Epsom salt is often used to soothe muscle soreness and reduce stress.

Key Takeaways

• Epsom salt baths are commonly used to ease sore muscles, stress, and minor conditions like ingrown toenails.
• Research on whether magnesium from Epsom salt can be absorbed through the skin is limited and inconclusive.
• Epsom salt is generally safe when used in baths, but it should not be ingested and may be risky for people with certain skin conditions.

Epsom salt is a natural mineral salt often used to ease sore muscles and reduce stress. When dissolved in water, it breaks down into magnesium and sulfate ions, but it won’t dissolve in alcohol-based liquids.

Common Uses and Benefits of Epsom Salt

People use Epsom salt for various ailments, including arthritis, ingrown toenails, sunburns, and minor injuries like bruises, scratches, and sprains.

When Epsom salt is used in a bath, the skin might be able to absorb the magnesium and sulfate ions that are dissolved in the water. Magnesium is an essential mineral responsible for many biological processes, and its deficiency has been linked to several inflammatory disorders.

Research is limited on whether magnesium can be absorbed through the skin, but one small study found it may penetrate the outer layer depending on concentration and exposure time.1

How to Use Epsom Salt in a Bath

Jana Abelovska, MPharm, a pharmacist at the U.K.-based Click Pharmacy, recommends dissolving about 300 grams of Epsom salt in a warm bath without adding other products. Make sure the water is warm, not hot, and soak for 10 to 15 minutes.

“Epsom salts could be used in the evening before going to bed, whenever people feel that there is a tightness in their muscles or a general need to relax,” Abelovska said.

How often you should soak in Epsom salt depends on the affected body part and how long your symptoms last, according to Laura Purdy, MD, a board-certified family medicine physician.

For an ingrown toenail, you may only need to soak once or twice. But for a chronic condition like arthritis or ongoing muscle pain, you may want to soak more often. If symptoms don’t improve, you could repeat the soak daily—or even twice a day, Purdy said.

Risks and Safety Considerations

Epsom salts are generally safe, but they can pose risks for people with certain skin conditions, such as infections, open wounds, severe burns, or significant inflammation, Abelovska said.

Some people claim drinking Epsom salt helps with “detox." However, ingesting Epsom salt can cause stomach upset and diarrhea, which may lead to dehydration.

“I can’t imagine that we will ever see any large research studies or scientific evidence that solidly proves or disproves the effectiveness in Epsom salt, but because it is such a common and often used treatment, I would consider it to be very safe,” Purdy said. “I think it is so deeply rooted and established in the home remedy culture that it would be impossible for it to go out of style.”