BO reduction no matter where the mag oil is applied?
Adrienne @ Whole New Mom says
I’m curious about the Mg / Ca levels too. I am going to ask my practitioner when I talk w/ her. She also mentioned that if you have certain heavy metals particularly Aluminum, then Mg absorption will be impaired. Aluminum toxicity is more prevalent in the Northeast of the US and parts of the Midwest. Less so in the Western part of the country.
Kate @ Modern Alternative Mama says
I tried oral magnesium a few weeks ago (before seeing all this). Nothing, and I definitely felt “off,” like this wasn’t right, so I stopped. It’s supposed to calm you but I felt more worried and weird. I might look for this when I go shopping today, see if I can try it out.
Peggy says
Transdermal is the way to go. I was taking magnesium orally and didn’t notice a whit of difference. After two days of transdermal applications, my pain level was noticeably different. I rotate spots I apply it, Monday and Thursday I add it to my oil pulling. Tuesday and Friday it goes in my neti pot. (There is, oddly NO burning at all in my mouth or nose, but boy it sure tastes awful!) Wednesday and Saturday I spray it on my body but only below the waist, it’s less absorbed there but stings less as well. Sunday I do a foot soak.
My youngest has MANY of the symptoms of magnesium deficiency (body odor, PMS, restless legs, etc.) but very, very sensitive skin. We’re still working on finding ways to make magnesium transdermal supplementation work for her.
Kate @ Modern Alternative Mama says
Ann Marie has a post on how to make magnesium oil, and if you make it yourself you can adjust the potency so that it doesn’t sting as much. Maybe that would work for you?
Christine Decarolis says
Peggy maybe Epsom Salt bathes may work for her. It’s another way to get your magnesium transdermally and not so irritating to the skin.
Liz says
I read the book, got the oil, and I’ve been using it. I honestly haven’t noticed any real benefits. I also supplement with magnesium taurate, plus get magnesium in my Now True Balance multi. Maybe I was already getting enough and more doesn’t make a significant difference? Or maybe I need more? I workout hard and I would be delusional to think that my body didn’t smell
Kris says
Laughing… I thought you were posting about the health benefits of eating BBQ teats. Next best thing to organ meat:)
Soli @ I Believe In Butter says
I’ve been wanting to do this myself but I haven’t yet had a chance to find magnesium oil in the shops in my area. Trying to avoid buying too much and saving more money. Hopefully in tomorrow’s shopping I will get some!
Renee says
Hiya Kel- been thinking and praying a lot lately about finding out which nutrients we (my family) is most deprived of. Hubby would be more likely willing to commit to a program if based on hard data and an effective and economical way to acqire it. I’ve heard of naturopaths or other healthcare outfits taking blood samples, stool samples, urine samples, and “cell” samples, but would find it more economical if the doctor or group from whom we would seek advice were licensed by the state, so we could “bill our insurance”. Specifically looking in GR area, but would appreciate any advice regarding effective and economical ways to collect meaningful data… Mail order? Can we order our own tests? Thank you for the inspiration to continue to be proactive in so many ways… and Merry Christmas!
KitchenKop says
Hi Renee!
Have you checked Byrne Chiropractic here in town, they *might* be covered by insurance…?
Kel
Melissa Boersma says
I second Byrne Chiropractic – I just started going there YESTERDAY! They seem wonderful! Our insurance doesn’t cover it, but they are “in-network” with many insurances. You should DEFINITELY check them out Renee!
Natalie says
I have actually noticed a reduction in my food cravings and hunger since using transdermal magnesium. This is huge for me.
Ki says
I just started using it, and yeah, OUCH! Stay away from “sensitive” areas…
The thing I noticed immediately was that it takes BO away like *that.* I had been struggling for months with really bad BO. I tried everything, conventional deodorant, “natural” deodorant, and homemade deodorant. The Conventional worked, but broke me out horribly. The Natural stuff worked, but broke me out horribly. The homemade stuff either worked and broke me out horribly, or else didn’t work at all. I had been struggling along, having to “wash” under my arms every few hours, but I was still always on the verge of being stinky. Sometimes if I was out too long, I would get very stinky. But ONE night of applying the magnesium, and NO stink! I’m shocked! I’ll be staying on this!