Author: James Anderson

Epsom Salt Bath: Uses, Benefits, and Risks

Magnesium sulfate works effectively when taken by mouth as a laxative. It works by taking water from the rest of your body and bringing it into your digestive tract. Rather, they can be dissolved in the bath or applied to the skin. If unscented, they can also be dissolved in drinking water.

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Make sure to consume water before, during and after the bath to protect yourself from dehydration and increase detoxification. As part of a healthy weight loss and detox plan, detox baths with magnesium sulfate and baking soda are sometimes recommended. Appropriate levels of magnesium are absolutely key to good health, but it is very common to have insufficient magnesium. Alcoholism, severe diarrhea, malnutrition or high calcium levels (hypercalcemia) can all cause hypomagnesemia or low levels of magnesium. By simply soaking your feet or entire body in a bath containing Epsom salts, you can increase internal levels of magnesium naturally without taking magnesium supplements.

Epsom Salt Bath FAQs

In addition, it’s been found that most people need an additional 300 milligrams of magnesium per day in order to lower their risk of developing numerous chronic diseases. People can use Epsom salt as a laxative to treat constipation. This treatment method involves dissolving a small amount of Epsom salt in water and drinking the mixture. If a person drinks Epsom salt, they could experience a laxative effect, which may help relieve constipation.

It also can help remove excess skin, such as scales that form when you have psoriasis. An Epsom salt bath may improve symptoms of psoriasis, eczema, or other conditions that cause itching. They’re not the same as Dead Sea salts, a blend of minerals found only in the Dead Sea in the Middle East. The water and light there supposedly help with skin diseases, arthritis, and other health problems. Epsom salts have been used for hundreds of years to ease all kinds of aches, pains, and skin troubles.

  1. Use it as a stand-alone salt for soaking, or blend it with dried botanicals and essential oils for a more decadent bathing experience.
  2. Always follow the product instructions when using Epsom salts.
  3. In fact, some claim that taking magnesium increases serotonin (happiness or relaxation hormone) production in your brain.
  4. Talk to your healthcare provider before using Epsom salts as a laxative if you have a kidney condition, stomach pain, nausea, or vomiting.
  5. Epsom salts taken as a laxative are effective at relieving constipation.
  6. Soaking feet in Epsom salt may also help reduce foot odor.

Epsom salt uses, benefits, and side effects

You can find them in most drugstores, usually around the aspirin and laxatives. Despite the name, Epsom salts aren’t like the stuff you put on your fries. They’re called salts because of their chemical structure.

The What, Why, and How of Epsom Salt Baths

To take magnesium sulfate orally, a typical suggestion is to dissolve one dose in eight ounces of water. You may add a small amount of lemon juice to improve the taste. The mineral got its name after being first discovered in a spring in Epsom, Surrey, sometime during the 17th century (yep, it’s ancient). Some people drink an Epsom salt and water solution to treat constipation.

Reduce soreness and pain

Without a doubt, one of the most common Epsom salt uses is its inclusion in a bath. It’s something that helps widen blood vessels and improve blood flow. According to research from the University of North Carolina, hypomagnesemia enhances stress reactions. Further studies show that magnesium has a profound effect on stress and neural excitability. Magnesium salts, such as Epsom salt, can reduce stress and may improve neuropsychiatric disorders. Magnesium regulates over 300 enzymes in the body and plays an important role in organizing many bodily functions.

General Health

If you’re pregnant or breastfeeding, talk to your doctor before using this treatment. When used in a bath or compress, Epsom salt may offer some relief from how uncomfortable you feel. Try soaking in a relaxing bath containing Epsom salt, which is a common natural remedy for joint and bone pain.

If you purchase a product or register for an account through a link on our site, we may receive compensation. It is, however, also possible to take too much magnesium by mouth. When used as a soak, Epsom salt is generally considered safe. Soaking in an Epsom salt bath has very few risks, though you should avoid it if you have open wounds, a skin infection, or a burn. For a standard-sized tub, use the amount suggested on the package, usually 1 to 2 cups, or the amount recommended by your doctor.