Mixed
Dietary supplements, particularly weight loss and energy products containing herbals or complementary nutritionals, are a significant cause of emergency department visits for cardiovascular adverse events (palpitations, chest pain, tachycardia) in young adults aged 20-34.
If you are taking weight loss or energy supplements, be aware that they can cause heart palpitations, chest pain, or rapid heart rate, especially if you are between 20 and 34 years old. These products are not strictly regulated for safety before sale. If you experience these symptoms, seek medical attention and inform the provider about the supplement you are taking.
Weight loss or energy products caused 71.8% (CI, 67.6%−76.1%) of supplement adverse events involving palpitations, chest pain, and/or tachycardia... Most of the visits for cardiac symptoms (58.0%; CI, 52.2%−63.7%) involved persons aged 20–34 years.
Why this rating
Based on a nationally representative sample of 63 EDs over 10 years, though subject to under-reporting biases.
Source
Emergency Department Visits for Adverse Events Related to Dietary Supplements
Andrew I. Geller et al. · New England Journal of Medicine · 2015
DOI 10.1056/nejmsa1504267
More from this paper
- Micronutrient supplements (specifically multivitamins, iron, calcium, and potassium) are a leading cause of emergency department visits due to swallowing problems (choking/dysphagia) in adults aged 65 and older.Good
- Unsupervised ingestion of micronutrient supplements, particularly multivitamins and iron, is a major cause of emergency department visits in young children (≤4 years).Good
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