Can CBD Cause Heart Palpitations? What Studies Show and What to Do

Does CBD affect heart rate and blood pressure?

A little, at high doses. The human research is small, mostly in healthy young men, and uses doses far above what most people take. Here is what it shows.

If you’re weighing up CBD for everyday calm, our best CBD oil for anxiety UK guide explains what to check and what the research does and doesn’t show.

The rise in heart rate seen with 600mg is thought to be the body compensating for the small drop in blood pressure. That dose is 60 times the FSA’s 10mg a day figure, so any effect at supplement doses is likely to be much smaller. The UK prescribing information for Epidyolex, a licensed CBD medicine taken at far higher doses, does not list palpitations or a fast heart rate among its side effects.

None of this makes CBD a treatment for high blood pressure or any heart condition. It simply means that if you feel your heart racing after CBD, the CBD itself is rarely the whole story.

Why some people notice palpitations after CBD

Palpitations are when your heartbeat suddenly becomes more noticeable: pounding, fluttering, racing or skipping a beat. The NHS says they are common and not usually a sign of anything serious. When they follow CBD, these are the usual suspects.

• THC in the product. When UK researchers tested 29 widely sold CBD oils, 55% had measurable THC or cannabinol, both controlled drugs, and only 38% were within 10% of the CBD stated on the label. THC can raise heart rate, so a full spectrum or poorly made product is a more likely trigger than CBD itself.
• A big first dose, especially on an empty stomach, or several products at once (oil plus gummies plus a CBD drink).
• Caffeine. In a trial, very high doses of CBD (750mg twice a day) roughly doubled how long caffeine stayed in the body, with its half-life going from 5.4 to 10.9 hours. Everyday doses are a fraction of that, but if you pair CBD with strong coffee, it is worth cutting back. See CBD and coffee.
• Anxiety. Worrying about a new product, or noticing your heartbeat because you are watching for side effects, can set off a racing heart on its own. Palpitations are a common physical symptom of anxiety.
• A dip in blood pressure. Large doses can lower blood pressure slightly. If you stand up quickly you may feel light-headed, and your heart speeds up to compensate. The NHS calls this postural hypotension.
• Something else at the same time. The NHS lists alcohol, caffeine, nicotine, poor sleep, stress, hard exercise, some medicines, the menopause and pregnancy as common triggers, as well as medical causes such as anaemia, an overactive thyroid or a heart rhythm problem.

Possible reasons and what to do

What to do if it happens

1. Stop and don’t take any more.
2. Sit or lie down and breathe slowly.
3. Drink some water and avoid caffeine and alcohol.
4. Note the product, dose and time, and check its lab report for THC.
5. If it passes quickly, mention it to a pharmacist or GP before trying CBD again.

When to see a GP or call 999

Call 999 or go to A&E if palpitations don’t go away, or you also have chest pain, shortness of breath, or feel faint or have fainted. The NHS advises not to drive yourself: ask someone to take you or call an ambulance, and bring any medicines you take.

Get an urgent GP appointment or call 111 if the palpitations have stopped but you had chest pain, breathlessness or fainting with them.

iSee a GP if you feel well but palpitations keep coming back or are happening more often, last longer than a few minutes, or you have a heart condition or a family history of heart problems. A GP may arrange an ECG, a simple test of your heart’s rhythm.

Full spectrum, broad spectrum and THC

Because THC is the more likely culprit for a racing heart, the type of CBD matters.

• Full spectrum keeps all the hemp compounds, including some THC. THC is a controlled drug in the UK.
• Broad spectrum keeps other hemp compounds such as terpenes, with the THC removed.
• Isolate is CBD on its own.

Our full comparison is in full spectrum vs broad spectrum vs isolate, and CBD vs THC explains the difference between the two cannabinoids. Whatever you buy, check the certificate of analysis for your batch shows THC as not detected. Our guide on how to read a CBD lab report shows where to look.

All Evopure CBD products are broad spectrum with 0% THC, and they are on the FSA’s public list, linked to validated novel food applications. You can read what that means in our guide to the FSA’s CBD decision.

CBD and heart or blood pressure medicines

CBD is broken down by enzymes in the liver, and it can change how much of some medicines stays in your blood. Reviews of the research flag these in particular:

• Warfarin. A 2023 systematic review found seven case reports, and in six of them warfarin’s blood-thinning effect (the INR) went up. The evidence is very low quality and the cannabis doses were usually very high, but warfarin needs close monitoring, so talk to your anticoagulation clinic first.
• Statins, beta-blockers and other heart medicines. A 2026 review of cannabinoid interactions covers statins, beta-blockers and warfarin among the common heart and metabolic medicines that need care.
• Blood pressure medicines. Because large doses of CBD lowered blood pressure in trials, taking it alongside blood pressure tablets could add to dizziness.

Some heart medicines carry a “do not take with grapefruit” warning. That is a useful prompt to ask, though it doesn’t by itself mean CBD will interact, and no warning doesn’t mean a medicine is safe to combine. If you take any heart or blood pressure medicine, speak to your pharmacist or GP before trying CBD. Our guide can CBD interact with medication? covers the grapefruit warning and the main groups of drugs, and is CBD bad for your liver? explains what the trials show about liver enzymes and dose.

How much CBD is sensible?

The FSA’s provisional safe intake for CBD is 10mg a day for a healthy 70kg adult. It also advises that people on prescription medication should not take CBD without the advice of a medical professional, and that pregnant and breastfeeding women should avoid it. We don’t recommend our products during pregnancy or breastfeeding, and they are for adults (18+) only.

The FSA’s 10mg a day figure is precautionary advice rather than a legal limit, set while longer-term safety research continues. At Evopure we think it is a very cautious figure, and many adults use more. If you go above it, increase slowly, and check with your GP or pharmacist first if you take any medication.

For drops per 10mg for each strength, see our CBD dosage guide.

How to lower the chance of palpitations

• Choose THC-free CBD with a batch lab report showing THC not detected.
• Start low: around 10mg, with food, and give it a few days before changing anything.
• Take one product at a time, so you know your total daily amount.
• Separate it from coffee or cut back on caffeine.
• Go easy on alcohol, which is a common palpitations trigger in its own right.
• Try the evening, when you’re resting rather than rushing.
• Capsules give an exact dose. See CBD oil vs capsules.

For the other side effects people sometimes notice, such as a dry mouth, tiredness or an upset stomach, see CBD side effects.

If it might be anxiety, or something else

• A sudden racing heart with fear can be a panic attack. See how to stop a panic attack.
• If worrying about palpitations is taking over, see health anxiety.
• Chest tightness with anxiety is covered in anxiety chest pain, but never assume chest pain is anxiety: call 999 if you are unsure.
• If you mostly notice your heartbeat in bed, our guide to heart palpitations at night covers the night-time causes and what helps.
• Read about magnesium and the heart online? Our magnesium taurate guide explains what the research does and doesn’t show.

See also heart palpitations: common causes and when to worry.