There are many difference forms of magnesium supplements. Many use capsulated products but research has indicated that the transdermal approach is the best. Magnesium is absorbed through the skin, giving transdermal magnesium therapy many of the same benefits as some of the much more expensive transdermal patches available today.
Magnesium oil is a transdermal magnesium supplement, designed to deliver magnesium through the skin, bypassing the gastrointestinal tract for convenient, rapid absorption into the cells.
TRANSDERMAL MAGNESIUM:
- Is an easy and convenient, “do it yourself” method of magnesium supplementation
- Avoids problems of gastrointestinal irritation and diarrhea, through bypassing the digestive system entirely
- Passes directly into the tissues via the skin, where it is quickly transported to cells throughout the body
MAGNESIUM OIL:
Magnesium oil, liquid magnesium, and magnesium spray — all names which refer to a concentrated solution of magnesium chloride applied to the skin — are the new darlings of many holistic health professionals. Dr. Carolyn Dean, M.D., N.D., describes in her book, the unique benefits of topical magnesium chloride oil:
“A very exciting addition to the magnesium family is a product loosely referred to as magnesium oil. It’s not actually an oil at all, but a super saturated solution of magnesium chloride. Magnesium oil can be sprayed or rubbed on the body, and is readily absorbed through the skin.
It helps to greatly increase the amount of magnesium in body tissues and overcomes the problems that some people have with loose stools when they try to take enough magnesium to meet their needs. This can be especially important in cases of severe magnesium deficiency that were only treatable with IV magnesium before magnesium oil came along.”
WHAT TYPE OF MAGNESIUM?
There are several different forms of magnesium that occur in nature. Each of these forms has varying degrees of efficiency in human biochemistry. The most common supplemental form is magnesium oxide, which has been shown to have as low as a 4% absorption rate (10). Magnesium oxide is great for improving bowel tone but not addressing magnesium deficiencies.
According to Dr. Carolyn Dean, M.D., N.D., author of The Magnesium Miracle and expert on magnesium therapy, magnesium chloride and other inorganic magnesium salts occur as metal-ligand complexes, substances bound around a single, central metal atom, in this case magnesium. These metal-ligand compounds may each be assigned a “stability constant”, which defines their relative ability to dissociate into ionic form.
Stability constants range from values less than one to values under twenty. With regard to forms of magnesium supplements, the closer the stability constant is to zero, the more bioavailable the supplement. Lower stability constants represent soluble complexes, more easily broken down into ionic form for bioavailability. This is important, as we assimilate magnesium not as the magnesium chloride compound, but rather as free magnesium and chloride ions.
MAGNESIUM CHART
As to the success of magnesium chloride for health via oral supplementation, the benefits are admirable. Many researchers advocate magnesium chloride as the most effective form of dietary supplementation, in part due to the vital role that chloride has in the production of hydrochloric acid in the stomach.
Magnesium plays a vital role in the production of hydrochloric acid in the stomach.
Some people simply do not produce enough hydrochloric acid (HCl), which can result in a number of health issues related to metabolism and nutrient absorption. These deficiencies can be due to various disorders that affect the stomach, or simply due to individual differences or reasons unknown. As we age, production of HCl in the stomach declines, often dramatically, and is nearly always left undiagnosed.
Magnesium chloride’s use as a magnesium supplement has the added benefit of helping to reduce many potential problems that could arise from steadily declining secretions of gastric acid in the stomach.
Inadequate HydroChloric Acid can Lead Too:
- Mal-Absorption of Vitamins and Minerals
- A Failure in Proper Digestion & Irritation of the Gut Lining
- An Increased Susceptibility to Unwanted Bacteria, Viruses & Yeasts Passing Thru the Gut
These advantages come from the extra chloride found in magnesium chloride, enough to increase production of gastric acid, thereby enhancing absorption and assimilation of magnesium itself, and improving overall digestive efficiency — creating an ideal environment for the assimilation of critical micronutrients important to health, especially as we age.