Why Are Magnesium Tests Done? A magnesium test may be done if a person has signs of low magnesium levels, such as weakness, muscle cramps or twitching, or an abnormal heartbeat. It also might be done if someone has a medical condition that makes low magnesium levels more likely, such as a kidney problem.
Your health care provider may order a magnesium blood test if you have symptoms of low magnesium or high magnesium levels. Symptoms of low magnesium include: Weakness. Muscle cramps and/or twitching.
For example, increased levels of magnesium may be seen with kidney disease because magnesium is excreted by the kidneys. A low magnesium level can be a sign of diabetes, some digestive problems, malnourishment, or long-term (chronic) alcoholism. Lower magnesium levels during pregnancy may mean preeclampsia.
Over time, low magnesium can weaken your bones, give you bad headaches, make you feel nervous, and even hurt your heart. It can also lead to low levels of other important minerals like calcium and potassium. High levels of magnesium are much less common than low levels.
If there is any underlying gut bacteria imbalance or other nutrient deficiencies and these are fixed, magnesium levels should start to improve within 2-4 weeks. However, everyone is different and deficiencies can take a few months for certain individuals.
Low magnesium is typically due to decreased absorption of magnesium in the gut or increased excretion of magnesium in the urine. Low magnesium levels in otherwise healthy people are uncommon. This is because magnesium levels are largely controlled by the kidneys.
Disorders of magnesium metabolism, unspecified
E83. 40 is a billable/specific ICD-10-CM code that can be used to indicate a diagnosis for reimbursement purposes.
A variety of drugs including antibiotics, chemotherapeutic agents, diuretics and proton pump inhibitors can cause magnesium loss and hypomagnesemia (see Table 3).
Hypomagnesemia occurs with both loop diuretics (furosemide, bumetanide, torsemide, and ethacrynic acid) and thiazide diuretics (chlorothiazide, hydrochlorothiazide, indapamide, and metolazone).
Low magnesium intake is associated with increased knee pain in subjects with radiographic knee osteoarthritis: data from the Osteoarthritis Initiative. Osteoarthritis Cartilage.
As a result, magnesium deficiency can lead to serious morbidity and mortality, and has been implicated in multiple cardiovascular diseases such as hypertension, cardiomyopathy, cardiac arrhythmia, atherosclerosis, dyslipidaemia and diabetes.
Magnesium supplementation has been used successfully in the treatment of different conditions such as PMS, PCOS, mood disorders, and postmenopausal symptoms and consequent risk factors, particularly in the association with other dietary components with proven antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activity.
Magnesium deficiency can cause a wide variety of features including hypocalcaemia, hypokalaemia and cardiac and neurological manifestations. Chronic low magnesium state has been associated with a number of chronic diseases including diabetes, hypertension, coronary heart disease, and osteoporosis.
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.
One of the implications of low levels of magnesium is muscle fatigue, muscle pain, spasms and cramps, and tension headaches.
Treatment for hypomagnesemia depends on how mild or severe it is and the underlying cause. If the hypomagnesemia is mild, your healthcare provider will likely recommend magnesium tablets taken by mouth. If the hypomagnesemia is severe, you'll likely be in a hospital and receive fluids and magnesium through an IV.
Lower quality magnesium supplements and some tablets may cause cramps, bloating, diarrhea, and stomach pain in sensitive individuals.
Can magnesium help clogged arteries? Research has drawn a direct link between atherosclerosis and magnesium levels. As discussed above, “Magnesium prevents calcium buildup in cholesterol plaque in arteries, which leads to clogged arteries.”
Magnesium is most commonly used for constipation, as an antacid for heartburn, for low magnesium levels, for pregnancy complications called pre-eclampsia and eclampsia, and for a certain type of irregular heartbeat (torsades de pointes).
A study in the journal Archives of Low magnesium levels can also result in dizziness. If you experience a feeling of dizziness that does not go away, it could be due to magnesium deficiency. Dizziness is a difficult symptom to properly diagnose. Low magnesium is often overlooked as the culprit.
People with diabetes, intestinal disease, heart disease or kidney disease should not take magnesium before speaking with their health care provider. Overdose. Signs of a magnesium overdose can include nausea, diarrhea, low blood pressure, muscle weakness, and fatigue. At very high doses, magnesium can be fatal.