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I've noticed some curiosity expressed here about the price difference and possible quality or strength difference between ANCIENT MINERALS/Genuine Zechstein mag oil [for sale on this Amazon buying page] vs. SWANSON ULTRA/Zechstein Inside, Magnesium Oil 8 fl oz (237 ml) Spray. *[My review on the Swanson Ultra Amazon page gives a personal, detailed endorsement of any pure magnesium chloride brine used transdermally. Please feel free to read that and apply its contents to both of these offerings.]
I've recently purchased and tried this Ancient Mineral brand. It appears to me to be equal to the Swanson Ultra offering, yet I have detected a difference, by taste, as noted in this video review. The pricing at this time of posting this review, on each of these potentially lifesaving products, in an 8 oz spray bottle, is:
-- $29 free shipping Ancient Minerals
-- $9 + $5 shipping = $14 Swanson Ultra
Both indicate that they are supersaturated solutions of magnesium chloride brine water from the ancient Zechstein Seabed. I believe they are. I don't know if one is a stronger solution than the other. Here are some of the factors I looked at which might relate here:
1. I have read on the Ancient Minerals web site that they believe it is acceptable to make your own brine water from the magnesium flakes from the Zechstein seabed. I was honestly pleased to read that because I do make and use my own solution from the flakes [though I can't make it as super saturated as AM could, won't be able to test contents, and I use tap water].
2. I have read on the Zechstein Minerals mine site that they cannot recommend making your own brine water from the flakes, due to a few trace residuals which come through from the breakdown, evaporation process of obtaining flakes from the mined brine solution. Included in that list, in bare trace amounts at a parts per million level [which the site says are not hazardous], are magnesium carbonate, magnesium hydroxide chloride, and some hydrochloric acid in the vapor stream. I recommend visiting their web site to read about this. I appreciated this information, especially the list of residuals, so I can make up my mind whether I'm concerned about them in my case.
3. According to an interesting, helpful discussion topic I read on a web site [CureZone] ANCIENT MINERALS invests time and resources to test each batch they sell of mg brine water, providing a list of the solution content including trace elements. I've checked the AM web site and seen this batch test results list for April 28, 2009. Also, from text included on my spray bottle of AM mg oil, this appreciated information is included: 8 sprays = approx 100 mg elemental magnesium. I've also read and recommend the Magnesium for Life web site, which offers quite a bit of interesting information. I've watched some excellent videos made by Dr. Mark Sircus on his web site, and on YouTube.
One thing which stands out in my mind from all this is a comment Dr. Sircus made about wanting to know the precise contents in each batch of mg chloride brine, even that which comes from the Zechstein site. Sircus said, to this effect, "You shouldn't trust what someone else says about that." That seemed to me like a wise assessment which was probably backed by experience. Taking this type of care gives extra costs which must be covered and which I'm willing to pay.
However, I also understand why Swanson's medical spokesperson, Dr. Barbara Hensen, living closer to the Netherlands mine site, seems to be comfortably familiar with the Zechstein mining people and process. I can see why she and Swanson trust the product they receive from that mining process. I've formed an intuitive opinion for myself, and given the background provided in my review on the Swanson Ultra mag oil buying page here on Amazon:
I believe that for me, both these two magnesium oil products [and possibly others I haven't investigated] are of excellent value in shoring up human nutrition and deficiencies. I will continue to buy and use both of them.
I will likely continue to use the highest volume of the Swanson products due to their ability to offer such excellent pricing, yet I will always keep on hand a parallel bottle of the Ancient Minerals spray as well. As I have done with SWANSON and will continue to do, I want to support ANCIENT MINERALS and its supporters; they've proven their integrity to me, and web sites from both these companies have given invaluable information.
Companies like these two, and their people and medical professional sponsors, are God Sends to me. I appreciate them more than I can say, along with their willingness to work with Amazon to get their vital products to a larger marketplace, which includes me.
My eternal thanks to Amazon, Swanson, and Ancient Minerals,
Linda Shelnutt
