Caffeine & Running

[Prism77]

Is Caffeine prohibited with palpitations or is moderate intake acceptable?

With 2 normal echos, 2 holters, event monitor, blood test, urine test, numerous ekg's and at least five evaluations, is running OK?


If yes, how do you overvcome the anxiety associated with running?

Any thoughts would be appreciated.

Thanks.

[arthur]

I read a while ago that caffeine has a very indirect affect on "skips" in that it aggravates the stomach lining in some individuals, and possibly opening the sphincter leading to the esophagus.  Thus the indirect effect would be to excite the nervous system surrounding the stomach and esophagus.  This type of effect has been correlated with enhanced palps.

-Arthur

[kitcurious]

I use decaf products to try and avoid becoming dependent on stimulants.
As for causing arrhythmias? I doubt it. My doc wanted me to not use them when I was having bouts of unexplained tachycardia with a few flutters, but that's not important to me as my heart was structurally sound and I wasn't popping No Doz, just an occasional small piece of chocolate.
I tried to tell him I basically avoided caffeine already but I guess they feel they have to advise something LOL

[va_tony]

An Editorial in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, (Vol. 81, No. 3, 539-540, March 2005) discusses the association of caffeine and arrhythmias. You can google it to read. The bottom line, apparently, is that caffeine doesn't have much of an effect on PVCs and afib.

"However, there is a consensus that caffeine does not promote ventricular arrhythmia, except in extraordinary circumstances and at a very high dose."

and

"the incidence of atrial fibrillation was unrelated to caffeine intake."

This surpirsed me when I first read it after I noticed my cardiologist had coffee available for patients in his waiting room.  When I asked him whether coffee would affect my afib, he said there was no evidence that it would.

Anyway, I drink decaffeinated cofee just in case.  I really can't tell the difference between regular and decaf coffee anyway.

[sueinns]

I'm an avid runner and although the palpitations have slowed me down, I have continued to run.  Once my cardiologist ruled out anything structurally wrong with my heart (and it sounds like that with you), he gave me the go ahead to keep running and working out.

I have read that caffeine can aggravate palpitations but I haven't noticed that personally.