Disclaimer:
The following chapter is not meant to heal or cure any problems or disease that
you may be experiencing. For proper help and treatment with the use of Epsom
salt see a medical expert on the subject or an alternative recognised medical practitioner.
The author is not responsible for any problem or damage that occurs to the
reader and those you choose to apply and use Epsom salt.
Also, this chapter is not to cover the subject of Epsom salt, its uses and many benefits/side effects.
Epsom
salt
What
are Epsom salts made up of and where are they found?
They
are a naturally occurring mineral that is found in water. It is a mineral that
is made up of oxygen, hydrogen, sulphur and magnesium. (1) More properly known as magnesium sulphate, Epsom salts derives its popular name from the town of Epsom, England, where
the compound was first distilled from water. (2)
Benefits
of Epsom salt
This long-time remedy has been useful for almost everything from relaxing
the nervous system, curing skin problems, aching limbs, back pain, healing
cuts, muscle strain, treating cold and congestion to drawing toxins from the
body. It lowers blood pressure, creates a relaxed feeling, improves sleep,
concentration, and helps muscles and nerves to function properly. It can
prevent hardening of the arteries by lowering blood pressure, protects the
elasticity of arteries, prevents blood clots and reduces the risk of heart
attacks.
Eases stress and relaxes body
Stress drains the body of magnesium and Epsom Salt is
considered to be a natural stress reliever. When dissolved in warm water
Magnesium Sulphate is absorbed through the skin and replenishes the level of
magnesium in the body. The salt draws toxins from the body, sedates the nervous
system, reduces swelling and relaxes muscles. The magnesium helps to produce
serotonin, a mood-elevating chemical within the brain that creates a feeling of
calm and relaxation. Research shows that magnesium also increases energy and
stamina by encouraging the production of ATP (adenosine triphosphate), the
energy packets made in the cells. Magnesium ions also relax and reduce
irritability by lowering the affects of adrenaline.
Relieves pain and muscle cramps
An Epsom Salt bath is known to relieve inflammation and
relieves pain, making it beneficial in the treatment of sore muscles, bronchial
asthma and migraine. In addition, it has been known to heal cuts, reduce
soreness from childbirth and relieves colds and congestion.
Exfoliates dead skin
Exfoliates dead skin
Massage a handful of Epsom Salt mixed with a tablespoon bath
oil or olive oil and rub over your moist skin to exfoliate and soften your
skin. Then sponge down.
Helps muscles and nerves function properly
Helps muscles and nerves function properly
Studies show that magnesium is an electrolyte and helps to
ensure proper functioning of the muscle, nerve and enzyme. It is also known to
be critical in the proper use of calcium in cells.
Makes insulin more effective
Makes insulin more effective
This salt also increases the effectiveness of insulin,
helping to lower the risk or severity of diabetes.
Relieves constipation
Relieves constipation
Numerous studies have revealed that Epsom Salt can also be
used to treat constipation. The salt acts like a laxative. It increases the
water in the intestines and can bring about temporary relief from constipation.
However, it is strictly warned that Epsom salts should not be used to relieve
constipation without the consultation of a physician as it may prove to be
harmful in some cases. (3)
From the Epsom Salt Industry Council
From the Epsom Salt Industry Council
Studies indicate
that Epsom salt may help to relieve stress in a number of ways. Studies also
show these benefits from the major components of Epsom Salt.
Magnesium, one of the
chemicals components of Epsom salt, is responsible for the following actions
and functions in the body:
- Eases stress and improves sleep and concentration
- Helps muscles and nerves function properly
- Regulates the activity of 325 plus enzymes
- Helps prevent artery hardening and blood clots
- Makes insulin more effective
- Reduces inflammation to relieve pain and muscle cramps
- Improves oxygen use
Sulphates:
- Flushes toxins
- Improves absorption of nutrients
- Helps form joint proteins, brain tissue and mucin proteins
- Helps prevent or ease migraine headaches
Note to readers:
Such information that can be
found in the Epsom Salt Council can be seen as ‘misleading’ in terms of what
does the company benefit from propagating the health benefits of Epsom salt.
The website does not offer any links to sales of Epsom salt. It does, however,
offer information to three different categories of the uses of Epsom salt:
beauty, garden and health. It is, as far as I have seen, a website that offers
advice on the many uses that can be obtained from Epsom salt.
While
increasing your magnesium levels, Epsom salt also delivers sulphates, which are
extremely difficult to get through food but which readily absorb through the
skin. Sulphates also stimulate the pancreas to generate digestive enzymes and
help to detoxify the body’s residue of medicines and environmental
contaminants. (4)
Side
effects of Epsom salt
What
does Epsom salt do inside your body?
Regarding
the chemical sulphate, it aids your body to create a pathway that processes
salicylates, phenols and other chemicals and substances that your body sees as
possible toxins – this can include heavy metals. The body may have more toxins
to process than it can handle because of a lack of sulphur. To alleviate the
unpleasant reactions such as hyperness, aggression, tantrums, sleep problems,
night sweats, irritability, eczema and other skin conditions you can help the
body get rid of the amount of toxins that enter it or supply more sulphur to
increase the amount of toxins that can be processed from the body. (5) Sulphate
has an influence over almost every cellular function. Sulphate attaches to
phenols and makes them less harmful, and sets them up for being excreted by
your kidneys. Sulphate is used to regulate the performance of many other
molecules. Many systems in the body will not function well in a low-sulphate
environment. Sulphur
is so critical to life that the body will catabolise protein from the muscles
to keep it from running too low. (6)
Another possible use of Epsom Salt is that it can cleanse,
soothe and dry herpes sores as well as relieve itching and tenderness. An Epsom
salt bath is the best method of application for such a condition. (7)
Some negative side effects of misusing and
using Epsom salt
Although
there hardly any serious side effects of using Epsom salt in a limited
quantity, there can be some side effects like: allergic
reaction (difficulty breathing; closing of your throat; swelling of
your lips, tongue, or face; or hives), flushed skin, drop in blood pressure
and/or a slowed heartbeat; nausea with vomiting, reduced awareness and
drowsiness. (8)
Before using Epsom salts
This medicine may not be suitable for everyone and some people must never have it. Always get advice from a healthcare professional before having this medicine if:- you are allergic or sensitive to or have had a reaction to any of the ingredients in the medicine
- this medicine is for a child under five years of age
- you have severe stomach pain
- you have nausea or vomiting
- you have kidney problems (9)
Documentation
of hypermangnesia
The
following information can be found on a case study which showed Epsom salt enemas lead to deaths and
illnesses. The study is called Fatal Hypermagnesia Cause by an Epsom Salt
Enema: Case Study. This study, in my opinion, shows how Epsom salt should not
be used unless proper knowledge is known of the potential risks, of it many
chemicals and their use/overuse. I still believe Epsom salt is a fabulous
natural remedy, if used correctly. It should be common sense that a seven year
old boy, should not be doing enemas with any adding of extra ingredients to the
water.
The
following explains hypermagnesia and some of its sources.
Epsom
salt was first described in 1695, when Dr. Nehemiah Grew took water from a well
in Epsom, England, and created Epsom salt. Epsom salt is essentially 100%
magnesium sulphate. One tablespoon of Epsom salt contains approximately 35 g of
magnesium sulphate, which is 3.4 g (287 mEq) of elemental magnesium. This is a
considerable amount, considering that the recommended daily allowance for an
adult is only 300 to 400 mg per day. Since that time, Epsom salt has been used
for numerous ailments including abdominal pain, constipation, sprains, muscle
strains, hyaline membrane disease, and cerebral edema. The first report of
death caused by an Epsom salt enema was published in 1943 by Fawcett and Gens.
Before this report, Fraser reviewed the
literature on the toxicity of Epsom salt from 1841 to 1909 and found 7 cases of
magnesium toxicity from Epsom salt use, with 5 deaths. Magnesium enemas were
used in the treatment of infants with hyaline membrane disease in the early
1970s until they were found to have no benefit and resulted in deaths caused by
hypermagnesemia. Magnesium enemas were also used in the management of elevated
intracranial pressure in the 1920s, based on an incorrect theory that causing
water loss in the rectum would result in fluid loss in the brain and therefore
might lower the intracranial pressure. Again, this was found to have no benefit
and resulted in deaths caused by hypermagnesemia. Magnesium is one of the most
abundant cations and is the second most abundant intracellular cation found in
the body. It serves as an important cofactor for most cellular metabolic and
energy-related reactions involving phosphorus. Magnesium is involved in more
than 300 chemical reactions in the body including glycolysis, oxidative
phosphorylation, and the proper functioning of the Na-K-ATPase pump. In
addition to these roles, magnesium competitively binds to calcium channels and
hence acts as a natural calcium channel blocker. Hypermagnesemia is a potentially lethal
condition that may not be as rare as is commonly thought. In 1990, Whang and
Ryder studied more than 1,000 patients
admitted to a community hospital and found the incidence of hypermagnesemia to
be 5.7%, whereas only 12% of those were clinically suspected. Hypermagnesemia
is usually found in patients with renal insufficiency who have a creatinine
clearance of less than 30 mL/min. Other patients at risk for development of
elevated serum magnesium levels are patients with excessive magnesium loads.
Potential sources of excess magnesium intake include antacids, laxatives,
cathartics, and parenteral administration. Other less common causes of
hypermagnesemia include rhabdomyolysis, tumour lysis syndrome, adrenal
insufficiency,vhyperparathyroidism, and hypothyroidism. (10)
Some deficiencies of magnesium and sulphate
Studies reveal that a diet, which is deficient in magnesium and sulphate, can lead to various health problems such as malfunctioning of the kidneys, various heart diseases including heart attack, and poor blood circulation. Increasing the level of magnesium in the blood will help to regulate the electrolytes and raise the level of serotonin (monoamine neurotransmitter). When the serotonin level increases, it not only helps in de-stressing but also improves your sleep. The toxins of your body are easily flushed out if the level of sulphates is normal.
Studies reveal that a diet, which is deficient in magnesium and sulphate, can lead to various health problems such as malfunctioning of the kidneys, various heart diseases including heart attack, and poor blood circulation. Increasing the level of magnesium in the blood will help to regulate the electrolytes and raise the level of serotonin (monoamine neurotransmitter). When the serotonin level increases, it not only helps in de-stressing but also improves your sleep. The toxins of your body are easily flushed out if the level of sulphates is normal.
Scientific
research to back up possible use of Epsom salt, to increase magnesium and
sulphates in the body
Scientific experiments show magnesium and sulphates can be absorbed by the human body externally. Dr Rosemary Waring was one of the many doctors to conduct a study on such claim. The test included 19 people, 10 male and 9 female ages of 24-64 years of age. All but three people had their magnesium increased. The values before the first bath were, mean 104.68 ± 20.76 ppm/ml; after the first bath the mean was 114.08 ± 25.83 ppm/ml. as for The individuals who had not had their blood magnesium levels increased, had correspondingly large increases in urinary magnesium showing that the magnesium ions had crossed the skin barrier and had been excreted via the kidney. Free inorganic sulphate levels in plasma rose in all subjects after bathing in Epsom salts (mean pre-bath, 3.28 nmol/mg protein ± 1.40, 2h after 1st bath, mean 5.59 nmol/mg protein ± 3.08). No volunteers complained of any adverse effect. (11) The study that gave these results, can be said to be lacking in evidence. There were insufficient people to prove the effectiveness of the Epsom salt being absorbed through the skin. There was also a difference in male and female absorption of different chemicals, which there is a need for further studies that can be carried out to see whether it is about age of sex specifically. Epsom salts can do wonders for a person suffering from arthritis. Bathing daily in water containing Epsom salts solution will help to increase the blood circulation and reduces swellings in the joints. (12)
Magnesium
Two studies conducted in France
at the Clermont University, showed that magnesium, which
can be found and easily absorbed through the use of Epsom salt, helps reduce inflammation
by increasing cellular activity involved in inflammation. The increase of magnesium
decreases the inflammatory response, while reduction in the extracellular magnesium
results in cell activation. (13)Magnesium (Mg) deficiency results in a stress effect and increased susceptibility to physiological damage produced by stress. The effect of Mg deficiency in the development of insulin resistance in the rat model is well documented. Recent findings support the hypothesis that the Mg effect on intracellular Ca2+ homeostasis may be a common link between stress, inflammation and a possible relationship to metabolic syndrome. (14)
Magnesium deficiency in rodent is linked to an inflammation syndrome. A study was done to see whether a lack of magnesium deficiency in rats could modify vitamin A. magnesium deficiency was accompanied by a reduction in plasma retinol and plasma retinol concentration. The data gathered from the study strongly suggest that the decrease in plasma retinol concentration, resulting from the level of its binding protein, is related to the inflammatory effect of Mg deficiency. These results point to the possible interference of Mg deficiency on the use of plasma retinol as an indicator of vitamin A status. (15)
References
4
http://www.greenecoservices.com/green-health-and-beauty-epsom-salts/
5 http://www.thepeacefamily.force9.co.uk/epsom.html
6 http://www.thepeacefamily.force9.co.uk/epsom.html
Note on the website:
Although the following website was
useful for information on Epsom slat and its possible side effects, I
personally found the website a source of medical and government propaganda.
There are more side effects listed and how bad it is and can be for you and few
possible benefits.
9
http://www.nhs.uk/medicineguides/pages/MedicineOverview.aspx?medicine=Epsom%20salts
Caused_by_an_Epsom_Salt_Enema.pdf
11 http://www.mgwater.com/transdermal.shtml
15 http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19271422
Further links
YouTube video, what is Epsom salt? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=URjwfum_azU
