Causes and symptoms of magnesium deficiency | What you need to know

06.02.2025

Magnesium is an element that plays an important role in our body. It is involved in:

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In energy processes,
In the activation of enzymes,
In protein synthesis,
In the proper functioning of the nervous system
In blood pressure regulation
Blood glucose regulation and more

Magnesium is involved in the balance of other trace elements – sodium, calcium and potassium. Hypomagnesemia (i.e. magnesium deficiency) often occurs together with potassium and calcium deficiency.

The majority of the body's magnesium is stored in the bones, but potassium in the plasma and extracellular fluid is the active portion used by cells and organs.

Three organs are responsible for maintaining normal magnesium concentrations in the body:

The small and large intestines, where dietary magnesium is absorbed
Bones – which store the main supply of magnesium
Kidneys – regulate the amount of magnesium excreted in the urine.

Hypomagnesemia, or magnesium deficiency, is caused by abnormalities in any of the links.

Risk group

Studies show that a significant proportion of people do not get enough magnesium. Magnesium deficiency usually develops slowly, and symptoms appear when levels in the body are too low.

Magnesium deficiency can develop in people of any age, although some diseases, conditions, or specific medications increase the risk of developing a deficiency. These include:

Gastrointestinal diseases (Crohn's disease, celiac disease)
Type 2 diabetes
Excessive alcohol consumption
Age over 60 years
10-20% of hospitalized patients

Symptoms of magnesium deficiency

Hypomagnesemia can manifest in various ways, but magnesium deficiency is mainly manifested by disruption of the nervous and muscular systems, as well as the heart. Some people do not develop symptoms despite the deficiency.

Signs of moderate magnesium deficiency include:

Tremor
Muscle spasms
Nystagmus (abnormal eye movements)
General weakness and lack of energy
Ingratitude
Nausea

In case of severe deficiency, the following occurs:

Generalized tonic-clonic seizures
Altered consciousness – delirium
Arrhythmias

These conditions require immediate medical intervention.

When symptoms of magnesium deficiency are detected, it is important to determine potassium and calcium along with magnesium to accurately assess the condition.

What causes magnesium deficiency?

Hypomagnesemia is caused by one of the following:

Insufficient dietary magnesium intake or impaired intestinal absorption
Magnesium loss through urine
Increased deposition of plasma magnesium in bones (very rare)

The cause of an alimentary (nutritional) deficiency of magnesium may be:

Hunger
Excessive alcohol consumption
Inability to feed orally (patients receiving nutrients intravenously)

Magnesium deficiency caused by impaired intestinal absorption develops:

In diseases that cause malabsorption. For example: celiac disease, inflammatory bowel disease, etc.
During gastric bariatric surgery
In genetic diseases that cause impaired magnesium absorption (primary hypomagnesemia)
Medications – which reduce magnesium absorption. For example: proton pump inhibitors – omeprazole.
Acute or chronic diarrhea

Causes of increased renal magnesium loss include:

Alcoholism
Untreated diabetes
Hereditary renal tubular diseases (Gitelman syndrome)
Aminoglycoside antibiotics (gentamicin, tobramycin, amikacin, streptomycin, neomycin)
Chemotherapy drugs (cisplatin)
Anti-transplant rejection medications (tacrolimus, cyclosporine)
Cardiac glycosides (digoxin)

Extracellular magnesium transport to depot organs

In acute pancreatitis
In "hungry bone syndrome," which develops after surgical removal of the parathyroid glands.

Diagnosing magnesium deficiency

Magnesium deficiency is confirmed by laboratory testing. If there are signs of magnesium deficiency, it is recommended to perform the following in addition to magnesium:

Determination of calcium in the blood
Blood biochemical profile
Determination of potassium in the blood
Determination of magnesium in urine

Treatment of magnesium deficiency

Treatment for magnesium deficiency depends on the severity of the disease causing it.

The main source of magnesium is food, although in cases of severe deficiency, it is necessary to include it in the diet as a supplement.

It is also essential to treat the underlying disease causing the magnesium deficiency.

feeding mode

Eating foods rich in magnesium is a necessary condition for filling the deficiency:

Green vegetables
grain
Nuts
legumes
fruits and vegetables

All foods that are rich in fiber are rich in magnesium.

When necessary, it is necessary to take magnesium and other minerals/vitamins as supplements with food. Magnesium citrate, oxide, chloride, lactate, and other forms are easily absorbed from the gastrointestinal tract.