Does magnesium help with heart palpitations during perimenopause?

Magnesium plays a critical role in cardiac electrical activity, and magnesium deficiency is associated with arrhythmia risk. For perimenopausal women experiencing heart palpitations, magnesium is biologically relevant and worth discussing with your healthcare provider. However, this is also a symptom that warrants careful evaluation before assuming supplements are the right approach.

Heart palpitations during perimenopause are more common than most women are told. They can feel like a racing heartbeat, skipped beats, fluttering in the chest, or a sudden pounding sensation. For many women, they are benign and tied to hormonal fluctuations. Estrogen has a direct effect on cardiac cells and influences the electrical signaling system that keeps the heart beating in a regular rhythm. As estrogen levels fluctuate and decline, some women experience transient disruptions in that rhythm. Hot flashes themselves can trigger palpitations, as the sudden temperature change and associated adrenaline surge affect heart rate.

Magnesium's relevance to heart rhythm is well-established. It is essential for the function of ion channels in cardiac muscle cells, particularly those involved in potassium and calcium transport. These channels govern the electrical impulses that coordinate the heartbeat. When magnesium is insufficient, these channels can become dysregulated, increasing the risk of ectopic beats (the irregular contractions behind most benign palpitations) and more serious rhythm disturbances. A study by De Lourdes Lima et al. (2000) described how magnesium deficiency is associated with increased neuromuscular excitability and cardiovascular changes, including cardiac arrhythmia risk.

Intravenous magnesium is actually used in hospital settings to treat certain cardiac arrhythmias, including torsades de pointes and some cases of atrial fibrillation. This is not directly comparable to oral supplementation for perimenopausal palpitations, but it illustrates how foundational magnesium is to cardiac electrical stability.

For perimenopausal palpitations specifically, oral magnesium supplementation is used by many practitioners as a supportive measure. The rationale is that correcting any deficiency removes a potential contributor to cardiac irritability. Many women who try magnesium for this reason report that palpitations become less frequent or less intense, though controlled clinical trials specifically studying perimenopausal palpitations and oral magnesium are limited.

Magnesium glycinate is the most commonly recommended form for this purpose. It has good bioavailability and is gentle on the digestive system. Magnesium taurate is another form some practitioners suggest specifically for cardiac support, as taurine also has roles in heart function, though the clinical evidence base specifically for magnesium taurate in humans is thinner than for glycinate.

Beyond direct cardiac effects, magnesium supports the nervous system in ways that may reduce palpitation frequency. It calms the stress response, reduces anxiety, and improves sleep, all of which can reduce the frequency of adrenaline-driven palpitations. Anxiety-related palpitations and hormone-related palpitations often compound each other during perimenopause.

Studies examining magnesium for cardiovascular and neuromuscular function have looked at doses in the range of 300 to 400 mg per day. Talk to your healthcare provider about the right dose for your situation, especially given the cardiac context.

Keeping a log of when palpitations occur, including timing, duration, what you were doing, and any accompanying symptoms, gives your provider useful diagnostic information. The PeriPlan app lets you track symptoms daily, which can help reveal whether palpitations cluster around cycle changes, hot flashes, stress, or poor sleep.

Magnesium is generally safe for healthy adults. The most common side effect at higher doses is loose stools. People with kidney disease should not supplement magnesium without medical supervision, as the kidneys are responsible for excreting excess magnesium. If you take antibiotics in the quinolone or tetracycline class, take magnesium at a different time of day. Magnesium can also enhance the blood pressure-lowering effects of antihypertensive medications, so mention it to your provider if you take those.

When to see a doctor: Heart palpitations should always be evaluated by a healthcare provider if they are new, frequent, prolonged, or accompanied by chest pain, shortness of breath, dizziness, fainting, or a feeling that your heart is racing out of control. Even benign palpitations deserve at least one evaluation to rule out structural heart problems or clinically significant arrhythmias. Do not rely on supplementation alone as a response to unexplained palpitations.

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