by Uma Shankari

Created on: October 10, 2009   Last Updated: October 12, 2009

A warm bath with Epsom salts can relax the muscles, draw away toxins from the body, improve heart health, and provide relief from stress.

How does Epsom salt work? Epsom salt is Magnesium Sulfate. Many of us are deficient in magnesium. Excess adrenaline and stress drains magnesium that is necessary for binding serotonin, a mood-elevating chemical essential to create a feeling of well being and relaxation. This deficiency can cause nervousness, insomnia, cramps, heart disease, stroke, osteoporosis, joint pain, and chronic fatigue. Magnesium, being a natural tranquilizer, relaxes body muscles, the smooth muscles of blood vessels and the gastrointestinal tract.

Simply soaking in Epsom salt can boost Magnesium levels in the body. Magnesium gets absorbed through the skin and helps the body in important functions such as muscle control, energy production and the elimination of harmful toxins.

Remember, hot baths can dehydrate you, especially if you soak for longer than 20 minutes; so remember to keep a handy water bottle next to the bath.

Is Epsom salt bath good for everybody?

It's best to consult your physician if you have hypertension, heart trouble, arteriosclerosis or diabetes.

Epsom salts can dry the skin and make the skin fragile. People with diabetes can develop sores and ulcers on their feet, so they need to be careful and not soak too long.

There is a very delicate balance between several minerals like Calcium, Magnesium, Potassium and Phosphorus in the body. Magnesium is an important intracellular nutrient that is involved in hundreds of enzymatic reactions. It helps maintain normal muscle and nerve function, keep heart rhythm steady, and bones strong. It is also involved in energy metabolism and protein synthesis. Improper Calcium and Magnesium balance can affect thyroid. Calcium helps muscles to contract and magnesium helps muscles to relax. The optimum ratio of Calcium to Magnesium is about 2:1. When levels of Magnesium fall, more Calcium flows into the vascular muscle cells, which contracts and tightens them leading to higher blood pressure.

If you have moderately high pressure, Magnesium in the bath salts help to relax and lower blood pressure. But caution is necessary, as it can lower blood pressure much below comfort levels for some people. It is better to soak only your feet for about 10 minutes. People with thyroid and kidney problems should be careful too.

If you regularly take Magnesium-containing antacids, or frequently use enemas containing magnesium, you may have excessive Magnesium (Hypermagnesemia) in the body. Since it is not possible to monitor the levels of Magnesium in the body in our everyday life, it's best to limit the frequency of Epsom baths to once a week and be alert to body reactions.

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