Epsom Salts?

clicketykeys
clicketykeys Posts: 6,589 Member
edited December 4 in Fitness and Exercise
Okay, so I hear that soaking in a warm bath with epsom salts is supposed to help sore muscles. But I haven't noticed any difference between that and just soaking in a warm bath without the salts. Is this an old wives' tale? Do I need to dump more salt in the tub? Swirl the water in a counter-clockwise motion? XD
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Replies

  • BrianSharpe
    BrianSharpe Posts: 9,248 Member
    edited October 2016
    It's the warm bath but having one of those salt lamps in the bathroom will help you align your chakras....or was it balance your chi? B)
  • BlueberryWatermelon
    BlueberryWatermelon Posts: 73 Member
    I was curious about this the other day, so I tried looking up scientific studies that showed they were beneficial.... but I couldn't really find anything that wasn't anecdotal. The conclusion was more - hey, it can't hurt. I find warm baths feel good for sore muscles regardless.

    If anyone else has more info to offer, I'm all ears. :smile:
  • clicketykeys
    clicketykeys Posts: 6,589 Member
    Well, mostly, I ran out. And I forgot to get more when we went grocery shopping. And I'm kind of not feeling like going out on a special trip just for that. (Although I did also forget to get asparagus. And laundry detergent. Sigh.)

    Plus if it doesn't really do anything, I don't want to drop money on it :tongue: cuz I'm cheap like that.
  • dewd2
    dewd2 Posts: 2,445 Member
    Jtalaskamom wrote: »
    The Epsom salt bath delivers magnesium through your skin. That magnesium help to reduce inflammation and it can act as a muscle relaxant. One cup for a bath that is about six inches deep should be enough. Make sure you stay in for at least 20min.

    That's the claim. Now try finding research to back it up. AFAIK, there's only one small study that has not been reviewed. While I doubt it hurts anything, I also doubt it helps.
  • sevenofnine01
    sevenofnine01 Posts: 54 Member
    Yeah, I think it's an old wives tale. If skin was that permeable, we'd be in trouble (think of all the crap we'd absorb through osmosis - a lotta chemcals floating around in our air).

    But I love adding it to my baths because it makes the water feel softer and silkier, and my skin feels nice after. Makes my bath feel a little more Spa-Like. And the scented Epsom Salt smells super nice (I get Lavender).
  • arditarose
    arditarose Posts: 15,573 Member
    Alluminati wrote: »
    clicketykeys wrote: »
    You know, when you said that, it reminded me that I might still have some bath oils up in the medicine cabinet. Well, I didn't. But you know what I did find?! Bath salts! WITH LAVENDER AND CHAMOMILE! :smiley: So, hurray! I'm outta here, y'all!

    Please don't eat any faces.

    :#:D

    I find magnesium works for sore muscles. There is a topical spray too but I've never tried it.
  • julie_broadhead
    julie_broadhead Posts: 347 Member
    dewd2 wrote: »
    Jtalaskamom wrote: »
    The Epsom salt bath delivers magnesium through your skin. That magnesium help to reduce inflammation and it can act as a muscle relaxant. One cup for a bath that is about six inches deep should be enough. Make sure you stay in for at least 20min.

    That's the claim. Now try finding research to back it up. AFAIK, there's only one small study that has not been reviewed. While I doubt it hurts anything, I also doubt it helps.

    They helped me during and after my pregnancy. I had some pretty bad hip pain towards the end and taking a bath with Epsom salts helped alleviate that pain so I could sleep. Post delivery my care team made me Epsom salt packs to help treat my post delivery swelling and the swelling was gone within a day.

  • BrianSharpe
    BrianSharpe Posts: 9,248 Member
    Jtalaskamom wrote: »
    The Epsom salt bath delivers magnesium through your skin. That magnesium help to reduce inflammation and it can act as a muscle relaxant. One cup for a bath that is about six inches deep should be enough. Make sure you stay in for at least 20min.

    Citation?
  • Gotrek1
    Gotrek1 Posts: 64 Member
    Radox makes a Muscle soak bath salt with Sage in it... And That one really works for me.

    Comes as a bath salt or a liquid version
    https://boots.scene7.com/is/image/Boots/10098693?id=QTQau2&fmt=jpg&fit=constrain,1&wid=504&hei=548
  • davidcliff
    davidcliff Posts: 144 Member
    sevenofnine01 wrote: »
    Yeah, I think it's an old wives tale. If skin was that permeable, we'd be in trouble (think of all the crap we'd absorb through osmosis - a lotta chemcals floating around in our air).

    But I love adding it to my baths because it makes the water feel softer and silkier, and my skin feels nice after. Makes my bath feel a little more Spa-Like. And the scented Epsom Salt smells super nice (I get Lavender).

    Ah, you're skin is permeable
  • JonDrees
    JonDrees Posts: 161 Member
    The idea is that the Mg absorbs better through the skin than taken orally. Not sure if there are studies to back this up or not. If nothing else, the warm water feels good.
  • dkabambe
    dkabambe Posts: 544 Member
    I remember looking this up some time ago - at the time was interested in magnesium absorption in relation to skin problems (and sleeping) rather than muscle soreness/inflammation. Remember reading that transdermal absorption is better than oral, and that you need to avoid phosphates which bind with magnesium in the body making it less available. From my research at that time, I worked out I needed at least 500g (in a deep bath that I could sink into) for effective absorption and I tend to use up to 1kg which seems a crazy amount but works for me. Afraid this was quite a few years ago so can't remember where I sourced that information.

    Anyway, I still do this now about once a month or so plus use occasionally a home made epsom salts based scrub as an exfoliant and pleased to report have had no skin problems since (didn't help with sleep though!). Haven't noticed any effect on muscles, though have only had one salts bath since I started exercising in anger again recently.
  • TrishaCisneros
    TrishaCisneros Posts: 171 Member
    Alluminati wrote: »
    clicketykeys wrote: »
    You know, when you said that, it reminded me that I might still have some bath oils up in the medicine cabinet. Well, I didn't. But you know what I did find?! Bath salts! WITH LAVENDER AND CHAMOMILE! :smiley: So, hurray! I'm outta here, y'all!

    Please don't eat any faces.

    ......protein.
  • ladarius93
    ladarius93 Posts: 47 Member
    Try either the lavender fragrance Epsom salt (Family Dollar) or you can add aromatherapy lavender drops(10),Braggs organic apple cider vinegar(2 cups)to your bath water along with regular Epsom salt and soak. Teally, really works. Also Walmart carries a doctor teas bath soak in liquid or powder. The Epsom salts will also detox your body while soaking.
  • dewd2
    dewd2 Posts: 2,445 Member
    ladarius93 wrote: »
    Try either the lavender fragrance Epsom salt (Family Dollar) or you can add aromatherapy lavender drops(10),Braggs organic apple cider vinegar(2 cups)to your bath water along with regular Epsom salt and soak. Teally, really works. Also Walmart carries a doctor teas bath soak in liquid or powder. The Epsom salts will also detox your body while soaking.

    Detox what? Did you overdose? Get the hospital ASAP.

    Show me the research please.
  • tiptoethruthetulips
    tiptoethruthetulips Posts: 3,371 Member
    I bought epsom salts in bulk (25kilos for $35 -AUD). I use three heaped cups plus 1 cup bicarb soda in a warm to hot bath, always feels good afterwards, particularly as I have just taken up weights again and doing a personal training session twice a week.
  • ladarius93
    ladarius93 Posts: 47 Member
    The directions are on the back of the Epsom salt bag. I also got the bath soak information from an article of better hones and garden. The Epsom salt detoxs the bad toxins from the body. You don't drink it. You add it to your bath for soaking. Not drinking. I wouldn't post an answer to someone's post with bogus or false information and jeopardize anyone's health or life. Also Bragg's has a booklet with all of the same information. That's where I got my research h from. Read it. It may be of great help to you dewd2.
  • ladarius93
    ladarius93 Posts: 47 Member
    That's Dr. Teal not Dr. Teas that's at walmart on the bath aisle with body soaks.
  • AnvilHead
    AnvilHead Posts: 18,343 Member
    edited October 2016
    ladarius93 wrote: »
    The directions are on the back of the Epsom salt bag. I also got the bath soak information from an article of better hones and garden. The Epsom salt detoxs the bad toxins from the body. You don't drink it. You add it to your bath for soaking. Not drinking. I wouldn't post an answer to someone's post with bogus or false information and jeopardize anyone's health or life. Also Bragg's has a booklet with all of the same information. That's where I got my research h from. Read it. It may be of great help to you dewd2.

    What toxins, specifically? And how does it "detox" them?
  • ladarius93
    ladarius93 Posts: 47 Member
    So I assume you're asking these 3 word questions to make it seem like I'm stupid or don't know what I'm talking about. Google epsom salt bath detoxs and you'll find out everything you need to know. I learned because I read and like I said Bragg's offers a guide and book about the same thing.
  • ladarius93
    ladarius93 Posts: 47 Member
    Here are some detox links dewd2:
    http://thehealthyapple.com/epsom-salt-detox-bath-how-to/
    http://goodworkswellness.com/create-a-detoxification-bath-using-common-ingredients/
    Purchase a Bragg's health nook and you'll see other health info as well
  • ladarius93
    ladarius93 Posts: 47 Member
    dewd2. If these links don't help you, then maybe this one will answer all of your wordy questions:
    http://healthylivinghowto.com/1/post/2012/01/detoxification-part-i-healing-waters.html
  • dewd2
    dewd2 Posts: 2,445 Member
    edited October 2016
    ladarius93 wrote: »
    So I assume you're asking these 3 word questions to make it seem like I'm stupid or don't know what I'm talking about. Google epsom salt bath detoxs and you'll find out everything you need to know. I learned because I read and like I said Bragg's offers a guide and book about the same thing.

    No one is saying you are stupid. But you really owe it to yourself to learn more about this so you don't waste your time and money (and others that come here understand it is not true). The evidence that Epson Salt does ANYTHING is very, very weak (and I'm being nice). However anything that claims it can 'detox' you is a complete scam.
  • clicketykeys
    clicketykeys Posts: 6,589 Member
    Well, I did pick up some lavender-scented salts at Kmart yesterday - mostly because I like lavender, and the salts were less expensive than the liquid bath gel stuff (based on the recommended use amount and how many 'servings' there were in the container). This version also has shea butter in it, I think? Haven't tried it out yet. I'll let you know what I think! :D Thanks everbody!
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