"Magnesium is an essential mineral that the body uses for a number of functions. It has long been thought to help with sleep when taken as an oral supplement, though there is little scientific evidence to back up that claim. Influencers now promote magnesium in lotion form as an elixir for improving sleep as well as for addressing a wide range of problems, including cortisol and insulin imbalance, muscle soreness, fibromyalgia and arthritis."
""Did you know rubbing magnesium cream on your child's feet can help with sleep?" asks one woman on TikTok who goes by cottagecalderon and who promises that it can help with growing pains and improving mood. "No midnight leg cramps," says a man on the account tap.the.orange.cart. "It works for me and my wife." "Y'all," says another TikTokker, well over 40ish, "this magnesium lotion and spray is magic in the bottle.""
""The problem with this is that the skin is a barrier, not a sponge," says Nicholas Theodosakis, a dermatologist and researcher at Harvard University. Most medications are best delivered orally, which allows for quick absorption into the bloodstream. A few kinds of substances are well suited to absorption through the skin, he says. Often, transdermal patches are used for medications that need to be slowly absorbed over time. There's no evidence that magnesium is in this category."
Influencers promote magnesium lotion for sleep and many ailments, often recommending application to the feet or whole body. Market research estimated 2024 topical magnesium sales above $400 million. Scientific support for transdermal magnesium absorption is scant. Dermatologists state the skin is a barrier, not a sponge, and most medications are best taken orally for bloodstream absorption. A few substances suit transdermal delivery, often via patches, but magnesium lacks evidence for that category. Any perceived benefits may stem from massage or placebo effects rather than systemic magnesium uptake.
Read at www.npr.org
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