As therapists, we rely on a myriad of tools to help ease our clients’ pain. Yet, when we are hurt ourselves, we sometimes leave those same pain-relieving strategies at the table. One of our new favorite and oh-so-simple ways to offer ourselves some muscle recovery support is through topicals—specifically transdermal magnesium. If you have not discovered or integrated transdermal magnesium into your sessions and into your own self-care practice, this article is for you!
Magnesium is the fourth most abundant mineral in your body and “works in partnership with other nutrients as an important catalyst for more than 375 reactions that we need to keep our systems going strong.”1 Once magnesium is dissolved in water or absorbed by bodily fluids, it becomes an electrolyte and carries an electric charge supporting nerve signaling, muscle contractions, and hydration. When there’s not enough magnesium in the body, the muscles tend to tighten and contract, causing muscle spasms and cramping.2 When we experience muscle cramping, pain, or tension, we often reach for magnesium for its natural muscle-relaxant capacity. We let the magnesium do the work and allow our bodies to absorb its benefits with either a quick self-massage with magnesium oil or cream or a more restorative magnesium flake bath.
Transdermal simply refers to the application of medication through the skin that can then be absorbed into the bloodstream. If you’ve ever soaked in the ocean or hot springs or taken an Epsom salt bath (magnesium sulphate), you likely have experienced the medicinal benefits of magnesium being absorbed through your skin. Transdermal technology, like nicotine patches or contraceptive patches, is another example of how medications can be chemically engineered so the molecules are small and soluble enough to be absorbed through the skin and into the circulatory system. It even has benefits outside the skin. By applying magnesium chloride, “a highly soluble salt with small ions that can readily penetrate the skin’s outer layers, the skin’s hair follicles and sweat glands provide pathways for efficient absorption.”3
Transdermal magnesium research is in its infancy. Though research has reliably replicated the medicinal benefits of magnesium, the FDA only recognizes it as a food or mineral supplement, rather than attributing its medicinal value to helping people heal. We haven’t even mentioned the research verifying magnesium’s role in aiding restful sleeping or how transdermal magnesium application on the arms and legs of people with fibromyalgia helped reduce symptoms—particularly pain.4 Clearly more research is warranted, though we personally have noticed less muscle cramping and better nights of sleep after consistent use of transdermal magnesium.
So, the next time you want some fast-acting muscle or spasm relief or would like to deepen your sleep, consider experimenting with different forms of topicals or soaks and different brands and dosages of magnesium. We recommend starting small and progressing slowly. And as always, consult a health-care provider before using topical magnesium, especially if you’re taking other medications or if you have any underlying health conditions. May you continue to find ways to feel good in your body.
Notes
1. Kathie Swift, RDN, education director for Food as Medicine at the Center for Mind-Body Medicine and author of The Swift Diet.
2. MedLinePlus, “Fluid and Electrolyte Balance,” last updated May 16, 2024, https://medlineplus.gov/fluidandelectrolytebalance.html.
3. BetterYou, “Evidence of Transdermal Magnesium Absorption,” accessed May 2025, https://us.betteryou.com/pages/evidence-of-transdermal-magnesium-absorption.
4. Yijia Zhang et al., “Association of Magnesium Intake with Sleep Duration and Sleep Quality: Findings from the CARDIA Study,” Sleep 45, no. 4 (April 2022): zsab276, https://doi.org/10.1093/sleep/zsab276; Deborah J. Engen et al., “Effects of Transdermal Magnesium Chloride on Quality of Life for Patients with Fibromyalgia: A Feasibility Study,” Journal of Integrative Medicine 13, no. 5 (September 2015): 306–13, https://doi.org/10.1016/S2095-4964(15)60195-9.
