Do They Work on Our Pain?
Do Epsom-salt baths ease the pains offibromyalgiaandchronic fatigue syndrome?
They’re a common self-treatment, but do Epsom salts really do anything?
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And if so, how?
Epsom salts aren’t really “salt.”
They’re crystals of magnesium sulfate and they’ve been used as a home remedy for hundreds of years.
Many people with these conditions say thatEpsom-salt soaksare more helpful and more effective than a hot bath by itself.
However, that’s not something we can prove or quantitatively measure on our own.
It’s not hard to find skeptics who believe any improvement is due to the placebo effect.
Some people say that they ease all types of pain as well as speed healing.
If you start digging into it, though, there’s not much science behind these claims.
In fact, Epsom salts and other forms of topical magnesium sulfate have barely been researched at all.
What Do We Know?
Ingestedmagnesium, such as from food or supplements, is important for several bodily functions.
However, these claims are not backed up with much research.
On the flip side, magnesium can also be really hard on the digestive system.
Lots of Questions
Any benefits of magnesium are linked to dietary intake or supplements.
Most substances are not absorbed through the skin, which is waterproof.
So we just can’t answer that question definitively.
Absorbing it this way may bypass the unpleasant digestive side effects.
However, we know that oral magnesium supplements are absorbed, so they are the more reliable choice.
A common one is that it “detoxes” your muscles through “osmosis.”
Remember us mentioning that skin is waterproof?
That automatically rules out osmosis, because that processby definitionmeans movement of water through a membrane.
Particles dissolved in water may well be able to pass through skin, but water does not.
Your body already takes care of that.
The term “detox” has become a buzzword that few people really understand.
The long and short of it is that your body has perfectly good systems for eliminating toxins.
So, unless you have liver or kidney disease, you don’t need to worry about detoxing.
At best, claims regarding detox are unsupported scientifically.
At worst, they could be dangerous.
So … Where Do We Stand?
Still, when unproven claims abound, it pays to be skeptical.
BecauseEpsom saltshave been popular for a long time, we do at least know they’re not dangerous.
However, if you expect miracles based on unfounded claims, you’re likely to be disappointed.
If Epsom salt baths work for you, great!
Just don’t expect dramatic improvements or a cure.
And a long, hot bath is usually good for us, so soak away!
Linus Pauling Institute Micronutrient Center, Oregon State University.Magnesium.
Boulis M, Boulis M, Clauw D.Magnesium and fibromyalgia: a literature review.J Prim Care Community Health.
2021;12:21501327211038433. doi:10.1177/21501327211038433
National Institutes of Health, Office of Dietary Supplements.Magnesium fact sheet for professionals.
Grober U, Werner T, Vormann J, Kisters K.Myth or reality-transdermal magnesium?.Nutrients.
2017;9(8):813. doi:10.3390/nu9080813
