Ketogenic Diet Side Effects

Keto Diet Side Effects:

keto diet side effects

Drastic changes in eating patterns can lead to side effects beyond weight changes. For people following the keto diet, doing it incorrectly or for too long may increase the risk of side effects like kidney stones or nutrient deficiencies. The fat your body uses to create ketones may come from your diet (nutritional ketosis), or it may come from your body’s fat stores. But when your glucose level decreases, your insulin level decreases. This causes your liver to ramp up the production of ketones to ensure it can provide enough energy for your brain. Therefore, your blood has high levels of ketones during ketosis.

If your pre-keto diet dinner was based around carbs, then it makes sense that removing them might cause sleep issues. If you want to know how to address that one particular issue, or are simply wondering what’s up with another, there’s an explanation (and a solution) for just about every common symptom of the ketogenic diet. If a person wishes to try the keto diet, they should consider discussing their diet plan with a registered dietitian to determine whether it is the right option for them.

There are some side effects to the keto diet about which you should speak to your doctor if you plan to stay on the diet long term. The ketogenic diet actually originated as a tool for treating neurological diseases such as epilepsy. The increased ketones, lower blood sugar levels, and improved insulin sensitivity may also play a key role (18, 19). Practicing intermittent fasting could also help you enter ketosis faster. There are many different forms of intermittent fasting, but the most common method involves limiting food intake to around 8 hours per day and fasting for the remaining 16 hours (11). Don’t be surprised if you find yourself parched while you’re on the keto diet.

keto diet side effects

Want to learn more about the potential benefits of intermittent fasting ‘ or need information on how to get started? However, individuals with diabetes or insulin resistance often respond to low carb eating with improved lipid markers overall, as discussed earlier. In non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), too much fat is stored in the liver. Recent research suggests a keto or low carb diet may help reduce or even reverse NAFLD. If you are wondering what kind of results you can expect from a keto diet, the answer depends on how strict you are, along with a number of other factors.

Not only is your body still working hard to digest food, but you’ve just provided it with a little energy boost. A person on the keto diet needs to monitor their carbohydrate intake from all potential sources, including fruits, vegetables, and whole grains. As a result, they may need to cut back on foods that previously provided them with beneficial nutrients. Before your body makes the switch into ketosis, it has to burn through the glucose stored in your liver and muscles. You typically work through your carb stores within the first week of starting a ketogenic diet. Researchers said that in the initial six to 12 months of the diet, individuals may experience blood pressure, blood sugar, and triglyceride decreases.

It’s also primarily plant-based (although some people opt to include raw fish or raw meat, despite health risks). The raw food diet’ made up of unheated, unprocessed food ‘has been named the worst plan for healthy eating for the second time in a row, according to annual rankings from US News & World Report. We are a group of medical students at the University of Jeddah. Most of the participants try what he says (96.9%) lost weight, and approximately 30% showed significant weight loss (=10 kg). Only five participants did not notice any change, and two gained weight, possibly because of the quality of the diet practice or maybe they are still in the early stage of their diet. The high percentage of weight loss could confirm the efficacy of the ketogenic diet in weight reduction [13].

Mikel is a registered dietitian at Mayo Clinic’s campus in Jacksonville, Florida. Barbie Cervoni MS, RD, CDCES, CDN, is a registered sell dietitian and certified diabetes care and education specialist. Try drinking naturally flavored water or chewing sugar-free gum.

Kidney stones, also known as nephrolithiasis, are a common complication for children following the diet, with approximately 5% of patients suffering from the condition. It is, however, treatable and the current recommendations suggest that the diet should be continued. The formation of kidney stones is believed to be linked to hypocitraturia and hypercalciuria, when acidosis causes the bone to demineralize. Additionally, low pH in the urine can encourage the formation of crystals and, eventually, kidney stones. In particular, the levels of lipids and cholesterol in the blood are commonly higher than what is considered to be normal.

Several studies in animals link the keto diet to decreased bone strength, likely due to losses in bone mineral density, which may occur as your body adapts to ketosis (16, 17). In particular, some studies suggest that keto may help decrease levels of hemoglobin A1c, a measure of average blood sugar levels (12, 13, 14). Since the keto diet restricts several advice foods, especially nutrient-dense fruits, whole grains, and legumes, it may fail to provide recommended amounts of vitamins and minerals. As a result, the keto diet can lead to digestive discomfort and constipation. What’s more, lower protein diets are often recommended for individuals with CKD, while the keto diet is moderate to high in protein (6).

The overall experience of a ketogenic diet was assessed by asking the respondents for any symptoms experienced during the ketogenic diet adoption, particularly in the first three months. We included any adult who experienced or still practices a ketogenic diet and can speak Arabic. Those who were below the age of 18 years and who never experienced a ketogenic diet were excluded during the initial assessment questions. The sample size was calculated automatically using Google Forms. Out of 359 enrolled individuals, 226 experienced a ketogenic diet, and 133 were excluded.

The bullet point noting there is lack of research is concerning since the Keto diet has been around a very long time and had many reviews & studies written about it. At Mexican restaurants, you can enjoy any type of meat with extra cheese, guacamole, salsa, and sour cream. Egg-based meals are also a great option, such as an omelet or eggs and bacon.

The keto diet delivers your body’s energy needs in a way that reduces inflammation. Research suggests your brain works more efficiently on ketones than on glucose. People who are thinking of starting a keto diet should first talk to a healthcare provider who can help them decide if it’s a good option for them. Experts also note that, while the diet can help you lose weight in the short term, the weight can return when you stop the diet.

But before you start chugging the keto-ade, make sure you’re not overdoing the electrolytes, either. Consuming too many electrolytes ‘ especially potassium ‘ can be dangerous, though rare. If you’re losing weight too rapidly (more than 1-2 pounds per week if you started off with a normal BMI), chances are that at least a portion of that weight is muscle. High-fat foods help to trigger satiety and reduce appetite, however, they’re also delicious.

For most people, keto flu is a short-term side effect that should improve within a few days to a few weeks. Drinking enough fluids and electrolytes may help ease the symptoms. Many people begin the keto diet because they wish to lose weight. However, others use it to help manage certain health conditions, such as diabetes. Ketosis occurs when the body starts to break down fat due to a lack of blood sugar circulating the body.

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