Recently I have been spending a lot of time on the earthclinic.com website and during my time there I found out about Transdermal Magnesium Therapy (TMT) using magnesium oil. It’s something I’d never heard of before but it intrigued me because I have been reading a lot lately about the importance of magnesium. The reason that I have been researching this is that many of the symptoms of magnesium deficiency seem to apply to me including back and neck muscle pains, muscle twitching, stiff muscles, fatigue, memory problems, sensitivity to bright lights and heart palpitations. And it seems that I’m not the only one it seems as it is estimated that approximately 68% of people in the USA suffer from magnesium deficiency.
So since I suffer from a variety of related symptoms I figured that this was worth a try so I purchased some magnesium chloride flakes online to see how it would go. I could have bought Magnesium Oil already mixed and ready to go but it is actually quite expensive considering it is so easy to make yourself. The Magnesium Oils that you can buy already made up are usually in a consistency of 33% magnesium chloride and the rest pure water. I have found two version of this on Amazon:
The Swanson brand is way cheaper and their magnesium seems to be sourced from the same region as the Ancient Minerals brand. Not sure why the massive difference in price between the two brands. Even some of the reviewers on Amazon who have tried both can’t tell the difference.
Either way, I am not about to spend that sort of money when I can make it easily at home for a fraction of the cost but I’ll get to that further on in this post.
So What is Transdermal Magnesium Therapy?
Transdermal Magnesium Therapy (TMT) is a way of getting magnesium into the body without having to ingest it. It involves applying magnesium oil to the body and magnesium oil is simply a mix of magnesium chloride and water. Technically it’s not an oil at all but it feels oily which I guess is how it got its name.
Now you can take various forms of magnesium internally if you wish however the problem with doing that is that magnesium can have a laxative effect…great if you are constipated but that’s not my problem. Also if you are taking any sort of medication, it may affect the amount of magnesium that is absorbed.
From what I have read so far, it appears that TMT is greatly superior to oral supplementation in that the magnesium can be better absorbed into the body.
“When people are ill, faced with magnesium deficiency and poor digestion, what do you think the odds are of fixing that problem with oral magnesium supplementation and digestive enzymes alone?” asks Dr. Ronald Hoffman. Mildred Seelig, Ph.D., renowned researcher of magnesium, predicts it would take 6 months to normalize magnesium levels in a woman who is magnesium deficient with oral supplementation. In his clinic Dr. Hoffman carefully measures magnesium and found that many patients with low magnesium who take just oral supplements do not normalize. The bottom line is that transdermal magnesium therapy speeds up the process of nutrient repletion in much the same was as intravenous methods. Like intravenous, transdermal application of magnesium can deliver higher doses of this key mineral to the cells. Bypassing digestion allowing for deeper tissue saturation.
Reference: Mark Sircus Ac., OMD Director International Medical Veritas Association
How to Make Your Own Magnesium Oil
As I mentioned above, most of the commercial magnesium oils you buy are made up of approximately 33% magnesium chloride and 77% pure water. I prefer a consistency of 50% magnesium chloride and 50% pure water. It’s up to you which amounts you want to start with but just remember that magnesium oil does sting when applied to the body so the stronger you make it the more it will irritate the skin. So if you have skin allergies then you might want to start out with a smaller quantity of magnesium chloride – say 20% or even less and work your way up.
To make magnesium oil you will need 2 things:
1. Magnesium Chloride Flakes
You can get magnesium chloride flakes quite easily these days but just remember that magnesium chloride is also used for industrial use and in salt water aquariums so the quality of your magnesium chloride may vary. I prefer to buy magnesium flakes that are specifically sold only for human use. If you are in the United States you can purchase magnesium chloride flakes from Amazon. The two brands I found both source their magnesium flakes from the Zechstein Seabed in Europe. Here are the two I found:
Because I am in Australia I can’t purchase these items from Amazon so I have sourced my magnesium chloride flakes from Nikita Naturals.
2. Pure Water
I use pure water to make my magnesium oil. I figure that this stuff is being absorbed into my skin so I should use the best possible ingredients.
I have a few recipes here for making magnesium oil depending on how you want to use it. Remember that these are just my recipes so adjust them to suit yourself.
1. My recipe for making Magnesium Oil to spray on the skin
- 1 cup magnesium
- chloride flakes
- 1 cup pure water
Note: If you would like to start with a lesser concentration then try 1/3 a cup of magnesium chloride flakes with 2/3 cup of pure water or even less if you have particularly sensitive skin.
Boil the water first and then mix with the magnesium chloride flakes until dissolved. Allow to cool before use.
That’s it. Your done! You now have a batch of magnesium oil ready to use. Easy wasn’t it?
I keep mine in a plastic spray bottle but you can store in a regular bottle or jar.
How to Apply Magnesium Oil on your skin
Magnesium oil can be applied directly to the skin. Ensure your skin is clean before applying. I use a spray bottle and simply spray over my entire body. You can also apply to just the arms and the legs and then rub it in to the skin. It will sting and be a little itchy. I also use it on my face by spraying a little into my hands and rubbing in to the skin. Just be aware that it can cause irritation so always spot test before using on the face. I had a small cut on my finger and it stung quite a bit when the spray got in there so be careful to avoid cuts and wounds.
Now I have read on a few sites that you should wash the magnesium oil off your skin after 20 minutes. Then again on other sites I have read that you can leave it on the skin. When I started using the spray I was showering it off after 20 minutes but now I use the magnesium spray after my shower and leave it on. Again its all a matter of experimenting to see how your skin reacts.
2. My Recipe for a Magnesium Foot bath
You can actually absorb more magnesium chloride by using a foot bath than by spraying on the skin. This is how I make up my foot bath:
- 1 cups magnesium chloride flakes
- 2 cups water
Boil the water and mix with the magnesium chloride flakes until dissolved. Place in a foot bath and leave until cooled slightly…you don’t want to burn your feet but you want the water to still be warm.
Soak your feet for 20 minutes. Wash your feet in warm water after use or wipe down with a damp cloth.
3. My Recipe for a Magnesium Bath
I simply fill up the bath tub and add 2 cups of magnesium chloride flakes and then soak for 20 minutes. Two cups probably isn’t anywhere near enough and one day I will try it with a bigger dose.
4. Recipe for Magnesium Gel
I actually found this one on a site somewhere but just can’t remember where. Either way I wasn’t too happy with the outcome because it creates a watery consistency and the ingredients don’t combine well at all. I am going to work on it however because I like the ingredients. I am a huge fan of virgin coconut oil particularly on the skin – it works wonders so I am going to try different amounts until I can get a nice consistency that is more of a gel than a liquid. If I do end up with something decent I will update this post. This is the original recipe:
- 1/3 cup of magnesium chloride flakes
- 1/3 cup virgin coconut oil
- 1/3 cup aloe vera gel
Combine the ingredients in a jar or bottle and shake well. Apply to the skin like you would any other moisturizer. Test first before applying to the face. I have no problems with it but if you have sensitive skin just spot test first.
How have I been using magnesium oil?
I have only started using magnesium oil but this is what I have been doing so far:
- magnesium bath once or twice a week
- magnesium spray once a day on entire body. You can do this at night before going to bed or after your morning shower.
- magnesium gel on face and body in the morning
Did magnesium oil work for me?
It’s too early to tell yet – I’ve only been using it for a few days now. What I have noticed though is that after using the magnesium oil (which I usually do at night) I do feel quite relaxed and generally just want to go to sleep. They do say it is good for insomnia. I also have quite a bit of trouble waking up in the morning – I usually feel like I haven’t slept at all and in the past couple of days my mornings have been a little easier – not a massive difference so not sure if it has anything to do with the magnesium as yet.
I really want to try this for at least a month to give it a good test. Some say you should keep at it for a few months to build up magnesium levels so I will see how I go.
Where Can You Buy Magnesium Oil?
If you don’t want to make your own magnesium oil then you can purchase it pre-mixed. If you are in the US you can buy magnesium oil from Amazon:
If you are in Australia you can buy magnesium oil from:
Where Can You Buy Magnesium Chloride Flakes?
If you are in the US you can buy magnesium chloride flakes from Amazon:
If you are in Australia you can buy magnesium chloride flakes from:
Resources
Recommended Books
I’ve purchased both of the books below and they are excellent resources for magnesium info.
I was wondering what the difference is between flakes and powder from nikita or elsewhere? I read somewhere that flakes have move water in them. Dunno if that is true. Any ideas on the differnece between the two forms?
I no longer buy magnesium from Nikita. I requested the chemical/product composition analysis and it turns out the their magnesium contains harmful heavy metals. I refuse to ingest and spray heavy metals onto my body.
Ancient Minerals contain no heavy metals like arsenic that Nikita’s Japanese sourced magnesium contains.
Ancient Minerals can be bought in Australia from http://www.rejuvehealth.com/Ancient-Minerals/View-all-products.html.
Its good to hear from someone that has actual done a bit of testing. Are you going to get the Ancient Minerals tested as well? When I run out of my latest source I am going to give the Ancient Minerals a try. You can also buy on iherb.com and they will send to Australia. We buy products from them all the time now and we get the orders within a week when we select the DHL option. It actually gets here a lot quicker than products we order online in Australia.
The labelling of Food Grade does not ensure it is FREE of heavy metals and other toxic substances. It just has to be below a certain level. Since when does the body need a recommended daily amount of heavy metals?
The Ancient Minerals are safe and do not contain harmful metals and other substances. again you can request a copy of the test results from them done by an independent company that are also verified. Ancient Minerals seems to be the best available at this time.
I make my solution of 1 cup salts to 1 cup distilled water and then spray on my skin 10-15 times daily or add two bug pinches of salts to a glass of water, sometimes both. No idea how much I’m getting.
Do you know how much magnesium there is in the concentration of 1 cup to 1 cup?
I’ll check out iherb.com, thanks 🙂
I bought both the flakes and the powder from Nikita Naturals. The powder was labelled as food grade whereas the flakes weren’t. Also I think the powder is in a more concentrated form but you might want to contact Nikita Naturals directly for more detailed info.
Other than that I am not sure if there are any other differences between the two. I have looked on the net for an explanation but haven’t found any as yet.
Thank you for your article. I’ve recently checked everything out I could online and am halfway through a book Transdermal Magnesium Therapy:A New Modality for the Maintenance of Health by Mark Sircus, Adam E Abraham. As I am somewhat sceptical of claims like this because of the old maxim “if it sounds to good to be true, it probably is”. But anyway my wife and I both have extreme arthritic pain and need a solution beside toxic prescription meds. So nothing to lose especially by making our own oil. I’ve ordered some aquarium Mag-Chlor as people that use it in their aquariums expect top purity for their little pets. The company that I ordered it from called it pharmaceutical grade. http://www.bulkreefsupply.com/store/1-gallon-bulk-magnesium-chloride-for-aquariums.html
You definitely have nothing to lose. It is cheap enough to buy to try out and a lot of people have had success with arthritic pain. I really like soaking in a hot tub with magnesium flakes – it’s very relaxing.
Also you might want to check out some of the cures on Earth Clinic for arthritis related conditions:
http://www.earthclinic.com/CURES/arthritis.html
hi,
if i do 1 cup of flakes and 1 cup of water, then how many mg’s of magnesium i wll have per 1 spray?
Hmm, not to sure how to answer this one. Maths was never my strong point.
Hi Legna, sorry about the late reply, only just caught the thread.
1) With some kitchen scales, find out how many milligrams (mg) 0f flakes in a cup. say “B”
2) When you dissolve these together, you will therefore have B mg of magnesium in one cup of water
Now magnesium flakes are only 50% concentrated, so the above figure decreases to 0.5 times B magnesium in one cup of water.
Now to find out how much magnesium in one spray, you need to spray into the measuring jug until you get a cupful. say “N” sprays.
Therefore the amount of magnesium in one spray is simply :
B x 0.5 x 1/N mg Magnesium per spray
PHEW!! got there
Hi Wanda and Linda,
First let me compliment you on your efforts in both creating a positive lifestyle and sharing your knowledge and experiences with the public.
I just stumbled upon your blog and honestly wasn’t hunting for info on Magnesium, but I am interested. I recently learned that Magnesium is extremely beneficial and actually has the same bone building benefits as calcium.
I have recently made the decision to point my life towards a chief aim, which has caused me to begin learning about anything that may improve life as I know it. Your site is a great resource in doing just that.
Thanks.
Talk to you later, Vince
Not many people realize the importance of magnesium. The focus always seems to be on calcium for some reason.
And thanks for your lovely comments Vince.
Many thanks for sharing this information, awesome. Unfortunately I couldn’t find the flakes you mention selling in the UK. However I did find BetterYou Magnesium Original Flakes – 1kg selling for £9.95 on Amazon. I actually use the BetterYou magnesium oil and it is very good. However it is also rather expensive so I will try making my own oil. To be honest topical magnesium is much more effective than oral supplements. I suffer with terrible pain in my lower back, neck, between my shoulders and suffer with chronic fatigue and depression. I have to keep spraying myself with mag oil at least three times per day in order to have any quality of life. Doctors call it fibromyalgia or chronic fatigue. I just wish I could figure why my body is desperate for magnesium. I did try a buffered vitamin C with calcium and magnesium but the calcium ratio was higher and my joints felt very sore. Reading articles it would seem that we already get enough calcium in our diet. Having said that I don’t drink much milk? I’ve stopped drinking coffee, tea and just mainly drink water or herbal teas. I also take virgin coconut oil for energy. I’ve also started bathing in Epsom salts, I rub it into my back and joints. It does seem to help and I do manage to get a good nights sleep. If anyone can suggest any further ways of increasing my magnesium levels then do please let me know. thanks
The beauty of making your own oil is that you can control the quantity of magnesium that you add to it. The oils you buy over the counter are usually made up of around 30% so you will be able to make a stronger mix.
Have you also considered MSM? It might be worth a try. I have been taking it for a while now and notice that my upper back-pain (muscular) has disappeared. I am currently taking 1 tablespoon in orange juice each day but you would want to start out a little slower than that.
You can read more here: http://www.earthclinic.com/Supplements/MSM.html
Or you can purchase an MSM lotion which is excellent. I love the stuff. Good for aches and pains but also feels fantastic on the skin. I buy mine from iHerb and if you use the following code you can get $5 off – OGO057. This is the one I use:
http://www.iherb.com/Now-Foods-MSM-Liposome-Lotion-8-fl-oz-237-ml/712?at=0
Thanks so much for this one-stop-shop with so much excellent info! You’ve just saved me a ton of time and money. May I recommend something I read in “The Magnesium Miracle”?
Apparently we should be getting about 900mg of Magnesium daily – but if we take it all at once, whatever isn’t used is simply passed out of the body. The author recommends taking Magnesium about 4 times daily (including first thing in the morning and just before bed). Perhaps you’ll see results more easily if you ramp up the number of times you spray.
This article’s a keeper! If you don’t mind, I’m going to include it as a reference in the “Public Library” section of the website I’m setting up (by March 20th)- Alzheimer’s Hope. Feel free to contact me!
Thanks for the info Shannon and yes you are quite welcome to add the article as a reference on your website.
Hi folks, just got the “magnesium miracle book” yesterday and it inpired me to seek out how to make mag’ oil and I found you and im very pleased I did, thank you for your straight forward run down on how to do it and other info ,I too am a big fan of earthclinic, get on there for hours sometimes, you come across so many people that care about people, very refreshing these days . Hoping you can help me with a quick question, does mag chloride weigh heavy or light for its volume, I.E. would 500 grams give you one cup or three approx because im trying to work out how much to order so I can have a test run without laying out to much,. Thanks again and in advance
I measured out 1 cup of magnesium flakes and then weighed it. It came out at 300 grams.
Hope that helps.
You published this post in June… It’s mid-August now; what are your results??
That was June last year. I tried it all for about a month and then got lazy. But I still take baths in it which is maybe why it is maintaining things for me. I don’t have the twitching eyes or muscle aches like I used to and the heart palpitations only happen very rarely. And I don’t find that I am so sensitive to light anymore. So I guess you could say that it was a success.
Hi, Just found your recipe for Magnesium cream and gave it a try this morning. Seems to work fine. Try grinding your magnesium flakes in an old coffee grinder, and they seem to dissolve better than using whole flakes.
Thanks for the great information.