How to make homemade magnesium oil from scratch! The recipe is super simple and inexpensive.

I finally got around to running again last week, after two years of nothing (I ran three half-marathons in one year and kind of burnt myself out).

My legs didn’t know what hit them, and my muscles were super tight, sore, and cramped (you should have seen me try and walk upstairs).

To help with this, I had a relaxing Epsom salts bath, and had to continuously apply magnesium oil spray during the day to prevent them cramping again.

I usually get mine from my local health food store, but a wonderful natural option to buy online is this one. If you’re a DIY-type like me, then this homemade spray is perfect for you.

Magnesium is needed by every cell in the body in some way. It’s essential for teeth, bones, muscle and joint health, good sleep, and reducing stress. However, the majority of us are deficient in this mineral.

Magnesium is involved in over 600 cellular processes in the body, meaning that the body can’t carry out over 600 processes efficiently without magnesium being present, one of these processes being magnesium’s ability to reduce activity in the sympathetic nervous system (in charge of our fight-or-flight response) and turn on the activity of the parasympathetic nervous system (responsible for our rest-and-digest phase), according to Shawn Stevenson in his book, Eat Smarter.

At least 56 percent of the U.S. population is deficient in magnesium, and according to a double-blind, placebo-controlled study published in 2012, cited by Shawn in his book, Eat Smarter, ‘improving magnesium levels appears to improve sleep efficiency, improve melatonin function, reduce cortisol, and reduce wake after sleep onset.’

Lifestyle factors such as lack of sleep, alcohol, caffeine, sugar consumption, medications, or constant stress will deplete what little stores we have left of this nutrient. Furthermore, many natural sources of magnesium are becoming depleted. Water filtration systems remove a lot of the naturally occurring magnesium in water. Soil depletion due to over-farming, high use of pesticides, soil erosion, runoff, leaching and burning of crop remnants has resulted in food today being almost completely stripped of certain vital nutrients.

The ocean is a wonderful source of many minerals, including magnesium. But, if you don’t have regular access to a beach, applying a magnesium oil spray or taking regular Epsom Salts baths can be very effective at boosting magnesium levels in the body.

Magnesium Oil Benefits

Magnesium oil helps to increase magnesium levels in the body, and for those who have trouble absorbing magnesium internally, magnesium oil may prove more effective than supplements as it bypasses the digestive system, being absorbed straight into the bloodstream from the skin. Simply spray on after a shower and let it soak into the skin.

Magnesium chloride, found in magnesium oil sprays, is a type of salt that is a combination of magnesium and chloride, and can naturally be obtained when the sun evaporates seawater from your skin, leaving you with that white salt.

Dr. Axe shares in his article that, ‘according to the National Institutes of Health, not every magnesium supplement is created equal, and some forms are more bioavailable than others. If you compare magnesium chloride vs. magnesium citrate benefits or magnesium chloride vs. magnesium sulfate uses, chloride and citrate forms are believed to be better absorbed by the body than the magnesium sulfate or oxide forms.’

Some of the benefits of having sufficient magnesium levels in the body include:

Prevention of Muscle Soreness

It’s great for post-workout recovery, and many athletes swear by it, saying it helps boost energy and endurance. According to the website, Wellness Mama, ‘studies indicate that magnesium spray may help reduce muscle cramping and replenish magnesium levels lost through sweat.

Better Sleep

Magnesium may positively affect GABA receptors in the brain, which help a person to relax and sleep better.

According to the National Sleep Foundation, ‘small studies have found that magnesium supplements may help elderly people fall asleep faster and can also help those with restless legs syndrome log more sleep time. Other research shows that magnesium increases the neurotransmitter GABA in the brain, which is responsible for slowing your thinking down and helping you fall asleep.’

Epsom salt baths are a great way to relax before bed.

Prevents Magnesium Deficiency

As we age, our kidneys excrete more magnesium while absorption of magnesium in the gut decreases.

This is where supplementation can be important. Along with eating magnesium-rich foods like dark leafy greens, using a magnesium oil can help boost levels and maintain a healthy balance of magnesium in the body.

Helps with Headaches and Migraines

There is a lot of research showing how magnesium may help in relieving headache and migraine symptoms. According to Katie Wells, creator of the health and wellness website, Wellness Mama, ‘studies indicate that those who have optimal levels of cellular magnesium have fewer instances of headaches and migraines.’

Maintain Healthy Blood Sugar Levels

Magnesium helps in managing insulin and carbohydrate metabolism in the body. It’s assists in the regulating the secretion of insulin and may help cells use insulin more effectively. The over-consumption of sugar can actually deplete magnesium levels, and according to an article on the website, Wellness Mama, ‘having unbalanced blood sugar and insulin levels may deplete magnesium. This, in turn, makes it more difficult to properly balance blood sugar and insulin.’

Boost Stomach Acid Production

Stomach acid (a.k.a gastric acid) is essential in proper digestion, as it helps break down food so the body can more easily absorb it. It can also help prevent foreign bacteria from entering the gut and populating there. Without enough stomach acid, malabsorption of nutrients can occur.

Before we get started in learning how to make this all-natural magnesium oil spray – if you like what you’re seeing, subscribe to my email newsletter at the bottom of the page to keep up to date on the latest recipes, DIYs, gardening and health tips I share!!

DIY Magnesium Oil Spray

Magnesium oil doesn’t actually contain any oil. The name comes from the oily feel left on your skin from the magnesium and water.

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup magnesium chloride flakes
• 1/2 cup distilled or filtered water
• A glass spray bottle

Optional:

• 10-15 drops essential oils

To make:

1. Bring the water to a boil, then turn off the heat and stir in the magnesium flakes until dissolved.
2. When completely cool, transfer the oil to a glass spray bottle. Store at room temperature, it will keep for at least six months. I keep mine in the bathroom to use daily.

To use:

1. Spray the oil on your arms, legs, and stomach daily. It will tingle on the skin a little the first few times you use it, which is completely normal. This will fade after a few uses, but if it bothers you, dilute the oil in more water.
2. After applying it, you can leave it on your skin to soak in, or wash it off after thirty minutes. I normally apply it after my shower, then rub body butter or coconut oil on my skin to moisturise after about five minutes. If you don’t like the sticky feel on your skin, try applying it before your shower and rinse it off while showering, or at night before you go to bed where you won’t notice it as much.

Learn how to make your own magnesium oil deodorant here.

Other Natural Sources of Magnesium

Here are some natural food sources to help increase magnesium levels in the body naturally:

• Mackerel
• Spinach
• Chard
• Dark leafy greens
• Pumpkin seeds
• Yoghurt
• Almonds
• Black beans
• Avocado
• Dark chocolate

Other magnesium-rich food sources here.

As always, this is not personal medical advice and we recommend that you talk with your doctor before trying or using any new products. I am not a doctor. All opinions expressed are my own personal thoughts and feelings of the products mentioned. Check with your doctor or health practitioner if you are uncertain about trying out any of the products, recipes or tips mentioned in this post.

Have you used magnesium oil spray before? How did it help you? Share in the comments below.

Lots of love,

🖤 Vanessa

Sources:

Wells, Katie. (January 23, 2019). Magnesium Oil Benefits & How to Use It. Wellness Mama. Retrieved from https://wellnessmama.com/5804/magnesium-oil/

Magnesium Oil 101: How to Make and Use It. (February 24, 2014). Empowered Sustenance. Retrieved from https://empoweredsustenance.com/magnesium-oil-uses/

Price, Annie, CHHC. (August 12, 2019). What Is Magnesium Chloride? Top 4 Benefits & Uses. Dr. Axe. Retrieved from https://draxe.com/nutrition/magnesium-chloride-benefits/

Power (Down) Vitamins: Promote Better Sleep With Magnesium. (Updated: August 11, 2021). Sleep.org. Retrieved from https://www.sleep.org/power-vitamins-promote-better-sleep-magnesium/

DiNicolantonio, James J; O’Keefe, James H; Wilson, William. (January 13, 2018). Subclinical magnesium deficiency: a principal driver of cardiovascular disease and a public health crisis. NCBI. Retrieved from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5786912/

Causes of a Lack of Magnesium. Ancient Minerals. Retrieved from https://www.ancient-minerals.com/magnesium-deficiency/causes-depletion/

Soil fertility decline. (Updated: September 24, 2013). Queensland Government. Retrieved from https://www.qld.gov.au/environment/land/management/soil/soil-health/fertility-decline

Magnesium Deficiency. Ancient Minerals. Retrieved from https://www.ancient-minerals.com/magnesium-deficiency/

Kostov, Krasimir. (March 18, 2019). Effects of Magnesium Deficiency on Mechanisms of Insulin Resistance in Type 2 Diabetes: Focusing on the Processes of Insulin Secretion and Signaling. NCBI. Retrieved from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6470576/

Raman, Ryan. (March 15, 2021). Is Magnesium Good for My Blood Sugar Levels If I Have Diabetes?. Healthline. Retrieved from https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/is-magnesium-good-for-my-blood-sugar-levels-if-i-have-diabetes#1

Maslowski, Debra. How to Make Magnesium Oil and Enjoy The Benefits. DIY Natural. Retrieved from https://www.diynatural.com/make-magnesium-oil-benefits/

Ruggeri, Christine, CHHC. (December 19, 2018). Magnesium Oil: Does It Really Improve Magnesium Absorption?. Dr. Axe. Retrieved from https://draxe.com/nutrition/magnesium-oil/

Link, Rachael, MS, RD. (July 9, 2020). What Is Magnesium? Plus the Top 20 Magnesium-Rich Foods. Dr. Axe. Retrieved from https://draxe.com/nutrition/magnesium-rich-foods/

Stevenson, Shawn. (2020). Eat Smarter. Little, Brown Spark. 1290 Avenue of the Americas, New York, NY 10104. Print.