A magnesium deficiency can be a sign of preeclampsia, a serious form of high blood pressure that affects pregnant women. In addition, your provider may order this test if you have a health problem that can cause a magnesium deficiency. These include malnutrition, alcoholism, and diabetes.
Magnesium deficiency can lead to health problems including: high blood pressure and heart disease. diabetes. osteoporosis.
Magnesium deficiency is frequently observed in conditions causing steatorrhoea or severe chronic diarrhoea such as Crohn's disease, ulcerative colitis, coeliac disease, Whipple's disease and short bowel syndrome.
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.
Your body needs sufficient magnesium for it to function properly. If you're magnesium deficient it could be contributing to your weight gain or preventing you from losing weight.
One study shows that 68% of Americans are magnesium deficient (www.usda.gov). The role of magnesium is complex and its deficiency is implicated in a number of nonspecific neuropsychological changes such as agitation, fear, anxiety, depression, dizziness, poor attention, insomnia, and restlessness.
If the hypomagnesemia is severe, you'll likely be in a hospital and receive fluids and magnesium through an IV. Your provider will also prescribe a treatment plan to manage the underlying cause.
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.
Dietary deficiencies of magnesium, coupled with excess calcium and stress may cause many cases of other related symptoms including agitation, anxiety, irritability, confusion, asthenia, sleeplessness, headache, delirium, hallucinations and hyperexcitability, with each of these having been previously documented.
One study of older adults with insomnia found that magnesium supplementation at a dose of 500 milligrams daily for eight weeks helped them fall asleep faster, stay asleep longer, reduced nighttime awakenings, and increased their levels of naturally circulating melatonin.
Normal Results
The normal range for blood magnesium level is 1.7 to 2.2 mg/dL (0.85 to 1.10 mmol/L).
Common substances — such as sugar and caffeine — deplete the body's magnesium levels.
Fruit juices such as orange juice, cherry juice, and watermelon juice are all good sources of magnesium, potassium, and phosphorus. According to the FNDDS, the average school container (124 grams) of 100% orange juice provides : 13.6 mg of magnesium.
Bananas may be best known for being rich in heart-healthy and bone-strengthening potassium, but a medium-size banana also provides 32 mg of magnesium, in addition to 10.3 mg of vitamin C (a good source) and 3 g (a good source) of fiber, according to the USDA.
You might have trouble absorbing magnesium from food if you drink too much alcohol, have kidney problems, take certain medicines, or have celiac disease or long-lasting digestive problems.
Thus, the elderly population is especially at risk of magnesium deficiency due to low intake but also increased risk for chronic diseases that predispose to magnesium deficiency (ageing also reduces magnesium absorption from the diet, ie, achlorhydria).
Diabetics or individuals with other blood sugar abnormalities, such as insulin resistance – because of increased urinary excretion, decreased dietary intake, and increased need. Individuals who consume a diet high in pastries and other junk foods – which are basically devoid of magnesium.
With heavy alcohol intake, there can be a loss of magnesium from tissues and increased urinary loss (Pasqualetti et al., 1987; Shane and Flink, 1991). Chronic alcohol abuse has been reported to deplete the total body supply of magnesium (Vandemergel and Simon, 2015).