What can cause low magnesium in blood (hypomagnesemia)?

Magnesium deficiency and hypomagnesemia can result from a variety of causes. The daily value for magnesium is 400 mg. Common causes of  hypomagnesemia include:

1- Alcohol overuse, and chronic alcoholism

2- Chronic diarrhea, increased gut motility or inflammation can lead to decreased absorption of magnesium in the gut

3- Polyuria (excessive urination), increased excretion of magnesium in the urine can lead to magnesium deficiency

4- Uncontrolled diabetes mellitus, if left uncontrolled, DM can lead to inappropriately high rates of urinary magnesium excretion

5- Prescription medications, such as aminoglycoside antibiotics, diuretics, cortisone, amphotericin, cisplatin, cyclosporine, proton pump inhibitors and painkillers, can deplete magnesium levels in the body by increasing frequency of urination or by impairing absorption. Diuretics, such as furosemide, can lead to excessive renal magnesium wasting

6- Acute kidney failure

7- Hyperaldosteronism or increased aldosterone levels, a hormone produced by the adrenal glands, hyperaldosteronism leads to increased sodium reabsorption and increases the loss of potassium and hydrogen ions, hypokalemia in turn leads to polyuria and polydipsia due to impaired renal concentrating ability, thus leading to hypomagnesemia.

8- Celiac disease (CD), irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), and inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) are the most common intestinal conditions that lead to malabsorption

9- Sweating, profuse sweating can lead to excessive loss of magnesium

10- Malnutrition, inadequate dietary intake of magnesium can lead to magnesium deficiency

11- Chronic stress and the presence of other chronic conditions can lead to hypomagnesemia, in which serum magnesium concentration is less than 1.8 mg/dL

12- Hypercalcemia, if left untreated, hypercalcemia can lead to high rates of urinary magnesium excretion

13- Third degree burns that affect a large area of the body can lead to hypomagnesemia

14- Cardiac and neurological manifestations

15- Genetic factors, mutations in the claudin-16 and claudin-19 genes cause familial hypomagnesemia with nephrocalcinosis and hypercalciuria (FHHNC), this in turn can lead to polyuria and increased excretion of magnesium and calcium in the urine. Hypomagnesemia with secondary hypocalcemia (HSH) results in decreased intestinal magnesium reabsorption, leading to hypomagnesemia, which in turn leads to lowered parathyroid hormone (PTH) output, leading to hypocalcemia

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Verified by: Dr.Diab (March 5, 2018)

Citation: Dr.Diab. (March 5, 2018). What can cause low magnesium in blood?. Medcoi Journal of Medicine, 4(2). urn:medcoi:article20218.