My muscles have been very achy lately and the internet tells me to do bath soaks with Epsom salts. I understand that warm water helps to relax muscles, but how does salt in the bath help? Do our bodies actually absorb Epsom salt through the skin to a degree that it actually makes a difference, or is it more a relaxing/scent/placebo? What mechanism is happening that the Epsom salts contribute to?
Similar vein: baking soda, magnesium, etc added to baths – do they actually help? What works best?
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I scorned the epsom salt bath for years even though my doc said it might help with cramps due to the magnesium absorption (doesn’t need to be a bath, can just rest your hand in warm epsom water while watching tv)
Years later I tried it. 1/2 cup Epsom salts in warm bathtub of water, full body soak for 12 minutes, every other evening
Holy moly. My terrible calf cramping eased right on up
I am a believer
TLDR magnesium absorbs through skin
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