Magnesium is essential for over 300 biochemical reactions within the body. This is a common opening line in articles about this mineral, and the sheer number of processes dependent on magnesium truly illustrates how a deficiency can cause our stable health to crumble like a house of cards.

Therefore, magnesium, as an example, contributes to the normal functioning of the muscular and nervous systems, helps maintain a regular heartbeat, and is also vital for bone health. Regrettably, studies suggest that we aren’t getting enough magnesium through our food. For instance, figures from the United States reveal that as much as 75% of Americans have insufficient magnesium intake, reportedly due to lower magnesium levels in food and a greater consumption of processed foods.

Less and less magnesium in food

In the last 50 years, the magnesium content in 72 food items has decreased by as much as 21%, and certain agronomic food cultivation techniques as well as various environmental factors, including global warming, are responsible for this dramatic decline. Magnesium is a neglected element in artificial fertilizers used in food production, and the application of magnesium as part of soil fertilization is a potential solution; however, it is estimated that replenishing magnesium in the soil could take decades before the necessary levels are reached. Food processing technology has also contributed to the magnesium deficiency in the general population, as food processing methods result in the loss of up to 80% of magnesium, especially when it comes to grains. It is certainly worth adding the loss of magnesium from the body due to the use of medications, such as diuretics and proton pump inhibitors.

Magnesium in food supplements

A magnesium deficit in the diet can be compensated for by taking magnesium in the form of a dietary supplement, but there are certain challenges even with oral intake. Certain forms of magnesium in supplements have poor absorption, and almost all forms of magnesium in supplements have a laxative effect in the intestines. Magnesium oxide is the most commonly used magnesium salt due to its accessibility and price. Although magnesium oxide contains about 60% elemental magnesium, only about 4% is absorbed. Organic magnesium salts such as magnesium citrate, gluconate, orotate, or aspartate have higher bioavailability, likely due to their better solubility. Although the exact absorption can vary depending on the dose, preparation form, individual differences, and the state of the digestive system, magnesium citrate is generally considered to have one of the highest bioavailabilities among oral magnesium compounds. The average bioavailability of magnesium citrate in most scientific studies has been approximately 25-30%.

There is compelling evidence indicating that optimal absorption requires magnesium to remain in the intestines for at least 12 hours, which is likely not achievable due to the laxative effect of magnesium in dietary supplements. An alternative method of magnesium application aimed at preventing deficiency in the body is topical (transdermal) application, which bypasses the digestive system and is characterized by bodily absorption of around 90%. Furthermore, the molecule size of transdermal forms of magnesium is usually significantly smaller than that of oral forms, resulting in faster and better absorption into the bloodstream.

A review of the professional literature reveals that transdermal magnesium application has not been extensively researched; however, the results of several scientific studies published to date appear extremely promising. It is particularly recommended for chronic patients and patients with multiple comorbidities in order to reduce the burden on the digestive system, as their digestive systems are already burdened by illness or ailments.

Rapidly increasing blood and urine magnesium levels through transdermal application

In a pilot study conducted in 2014 at the University of Hertfordshire in the USA, 25 healthy adult participants took part. The transdermal absorption of magnesium was investigated, and the participants were divided into two groups, one of which applied a magnesium cream (56 mg) daily, while the other, the control group, applied a cream without added magnesium. The researchers took blood and urine samples from the participants at the beginning of the study and after 14 days, and the participants kept a food diary for four days. A total of 24 participants completed the study. A clinically significant increase in serum magnesium levels was observed in the group that applied the magnesium cream, and an increase in magnesium levels was also noted in the urine. Namely, the recorded increase of 0.07 mmol/l in serum is significant because such an increase with oral intake is expected after several months of using magnesium in the form of a dietary supplement.

For comparison, a study by Zhang et al. showed that with oral magnesium intake, increasing serum magnesium levels by 0.05 mmol/l required doses higher than 300 mg/day for a period longer than two months. Another interesting finding from this pilot study is that, excluding participants who engaged in sports, the increase in serum magnesium was even higher. It should be considered that magnesium is necessary for exercise itself, and it is possible that the magnesium absorbed from the cream in athletes’ bodies was used to replenish magnesium consumed during exercise, and therefore the real absorption of magnesium through the skin is not as clearly evident in the serum of athletic participants as it is in participants who did not engage in sports during the study. The fact that raising the level by 0.07 mmol/l transdermally after only 14 days of applying a low dose of magnesium is a clinically significant finding is also supported by a meta-analysis by Del Gobbo et al. from 2013. The conclusion of the cited meta-analysis states that an increase in circulating magnesium of 0.2 mmol/l is associated with a lower risk of cardiovascular diseases and ischemic heart disease by as much as 30%.

Hair analysis confirms the effectiveness of transdermal magnesium absorption

The effectiveness and practicality of magnesium spray application were confirmed by a study by Watkins et al. published in the UK in 2010. The study involved 9 participants who applied 20 sprays (a total of 400 mg of magnesium chloride daily) for 12 weeks and also took 20-minute foot baths with magnesium salts twice a week. The study authors chose hair as an indicator of mineral exposure. Hair analysis of the participants showed that seven participants had low levels of cellular magnesium before the start of the study, and after 12 weeks of transdermal magnesium application, the magnesium levels in the participants increased by an average of 59.7%.

Magnesium baths

Unlike the gastrointestinal epithelium, whose primary function is absorption, the primary function of the skin is that of a barrier, which under normal conditions limits the absorption of exogenous chemicals into the body. Despite the limited absorption capacity of healthy skin, it appears that magnesium does penetrate the skin. The richest source of bioavailable magnesium is the Dead Sea, which has been known for its healing properties since biblical times. The passage of electrolytes through the skin due to bathing in the Dead Sea or in simulated saline baths has been measured and confirmed in healthy individuals and individuals with skin conditions, namely psoriasis, and in animals, the absorption of magnesium has been proven using radioactive isotopes.

Judging by the current knowledge about transdermal magnesium application, it appears that magnesium can penetrate to the lymphatic system beneath the dermis and enter the circulation, bypassing the gastrointestinal system to raise serum magnesium levels. Considering the slow increase of magnesium in the body with oral intake, transdermal application in sprays or baths presents itself as an ideal complementary solution.

Choose a unique product

Be Natur Ionic Mg Skin&Sport Ultra rapid product is created using an innovative method based on structuring a solution that transforms 100% pharmaceutical-grade magnesium chloride hexahydrate into an ionized solution of magnesium and chlorine, which has a beneficial effect on your skin. The product is applied transdermally, is dermatologically tested, and is suitable for sensitive skin. It contains no other active ingredients; its effectiveness, as testified by many recreational and professional athletes from Croatia and beyond, is solely due to magnesium.