Before you get started with the ketogenic diet, it is important to know that there are some side effects of using and practicing the ketogenic diet.
These side effects are not horrible side effects like what you may be used to with common medications, but it is still a good idea to know what to expect when you are getting started on this new diet plan.
Some of the side effects that you may encounter when you are on the ketogenic diet are:
Table of Contents
Dizziness or Headaches
One of the first side effects that you may experience when you get started with the ketogenic diet includes dizziness and headaches.
Dizziness and headaches are really prevalent in those individuals who for a very long time consumed a lot of caffeine and sugar before starting the ketogenic diet.
Both caffeine and sugar are highly addictive and if you go cold turkey on them, you may have a few side effects during the beginning process of the ketogenic diet.
You may introduce a little caffeine or sugar later on in the ketogenic diet plan if you want, but for those individuals who experience having a lot of trouble starting this diet plan or who really are addicted to caffeine and sugar, it is best to cut them out completely.
The good news is that the symptoms of withdrawal are only going to last for a few days and they really are not that severe. You may feel a little anxious or upset because you will crave the caffeine and sugars that you are trying to eliminate from your diet.
However, if you are able to overcome your cravings for caffeine and sugar during the initial process of the ketogenic diet, you will break the addictions and you will not feel so reliant on consuming them as much.
One thing that you may decide to try is to slowly cut out your sugar and caffeine intake before you go on the ketogenic diet.
This will help you to not have to deal with these withdrawal symptoms as much.
This can make things easier since you will already be dealing with feeling tired as your body gets used to the fats instead of the carbs.
If you are thinking about going on the ketogenic diet, consider cutting down on the sugars and caffeine for at least a few weeks ahead of time and you will not have to deal with the headaches or the dizziness as much when you begin.
Leg Cramps
Some of those who decide to go on the ketogenic diet will complain of dealing with leg cramps, especially when they are trying to go to bed at night.
This is common when you are in the early phase of the ketogenic diet.
This is a big problem for those users who are not paying attention to their micronutrients on this diet plan and who are not taking in enough potassium on this diet plan. There are a few things that you are able to do to make sure you are getting enough potassium.
You can first work to try and eat plenty of foods with healthy amounts of potassium in them. If you are having trouble doing this, you may decide to take a supplement that has potassium inside of it.
Many beginners decide to take a potassium supplement to help prevent leg cramps because keeping track of the macronutrients and the micronutrients for good health can be difficult.
However, you need to work towards not depending on supplements and instead eat real foods that will provide you with all the nutrients your body needs without taking any supplements.
Constipation
If you are not watching your micronutrients when you are on the ketogenic diet, you may deal with the issue of constipation. This can be really uncomfortable for most people to deal with and can make sticking with the ketogenic diet a bit difficult.
However, the solution to this problem is pretty simple.
To ensure that you are not going to deal with constipation on the ketogenic diet plan, make sure that the majority of carbs that you decide to eat come from healthy green vegetables, which are full of fiber.
You also need to drink a lot of water on this diet plan because water has been shown to combat and prevent constipation. For those individuals who maybe are already dealing with constipation, you may try a laxative to help you out.
Bad Breath
Another side effect that you may need to deal with on the ketogenic diet is bad breath. While on the ketogenic diet plan, the body is going to burn up fat so that you can use this fat as energy.
This is the process of ketosis and will help you to burn through fat in your diet and the fat that is sitting around your body.
Unfortunately, the ketones (burning fat used as energy) that are released in this process will leave you with bad breath and make your urine smell bad.
The smell is going to be a little bit different than you may experience when after eating smelly food or by those individuals who suffer from halitosis (bad breath resulting from health problems).
Some people even compare it to a fruity candy smell instead, but if you do not want your breath to smell at all, then it is important to find a few ways to get rid of the bad breath.
Chewing on some gum without sugar, using mouthwash, or chewing on parsley or mint can help to get rid of this smell while keeping you on the ketogenic diet.
Feeling Tired
There are many people who will get started on the ketogenic diet who claim they feel tired.
They get going on this plan and are excited about all the big promises of more energy when they eat more healthy fats and fewer carbs.
Then they start on this diet and the first few days or in the first week they will begin to feel really tired almost like they just don’t have enough energy to get things done.
This is completely normal on the ketogenic diet and it is important to know that these energy lacking feelings are going to fade away pretty soon.
The reason that you feel so tired when you start the ketogenic diet is that the body basically doesn’t have any fuel for energy.
Sure, you are taking in healthy foods and providing it with fuel, but the body is used to relying on carbs and doesn’t know what it should do when you take the majority of those carbs away.
So, the body is basically searching around hoping that you will eat and take in the carbs that it needs for easy energy access. When you don’t eat carbs or consume enough carbs your body is basically working on very little to no energy for a little while.
The good news is that feeling tired is not going to last for a very long time.
For most people, it takes less than a week for the body to start recognizing the fat as a good source of energy and it will switch over.
Once the body starts to realize that it can use fat for energy instead of carbs, you will start to notice a big change.
Your energy will come back in a big way and you will feel amazing in no time. You will be able to keep going all day long, even with fewer calories, and will ensure that you feel great about this diet plan.
As you can see, none of these side effects are life-threatening or that big of a deal when it comes to the ketogenic diet.
These side effects can make you a little bit uncomfortable and may not be the most pleasant when you are dealing with bad breath and feeling tired.
However, these side effects will usually not last for a long time and once your body adjusts to the ketogenic diet plan, you will not have to worry about them any longer.