Magnesium has many healthful benefits for PWPs and others with health issues. The right dose of the right type of magnesium can help alleviate constipation and magnesium is healthy for the body in general. It can help with aches and pains, muscle strains, muscle cramps, stiff neck and can be very helpful when used as a massage oil for stiff and aching muscles. The topical mag oil acts quickly and is absorbed through the skin and can be applied in most areas of the body, but definitely avoid the eyes. A spray bottle of magnesium chloride oil is a very useful thing to have on hand when muscle problems pop up unexpectedly.
Magnesium is available in more than 12 forms. The most common and the one typically found in drug stores such as CVS and Walgreens is magnesium oxide, but it is also the most poorly absorbed. That form and a few others are useful for trying to help with constipation, but you have to experiment to find the dose that will be effective for you. Some people require much more than other people to help with constipation .
The magnesium malate and citrate are more bioavailable than the oxide form, but they too can help with constipation.
Other available forms are magnesium taurate, glycinate, L-threonate which is also commonly refered to as Magtein, orotate, aspartate, chloride, lactate, hydroxide, a form refered to as Simag and sulfate which is also called epsom salt and is typically used for adding to the bath for soaking. There are other forms, but these are some of the most commonly available on line at most popular supplement and vitamin suppliers, like Amazon, Swanson, Vitacost and I-Herb.
Increased intake of magnesium is associated with reduced risk of PD. The following link to a brief study abstract explains why magnesium may be beneficial for people living with PD.
Of all of the forms of magnesium, magnesium L-threonate or Magtein is thought to target the brain better than the other forms.
Although magnesium is beneficial for the brain, it also is beneficial to relieve muscle tension and pain when applied topically in the form known as magnesium chloride oil. Topical application is generally more effective for targeting muscles and joints and the effect is rapid. This form is very useful to rub into tense, stiff or sore muscles to give fast relief and help to relax the muscles. It also can help to alleviate some joint and nerve pain. The topical oil is not actually an oil, it just feels like an oil and can be purchased in ready to apply spray bottles or you can make it yourself very inexpensively by buying the magnesium chloride flakes on line and mixing them with distilled water.
I usually take 250 ml of distilled water and pour it into a 500ml or 16 ounce spray bottle. I then add the flakes to the bottle using a small funnel until the bottle is almost full, put the lid back on the bottle and shake vigorously. Let sit for half an hour top the bottle off with distilled water and shake vigorously again. The spray is now ready to apply to sore or stiff muscles or joints. Spray it on and rub it in! Relief usually starts in about 5 minutes. The good thing about this is you can use often without a problem and even though you are applying it topically, you will still absorb the magnesium into the body for additional health benefits. It is quite handy for stiff neck and shoulders as well as back, legs and arms. It can also be useful for muscle cramps in the hands, arms, legs and feet. If pain returns, just wet your hands with plain water and wet the areas where you previously applied the mag oil, rub the water in and this will reactivate the remaining magnesium chloride on the skin and pain relief should be felt within minutes.
Most well stocked vitamin stores will have an 8 or 16 ounce spray bottle in stock at a reasonable price (less than $15) so you can try it inexpensively and if it works well for you, then you can order a larger bag of magnesium chloride flakes on line and make your own mag oil at home very inexpensively!
Here are some magnesium chloride spray products that can be bought on Amazon or other online suppliers:
Here are some magnesium chloride flakes listings if you want to make it yourself. With the flakes you can make quite a few bottles from one bag by mixing it with distilled water as outlined above and it will be much cheaper than buying the already mixed spray bottles.
Lastly, never apply mag oil to a cut or open sore or scrape on the skin as it will burn!!! A lot!
In experimenting with the magnesium oil, I found that using vodka instead of distilled water made the oil feel less oily and seemed to help it dry faster. I also tried adding essential oils with the vodka. I tried a lavender batch, a sweet orange oil batch, a spearmint batch and a peppermint batch. I tried using witch hazel instead of distilled water. I also tried more magnesium flakes, but this made the mix feel more oily and did not seem to be additive. I also tried adding Methylsulfonylmethane (MSM) which seems to add a bit more pain relief for some people, but also comes with the potential to have an adverse reaction to the MSM, such as a rash. There is at least one mag oil manufacturer who offers a mag oil product with MSM already in it, but their product is lower in magnesium chloride and has relatively high MSM content . I have also added it to lotion.
All Interesting, but sometimes simplicity is interesting too!
As part of my on going mag oil experiment, I made some for different family members and friends with an assortment of health issues. A brother with Fibromyalgia, I made a batch with msm, vodka and orange oil in it and gave it to him and he said it has been very good in relieving muscle tension and pain in his neck, shoulders and upper back. He said he is going to start trying it every where that he has pain now! Here is an abstract of a study which suggests that mag oil was shown to be benficial for peop;e living with fibromyalgia:
For a sister with FSH muscular dystrophy, I made a mix with vodka and mag flakes and she said it is helpful in relieving pain related to the MD.
For another sister with arthritis in her hands and wrists I made a bottle using witch hazel and mag flakes with orange oil and she said it works very well and completely relieves her pain and allows her to use her hands normally. Her husband was interested once he saw how she benefited from using the mag oil and he tried it for his osteo-arthritis in his knees, hands and one arm that bothers him a lot after walking with his cane. He loves it!
This abstract of a recent study might explain why:
I also made a batch for a friend who I have known since high school. She had a stroke over 12 years ago and has had nerve pain on the left side of her body 24/7 ever since the stroke even though she has regained almost full use of her left side. She told me that the pain is such that even a slight breeze blowing against the left side of her body can cause a tremendous amount of pain. Her doctor told her that he had little to offer for her nerve pain long term other than a couple of medications that are used for depression. Unfortunately those medications did not help her pain so she started taking ibuprofen to "take the edge off" of her pain, but her doctor cut her off because it was affecting her kidneys negatively after months of use. I made her a batch from vodka, mag flakes and msm and it gave her relief within 4 or 5 minutes of application.......the most pain relief she had had in over 12 years. She was ecstatic, but after application, she told me that about 15 minutes later she could feel the pain coming back. We were both disappointed. At that point she reached for the mag oil bottle to apply more and I told her not to, just add water on top to see if it could reactivate any dry magnesium chloride on her skin. In just a few minutes the pain started to reduce again and this time the relief lasted much longer. She told me that now she may or may not apply the mag oil to any nerve pain as it reappears and then justs adds water on top of the application area if the pain starts to come back, but now she says that sometimes she doesn't have to add water and the pain remains controlled It is hard to believe that she has lived with this kind of pain for over 12 years.
This full study suggests that magnesium can be helpful for chronic pain and migraine headaches:
I made a basic distilled water and mag chloride flakes for a neighbor to try. She had worked all day for two days in a row on her front and backyard gardening.. She is 80 years old! Well, she was very sore by the second night and decided to try the mag oil. She called me this morning and told me she was very surprised at how well the mag oil had relieved her pain and she wanted to make sure I would be able to make more for her!
For another friend who was having muscle cramps in his legs, I made him a small basic batch and he told me it made the cramps go away in minutes and helped his leg muscles to relax.
Many people will tell you that you can't get diarrhea from topically applied mag oil, but it has been my personal experience that if you apply way too much mag oil to your whole abdomen legs and arms, it might. I didn't get diarrhea, but it did definitely loosen things up! I would imagine that if you are very sensitive to mag oil, it may be worthwhile to start slowly and work your way up!
Lastly for now, another abstract discussing another way magnesium may benefit people with AD and PD:
There are so very many studies which highlight the many health benefits of magnesium, it seems that most people should have it in their medicine cabinet all of the time!
Magnesium plays such an integral role in human health that there are books written about just it. So many ways that it can affect our health. It even reacts with certain gut bacteria to optimize performance and I am a firm believer in the idea that gut health can equate to the health in the rest of the body.
Saying that magnesium is pain relieving, muscle relaxing and healthful is one thing, but this forum is about PD and the following abstract suggests that magnesium soil content is a factor in PD mortality. According to the abstract below, high soil magnesium, strontium and selenium content is associated with lower PD mortality! The idea being that high soil content equates to higher intake through locally grown food, ground water and air intake. Association does not prove causation, but it sure makes you think about it when you already know that magnesium has shown benefit in people living with PD! So if your local soil is low on these three, maybe you can take steps to remedy that deficiency?
Environ Geochem Health. 2018 Feb;40(1):349-357. doi: 10.1007/s10653-017-9915-8. Epub 2017 Feb 7.
Association of soil selenium, strontium, and magnesium concentrations with Parkinson's disease mortality rates in the USA.
Sun H1.
Author information
Abstract
Among the 41 soil elements analyzed from 4856 sites across the contiguous 48 states, average Parkinson's disease (PD) mortality rates between 1999 and 2014 have the most significant positive correlation with the average soil strontium (Sr) concentrations (correlation r = 0.47, significance level p = 0.00), and average PD mortality rates have the most significant inverse correlation with the average soil selenium (Se) concentrations (r = -0.44, p = 0.00). Multivariate regression models indicate that soil Sr and Se concentrations can explain 35.4% of spatial disparities of the state average PD mortality rates between 1999 and 2014 (R 2 = 0.354). When the five outlier states were removed from the model, concentrations of soil Sr and Se can explain 62.4% (R 2 = 0.624) of the spatial disparities of PD mortality rates of the 43 remaining states. The results also indicate that high soil magnesium (Mg) concentrations suppressed the growth rate of the PD mortality rates between 1999 and 2014 in the 48 states (r = -0.42, p = 0.000). While both Se and Sr have been reported to affect the nervous system, this study is the first study that reported the statistically significant association between the PD mortality rates and soil concentrations of Se, Sr, and Mg in the 48 states. Given that soil elemental concentration in a region is broad indicator of the trace element intake from food, water, and air by people, implications of the results are that high soil Se and Mg concentrations helped reduce the PD mortality rates and benefited the PD patients in the 48 states.
Some people have tried oral magnesium and found the results to be less than expected for something like cramps or muscle aches or whatever they were using it for. By applying mag oil topically, it is possible to reach higher local tissue levels than would be possible through oral consumption.....well at least not without getting diarrhea first with the oral magnesium. If you are already taking oral magnesium and getting minor benefit, you may be able to boost your benefit with the addition of the topical mag oil while still minimizing your risk for diarrhea. One that I have used along with mag oil is clove essential oil because it acts as a transdermal penetration enhancer, but some people may not be able to tolerate the smell or may be allergic to clove oil. It is hard to find, but pure aloe vera oil is also a transdermal penetration enhancer that would likely be milder and more people friendly than clove oil if you feel you need it. Mag oil penetrates fairly well on its own though!
The following study shows that magnesium is very beneficial when used in conjunction with exercise by increasing glucose availability in the blood, muscle and brain during exercise!
This full study discusses how magnesium has an inverse relationship to diabetes incidence as well as an inverse relationship to certain inflammatory markers. Keeping your total inflammatory load low will probably go a long way toward warding off disease in general while promoting better health overall!
This very short article clearly explains why you absolutely have to have magnesium in adequate amounts in order to get all of the benefits that vitamin D has to offer. It is always mentioned that magnesium is one of the cofactors for vitamin D, but this brief article really makes the point clear and easy to understand!
In my on going magnesium chloride experiment, I tried using lotion right on top of the topical magnesium oil application and this makes it much better in terms of the feel on the skin! Some people complain that the topical magnesium oil feels somewhat dry on the skin or less than normal once it dries and applying lotion right on top makes that feeling just go away! I believe the lotion also helps to improve the absorption of the magnesium! In any case, this would be my preferred application method. The topical magnesium oil is great for many of the aches, pains, muscle spasms or cramps and discomfort associated with PD! The lotion just makes it better!
I will have to experiment a little more now to see if I can just make a magnesium lotion so you don't have to use two things......just one!
Art
A common and important symptom of PD that sometimes gets overlooked because it is not as apparent as a symptom like tremors, is depression. The following study shows that magnesium is a very simple, non-invasive and effective approach to help with depression. Here is a link to the full study.
It is already well established that magnesium is healthful for people, but it seems quite versatile when it comes to PWPs. Beneficial for depression, anxiety, muscle cramps, localized pain relief, assists vitamin D to release all of its health benefits and helps with stiffness and cramping to name just a few of the benefits of magnesium for PWPs!
Art
in reply to
To further add to the above study, it appears that one way magnesium may ameliorate depression is by altering the gut biome.
It seems like there is a common theme forming here as regards PD!
Art
Many sites on line mention magnesium l threonate / Mag-T / MagTein as the one magnesium that specifically targets the brain, which of course would be very important in PD, however this recent study suggests that magnesium taurate may also target the brain and magnesium malate to a lesser extent. Taurine is already well known to be beneficial for PD and the heart and magnesium has its benefits also, so magnesium taurate may be in league with magnesium l-threonate.......... or is it better????
Here is a new study adding data to the idea that magnesium has a role to play in multiple health issues including some neurodegenerative diseases like AD and PD.
Another magnesium study showing yet another good reason why magnesium is very healthful for us........a reduction in several parameters of metabolic syndrome (METS).
The objective of the study was to evaluate the efficacy of oral magnesium supplementation in the improvement of metabolic syndrome (MetS) and its components. This is a randomized double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial that enrolled 198 individuals with MetS and hypomagnesemia who were randomly allocated to receive either 30 mL of magnesium chloride 5% solution, equivalent to 382 mg of elemental magnesium (n = 100), or placebo solution (n = 98), daily for 16 weeks. Serum magnesium levels <1.8 mg/dL defined hypomagnesemia. At final conditions, a total of 48 (48%) and 76 (77.5%) individuals had MetS in the magnesium and placebo groups (P = 0.01), respectively. At baseline, percent of individuals with 3, 4, and 5 criteria of MetS in the magnesium group were 60.0%, 37.0%, and 3.0%, respectively, and in the control group 55.1%, 35.7%, and 9.2%, respectively. Between basal and final conditions, changes in the components of MetS were significantly higher in the magnesium than placebo groups: -3.6 ± 3.3 mmHg, P = 0.001 for systolic blood pressure; -5.5 ± 1.7 mmHg, P = 0.005 for diastolic blood pressure; -12.4 ± 3.6 mg/dL, P < 0.005 for fasting glucose; -61.2 ± 24 mg/dL, P = 0.003 for triglycerides; and 0.9 ± 0.4 mg/dL, P = 0.06 for high-density lipoprotein cholesterol. Magnesium supplementation improves MetS by reducing blood pressure, hyperglycemia, and hypertriglyceridemia.
A growing body of evidence shows the effect of magnesium on serum glucose, HDL-cholesterol, and triglycerides levels, as well as on blood pressure, which strongly suggests that magnesium might play an important role in metabolic syndrome (MetS), a cluster of risk factors for cardiovascular disease and type 2 diabetes. We performed a systematic review of clinical evidence derived from randomized, double-blind, controlled clinical trials, regarding the efficacy of magnesium supplementation on the components of MetS. Using the electronic databases of Medline, Embase, and the Cochrane Controlled Trials Register up to May 2016, we looked for randomized controlled trials focused on the effects of oral magnesium supplementation on insulin sensitivity, glucose, triglyceride and HDL-cholesterol levels, as well as its effects on high blood pressure, irrespective of the magnesium salt used, and with a duration of at least four weeks. Crossover studies, irrespective of blinding criteria, were not included. Results of this review show that magnesium supplementation in individuals with hypomagnesemia can be effective in the treatment of MetS.
I can report about studies showing that magnesium can be helpful for PWPs , but sometimes an anecdotal report from a PWP who is actually using it to good effect can help put it into perspective. On that note, here is an anecdotal report by a PWP:
Did you use both the topical mag oil and oral dosing? I have never gotten the relaxing effect or pain relieving effect of mag oil from oral dosing of all the different types of oral magnesium I have tried. I feel the topical is additive to the oral dosing though.
I'm sorry for the delay in this reply as I got busy with something else and just got a chance to respond to your question.
I alternate between Magnesium L- Threonate and Magnesium Taurate. When I take the magnesium taurate, I take 2,500 mg and when I take the magnesium l threonate, I take 2,010 mg.
The topical magnesium chloride I use topically as needed and it works very well for me for pain and muscle relaxing. Its effect is fairly quick, but none of the different oral forms of magnesium I have tried over the years provides these two benefits.
Hi Art, when do you take your Magnesium doses? Just at night or night and morning? My dad currently takes it before bed, but wondering if we should take a dose in the morning with the HDT B1. Thanks!
Whenever you reply to one of my older posts where the icon says, "Hidden", I am not notified of your post by HU, because I no longer use that ID. I only saw your post by accident when browsing the forum. My new identity is "chartist"/Art and that is what appears on my newer posts. This happened because I left the forum for some months.
On to your question. I generally take magnesium glycinate about one to two hours before bed time and this helps somewhat in helping me to get to sleep. In the daytime I take Magnesium Taurate with food. With magnesium l threonate, I take the recommended dose on the bottle and split it into two doses, one in the late evening about an hour before bed and one during the day. With this form I could take it all at once if desired, because I have never had an issue with diarrhea with it. Other forms like magnesium citrate, I would definitely need to split the dose up in order to avoid the potential for diarrhea.
The next Magnesium form I will be testing is a form that combines three popular forms of magnesium and was recommended by forum member Kia17. That one I will be taking all of the recommended dose before bed unless it causes diarrhea, which I don't think it will. I believe that particular form contains magnesium l threonate, magnesium glycinate and magnesium taurate. Kia highly recommended this form and says it helps with sleep among other effects that he reported.
I also use the topical spray of magnesium chloride as needed for pain, tight or stiff muscles and muscle cramps in the legs/feet or arms/hands. It is also quite useful for arthritis pain, bursitis and pain from a torn rotator cuff as well as frozen shoulder and in some people it can be helpful for certain nerve pain and in at least one study it has shown benefit for people with fibromyalgia. I find it useful occasionally to help with sleep when applied to the chest, back of the neck and upper shoulder area. I also find it helpful with tension headaches that seem to originate in the neck area.
I take Doctor's Best High Absorption Magnesium Glycinate Lysinate, 100% Chelated, Non-GMO, Vegan, Gluten Free, Soy Free, 100 mg, 2 of these a day. Probably not enough, what do you tihnk? I used to use Mg Malate, up to 1000mg a day did not give me any noticeable relief. So I switched to this allegedly more absorb-able type. I take it with my B1. I guess I could dose much higher. Dr Robinson, my Amino Acid guide, says he has patients that take up to 1800mg a day and more, its different for everyone. Im just chicken, I dont want to get hyperMagnesiumemia or something!
The stiffness in my rt arm is one of my most stubborn symptoms. Once in a while, a chiropractor or massage therapist hit on something that gives me up to 2 weeks of relief but its rare and has been a while since we hit on it. I kept going back to them for a long time, something I call Chasing The Dragon! I recently stopped altogether because we have been so unsuccessful for so long.
I'm not thinking that 200 mg/day is going to be sufficient to see results unless you are also consuming plenty of magnesium rich foods.....as in a ton of it!
The problem with this approach, is that if you happen to be taking a poorly absorbed form of magnesium, you will reach bowel tolerance way before you reach sufficient magnesium in your system.
Thanks so much, Art. I really appreciate that you took the time to spell it out for me. The type of Mg i am taking is thoroughly absorbed but yes, i need to dose it much higher.
For those of you who are doing John Pepper's fast walking or just exercise hard regularly, magnesium may be synergistic with such exercise and may be worth adding to your regular regimen. The following study tends to confirm this idea and the fact that magnesium can increase glucose to the blood, brain and muscles while helping to clear elevated levels of lactate, allowing you to get a more optimal benefit from the exercise you are doing! How great is that? Everyone wants to maximize the benefit they get from the exercise they do!
The MIRACLE MINERAL, Art! How many drops of orange oil do you add to a 16oz mag oil bottle? Also, apply mag oil before exercising or after? I spray it on my husband's hamstrings usually before he goes to bed. I love clove oil and cinnamon bark oil which I use alternatively as cofactors with "Arnica Relief Oil" to massage his hands for tremor relief--WORKS for him.
I like the sweet orange oil so I would put 50 drops in a 16 ounce bottle and always shake before using. Spearmint oil is kind of refreshing to me in summer weather so I use that too in warmer weather, but less because it is fairly strong. The lavender is purported to be relaxing. Clove I like and will go heavy like the orange oil. Cinnamon bark is fairly strong and so I use much less and it can bring a little heat with it when too strong.
In order to get the benefit of extra glucose to the brain, muscles and blood, apply magnesium before exercise.
How do you like the the Arnica Relieve Oil? The homopathic version is a very good pain reliever as are the homeopathic pellets when taken regularly under the tongue.
Thanks. I love Arnica Relieve Oil, and it's really helping him. Hamstrings and knees doing better, don't know what contributed but whatever it is, it is more than WELCOME.
I am no longer adding essential oils to my home made mag oil mixes because if the mix sits too long, the scent of the essential oil may be altered to a "not so nice scent", so no more essential oil in my mag oil.
My husband is using mag oil daily and frequently. He is through a bottle in about 2 weeks. So I still add lavender and cinnamon essential oils. It smells good, too!
That would be correct because you use it up before it has a chance for the scent to alter. I use it fairly slowly for myself, but when it is getting long in the tooth and the scent changes, there is no way I am going to walk around smelling like that! So as little as I use it, the shelf life remains very long if I do not add any essential oil, so that would be what I do now. Since I have no control over how fast others use their mag oil, I thought it simpler to just drop the essential oil idea so that nobody ends up with a bad batch or wasting their bottle of mag oil as the mag oil is very well absorbed on its own.
It's a miracle oil in any event. Every PwP should use it daily, excellent for muscle pain but also good "nutrition" for the brain.
I just saw this on Amazon and thought I would post it for any one who is considering trying mag oil because this is the lowest price I have seen for an 8 ounce spray bottle of mag oil and Amazon says free shipping on this item until the end of January, making it a very good deal for any one interested in trying mag oil!
I just read this interesting post. Thank you very much. I may try the spray for my arthritic knees and migraines. I have a dear 90 year old friend with severe neuropathy in her feet. She doesn’t want to be swallowing more pills that don’t work. What mixture do you recommend for her neuropathy?
I am not sure if the mag oil will help with her neuropathy, but if I had neuropathy I would try it as my first choice as it is inexpensive and non invasive.
I have experimented with many ratios of mag chloride flakes to distilled water. Many of the commercial products are set at the 70% area, but I make mine at approximately 50% because the commercial solutions with that high of a magnesium content can be harsh for some people with sensitive skin and it can also take longer to dry. In my experience the commercial products are no more effective than the 50% or if they are different, the difference is negligible. So for me, my preference is for the 50% magnesium chloride oil mixed in distilled water or vodka as it can be less harsh, dries faster and works well. The vodka mix dries faster than the distilled water mix.
Art
This Psychology Today article adds more confirmation to the idea that magnesium is very useful for depression and anxiety. In this one they discuss a study where they used magnesium chloride, the same one type that is used to make mag oil and is very absorbable. The topical mag oil form is also useful for muscle cramps, spasms and pain relief from many causes including arthritis, carpal tunnel, sprains and stiff muscles.
after I had read this article and somewhere someone I thought ( although I cannot find it on this post ) started that they found the MagEhanced the best. She only took 1 tablet at night for 3 days and stopped due to increased tremor, brain fog and lethergy. Having now re read the information on the one Dr C had recommended to others ( Aximagnesio) it states that it suits the most sensitive patients. What do others think
a) that she should just not take Magnesium at all.
2) She should try the Aximegnesio.
We are looking to see if it will help HDT absorption, mild tremor or morning lethergy.
Doesn't this sound like HDT overdose to you? 1) Increased tremor 2) brain fog 3) lethargy, all three of these have been seen to increase in B-1 overdose. Magnesium is not known for causing these issues. You already know that your sister requires a fairly low dose of B-1.
Adding magnesium to HDT can be synergistic because magnesium can help convert thiamine to the activated form which could be somewhat similar to an increased B-1 dose in some people.
You haven't even established an optimal B-1 dose and you are adding things to the mix, exactly what Dr. C advises against doing! He will only add magnesium or anything else to HDT, once an optimal dose has been established. All of this information is in the HDT reference pages already that can be seen by clicking on my icon. He generally reserves adding magnesium as a means to assist the HDT when he feels it is warranted and he does not recommend it to every patient. I think it may be an option he reserves for people at higher B-1 dosing as a way to improve response, but your sister seems fairly sensitive to B-1 already.
Yes agree. Wrong step to take. Learnt but also feel we have learnt that with the reaction she had we must be so close to her optimal dose. Thanks
She seems to respond quickly to a relatively low dose. Fortunately experimenting with low dosing is pretty noninvasive, but it can be very frustrating to be sure! The magnesium may be pushing upward on dosing, so if she is going to continue with magnesium, she may have to go even lower on the B-1. The magnesium alone should not cause those three issues and may actually help ameliorate them to some extent in some people.
Previously I had mentioned that I sometimes add an essential oil to mag oil. I no longer use any essential oil in my mag oil mixes because I found if the bottle sat too long before it got used up, the essential oil lost its fragrance or did not smell as good as when new, so no more essential oil in my mag oil! Why waste the essential oil?
It is pretty well established that magnesium in oral and topical form can be useful for PWPs in helping to alleviate some mild symptoms associated with PD such as cramps, mild dystonia, joint aches, tight or stiff muscles and pain in different areas of the body, but the studies continue to show that magnesium does more than that in not so apparent ways as relieving the above listed symptoms.
Magnesium interacts at a cellular level and maintaining magnesium homeostasis is also important as that can lead to protection of dopaminergic cells resulting in greater cell survival as well as restored mitochondrial membrane potential!
For PWPs, magnesium continues to show its value that goes well beyond the already well known benefits of improved sleep, relief of cramps, anxiety and depression relief, stiff muscles, aches and pains including those from arthritis and fibromyalgia, muscle relaxing effects and tension headache relief!
These cellular benefits are not readily apparent and occur over a longer time frame "behind the scenes", but they are very important toward longer term quality of life because we are talking about repairing current damage and preventing future damage!
With what is currently known about magnesium it seems appropriate that your doctor, neurologist or MDS should make sure that you are replete with magnesium to take full advantage of all that magnesium has to offer PWPs over the near term and long term!!!
The following abstract suggests that magnesium oxide may interfere with C/L dosing. Even though this study only used magnesium oxide, it may be worth the effort to take any oral magnesium supplement away from C/L dosing on the chance that other forms of magnesium may have a similar effect as magnesium oxide.
For any member's using a proton pump inhibitor (PPI) , it may be necessary to adjust your magnesium intake in some way! Three very common PPI's are Prilosec (Omeperazole), Prevacid (Iansoprazole) and Nexium (Esomeprazole).
Here are a couple of studies that show that PPI's can cause magnesium deficiency or hypomagnesemia, by blocking or reducing the absorption of magnesium. Apparently just one more downside of using PPI's.
Just a guess on my part, but since it is thought that the problem may be that the PPI's block or reduce absorption in the gut, topically applied magnesium chloride oil or mag oil (MO) may be another way to get enough magnesium.
For people on PPI's who do not feel they get much if any benefit from magnesium, this could be a possible reason why. Forum member "bass" comes to mind in this scenario as I am fairly sure that he has stated little to no benefit from magnesium and I believe he is a PPI user.
I haven't updated this post in awhile, but I wanted to add some information about topical mag oil (MO).
Recently I was talking with a friend who has multiple sclerorsis (MS) and she told me that she has degenerative disc disease (DDD) also and she had significant pain in her upper back and neck area that her doctor told her was related to the MS and DDD, but the pain medication that the doctor offered her was not effective for her pain. I suggested that she try MO since she could just apply it topically as needed if it helped to relieve her pain. I gave her a small purse sized spray bottle to try and she told me it worked very well for her upper back and neck pain and that she would be buying a bigger bottle of MO! I just wanted to share that news in case anyone has family or a friend with the same issue. Applying commercial MO products to the neck, which is a sensitive area, can sometimes be irritating as the commercial products are often in the 70% area of strength. What I have done for myself under those circumstances to lessen the chance of irritation is slightly diluted the commercial MO with a little distilled water to bring the mix closer to 50%, which is usually the strength that I make my MO at home, 50% and I find this much less likely to be irritating and less oily feeling as well as quicker to dry.
For her DDD, I told her about oral hyaluronic acid (HA) that I have posted about previously on the forum. It takes a month or so to see benefit from that, so she told me she would update me on that in a month or so as she had already ordered the HA.
It's been over 3 years and I have something I'd like to add that I recently noticed.I walk about 2 miles a day at a fairly fast clip. Recently I noticed I was getting tightness in my calves and on each side of the Achilles tendon and this was forcing me to walk slower than normal as the muscles felt like they were on the verge of cramping and they were starting to hurt. This happened 2 days in a row, so today I applied my home made MSM spray for pain control and my home made mag oil spray (MO) to the affected areas to relax the muscles before my walk. I was able to walk at my normal rapid pace again or so I thought. Interestingly, I had knocked over a minute off of my regular time for this walk. Needless to say, I will be applying MSM and MO sprays regularly before my walk, at least for awhile. If it allows me to walk even faster, I can build my leg muscles up a bit more.
To update my mag oil experience, I went for my walk this morning and once again applied MO to my calves and Achilles area before walking, but this time I didn't use MSM as I felt no pain. Again this eliminated any feeling of near cramping and allowed me to walk at my usual quick clip again. I know this is not much of a reduction, but I was able to cut a solid 2 minutes off of my normal walk time of 30 minutes! I have not been able to get below 30 minutes in about a decade, so for me, I was impressed!
Rather than buy a big bag of magnesium chloride, try buying an 8 ounce bottle of spray first to find out if it will be helpful for you so if it is not effective for you, you have only about $ 10 or $20 invested depending on the brand you get. If it works for you, then you can order the flakes. I buy an 8 pound bag at a time because I also make it for friends and family. There are directions to make it in the original post of this thread at the top of this page.
Regarding MSM, I am no longer recommending its use to others because I only late last year or early this year found out about side effects that I have never seen or heard of before, except for one website which listed some serious side effects. After reading those, I decided not to recommend MSM in topical or oral form any more. I've been using MSM for over a decade in oral and topical form with no problems so I continue to use it. I generally add 4 to 5 grams of MSM granules or powder to each ounce of distilled water in my 8 ounce spray bottle. This is just below a saturated solution. 40 grams of MSM in 8 ounces of distilled water is what I use for myself, but I can't recommend that to others.
Hi Art, just ordered 8oz from Amazon. Can you give me some recommendations while I have you online. Which oral magnesium are you doing and at what dose?
Helps with sleep and brain. Contains Magnesium Taurate, Magnesium L Threonate and Magnesium Glycinate, three very good form of magnesium. Mag-T and Mag Taurate have shown in studies to both cross the blood brain barrier (BBB) while Magnesium Glycinate is well absorbed. The Taurine content in Mag Taurinate also crosses the BBB and can have a calming effect among other benefits.
I'm taking the label listed 3 caps about 2 hours before bedtime, but will also test 2 caps and possibly 1 cap depending on how 2 caps works out.
I usually make close to a saturated solution for myself because I tolerate MSM very well, but don't recommend that to others because there are some very significant side effects to MSM for people who don't tolerate it. Oddly, nobody seems to make just an MSM spray. The only one I find on amazon comes with MO in it, but it has much more MSM than MO in it. For myself, I usually use 4 to 5 grams per ounce of filtered or distilled water, but I have not been recommending MSM to others anymore because of side effects which I have only recently become aware of.
If a person has taken high dose MSM ( 10~20 grams/day) and not had problems, they might be able to use it topically making a spray from the powder or crystals, but the side effects worry me for others. I have no way of determining who can tolerate topical MSM and I don't want to suggest it anymore if it could put someone in the hospital.
Here are some reported side effects from people who have had adverse reactions to MSM as reported on another website :
Side effects that affect the heart include palpitations, tightness in the chest, and increased blood pressure. More than one person has ended up in the emergency room with scary heart symptoms from taking MSM.
Emotional side effects caused by MSM can be equally as debilitating and frightening. Anxiety and mild to severe depression are side effects experienced by some who take MSM. Mood swings may be more pronounced.
MSM can affect the skin with rashes, dry skin, hives and itching.
While some who take MSM experience an increase in energy, others experience fatigue, exhaustion, and dizziness.
Digestive side effects can include gas, foul stools, constipation, diarrhea and urine retention.
Headaches, migraines, insomnia, muscle cramps, increased thirst and dehydration are other side effects reported by those who have tried MSM.
How to Avoid Side Effect when taking MSM
1. Start Slowly
Start with any new supplement it is usually a good idea to start with a small dose and increase your dose slowly so that you can watch for side effects and evaluation how the supplement is working for you. You can even start with ½ or ¼ or the manufacturer’s recommended dose.
2. Check Labels
Look for added ingredients in your supplement. Sometimes the ingredients added in the processing of supplements is the true culprit in side effects.
3. Use a Quality Brand
Use a brand that was recommended to you by someone you know, or your natural health practitioner.
4. Take MSM Early in the Day
Do not take MSM late in the day or at bedtime to avoid the side effect of insomnia.
5. Take MSM with Food
When you first start taking MSM, it is advisable to take it with food. It is more common to have side effects from new supplements when you take them on an empty stomach.
MSM: Is it for Everyone?
Some who have reactions to sulfa drugs also have trouble with MSM, so if you have reactions to sulfa drugs, MSM may not be the best solution for you.
People with mood disorders seem to be more likely to have serious psychological side effects like anxiety and depression.
If you have mild to serious nutritional deficiencies, MSM could exacerbate that problem. MSM can deplete molybdenum, an essential trace mineral.
Individuals who take prescription or over the counter medications on a regular basis may find that MSM affects the way their medications work.
Those whose bodies are severely toxic or sick are at higher risk for detox reactions and side effects. It may not be that MSM is the problem, but if it removes undesirable metals or parasites from your body when you take it, your body may feel quite ill during the detox process.
As you can see, these are fairly severe side effects and I only recently became aware of some of these more severe ones because they are not mentioned when you google search MSM side effects. I have also seen that in some people MSM is very well absorbed through the skin similarly to DMSO and can cause a very bitter taste in the mouth even though only applying it to the skin. For all of these reasons, this is why I have gotten away from recommending it.
Thank you! My husband was taking it, but he stopped it, not for its side effects which he exhibited none, but because he wanted to take less supplements. I buy a magnesium lotion which has added MSM.
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