Maximize Health with Magnesium Oil: Benefits & Uses

After application of magnesium spray or lotion, how long does it take before your body feels the most pain relief of achy muscles and so forth? Not how long it takes to absorb, but how long before your body feels The Best as a result of using it.

Thank you, Denise

Magnesium oil is something I can't do without. I have a tendency to get cramps in my calves, also my feet sometimes. A spray of oil right on the area that's cramping and like magic it eases! I spray some on aching back and neck muscles too. Inexpensive and invaluable as a supplement.

I have read that applying magnesium oil together with menthol increases the absorption, based on this paper:

https://www.researchgate.net/publication/340543559_The_permeability_of_magnesium_across_the_skin_is_enhanced_by_menthol_cream

Sure, Sindy,

Here you go!

First, I make an infusion of herbs in oil to make a mullein-lobelia oil.

I put dry mullein leaf and lobelia leaf, equal parts into a mason jar to the half way mark. Then I add olive oil to cover, and a bit beyond. Then I add some castor oil since it is amazing for pain relief. I add about 3-4 Tablespoons.

I let this rest for 2 weeks. Then I strain out the plant material. I keep squares of old bedsheets for this purpose. I throw out the plant material and I am left with a lovely infused oil.

Then I heat the 12 ounces (I use a kitchen scale) of the infused oil and add the following:

3 Tablespoons beeswax pastilles

and melt that in.

I remove from the heat and add:

1 teaspoon eucalyptus essential oil

1 teaspoon peppermint essential oil

1 tablespoon menthol crystals

Then I pour into small jars or tins.

I originally began making this many years ago for my daughter for her wheezing.

It is helpful to many types of coughs and can be massaged into the chest or back.

But then, over the years, I have found it helps with many, many problems.

It can be massaged into any area of pain. It helps swollen lymph nodes. A friend's mom loves it for everything - pain relief, bug bites, etc.

It is kind of strong. My son who is allergic to mullein cannot use this. For him, I have just use a combination of olive oil and castor oil without infusing it with herbs then melt in the other ingredients. This still works well for many of the same things.

Menthol is something I have only used lately. I have used the non-menthol version for mastitis in people and goats with great success. I don't think I would use menthol in it if I were using it for mastitis.

Mountain Rose Herbs is my favorite source for all of the ingredients I use in my salves, except for olive oil which I get at Costco.

Enjoy!

~Mama to Many~

M to M,

Funny you should mention that about the cold spray. I keep another bottle of mag oil that has a flip top on it so when it is cold I can just drizzle some into my hands and rub my hands together and then apply to the affected area. It also allows me to apply more very quickly. It is also useful when it is difficult to spray certain areas of the body or your hands have too much of the oil on them effectively pump the spray bottle.

Art

Home made Tiger balm?? Please share. Thank you.

I make my own magnesium oil. I have used vodka and magnesium flakes, as I believe Art has recommended, to make it and it does feel less sticky. I use it on my lower back or shoulders for tight muscles, pain, nerve pain, etc.

However, in the colder months I found that I was hesitant to use it because I didn't like spraying something cold onto my back; that makes me tense up. When it is cold I have found that spraying the oil into my palm and then applying it makes it much more tolerable. It is easier to apply it to my back this way anyway. I follow up with a homemade Tiger Balm type salve and this prevents it from making my skin itchy and I think contributes to pain relief.

~Mama to Many~

M to M,

Yes, the vodka does seem to be slightly more user friendly. I tried using the weaker EverClear that is available here in California and it works also, but I'm pretty certain that the stronger EverClear available in other states, may not work so well because the alcohol content is high and mag flakes may not dissolve well at that alcohol level.

I was thinking that since the the dried mag oil seems to reactivate with just water application, we may need to rethink how much we use and how often in order to achieve the dosage that we really want. It seems that if water keeps reactivating it, then we are not absorbing anywhere close to all that we apply initially. Apparently continued reactivation with water can help us to absorb more. I've read where some people apply and leave on for 20 minutes to a half hour and then shower off what is left on the skin, but perhaps this is allowing the majority of magnesium to be washed down the drain instead of being mostly absorbed. Probably not critical for someone who is just trying to help insure that they have adequate magnesium intake, but possibly very important for people who are actively trying to treat a health condition where actual magnesium dose could be critical. I imagine that applying lotion on top of mag oil may help to absorb more. I'm sure DMSO could be helpful for that purpose also, but then it is a more complicated process and cleanliness becomes more important. Ease of use is important in order to help maintain application compliance.

Perhaps something that can disrupt the skin barrier function like orange essential oil, might be enough to act as a transdermal penetrant enhancer for mag oil. Just thinking out loud.

Art

Art, I really like the vodka version of magnesium oil. I don't use it as often as I should. But the trouble spot in my back was really aching and I used a magnesium oil evening and morning and it feels so much better. I do think the vodka makes it less uncomfortable. One deterrent for me is that my magnesium oil is in a cold bathroom and I don't want a cold spray in the winter! But perhaps with this success I will be better about grinning and bearing it.

Thanks for sharing this way to make it!

~Mama to Many~

Easy peasy 'fix', Robert, is to rub coconut oil on all areas of body mg spray.This ME/CFS diagnosed mechanic/mbike racer has been doing it for 10 yrs, with nary an itch...Give it another shot...Your heart needs mg!

Thanks Art!

I just mixed up a batch as per your directions. I can't wait to try this out!

~Mama to Many~

Mag oil is great for the human body and it has many health benefits which have been mentioned often on EC by many posters over the years. Mag oil also has some downsides that are not mentioned often, but two important issues are the fact that higher percentage mag oil can have a burning or stinging effect for some people, especially when applied to the neck and shoulder area. This is unfortunate because mag oil is very good for helping to relax the muscles in those areas and is often used for that purpose. One way to minimize this bad effect is to add MSM to the mix when you make your mag oil solution from flakes. I like to use 5 grams per ounce of water for this purpose.

Another downside to mag oil is the fact that even though it is not an oil, it does "feel oily" and can stay feeling oily for hours after you apply it, especially as you increase the percentage of flakes in your mag oil solution. One way to help reduce this sticky oily feeling is by using vodka in place of distilled water to make your mag oil with. The vodka reduces the oily feeling and also lessens the time that you feel oily or sticky by a very significant amount.

So these are two ways to make it easier to use magnesium oil which could also help with regular application compliance which should be better for your overall health!

Art

You can't really get too much magnesium chloride. I've been using it for 20 years. Try Boron, I take 15 mg a day. Between the magnesium and Boron it helps balance your hormonal system

In reply to Wendy (Arkansas),

You don't need to take anyone's word for the value of magnesium for people, just look up the hundreds of studies that document the value of magnesium to human health.All of these researchers can not be wrong! Some people clearly get more benefit than others when it comes to magnesium and that is probably partially dependent on the amount of magnesium in the tissues and blood of individuals, but once you revue a significant amount of studies, it is clear that magnesium is good stuff to help maintain human health in many ways!

Art

How do we know Carolyn Dean's research is solid? I read a couple of articles written by her, and while she does quote some clinical studies on the effects of magnesium, I don't see where she has done any research of her own. She says she has had good luck with magnesium herself, but one person's experience is hardly a basis to make some of the sweeping claims she makes about magnesium. If you look at any kind of homeopathic remedy on the internet, you will find plenty of people willing to swear by it. Her singing the praises of magnesium is no different than any other person who swears by something. Why would it be? Because she is a doctor? That leads to the little matter that she has built a very profitable business from selling magnesium products. Seriously, that is a red flag if ever I have seen one. I doubt her sales would have been nearly as high if she had not been pushing magnesium as a miracle cure for almost everything. Don't get me wrong, like you, I want to believe magnesium is as effective as she says, and I have started a regular regimen of magnesium malate powder and topical magnesium for myalgia pain, migraines, and Raynauds, but the effects have been minimum. I seem to be having less migraines for sure, but I can't really see a difference anywhere else. There are few miracle cures out there, but you wouldn't think that from looking on the internet or reading the "research" of businesswomen like Carolyn Dean.

Dear Janet,

Thank you for taking time to share your own experience with magnesium oil. Also, the information you shared about Hyaluronic Acid. I will look into that and collagen! There is always something new to learn about.

So glad you are able to help your daughter with your applications of magnesium, comfrey and dmso. That is great! I, too am confident you will help her to come out of this all much better off than the doctor's dire warnings.

Blessings to you, too! :)

~Mama to Many~

Dear Momma to Many...I think that topical magnesium is the very best. It has been the savior of my bones and connective tissue. I cannot hardly take magnesium due to intestinal surgery.

I put it on my shins at night. As my feet do not allow as much distribution for some reason. Sometimes during the day too but that nighttime dose is essential. I also rub into my chest.

I know you do many things and know so much but I will mention some additional helps that we use here. We solved my husband's spinal stenosis. Falls he has had at work and just general body exaustion. He works hard 7 days 12 hrs on cement climbing ladders and into small compartments.

My aspirin is collagen I blend it with butter in coffee but have seen others use tea. If I cannot use my blender I stir it in...sometimes I add mct or coconut oil. To my husband's go to work coffee I add the same plus 2 Hyaluronic acid 2 caps opened . I treat his back with some of Ted's recipe of ha made with these capsules. They are affordable online at the source I use I wish I could post their name. We buy almost all supps we can from them and have for 10 years. I found them by googling dry vitamin a. E. D. Etc. You buy one you get 2 free. Anyway ...

Last week my daughter was in an accident and in terrible pain. I mixed up mag oil, ha, your comfrey tincture and dmso. I put it in a old roll on deodorant bottle and we alternate mag oil and the roller mix throughout the day. She had 2 dislocations and a pin in and her heel is broken. Really the direct application is more helpful for her pain than her pain meds. We cannot get to the site directly but find that treating her toes and her skin where her cast ends does the job. The Dr. Has told us repeatedly she will face crippling arthritis and problems and will not be able to continue at her job. That is the fight we are in now. But I have much faith in these body saving remedies.

Blessings to you. Janet

I have had a lot of muscle pain this week. I have been working in the garden using muscles that I guess I don't use that much. I also have a spot in my back that troubles me often, I think it is a muscle that gets "off" because of my scoliosis.

This morning after working in the garden I was wondering how I was going to do what I needed to do all day in pain. I decided to give magnesium oil a try. I have used it a couple of times but never on specific trouble spots, just as an effort to get magnesium into my system. So I sprayed the oil wherever I hurt. I only left it on 10 minutes and took a shower. Many hours later I realize that I am NOT in pain and haven't been all day!

I take 400-500 mg of magnesium every night and am maxed out on what I can do orally. I am thinking that magnesium oil in a spray may be a better option when your muscles need magnesium. It makes sense, the magnesium is going right where it is needed in the muscles.

~Mama to Many~

What you're describing is typical in people who are very deficient in Magnesium (Mg). As your body starts to normalize, the "side effects" will subside and then cease. When Mg gets into the cells, it pushes out excess Ca+ and other cellular imbalances which, in turn, creates a detox situation.

Fluoridated water is a huge problem because it binds Mg, and so many city sources now force this poison on the public. If you live in a city that fluoridates, get a Berkey filter. Do not use fluoridated toothpaste or anything else with fluoride in it.

Assuming you do not have kidney disease (if you do, do not use Mg in any form without discussing it with your doctor first), a suggestion is to use the foot bath methods for five minutes a day at first and then build up as the detox symptoms subside, and they will.

Read the works done by Dr. Carolyn Dean on this subject. (This is not a recommendation for her products, but her research is solid.)

I've sprayed my magnesium oil in my pits when they've gotten pretty funky at night. At first I sprayed it because the body odor was present when it usually wasnt ( probably need to detox) but as soon as I give it a few spritz, its like I just took a shower, although I can smell my deodorant that wasn't working a second ago. My pits don't itch when I use the oil, but that's because I switched to magnesium chloride hexahydrate oil which is supposedly the most easily absorbed type of magnesium. It definitely doesn't sting, ever. Unless you have a cut. Then you might cry a little, lol.

I had a frozen shoulder for a year and had good results with Epson Salt dissolved in warm water then added Olive oil. Rubbed it on. It brought me great relief. I was amazed.

Yes I also went to doctors and got shots and ex-rays at first to no avail. Tried all types of therapy, vitamins and minerals. I can not take Magnesium of any sort orally without Diarrhea. So reading these wonderful forms on earthclinic.com have been a blessing.

Later I was able to purchase Magnesium Clo-ride and am using that now. I don't really feel there was a great difference.

The MC also helped the bone spur in my husband neck almost immediately. He was amazed and is telling all his friends. And is giving out samples. LOL

My nightly leg cramps, charlie horses , foot and hand cra'smps have been so greatly reduced I'm ecstatic.

Burning Nerve pain in my lower back and down my legs has lessened but I still occasionally use my roll on DMSO from Farmers Co-op. It works quickly. I've used since the late 70's. It was only approved for livestock. Please read about it before using it.

Share and Get Well everyone. Annette

I have been reading with interest the different ailments on this Earth Clinic site and the amazing remedies on offer as passed on by the readers of this wonderful website.

I was constantly suffering from Knotted Muscles and occasionally Muscle Cramps which I found hard to understand as I do not work physically hard like I used to any more. I have been working in an Office based role for the last 5 years but had to have a regular massage of at least once a month and sometimes more. This was very puzzling and I decided to find out more to address this problem when I stumbled across this amazing website. I spent a lot of time researching the problem I had and discovered it was a lack of Magnesium that was causing these issues. It all made sense.

I decided to use the Magnesium transdermally as it was the quickest way to absorb it into my system. The results have been astounding. I have been taking the Magnesium for 3 months now and these are the results I have found so far -

1. The Muscle Knots and Cramps have dissapeared almost completely - I still get the odd Cramp but it is very rare now and have not had a Muscle Knot in my back or legs since.

2. I have suffered from a bad back for about 15 years now in which the Doctors wanted to operate on (I refused to let them do it). Now I can work as long and as hard as I want to without worrying about being laid up in bed or suffering from days and days of back pain. (Including Medical Bills etc) I simply have a warm bath with Magnesium Salts added to it - no more problems.

3. For 15 years I have had a pinched nerve in my back resulting in numbness from the top of my left calf all the way down and right through my ankle - 70% of that has dissappeared and I now have feeling back in that area again. I could not believe it and it keeps getting better.

4. I had a build up of solid excess Calcium on a knuckle on my right hand which was the size of an Olive - it has almost gone completely. I have since found out that a lack of Magnesium prevents the body from getting rid of any excess Calcium.

5. My neck was starting to freeze up and I could barely turn my head at all - it has now reversed that problem and I can now turn it both ways just like I did before.

6. The most impressive part of using Magnesium was a side effect which I was trying to find another cure for - Excessive Sweating. For 40 years I have had to put up with this embarrasing issue. It has dried up and I no longer have to suffer from this any more. I am still working on that and cannot say yet whether it is permanent but the signs so far are very encouraging.

All I did was mix Magnesium Chloride and Magnesium Sulfate (Epsom Salts) together and place a handfull or 2 into a warm bath. I also work away a lot so made Magnesium Oil from the same batch and rub it on where ever it is required and as needed. It seems my body needs a lot of Magnesium to sustain its required needs and it is still a work in progress but I have been impressed with it all so far. I am telling people this so as to give you all hope that there are alternative natural treatments out there that do work and never to give up.

I am also working on other Remedies from this site and will keep you all posted.

Craig

To make magnesium oil, use filtered or (preferably) distilled water.

Ingredients
Magnesium chloride flakes (1 cup - preferably Ancient Minerals, avoid most of the others as they contain heavy metal toxins)
Water, filtered or distilled (1 cup)

Equipment
Enameled cast iron, stainless steel or glass saucepan (do not use aluminum)

Directions
1. Bring the filtered water to a simmer.
2. Add the magnesium flakes and stir until dissolved.
3. Remove from heat and let cool.
4. After the mixture has cooled, transfer it to a spray bottle or a plastic travel bottle.

One teaspoonful or 5 ml or 5 grams of magnesium oil contains about 600 mg of magnesium. This is the same amount of magnesium as in one rounded teaspoonful of magnesium chloride flakes. Magnesium chloride flakes contain about 1800 mg of magnesium per 15 grams (? oz). In general, for a large adult, spraying 2 tablespoonfuls (an ounce or 30 grams) or more of magnesium oil a day all over the body is recommended for magnesium deficiency problems, with that dosage adjusted downward for children depending on their age and size. This needs to be coupled with oral intake, especially for adults, to get the maximum effect from magnesium.

Karl, your doctor is misinformed. In fact, transdermal magnesium chloride dissolves and negates calcium deposits, which are the cause of so many diseases including heart disease. It does not increase calcium intake, it is, in fact, just the opposite, it mediates the harmful effects of calcium overload.

Richard, Dr. Marc Sircus recommends rubbing magnesium oil all over your body every day for about two months in order to heal chronic problems. For a case of muscle spasm, I would recommend rubbing the oil onto the site of the muscle spasm itself every morning and evening. Many people report immediate relief using this method, but it may take up to two months of continuous application to experience full therapeutic benefits.

Dr. Marc Sircus says to go ahead and reuse the magnesium water you use for footbaths. I don't worry about toxins being released from the skin outward to the water, if this is possible, because the magnesium oil counters such toxins anyway. I take a deep footbath in a regular dish bucket so that the water covers my ankles. The effect is transcendent and hard to describe. I guess the word would be heavenly.

Dennis, I have been using transdermal magnesium therapy for three weeks and have not noticed any swelling or edema at all. It will relax all your muscles and tissues so that muscle elongation and function is improved. You will be amazed at the feeling of muscle relaxation that ensues if you rub magnesium oil into the soles of your feet at bedtime, or if you take a hot footbath with 2 ounces of magnesium oil in the water. I have examined my ankles where swelling is most likely to occur and have noticed none. Hope this helps.

Although it is a form of magnesium, Epsom salt contains sulfates that differ from magnesium chloride. Magnesium chloride gives much more therapeutic effect than Epsom salts (although adding both to your bath is wonderful). Although Epsom salt has its own therapeutic benefits, if you want the full benefits of transdermal magnesium therapy, you must use magnesium chloride.

I have just discovered the benefits that magnesium oil has for the body. I was intrigued of how something absorbed transdermally could have such healing properties. I always thought that for anything to work in the body, it had to be taken orally or intravenously.

How wrong could someone be? Over the last few weeks I've been using magnesium oil every day, every night after I shower, after work and gym. Muscle soreness goes away quicker now, which means quicker muscle recovery, but the best thing I've noticed is how 'easier' my joints feel...and how much better I've been sleeping.

I have heard of many people making their own magnesium oil, but from what I can tell, you need to be careful when mixing it yourself because it can irritate the skin. Andy

hurray for you!! - magnesium changed my shoulders as well, almost as quickly. I know I've posted on here before about it - the pain in the middle of the night, not sleeping - it truly is a miracle cure and could help so many. I hope many others find this site and can benefit from magnesium in other parts of their life. My boyfriend used it on his heel spurs, fixed them too. He was a total skeptic until then. It's awesome stuff!!

First, thank you SO much for this great site! I have found wonderful information, but probably the BEST is my recent discovery of transdermal magnesium.

I have been suffering with frozen shoulder for two years, this coming May. The regular doctors just told me to do my pt exercises and if it didn't get better, I could get a cortisone shot or perhaps surgery. I haven't been back. They gave me ibuprofin and I was taking it a lot but started to worry about liver overload and other effects.

This FS condition has severely impacted my life in so many ways! I was gettting so sick of the constant pain and sleepless nights. I found "Frozen Shoulder Friends" page on Facebook and it has been a lifesaver--just to connect with other people suffering with this. (I recommend other FS sufferers to check it out--great group of folks with lots of humor which helps when you are in agonizing pain.)

A few days ago, I read up on transdermal magnesium here. I then scooted down to my local health food store and purchased a bottle. I came home and began applying it, massaging it into my shoulder and then to my arms, legs, and feet.

I WAS ASTONISHED BY THE IMMEDIATE RESULTS! ABSOLUTELY ASTONISHED.

First, I am a chronic insomniac and had the best sleep I've had in YEARS (even before this Frozen Shoulder s****.

Second! Within an hour or so, my Frozen Shoulder went from OW OW OW! To mildly achey. I could NOT believe it. My range of motion (before I hit the pain mark) increased a good 12 inches upward.

I have rabidly devoured any information on the internet about transdermal magnesium therapy and there is a LOT of information out there. This is GOOD STUFF.

I shared with my fellow Facebook sufferers. There were some who, naturally, scoffed. (I would too--I am skeptical of such miracle cures myself.) But one women in England went out and bought a bottle right away and SHE IS HAVING THE SAME BENEFITS!

I can't say enough about this therapy except it WORKS. I am totally sold on its benefits and wonder why doctors aren't prescribing this, both for my condition--and so many others!

Thank you SO much, earthclinic. You have literally changed my life. I love you!

Carly from Seattle, you are missing transdermal magnesium and the whole point of transdermal. You mentioned that if you take too much orally that you will get diahrea. That does not happen with transdermal. And many people can never take enough orally to compensate for magnesium deficiency.

Topical use of magnesium is effective for me in reducing and eliminating nighttime muscle cramps, predominantly in my legs. Unfortunately, I get diarrhea from all but the tiniest of doses. I also get diarrhea from Epsom Salt baths.

I know that diarrhea from oral ingestion of magnesium is well documented. I do not see much written, however, about diarrhea from transdermal application.

Any intense reaction to any vitamin, mineral or trace element is very likely due to severe deficiency. The worse the deficiency the stronger the reaction in my experience.

If you don't react then you probably don't need the element.....

I have read that mag sulphate is rapidly excreted by the kidneys whereas mag chloride hangs around much longer. Also, I learned that the chloride reserves of the body can be bolstered by preferentially using magnesium chloride.

Here may be a partial answer to your question. Heard a guy talking online about magnesium oil and detox. He was acknowledging how life began in the sea. The basic chemical composition of the blood is identical to sea water with the same elements and appear in the same proportions. So magnesium in the ocean takes the form of magnesium chloride which means that that's the form that our cells would recognize and accept. He went on to talk about how this is part of what makes mineral springs so healthy and why animals love to roll around in the mud :) Makes sense.

Hi dilute the oil and for increasde circulation, add some drops of quality hot cayenne mixed or a formula of contaning cayenne or habaneros etc..

All the symptoms you describe are Lyme disease. You need a Western Blot blood test submitted to IGenX lab in Palo Alto, California. You also need a CD57 blood test to test your immune system. The norm is 200. My immune system tested at below 20 so it is also a confirmation of severe illness. You need to find a Lyme literate doctor.

Your severe reaction to the magnesium might be because it was helping your system attack the Lyme and other possible co-infections. Good luck!

I seem to have all the signs of a magnesium deficiency, migraines, cold hands and feet, muscle spasms and cramps, irregular hearbeat, kidney pain, anxiety attacks, etc. I try to use magnisium oil but if I put more than one drop on my feet I get very bad side effects, my pulse races out of control, I get all sweaty, my whole body throbs. I can't believe that I am overdosing on so little an amount, is there any reason for this? I don't eat dairy products so is my calcium ratio out of balance. If anyone has some insight on what might be causing this and anything I can do to figure this out, I would greatly appreciate it.

When I apply MgCl oil to my body I follow with applying VCO also, and it feels very good, no itching or dryness, it really helps me relax, and rest good at night.

And don't forget you need B6 to utilize magnesium properly. So keep your B vitamins up there during any effort to revitalise health.