Mg
Up to 24 hours
Colorimetric endpoint
Accredited NRL Laboratory
Daily
The primary clinical utility of measuring plasma/ serum magnesium test is to identify abnormal electrolyte states (hypomagnesemia or hypermagnesemia). Because only 1% of total body magnesium is in the blood, it is a poor indicator of total tissue stores, but it remains essential for guiding immediate medical management. Results are reported in mmol/L
Serum or Plasma
1 mL
Serum Separator Tube (SST, Gold Top) Plain Tube (Red Top) Lithium-heparin Plasma (Green Top)
No special preparation is required for this test. You may eat, drink, and take your medications as normal, unless instructed otherwise by your healthcare provider.
This test does not require any special collection or pre-analytical handling. Follow routine specimen collection protocols.
| Temperature | Period |
|---|---|
| Room Temperature | 7 days |
| Refrigerated | 7 days at 2 to 8°C |
| Frozen | 1 year at -20°C (as an aliquot, thaw only once) |