Muscle cramps can be extremely painful and, in some cases, can prevent people from sleeping. One reason for muscle cramps can be a magnesium deficiency. Magnesium helps to regulate muscle contractions and causes your muscles to relax after contracting. If your magnesium levels are low, the muscles may contract too much, leading to muscle cramps and spasms.

In addition to regulating muscle function, magnesium supports the body in many other ways. It also regulates blood sugar levels, supports the immune system, strengthens bones and improves sleep.

Our bodies don’t produce magnesium, so we have to get it from other sources. The best ways to increase our magnesium levels are eating foods that are rich in magnesium and absorbing magnesium through the skin. Foods that are high in magnesium include pumpkin seeds, almonds, spinach, cashews, peanuts, avocados and brown rice. However, there are some issues with eating magnesium-rich foods – it takes time for the magnesium to go through the digestive system and be absorbed into the body, and magnesium can be lost through the gastrointestinal tract. We can avoid these issues by using topical magnesium which is absorbed through the skin.

Topical magnesium includes magnesium lotion, gel, oil or bath salts. They all use magnesium chloride – a stable, naturally abundant and the most soluble form of magnesium. You simply apply or spray it directly onto your skin or add it into your bath. The magnesium will be absorbed through the skin and delivered to your cells.   

If you want to relieve muscle cramps, try using topical magnesium! It can also help with skin conditions such as eczema and psoriasis. If you’re unsure about what type of topical magnesium would work best for you, consider consulting a naturopath.