Bothered by declining HR

[Kernelgroint]

Hi all

Wondered if anyone can help please! I'm a 5ft 11 male in the UK, 82kg, 38 yrs old. I'd like to think pretty fit - I go to the gym 3-4 times per week for 30 mins (once a week 45-1hr)  and mix in cardio with HIIT intervals and weights. I always hit my 10,000 steps, walk up every escalator I come across and  can run a 5k in under 22 mins. Usual weekly steps is about 90,000.

My resting heart rate had been pretty steady at about 55 for months and then dipped over time to just below 50 a few months ago, which bothered me and made me feel slightly dizzy a couple of times. Did a bit of research and found out that the zinc supplements I've been taking for a number of years might have lowered copper levels too much, which can affect heart rate. Took some copper short term (2 and a half months) to balance out and RHR went back to 55/56 for several weeks. Stopped supplement recently. Felt fine.

Have just come back from holiday (all good, HR stable at 55) and had to have antibiotics for a random eye infection. In the susequent 2 weeks my RHR has progressively declined from 55 to 48 and I've been noticing a few skipped beats in there. To the point where I asked the doc for a monitor (awaiting results.) 

Aside from antibiotics, the only thing I can think of is that I'd gone lower (not super-low) carb in recent couple of months and have not eaten nearly as many carbs as I used to, esp after workouts. Have corrected this just a few days ago but trend is still down for last 4 days despite more carbs. 48 seems a bit low to me and bottomed out at 38 when asleep.

Anybody got any ideas why RHR should be declining after a period of stability with the above in mind? A web search suggests low carb might influence things (electrolytes, blood sugar) and could bring thyroid impairment into play. Anyone else had similar? Any suggestions as to how and when it could resolve? 

Many thanks indeed for any advice. Sorry if wrong thread - covers multiple ideas!

[josephz2va]

Dizzy spells, heart beats skipping and a rapid drop in heart rate usually means you have an undiagnosed medical condition possibly A-Fib. Your doctor needs to do a battery of tests on you to see what's up.

[Dave001]

Why did you start taking a supplement?

Was it clinically indicated, or did you fall foul of the advertisers?

A young, healthy adult with a balanced diet shouldn't need supplements (other than perhaps Vit D in winter?).

With your height/weight, although BMI shows you as marginally "overweight", if you're well muscled, you could well be a healthy weight and trying to push yourself under. 

Are you well hydrated? When your GP feels your pulse they'll be thinking about the pulse volume as well as the rate and regularity.

Are you overdoing it? An opportunistic eye infection could point to being run down.

And finally, carbs are not the enemy! Inactivity is the enemy. Inconsistency is the enemy. Not listening to your intuitive sense of health is the enemy. 

Anyway, my suggestions:

1. Have an open, honest, frank discussion with a trusted GP. 

2. Review your need for supplements. 

3. Eat a healthful, balanced diet that includes carbs. 

4. Hydrate. 

5. Rest. 

6. Ease back a little until things resolve. 

7. Be happy!

Good luck. 

[Kernelgroint]

Thanks very much for the replies so far. A few years ago when I was super stressed at work I had some blood tests done and was very run down and a bit low in a few minerals (mag, zinc etc) and then when trying to conceive I was advised to take some vitamins etc as my levels were up and down. Kind of stayed on them ever since in varying degrees. I take a multi (half a dose of Thorne 2/day), Co-Q10, Fish Oil, Probiotics, 500 mg Vit C and Digestive Enzymes. But I was taking Zinc at around 20-30mg per day for a few years. 

That's the frustrating thing. I try to be super healthy but it seems to backfire. I do get a bit anxious about health but am chilled about everything else. I get white coat hypertension - or  blood pressure phobia to be precise, as is same at home - my heart rate jumps to 80bpm and my systolic pressure goes high (150ish). Diastolic is always fine. After repeated takes when I chilled out a bit I got it down to 120/70 a couple of months ago.

I get so confused with the supposed accuracy of tests and conflicting views on vitamins etc!

[Esya]

When you are eating healthy you don't need all those supplements. I am not saying you don't need any, but vitamin C is one of the easiest things to get enough through a healthy diet for example. Also there is discussion if the vitamins in supplements actually can be processed by our bodies the same as that come in food. You might be interested in trying the app Wholesome. You can log your food (it is not the easiest to use for food logging in my opinion, but you can create recipes) and it will report all the nutrients and give suggestions on what to eat next to fill up the gaps. When you have a week of data you can ask for averages over the last 7 days.

Also I would like to suggest to work on your anxiety (I love the app Pacifica). Seems to me that you are over anxious about your health (also why you might be taking so many supplements?). I think you have a what I call Western view of health, which is the physical health. I believe that mental and emotional health are as important. While physical health helps for being in good mental and emotional health the opposite is also true.

A question that I don't ask for getting an answer (so no need to answer me), but that might show you how anxious you are and if you are getting problems because of that or not:

How would you feel if you were to skip your supplements for 1 day?

[Kernelgroint]

Thanks again for the replies and suggestions. Yes, have been a bit too interested in supplements and whilst I try to be careful I should minimise these. Will check these suggestions out.

[josephz2va]

I would stop taking the supplements and see a doctor and a nutritionist if you are worried about needing supplements. I stopped taking supplements because they are unnecessary and I'm throwing thousands of dollars away versus seeking professional help. All you have to do is type Weight Loss on google maps and there's up to 15 clinics nearby.

[emili]

one of the most important things to stop doing is web searching your health. you have an eye infection and by the time you are done searching the web, you will self diagnose yourself with cataracts. if you are taking excessive supplements most of them (there are a few that are toxic when taken in excess) you get rid of through urination. declining RHR on its own is usually not a big deal, but if yours results in you feeling light headed then it may be worth checking out. Although... to be honest... if you are eating low carb and still working out as you were when you were eating normal carbs I am thinking its more sugar dips then HR dips. I do however fully believe in the power of the mind. If you work yourself into believing something is wrong, you will start feeling whatever you are thinking. Get checked out by your GP, go back to eating normal food, figure out if you really need the supplements and then chill.