Ginger and heart palpitations: what should you know?

Palpitations can feel like fluttering, pounding, skipped beats or a sudden awareness of your heartbeat. Ginger in food or tea is generally different from concentrated supplements. Supplements may contain larger amounts and can vary in strength, so mention them when discussing symptoms or medicines.

Palpitations may occur with dehydration, low blood sugar, anxiety, anaemia, an overactive thyroid or an abnormal rhythm such as atrial fibrillation. The symptom itself does not identify one cause. If you also have breathlessness, swelling or reduced exercise tolerance, heart failure needs medical consideration.

Pause concentrated ginger products while you observe the pattern, especially if symptoms began after starting one. Record when the sensation starts, how long it lasts, what you were doing, and any caffeine, alcohol, illness or missed meals around it. Drink normally unless a clinician has told you to restrict fluids, and avoid driving if you feel faint.

Arrange a clinical review for recurrent, new or troublesome palpitations. A clinician may check your pulse, blood pressure, medicines and thyroid or blood count, and may arrange an electrocardiogram.

Seek urgent medical help if palpitations come with chest pain, severe breathlessness, fainting, confusion, marked weakness or a heartbeat that remains very fast or irregular. Seek prompt advice if episodes are increasing, occur with exercise, or continue after stopping a supplement.

Could my symptoms relate to my medicines, thyroid, blood count, hydration or heart rhythm? Should I stop a ginger supplement, and do I need an electrocardiogram or monitoring?