The normal adult value for serum magnesium levels is:
- 1.46 to 2.68 mg/dL
- 1.5 to 2.5 mEq/L
- 0.75 to 0.95 mmol/L
Magnesium deficiency (Hypomagnesemia) is an electrolyte disturbance caused when there is a low level of serum magnesium in the blood typically less than:
- 1.46 mg/dL
- 0.75 mmol/L
A value of magnesium levels below 1.25 mg/dL is considered severely low.
Normal daily requirements of magnesium
According to the National Institutes of Health, the recommended dietary allowance (RDA):
- For people between 19 and 30 years:
- Females: 310 mg
- Males: 400 mg
- For people above 31 years:
- Females: 320 mg
- Males: 420 mg
What is magnesium?
Magnesium is a mineral found in the body as well as in the earth’s crust.
It is an essential electrolyte needed for several body functions, such as bone health, cellular functions, nerve conduction, and other needs including:
- Prevents mood swings and helps in stabilizing depressive episodes
- Proper functioning of the heart, muscles, and the nerves
- Helps control energy, blood sugar, and blood pressure levels
What foods contain magnesium?
Magnesium is naturally found in many foods, such as:
- Peanut butter
- Nuts
- Spinach
- Beans
- Whole grains
- Bananas
- Milk
- Salmon
- Magnesium-fortified breakfast cereals or bottled water
What are the symptoms of low magnesium (hypomagnesemia)?
Symptoms from low magnesium (hypomagnesemia) are not evident unless they persist for a long time. However, symptoms may include:
- Poor appetite
- Nausea and vomiting
- Sleepiness
- Generalized weakness and exhaustion
- Headaches
- Pins and needles sensation
- Pronounced reflexes
- Constipation
- Facial twitches
- Extreme cases can cause muscle spasms and tremors
Magnesium deficiency also can cause hypocalcemia (decreased calcium levels) and hypokalemia (decreased potassium levels).
Magnesium affects the electrical activity of the myocardium and vascular tone making patients with hypomagnesemia at risk for cardiac arrhythmias.
SLIDESHOW
See SlideshowWhat causes hypomagnesemia?
Hypomagnesemia can be attributed to:
- Chronic diseases
- Older age
- Alcohol use disorder
- Alcoholic cirrhosis
- Starvation or poor diet
- Burns that affect a large area of the body
- Malnutrition or malabsorption
- Excessive sweating
- Gastrointestinal diseases such as:
- Celiac disease
- Inflammatory bowel diseases
- Long-lasting digestive problems
- Acute diarrhea
- Chronic diarrhea due to Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis
- Acute pancreatitis
- Hungry bone syndrome (an increased magnesium uptake by renewing bone following parathyroidectomy or thyroidectomy)
- Laxative abuse
- Kidney problems or renal losses such as:
- Inherited tubular disorders (Gitelman syndrome, Bartter syndrome)
- Familial hypomagnesemia with hypercalciuria and nephrocalcinosis
- Rare genetic renal diseases
- Acute kidney failure
- Hyperaldosteronism (excess production of aldosterone hormone)
- Diabetes
- Thyroid issues
- Certain medications:
- Loop and thiazide diuretics
- Proton pump inhibitors
- Aminoglycoside antibiotics
- Amphotericin B
- Digitalis
- Chemotherapeutic drugs, such as cisplatin and cyclosporine
- Recent surgery
- Critically ill patients who are receiving parenteral nutrition
Health News
- One Death, 10 Hospitalizations in Listeria Outbreak Tied to Peaches, Plums
- Charity Scams Get Active Over the Holidays: Expert Tips to Avoid Them
- Too Few Seniors Get Follow-up Care After a Serious Fall
- AI Could Predict a Nonsmoker's Risk for Lung Cancer
- Breast Cancer Rates Higher in Urban vs. Rural Areas
- More Health News »
How is hypomagnesemia diagnosed?
A blood test is the most common way to determine magnesium levels.
The doctor may also recommend checking the following in a patient suspected of having hypomagnesemia:
- Serum phosphate and calcium levels
- The basic metabolic panel, including serum creatinine/kidney function and glucose levels
- Electrocardiogram
Complications of hypomagnesemia
Magnesium depletion can get complicated in many ways including neuromuscular, cardiovascular manifestations, and other electrolyte abnormalities.
- Neuromuscular manifestations:
- Tremors
- Tetany (positive Trousseau and Chvostek signs, that means on tapping the side of the jaw or inner corner of the elbow, there is muscle twitch in the nearby areas)
- Muscle spasms or muscle cramps
- Seizures
- Vertical nystagmus
- Apathy
- Delirium
- Coma
- Cardiovascular manifestations:
- Electrocardiogram changes (widening of the QRS complex, peaked T waves, prolongation of the PR interval)
- Atrial and ventricular premature systoles
- Atrial fibrillation
- Ventricular arrhythmias (torsades de pointes)
- Cardiac ischemia
- Other electrolyte and hormonal abnormalities:
- Hypocalcemia
- Hypoparathyroidism
- Hypokalemia
- Patients with hypomagnesemia should be encouraged to eat the following foods:
- Green vegetables such as spinach
- Beans
- Legumes
- Peas
- Nuts
- Seeds
- Unrefined grains
For severe cases or those with significant hypomagnesemia, a doctor may recommend a high dose of magnesium supplements or injecting magnesium into a muscle or vein for some time.
Health Solutions From Our Sponsors
Carol DerSarkissian. What Is a Magnesium Test? WebMD: https://www.webmd.com/a-to-z-guides/magnesium-test
Hypomagnesemia. NIH: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK500003/
Hypomagnesemia (Low Level of Magnesium in the Blood). MSD Manual: https://www.msdmanuals.com/en-in/home/hormonal-and-metabolic-disorders/electrolyte-balance/hypomagnesemia-low-level-of-magnesium-in-the-blood
Magnesium. Medscape: https://emedicine.medscape.com/article/2088140-overview#a1
Top What Level of Magnesium Is Too Low Related Articles
What Are the Benefits of Taking Magnesium Glycinate?
Magnesium is a crucial element that we should be getting from a well-balanced diet. Unfortunately, many people don’t get enough magnesium in their diets. Before you reach out for supplements, you should know that a few servings of magnesium-rich foods a day meet your daily requirement of magnesium.Healthy Living and Disease Prevention
The importance of a healthy lifestyle in disease prevention is widely understood and most people know that lifestyle changes and choices can be critical to good health. Learn about healthy behaviors that constitute healthy living.19 Key Vitamins and Minerals
Minerals and vitamins are key nutrients your body needs to thrive. Vitamin A, vitamin C, vitamin D, vitamin E, niacin, and riboflavin are just a few of these nutrients. Some vitamins act as antioxidants. Minerals serve many vital roles.Supplement Smarts: Best Ways to Take Different Vitamins
Taking a vitamin supplement to cover your nutritional bases? Find out how and when to take it so your body gets the most from it.Vitamins and Calcium Supplements
Vitamins are organic substances that are essential for the proper growth and functioning of the body. Calcium is a mineral essential for healthy bones and is also important for muscle contraction, heart action, and normal blood clotting. Check out the center below for more medical references on vitamins and calcium supplements, including multimedia (slideshows, images, and quizzes), related disease conditions, treatment and diagnosis, medications, and prevention or wellness.What Vitamins and Supplements Should I Avoid During Pregnancy?
You should always clear it with your obstetrician before taking any vitamins or supplements while pregnant.Vitamins Quiz
Take the Vitamins & Supplements Quiz to learn just how many essential vitamins your body needs to function!Is It Better to Take Vitamins in the Morning or Night?
Doctors recommend multivitamins for certain vitamin deficiencies. If you're taking a vitamin supplement for any type of vitamin deficiency, you should try to take it at a time when your body can best absorb it.Vitamins and Supplements: What Can You Take to Fight Inflammation?
Arthritis, intense exercise, and sugary or fatty foods are some of the things that can lead to inflammation. Here’s what you can take or add to your diet to help fight it.What Are the Signs of Magnesium Deficiency?
Magnesium deficiency is often overlooked because symptoms often appear until your levels are dangerously low. Here are the 4 signs to look out for.What Is a Good Family Multivitamin?
When looking for a good multivitamin for your family, consider one that has the following nutrients: vitamin D, Folate, Vitamin B-12Calcium, Iron, Zinc, and Magnesium.What Is the Best Vitamin Supplement to Take?
Dietary supplements are a general term that includes vitamins, minerals, botanicals, probiotics and other products to supplement the diet. The best vitamin supplement differs from person to person depending on their gender, age and any health conditions they have.Vitamins and Supplements: What to Know Before You Take Herbal Supplements
Not all herbs and supplements are safe, especially if you have certain medical conditions or take some drugs. Find out which ones you may need to skip with the help of this WebMD slideshow.What Vitamins Can Help Boost My Mood?
Studies have identified a few vitamins that can help boost your mood, including vitamin D, B vitamins, vitamin K, and vitamin C.What Vitamins and Supplements Should Not Be Taken Together?
Some vitamins that should not be taken together, or have dosage limitations, include vitamin C with vitamin B-12, vitamin A supplement with vitamin A-rich foods, folic acid (vitamin B9) and vitamin B12, and vitamin E with vitamin K.