Overview

• New reporting highlights actors Kristen Bell, Rachel Sennott and Natasha Rothwell discussing beta-blocker use, echoing previous remarks by Robert Downey Jr. and Khloé Kardashian.
• Propranolol, developed for heart conditions, blocks adrenaline at beta receptors to slow heart rate and ease tremor and sweating.
• It is licensed for anxiety in the UK but not approved by the U.S. FDA for that use, yet physicians frequently prescribe it off-label.
• Research finds limited evidence beyond relief of physical symptoms, so clinicians position it as a short-term aid for situational anxiety rather than for chronic disorders.
• Side effects can include fatigue, dizziness and vivid dreams, rare severe reactions and overdose risks have been reported, and it may be inappropriate for people with asthma, diabetes or certain heart conditions.