My sleep that night was incredible, and it marked the beginning of a long obsession with magnesium chloride.

I first discovered magnesium chloride back in 2013 at the Organic Expo in Sydney, where I met the founders of Amazing Oils and Elektra Magnesium. At the time, the only magnesium flakes you'd find in stores were Epsom salts, and I'd always assumed they were the same thing as magnesium flakes. But they explained these were different, and while they cost a fair bit more than the supermarket Epsom salts, I was curious. So I bought my very first bag of magnesium chloride flakes.

When I got home after a long day on my feet walking around the expo, I added a handful to my bath that night. And let me tell you, my sleep that night was incredible. It marked the beginning of a long obsession. Even after all these years, my favourite thing to do is have a warm magnesium bath after work.

What is magnesium?

Magnesium is the eighth most abundant element in the Earth's crust, and it occurs naturally in rocks, whole foods and water. It's a mineral our bodies can't do without, playing a part in over 600 chemical reactions, from boosting energy levels to helping us get a deep sleep. There are lots of different types of magnesium to choose from, oral supplements like glycinate, chelate and citrate, right through to topical options like oils, creams and the magnesium chloride flakes that sparked my love affair with magnesium. You'll also find it in plenty of foods: leafy greens like spinach and kale, nuts and seeds, legumes like beans and chickpeas, avocados, bananas and my absolute favourite, dark chocolate.

Why do we need magnesium?

Magnesium plays an important part in energy production, muscle relaxation, sleep quality, digestion and blood sugar regulation, as well as supporting our heart and bone health. It's also one of the body's key electrolytes, supporting hydration and balance throughout the body.

But modern diets and soil depletion mean many of us don't get all the magnesium our bodies need. Our Government's guidelines put the recommended daily intake at 320 mg for women and 420 mg for men. And a national survey of Australian adults, published in Nutrition Research, found our intakes were marginal, with the diets of 50% of men and 39% of women falling below the recommended daily allowance.

But not all magnesium is created equal, and if we're going to top up our levels, we want the biggest bang for our time and money, and that's where magnesium flakes and Epsom salts are different.

Magnesium flakes vs Epsom salts

Side by side, Epsom salts and magnesium chloride flakes look very similar, but they're completely different compounds. Epsom salts are what's known as magnesium sulphate. They're pretty cheap, easy to find in supermarkets and fine for a relaxing soak in a warm bath. But they're usually made in a factory rather than harvested from the sea, and they only contain around 9 to 10% elemental magnesium, which is the pure magnesium our bodies can absorb and use.

Magnesium chloride is a different beast. It's taken straight from seawater or alpine salt pockets, so it's naturally rich in trace minerals, with a much higher elemental magnesium content of around 15 to 16%. 

The other big difference is how it behaves on the skin. Magnesium chloride is naturally hydrophilic, which means it draws in water and can leave your skin feeling soft and smooth after a bath, while Epsom salt baths can feel a bit drying depending on how strong and how often you use them.

Magnesium sulphate doesn't soak into the skin as well in a cream either, and that's why topical magnesium creams and oils are made with magnesium chloride. A 2017 pilot study published in PLoS One supported this, finding a clinically relevant rise in blood magnesium levels after people used a magnesium cream for two weeks.

My favourite magnesium chloride products

Topical magnesium is one of the easiest ways to top up our levels, and it's great for the kids too, helping them wind down and settle in for the night. Inspired to try some? Here's where I'd start.

Flakes

Add a handful of Elektra Magnesium Flakes to a warm bath or foot soak. These are my personal favourite. They're premium, food-grade flakes, harvested from a pristine mountain lake high on the Tibetan Plateau, and highly soluble, with around 16% elemental magnesium. You can even add a tiny pinch to your filtered drinking water, which gives it a soft, fresh taste and keeps you hydrated. That's what I'm doing here in the photo!

Sprays

The Amazing You Daily Magnesium Spray is a pure magnesium chloride spray, made to be absorbed straight through the skin, with around 100mg of elemental magnesium per five sprays. A quick spray on the chest in the morning is great for energy, with another on the lower body in the evening to relax the muscles.

Creams

I love the MooGoo Magnesium Moisturiser. I use it on my son's legs for his growing pains at night, and we're always drifting off before I've even finished. It's made with 20% magnesium chloride in a rich, soothing base that takes the sting out of using topical magnesium for the first time, so it's great for kids. It's fragrance-free, with no greasy residue, and disappears right into the skin.

The Vanessa Megan Nocturne Magnesium is a luxurious body lotion and my favourite for mature skin, with the added benefits of magnesium. Made with magnesium chloride, lavender and chamomile to calm the mind and body, it has a buttery feel that absorbs quickly and leaves the skin soft and deeply moisturised. It's also perfect for layering after a warm magnesium bath for a double Mg whammy.

Not for the faint-hearted, the Elektra Charge Lotion is made with 30% magnesium chloride, for active bodies and muscle recovery. It blends pure magnesium with hyaluronic acid, Kakadu plum and Davidson plum and has a soft, lemon-scented tea tree aroma.