What is Keto Flu? In recent years, the ketogenic diet has emerged as a natural approach to slimming down and improving overall health. The diet is low in carbs, moderate in protein, and heavy in fat. Side effects are common, although the diet is generally safe for most people.
It's known as the carb flu or the keto flu, and it's a term invented by dieters to describe how they feel when they begin the diet. This article explains what the keto flu exactly is, how it occurs, and how to alleviate its unpleasant symptoms.
Table of Contents
The Keto Flu – What is it?
A group of symptoms known as the keto flu is often reported by individuals when they begin the keto diet for the first time. As a result of the body adjusting to a low-carbohydrate diet, the symptoms of flu-like illness might be felt.
Reducing your carb consumption causes your body to use ketones as a source of energy rather than glucose. In a ketogenic diet, ketones are the primary source of energy since they are the byproducts of fat breakdown.
As a backup source of energy when glucose is unavailable, fat is often used. Ketosis is the name given to the metabolic state in which a person's body begins to burn fat for fuel. It can happen while you're starving or fasting, for example.
However, an extremely low-carb diet can also get you into ketosis. Carbohydrate intake is generally restricted to 50 grams or less per day on a ketogenic diet.
Because of the sudden reduction, the body may suffer withdrawal-like symptoms, which are comparable to those experienced when weaning oneself off an addictive stimulant such as coffee.
SUMMARY: Starting an extremely low-carb ketogenic diet might cause flu-like symptoms, commonly referred to as the “keto flu.”
Keto Flu Symptoms
It may take some time for your body to adjust to a low-carb diet after a long period of high-carb eating. This transition time might be very tough for certain people. Symptoms of the keto flu may begin to appear after a few days of drastically reducing your carb intake. The severity of the symptoms varies from person to person and can be moderate to severe.
People who adopt a ketogenic diet may encounter one or more of the following adverse effects throughout their transition:
• Nausea
• Vomiting
• Diarrhea
• Headache
• Irritability
• Sugar cravings
• Weakness
• Muscle cramps
• Dizziness
• Poor concentration
• Brain fog
• Constipation
• Abdominal pain
• Muscle soreness
• Sleep disturbances
It's not uncommon for people who are just starting out on the ketogenic diet to experience these symptoms, which may be rather upsetting.
People normally suffer symptoms for one week, although others may endure them for longer. Some dieters may give up because of these adverse effects, but there are methods to minimize them.
SUMMARY: SOME PEOPLE MAY ENCOUNTER SYMPTOMS SUCH AS DIARRHEA, WEARINESS, MUSCULAR PAIN, AND SUGAR CRAVINGS AFTER STARTING A KETOGENIC DIET.
Getting Rid of the Keto Flu
Keto flu may be a debilitating condition. If you're experiencing flu-like symptoms, there are strategies to alleviate them and ease your body's shift.
Maintain hydration
To stay healthy and alleviate symptoms, make sure you're getting plenty of liquids in your system. Dehydration is more likely if you follow a ketogenic diet, which causes you to lose water more quickly.
This is due to the fact that glycogen, the body's stored form of carbs, binds to water. Dietary carbs diminish glycogen levels, causing a drop in urine volume and an increase in water loss.
Symptoms like weariness and muscular cramps can be alleviated by staying hydrated. When you're suffering from diarrhea caused by the keto flu, it's extremely crucial to rehydrate.
Steer clear of strenuous exercise
Strenuous activity should be avoided if you have keto-flu symptoms, even if it is beneficial for your health and weight loss in the long term.
During the first week of a ketogenic diet, fatigue, muscular cramps, and stomach pain are frequent, so it may be a good idea to take a break.
Cycling, jogging, weight lifting, and other high-intensity activities may have to be put on hold as your body adjusts to the new fuel source.
However, if you are suffering from the keto flu, simple exercises like walking, yoga, or leisurely riding may help alleviate symptoms.
Replenish electrolytes
Keto-flu symptoms could well be alleviated by replacing lost electrolytes in the diet. An essential hormone that aids in glucose uptake by cells, insulin, is shown to be reduced in those who are on a ketogenic diet.
Blood pressure drops as insulin levels fall, which causes the kidneys to expel salt from the body. In addition, foods rich in potassium, such as fruits, beans, and starchy vegetables, are restricted on the keto diet.
In order to get through the adjustment stage of the diet, it is vital to consume enough levels of these nutrients. Including potassium-rich, keto-friendly meals like green leafy vegetables and avocados, as well as seasoning food to taste, is a good approach to guarantee that your body's electrolytes remain in balance. The magnesium in these meals may also help alleviate muscular cramps, insomnia, and migraines.
Catch up on your sleep
The most typical complaints of persons beginning a ketogenic diet are feelings of exhaustion and irritation. Cortisol levels in the body rise when people don't get enough sleep, which can have a negative effect on mood and worsen symptoms of the keto flu.
To help you get to sleep or remain asleep, consider one of these suggestions:
• Caffeine is a stimulant that can disrupt sleep, so limit your consumption. You should only drink caffeinated beverages in the morning to avoid disrupting your sleep cycle.
• Turn off the lights in the room, including the ones from your computer, mobile phone, and television, to help you get a good night's sleep.
• To unwind and prepare for sleep, take a warm bath with Epsom salts or lavender essential oil.
• Rise and shine! Setting a regular wake-up hour and avoiding excessive napping might help you get a more consistent and better-quality night's sleep in the long run.
Ensure you’re getting enough fat (and carbs)
When starting a low-carb diet, it's common to get cravings for high-carbohydrate meals like cookies, bread, spaghetti, and bagels. Eating enough fat, the ketogenic diet's major fuel source, can help you curb your appetite and keep you fuller longer.
Researchers have found a link between a low-carb diet and a decreased desire for sugary and high-carb items. Those who are experiencing difficulty adjusting to the ketogenic diet may need to progressively reduce their carb intake, rather than completely eliminating them. Keto-flu symptoms may also be lessened if you gradually reduce carbohydrates while boosting fat and protein in your diet.
SUMMARY: IT'S POSSIBLE TO AVOID THE KETO FLU IF YOU TAKE STEPS SUCH AS DRINKING ENOUGH OF WATER AND ELECTROLYTE REPLENISHMENT, GETTING PLENTY OF REST, STAYING AWAY FROM INTENSE ACTIVITIES, AND GRADUALLY REDUCING YOUR CARB INTAKE.
Why Do Some People End Up Getting Sick with the Keto Flu?
There is no one-size-fits-all approach to the ketogenic diet. If you're one of those people who suffer from the keto flu for weeks, you're not alone.
People's symptoms are a result of their bodies learning to use a new fuel source. Glucose is the body's primary source of energy from carbohydrates. When carbohydrates are drastically limited, the body uses ketones from fat instead of glucose as a source of energy.
Those who are used to eating a lot of carbohydrates, especially refined carbs like spaghetti, soda and sugary cereal may have a tough experience starting the keto diet.
This means that for some people, the shift to a ketogenic diet may be difficult, while others are able to easily swap out their fuel sources without experiencing the keto flu.
Dehydration, genetics, electrolyte loss, and carbohydrate withdrawal are thought to be the primary reasons behind the keto flu, which affects some people more than others.
How Long Does the Keto Flu Last?
Fortunately, most people only experience the unpleasant keto flu symptoms for approximately a week. However, it is important to be mindful of the fact that this high-fat, low-carb diet might be more challenging for certain people to follow. It is possible for these people to experience symptoms for several weeks.
Fortunately, these symptoms will diminish over time as your body adapts to turning ketones into a source of fuel. You should seek medical attention if you're suffering symptoms like extended diarrhea, fever, or vomiting while on a ketogenic diet, even though they're frequent in individuals who switch diets.
SUMMARY: GENETICS, ELECTROLYTE LOSS, DEHYDRATION, AND CARBOHYDRATE WITHDRAWAL CAN ALL CAUSE KETO-FLU SYMPTOMS IN CERTAIN PEOPLE. SYMPTOMS OF THE KETO FLU MIGHT CONTINUE FOR UP TO A MONTH FOR SOME PEOPLE.
Who should not go on a ketogenic diet?
There are many people who find the ketogenic diet useful, but it's not for everyone. For example, unless taken therapeutically under medical supervision, the ketogenic diet may not be acceptable for pregnant or nursing women, children, and teenagers.
Individuals suffering from specific health concerns such as renal illness, liver disease, or pancreatic diseases should abstain from following this diet.
Those who have diabetes and are considering going on a ketogenic diet should speak with their doctor first to be sure it's safe and appropriate for them.
Finally, this diet might not be a suitable one for people who are hypersensitive to dietary cholesterol, which accounts for nearly 25% of the global population.
SUMMARY: Expecting mothers, children, persons with liver, kidney, or pancreatic illness, as well as those who are hypersensitive to dietary cholesterol, should avoid the ketogenic diet.
Conclusion
What is Keto Flu? Symptoms of the body adjusting to a ketogenic diet are collectively known as the “keto flu.”. Some persons transitioning to a high-fat, low-carb diet experience nausea, constipation, headaches, lethargy, and sugar cravings.
It is possible to decrease the signs and symptoms of keto-flu with optimal fat and carbohydrate intake, drinking enough fluids, and restoring electrolytes lost through sweating.
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