magnesium test

What is magnesium? It is defined as an important mineral needed to maintain a healthy heart, muscles and bones. It also acts as a cofactor in regulating biochemical reactions in the body like protein synthesis, regulating blood pressure and also blood glucose control. The mineral also plays an important role in transporting calcium and potassium ions to various cell membranes. Magnesium is present in your body as well as in some foods like bananas, milk, spinach, salmon, nuts, peanut butter and even in some breakfast cereals. The body sometimes is not able to absorb enough magnesium resulting in the deficiency. If you are low in magnesium it is important to get the levels tested. The magnesium deficiency test is an ideal diagnostic tool to do so.

1. Low magnesium diets

2. Consumption of processed foods and sodas

3. High sugar intake that leads to excretion of the mineral from the body

4. Softening of water can cause its magnesium levels to deplete

5. Consuming excessive calcium also increases the body’s need for magnesium. If not adequately compensated can lead to deficiency.

6. Medications like antibiotics, diuretics and painkillers also have the potential to cause magnesium deficiency.

The magnesium deficiency symptoms and signs include;

1. Cramps and muscle twitches are one of the common symptoms of magnesium deficiency. The mineral helps regulate muscle and nerve function promoting healthy contractions. Low levels cause them to twitch and cramp.

2. If you feel tired and suffer from fatigue more often, it might mean that the cells are not getting enough magnesium.

3. Magnesium deficiency interferes with your heart health, so if you see your blood pressure rocket sky high its time to get tested.

4. Weak and fragile bones can also imply low levels of magnesium in your body.

5. Suffering from a migraine or a persistent headache? This could be the result of you not getting enough magnesium. This results in neurotransmitters in the body and also constriction of the blood cells.

6. Abnormalities in mental health like anxiety and depression also sometimes signify magnesium deficiency.

The doctor prescribes screening tests if there is a suspected magnesium deficiency. So what is magnesium test? To test for magnesium deficiency doctors generally prescribe a blood routine, and it is called the total serum magnesium test. If blood tests do not provide conclusive evidence sometimes, doctors can also prescribe a urine magnesium test. It measures how much of the mineral is expelled out in the urine sample.

The serum magnesium test is a common diagnostic tool employed to detect the deficiency of the mineral in our body. As per its name blood serum sample is used a sample for this test. Antibodies, plasma and the non-clotting proteins constitute the serum sample. To carry out the test, the lab technician or the nurse takes out the blood sample from a vein on the arm which is then sent for analysis. The magnesium normal range in a serum magnesium test for people 17years and above is 1.7 to 2.3 milligrams per decilitre. Sometimes there might be a variation in the standard values depending upon your age, body type, sex and lab were the tests is done.

The test is used to measure the amount of magnesium in a sample of random urine. Deficiency occurs when the kidney is excreting excessive magnesium in the urine. The test is an excellent diagnostic tool to detect both magnesium deficiency and poisoning. Results of the magnesium urine tests can also be used for detecting chronic kidney failures. The normal value of magnesium used in the urine tests is 20-370 mg/dl for men and 20-320 mg/dl for women.

There are certain other tests that could be employed to check for the magnesium blood levels. One such tests are called the RBC magnesium test. It checks for the amount of magnesium present in the red blood cells. Apart from this, there is another blood routine called the Ionized Magnesium Test that checks for the actual magnesium ions in the body.

Also, there are other tests that do not require a blood sample. EXA test uses the cheek swab as a sample to check for the magnesium content in it. Lastly, there are tolerance tests where the doctor gives you a certain shot of magnesium and uses the urine sample to check how much of it is absorbed and how much is processed out. The magnesium test cost could vary depending on the type of the test used for screening.

Some of the magnesium deficiency treatment can be described as under.

1. Including magnesium-rich foods in your diet like pumpkin seeds, spinach, almonds, brown rice, flax seeds, dark chocolate etc

2. Applying magnesium oil can facilitate it is readily absorbed through the skin.

3. Epsom salt baths can be another treatment for magnesium deficiency.

4. Consuming magnesium supplements can also be an alternative. But always consult your doctor before consuming them.

5. Sometimes if there is a severe deficiency magnesium can also be given intravenously.

Magnesium deficiency or hypomagnesia is one of the most overlooked health issues. This can be attributed to the fact that the symptoms are not very severe until the levels become dangerously low. We at Portea offer a wide range of lab tests that help screen the magnesium deficiency in your body.

We have a team of highly qualified and experienced technicians and offer magnesium deficiency tests at an affordable price. The samples are collected from the convenience of your home and reports delivered via email. Our tests can be booked online via email or call.

High levels of magnesium can be a result of consuming too many supplements while the low levels could be due to insufficient supplies of daily intake of the mineral. It is important to take the deficiency test if any of these symptoms are observed.