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Folks use it to ease well being issues, equivalent to muscle soreness and stress. It’s additionally inexpensive, simple to make use of, and innocent when used appropriately.
This text supplies a complete overview of Epsom salt, together with its advantages, makes use of, and unwanted side effects.
What Is Epsom Salt?
Epsom salt is also referred to as magnesium sulfate. It’s a chemical compound made up of magnesium, sulfur, and oxygen.
It will get its title from the city of Epsom in Surrey, England, the place it was initially found.
Regardless of its title, Epsom salt is a totally completely different compound than desk salt. It was most certainly termed “salt” due to its chemical construction.
It has an look just like desk salt and is usually dissolved in baths, which is why you might also realize it as “bath salt.” Whereas it seems to be just like desk salt, its style is distinctly completely different. Epsom salt is sort of bitter and unpalatable.
Some folks nonetheless eat it by dissolving the salt in water and ingesting it. Nevertheless, resulting from its style, you in all probability don’t wish to add it to meals.
For tons of of years, this salt has been used to deal with illnesses, equivalent to constipation, insomnia, and fibromyalgia. Sadly, its results on these circumstances aren’t effectively researched.
A lot of the reported advantages of Epsom salt are attributed to its magnesium, a mineral that lots of people don’t get sufficient of.
Yow will discover Epsom salt on-line and at most drug and grocery shops. It’s sometimes positioned within the pharmacy or beauty space.
How Does It Work?
When Epsom salt is dissolved in water, it releases magnesium and sulfate ions.
The thought is that these particles may be absorbed by means of your pores and skin, offering you with magnesium and sulfates — which serve vital bodily features.
Regardless of claims quite the opposite, there isn’t any good proof that magnesium or sulfates are absorbed into your physique by means of the pores and skin (1).
But the commonest use for Epsom salt is in baths, the place it’s merely dissolved in bathwater.
Nevertheless, it can be utilized to your pores and skin as a beauty or taken by mouth as a magnesium complement or a laxative.
Reported Well being Advantages and Makes use of of Epsom Salt
Many individuals, together with some healthcare professionals, declare Epsom salt is therapeutic and use it instead remedy for a number of circumstances.
Gives Magnesium
Magnesium is the fourth most considerable mineral within the physique, the primary being calcium.
It’s concerned in additional than 325 biochemical reactions that profit your coronary heart and nervous system.
Many individuals don’t eat sufficient magnesium. Even when you do, components equivalent to dietary phytates and oxalates can intervene with how a lot your physique absorbs (2).
Whereas magnesium sulfate has worth as a magnesium complement, some folks declare that magnesium could also be higher absorbed through Epsom salt baths than when taken by mouth.
This declare shouldn’t be based mostly on any out there proof.
Proponents of the speculation level to an unpublished examine in 19 wholesome folks. The researchers claimed that each one however three of the individuals confirmed increased blood magnesium ranges after soaking in an Epsom salt tub.
Nevertheless, no statistical checks had been carried out and the examine lacked a management group (3).
Because of this, its conclusions had been unfounded and extremely questionable.
Researchers agree that magnesium shouldn’t be absorbed by means of folks’s pores and skin — at the very least not in any scientifically related quantities (1).
Promotes Sleep and Stress Discount
Enough magnesium ranges are important for sleep and stress administration, seemingly as a result of magnesium helps your mind produce neurotransmitters that induce sleep and cut back stress (4).
Magnesium may additionally assist your physique produce melatonin, a hormone that promotes sleep (5).
Low magnesium ranges could negatively have an effect on sleep high quality and stress. Some folks declare that taking Epsom salt baths can reverse these points by permitting your physique to soak up magnesium by means of the pores and skin.
It’s extra seemingly that the calming results of Epsom salt baths are merely because of the leisure attributable to taking scorching baths.
Helps With Constipation
Magnesium is usually used to deal with constipation.
It seems to be useful as a result of it attracts water into your colon, which promotes bowel actions (6, 7).
Most frequently, magnesium is taken by mouth for constipation aid within the type of magnesium citrate or magnesium hydroxide.
Nevertheless, taking Epsom salt can also be mentioned to be efficient, though it isn’t effectively studied. Nonetheless, the FDA lists it as an accepted laxative.
It may be taken by mouth with water in keeping with the instructions on the package deal.
Adults are often suggested to take 2–6 teaspoons (10–30 grams) of Epsom salt at a time, dissolved in at the very least 8 ounces (237 ml) of water and consumed instantly. You may anticipate a laxative impact in half-hour to six hours.
You must also know that consuming Epsom salt could produce disagreeable unwanted side effects, equivalent to bloating and liquid stool (7).
It ought to solely be used often as a laxative, not for long-term aid.
Train Efficiency and Restoration
Some folks declare that taking Epsom salt baths can cut back muscle soreness and relieve cramps — each vital components for train efficiency and restoration.
It’s well-known that sufficient magnesium ranges are useful for train as a result of magnesium helps your physique use glucose and lactic acid (8).
Whereas enjoyable in a scorching tub could assist soothe aching muscle tissues, there isn’t any proof that individuals take up bathwater magnesium by means of their pores and skin (1).
However, oral dietary supplements can successfully stave off magnesium insufficiency or deficiency.
Athletes are liable to low magnesium ranges, so well being professionals usually advocate that they take magnesium dietary supplements to make sure optimum ranges.
Whereas magnesium is clearly vital for train, using tub salt to reinforce health shouldn’t be effectively researched. At this level, the supposed advantages are purely anecdotal.
Diminished Ache and Swelling
One other frequent declare is that Epsom salt helps cut back ache and swelling.
Many individuals report that taking Epsom salt baths improves signs of fibromyalgia and arthritis.
Once more, the magnesium is deemed accountable for these results, since many individuals with fibromyalgia and arthritis are poor on this mineral.
One examine in 15 ladies with fibromyalgia concluded that making use of magnesium chloride to the pores and skin could also be helpful for lowering signs (9).
Nevertheless, this examine was based mostly on questionnaires and lacked a management group. Its outcomes ought to be taken with a grain of salt.
Security and Aspect Results
Whereas Epsom salt is mostly secure, there are a couple of destructive results that may happen when you use it incorrectly. That is solely a priority whenever you take it by mouth.
To start with, the magnesium sulfate in it will possibly have a laxative impact. Consuming it could lead to diarrhea, bloating, or upset abdomen.
Should you use it as a laxative, be certain that to drink loads of water, which can cut back digestive discomfort. Moreover, by no means take greater than the beneficial dosage with out first consulting your physician.
Some circumstances of magnesium overdose have been reported, during which folks took an excessive amount of Epsom salt. Signs embrace nausea, headache, lightheadedness, and flushed pores and skin (2, 10).
In excessive circumstances, magnesium overdose can result in coronary heart issues, coma, paralysis, and loss of life. That is unlikely so long as you’re taking it in applicable quantities as beneficial by your physician or listed on the package deal (2, 10).
Contact your physician when you expertise indicators of an allergic response or different critical unwanted side effects.
The right way to Use It – “epsom salt with magnesium”
Listed here are a couple of of the commonest methods to make use of Epsom salt.
Tub
The commonest use is taking what’s referred to as an Epsom salt tub.
To do that, add 2 cups (about 475 grams) of Epsom salt to the water in a standard-sized bathtub and soak your physique for at the very least quarter-hour.
You can too put the Epsom salt below working water if you’d like it to dissolve extra rapidly.
Whereas scorching baths may be enjoyable, there may be at present no good proof for the advantages of an Epsom salt tub in itself.
Magnificence
Epsom salt could also be used as a magnificence product for pores and skin and hair. To make use of it as an exfoliant, simply place some in your hand, dampen it and therapeutic massage it into your pores and skin.
Some folks declare it’s a helpful addition to facial wash, since it could assist cleanse pores.
Only a 1/2 teaspoon (2.5 grams) will do the trick. Merely mix it with your personal cleaning cream and therapeutic massage onto the pores and skin.
It can be added to conditioner and will assist add quantity to your hair. For this impact, mix equal elements conditioner and Epsom salt. Work the combination by means of your hair and go away for 20 minutes, then rinse.
These makes use of are fully anecdotal and unsupported by any research. Keep in mind that it really works otherwise for everybody and that you could be not expertise the reported advantages.
Laxative
Epsom salt may be taken by mouth as a magnesium complement or as a laxative.
Most manufacturers advocate taking 2–6 teaspoons (10–30 grams) per day, dissolved in water, as a most for adults.
Roughly 1–2 teaspoons (5–10 grams) is mostly sufficient for youngsters.
Seek the advice of together with your physician when you want a extra individualized dosage or if you wish to improve the dose to greater than what’s listed on the package deal.
Until you’ve the consent of a physician, by no means ingest greater than the higher restrict of consumption acknowledged on the package deal. Taking greater than you want might result in magnesium sulfate poisoning.
If you wish to start taking Epsom salt by mouth, begin slowly. Attempt consuming 1–2 teaspoons (5–10 grams) at a time and progressively improve the dose as wanted.
Keep in mind that everybody’s magnesium wants are completely different. It’s possible you’ll want roughly than the beneficial dose, relying on how your physique reacts and what precisely you’re utilizing it for.
Moreover, when consuming Epsom salt, be certain that to make use of pure, supplement-grade Epsom salt that doesn’t have any added scents or coloring.
The Backside Line
Epsom salt could also be useful in treating magnesium deficiency or constipation when taken as a complement. It can be used as a magnificence product or tub salt.
There isn’t loads of proof to assist all of its reported advantages. Its constructive results are largely anecdotal at this level, and extra analysis is required on its features.
Nevertheless, Epsom salt is mostly secure and simple to make use of.