Yes. Some supplements can cause or contribute to heart palpitations, particularly products that contain stimulants. Pre-workout supplements, fat burners, weight-loss products and energy-boosting supplements are important examples because they may contain caffeine or other stimulant ingredients that can increase heart rate or affect heart rhythm.
Heart palpitations are the sensation that your heart is racing, pounding, fluttering or skipping beats. They are not a diagnosis on their own, and many episodes are not caused by a dangerous heart problem. However, new, persistent or worsening palpitations should not automatically be blamed on a supplement because medicines, medical conditions, stress, caffeine and abnormal heart rhythms can cause similar symptoms.
If you are researching a reaction to a vitamin, herbal product, sports supplement or weight-loss product, the Supplement Side Effects hub can help you find more specific safety information.
How supplements Causing Heart Palpitations can be linked to medicines or supplements
A supplement can potentially contribute to palpitations when one or more of its ingredients stimulates the heart or nervous system. The risk may also be affected by other sources of stimulants taken around the same time.
Possible supplement and medicine categories
Products worth discussing with a doctor or pharmacist include:
- Pre-workout and performance supplements. Some contain caffeine or several ingredients intended to increase energy and alertness. Large amounts of caffeine can increase heart rate and may contribute to heart rhythm disturbances.
- Fat burners and weight-loss supplements. These may contain caffeine, guarana, bitter orange or combinations of stimulant ingredients. Some products marketed as fat burners or appetite suppressants have not been adequately tested for safety.
- Caffeine-containing supplements. Caffeine may appear as caffeine itself or come from ingredients such as guarana, kola nut, yerba maté or tea extracts. Combining caffeine with other stimulant ingredients can increase its effects.
- Yohimbe or yohimbine-containing products. Yohimbine has been associated with rapid heartbeat, abnormal heart rhythms, blood-pressure problems and other potentially serious effects.
- Bitter orange or synephrine-containing products. Evidence about its cardiovascular effects is mixed, but some studies have found increases in heart rate or blood pressure, and serious cardiovascular events have been reported after use of multi-ingredient products containing bitter orange.
Do not assume that a product is heart-safe simply because the packaging calls it “natural”, “herbal” or “stimulant-free”. Multi-ingredient supplements can be difficult to assess, and the effect of one ingredient may be influenced by the others.
Medicines can also contribute to palpitations. For example, decongestants containing substances such as pseudoephedrine or phenylephrine may trigger palpitations in some people, and certain medicines used for conditions such as asthma or cardiovascular disease may affect heart rate or rhythm. This is one reason a pharmacist or doctor needs to know about allmedicines, over-the-counter products and supplements you use.
Timing clues
The timing of symptoms can provide useful information without proving that a particular supplement is the cause.
Make a note if the palpitations:
- first appeared after starting a new supplement;
- began after changing brands or products;
- occur after taking a pre-workout or fat burner;
- happen when the supplement is combined with coffee, energy drinks or another stimulant-containing product;
- tend to happen during or shortly after exercise;
- started after adding a new prescription or over-the-counter medicine; or
- have become more frequent, stronger or longer-lasting.
Bring this information to a healthcare professional rather than trying to diagnose the cause yourself.
Medicines and product categories that may be associated with this symptom
When someone develops palpitations while taking a supplement, it is useful to look at the whole combination of products being used, not just the item that seems most obvious.
Priority related products
Pre-workout supplements
Pre-workouts are designed to support training, energy or alertness, and many contain caffeine. The amount and combination of stimulant ingredients can vary between products. Caffeine can cause jitteriness, sleep disturbance and a rapid heartbeat at higher intakes, and its effects can be stronger when combined with other stimulants.
Fat burners and weight-loss supplements
Fat burners and appetite suppressants deserve particular attention when palpitations appear. Some contain caffeine-containing herbs, bitter orange or other ingredients intended to stimulate the nervous system. Safety information for many multi-ingredient weight-loss supplements is limited.
Caffeine from several sources
A person may consume caffeine from more than one source without realising it. Coffee, energy drinks, pre-workouts and supplements containing guarana or other caffeine-containing botanicals can all contribute to the total stimulant exposure.
Yohimbe-containing supplements
Yohimbe is sometimes marketed for weight loss, athletic performance or sexual health. Available evidence does not establish its effectiveness for these purposes, while yohimbine has been associated with tachycardia, blood-pressure problems, abnormal heart rhythms and seizures.
Bitter orange
Bitter orange contains p-synephrine and is found in some weight-loss and performance products. Research into its cardiovascular effects has produced inconsistent findings, so it should not automatically be identified as the cause of palpitations. However, concerns about increased heart rate, blood pressure and cardiovascular adverse events make it important to mention the ingredient to your healthcare professional.
How to choose the right next guide
If the problem started after a supplement, focus first on the exact product, its ingredient list and when the symptoms occurred.
If you are also taking prescription or over-the-counter medicines, review the medication side effects information as part of the wider picture. If the symptom itself is your main concern and you are unsure what may be causing it, the side effect symptoms A-Z guide can help you explore related symptom-led information.
Red flags: when this symptom may need urgent medical attention
Palpitations can sometimes occur with a serious heart rhythm problem or another medical emergency.
Seek immediate medical help if palpitations are occurring with chest pain, significant shortness of breath, severe dizziness, fainting or loss of consciousness. These combinations require urgent assessment rather than online self-diagnosis.
Serious symptoms to watch for
Urgent medical attention is also appropriate if you develop:
- swelling of the face, lips, mouth, tongue or throat;
- difficulty breathing or swallowing;
- fainting or inability to stay conscious;
- seizures;
- a severe or rapidly worsening rash;
- signs of an overdose;
- severe bleeding;
- suicidal thoughts or severe psychiatric symptoms; or
- symptoms that are rapidly getting worse.
These symptoms may have causes other than the supplement, but they should not be managed by waiting for an online answer.
Timing clues that deserve medical review
Speak to a doctor or pharmacist promptly if the palpitations are new, repeatedly return, last longer than expected, are getting worse or have changed noticeably from your usual heartbeat. A history of heart disease or other cardiovascular risk factors is another reason to seek professional assessment rather than assuming a supplement is responsible.
What to track before speaking to a doctor or pharmacist
A clear timeline can make it easier for a healthcare professional to assess whether a supplement, medicine or another factor could be involved.
Write down:
- the name and brand of each supplement;
- photographs or a copy of the full ingredient list;
- the stated amount of caffeine or other stimulant ingredients, if shown;
- when you normally take the product;
- when the palpitations started in relation to taking it;
- how the palpitations feel — for example, racing, pounding, fluttering or skipped beats;
- approximately how long each episode lasts;
- how frequently the episodes occur;
- whether they happen at rest, during exercise or afterwards;
- any accompanying dizziness, chest discomfort, breathlessness, sweating, nausea or fainting;
- coffee, tea, energy drinks and other caffeine-containing products used that day;
- prescription medicines;
- over-the-counter medicines such as cold or flu products; and
- any other vitamins, herbal products or sports supplements.
A healthcare professional may use the symptom history together with an examination and, where appropriate, tests such as an electrocardiogram to investigate the cause.
Red-flag symptoms
Do not spend time completing a symptom diary if you currently have palpitations with chest pain, significant difficulty breathing, severe dizziness, fainting or loss of consciousness. Seek urgent medical help instead.
When to contact a doctor, pharmacist, or emergency service
A pharmacist can help you review ingredient labels and check whether a supplement may overlap with caffeine or stimulant ingredients in other products you are using.
A doctor should assess palpitations that are new, recurring, persistent, worsening or associated with other concerning symptoms.
An emergency service or emergency department is appropriate when palpitations occur with chest pain, serious breathing difficulty, fainting or another severe or rapidly worsening reaction.
What not to do without medical advice
Heart palpitations can have many possible causes, so avoid making major treatment decisions based only on the assumption that a supplement or medicine is responsible.
Do not stop prescribed medicines on your own
If you take prescription medicine, do not stop it, change the dose or alter the schedule simply because palpitations have appeared. Discuss the symptoms with the prescribing doctor or a pharmacist, unless you are experiencing an emergency that requires immediate medical care.
Do not assume that more stimulants are harmless
Be careful about combining several products marketed for energy, exercise performance or weight loss. Caffeine can occur in supplements as well as coffee, energy drinks and ingredients such as guarana, and combining caffeine with other stimulant ingredients may intensify its effects.
Do not assume “natural” means risk-free
Herbal ingredients can have pharmacological effects and can interact with medicines. Yohimbe and bitter orange are examples of ingredients for which cardiovascular safety concerns have been identified.
Do not ignore recurring symptoms
A symptom that repeatedly follows a supplement may be an important clue, but it is not proof of causation. Palpitations can also occur because of stress, caffeine, medicines, thyroid problems, electrolyte abnormalities or an abnormal heart rhythm.
Related side-effect guides and reporting options in South Africa
If you think a supplement or medicine may be contributing to your palpitations, the safest next step is to gather the product information and symptom timeline and discuss them with a pharmacist or doctor.
Use the Supplement Side Effects hub for supplement-specific safety guides, or browse side effect symptoms A-Z if you are researching another symptom alongside the palpitations.
What information to record
Keep the product container or packaging if possible. Record the brand name, ingredient list, when you used it, when the reaction started, other medicines or supplements you were taking and what happened afterwards.
This information is useful for your healthcare professional and can also be useful if a suspected adverse reaction needs to be reported.
Where reporting fits into medicine safety
In South Africa, suspected adverse reactions to health products can be reported through SAHPRA’s pharmacovigilance system. SAHPRA provides electronic reporting options, and its Med Safety App was developed to allow members of the public and healthcare professionals to report suspected adverse reactions.
See the guide on how to report side effects in South Africa for the relevant reporting pathway.
Reporting a suspected reaction does not mean the product has been proven to have caused it. Pharmacovigilance reports help regulators identify and assess potential medicine and health-product safety signals.
Frequently asked questions
Is heart palpitations a common side effect of supplements?
It depends on the supplement and its ingredients. Palpitations are particularly relevant to products containing caffeine or other stimulants. Pre-workout, energy and weight-loss products are therefore important categories to review, but palpitations should not automatically be attributed to a supplement without considering other possible causes.
How long can supplement-related palpitations last?
There is no single expected duration. It depends on the substance involved, the person, other medicines or stimulants being used and whether another medical cause is present. Palpitations that persist, repeatedly return or are becoming worse should be discussed with a healthcare professional.
Should I stop my medicine if I have heart palpitations?
Do not stop or change prescribed medicine without medical advice. Tell your doctor or pharmacist about the palpitations and provide a complete list of your prescription medicines, over-the-counter products and supplements so they can assess possible causes or interactions.
If the palpitations occur with chest pain, significant shortness of breath, severe dizziness or fainting, seek urgent medical help.
When should I seek help for heart palpitations?
Seek urgent help if palpitations occur with chest pain, serious breathing difficulty, severe dizziness, fainting or loss of consciousness. New, recurring or worsening palpitations also warrant medical assessment, even when no emergency symptoms are present.
What are the most important things to know about supplements causing heart palpitations?
Stimulant-containing supplements are among the most important products to consider. Check pre-workouts, fat burners and energy products for caffeine and ingredients such as guarana, yohimbe or bitter orange. Remember that several products can contribute to your overall stimulant exposure.
Keep the packaging, record when the symptoms happen and tell your pharmacist or doctor about everything you take. Do not diagnose the cause yourself or change prescribed medicines without professional advice.
Most importantly, palpitations accompanied by chest pain, serious shortness of breath, severe dizziness or fainting need urgent medical attention.
Medical disclaimer
This article provides general educational information and does not diagnose the cause of heart palpitations or replace advice from a doctor, pharmacist or other qualified healthcare professional. Do not use it to start, stop or change prescription medicine or treatment. If symptoms are severe, rapidly worsening or accompanied by chest pain, significant breathing difficulty, fainting or another serious reaction, seek immediate medical help.