Does green tea help with heart palpitations during perimenopause?

Heart palpitations during perimenopause always deserve medical evaluation before you consider any dietary changes. That is the starting point. Palpitations, the sensation that your heart is racing, skipping, or pounding, are common as estrogen declines, because estrogen normally has a stabilizing effect on cardiac rhythm through its influence on ion channels in heart muscle cells. When estrogen fluctuates erratically during perimenopause, some women experience benign extra heartbeats or brief episodes of rapid heart rate. But palpitations can also signal arrhythmias, thyroid disease, or other conditions that need proper diagnosis. Please see your doctor before adjusting your diet.

Once cardiac causes have been ruled out or addressed, the question of green tea becomes more nuanced and the honest answer is that caffeine, one of green tea's main active compounds, can trigger or worsen palpitations in sensitive individuals. Caffeine stimulates the sympathetic nervous system, raises catecholamines, and can provoke ectopic heartbeats in susceptible people. During perimenopause, when the autonomic nervous system is already less regulated due to falling estrogen, this sensitivity may be heightened. If you currently experience palpitations, standard caffeinated green tea may not be the right choice.

Decaffeinated green tea, however, tells a different story. It retains EGCG, L-theanine, quercetin, and other catechins. L-theanine promotes alpha brain wave activity and has a calming effect on the nervous system that may reduce the anxiety and stress reactivity that often triggers or worsens palpitation episodes. EGCG supports cardiovascular health through anti-inflammatory effects (NF-kB inhibition), improved endothelial function, and reduced oxidative stress on arterial walls. Long-term observational studies, particularly in Japanese populations with high green tea consumption, associate regular intake with lower rates of cardiovascular disease. These are population-level findings rather than palpitation-specific trials.

Some research suggests green tea polyphenols may modestly support heart rate variability and autonomic balance, but no robust clinical trials have examined green tea specifically for perimenopause-related palpitations. The evidence here is indirect and mechanistic rather than from direct trials on this symptom. What is better established is that green tea's cardiovascular benefits over the long term, including improvements in cholesterol profiles, endothelial function, and blood pressure regulation, are supported by multiple systematic reviews. A healthier cardiovascular baseline may reduce the frequency of benign ectopic beats over time, even if green tea does not acutely stop a palpitation episode. The distinction between short-term symptom relief and long-term systemic support matters here.

If you want to include green tea, decaffeinated brewed green tea is the practical choice for anyone with palpitation sensitivity. Studies examining catechin benefits for cardiovascular markers have used 2 to 4 cups daily. Start with one cup of decaffeinated green tea and assess how your body responds over a week before increasing.

Four safety points apply regardless of caffeine content. High-dose green tea supplements (EGCG extracts) have been associated with rare cases of liver toxicity. Choose brewed green tea over high-dose supplements where possible. Caffeine in green tea may worsen anxiety, palpitations, or sleep issues if you are sensitive to stimulants. Consider decaffeinated green tea if this applies, and in the context of palpitations this is especially important. EGCG can reduce iron absorption, so drink green tea between meals rather than with iron-rich foods or iron supplements. If you take warfarin, blood thinners, or certain medications, check with your provider, as green tea contains vitamin K and EGCG affects drug metabolism. This last point is particularly relevant if your palpitations are being managed with any cardiac medication.

Expect no dramatic improvement in palpitations from green tea alone. Supportive dietary and lifestyle measures, reducing overall caffeine, managing stress, stabilizing blood sugar, and improving sleep, tend to have a greater collective effect than any single food. Magnesium, found in leafy greens, nuts, and seeds, is worth mentioning here because magnesium deficiency can worsen ectopic heartbeats and palpitations, and many women do not get enough. Pairing a magnesium-rich dietary pattern with decaffeinated green tea may address both the autonomic and electrolyte pieces of the palpitation picture.

See a doctor immediately if palpitations are frequent, last more than a few seconds, are accompanied by chest pain, dizziness, fainting, or shortness of breath, or if they are new and worsening. These require urgent cardiac evaluation.

The PeriPlan app (https://apps.apple.com/app/periplan/id6740066498) lets you log palpitations daily so you can spot whether patterns shift over time and share that information with your provider.

This content is for informational purposes only and does not replace medical advice. Always consult your healthcare provider about your specific situation.