Of course, although scientific studies are not yet strong enough to prove all the benefits this diet claims to bring, it is clear that there are some benefits that can be derived from it.
However, this ketogenic diet can also cause some very unpleasant, even dangerous side effects.
Here’s what you need to know about the dangers of a “keto” diet before you start this ultra-mega-high fat diet.
- You might start to feel tired and sick. Cutting your carbs down to the bone and going into a constant state of ketosis can lead to a series of very uncomfortable symptoms, such as:
- Headache
- Tired
- Muscle aches
- Nausea
- Diarrhea
And other surprises …
Side effects are the result of your body switching to using fat as a primary source of energy instead of carbohydrates.
However, the time for your body to adjust to this new source of fuel can last up to a week or two in the majority of cases …
In other words, the odds are good that your body will find itself in both emotional and physical confusion during this period of time
2- You will lose weight quickly, but a good deal of it could come back.
Keto diets are known to offer very fast initial elimination, as is the Microbiome diet (which is a whole different topic though).
In the case of the ketogenic diet, it’s because carbohydrates hold more water than protein or fat. So when you stop eating them, all that extra H2O is released through urination.
As a result, the scale might show a few pounds lighter and look a bit thinner to you!
Even though the majority of this weight could be mainly explained by water weight, it is reassuring to know that some of those pounds will also come from the fat you want to lose.
An Italian study of nearly 20,000 obese adults found that participants who consumed keto lost between 5 and 14 lbs in 25 days.
- Great!! Where is the problem then?
The problem? The researchers noted that there were no studies to determine whether the pounds would stay in the long term.
According to Ginger Hultin, a Seattle nutritionist and spokesperson for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, most people find it difficult to stick to such a strict diet.
Therefore, when you stray from your diet, the pounds can easily come back to haunt you!
FUN FACT: In fact, after 2 years, a diet as strict as that of the ketogenic will have gotten you just 2 pounds more in weight loss versus a more balanced diet!
- The ketogenic diet can put stress on the kidneys and eventually bring kidney stones.
Kidney stones are a well-noted potential side effect of the ketogenic diet. Research published in the Journal of Child Neurology showed that in children on the keto diet as a treatment for epilepsy, 13 out of 195 subjects developed kidney stones, also called kidney stones.
“If you want to do the keto diet, there’s a better and a worse way to do it,” says Kim Yawitz, a weight loss dietitian in the St. Louis area of the United States. “Loading your plate with meat, especially processed meat, can increase your risk of kidney stones and having gout (which is a very painful type of arthritis).”
“High animal protein intake makes your urine more acidic and increases calcium and uric acid levels. This combination makes you more vulnerable to kidney stones, while high uric acid can increase your risk for gout. “, adds Yawitz.
- A big sacrifice to get rid of a few extra pounds, no !?
Needless to say, the ketogenic diet can therefore be very dangerous for people with kidney failure!
These people with kidney failure should follow a personalized diet, as prescribed by their doctor, and not go into this diet on their own!
According to Davita Kidney Care, people with kidney disease are often required to eat a low-protein diet, which may not be the type of ketogenic that this diet initially prescribed.
- Severe muscle loss is a possible side effect of the ketogenic diet.
Muscle loss due to the ketogenic diet is another constantly evolving area of research.
According to Edwina Clark, Dt.P., dietitian in private practice in San Francisco:
“Studies suggest that people on a ketogenic diet lose muscle even when they continue resistance training. This may be related to the fact that protein alone is less effective for building muscle than protein and carbohydrates combined after physical exertion ”.
On the other hand, according to a study published in March 2018 in the journal Sports, people who followed the keto diet for three months lost roughly the same amount of body fat and had roughly the same changes in muscle mass as people. who follow a “normal” diet.
“The loss of muscle mass as you age has a number of serious consequences,” Clark notes. “Muscle is metabolically active and helps increase daily energy expenditure and limit the weight gain associated with aging.”
Loss of muscle mass can also reduce functional strength and increase the risk of falls.
In this regard, falls are the leading cause of death from injury in older populations, according to the Health Promotion and Disease Prevention Division of the Institute of Medicine.
- Because it’s hard to follow, Keto can lead to a “yo-yo” diet.
As we have seen, rapid and significant weight loss is a common side effect of the keto diet due to the loss of water that occurs when carbohydrate stores are depleted.
In a study from the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, obese men on a high-protein, low-carbohydrate version of the ketogenic diet lost about 14 lbs in one month, compared to the control group, who lost about 10 lbs diet high in protein and carbohydrates.
Obviously, people who diet have the best chance of maintaining their weight if they stay there for the long term.
- But between you and me, it’s easier said than done!
In the case of keto, since this type of diet is very strict and therefore very difficult to maintain over time, the weight can return even faster if you return to your usual eating habits.
And gaining weight can have 3 negative effects:
Increase the accumulation of abdominal fat
Increase visceral fat
Increase the risk of diabetes
In this sense, studies have shown that the ability to stick to a diet is more important to long-term success than the type of diet.
According to one of our clients at Acti-V, “Keto is incredibly restrictive and especially difficult for those who have frequent social engagements or are prone to carbohydrate cravings.”
In comparison, the Mediterranean or Microbiome diet allows you to eat carbohydrates, such as as many fruits and vegetables as you want, with whole grains.
Additionally, these types of diets have been linked to a number of other health benefits, including
- Lower risk of Alzheimer’s disease
- Lower risk of Parkinson’s disease
- Certain types of cancer
- Certain types of heart disease
- Because the ketogenic diet severely limits carbohydrates, you can develop nutritional deficiencies.
When carbohydrate intake is low, fiber intake also tends to be low – that’s fine!
In fact, if you consider that fruits, whole grains, and starchy vegetables are cut down in your diet, it’s no surprise that this can lead to some particularly uncomfortable side effects …
Another possible nutrient deficiency is potassium, a mineral important for both electrolyte balance and blood pressure control.
ketogenic diet foods
- Your menstrual cycles while on the ketogenic diet might undergo changes.
In fact, periods can become irregular or stop altogether on the ketogenic diet.
This is more due to the rapid weight loss than the diet itself and occurs due to drops in gonadotropin releasing hormone, follicle stimulating hormone, luteinizing hormone, estrogen, and progesterone.
- I would have liked to simplify it, but these are the real terms …
Unfortunately, prolonged period disruption can lead to very serious side effects, including low bone density.
“This is because estrogen is very important for bone health,” Yawitz explains. “Studies have also found that prolonged menstrual irregularity increases the risk of cardiovascular disease, depression, anxiety and dysfunction. sexual.”
So while it may seem tempting to break your period, know that it is certainly not worth the effort!
- Keto can lead to high cholesterol and an increased risk of heart disease.
The ketogenic diet does not limit saturated fat or even trans fat. Yet these are fats you should ALWAYS avoid!
Read ingredient labels and avoid foods containing partially hydrogenated oils, known as TRANS FAT.
These fats raise your LDL (“bad”) cholesterol levels and lower your HDL (“good”) levels. They also increase your risk for heart disease and stroke, proven by the American Heart Association.
- I’m serious, pay attention to this!
There is a big nutritional difference between bacon and almonds.
Even though the promotion of the ketogenic diet sometimes goes over “bacon”, where possible, you should definitely give preference to unsaturated fats of plant origin such as nuts, seeds, olive oil and avocado. , which has been proven to protect the heart.
Also, if you have already high cholesterol or other risk factors for heart disease, you should talk to your doctor before starting the ketogenic diet.
- Even though I doubt that this would be the best solution …
- The ketogenic diet can lead to dehydration and loss of electrolytes
The sudden and drastic reduction in carbohydrates sets your body up for a double test.
This is because the brain’s preferred fuel is glucose, which is most easily created from carbohydrates.
In very low carbohydrate diets, the brain has to adapt to using ketones from digested fat for energy.
To add to this discomfort, your kidneys release more electrolytes as insulin levels drop.
- The result?
What is called the “ketogenic flu” can cause:
Constipation (see below)
Nausea
Headache
Tired
Irritability
Cramps
And other surprises …
Don’t worry, though: many of these symptoms are “short-lived” and should only last a few days, or even weeks …
Also, let’s talk about a ketogenic side effect that might not be so sexy: constipation.
Many of the richest sources of fiber, such as beans, fruits, and whole grains, are removed from a ketogenic diet.
As a result, ketogenic consumers miss out on the benefits of a high fiber diet, such as regular laxation and MICROBIOME support.
As you may know, the microbiome is involved in everything from immune function, to mental health, to weight loss, also regulating insomnia to your anxiety.
But getting back to our sheep, in a long-term study published in the Journal of Pediatrics in April 2015, constipation was a very common side effect in patients given a ketogenic diet for the treatment of epilepsy.
Along with constipation, diarrhea can be a side effect of the ketogenic diet, especially in the first few weeks afterward.
As you can imagine, many people have difficulty digesting large amounts of dietary fat, which can lead to fairly severe “fatty” diarrhea.
