Is ketosis bad for your health?
A keto diet is a high-fat, moderate protein, low-carbohydrate diet. The main goal of the diet is to force your body to burn more fat for energy instead of carbohydrates. This is done by consuming less than 50 grams of carbohydrates per day.
When your body enters a state of ketosis, it begins to break down fat for energy, leading to weight loss. However, some experts believe ketosis may have negative health effects, including bad breath, constipation, and an increased risk of kidney stones.
What is ketosis?
Ketosis is a metabolic state in which your body burns fat for energy rather than carbohydrates. This can lead to weight loss, but it also has some potential drawbacks. For example, ketosis may cause dehydration, headaches, and fatigue.
In addition, people with diabetes or other conditions that affect blood sugar levels should be cautious about following a ketogenic diet, as it can cause their blood sugar to drop dangerously low.
The drawbacks of ketosis
Advantages of the keto diet
Who should avoid ketosis?
- People with Type 1 diabetes: When your body is in ketosis, it doesn’t use insulin as efficiently. This can lead to high blood sugar levels and an increased risk for diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA).
- People with Type 2 diabetes should be cautious.
- People with seizure disorders: A lack of glucose can trigger seizures in people with epilepsy. If you’re on medication to prevent seizures, you may need to adjust your dose when you start a ketogenic diet.
- People who are pregnant or breastfeeding: Ketosis can put extra stress on the kidneys and make it difficult to get enough nutrients.
5 Keto diet dangers that you should know about:
- You could experience the keto flu. This happens when your body adjusts to the new diet and can include symptoms like headaches, fatigue, and nausea.
- You might not get enough vitamins and minerals if you only eat meat and fatty foods. Make sure to supplement your diet with multivitamins to avoid deficiencies. To ensure you’re getting everything you need, take a multivitamin or supplement your diet with specific nutrients like calcium and vitamin D.
- You could become constipated from all the fat in your diet. To avoid this, ensure you’re drinking plenty of water and eating high-fiber foods like leafy greens.
- Your skin could become dry because of a lack of healthy fats, so make sure to eat foods like olive oil, nuts, and avocados for extra moisture.
- You could experience dangerously low blood sugar. If you are on a keto diet, it is important to monitor your blood sugar levels closely. Signs of low blood sugar include feeling dizzy, lightheaded, or shaky. If you experience these symptoms. Additionally, you may want to monitor your ketosis with a ketone measuring tool. You can read some of our reviews here:
