Ketogenic diets have long been known as a healthy and natural way to lose weight and improve health. Despite being considered safe for most people, there are some side effects associated with this high-fat, low-carb, and moderate-protein diet.
Keto flu refers to the symptoms that occur when people are starting off the diet.
Here you will learn about keto symptoms, how to get rid of it, and more!
What is keto flu?
Keto flu is a condition that occurs when people start a keto diet for the first time. Keto flu symptoms include irritability, headache, and constipation. These are a result of the body’s adaptation to a very low-carb diet.
During a keto diet, your carb intake is typically reduced to not more than 50 grams per day, which can cause shock to your body and withdrawal-like symptoms. As a result, ketones become the main source of fuel.
Reduced carbohydrate intake causes your body to burn ketones—a byproduct of fat breakdown—for energy rather than glucose, a byproduct of fat breakdown.
Keto symptoms
As you switch to a very low-carb diet, your body may need some time to adapt to the new way of eating. This major change can be difficult for some people.
You may experience some keto symptoms, which can range from mild to severe, within the first few days of your very low-carb diet. People who are new to the diet reported feeling weak, dizzy, and constipated, among others.
Keto symptoms can vary from person to person. Some may experience one or more of the symptoms, while others experience no symptoms at all. Some people may experience keto symptoms for just about a week, while it may last for a longer period of time for others.
Fortunately, there are ways of reducing or even avoiding the keto flu.
How to Reduce or Avoid Keto Symptoms?
Experiencing some symptoms of keto flu usually leaves you feeling miserable. The good news is that there are ways to avoid the flu-like symptoms brought about by this diet. Yes, it is possible to go on a keto diet without having to experience its symptoms.
Reducing Keto Symptoms: Increase intake of healthy fats and consume enough carbs
As you transition to a very low-carb diet, you are also more likely to crave foods that are not allowed on the keto diet, such as pasta, bread, and cookies.
Interestingly, low-carb diets have been shown in research to help reduce cravings for high-carb foods.
Increasing your protein and fat intake while slowly cutting back on carbs can help make the transition smoother. It helps you feel satiated and reduce cravings. What's more, it also decreases the chance of keto symptoms occurring.
If you are having a difficult time adapting to this very low-carb diet, you can slowly eliminate carbs rather than going all-in right away.
Reducing Keto Symptoms: Stay hydrated with water
Aside from the fact that drinking adequate amounts of water is essential for optimal health, it also helps reduce the symptoms of keto flu.
When you’re on a keto diet, your body is more likely to shed water stores rapidly, which can increase the risk of dehydration.
This happens because the stored form of carbohydrates called glycogen binds to the water in the body. Low carb intake decreases glycogen levels and water is excreted from the body.
Staying hydrated can help avoid keto symptoms like fatigue. It is also particularly important when you are experiencing keto-flu-associated diarrhea as it can lead to additional fluid loss. Replacing the fluids lost is highly essential.
Reducing Keto Symptoms: Slow down
Although exercise is essential to keep your body weight in check and stay healthy, strenuous physical activities should be avoided when starting off with the diet to reduce symptoms of keto flu.
You might experience stomach discomfort, muscle cramps, and fatigue. Giving your body a rest is highly necessary. You need to slow down while your system is adjusting to the new fuel sources.
Doing light activities and taking a good rest whenever necessary may help improve the symptoms.
Reducing Keto Symptoms: Replenish electrolytes
Another way to reduce keto symptoms is by replenishing dietary electrolytes.
The keto diet decreases levels of insulin, which is an essential hormone that promotes the absorption of glucose from the bloodstream into the skeletal muscle cells, liver, and fat. Lower insulin levels cause your kidneys to release excess sodium from the body.
In addition, the keto diet does not allow potassium-rich foods, such as starchy vegetables, beans, and fruits, which are necessary for your body to power through the adaption period of the keto diet.
To ensure that you are maintaining a healthy electrolyte balance, salting food to taste and eating foods that are rich in potassium but are keto-friendly, like leafy greens, is a great idea. These are also magnesium-rich foods, which may help improve some keto symptoms like sleep issues and headaches.
Reducing Keto Symptoms: Don't neglect your sleep
The keto diet can cause fatigue and irritability in people who are new to it.
Lack of sleep will lead to cortisol levels rising in the body, which will aggravate flu-like symptoms and affect your mood negatively.
Here are some tips to help you get better sleep.
1. Follow a sleep schedule. Healthy adults are recommended to have at least 7-hour sleep every night. Following a sleep schedule reinforces the sleep-wake cycle of your body. As much as possible, limit the difference in your sleeping time on weekends and weeknights to a maximum of 1 hour.
2. Pay attention to what you eat. Avoid going to bed stuffed or hungry as it can only keep you up at night. Avoid alcohol, nicotine, and caffeine too; they can wreak havoc on quality sleep.
3. Create a restful and peaceful sleeping environment. Making your room conducive to sleep may mean creating a dark, cool, and quiet room. Being exposed to light can make it more challenging for you to get a restful night. If you still find yourself having difficulty falling asleep, you can try doing calming activities like using relaxation techniques or taking a bath; they can help promote better sleep at night.
4. Limit daytime naps. Limiting your daytime naps to up to 30 minutes is a good idea. Having long daytime naps can interfere with your sleep at night. Also, avoid taking a nap late in the day. However, you might need this when you work at night. Napping late in the day before work can help make up your sleep debt.
5. Manage stress. As much as possible, try to resolve your concerns and worries before you go to sleep. You can write down your thoughts and set them aside for the next day. Stress management plays a role in getting a night of good sleep. You can start with the basics like setting priorities and getting organized. Meditation also helps with your anxiety.
Why do some people experience the keto flu symptoms while others don't?
Our main source of energy is carbohydrates; the recommended carb intake is 200–300 grams per day. When you are following a keto diet, you have to limit your carb intake to < 50 grams per day.
Nutritional ketosis, according to the medical community, is safe for most people, but others may experience some adverse side effects.
Some people tend to consume lots of carbs, such as sugary cereal, pasta, and soda. Thus, starting off with the keto diet is often more challenging for them.
There are still unanswered questions about why some people adapt to keto diets better than others, but carbohydrate withdrawal, dehydration, and electrolyte loss seem to be the major causes.
How long do keto symptoms last?
Keto symptoms typically last about a week for some people but may last for several weeks for others. Some may have a more difficult time transitioning to this very low-carb, fat-rich diet.
But you need not worry; these symptoms will get better as you slowly adapt to the diet and your body gets used to converting ketones into energy.
If you feel unwell and are experiencing symptoms like vomiting, fever, or prolonged diarrhea, it’s best to visit your doctor to rule out other possible causes.
Who should not follow keto diets?
Although it has some known health benefits, keto diets are not suitable for everyone.
Children and teens, pregnant or breastfeeding women, and people with underlying health conditions should not follow a keto diet without medical supervision.
The Takeaway
The keto diet is popular for its weight loss and health-improving effects. If you are new to this diet, you may or may not experience keto symptoms, such as headaches and irritability.
These keto flu symptoms usually go away on their own so you need not worry about it. Also, there are things you can do to get rid of them, such as staying hydrated, getting enough sleep, taking a good rest, and getting a night of good sleep are just among the things you can do to ease or avoid keto symptoms.
