Please help! Pvcs & low b12.

[aembry]

Hi all! I have been having horrible palpitations for about a month now. Ive had them for the last 2 1/2 years... Had a full cardiac workup and everything was fine. For the last month they have been terrible... Im wide awake tonight because everytime I fall asleep Im woken up by palpitations. Its the worst and it has been so scary. Last week I went to my general doctor for blood work... Thought something may have been off since they were worse. All was fine except my B12 was a little low. Not low enough to be a deficiency but low enough she said I could be having symptoms and reccommended taking a supplememt. I was wondering if low B12 could possibly cause heart papitations??? I found a couple things on the net saying it possibly could.. I know it has alot to do with nerve function and I also suffer from problems in that area too.. I sometimes have spells of excessive shaking, mostly  teeth chattering and uncontrollable leg shaking, this sometimes occurs while having heart palpitations.. I actually had a spell a little bit ago.  I also keep coming back to magnesium, my levels are always normal but so many of my symptoms seem to be symptoms of low magnesium.. Ive read alot about blood magnesium levels not being accurate but I cannot find a place that does mineral testing. I would prefer having the rbc mineral test of the hair analysis. I just keep researching and praying for an answer.. Deep down I really feel like there is something going on... Some kind of imbalance or something causing these monsters. But when blood work and cardiac workups are normal its hard to argue with that. All I can do is pray for an answer... So tired of being frustrated and scared of these things! I could really use all your advice....

[Red_Star]

The RDA (Recommended Dietary Allowance) of elemental magnesium is 320 mg/day for women and 420 mg/day for men.  There is no listed upper limit but, besides the warnings i have mentioned, excess magnesium orally will cause loosening of stools.  Vitamin B12 deficiency does list heart palpitations as a possible symptom.

The sublingual form of vitamin B12 is very commonly available as most causes of B12 deficiency are due to malabsorption in the digestive tract eg: low stomach acid, lack of intrinsic factor, celiac disease. Unless of course you are a vegetarian or poor dietary intake.  I prefer the sublingual spray and there is no need to wait for tablets or lozengers to dissolve.

Avoid magnesium oxide supplements as only 4% of its elemental magnesium is absorbed or about 12 mg out of a 500 mg tablet.  Look for better bio-available forms of magnesium such as chelated magnesium (magnesium glycinate), magnesium citrate, or magnesium taurate.

[aembry]

Thanks so much guys! Im gonna try to find a place that does the RBC magnesium test.

How many mg of magnesium should I start out taking?? Also, could the b12 be related to the palpitations at all?

[Red_Star]

Blood contains about 1% of the body stores of magnesium.  Doctors usually request magnesium serum but preferred tests are RBC (red blood cell) magnesium or ionized magnesium. That said, a trial of magnesium is still worth trying even if both labs are in range.

[itdood]

I've read the same thing about mag.  Some people swear by it.  I've had the best results with Mag Glycinate.    Mag ox isn't very absorbable.  Chelated mag is easier for the gut to absorb.  I find it very relaxing too.

When I was having flare ups of PVCs, I would take a hot bath with Epsom salts (Mag chloride).  That would help settle down flares.  Does't work for everyone.  

Start working on it, try everything out you can think of.  Something is bound to start helping.

[aembry]

Thanks. Kidneys are functioning fine just had bloodwork done.

Also, do you all know anything about the mineral testing for magnesium levels? Everything I have read says that there is only 1% of magnesium in blood and that a blood test is not an accurate measurement of this.

[Red_Star]

Magnesium is generally safe. If you have kidney problems or a heart block then check with your doctor. If you note any fluid retention after starting magnesium, it is most likely the kidneys are having a hard time processing the magnesium.

[aembry]

Is it safe to take a magnesium supplement without the advice of my doctor?

[aembry]

The shaking and teeth chattering happen even when Im not scared or having palpitations.

[CFS56]

I am not sure about the vitamin deficiency but the shaking and teeth chattering happens to me sometimes and it's from being scared.

[Red_Star]

If your vitamin B12 serum level is below 550pg/mL (405.9 pmol/L) you are classed as deficient in Japan and various countries in Europe.  Take sublingual B12 (i recommend spray form) and see how you go. As for magnesium, take a magnesium supplement (eg: taurate, citrate, glycinate). You will soon know if your heart palpitations go away if it was from either deficiency state. I've had severe deficiencies of both and deficiencies were resolved in around 3 months.