Magnesium Spray vs Tablets: Does Magnesium Spray Work?
Ben Law
Reviewed by Sarah Law, Dip CNM, Naturopathic Nutritionist
Magnesium spray vs tablets: tablets and capsules win on evidence. Oral magnesium is the route studied in human absorption trials and the one the UK and US intake figures assume, while a 2017 review concluded that transdermal magnesium is scientifically unsupported and the only controlled human study we found was a 25-person cream pilot with mixed results. Sprays such as BetterYou Magnesium Oil (200 mg per 10 sprays) and Ancient Minerals (100 mg per 6 sprays) are cheap per milligram applied and avoid the loose stools large oral doses can cause, so they are fine as part of a massage or bedtime routine. For dependable magnesium intake, take it by mouth: Magnesium Seven gives 329 mg from seven disclosed forms per four capsules, and Magnesium Glycinate 303 mg of unbuffered glycinate for an evening dose.
Our figures come from our own labels. Magnesium Seven supplies 329 mg of elemental magnesium per four-capsule serving, 47 mg from each of seven named forms (orotate, taurate, lactate, malate, glycinate, citrate and Sucrosomial magnesium), plus 2 mg of vitamin B6, in a vegetable capsule, at £38.95 on our UK store and $52.82 on our US store for a 30-day supply. Magnesium Glycinate supplies 303 mg per four capsules (81% of the UK NRV) from 2,750 mg of unbuffered bisglycinate, and Eurofins measured 302 mg in batch L1026118 on 6 July 2026; a 60-day tub is £37.95 or $51.47. Both won an Award of Excellence at the Nourish Awards 2026, both are rated 4.8 out of 5 by verified customers, and both carry our 60-day money-back guarantee.
Magnesium Seven: 329 mg elemental magnesium per serving from seven disclosed forms, every dose printed on the label.
View product- Evidence: oral magnesium absorption has been measured in many human studies; transdermal absorption has not been shown reliably (one 25-person pilot, one critical review).
- BetterYou Magnesium Oil Body Spray: magnesium chloride in water, 200 mg per 10 sprays, 600 sprays per 100 ml, Informed Sport. £7.99 on offer (£14.99 list), 6.7p per 100 mg applied.
- Ancient Minerals Magnesium Oil: Zechstein magnesium chloride, 100 mg per 1 ml (6 sprays). $11.95 for 4 fl oz ($0.10 per 100 mg applied).
- Magnesium Seven (capsules): 329 mg from seven forms per four capsules. £38.95 or $52.82 for 30 days (39.5p or $0.54 per 100 mg).
- Magnesium Glycinate (capsules): 303 mg per four capsules, unbuffered glycinate. £37.95 or $51.47 for 60 days (20.9p or $0.28 per 100 mg).
Magnesium spray vs tablets: the comparison table
A spray and a capsule can carry similar milligrams on the label; the difference is how much of it is shown to get into the body. Every spray figure below was read from the brand's own product page on 17 October 2026. "Magnesium per dose" is what each label says is in the dose; for a spray that is the amount applied to the skin, not the amount absorbed.
| Product | Route | Magnesium form | Magnesium per dose (label) | Dose | Human absorption evidence | List price | Price per 100 mg on the label |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| BetterYou Magnesium Oil Body Spray | Skin | Magnesium chloride in water | 200 mg applied | 10 sprays (600 per 100 ml bottle) | Brand cites absorption testing by Cardiff University; data not linked | £7.99 offer (£14.99 list) / 100 ml | 6.7p (12.5p at list) |
| BetterYou Magnesium Sleep Body Spray | Skin | Zechstein magnesium with lavender and chamomile | 75 mg applied | 10 sprays | None cited | £7.99 / 100 ml | Not calculable (sprays per bottle not stated) |
| Ancient Minerals Magnesium Oil | Skin | Zechstein magnesium chloride, trace minerals | 67 to 100 mg applied | 4 to 6 sprays (100 mg per 1 ml / 6 sprays) | None cited | $11.95 / 4 fl oz; $18.95 / 8 fl oz | $0.10 (4 oz); $0.08 (8 oz) |
| Love Life Supplements Magnesium Seven | Oral | Orotate, taurate, lactate, malate, glycinate, citrate, Sucrosomial (47 mg each) | 329 mg | 4 capsules | Oral route; individual forms studied in human absorption trials | £38.95 or $52.82 / 120 capsules | 39.5p or $0.54 |
| Love Life Supplements Magnesium Glycinate | Oral | Magnesium bisglycinate, unbuffered | 303 mg (Eurofins measured 302 mg) | 4 capsules | Oral route; glycinate absorbed better than oxide in a human study | £37.95 or $51.47 / 240 capsules | 20.9p or $0.28 |
Sources: betteryou.com and ancient-minerals.com product pages, read 17 October 2026; our own labels. BetterYou is a UK brand priced in pounds; Ancient Minerals is a US brand priced in dollars. Price per 100 mg = list price divided by total label milligrams in the pack (4 fl oz taken as 118 ml). For sprays this is a price per milligram applied, not absorbed, so it is not a like-for-like cost of magnesium in the body. Prices change; check each site before you buy.
Does magnesium spray work?
Magnesium spray has not been shown to raise magnesium levels reliably. The outer layer of skin is built to keep charged particles such as magnesium ions out, and a 2017 review in Nutrients, written by a group of magnesium researchers, concluded that the promotion of transdermal magnesium is "scientifically unsupported" and that oral supplementation is the well-documented route [1].
The best human data we found is a single-blind pilot from the University of Hertfordshire [2]. Twenty-five adults used either a magnesium cream (56 mg a day) or a placebo cream for two weeks. Serum magnesium rose from 0.82 to 0.89 mmol/L in the magnesium group, but the change was statistically significant only in a subgroup of non-athletes, and urinary magnesium did not change significantly. The authors called for larger, longer studies. It is a reasonable starting point, not proof, and the study's own competing-interest statement notes that one author had signed a royalty agreement on a separate magnesium cream.
BetterYou's page says its spray was "independently absorption tested by Cardiff University", but it does not link the data, so we could not assess it. Neither spray page we read cites a published human trial. Oral magnesium, by contrast, has been measured in many human studies: citrate and amino-acid chelates were better absorbed than oxide in randomised work [3], glycinate beat oxide in people with impaired absorption [4], and oxide itself was absorbed at only about 4% [5]. Our guide to types of magnesium supplements covers the oral forms.
"I see magnesium sprays as a pleasant part of a wind-down routine, and the massage itself can feel relaxing. I would not count the milligrams on the bottle towards a client's daily magnesium, so I still look at food first and suggest an oral supplement if their intake is low."
Sarah Law, Naturopathic Nutritionist | Optimised Female
How much magnesium does a spray actually give you?
The label figure is what lands on your skin. BetterYou's 10-spray dose puts 200 mg of magnesium on the skin, and Ancient Minerals' suggested 4 to 6 sprays put 67 to 100 mg there. How much of that crosses into the bloodstream has not been measured in a published human trial of either product. Some of it is simply wiped or washed off: Ancient Minerals suggests leaving the spray on for 20 minutes or more, then rinsing or wiping off if you want to.
That is the core difference from a capsule. When you swallow 329 mg of magnesium, researchers can and do measure how much is absorbed and excreted. When you spray 200 mg, nobody has published a reliable figure. That is why we would not use a spray as the main way to reach the NHS or NIH intake figures below.
What it costs per 100 mg
On price per milligram, the sprays are cheaper, and we would not pretend otherwise. The catch is that you are paying for milligrams applied, not milligrams shown to be absorbed. On our UK store, subscribing takes 10% off the first order and 15% off every order after.
Is magnesium spray good for sleep?
There is no published trial of a magnesium spray for sleep that we could find. The magnesium sleep research uses oral doses: a 2025 randomised, placebo-controlled trial gave 250 mg of magnesium as bisglycinate capsules to 155 adults reporting poor sleep and found a small improvement on the Insomnia Severity Index after four weeks [6], and a 2021 meta-analysis in older adults rated the oral evidence low in quality [7]. Sleep sprays usually add fragrance, such as the lavender and chamomile in BetterYou's Sleep spray (75 mg of magnesium per 10 sprays), and a scented massage before bed can be a pleasant habit in its own right.
If magnesium for your evening routine is the goal, glycinate is the form most people choose for a bedtime dose, and magnesium contributes to normal psychological function and the normal functioning of the nervous system [8]. Our guides to which magnesium is best for sleep and when to take magnesium glycinate go into more detail.
Magnesium spray vs tablets: side effects
Each route has its own common complaint. With sprays it is the skin: magnesium chloride at this strength often tingles, itches or stings, especially on freshly shaved or dry skin, and BetterYou's page warns of a slight tingling on first use and suggests starting with one or two sprays. Neither should go on broken skin. With oral magnesium it is the gut: the NIH notes that high intakes from supplements often cause diarrhoea, abdominal cramping and nausea [9], which is the main reason for its supplemental upper limit. Forms differ here; chelates such as glycinate are generally gentler than oxide or large doses of citrate.
This is the one real advantage of a spray: it does not reach the gut, so it cannot loosen stools. If oral magnesium upsets your stomach, the first things to try are a gentler form, a smaller dose taken with food, and splitting it between morning and evening. Our guide to who should not take magnesium covers medicines and kidney disease.
"If a client finds capsules upset their stomach, I first try a gentler form such as glycinate with food, split across the day. A spray suits people who really cannot swallow capsules, but I suggest a small patch test first, because some people find it stings."
Sarah Law, Naturopathic Nutritionist | Optimised Female
How much magnesium do you need? UK and US figures
Most adults need roughly 270 to 420 mg of magnesium a day from all sources, depending on sex and which country's figures you use. These figures assume magnesium from food and oral supplements; none of them is set for magnesium on the skin.
| Reference | Figure | Source |
|---|---|---|
| UK labelling reference (NRV) | 375 mg a day | Retained Regulation 1169/2011, Annex XIII [10] |
| NHS daily need | 300 mg (men 19 to 64), 270 mg (women 19 to 64) | NHS [11] |
| NHS supplement guidance | 400 mg or less a day from supplements is unlikely to cause harm | NHS [11] |
| US RDA | 400 to 420 mg (men), 310 to 320 mg (women) | NIH Office of Dietary Supplements [9] |
| US upper limit (supplements only) | 350 mg a day for adults | NIH Office of Dietary Supplements [9] |
A 329 mg serving of Magnesium Seven and a 303 mg serving of Magnesium Glycinate both sit under the NIH supplemental upper limit and the NHS 400 mg guidance. The NIH upper limit is set for magnesium taken by mouth from supplements and medicines; none of these figures covers magnesium applied to the skin. Our guide to how much magnesium glycinate per day converts any label to elemental milligrams.
What magnesium does is set out in the authorised health claims on the GB register [8]: it contributes to the reduction of tiredness and fatigue, to normal energy-yielding metabolism, to normal muscle function, to normal psychological function and to the maintenance of normal bones. Those claims are authorised for magnesium in food and food supplements taken by mouth.
Magnesium spray or tablets: which should you choose?
For dependable magnesium intake, choose an oral supplement. Choose a spray only if you value the routine itself or truly cannot take magnesium by mouth.
Pick by priority
Magnesium Seven: 329 mg from seven forms per four capsules, with vitamin B6. UK and US stores.
Magnesium Glycinate: 303 mg of unbuffered glycinate per four capsules, Eurofins measured 302 mg.
BetterYou Magnesium Oil spray (UK) or Ancient Minerals Magnesium Oil (US), knowing the absorbed amount is unproven.
BetterYou Magnesium Oil Body Spray, the one product here carrying Informed Sport.
Nourish Awards 2026, Award of Excellence: "a strong elemental dose and exceptional batch testing." Magnesium Glycinate, 60-day supply, 60-day money-back guarantee.
View productFor a wider look at forms and brands, our best magnesium supplement guide compares single forms with multi-form complexes, and Magnesium Seven vs Magnesium Breakthrough compares two seven-form products.
How we compared these products
We read each spray's ingredients, magnesium per dose, directions, certifications and price from its brand's own product page on 17 October 2026 (betteryou.com and ancient-minerals.com). We did not use retailer listings or review sites. BetterYou's Magnesium Oil spray was on offer at £7.99 against a stated list price of £14.99 on the day; we show both. Ancient Minerals' 4 fl oz bottle is 118 ml. We have not lab-tested the sprays and make no claim about their contents beyond their own labels. Our own Certificates of Analysis for Magnesium Seven and Magnesium Glycinate are linked on each product page.
Magnesium spray vs tablets: frequently asked questions
Does magnesium spray work?
It has not been shown to raise magnesium levels reliably. A 2017 review of the evidence concluded that the promotion of transdermal magnesium is scientifically unsupported, and the only controlled human study we found, a 25-person pilot of a magnesium cream, saw a statistically significant rise in blood magnesium only in a subgroup of non-athletes. Oral magnesium is the route the NHS and NIH intake figures are based on and the one used in human trials.
Is magnesium spray better than tablets?
For raising magnesium intake, tablets or capsules are the better-evidenced choice, because oral absorption has been measured in many human studies and transdermal absorption has not been shown reliably. A spray costs less per milligram applied and avoids the loose stools that large oral doses can cause, so some people like it as part of a massage or bedtime routine. Just do not count spray milligrams towards your daily intake.
Does magnesium spray on the feet work?
There is no published human evidence that the soles absorb magnesium better than other skin. The skin on the soles of the feet has a particularly thick outer layer, and the skin barrier is the main reason transdermal magnesium is doubted. Spraying the feet is harmless for most people, but it is not a substitute for magnesium from food or an oral supplement.
Why does magnesium spray tingle or itch?
Magnesium oil is a concentrated solution of magnesium chloride in water, and salt solutions at that strength often sting or itch, especially on freshly shaved or dry skin. BetterYou's own page warns of a slight tingling on first use and suggests starting with one or two sprays; Ancient Minerals suggests rinsing or wiping off after 20 minutes. Do not use it on broken skin.
Can you use magnesium spray and magnesium tablets together?
Yes, for most healthy adults. Because so little magnesium has been shown to cross the skin, a spray is unlikely to add meaningfully to an oral dose. Keep the oral supplement within the NIH upper limit of 350 mg a day from supplements, or the NHS guidance of 400 mg or less, and speak to your doctor first if you have kidney disease or take medication.
Is magnesium oil actually oil?
No. Magnesium oil is a concentrated solution of magnesium chloride in water. It feels slippery, which is where the name comes from. BetterYou lists water and magnesium chloride as its only ingredients, and Ancient Minerals lists water and Zechstein magnesium chloride with trace minerals.
About the Reviewer: Sarah Law, Dip CNM
Sarah Law is a Certified Naturopathic Nutritionist and Functional Practitioner specialising in hormonal health, gut health, and evidence-based nutrition. She holds a Diploma in Naturopathic Nutrition from the College of Naturopathic Medicine (CNM, London) and is a Certified Functional Health Coach. Sarah combines naturopathic principles with modern functional nutrition science to help her clients make informed health decisions.
About the Author: Ben Law
Ben Law is the founder of Love Life Supplements and host of the Optimised Health Show. He is a qualified Advanced Dietary Supplement Advisor and Primal Blueprint Certified Expert, and has spent 14 years building transparent, research-led formulations manufactured to GMP and BRC standards. He wrote this comparison from each brand's published product information, the published research and our own label data.
BetterYou and Ancient Minerals are trademarks of their respective owners and are not affiliated with Love Life Supplements. Learn more about Ben.
References
- Gröber U, Werner T, Vormann J, Kisters K. Myth or reality: transdermal magnesium? Nutrients. 2017;9(8):813. PubMed
- Kass L, Rosanoff A, Tanner A, Sullivan K, McAuley W, Plesset M. Effect of transdermal magnesium cream on serum and urinary magnesium levels in humans: a pilot study. PLoS One. 2017;12(4):e0174817. PubMed
- Walker AF, Marakis G, Christie S, Byng M. Mg citrate found more bioavailable than other Mg preparations in a randomised, double-blind study. Magnes Res. 2003;16(3):183-191. PubMed
- Schuette SA, Lashner BA, Janghorbani M. Bioavailability of magnesium diglycinate vs magnesium oxide in patients with ileal resection. JPEN J Parenter Enteral Nutr. 1994;18(5):430-435. PubMed
- Firoz M, Graber M. Bioavailability of US commercial magnesium preparations. Magnes Res. 2001;14(4):257-262. PubMed
- Schuster J, Cycelskij I, Lopresti A, Hahn A. Magnesium bisglycinate supplementation in healthy adults reporting poor sleep: a randomized, placebo-controlled trial. Nat Sci Sleep. 2025;17:2027-2040. PubMed
- Mah J, Pitre T. Oral magnesium supplementation for insomnia in older adults: a systematic review and meta-analysis. BMC Complement Med Ther. 2021;21(1):125. PubMed
- Department of Health and Social Care. Great Britain nutrition and health claims (NHC) register. GOV.UK
- NIH Office of Dietary Supplements. Magnesium: fact sheet for health professionals. NIH ODS
- Regulation (EU) No 1169/2011 on the provision of food information to consumers, Annex XIII (reference intakes), as retained in GB law. legislation.gov.uk
- NHS. Vitamins and minerals: others (magnesium). NHS
- BetterYou. Magnesium Oil Body Spray and Magnesium Sleep Body Spray product pages (read 17 October 2026). betteryou.com
- Ancient Minerals. Magnesium Oil product page (read 17 October 2026). ancient-minerals.com