A simple recipe for making a homemade magnesium oil spray. Magnesium oil is great for boosting magnesium levels in the body, relieving muscle cramps and spasms, helping with fatigue and insomnia, and more.
I finally got around to running again last week, after two years of nothing (I ran three half-marathons in one year and 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.
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 beneficial for boosting magnesium levels in the body.
Recipe Tutorial Video
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.
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 residue.
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 the following.
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 assists in 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
Magnesium is essential for the production of stomach acid. Our stomach acid (hydrochloric acid) plays an important role in digestion as it helps to break down food so that the body can more easily absorb it. Furthermore, when there is a healthy balance of stomach acid production, it can 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 homemade magnesium oil, 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!
Homemade 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
- 8 oz glass spray bottle
- 10-15 drops essential oils (optional)
To Make:
- In a small saucepan, bring the water to a boil, then turn off the heat and stir in the magnesium chloride flakes until they have completely dissolved.
- Once the mixture is completely cool, transfer the oil to a glass spray bottle. Store this oil at room temperature. It will keep for at least six months.
- To use this magnesium oil spray, apply the oil onto the 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.
- After applying it, you can leave it on the 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 onto my skin as a moisturiser after about five minutes. If you do not like the sticky feel this oil can leave on the skin, try applying it before your shower and rinse it off while showering, or at night before you go to bed where you may not notice it as much.
This blog is for general informational purposes only and does not constitute the practice of medicine, nursing or other professional health care services, including the giving of medical advice. The use of information on this blog or materials linked from this blog is at the user’s own risk. The content of this blog is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Users should not disregard, or delay in obtaining, medical advice for any medical condition they may have, and should seek the assistance of their health care professionals for any such conditions.
Have you used magnesium oil spray before? How did it help you? Share in the comments below.
Lots of love,
Vanessa
