Vitamins and minerals help your body function at its best. But too much or too little of a particular nutrient can sometimes cause problems.
Take a fluttering heartbeat, for example. Though rare, certain supplements taken in excess and certain vitamin deficiencies can cause heart palpitations.
If you're experiencing heart palpitations regularly despite eating a balanced diet, talk to your doctor. You could have an underlying condition that affects your ability to absorb certain vitamins or minerals, and you might need a different balance of nutrients to stay well.
1. Calcium
Too much calcium in your blood — a condition called hypercalcemia — can sometimes lead to heart palpitations. But heart palpitations or an irregular heartbeat from too much calcium is very rare and typically occurs with severe hypercalcemia.
Hypercalcemia can develop if you take high doses of vitamin D or calcium supplements, are severely dehydrated, are immobile for a long period of time, or if you take certain medications (such as diuretics). It can also be caused by an underlying condition, such as:
Hyperparathyroidism
Cancer
Sarcoidosis
Tuberculosis
A rare genetic disorder called familial hypocalciuric hypercalcemia
If you suspect you have hypercalcemia, visit your doctor to get your levels tested and plan your treatment. And if you have an underlying condition that affects your body's ability to process calcium (such as kidney disease), work with your doctor or dietitian to develop a diet plan that's right for you.
If you don't have any health concerns, though, stick to the recommended daily allowance for calcium for your age and sex.
Recommended Dietary Allowances for Calcium
Age
Men
Women
19–50
1,000 mg
1,000 mg
51–70
1,000 mg
1,200 mg
71+
1,200 mg
1,200 mg
2. Vitamin D
Vitamin D is another supplement that can cause heart palpitations when taken in high amounts.
Doses of more than 4,000 international units (IU) per day every day may lead to this toxicity, and you shouldn’t do this unless you are under a doctor’s guidance and supervision to treat a health condition.
To prevent this issue, adults should stick to the recommended 600 IU of vitamin D per day and 800 IU a day after age 70.
Visit your doctor if you show signs of a vitamin D overdose, which can include:
Weakness
Nausea
Vomiting
Frequent urination
3. Folate
Insufficient folate (also referred to as folic acid or vitamin B9) can result in anemia. Anemia, in turn, can cause heart palpitations.
Other symptoms of a folate deficiency may include:
Fatigue
Shortness of breath
Weakness
Headache
Irritability
Difficulty concentrating
If you have concerns about your folate intake, visit your doctor to confirm you have a folate deficiency. If you do, your doctor can recommend the right supplement for you or may suggest adding more natural sources of folic acid to your diet. Some folate-rich foods include:
Beef liver, poultry, eggs, and dairy
Dark leafy green vegetables
Legumes like beans, peas, and lentils
With the help of these foods, aim to get the recommended 400 micrograms (mcg) of folate per day. Aim for 600 if you're breastfeeding a child and 500 if you're pregnant.
4. Vitamin B12
Another vitamin deficiency that can lead to heart palpitations is vitamin B12. Similar to a folate deficiency, a lack of vitamin B12 can lead to anemia and thereby result in heart palpitations.
A vitamin B12 deficiency can develop slowly and is often confused with other conditions, so visit your doctor to determine if you're lacking this nutrient. If you do have insufficient vitamin B12, your doctor will likely prescribe vitamins for heart palpitations and other symptoms in a shot or supplement form.
It's also important to make sure you're getting enough of the nutrient if you follow a vegetarian or vegan diet, since animal products like meat are primary sources of B12.
Vegetarian or not, aim to get 2.4 micrograms of the vitamin per day, and 2.6 if you're pregnant and 2.8 if you're breastfeeding. Good sources of vitamin B12 include:
Seafood like clams and crabs
Beef and beef liver
Nutritional yeast
Fortified cereal
Fortified soy products like tofu, soy milk, and tempeh
Dairy products like Swiss cheese, yogurt, and milk
Can Too Much Vitamin B12 Cause Heart Palpitations?
There's no evidence that taking high doses of B12 can cause heart palpitations. But it can lead to other symptoms, including:
Headache
Nausea
Vomiting
Diarrhea
Fatigue or weakness
Tingling sensation in hands and feet
5. Magnesium
Severe cases of insufficient magnesium can result in cardiac problems like abnormal heart rhythms and coronary spasms.
Magnesium also plays a role in your body's use of vitamin D and calcium, which can likewise contribute to heart palpitations.
Other symptoms of a magnesium deficiency include:
Loss of appetite
Nausea
Vomiting
Weakness
Headaches
Numbness or tingling
Muscle contractions or cramps
Get the right dose of the nutrient to prevent a magnesium deficiency. That means getting the following daily amounts.
Recommended Dietary Allowances for Magnesium
Age
Men
Women
Pregnancy
Lactation
19–30
400 mg
310 mg
350 mg
310 mg
31–50
420 mg
320 mg
360 mg
320 mg
51+
420 mg
320 mg
Magnesium-rich foods include:
Leafy greens like Swiss chard and spinach
Starchy vegetables like potatoes and squash
Avocados
Beans
Salmon
Older adults and people with gastrointestinal conditions and type 2 diabetes are more at risk for severe magnesium deficiency. If you fall into any of those categories and experience symptoms, seek medical care.
6. Potassium
Potassium is an essential mineral and electrolyte that keeps your heartbeat steady.
Too little potassium can result in a condition called hypokalemia, which in severe cases can cause heart-related issues like palpitations and arrhythmias.
Other symptoms of hypokalemia to look out for include:
Constipation
Fatigue
Muscle weakness
Paralysis
On the flip side, too much potassium in your system — a condition called hyperkalemia — can lead to similar issues. In severe cases, it can lead to heart arrhythmias.
Other symptoms include:
Nausea
Diarrhea
Abdominal cramping
Weak or irregular pulse
Muscle weakness
Numbness
People with kidney problems, heart problems, diabetes, and those taking certain medications (like drugs to lower blood pressure) are at increased risk for this health issue.
You can prevent a potassium deficiency or overload by eating the right daily amounts of the mineral:
Women: 2,600 mg
Women during pregnancy: 2,900 mg
Women while breastfeeding: 2,800 mg
Men: 3,400 mg
It's best to get your dose primarily through food sources of potassium, like:
Leafy greens like spinach
Starchy vegetables like potatoes and squash
Fruit like apricots and cantaloupe
Legumes like soybeans and lentils
Fish like salmon and tuna
Severe hypokalemia and hyperkalemia can both be life-threatening. If you experience symptoms, seek medical care immediately.
Other Substances That Can Cause Heart Palpitations
While certain vitamins and minerals can cause heart palpitations, it's much more likely that something else is causing this issue.
Caffeine
"Heart palpitations are a potential concern with supplements containing green tea, guarana, yerba mate, or kola nut — all ingredients that naturally contain caffeine," says Tod Cooperman, MD, the president of ConsumerLab, an independent testing company in White Plains, New York, focused on health and nutrition products.
These ingredients are often combined in weight loss supplements — some of which include straight caffeine, he says. Caffeine and other energizing ingredients like ginseng and taurine may also be in supplements that claim to enhance cognitive function. Energy drinks, which contain stimulants like caffeine, may also cause heart palpitations.
Nicotine
In addition to supplements (especially those that contain caffeine or other stimulants), nicotine in tobacco products can lead to an irregular or fast-paced heartbeat.
Certain Medications
Some medications can make your heart race, including:
Asthma medications
Decongestants
Drugs that control heart rhythm
Thyroid medication
Some over-the-counter cough and cold medicines
How to Deal With Heart Palpitations
If you notice your heart starting to flutter, review all the medications and supplements you take to see if you can identify a cause, Dr. Cooperman says. "Stop any stimulant and caffeine-containing supplements, including energy drinks," he says.
If it's a prescription drug, over-the-counter medication, or supplement you believe is causing your heart palpitations, ask your doctor about alternatives. And remember — the U.S. Food and Drug Administration doesn't require supplements to be proven safe or effective before they're sold, so there's no guarantee that any supplement you take is safe, contains the ingredients it says it does, or produces the effects it claims.
Fortunately, a fluttering heartbeat that's infrequent or short-lived is often harmless and goes away on its own. But if you have a history of heart disease and experience palpitations that are occurring more frequently or getting worse, they can be a symptom of a more serious underlying condition. In this case, you should visit your doctor.
Other symptoms that suggest heart palpitations may be a sign of something serious include:
Chest pain
Fainting
Trouble breathing
Dizziness or lightheadedness
If you experience these issues, visit your doctor to determine the underlying cause and get the right treatment for your condition.
The Takeaway
Excessive or insufficient intake of certain nutrients, such as calcium, vitamin D, magnesium, and potassium, can cause heart palpitations.
If you’re taking supplements or have an underlying health condition, such as kidney disease or heart problems, speak with your doctor to make sure your nutrient intake is within safe levels.
If you are having heart palpitations along with other troubling symptoms like chest pain or shortness of breath, seek immediate medical care.
Occasional heart palpitations may not be cause for alarm. Ensure that you are getting the right balance of nutrients and eliminate stimulants like caffeine to avoid them.
