Magnesium, Serum

A magnesium test is a blood test that measures the amount of magnesium in your blood. Magnesium is an essential mineral that plays a key role in many bodily functions, such as muscle and nerve function, blood sugar regulation, and bone health.

A magnesium test is typically ordered to help diagnose or monitor:

1. Magnesium deficiency or excess: Low levels of magnesium can cause symptoms like muscle cramps, weakness, and irregular heartbeat. High levels of magnesium can be dangerous, leading to issues like low blood pressure or breathing problems.
2. Kidney problems: Since magnesium is processed by the kidneys, abnormal levels can indicate kidney disease or dysfunction.
3. Other conditions: Certain conditions, such as diabetes, alcoholism, or malnutrition, can affect magnesium levels.

Symptoms of low magnesium include:

• Loss of appetite
• Nausea and vomiting
• Fatigue and weakness
• Muscle Cramps
• Numbness and/or tingling
• Irregular Heartbeat(arrhythmia)

Seizures (if magnesium levels are extremely low)

A magnesium blood test measures the amount of magnesium in a sample of your blood. Magnesium is a mineral that you get from many kinds of foods you eat. Some examples include nuts, seeds, beans, fortified breakfast cereals, green leafy vegetables, and milk.

Your body needs magnesium to help your muscles, nerves, and heart work properly. Magnesium also helps control blood pressure and blood glucose, also called blood sugar. It's important for building strong bones, and it supports your immune system

Magnesium is a type of electrolytes. Electrolytes are electrically charged minerals. They help control the amount of fluid and the balance of acids and bases (pH balance) in your body.

Most of your body's magnesium is stored in your bones, organs, and other body tissue. Only a small amount is found in your blood. Your body tightly controls the amount of magnesium in your blood mainly through :

• They filter extra magnesium from your blood and get rid of it through urine (pee). If your magnesium level is low, your kidneys limit the amount lost through urine.
• They control how much magnesium you absorb from the foods you eat.

Abnormal levels of blood magnesium can be caused by many different conditions. So, a magnesium test may be used to help diagnose a variety of disorders.