[YEA]  07/03/2007: Rick from New Bloomfield, PA: "No particular ailment, but I have been interested in Magnesium supplementation ever since I had a couple of "racing heart" episodes several years back, and discovered that I could calm things down by taking Epsom Salts (Magnesium Sulfate) in water... awful taste and also a powerful laxative. I began to wonder how I could get the same effect in a more palatable way, without the laxative effect. Eventually I found the"Magnesium" webpage and learned the following:

How to make your own Magnesium water [like the 'Noah' water being sold by a certain company, which bottles water from a spring that is naturally rich in bicarbonates of Magnesium].

The assumption is that we could all use more magnesium in our diet, which may help reduce blood pressure, reduce the likelihood of kidney stones, etc.

Here's how to make your own Mg-rich drinking water:

Buy a bottle of Carbonated Seltzer water - NO SODIUM, just carbonated "fizz" water, unflavored. Refrigerate for a couple of hours.

Get another, larger bottle, and pour 2/3 of a capful of PLAIN (no-flavor) Philips Milk of Magnesia (which is Magnesium Oxide, an alkaline laxative) into the large bottle. (The bottle comes with a plastic measuring cup which is what I mean when I say 2/3 capful.)

Now quickly open the bottle of carbonated water (water + carbonic acid) and empty it into the large bottle containing the 2/3 capful of Magnesia.

Shake well.

You will have a bottle of milky/cloudy liquid which is in the process of neutralization between the carbonic acid and the magnesium oxide-- leaving a neutral salt, Magnesium Bicarbonate.

Let the cloudy mixture sit for a while at room temperature, until the liquid clears; there will be some white precipitate at the bottom. Shake again and let sit again. When clear, refrigerate. THIS IS YOUR MAGNESIUM BICARBONATE CONCENTRATE. Unlike the chalky taste of straight Milk of Magnesia, or the biting-fizzy taste of seltzer water, your concentrate will have a strong, sweet, slightly "soapy" taste. You will be DILUTING it in water for drinking purposes.

When it has chilled, pour a small amount into an empty 1 liter bottle (approx. 1/2" of concentrate at the bottom) and fill the rest of the bottle with pure drinking water.

You have now created a sweet-tasting, Magnesium-enriched drinking water, and you're also getting your Bi-carbs without all the Sodium you'd be getting from Baking Soda.

I have been making and drinking this Mg water since Nov. 2006 (I write this in July of 2007) and have not had any bad effects from it. I take a bottle to work and sip it during the day. My resting heart rate seems to have gone down and I feel more relaxed in general. I can't say it has greatly improved my high blood pressure, but it has helped some, and I know I am getting enough Magnesium. Probably would be beneficial to supplement with Calcium for balance.

Try it and see what it does for you."

[YEA]  11/27/2007: Linda from Orlando, FL: "I have suffered from RLS most of my life (I'm 47)and discovered the link between RLS and mineral deficiency about 20 years ago. I have supplemented with Potassium, Calcium and Iron. I cook my own food, eat very little processed stuff, and have always craved spinach and broccoli (I even like brussel sprouts!). But even eating all the right stuff, I still need the supplements. I also suffer from endometriosis (horrible female problem), which I think is also related somehow to the mineral deficiency. I have been taking Blackstrap Molasses (full of good minerals) for about a year to try to combat those symptoms. I haven't experienced the "miracle cure" other women have written about, but at least I'm off the Percocet! Recently I have been reading on this site about magnesium supplementation. Am I right to think that low magnesium can cause malabsorption of other minerals? I'm going to try it for a while and see what happens."

[YEA]  01/01/2008: Nadine from North Bergen, NJ: "Hi, I've recently begun taking Magnesium Citrate in powder form on a near daily basis along with blackstrap molasses. I'd had a very painful toothache for several weeks (in addition to or resulting in an earache..) and without dental insurance I really can't afford a dentist. After about 3-4 days of taking a teaspoon of magnesium the pain was completely gone! I also no longer have any sensitivity from sweet or very hot/cold foods and beverages. I've made this remedy part of my daily routine and hope to discover more health benefits of this great mineral.

This brings me to something I hoped perhaps Ted or another reader may shed some light on; I came across something called Transdermal Magnesium Therapy which allows the body to absorb magnesium through the skin, and it's supposedly superior to oral supplementation. Several articles mention that magnesium chloride is the preferred form, although they don't describe the application method. They only refer to Magnesium Oil which is a little pricey. Is there a homemade version of this therapy? I appreciate your help, thanks in advance!"

12/31/2011: Francisca from Zug, Switzerland: "Hi Debbie, I think that you are the magnesium chloride expert around here so here are a few questions for you, or for anyone else who cares to answer!

I have started to read Mark Sircus' book about transdermal magnesium therapy but I have to say that he repeats himself a lot and although he does give very interesting information I didn't yet get to the bits that interest me. One question, he seems to use magnesium oil he buys somewhere but it seems that one can make it oneself by adding water to the magnesium flakes (I use Nigari flakes). According to what I have read to far the ratio should be 50% water to 50% magnesium. He has another ratio, what do you think?

He also talks about using magnesium oil for wrinkles. Being 54 that interests me but I tried to rub the 50% oil on my face and I felt too much of a burning sensation. Any thoughts on that? In the meanwhile I have diluted my oil but haven't tried it again on my face. If I rub it somewhere else I don't feel any burning.

Right now I am using it on my husband's knees as he was having some pain and am going to try it on a carcinoma he has on the top of his ear which seems to be more or less healed with the help of greater celendine but looks a bit dry right now. Should one only spray, should one rub? I find the book very interesting but with so many repetitions he never gets to where one wants to be, to the real information! No sea here for us to soak in but there is a spa pool with salty water not far from where we live which we want to try after the holidays (too busy now I'm sure....)!"