Magnesium

Magnesium (Mg) is a macro-mineral required by the body to perform various functions. This means that your body needs large amounts of magnesium for healthy muscles, nerves, bones, and blood sugar levels. It is essential for many processes in your body, such as producing energy from food, maintaining your blood pressure, and helping your cells absorb potassium and calcium. 

The doctor may ask to perform the Magnesium test if you experience symptoms such as weakness, muscle cramps, numbness or tingling, irregular heartbeat, nausea, diarrhea, confusion, slurred speech, and seizures or if the doctor suspects you of an individual is suffering from conditions like hypermagnesemia (high levels of magnesium) and hypomagnesemia (low levels of magnesium. Doctors may also recommend the Magnesium for pregnant women to check the possibilities of preeclampsia (a serious pregnancy complication characterized by high blood pressure). This usually happens because magnesium blood levels decrease in the second and third trimesters of pregnancy due to the dilution of blood.

It has been seen that over time, low magnesium levels can cause persistently low calcium and potassium levels. Therefore, the Magnesium test may also be conducted to help diagnose problems with calcium, potassium, phosphorus, and/or parathyroid hormone, another important component of calcium regulation in the body. Magnesium levels may be measured to monitor the response to oral or intravenous (IV) magnesium supplements. The Magnesium test may be done along with calcium and phosphorus tests, to monitor calcium supplementation as well.

No special preparation is needed for the Magnesium test. Before getting tested, it is also important to inform the doctor about all the medicines you are taking, as some of them may affect your test results. Doctors may ask you to temporarily discontinue some medicines before getting this test. 

Reference ranges are approximate and may vary based on factors such as age, medical history, etc. Narrate your complete medical history to help the doctor correlate your clinical and laboratory findings. Based on your test results, a doctor may recommend dietary modifications or magnesium supplements, if required, to manage your condition.