Alpha-lipoic acid and heart palpitations

Palpitations can feel like racing, pounding, fluttering or skipped beats. Their timing after a dose is useful information, but timing alone cannot establish that alpha-lipoic acid caused them.

Alpha-lipoic acid may affect blood glucose. Hypoglycaemia can present with palpitations, sweating, shaking, hunger, dizziness, weakness or confusion, particularly in someone using glucose-lowering treatment. Dehydration, hyperthyroidism and anaemia can also present with palpitations, as can anxiety, caffeine, nicotine and decongestants. Atrial fibrillation often causes an irregular pulse and may cause palpitations.

The symptom does not by itself identify which explanation applies. A clinician may check your pulse and blood pressure, review all products and medicines, and consider an electrocardiogram or blood tests according to the episode and your medical history.

Stop exercising, sit somewhere safe and note when the episode began, how long it lasted, the supplement dose, meals, caffeine and accompanying symptoms. If you monitor glucose and symptoms suggest a low level, check it and follow the hypoglycaemia plan given by your healthcare team.

Contact the clinician or pharmacist who knows your medicines before taking another dose, especially if episodes recur or you use diabetes treatment. Do not stop prescribed heart or diabetes medicines without advice. Bring the supplement container because products may contain additional active ingredients.

Call emergency services if palpitations occur with chest pain, severe breathlessness, fainting, near-fainting, confusion, one-sided weakness or a sustained very fast or irregular heartbeat with marked illness. Do not drive yourself if you feel faint or unstable.

Arrange prompt clinical review when episodes are new, keep returning, last longer than usual, wake you from sleep or appear during exertion. Assessment should also be brought forward if you have known heart disease or a family history of sudden cardiac death.

Ask whether alpha-lipoic acid offers a clear benefit for your reason for taking it, whether it interacts with your glucose treatment, and whether your rhythm should be recorded. Confirm what to do if symptoms return and which measurements would help during a safe, future episode.