What is Keto Flu?

The ketogenic diet is gaining in popularity as a natural way to lose weight and improve health. The diet is low in carbohydrates, high in fat, and moderate in protein.

Although the food is considered safe for most people, it is midst with some unpleasant adverse effects.

The keto flu, which is also called the carb flu, is a term coined by followers to describe the effects they experience when starting a diet.      

This article looks at keto flu, why it occurs, and how to treat its symptoms.

What is Ketogenic Flu?

The ketogenic flu is a group of symptoms that some people experience when starting a keto diet. These symptoms, which may sound like the flu, occur as the body acclimates to a new low-carb diet.

Once you Reduce your carb intake, it forces the body to burn ketones for energy instead of glucose.

Ketones are byproducts of fat loss and become the primary fuel source when sticking to the keto diet.

Fat is usually stored as a secondary fuel when glucose is not available. This stage of burning fat for energy is called ketosis.

It occurs in certain situations, including starvation and fasting. However, ketosis can also be achieved with a low-carb diet.    

On a ketogenic diet, carbohydrates are usually less than 50 grams per day. This severe deficiency can shock the body and lead to withdrawal symptoms, such as when you stop taking drugs like caffeine.

Are You Moving to Keto?

The ketogenic diet is based on macronutrient control, which aims to bring the body into a metabolic state called ketosis. 

Ketosis promotes the body to be more efficient at burning fat and can promote rapid weight loss. Estimating how to get ketogenic macros into ketosis takes some time and adjustment, but with practice, it gets easier!

Keep in mind that following a ketogenic lifestyle requires strict adherence to macronutrients. 

It would help if you tracked calories and micronutrients to ensure you don’t go over the carbs or consume too many calories from fat, leading to weight gain.

The number of carbohydrates and calories you need per day depends on the activity level and personal size. 

Know that by gradually increasing the percentage of fat in your diet, you can slowly transition your body into full ketosis. Once you find your macro, you can easily adjust this Kato plan yourself.

What are The Causes of Keto Flu?

Although the idea of ​​experiencing flu-like symptoms when starting a weight loss diet is far from ideal, many ketogenic dieters note this phenomenon, as it is usually an important indicator that you have the desired fat-burning metabolic state.

But ketosis by itself does not cause keto flu symptoms – establishing metabolic flexibility is a complex process! 

The medical community can’t yet say how people describe symptoms as Keto flu, but we do have some assumptions.  The main theories behind the causes of Keto flu include:

• Relative hypoglycemia.
• Return of carbohydrates.
• Hormonal imbalance.
• Electrolyte imbalance and dehydration.

A person may experience symptoms due to one or a combination of these factors.

1. Low blood sugar level:

The carbohydrates in your diet are quickly broken down into glucose in your body. Your body uses energy from regularly stored glucose called glycolysis. You always prefer this process.

When you cut back on carbohydrates and start eating more fat, your body is forced to use only glucose for energy through a process called beta-oxidation and the body’s production of ketones.

Using fats for energy is more complex and time-consuming.

Therefore, since the body is primarily consuming glucose to using fat as fuel, the blood sugar may be less than the body can use, which is called hypoglycemia.

Relative hypoglycemia alone causes many of the symptoms described by ketogenic flu.  

While most of our bodies can compensate for maintaining safe glucose levels, it can be a severe condition for people with type 1 diabetes or those taking diabetes medications.

2. Extract carbohydrates:

Virtually getting or not getting carbs from a high-carb diet can be a shock to the system and depending on how many carbs you eat before keto, it may seem better or worse for some of us.

Some researchers suggest that many of us may be physically addicted to carbohydrates.      

Many people go through the same process as eating, withdrawal, cravings, allergies, and sugar addiction in general, which appear with other types of drugs, such as alcohol.

The same brain areas that drug addiction lights up when people eat carbohydrates. Neurotransmitters in the brain are related to addiction, such as dopamine, which is also released when you eat carbohydrates.

3. Hormonal imbalance:

There is some research that thyroid hormones can be temporarily replaced by restricting carbohydrates. 

Low levels of the active thyroid hormone T3 in the blood can cause many symptoms, including fatigue, constipation, and mood swings. 

Although this theory is a possible contributing factor to keto flu, there is not enough evidence to link low carbohydrate intake to subclinical hypothyroidism.

4. Electrolyte abnormalities and dehydration:

Insulin is a hormone responsible for storing glucose. To maintain a stable glucose level in the body, insulin is increased when carbohydrates are used, and it maintains low levels during the fasting period. 

When carbohydrates are not used, insulin does not rise much after a meal because there is insufficient glucose to store.      

Since it can also affect the absorption and availability of water and electrolytes, low insulin levels can contribute to electrolyte changes and dehydration in our bodies. 

Therefore, switching to ketosis can enhance diuresis, a process in which sodium and water can be lost.

11 Signs and Symptoms of Keto Flu

No, it’s not all in your head. Keto flu is real and can feel like the real flu, as it’s been called. Although keto flu is not fatal or dangerous, it can be challenging to deal with, as it can make many people feel very ill.

Some people may find it too bad to encourage them to continue on their ketogenic diet. 

Since all of our metabolites can behave slightly differently, the symptoms and severity of each seem to affect each other in slightly different ways.

This is your guide to recognizing and understanding the symptoms of Keto Flu.      

Now that you understand what can contribute to the keto flu, here are some common side effects of the keto flu:

1. Hunger:

Ketogenic foods have been praised for fighting hunger, but not before. Cutting carbs early can increase food cravings and appetite.

2. Fatigue:

If your energy level is feeling depressed, it’s possible that sugar has run out of your body as fuel, and it remains to be seen how to use fatty acids (ketones) effectively.

3. Mood swings and irritability:

Carbohydrates are significant energy sources for your brain, which means that they control your mood and psyche. So there may be some seriousness in the air before they are suddenly removed.

4. Decreased Libido:

The initial drop in sex drive may be due to the discomfort associated with the keto flu. However, many people claim that it resolves itself over time.

5. Dizziness:

Reducing the vital energy source before your body relies on fat for fuel may make you feel a little lighter. Still, when your blood sugar levels return to normal, they are usually eliminated.

6. headache:

Dizziness, low carbohydrate and blood sugar intake, dehydration, and an electrolyte imbalance can cause headaches.

7. Lack of focus and brain fog:

As your brain struggles to identify and metabolize a new source of energy, you may experience setbacks that some people experience, such as severe brain pain and a general feeling of being “out of it.” While this might not be dangerous, it can be a bit annoying for some people.

8. Bad breath:

As your body begins to metabolize and rely on ketone bodies, they can be expelled from your breath, resulting in a foul fruity odor.

9. Insomnia:

All of these changes, along with possible hormonal fluctuations, can lead to sleep problems with cataracts. But as these things become more stable, your sleep habits may change.

10. Constipation:

Fiber is a type of carbohydrate, and while a ketogenic diet isn’t necessarily low in fiber, changing your food choices and eliminating high-fiber foods like grains can slow things down a bit.

11. Muscle pain:

Your carbohydrate stores are stored in your lean muscle mass, so this change in glucose reserves can cause muscle soreness with fluctuations in electrolytes.

Keto Flu Treatments You Should Know

Wondering how you can avoid the dreaded flu-like symptoms that come with creating metabolic flexibility in your ketogenic diet?

While we may all experience cataracts a little differently, and there is no foolproof way to avoid it, there are a few ways you can make the cataract process a little easier.    

These eight simple steps might help fight and prevent the dreaded Keto Flu.

1. Drink more water:

The transition of ketosis to a metabolic state is believed to stimulate diuresis – an increase in urine production!  Ultimately, it can cause headaches, nausea, dizziness, constipation, and mental confusion. 

Fortunately, there is a simple solution to symptoms of keto flu: Drink more water.

Drinking more fluids in general, including water and flavored water devoid of calories, can help treat dehydration. Plus, more fluids can help you feel full, making you feel full and reducing hunger.

2. Prefer to sleep:

Once you start the keto diet plan, you can be expected to have a temporary dip in energy levels – you are undergoing significant metabolic changes!

Specific changes can also cause hormonal fluctuations and insomnia, which increases fatigue.

Prioritize sleep at this time to help combat your low energy levels. This means taking the time to get plenty of rest, eliminating distractions before bed, and emphasizing the amount and quality of rest.      

As a bonus, research shows that regardless of whether you’re in ketosis or not, getting enough sleep throughout the day can lead to reduced food cravings, which is always a positive boost to your weight loss goals.

3. Eat keto foods (a lot):

Although some people claim that you shouldn’t worry about them on a ketogenic diet, we don’t have any research to support this theory.

The type of meals you eat, or your only ketogenic state, can’t exceed your calorie control needs to achieve your weight loss goals. 

Consuming a high amount of calories than you burn will lead to weight gain, whether you turn to keto or not.

However, you may be starving and have a craving for carbohydrates when starting a ketogenic diet. Also, trying hard on yourself can make you more prone to upsetting your diet and eating the wrong foods.

So when we suggest you keep calories in your overall keto plan, it may be helpful to give yourself an adjustment period. You can focus on following the recommended essential overall keto diet during this time without focusing too much on calorie consumption.      

When you’re hungry (or just craving carbs), try eating healthy cat food to meet your needs. Over time, these will decrease as your body acclimatizes, and you may begin to focus more on adding to your calorie goals.

4. Salt your food:

Staying hydrated and eating more sodium can help improve keto flu symptoms. This is because diuresis can also enhance sodium loss.

Adding this salt to your diet can help change that! And when combined with active oral hydration, the extra sodium can help your body retain the fluids you drink more efficiently.

In addition, eating large amounts of salt can help you feel full and help you eat fewer calories or eat non-ketogenic foods throughout the day.

It’s essential to be careful when increasing your salt intake, as a low-salt diet is often a healthy choice. If you wish to add salt to your diet, be sure to talk to your doctor, as it can be dangerous for people with certain health conditions.

For example, a low-salt diet is essential for high blood pressure and heart failure (CHF). So, if you wish to increase your salt intake, make sure it is temporary, and your doctor agrees.

5. Drink electrolytes:

Electrolyte deficiency can also cause some keto flu symptoms. This includes an imbalance of sodium, potassium, and magnesium, which can affect the system.       

You can quickly improve your diet with solid foods and drinks. Many people will attribute sugar-free sports drinks to improving keto flu symptoms, as it’s the best way to replenish and replenish lost electrolytes without carbs or extra calories. 

Magnesium supplements can also be beneficial. Remember not to take more supplements than recommended for daily needs.

6. Meditate:

Meditation offers many benefits to the mind, body, and spirit by attacking a wide range of keto flu symptoms.

On the weight loss front, meditation is believed to help maintain weight loss in obese people, along with diet and emotional eating. It also provides reduced anxiety, improved mood, and focus. 

Other studies have linked meditation to improved heart health, possibly due to lower stress hormones in people who meditate.      

Regardless of what’s going on in mediation, it sounds very positive and is like something you’d want to consider if you’re going through the harsh platform flu.

7. Eat more fats:

While cutting out carbs is a significant factor in boosting ketosis, you also need to eat plenty of healthy fats. A low-fat ketogenic diet is essentially a form of appetite suppressant.

The goal of the ketogenic diet is to improve the body’s ability to burn fat and produce ketones for lasting energy.

If you are not increasing your fat intake and decreasing carbs simultaneously, you are intentionally making things difficult.

Adding more oil to your diet or naturally increasing your intake of high-fat foods to provide your body with enough healthy fats can help you transition into ketosis.

8. Add some carbohydrates:

If none of the above relieves your keto flu problems, you may want to consider taking a more gradual approach to the keto diet. 

This means slightly increasing your carbohydrate intake so that your body has more time to adjust to using more fat as fuel.

Depending on what your diet plan looks like before starting the keto diet, reducing your target carbs to less than 5% of calories may be difficult for some. 

If your new lifestyle rocks your system, you can cut back on your time by cutting back on carbs in a simple time.

Start with a more moderate approach. For example, if your old eating habits limited your macro to 50 carbs, 20 protein, and 30 fat, try starting with 20-30 carbs and 40 fat.

So, keep adjusting every two weeks as your body absorbs more fat and becomes more metabolically efficient.

Why Do Some Persons Get The Keto Flu?

Most individuals adopt the ketogenic diet in different ways. Although some may have keto flu symptoms for weeks, others may adjust to the new dose without side effects. The symptoms that people experience are related to how their bodies adapt to the new fuel source.

Carbs usually provide your body with energy in the form of glucose. When carbohydrates are reduced too much, the body burns ketones from fat instead of glucose.

People who usually eat a lot of carbs, delicious carbs like pasta, sugar cereal, and sodas, may have a hard time starting a ketogenic diet.

Therefore, switching to a high-fat, low-carb diet may be difficult for some, while others can be easily substituted for other types of fuel that have the same symptoms as the ketogenic flu.      

It’s not known why some people adopt the keto diet more quickly than others, but genetics, salt loss, dehydration, and carb withdrawal are the driving forces behind ketogenic flu.

How Long Will it Last?

Fortunately, the annoying symptoms of keto flu only last for one week for most people. Moreover, some persons may find it challenging to adapt to this high-fat, low-carb diet. For these people, symptoms can last for several weeks.

Fortunately, these symptoms will gradually subside as your body gets used to converting ketones into energy.

Although keto flu symptoms are often reported by people switching to a ketogenic diet if you feel particularly sick and experience symptoms such as prolonged diarrhea, fever, or vomiting, try to rule out other causes. It is better to consult a doctor.

Who Should Avoid The Ketogenic Diet?

Although the ketogenic diet may be beneficial for many people, it is not appropriate for everyone. For example, a ketogenic diet may not be appropriate for pregnant or breastfeeding women, children, and teens unless used for medical treatment under medical supervision.

Also, this diet should be avoided by people with certain health conditions such as kidney disease, liver disease, or pancreatic disease.

Additionally, people with diabetes interested in following a ketogenic diet plan should consult a doctor to get approval if the diet is safe and appropriate for their specific needs.      

After all, this diet may not be suitable for highly sensitive to dietary cholesterol, which makes up a quarter of the world’s population.

Learn When to Stop and When to Continue

Keep in mind, this is a marathon, not a sprint, and as long as you work to control your quota (calories) and get better every day, you will succeed. 

You won’t spoil your hard work with some blunders, tricks or misunderstandings, stick with it and be consistent.

Also, cutting carbs alone won’t change your health, and keto is just one way to lose weight and improve your health. Though the best diet for you is one that makes you feel good on the inside, along with healthy foods you enjoy eating.

Conclusion

Ketogenic flu is a group of symptoms associated with the body’s adaptation to the ketogenic diet.

Nausea, constipation, headaches, fatigue, and sugar cravings are common in some people adjusting to a high-fat, low-carb diet.      

Staying hydrated, replacing lost salts, getting plenty of rest, and ensuring you’re getting the right amount of fats and carbohydrates are all the best ways to reduce keto flu symptoms.

If you want to know more about keto info, please check the following link.