The psychiatric symptoms of magnesium deficiency are unspecific, ranging from apathy to psychosis, and may be attributed to other disease processes associated with poor intake, defect absorption, or excretion of magnesium. Serum magnesium should be determined when there are symptoms consistent with magnesium deficiency and/or in conditions which can lead to a deficiency, e.g., malabsorption, malnutrition, alcoholism and diuretic treatment. A low serum value suggests magnesium deficiency, but the diagnosis is reinforced with analyses of magnesium in the urine and a loading test with magnesium. Magnesium can be given orally or intramuscular/intravenously.
Get full access to this article
View all access options for this article.
References
1.
RodinG. and VoshartK., Depression in the Medically Ill: An Overview, American Journal of Psychiatry, 143, pp. 696–705, 1986.
2.
RobinsonR. G. and PriceT. R., Post-stroke Depression Disorders: A Follow-up Study of 103 Patients, Stroke, 13, pp. 635–641, 1982.
3.
KuhnC. C. and SchwabJ. J., Depression and Internal Medicine, International Journal of Psychiatry in Medicine, 17: 3, pp. 269–283, 1987.
4.
TarterR. E.SwitalaJ.CarraJ., Inflammatory Bowel Disease: Psychiatric Status of Patients before and after Disease Onset, International Journal of Psychiatry in Medicine, 17: 2, pp. 173–181, 1987.
5.
LinterC. M., Neuropsychiatric Aspects of Trace Elements, British Journal of Hospital Medicine, pp. 361–365, December 1985.
6.
EdwardsN., Mental Disturbances Related to Metals, in Psychiatric Presentations of Medical Illness, Somatopsychic Disorders, HallC. W. (ed.), Spectrum Publications, New York, p. 288, 1980.
7.
WalkerW. E. C. and ParisiA. F., Magnesium Metabolism, New England Journal of Medicine, 278, pp. 712–776, 1968.
8.
HallR. C. and JoffeJ. R., Hypomagnesemia: Physical and Psychiatric Symptoms, Journal of the American Medical Association, 224, pp. 1749–1751, 1973.
9.
Stendig-LindbergG., Hypomagnesemia in Alcoholic Encephalopathies, Acta Psychiatrica Scandinavica, 50, pp. 465–480, 1974.
10.
GreerA.McBrideD. H., and ShenkinA., Comparison of the Nutritional State of New and Long-term Patients in a Psychogeriatric Unit, British Journal of Psychiatry, 149, pp. 738–741, 1986.
11.
SchouI. C., Enzymatic Basis for Active Transport of Na+ and K+ across Cell Membrane, Psychological Review, 45, pp. 596–612, 1965.
12.
ChutkowJ. G., Metabolism of Magnesium in Central Nervous System, Neurology, 24, pp. 780–787, 1974.
13.
BrannanP. G.Verge-MariniP.PakC. Y. K., Magnesium Absorption in the Human Small Intestine, Journal of Clinical Investigation, 57, p. 1412, 1976.
14.
DycknerT. and WesterP. O., Magnesium Deficiency—Guidelines for Diagnosis and Substitution Therapy, Acta Medica Scandinavica, 661, pp. 37–41, 1982.
15.
WidmanL.DycknerT., and WesterP. O., Effect of Moduretic and Altactone on Electrolytes in Skeletal Muscle in Patients on Long-term Diuretic Therapy, Acta Medica Scandinavica, 661, pp. 33–35, 1982.
16.
BøhmerT. and MathiesenB., Magnesium Deficiency in Chronic Alcoholic Patients Uncovered by an Intravenous Loading Test, Scandinavian Journal of Clinical Investigation, 42, pp. 633–636, 1982.
17.
HallR. C. W. and JoffeJ. R., Hypomagnesemia. Physical and Psychiatric Symptoms, Journal of the American Medical Association, 224, pp. 1749–1751, 1973.
18.
CarneyM. W. P.SheffieldB. F., and SebastianJ., Serum Magnesium, Diagnosis, ECT and Season, British Journal of Psychiatry, 122, pp. 427–429, 1973.
19.
FlinkE. B., Magnesium Deficiency and Magnesium Toxicity in Man, Trace Elements in Human Health and Disease, Vol. II, Academic Press, Inc., New York, 1976.
