If you have low magnesium, you may experience:

• Weakness
• Fatigue
• Appetite loss
• Numbness or tingling sensations
• Upset stomach, nausea and vomiting
• Irregular heartbeat
• Seizures (in cases of an extremely low magnesium level)

If you’re over the age of 60, have dietary restrictions and/or live with certain chronic health conditions, you may have a higher risk of having a low magnesium level. 

Conditions that are associated with low magnesium levels include²:

• Type 2 diabetes
• Crohn’s disease
• Celiac disease
• Malabsorption syndrome
• Alcohol use disorder
• Malnutrition
• Chronic diarrhea

Certain medications may interfere with magnesium absorption in the body, such as some antibiotics, antacids, and drugs to treat high blood pressure, etc.¹ 

Individuals with acute or chronic kidney disease are at greater risk of having a higher magnesium level, also known as hypermagnesemia, as the kidneys play an important role in the regulation and excretion of magnesium. Certain medications with magnesium may also put this group at higher risk. 

Test your magnesium level to check if you have optimal magnesium in your body. 

Note: Do not stop taking any medications without consulting with your healthcare provider.

Many people are consuming less than the recommended amount of magnesium. A healthy diet can help support your body’s needs for magnesium. People should get most of their nutrients from a well-rounded diet rather than taking supplements.

Food sources of magnesium include green leafy vegetables (spinach, collard greens), legumes (black beans, edamame, lima beans), nuts (almonds, cashews, peanuts), seeds, fruits (avocado, banana, blackberries) and fiber-rich whole grains (quinoa).

If your magnesium level is low or you are experiencing any concerning symptoms, it is recommended to contact a healthcare provider for further guidance. 

Your testing will be performed in a CLIA-certified clinical laboratory. Labcorp provides leading-edge medical laboratory tests and services through a national network of primary clinical laboratories and specialty testing laboratories. Our labs perform regular quality assurance testing to ensure our results are accurate.

Your results will be provided to you through our secure online portal to view or print. Results are also made available through a secure portal to the independent healthcare provider who placed your test order.  If you are accessing your results through your Labcorp Patient™ account, all users linked to the account will have access to all OnDemand test results. Results may also be provided to a local, state, and/or federal health authority; for example, many states require the testing laboratory and physician to report test results for certain communicable diseases, such as COVID-19, to local or state health departments.

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Visit the Labcorp OnDemand® website to browse and purchase laboratory tests and create your Labcorp Patient™ account to view your results. All Labcorp OnDemand testing requires an order from an authorized healthcare professional. For your convenience, Labcorp OnDemand has contracted with independent professional entities (collectively, Providers) to deliver healthcare provider services. Visit a Labcorp location for sample collection; or, if using an at-home collection kit, collect your sample yourself. We’ll let you know when your results are ready and can be accessed through your Labcorp Patient™ account.