What causes your magnesium to be high?

Magnesium is excreted by your kidneys. Any damage to your kidneys, when they are not working properly, may cause an increase in magnesium levels. Other causes of hypermagnesemia include: Increased destruction or shift of potassium from within the cells.

What are the toxicity symptoms of magnesium?

Symptoms of magnesium toxicity, which usually develop after serum concentrations exceed 1.74–2.61 mmol/L, can include hypotension, nausea, vomiting, facial flushing, retention of urine, ileus, depression, and lethargy before progressing to muscle weakness, difficulty breathing, extreme hypotension, irregular heartbeat.

How do I get rid of excess magnesium?

A doctor can give intravenous (IV) calcium gluconate to help reverse the effects of excess magnesium. IV furosemide may be given for diuresis and excretion of magnesium if adequate kidney function is intact.

Can too much magnesium make you dizzy?

Side effects from too much magnesium are unusual, because the body clears excess magnesium naturally. In rare cases, magnesium toxicity can cause dizziness or fainting, flushing, or muscle paralysis. An overdose is extremely unlikely, but can happen in people with kidney disease.

How do you counteract too much magnesium?

In an emergency setting, magnesium overdose treatment may include:

  1. Artificial breathing support.
  2. Injection of calcium gluconate or calcium chloride.
  3. Intravenous fluids.
  4. Renal dialysis.
  5. Stomach pumping (gastric lavage)

How can I check my magnesium levels?

Your doctor may order a magnesium test if you have signs of a problem, or if you have diabetes or kidney trouble. A blood test is the most common way to find out your magnesium level. You may hear the term “total serum magnesium test.” The magnesium blood test is like other blood tests you may have had.

Can too much magnesium hurt your kidneys?

Magnesium supplements can cause excessive accumulation of magnesium in the blood, especially with patients who have chronic kidney disease. Accumulation of magnesium in the blood can cause muscle weakness, but does not damage the kidney directly.

Can too much magnesium cause leg cramps?

Too little potassium, calcium or magnesium in your diet can contribute to leg cramps. Diuretics — medications often prescribed for high blood pressure — also can deplete these minerals.

Can magnesium give you vertigo?

In addition, as your magnesium levels continue to decrease, your dizziness symptoms could actually develop into vertigo, which can make it difficult to perform daily duties, such as going to work or just getting out of bed.

Can your body have too much magnesium?

Too much magnesium from foods isn’t a concern for healthy adults. However, the same can’t be said for supplements. High doses of magnesium from supplements or medications can cause nausea, abdominal cramping and diarrhea.

What are the signs of a high magnesium level?

Magnesium levels that read higher than normal may be the result of taking thyroid medication or insulin, having chronic kidney disease, being dehydrated or using laxatives. Symptoms of high magnesium levels can include muscle weakness, mood changes, confusion and heart arrhythmia.

What are the effects of high magnesium levels?

High doses of magnesium can cause health concerns and lead to serious side effects. Common symptoms include diarrhea and an upset stomach. You may also develop nausea, vomiting, mental confusion and other mineral deficiencies. Also, magnesium competes with calcium for absorption.

What can cause low magnesium levels?

When the level of magnesium in the body drops below normal, symptoms of low magnesium may develop. Common causes of low magnesium include: Alcohol use. Burns that affect a large area of the body.

Who usually gets high levels of magnesium?

A high magnesium level is 2.6 mg/dL or above. Most cases of hypermagnesemia occur in people who have kidney failure . Hypermagnesemia occurs because the process that keeps the levels of magnesium in the body at normal levels does not work properly in people with kidney dysfunction and end-stage liver disease.