Experts are warning people against taking the little blue pill celebrities promise will calm nervous jitters in all sorts of stressful situations, from first dates to the Golden Globes.
First approved by the food and Drug Governance (FDA) to treat symptoms of cardiovascular disease, propranolol has become the go-to pill for reducing anxiety and steadying nerves.
But experts say the miracle pill will do little for persistent anxiety and panic attacks, and could even raise the risk of death.
Like other beta blockers, propranolol works by altering the way the body responds to nerve impulses, including in the heart.
Medically known as beta adrenergic blocking agents, the pills work by blocking the effects of adrenaline and noradrenaline on the body’s beta receptors, which helps reduce heart rate, lower blood pressure and diminish the force of heart muscle contractions.
Licensed to be prescribed to treat irregular heartbeats, beta blockers act on the beta adrenergic system, thus temporarily blocking the body’s response to stress and are very effective at reducing the symptoms of anxiety.
This in turn can help alleviate physical symptoms of anxiety such as sweating, shaking and heart palpitations.
‘They work by reducing the effects of adrenaline on the heart, so you don’t get that heart-racing feeling, you may not get short of breath or sweaty, and they can reduce the symptoms of a full-blown panic attack,’ said Dr Amir Khan, an NHS GP.
Celebrities have been name dropping the pill as the answer to situational anxiety
During his 2024 Golden Globes acceptance speech Robert Downey Jr. admitted to popping a pill before taking the stage saying: ‘I took a beta blocker, so this is going to be a breeze.’
However, a recent study found that whilst propranolol may help ease physical symptoms of anxiety, there is limited evidence that it outperforms other anti-anxiety drugs.
At red carpet events this year, Kristen Bell, Rachel Sennott and Natasha Rothwell all credited beta-blockers for their relaxed demeanour, following in the footsteps of Robert Downey Jr. who allegedly popped a beta blocker before making his Golden Globes acceptance speech.
And actress Rachel Sennott’s advice to ‘take that beta blocker, girl’ has echoed as a battle cry for women struggling with anxiety disorders to take matters into their own hands.
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