If you're experiencing symptoms of hypomagnesemia, you should see your healthcare provider. If you have severe symptoms, such as seizures or an abnormal heartbeat, call 911 or get to the nearest hospital as soon as possible.
Symptoms of magnesium deficiency include nausea and vomiting, fatigue, muscle contractions, and weakness. Extreme or severe magnesium deficiency is a medical emergency and can cause life-threatening heart rhythms, called arrhythmias.
Signs and symptoms of hypomagnesemia include mild tremors and generalized weakness to cardiac ischemia and death.
If the level of magnesium in your blood is lower than 1.8 milligrams per deciliter, your levels are considered low. If your level is below 1.25 mg/dL, your condition is considered severe.
If symptomatic and especially if the magnesium is <0.4 mmol/L recommend urgent admission.
Severe magnesium deficiency can cause problems with the function of your nervous system and heart. It can lead to things like muscle spasms, seizures, or heart arrhythmias. Oral or intravenous magnesium can supplement a low magnesium level. But it's important to find and address the underlying cause.
Normal Results. The normal range for blood magnesium level is 1.7 to 2.2 mg/dL (0.85 to 1.10 mmol/L).
Chronic magnesium deficiency is often associated with normal serum magnesium despite deficiency in cells and in bone; the response to oral supplementation is slow and may take up to 40 weeks to reach a steady state.
You can test your magnesium levels by purchasing a simple at-home finger prick test kit which is then analysed at an accredited lab. Forth offers a number of blood tests which include magnesium such as our Nutri-check test and Menopause Health blood test.
Malnutrition: Starvation, anorexia, bulimia, or frequent vomiting for any reason can result in a magnesium deficiency. Digestive diseases: People with conditions such as Crohn's disease, celiac disease, or regional enteritis can have difficulty absorbing magnesium via the gut.
Health conditions such as diabetes, poor absorption, chronic diarrhea, and celiac disease are associated with magnesium loss. People with alcohol use disorder are also at an increased risk of deficiency ( 2 ).
Hypomagnesemia might cause acute neurological symptoms that could be confused with stroke.
Low magnesium levels can also lead to changes in your mood and personality and increase your risk of depression. Some signs might include mental numbness, a lack of feeling emotions, and increased feelings of anxiety, says Shapiro.
Hypomagnesemia can potentially cause fatal complications including ventricular arrhythmia, coronary artery spasm, and sudden death. It also associates with increased mortality and prolonged hospitalization [6, 7].
Hypomagnesemia occurs with both loop diuretics (furosemide, bumetanide, torsemide, and ethacrynic acid) and thiazide diuretics (chlorothiazide, hydrochlorothiazide, indapamide, and metolazone).
Since magnesium plays a role in neuromuscular transmission and muscle contraction, it has been hypothesised that magnesium deficiency may predispose to muscle cramps. Thus magnesium supplements are often recommended to prevent cramps.
Low magnesium levels can be the result of chronic abuse of alcohol and poor nutrition. Low magnesium levels can lead to seizures and also can cause low calcium levels.
Magnesium is involved in 80% of the body's metabolic reactions. One of its most important roles is in energy production in the body, so it's not surprising that low magnesium levels can result in fatigue or feeling tired.
One of the implications of low levels of magnesium is muscle fatigue, muscle pain, spasms and cramps, and tension headaches.
Cognitive delays
Commonly referred to as brain fog, slow cognition or difficulty with concentration and memory can all indicate magnesium deficiency. Magnesium is an essential nutrient for the brain, so without it the brain cannot perform as well.
Magnesium helps keep coronary arteries from having spasms, which is what causes the intense chest pain known as angina. In fact, a deficiency of magnesium is the most common cause of such arterial spasms.
Muscle Spasms and Cramps
Twitches, spasms, tremors, and muscle cramps are one of the most obvious signs of magnesium deficiency. In some severe cases, magnesium deficiency can cause seizures or convulsions.
Oral magnesium salts (eg, magnesium gluconate 500 to 1000 mg orally 3 times a day) are given for 3 to 4 days. Oral treatment is limited by the onset of diarrhea. Parenteral administration is reserved for patients with severe, symptomatic hypomagnesemia who cannot tolerate oral drugs.