Irregular heartbeat--electrolyte deficiencies?

[evercurious]

Need help from bodybuilding community. Developed irregular heartbeat five weeks ago. Cardiologist says benign (not life-threatening) but still very troubling, never had it before. Never used steroids, work out 5x week, use creatine, pre-workout supps like Plasmajet, SizeOn, Surge Workout Fuel, Spike, don't drink enough water. Also play tennis and sweat a lot. Blood work showed potassium high side of normal, Vitamin D low end of normal, otherwise ok. Cardiologist recommended magnesium oxide and it is helping, but still there. Bodybuilding friend said maybe electrolyte imbalance. I am now drinking much more water, also Gatorade (though I hate it, think it's junk). Mayincrease sodium intake a little. Any ideas or suggestions would be greatly appreciated. Doctors know way less about sports nutrition than bodybuilders, and they are stumped.

[evercurious]

I had this same issue after both shows I competed in last year. I was told I had an irregular heartbeat too and spent time in the hospital for it. I was also told my heartbeat was very slow, somewhere around 45 bmp. But, as someone who does a lot of cardio and is "in shape" my heart does not have to work as hard as someone who doesn't work out. I was told it was a hydration issue and also an issue with the electrolyte imbalances in my blood, i.e., sodium or potassium). I never finished the "treatment" with my PCP; I thought it was a waste of time. I feel fine now, but if you're still worried you can always have them do all the tests they wanted to do on me, e.g., a stress test, walking around with a Holter monitor that records your heartbeat for 24-48 hrs I believe, ECG, and Cardiac Ccatheterization. I don't trust doctors who don't understand a bodybuilder’s lifestyle and who ask me why I workout so much. They're morons!

Yes, this is it, exactly! Thanks much. I have gotten an EKG (3, to be precise, in two weeks), did a stress test--they said I was in top shape, heartbeat 49 when not ireegular, echocardiagram, tomorrow is CT angio scan, they decided I din't need a halter for 24 hrs. So, if you feel "fine" now, did it go away? What did you do to make it better, or did it go away on its own? Or is it still there, but "benign"? Problem is, as you said the cardiologists have no real clue of bodybuilding nutrition. Mine said I was about the most fit and fastidious person she'd seen (thanks, but not what I wanted to hear!)