Beta blockers, HR and weight
mrfpb
Posts: 4,569
Hi all.
I've been trying to lose weight this year, but due to various health issues I have been taking beta blockers (Propranolol) for about 5 weeks. I noticed my weight is "plateauing" over the same time period - yo-yoing around 75.0-76.0 kgs after dropping from just over 77 to just under 75 in the first two months of the year.
I've also noticed when exercising that my HR is much lower - my HR max is 195 bpm but over the last few weeks I can't raise it above 175 no matter what effort I make (running or cycling). My resting HR has also droped from 60 to 50 bpm.
Obviuously Garmin and Strava make calulations of calorie burn based on hr, but I "feel" like I'm putting in similar efforts but recording lower hr and calories burnt.
So, is anyone aware of a link between wieght gain/loss and use of beta blockers?
I've been trying to lose weight this year, but due to various health issues I have been taking beta blockers (Propranolol) for about 5 weeks. I noticed my weight is "plateauing" over the same time period - yo-yoing around 75.0-76.0 kgs after dropping from just over 77 to just under 75 in the first two months of the year.
I've also noticed when exercising that my HR is much lower - my HR max is 195 bpm but over the last few weeks I can't raise it above 175 no matter what effort I make (running or cycling). My resting HR has also droped from 60 to 50 bpm.
Obviuously Garmin and Strava make calulations of calorie burn based on hr, but I "feel" like I'm putting in similar efforts but recording lower hr and calories burnt.
So, is anyone aware of a link between wieght gain/loss and use of beta blockers?
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Comments
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It's hard to tell without power data that you are making the same effort when riding that you were previously.
What is certain is that Beta blockers will decrease the activity of your heart - it's right here in the first paragraph:
http://www.nhs.uk/conditions/Beta-block ... ction.aspx
If your heart is doing less, then ultimately it is burning fewer calories, so you're going to have to change things up somewhat to continue losing weight.
Best bet is to look at your diet again, see what you can cut out/trim down.
I wouldn't worry too much about your weight yo-yo-ing up and down a kg or two - most bathroom scales aren't that accurate, and for that matter a good wee will see you immediately lose a kg.0 -
Propranolol reduces your heart rate, that's for sure - A chemist was about how it might affect intense workouts, and the best he could give was that you probably wouldn't be able to do what you normally do intensity wise.
A friend has taken Propranolol after a very long ride and wondered how it might affect recovery from that ride.0
