Spraying Magnesium on the Skin May Work Better than Oral Supplements, Small Study Says

A new, small study published in the European Journal for Nutraceutical Research says that transdermal application of magnesium may raise magnesium levels in the body over a short period of time-and more effectively than taking magnesium in oral supplements.

The 12-week study involved nine patients (two males and seven females) between the ages of 22 and 69 years. At the beginning of the study, subjects’ magnesium levels were measured through hair analysis. Subjects were instructed to apply 20 sprays of the BetterYou brand Magnesium Oil Spray anywhere on their bodies daily, as well as use a 20-minute foot soak of 100-ml BetterYou Magnesium Oil Original Soak twice weekly. (Both magnesium products were a saturated solution of 31% magnesium chloride mined from the Zechstein sea deposits in Northern Holland.) At the end of the study, subjects’ magnesium levels were again measured using hair analysis.

The researchers said that after the 12-week study, 89% of the subjects raised their cellular magnesium levels, with an average increase of 59.7%. By contrast, the researchers said that equivalent results from oral magnesium supplementation have been shown to take between nine to 24 months to achieve. They added that all patients showed an improvement in their calcium/magnesium balance ratios as well, with a mean improvement of 25.2%. Another observation was that 78% of patients showed significant evidence of detoxification of heavy metals.

“Traditional methods of administering medicine, such as tablets or capsules, have to pass through the stomach, and, unfortunately, the action of stomach acids and digestive enzymes often reduces uptake and bioavailability so significantly that very little may actually reach the bloodstream,” said the researchers. “Bypassing the stomach and liver means a much greater percentage of the active ingredient goes straight into the bloodstream where it’s needed.”

Magnesium deficiency in the body is said to cause a disruption of calcium absorption by the body’s cells. The researchers say that deficiency has also been linked to cardiovascular, skeletal, and central nervous system disorders. They say that research shows that between 68 and 75% of individuals in the United States do not consume the daily recommended amount of dietary magnesium, and that 19% of Americans do not consume even half of the government’s recommended daily intake of magnesium.