Even with a healthy, real food diet, it can often be difficult to get the magnesium our bodies need from food alone. The most effective way to supplement with magnesium is using magnesium oil spray on skin.
Every cell in the body needs magnesium in some way, and it is essential for bone, tooth, muscle, and joint health as well as for optimal sleep and stress reduction.
Why Are We Lacking Magnesium?
The ocean is still a wonderful source of magnesium and trace minerals, but for those of us who don’t have daily access to a beach, transdermal magnesium oil can be the easiest and most effective way to increase magnesium levels.
Magnesium Oil Benefits
As I mentioned, magnesium is a very important mineral for the body. There are thousands of studies that involve magnesium therapy in some form. These studies evaluate magnesium’s affect on everything from skin health to diabetes and hypertension.
Many people have difficulty absorbing magnesium internally and find topical magnesium a more effective method.
Here’s a list of the many benefits of having healthy levels of magnesium, and why I make magnesium oil a regular part of my routine:
1. Improved Magnesium Levels
Obviously, the goal of magnesium oil use is to increase the body’s magnesium levels. A 2010 British study conducted by the Herbal Research Centre showed a 25%+ increase in cellular magnesium levels in participants who used transdermal magnesium therapy for 12 weeks. Transdermal magnesium therapy includes magnesium soaks and magnesium spray. I personally consider this a basic form of nutritional insurance since it is so difficult to get magnesium from food and water.
2. Smoother Skin
I also really like using magnesium oil for healthier skin along with dry brushing. I dry brush in the mornings and use magnesium spray at night and this helps my skin stay smooth and breakout free. (People with sensitive skin should start with diluted magnesium oil and work up as their skin allows).
3. Less Muscle Soreness
Many athletes swear by magnesium for post-workout recovery. Even those of us who aren’t high-level athletes can benefit from using magnesium after workouts. Studies indicate that magnesium spray may help reduce muscle cramping and replenish magnesium levels lost through sweat.
4. Fewer Headaches and Migraines
There is a lot of research about magnesium’s importance for those who suffer from headaches or migraines. It isn’t an acute treatment for symptom relief, but the studies indicate that those who have optimal levels of cellular magnesium have fewer instances of headaches and migraines.
5. Balanced Blood Sugar
There is also quite a bit of research regarding magnesium and balanced blood sugar levels. This may be for several reasons. As mentioned above, excess sugar consumption depletes magnesium levels in the body. Having unbalanced blood sugar and insulin levels may deplete magnesium. This, in turn, makes it more difficult to properly balance blood sugar and insulin. Magnesium is not a treatment for diabetes or blood sugar imbalance but studies show that magnesium may be an important part of a holistic approach to blood sugar management.
6. Lower Risk of Blood Pressure and Hypertension
Hospitals routinely use IV magnesium as an acute treatment for high blood pressure. Most of us aren’t giving ourselves IV magnesium at home though and until recently there hasn’t been much well-documented information about supplemental magnesium and blood pressure. A 2012 meta-analysis of available literature in the European Journal of Clinical Nutrition found: “Magnesium supplementation appears to achieve a small but clinically significant reduction in BP, an effect worthy of future prospective large randomized trials using solid methodology.”
This analysis found a statistically significant benefit at doses of more than 370 milligrams a day, indicating that a person would likely need to supplement internally and transdermally to get the benefit.
7. More Restful Sleep
There’s good reason that Epsom salt baths are often used for relaxation. Magnesium may have a beneficial affect on GABA receptors in the brain. This allows a person to relax and sleep easily and possibly deeper. It is important to note that a small segment of people seem to notice the opposite affect and wake up from magnesium supplementation. These people should, of course, not take magnesium at night.
How to Use Magnesium Oil
Spray on arms, legs, and stomach daily. I use 10-20 sprays per day. It will tingle on the skin the first few times it is used, and this is normal. It should fade after a few applications, but you can dilute with more water if it bothers you too much.
After applying, leave on the skin or wash off after 20-30 minutes. I usually apply after a shower and then use coconut oil or a lotion bar to moisturize about 5 minutes later. If the sticky feel on your skin bothers you, try applying at night before bed when you won’t notice it as much or before showering and rinse off.
Other Natural Ways to Get Magnesium
While magnesium does have many well-documented benefits, it is important to realize that it is only a small part of the many nutrients needed by the body. Magnesium supplementation is great but should be in addition to a real-food diet as this is the way nature intends it!
Magnesium is found in some foods, though the amounts present in many foods are declining due to poor soil quality and over-farming.