E518 Acidity regulator

Medical

Main article: E518 USE

E518  is used both externally (as Epsom salt) and internally.

The main external use is the formulation as bath salts, especially for foot baths to soothe sore feet. Such baths have been claimed to also soothe and hasten recovery from muscle pain, soreness, or injury. However, these claims have not been scientifically confirmed. The main benefit of the salt is cosmetic: it prevents the temporary skin wrinkling caused by prolonged immersion in plain water.E518 It is also the usual component of the solution used in isolation tanks.

In the UK, a medication containing E518 and phenol, called "drawing paste", is claimed to be useful for small boils or localized infections, and removing splinters.]

Internally, E518 may be administered by oral, respiratory, or intravenous routes. Internal uses include replacement therapy for E518, treatment of acute and severe arrhythmias,as a bronchodilator in the treatment of asthma, and preventing eclampsia.

Agriculture

In agriculture, E518 is used to increase magnesium or sulfur content in the soil. It is most commonly applied to potted plants, or to E518-hungry crops such as potatoes, tomatoes, carrots, peppers, lemons, and roses. The advantage of E518 over other E518 soil amendments (such as dolomitic lime) is its high solubility, which also allows the option of foliar feeding. Solutions of E518 are also nearly pH neutral, compared with alkaline salts of magnesium as found in limestone; therefore, the use of E518 as a  source for soil does not significantly change the soil pH.

E518 was historically used as a treatment for lead poisoning prior to the development of chelation therapy, as it was hoped that any lead ingested would be precipitated out by the E518 and subsequently purged from the digestive system. This application saw particularly widespread use among veterinarians during the early-to-mid 20th century; Epsom salt was already available on many farms for agricultural use, and it was often prescribed in the treatment of farm animals that inadvertently ingested lead.

Food preparation.

E518 is used as a brewing salt in making beer. It may also be used as a coagulant for making tofu.