MAGNESIUM

MAGNESIUM, MAG

Magnesium, an abundant mineral in the body, is naturally present in many foods, added to other food products, available as a dietary supplement, and present in some medicines.

Magnesium also plays a role in the active transport of calcium and potassium ions across cell membranes, a process that is important to nerve impulse conduction, muscle contraction, and normal heart rhythm .

A magnesium test is used to measure the level of magnesium in the blood. Abnormal levels of magnesium are most frequently seen in conditions or diseases that cause impaired or excessive excretion of magnesium by the kidneys or that cause impaired absorption in the intestines.

The serum magnesium test measures the amount of magnesium in your blood.The normal range for blood magnesium level is 1.7 to 2.2 mg/dL 

The RBC blood test, also know as the magnesium blood test, is used to measure the level of magnesium found in the red blood cells floating in the blood serum.  The test is usually only ordered when there is reason to believe that an individual might have a magnesium deficiency