Does maca root help with heart palpitations during perimenopause?

Heart palpitations during perimenopause are more common than most women expect, and they can be frightening when they first appear. The sensation of a racing heart, a skipped beat, or a sudden pounding in the chest can happen for reasons that are directly tied to hormonal shifts. Estrogen influences the autonomic nervous system and the electrical regulation of the heart, so as estrogen fluctuates, the heart's rhythm can become more variable. Some women are exploring maca root as a supportive supplement. Here is an honest look at what the evidence shows.

Maca root (Lepidium meyenii) is an adaptogenic root vegetable from the Peruvian Andes, containing active compounds including glucosinolates, macamides, macaenes, and plant sterols. It is not estrogenic, and it does not directly influence heart rhythm. Its primary mechanism appears to be through the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis, supporting the body's ability to regulate its own stress and hormonal signaling.

For heart palpitations specifically, there is no direct clinical research on maca. No published trials have examined heart rhythm or palpitation frequency as a primary outcome in women using maca. That limitation is worth stating plainly.

The indirect rationale comes from maca's effects on the stress response. Elevated cortisol and an overactivated sympathetic nervous system are common triggers for palpitations, especially in perimenopause when the body is already managing hormonal volatility. Stojanovska et al. (2015) found that postmenopausal women taking 3.5 grams of maca per day for six weeks experienced significant reductions in anxiety and diastolic blood pressure compared to placebo. Lower diastolic blood pressure and reduced anxiety both suggest a quieting of the sympathetic nervous system, which could reduce palpitation frequency for some women. Meissner et al. (2006) also found improvements in ACTH levels, a marker of HPA axis activity, in perimenopausal women using pre-gelatinized maca versus placebo.

If maca genuinely reduces the chronic stress load and helps normalize cortisol signaling, fewer sympathetically-driven palpitations is a plausible outcome for some women. However, this remains theoretical for palpitations specifically, not a directly studied effect.

Studies have examined doses of 1.5 to 3.5 grams per day of maca powder or capsules. Talk to your healthcare provider about the right dose for your situation.

Before adding any supplement for palpitations, it is worth reviewing other common triggers: caffeine, alcohol, dehydration, sleep deprivation, and blood sugar swings can all provoke or worsen palpitations and are often the primary driver. These are more directly modifiable than hormone levels.

If you are tracking your palpitations alongside supplement use, noting the time of day, what you had eaten and drunk, your sleep quality the night before, and where you are in your cycle gives you and your provider much more useful information. PeriPlan can help you log these patterns consistently, which is far more informative than trying to reconstruct events after the fact.

For perimenopausal palpitations, the most important first step is always ruling out a cardiac cause with your healthcare provider. Once that is done, managing triggers and supporting the nervous system through stress reduction, adequate magnesium intake, and regular moderate exercise are the most evidence-backed approaches.

Those with thyroid conditions should discuss maca with their provider before starting. Hyperthyroidism is a common cause of palpitations and is worth evaluating if palpitations are a new or worsening symptom.

When to see a doctor: Seek prompt evaluation for palpitations accompanied by chest pain, shortness of breath, dizziness, fainting, or rapid sustained heart rate. New palpitations that are frequent, irregular, or feel different from what you have experienced before also deserve evaluation. Palpitations during perimenopause are often benign but should always be assessed by a healthcare provider before being attributed to hormones alone.

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