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 always figured it worked the same way as stewing meat. Low, slow and plenty of flavor rocks. As others have made clear though, there is apparently no real scientific consensus at the moment.
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.
When I fast I go in Epsom salt baths. Magnesium deficiency can be a problem during fasts, and I can tell I absorb at least some of the magnesium during the soak.
It may be a placebo, or it may be that just taking a hot bath with no salt is also effective. I find similar relief from epsom salt baths as I find from spending an afternoon in ocean water. Again— could be a placebo, could be that just the act of being in the ocean (or taking a bath) is soothing so I’m just generally less tense— doesn’t really matter as long as it’s working.
If I post one can I see them?
Hiya, having studied this at university, it contains a small amount of magnesium so once dissolved in the water the salt x magnesium helps draws the toxins out of the muscles/body in order to have this “soothing effect” but honestly wouldn’t read in to it much. For this to be most effective I believe a lot more then the recommended dose would be needed in order to have a noticeable difference. Hope this helps
It makes your skin soft while you are sitting in hot water which warms your blood, and the lavender one is fantastic. It is mostly like a dry essential oil, where it really does nothing medically but it smells nice and the smell can make you relax more which makes your muscles less clenchy.
I mean… this is the basis behind float spas. They’ve got more “salt” than the Dead Sea in those tubs! I wanted to try it simply for the sensory experience; I had no idea about the supposed benefits of the Epsom salts. I spent an hour laying there bored and a little annoyed. I felt nothing but accidentally got some in my mouth and OH MY GOD I would rather lick a tire!! About 20 minutes later, showered, dried and drinked, I went to pay, still feeling nothing and wishing I had had a book or music. Literally mid-raise of my arm in handing over my card, a weird feeling completely engulfed me- I went fuzzy in a REALLY good way, forgot what I was doing, and sort of stood there, UTTERLY relaxed to the point I was REAL glad I wasn’t driving myself home, and smiling in a hazy way. It was flat out incredible. It lasted an hour or so, maybe more. My whole body just…. went soft. I’m absolutely going to do that again.
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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