<<Disclaimer: Verify this information before applying it to your situation.>>

Prevention magazine had a long article on how a magnesium
deficiency can produce arrhythmias. The average American consumes about
40% of the RDA. Some sources are Rice Bran (1 oz) 408 mg., chopped
almonds (1/2 cup) 193 mg., spinach (1 cup), 157 mg. May want to take a
magnesium supplement.
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Ask your doctor about Foltx - a prescription vitamin supplement of B
complex. My doctor gives it to me for arythmia.  I have seen a
cardiologist - better safe than sorry.  Apparently the blood tests for
homocystine (spelling?) gives a clue to potential heart problems due to
deficiency of these vitamins.
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I had the same problem and I take magnesium and potassium.  That has
helped tremendously.  I take one 400 mg mag oxide at about 10:00 a.m.
with some food, then throughout the day I take two 65 mg "slo mags" (one
at 4:00 pm and one before bed).  I'm off the potassium now and as long as
I eat a banana every few days I am fine.  It took a few months for it to
go away completely, but I noticed a difference pretty much right away.
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As it turns out it is my Thyroid that causes my heart to go haywire.
Make sure his thyroid is ok... The endocrinologist told me undiagnosed
thyroid it the #1 cause for heart problems in 'women'
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I had the very same problem.  I still have it once every month or two.  I

have been on the diet (very strict) for two and a half years now.  I have

gone to the last three Columbia University Celiac Disease Center's
Patient
Education Days.  They have doctors and researches from various fields
that
specialize in celiac disease.

I have asked several doctors about this problem and they have all had a
different hypothesis.  Some dismissed it as too much coffee.

A neurologist said that it may be related to lack of fat absorption -- he

also said it might be tied to the fact that I was having a lot of muscle
twitching before my diagnosis.

A cardiologist told me that it could be unrelated (I don't believe this)
but
that it might be because of a lack of calcium.  The heart needs a certain

amount of calcium in the body to surround it in order to work properly
and
that the body will leech calcium from the bones if it needs it for the
heart.  However, this process of stealing the calcium from the bones
might
be malfunctioning.  He didn't go into details but this sounded likely
because many celiacs have calcium deficiencies and osteopathic problems.
I
have been taking (recommended by Dr. Peter Green at Columbia) calcium
citrate with D (which helps the body absorb the calcium and calcium
citrate
is preferred for celiacs.)  I buy a GF brand that has very little
magnesium.
  Magnesium is added because calcium can cause constipation.  They
recommended very little magnesium for celiacs who are still having
diarrhea
and their gut hasn't healed yet.  Even though my intestinal problems have

gone away, I still stay away from the magnesium because it does bother me
a
little.

Well, I hope this helps in some way.  I am still not satisfied with the
info
that the doctors have given me.  I’ve heard about others having this
problem
and I know it is related to the celiac disease.  If you learn any more,
please summarize or send me an email.
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I suggest your husband see a cardiologist, explain the problem and his
concerns.  Also any cardiac family history.  And undergo the tests to
ensure it is not some other condition causing the arrythmia.  There is a
condition called "Fatal Arrythmia".  I couldn't say whether your husband
is a likely candidate.  But arrythmias are not something to just treat
with vitamins & minerals without knowing their cause. If he's been on a
G-F diet for sometime he should not have malabsorption.  And if he did I
don't think vitamin pills would help a great deal.  But I don't guess it
would hurt to try them at least until he sees the cardiologist.  Just
don't forget to tell the doctor what he's taking and whether they've
helped. Keep a diary of when he has the symptoms, how long they last and
the triggers. my historyIn 1991, when I was 42, I had terrible chest pain
after running.  Took an hour for it to ease.  I didn't go to the ER.
Within weeks I noted I was have chest pain & shortness of breath with
exertion.  Saw a Cardiologist and had a routine treadmill.  Scared the
hell of of the doctor & staff (all my friends) when I went into a bundle
branch block.  My resting EKGs had all looked normal even though the
machine had printed out "evidence of old infarction".  I had a thallium
scan and stress echo, the same thing happened.  Technology finally caught
up with me in 1996, another thallium scan showed the tiny infarct near
the AV Node. I wasn't diagnosed with CD until March of this year.  No
telling how long I've had this disease but I would guess it's been a long
time.  But I still had an MI at 42.  I've been on Tenormin (Atenelol), a
Beta Blocker, for my heart rate since 91.  Started at 1/2 of a 25mg tab,
it was raised to 25mg in 96, 50 mg in 2002.  It was raised to 100mg this
year because of worsening high b/p after a nephrectomy in 97.   Oh yeah,
stopping what I was doing and taking slow deep breaths helped control the
pain & shortness of breath.
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While a mineral deficiency is possible, it sounds more probable that he
has a thyroid problem, EVEN THOUGH ALL TESTS MAY BE IN THE NORMAL RANGE.
Usually, thyroid problems accompany celiac and if I were you, I would try
to get a thyroid scan of the neck and just below into the chest to see if
he has a goiter. They are more common than you think, speaking here from
8 years of hell with this. Thyroid controls that heart rate and if his
thyroid is not working right even if tests say it is normal, he will have
arrythmias.
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