8 Benefits Of Magnesium Oil, How To Use It, & Side Effects

Your body needs magnesium to perform almost every biochemical reaction. This is why a magnesium deficiency can wreak havoc on your health! Magnesium oil benefits you in ways that you have never imagined. In fact, this oil is all the rage in healthcare circles and is preferred by many people over other magnesium supplements.

So, is this oil worth all the hype it is attracting? What benefits can it offer?

Magnesium oil is believed to induce hair growth, provide relief from cramps and pains, and treat migraines, anxiety, and depression symptoms. Besides, it may help treat morning sickness, manage diabetes and hypertensionⁱ  XKnown as high blood pressure, it is a condition when the blood flow through the arteries exert elevated pressure on its walls. , or high blood pressure and improve dental health.

But, is there enough scientific evidence to back these claims? Is it safe to use?

In this article, we answer all these queries and understand what magnesium oil is, how you can make it at home, different ways to use it, and its potential side effects.

Keep scrolling!

Know Your Ingredient: Magnesium Oil

What Is It?
A straw-colored, concentrated oil made from a mixture of magnesium chloride flakes and water.

What Are Its Benefits?
It helps alleviate body pain and treat anxiety, migraine, and depression.

Who Can Use It?
People with magnesium deficiency and the above issues can use it.

How Often?
You can use up to 350 mg of magnesium oil every day.

Caution
Conduct a patch test before topical application as it may cause a burning sensation in some people.

What Is Magnesium Oil?

No, it’s not what you think it is!

Magnesium oil is not an essential oil. It is a concentrated solution of the salt, magnesium chloride. This concentrated solution or oil can be applied to the skin.

It gets absorbed into your skin quickly while carrying the magnesium molecules. This way of providing or supplying magnesium is called transdermal absorption.

Although it sounds a bit clinical, you don’t really need a prescription to use magnesium oil. It is available over the counter.

How Does Magnesium Oil Work?

Let me break it down for you.

Let’s say you got a nasty open wound on your forearm from falling on the pavement. What’s the first thing you would do?

Stop the blood flow.

You would then wash the wound, disinfect it, and apply an antiseptic ointment. Over a period, with the right dressing and care, the wound would heal.

This is assuming that you have no other conditions that could cause complications in the healing process, like diabetes or hemophiliaⁱ  XA rare genetic blood condition that leads to the inability of the blood to clot, causing immediate bleeding following injuries. .

How do you think the wound would heal if you never applied an ointment and only popped painkillers or antiseptic pills?

The recovery would be much, much slower.

Why?

Generally, the efficacy of an ingested drug is lower than an ointment that has been applied topically (usually, not always). Again, why?

Blame the route!

An ingested drug has to traverse the GI tract, get broken down in the liver, and then be released into the bloodstream. The blood then carries it to the affected site, where the drug gets to work.

Alternatively, if you apply a cream or an ointment, your skin absorbs its contents. The drug molecules then enter the bloodstream.

In other words, the drug reaches the bloodstream directly, bypassing the GI tract. The blood carries it to the affected site – where the drug jumps into action.

Isn’t this a quicker route?

Undoubtedly, yes. But this cannot be applied to all drugs or wounds or injuries.

Thankfully, magnesium CAN be sent the shorter way!

Since magnesium molecules are small, they can get absorbed into the skin very quickly. They enter the bloodstream immediately and, hence, are more effective than orally administered magnesium.

You got the route and reason, right?

So, what kind of internal issues and imbalances can magnesium oil treat?

It gets interesting from here. Go ahead and explore!

What Are The Benefits Of Magnesium Oil?

1. Induces Hair Growth

Every girl’s prized possession is her mane, and her worst nightmare is heavy hair loss. Though genetics play an important part in hair health and growth, the minerals in your body matter too.

A study conducted in Germany found that supplying magnesium to hair follicles can trigger hair growth. The study involved spraying magnesium oil on the scalp or any part of the body, coupled with a foot soak in Epsom salt water for 12 weeks. This regimen resulted in a 59.7% increase in hair (1).

Shocking, but true!

2. Relieves Pains and Cramps

The symptoms of hypomagnesemia are subtle. They include muscle cramps, pain, and spams. This is because calcium is responsible for muscle contraction, and magnesium is responsible for muscle relaxation.

The topical application of magnesium oil can reduce muscle catches, twitching, back pain, feet pain, neck pain, and menstrual cramps effectively. In rare cases, it can also treat convulsions and fibromyalgiaⁱ  XA chronic condition that results in widespread musculoskeletal pain, difficulty sleeping, exhaustion, and frequent emotional and mental distress. (2).

Now you know why most pain relief ointments and massage oils contain magnesium!

3. Treats The Symptoms Of Migraine, Depression, and Anxiety

About 31% of magnesium is stored in your cells. A decrease in the intracellular magnesium concentration can lead to neurological disturbances.

Lack of magnesium can promote a condition called cortical spreading depression. There is also strong evidence that magnesium deficiency is more prevalent in migraine patients than in their healthy counterparts (3).

Topical application of magnesium oil can treat migraines, headaches, and allay some symptoms of depression.

Renata, a blogger, shared her experience of using magnesium to fix her sleeping pattern in her blog. She used a magnesium spray and saw great results. She said, “I can honestly say I slept through the night without waking up at all, whereas before I had a real difficulty falling asleep, AND I used to wake up a few times a night too (i)”.

4. Treats Morning Sickness And Pregnancy Complications

Monitoring the levels of vitamins, minerals, and hormones during pregnancy is essential. These micronutrients play a crucial role in the formation and development of new tissues in the fetus.

A lack of magnesium can cause fatal and severe conditions, like preeclampsiaⁱ  XA pregnancy complication characterized by a rapid increase in blood pressure that usually occurs during the third trimester. . Hypomagnesemia has also been associated with miscarriage and pre-term labor.

Therefore, taking magnesium supplements to maintain optimal intracellular and serum magnesium levels is necessary for pregnant women (4).

5. Manages Diabetes

Diabetes, when not managed properly, can lead to metabolic disorder and multiple organ failure. People with diabetes also experience excessive loss of minerals and electrolytes through urine. Sometimes, antidiabetic drugs are prescribed to reduce the pressure on the kidneys. But how can you restore these lost minerals, especially magnesium?

Bathing with Epsom salt or applying magnesium oil regularly on the skin can reduce the serum triglycerides levels. Magnesium oil can also increase insulin sensitivity, control the blood glucose levels, and keep a check on your weight.

A study conducted in Italy showed that most Europeans and North Americans consume less than the recommended daily allowance of magnesium. This deficit mainly results from consuming a Western-style diet that often contains only 30–50% of magnesium. The study links the magnesium deficiency with obesity and the risk of developing metabolic syndrome and type 2 diabetes (T2D). It showed a high prevalence of hypomagnesemia in subjects with T2D. As obesity, type 2 diabetes, and metabolic syndrome are on the rise, consider changing bad dietary habits and taking the right amount of magnesium to improve metabolic syndrome and reduce blood pressure, hyperglycemia, and hypertriglyceridemia.

That said, more research needs to be conducted to throw light on magnesium oil’s efficacy and safety for patients with diabetes.

6. Controls Hypertension And Cardiopathies

Optimal magnesium is mandatory for the smooth functioning of all muscles, including your limbs, lungs, GI tract, and even your heart!

A magnesium deficiency upsets your heart health. It can increase the pressure on your blood vessels too. Thus, it can lead to hypertension, arrhythmia (irregular heartbeat), and related cardiovascular diseases.

Magnesium oil quickly replenishes the magnesium reserve in your blood. The ions move quickly through the skin and get absorbed into the bloodstream. This route is faster and more effective than popping pills (1).

7. Facilitates Dental Wound Healing

Dental health in children and adults always takes a back seat because the vital organs steal the limelight. But dental issues can lead to intolerable neuropathies.

Studies report that minerals like magnesium are important for the integrity of your teeth, enamel, and gums. People suffering from periodontitisⁱ  XA chronic inflammatory condition caused by poor dental hygiene that leads to inflammation of the tissue around the teeth. and gingivitisⁱ  XA condition of gum inflammation induced by a bacterial infection brought on by inadequate dental hygiene. have also been reported to have low levels of serum magnesium levels.

In these cases, applying magnesium oil to the affected area can reduce inflammation and pain. This is because it has anti-inflammatory and vulnerary properties.

Magnesium oil can soothe aching gums and prevent attachment loss, especially in those who have undergone dental or implant surgeries (5).

8. May Improve Bone Health

Magnesium oil may play a significant role in maintaining bone health. Magnesium stimulates the activity of osteoblasts, the cells responsible for bone formation and healing. It also helps regulate calcium balance within the body to ensure that calcium is deposited in the bones rather than accumulating in soft tissues. Magnesium also contributes to bone density by influencing calcitonin production, a hormone that aids in preserving bone structure. Inadequate magnesium levels may potentially lead to conditions like osteoporosis. Thus, using magnesium oil topically may be an effective way to boost magnesium intake and support overall bone health and strength (6).

Apart from the other listed benefits, magnesium oil may improve nerve function and cognitive health, strengthen the immune system and help in osteoporosis and asthma management, (7), (8), (9). Anecdotal evidence suggests that magnesium can aid the process of detoxification in the body and thus, improve overall health.

After looking at its benefits up close, don’t you agree that transdermal magnesium is not just a myth?

But the bigger question here is, how do we get magnesium oil? Where do we get it? Is it easily available?

The answer is yes! In fact, you can make it all by yourself!

I have listed a simple recipe that you can use to make magnesium oil right at home. Scroll down and glove up!

DIY: How To Make Magnesium Oil At Home

What You Need

• Magnesium chloride flakes: 1 cup
• Distilled or purified water: 1 cup
• Glass measuring cup or bowl
• Saucepan or a pot: small-medium size
• Glass spray bottle or container

Let’s Make It!

1. In the saucepan, pour the distilled water and bring it to a boil. Using distilled water will extend the shelf life of the mixture.
2. Put the magnesium chloride flakes in the glass measuring cup/bowl.
3. Pour the boiling water over the flakes.
4. Stir continuously until the flakes have completely dissolved.
5. Set it aside to cool.
6. Store it in a spray bottle or container.
7. You can use it for 6 months if kept at room temperature and away from the sun.
8. Add it to your bubble bath, pedicure tubs, spray some on your scalp, or use it in your dental routine.

Quick Tip

You can also add aloe vera gel to your magnesium oil and apply to your skin to help soothe it.

What Are The Different Ways Of Using Magnesium Oil?

You can use magnesium oil in the following ways.

Shower Essentials

• Add 1 cup of magnesium oil to your bubble bath.
• You can also apply the oil and let it get absorbed into your skin for about 10 minutes before a shower.

Massage And Medicine

• Spray magnesium oil on your back, neck, hands, and legs. Massage thoroughly until the solution gets absorbed completely.
• You can also apply it topically over affected areas for quick pain relief.
• This oil is a quick and portable option to treat muscle pulls, catches, cramps, and sprains that could be caused by vigorous and sudden physical activity.

Quick Tip

You can mix magnesium oil with other oils like that of wintergreen, almond, or coconut to add a beautiful fragrance to your bath and destress after a busy day.

Aromatherapy And Deodorant

• Add your favorite essential oil(s) (like lavender, orange, grapefruit, or eucalyptus) to magnesium oil and use it in an oil burner to get rid of bad odor.
• It also doubles up as a deodorant, and you can use the magnesium spray on your body.

But, you must be wondering – could an ideal formula like magnesium oil have any risks associated with it? Let’s find out!

Are There Any Side Effects Of Using Magnesium Oil?

There is not much data available on the adverse effects of the topical application of magnesium oil or its impact on skin health.

It is also difficult to formulate a suitable dosage. However, do a patch test with magnesium oil on your arm or leg before using it. You can use it daily if you do not experience allergies or adverse skin reactions.

But where do we draw the line?

The tolerable upper limit (UL) of magnesium in men and women is about 350 mg. It is 110 mg for children (4-8 years), while 1-3-year-olds can only have 65 mg of magnesium in their body (10).

But these are not in relation to transdermal magnesium, in particular. So, as long as you pass the patch test and are within the UL brackets, you can use magnesium oil daily.

Infographic: Magnesium Oil: Preparation And Benefits

Magnesium oil is prepared with distilled water and magnesium flakes. This special formulation is known for the multiple benefits it offers. It can be directly applied to the affected area. Check out the infographic to learn more about the benefits of magnesium oil.

Illustration: StyleCraze Design Team

Frequently Asked Questions

Can you leave magnesium oil on overnight?

Yes. Magnesium oil is safe to leave on overnight.

Does magnesium oil help joint pain?

Yes. Studies have shown that magnesium oil can help relieve joint pain and arthritis (11).

Does magnesium oil make you sleepy?

Yes. Magnesium in supplements as well as in topical treatments has shown positive results in managing insomnia and improving sleep patterns (12).

Is magnesium oil good for wrinkles?

No. Even though magnesium oil is used as a remedy for wrinkles or thought to exhibit anti-aging properties, there are currently no scientific studies that support these claims.

Image: Stable Diffusion/StyleCraze Design Team

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Vd. Babita SharmaBAMS

 

Dr. Babita Sharma, an Ayurveda specialist, has 10 years of experience. She is currently working as MD and Consultant at Atharva Ayurveda Ayurdhama Hospital Kangra, Himachal Pradesh. She completed her Bachelor’s degree in Ayurveda, Medicine and Surgery (BAMS) from Rajiv Gandhi University of Health Sciences, Bangalore, Karnataka, in 2008. Her specialties include child care, Ayurveda gynecology, infertility, skin care, and...more

Swathi HandooHealth & Wellness Writer

 

Swathi holds a master’s degree in biotechnology from Osmania University and has worked in places where actual science and research happen. She has four years of experience and a Professional Certificate in Food, Nutrition & Research from Wageningen University. Blending her love for writing with science, Swathi writes articles on health and wellness and simplifies complex topics for readers from...more

Ravi Teja TadimallaSenior Editor

Ravi Teja Tadimalla is a senior editor and a published author. He has been in the digital media field for over eight years. He graduated from SRM University, Chennai, and has a Professional Certificate in Food, Nutrition & Research from Wageningen University. He has written over 300 articles about ingredients and their benefits for the skin, hair, and health. He...more

Payal KarnikSenior Health & Wellness Writer

Payal Karnik is a senior health and wellness writer and a Certified Health and Nutrition Life Coach. She is a biotechnology graduate from the University of Mumbai with a keen interest in writing and a natural curiosity for science. This formidable combination equips her with the knowledge to write research-backed health and wellness articles. She has also published a research...more