Food Triggered Irregular Heart Rhythm?
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The Cosmic Avenger
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I think there was a difference, but it's hard to quantify, especially since the effect seems to be slow; it took a week or two after dropping down to 100mg to notice them returning.
aja8888
Moderator Emeritus
SVT can be quite deadly. I had it in 2019 and had to have an ablation is shut it down. There were episodes where my heart beat hit 200 beats per minute and I was passing out. I suggest getting this checked. Mine was triggered at random and I wore a heart monitor for two weeks to gather data. Good luck!
FIREd_2015
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Mine is not quite that extreme. Most of the time it's between 120-140 beats per minute. If I catch it early I can get it to revert to sinus rhythm by just sitting down, taking a couple of deep breathes and breathing out slowly. On the occasions when I don't catch it early I have to lay down for awhile before it reverts to sinus rhythm.
FedRetired50
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A note on the side of the bottle says that statins can lower CoQ10. Are you on statins? I have been since high school, over 33 years. And my problems first appeared about 23 years ago.
aja8888
Moderator Emeritus
I was about the same until it got worse one day. Once it takes off, get help.
I had one episode I could not shut down by myself. I had DW take me to the ER one mile away where they shot me up and stopped it.
The Cosmic Avenger
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Interesting. I've been on statins since 1994 or so, but I only got PVCs in the teens (2010s) after I lost the weight. Losing a lot of weight quickly is supposed to be a trigger, but I lost 70 lbs over 2, 2.5 years. Maybe it was a combination, then, the weight loss and the statins could have both contributed, who knows.
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Vitamin E
It's been 20 years, but I went to the doc for "skipped beats", wore a monitor and was diagnosed with PVC. I was told not to worry about it. No remedy offered.
This was back in the days when the praises of supplemental vitamin E were being sung, and I was taking those (synthetic tocopherols). When I quit, so did the pvc's. Re-introduced, and they came back. But who knows what was really in those vitamins. It seems like there were "natural" vitamin E options, and I might have gone that direction for a while without PVC's, but my memory isn't clear there. I just remember blaming synthetic vitamin E, for sure.
No vitamin supplement except D and fish oil now. I'll have the occasional day with a PVC or two, then nothing for months. I haven't tied those with a food, but this thread might help me make a connection.
It's been 20 years, but I went to the doc for "skipped beats", wore a monitor and was diagnosed with PVC. I was told not to worry about it. No remedy offered.
This was back in the days when the praises of supplemental vitamin E were being sung, and I was taking those (synthetic tocopherols). When I quit, so did the pvc's. Re-introduced, and they came back. But who knows what was really in those vitamins. It seems like there were "natural" vitamin E options, and I might have gone that direction for a while without PVC's, but my memory isn't clear there. I just remember blaming synthetic vitamin E, for sure.
No vitamin supplement except D and fish oil now. I'll have the occasional day with a PVC or two, then nothing for months. I haven't tied those with a food, but this thread might help me make a connection.
mountainsoft
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I picked up a bottle of 100mg CoQ10 yesterday, the only dosage our Safeway store had in stock. It was only $11 for 72 pills, which was a lot less than the last time I looked. I took my first pill this morning, so I'll have to wait and see if it makes any difference. My PAC's have been fairly active the last couple weeks, so I should be able to tell if there is any reduction or not.
The 100mg gel pills are on the larger size. I would hate to see what the 200mg pills would be.
The 100mg gel pills are on the larger size. I would hate to see what the 200mg pills would be.
MuirWannabe
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The Costco Kirkland brand CoQ10 I take is 300mg. I don’t have any irregular heart rhythms to my knowledge. But I am on a high dose (40mg) statin. Haven’t noticed any issue with the supplement.
mountainsoft
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How long did you take CoQ10 before you started seeing results?
I took 100mg for a week and didn't notice any difference. This week I started taking 200mg and so far haven't noticed any difference either. Unless I see a change I'll take them till they are gone, but so far it's not looking promising.
One interesting note, I did see my diastolic blood pressure (the lower number) decrease about 5-10 points since starting the CoQ10.
The Cosmic Avenger
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Sorry, that was back in 2009, I think, so I'm not sure. I want to say they abated slowly, over a week or so, but it probably varies anyway.
FedRetired50
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I started at 200 mg and noticed a difference in a day or two. Next time I go to Costco I'm going to get the Kirkland 300 mg version that MuirWannabe mentioned since it seems to be the best value.
mountainsoft
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Hmm... I'm about 10 days in with no noticeable change. It's not looking like it's gonna work for me, but I'll stick with it until they're gone at least.
Do you take the CoQ10 in the morning or in the evening? I take all of my meds first thing each morning.
FedRetired50
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I usually take my meds at night before I go to bed.
The Cosmic Avenger
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I take all my supplements in the morning.
mountainsoft
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It seems I'm always the exception... Taking the CoQ10 was making my PAC's worse.
I tried 100 mg for one week. Didn't notice much difference, but was having a lot of PAC's. I switched to 200mg for one week and my PAC's were almost constant. So I stopped taking the CoQ10 again, and within two days my PAC's decreased noticeably and I generally feel better.
I can't say for the sure the CoQ10 was complicating things, but it certainly wasn't making things better. No reason to take another pill if it isn't having a beneficial result.
I tried 100 mg for one week. Didn't notice much difference, but was having a lot of PAC's. I switched to 200mg for one week and my PAC's were almost constant. So I stopped taking the CoQ10 again, and within two days my PAC's decreased noticeably and I generally feel better.
I can't say for the sure the CoQ10 was complicating things, but it certainly wasn't making things better. No reason to take another pill if it isn't having a beneficial result.
FedRetired50
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Interesting. Personally I'd try one more experiment and wait a week or two, then take it again for a few more days to see if they come back again.
mountainsoft
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If the PAC's flare up again I might try, but I have no desire to do anything that might encourage them again. They're annoying and really wear me down when they continue all day. It's also hard to sleep at night when I feel my heart pounding and hear that odd rhythm in my ears when resting my head on my pillow. Laying on my right side helps, but doesn't solve the problem.
Sadly, CoQ10 wasn't the magic solution any more than magnesium was. I'm sure they work for some people, but neither did anything to help me. Cutting alcohol, caffeine, and stress did nothing to help either. Beta blockers didn't help and actually made me feel worse.
So far Diltiazem (a calcium channel blocker) and eliminating my daily banana have been the most beneficial. Though neither stopped the PAC's completely, they mostly just make the symptoms tolerable.
FedRetired50
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Mine were near-constant some days, with a few episodes a week where I wondered if I should be reaching for my phone, so you have my sympathy.
mountainsoft
Thinks s/he gets paid by the post
Yeah, when I was still eating a banana every day there were some days that felt downright scary. I called 911 the first time, and made 2-3 trips to urgent care later on. They would exhaust me, leaving me with no energy the following day either. Symptoms are much better now, mostly just an annoyance, but still something that makes me worry I'll drop dead from a heart attack any day now (despite reassurance from the docs).
You may have mentioned this already, but were you able to completely eliminate your irregular rhythm? PAC's or something else? Are you comfortable sharing what you take to manage them?
FedRetired50
Recycles dryer sheets
200 mg coq10 each night, occasionally 100 more during the evening when it feels like it is wearing off. Just about zero symptoms since I started with the coq10. Based on descriptions in this thread I believe they are PACS, but after multiple tests with the docs over the years they always say there is nothing wrong with me.
mountainsoft
Thinks s/he gets paid by the post
200 mg coq10 each night, occasionally 100 more during the evening when it feels like it is wearing off. Just about zero symptoms since I started with the coq10. Based on descriptions in this thread I believe they are PACS, but after multiple tests with the docs over the years they always say there is nothing wrong with me.
That's awesome. I wish I could find something to reduce mine, even if it's just to once or twice a day.
Are you taking any beta blockers, calcium channel blockers, or anti-arrhythmic meds in addition to the CoQ10?
Docs put me through the battery of tests too. Physically everything checks out fine, but I've got an extra sparky in there somewhere.
I first noticed my irregular heartbeat a couple years ago while taking my blood pressure at home. My BP monitor beeps with every heartbeat and it was just beeping wild and randomly. My wife and I looked at each other and said what the heck is going on with that. We went to urgent care the next morning, and so began the journey over the last two years...
FedRetired50
Recycles dryer sheets
Are you taking any beta blockers, calcium channel blockers, or anti-arrhythmic meds in addition to the CoQ10?
Docs put me through the battery of tests too. Physically everything checks out fine, but I've got an extra sparky in there somewhere.
I first noticed my irregular heartbeat a couple years ago...
No other heart-related meds since all of my tests - since I was 28 - have been normal. I can only suspect that my statin is the cause of my issue, with an initial trigger of extreme stress during the birth of my first child (ex and I were awake for 60+ hours and she had a hard labor). I may try stopping the statin for a while to see what happens.
mountainsoft
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Surprise Method to Reduce Irregular Heart Rhythm
My wife and I took an eleven day road trip to California a few weeks ago. While we were gone I noticed a dramatic reduction in the frequency and duration of my PAC's (premature atrial contractions). At first I thought it was just due to being more active, but the latter days of our trip were rather sedentary and the steady rhythm continued.
When I got home I tried to figure out what I was doing different on our trip that I didn't do routinely at home. The only real difference was our meals. Lunch and dinner were quite varied, so I didn't think that played a part, but most all of the hotels served orange juice with their complimentary breakfasts. So I decided to try drinking a cup of orange juice every morning here at home (which I never did before).
So far I seem to be having a steady rhythm the majority of the time now. Unfortunately, I still have the random day where the PAC's are quite bothersome, but I seem to return to a steady rhythm and maintain it longer than before.
Out of desperation I come up with a lot of crackpot remedies that don't always play out over time. But 3+ weeks in the orange juice seems to be helping. Of course, I seem to go through periods when they flare up and later taper off for a few weeks, so the jury is still out on this one.
However, I did a bit of research and it seems the idea isn't necessarily as crackpot as I thought.
"Orange juice does the trick for me. I have read where people drink 8 ounces every day and their A Fib pretty much goes away. "
https://www.earthclinic.com/mobile/cures/atrial-fibrillation/orange-juice-(or-vitamin-c)/
"orange juice or an orange can help reduce my heart palpitations along with calcium and magnesium supplements. Other people have also told me that an orange or the juice works for them as well."
https://www.earthclinic.com/mobile/cures/heart_palpitations/orange-juice/
"One hundred percent orange juice provides a unique combination of vitamins, minerals and phytonutrients, including vitamin C, folate, potassium, magnesium and hesperidin, which have been associated with potential heart health benefits."
https://www.floridacitrus.org/oj/nutrition_pages/orange-juices-role-in-helping-promote-heart-health/
"In heart surgery, atrial fibrillation, which involves having an irregular, rapid heartbeat, is a problem for 25 to 40 percent of people. In one study, vitamin C was shown to reduce the occurrence of postoperative atrial fibrillation by as much as 85 percent."
https://www.healthline.com/health/arrhythmia/alternative-treatments#types
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1995055/
Anyway, miracle cure? No, not for me, but it's certainly helping, I enjoy it, and it beats popping another pill. It's also one less soda I drink each day, and more nutritious.
My wife and I took an eleven day road trip to California a few weeks ago. While we were gone I noticed a dramatic reduction in the frequency and duration of my PAC's (premature atrial contractions). At first I thought it was just due to being more active, but the latter days of our trip were rather sedentary and the steady rhythm continued.
When I got home I tried to figure out what I was doing different on our trip that I didn't do routinely at home. The only real difference was our meals. Lunch and dinner were quite varied, so I didn't think that played a part, but most all of the hotels served orange juice with their complimentary breakfasts. So I decided to try drinking a cup of orange juice every morning here at home (which I never did before).
So far I seem to be having a steady rhythm the majority of the time now. Unfortunately, I still have the random day where the PAC's are quite bothersome, but I seem to return to a steady rhythm and maintain it longer than before.
Out of desperation I come up with a lot of crackpot remedies that don't always play out over time.
But 3+ weeks in the orange juice seems to be helping. Of course, I seem to go through periods when they flare up and later taper off for a few weeks, so the jury is still out on this one.However, I did a bit of research and it seems the idea isn't necessarily as crackpot as I thought.
"Orange juice does the trick for me. I have read where people drink 8 ounces every day and their A Fib pretty much goes away. "
https://www.earthclinic.com/mobile/cures/atrial-fibrillation/orange-juice-(or-vitamin-c)/
"orange juice or an orange can help reduce my heart palpitations along with calcium and magnesium supplements. Other people have also told me that an orange or the juice works for them as well."
https://www.earthclinic.com/mobile/cures/heart_palpitations/orange-juice/
"One hundred percent orange juice provides a unique combination of vitamins, minerals and phytonutrients, including vitamin C, folate, potassium, magnesium and hesperidin, which have been associated with potential heart health benefits."
https://www.floridacitrus.org/oj/nutrition_pages/orange-juices-role-in-helping-promote-heart-health/
"In heart surgery, atrial fibrillation, which involves having an irregular, rapid heartbeat, is a problem for 25 to 40 percent of people. In one study, vitamin C was shown to reduce the occurrence of postoperative atrial fibrillation by as much as 85 percent."
https://www.healthline.com/health/arrhythmia/alternative-treatments#types
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1995055/
Anyway, miracle cure? No, not for me, but it's certainly helping, I enjoy it, and it beats popping another pill. It's also one less soda I drink each day, and more nutritious.
