How do epsom salts/soaks help relieve sore muscles?

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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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Anonymous 0 Comments

It smells nice and it’s relaxing.

I’m a skeptic and hate snake oil bullshit but some things don’t need justification or evidence – being relaxing is good enough.

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