The popular ketogenic diet, or keto diet, is often followed by obese people to reduce body weight. This diet has brought back the popular low-carb diet into the limelight. However, a low-carb diet also has its share of adverse effects.
Registered dietician Kristin Kirkpatrick of the Cleveland Clinic’s Wellness Institute has shared information with PopSugar about the potential side effect of not including carbs, why do they occur, and how to prevent them.
Side effects of consuming a low carb diet
- Headache: During the first few days after
starting the low-carb diet, your body makes significant adjustments to switch
from its favorite energy source, glucose, and the glycogen stores, over to
ketones, which are the compounds produced in your liver by burning fats. The
physical effects on your body due to this process are collectively termed “keto
flu,” and it might be the reason behind your headache.
- Bad breath: The presence of ketones, majorly
acetone, can make your breath smell fruity and sometimes unpleasant.
- Fatigue: You might experience fatigue or
feel tired during the first few days of consuming a low-carb diet, as your body
is searching for an energy source to replace glycogen. Kirstin said, “This is
another side effect that will usually go away once you hit ketosis.”
- Muscle cramps: Muscle cramps can occur as a result
of dehydration, lack of potassium, or lack of magnesium. The dietician has
recommended proper hydration (about 11 cups of water per day). She also said
that some of her patients have also found out magnesium supplements to be
useful.
- Constipation or Diarrhea: Kristin said, “If you’re cutting
complex carbs, like beans and legumes, you’re also cutting fiber — or at least
greatly reducing it.” This is a major reason why people suffer from
gastrointestinal issues like diarrhea or constipation while they are on the keto
diet.
- Skin rash: Kristin said, “This is a rare side effect without a definitive cause.” She added, “It’s typically seen in women of Asian descent.”
Kristin explained that constipation is the most common side effect observed after consuming a low-carb diet. However, she also added that it is unavoidable and eating non-starchy vegetables can increase your fiber intake. Kristin suggested adding foods like broccoli and macadamia nuts to your diet.
Kristin has advised doing your research well enough to know what you can eat and what you cannot. She also suggested visiting a dietician who specializes in a low-carb diet or the keto diet.
The dietician said, “Some side effects, like bad breath and headaches, may not be avoided, but others can, like constipation, muscle cramps, and potentially the weakness and fatigue. Not much research has been done on long-term effects of the keto diet — the jury is still out.” She said the short-term side effects often fade away once your body is used to the diet. So, it is a piece of good news to anyone who is new to the keto diet. All you need to do is simply bear out for those first few weeks.
