Magnesium Spray Confusion I have written, in an article on overcoming depression, why there is such widespread magnesium deficiencies in our day and some of the dire consequences.
Besides fighting depression there are some other terrific benefits because all the vitamin A & D and K2 in the world will not alleviate bone loss and tooth decay without sufficient magnesium present.
It is also a well known fact that transdermal absorption of magnesium is the safest way without any laxative side effects.
Hence, magnesium oil spray has become a very popular and proven remedy for a host of complaints.
The problem lies in the confusion over what type of magnesium makes the best spray.
The problem began with a popular book, Transdermal Magnesium Therapy, written by Mark Sircus and multiplied as bloggers spread his error.
Whether it was an honest error or the author had interests in any of the many promoters of expensive oil made from magnesium chloride or those selling the magnesium flakes is not known to this author.
A number of these companies brag about their superior product because the flakes are mined from the Ancient Zechstein Seabed in Europe.
One of the reasons they are expensive is the cost of extracting the magnesium chloride from 1,600 to 2,000 meters below the surface.
It is ironic that so many people who make their own are concerned with using filtered water to make it with.
The mining operation lifts the magnesium chloride in a water slurry.
You can bet your booties that it is not pure, clean water with the huge volumes involved.
Let me assure you slurry mining is not exactly a sterile process! Why Magnesium Spray Stings Although all the hype points towards this "pure" source of magnesium for sprays, because of the chlorine it is bound with the spray can be very irritating.
I have seen numerous complaints of the stinging, itching sensation it causes.
Here is the thing, in his book Mark said that magnesium sulphate isn't a good source for supplementation, which by the way, is what Epsom salts are.
He claimed that tests have demonstrated that magnesium absorbed from magnesium sulphate is hard to assimilate because people showed an increase in magnesium in urine samples.
His reasoning is dead wrong for a couple of simple irrefutable reasons.
When magnesium sulphate or magnesium chloride are dissolved in water you end up with a solution of magnesium ions and sulphate or chloride ions.
Our bodies absorb magnesium as a pure ion and don't particularly give a hoot what compound it used to be bonded with.
Although they do care about absorbing the associated ions.
This is obvious by the pain and itching produced by magnesium chloride, due to the chloride ions, which are absent when using magnesium sulphate.
It is also worth noting that Zechstein themselves, do not recommend making magnesium oil from their flakes.
More than a 5% solution contains sufficient undesirable byproducts such a hydrochloric acid to make it inadvisable.
This also probably accounts for its skin irritating effects.
Health Concerns With Magnesium Spray Personally, I would be concerned about exposing my skin to the absorption of high concentrations of chloride ions.
If the sting and itching doesn't throw up a red flag consider the possibility of hyperchloremia also known as high chloride.
This is usually brought on by rapid high fluid loss by any of a number of conditions including prolonged diarrhea and vomiting.
Elemental chlorine does not occur naturally as it is always in compounds.
When disassociated from compounds to make chlorine it becomes a dangerous substance used for things like making swimming pools uninhabitable by lower life forms.
I know it is commonly consumed as sodium chloride but even excess salt is getting a lot of bad health press these days with good reason.
Sulfur, which is a part of the magnesium sulphate, also comes mainly in compounds.
Our bodies use sulfur in their basic building blocks, amino acids, from which protein is made and they contain roughly 140 grams.
It is common in many healthy foods and a necessary part of our diet.
Research Of Absorption And Retention Of Magnesium in Epsom Salt Soaking The error has also been amply demonstrated by peer reviewed research studying transdermal uptake of volunteers soaked in Epsom salt baths.
Magnesium is one of the hardest essential mineral to keep topped up in our bodies.
This is because they do not store excess.
In the experiment all but a few of the subjects showed an increase in blood levels of magnesium after the first bath.
And it is true they all showed an increase in concentrations in their urine.
It is interesting to note that the few who didn't show an increase in their blood had a correspondingly larger increase in their urine.
It is also very telling to note that after soaking regularly for seven days the subjects who had gained a significant increase in their blood levels had levels in their urine close to normal.
The researchers concluded that all of the subjects demonstrated that the magnesium crossed the skin barrier.
Further, that the few who peed it out after soaking it up already had optimal levels and the others were all deficient.
This is another proof of my contention that the majority of people are deficient.
The most striking conclusion was that, "Prolonged soaking in Epsom salts therefore increases blood magnesium concentrations.
" I am sure that if they could find people with tough enough skin to soak in magnesium chloride baths the results would be the same.
Like I said our bodies just don't care who the magnesium was hanging out with before it was reduced to its ionic form.
That is chemistry 101! So, given the widespread deficiencies of magnesium in dietary sources and the incredible benefits of safe supplementation I make my own magnesium spray.
I just dissolve some Epsom salts in water and put it into a spray bottle.
It doesn't sting or itch and it is dirt cheap.