"The classic physical signs of low magnesium are:
Neurological:
Behavioral disturbances
Irritability and anxiety
Lethargy
Impaired memory and cognitive function
Anorexia or loss of appetite
Nausea and vomiting
Seizures
Muscular:
Weakness
Muscle spasms (tetany)
Tics
Muscle cramps
Hyperactive reflexes
Impaired muscle coordination (ataxia)
Tremors
Involuntary eye movements and vertigo
Difficulty swallowing
Metabolic:
Increased intracellular calcium
Hyperglycemia
Calcium deficiency
Potassium deficiency
Cardiovascular:
Irregular or rapid heartbeat
Coronary spasms"
- Ancient Minerals - Symptoms of Low Magnesium
"Magnesium deficits and increased urinary magnesium excretion can occur in people with insulin resistance and/or type 2 diabetes [24,25]. The magnesium loss appears to be secondary to higher concentrations of glucose in the kidney that increase urine output [2]." - NIH - Magnesium
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"We use serum magnesium, which tells us only about what’s in the bloodstream, not about what’s inside the cells. Testing for red-blood-cell magnesium is a little more useful but it’s still difficult to measure.”
So what is the best test? “The best diagnosis for a magnesium deficiency is simply a good medical history,” says Dr. Hyman. “So anything that twitches or cramps or spasms or is tight in any way is a sign of magnesium deficiency.”
Such signs include a long list of symptoms: muscle cramps or twitches, insomnia, irritability, sensitivity to loud noises, anxiety, autism, ADHD, heart palpitations, angina (a spasm of the arteries), constipation, spasms in the muscles, headaches, migraines, fibromyalgia, chronic fatigue, asthma and kidney stones (which are caused by a calcium-magnesium imbalance); even diabetes and obesity are related to magnesium deficiency. Other symptoms connected to magnesium deficiency include high blood pressure, menstrual cramps, irritable bladder, irritable bowel, acid reflux and premenstrual syndrome." - Mark Hyman, MD, Putting Magnesium Back in Your Life