Magnesium Deficiency Symptoms: How To Spot The Signs Of Low Magnesium Levels

Pop quiz: What mineral is used in over 300 different biochemical reactions in your body and can cause migraines, anxiety, dizziness, sleep disturbances, depression, and a number of other health issues if you don’t consume enough of it?

Answer: Magnesium

Magnesium is critical to the health of the human body. It is just as important to your brain and muscles as calcium is to your bones and teeth yet it doesn’t get nearly the same amount of attention.

Got Milk? How about Got Magnesium? 

Disclaimer:

The content provided here is for informational purposes only and should not be used in place of the advice of a healthcare professional. While my wife and I have been taking magnesium supplements every day for years, I can't say how they might affect you. Always consult a doctor if you have health concerns: don't try to self-diagnose!

Common Magnesium Deficiency Symptoms

For starters, these are some of the magnesium deficiency symptoms listed by the NIH:

• loss of appetite
• nausea and/or vomiting
• fatigue and weakness
• numbness or tingling
• muscle contractions and cramps
• abnormal heart rhythms

The University of Maryland Medical Center lists some additional symptoms:

• agitation and anxiety
• low blood pressure
• hyperventilation

And some more symptoms I’ve experienced myself:

• dizziness
• difficulty sleeping
• restless leg syndrome

In addition to the symptoms directly caused by magnesium deficiency there are a number of medical conditions that have a correlation with low magnesium levels.

These are some of the related conditions listed by UMM:

• depression
• fibromyalgia
• migraine headaches

In fact, there are so many different symptoms related to magnesium deficiency that entire books have been written about it.

Check out my list of the best books on magnesium here

My Experience With Low Magnesium Levels

Over the past couple years, and especially during my two-month discovery of the importance of magnesium, I have experienced a number of the symptoms and conditions listed above.

Even now as I work to optimize my intake via foods high in magnesium and magnesium supplements I occasionally end up taking in less magnesium that I need, and if it goes on long enough I can definitely feel myself sliding backwards.

One of the first symptoms to surface for me is restless leg syndrome. I now use that as my early warning symptom: once it starts I immediately increase my magnesium intake one way or another.

Talk To Your Doctor About The Symptoms Of Magnesium Deficiency

As always, you are strongly encouraged to consult with your physician or other qualified medical professional to help determine your own optimal level of magnesium, and to see whether magnesium supplementation is right for you.

With their help you can determine if you are experiencing magnesium deficiency symptoms and help you find proper treatment.

It’s worth your time to make an appointment: my neurologist is the one that recommended magnesium for my migraines, and adding this one supplement to my daily routine has completely changed my life!