Does Keto Diet increase Thirst and Urination?

[JohnyT2]

I see a lot of people here following low carb diets and keto diets. Which basically uses fat to power up the system which results into formation of water in body.
Based on your experiences does keto diet increases thirst and urination? Do you wake at night to urinate or with a dry mouth,
while your glucose levels are pretty normal.

 

[JohnyT2]

Also does ketones changes the color of urine? Though unlikely, just trying to understand the symptoms.

 

[bulkbiker]

I see a lot of people here following low carb diets and keto diets. Which basically uses fat to power up the system which results into formation of water in body.
Based on your experiences does keto diet increases thirst and urination? Do you wake at night to urinate or with a dry mouth,
while your glucose levels are pretty normal.

In the early stages of adaptation there is quite a lot of increased peeing (although most T2 experience this anyway due to their condition) It is down to water release and accounts for the often significant weight loses that happen when people first start on keto. The "whoosh" as it is know.
Once the body becomes more attuned to running on fat rather than glucose it balances out.
Personally I didn't experience dry mouth once my sleep apnea had reversed.

 

[britishpub]

does keto diet increases thirst and urination? Do you wake at night to urinate or with a dry mouth,

Not for me.

However, when I was overweight eating loads of carbohydrate and had very high blood glucose I was always thirsty and always urinating and often woke up with a dry mouth.

 

[JohnyT2]

Thanks for sharing your experiences @bulkbiker and @britishpub

I read following

"Glycogen is the body's stored form of carbohydrate for energy. It's found primarily in the liver and muscle cells. Each gram of glycogen is bound with 3 to 4 grams of water.3 On a low-carb diet, the body will burn through these glycogen stores, releasing a lot of water and causing frequent urination."
https://hvmn.com/blog/ketosis/ketosis-symptoms-and-signs-what-to-look-out-for

Also it says one of the symptoms of Keto flu is dry mouth.

From last 2 months or so I have started low carb diet but not very high fat as of now and have been seeing frequent urination in morning hours like 6-12pm and then have to wake up like once or twice in night for peeing...and at the same time feel thirsty when ever i wake up for peeing ..
So was wondering whats going on.. my FBS (fasting sugar) is generally between 4.6 to 5.0 and PPS (2hrs after lunch / dinner) is between 5.6 to 6.2 and I am not on any medication.

 

[bulkbiker]

Thanks for sharing your experiences @bulkbiker and @britishpub

I read following

"Glycogen is the body's stored form of carbohydrate for energy. It's found primarily in the liver and muscle cells. Each gram of glycogen is bound with 3 to 4 grams of water.3 On a low-carb diet, the body will burn through these glycogen stores, releasing a lot of water and causing frequent urination."
https://hvmn.com/blog/ketosis/ketosis-symptoms-and-signs-what-to-look-out-for

Also it says one of the symptoms of Keto flu is dry mouth.

From last 2 months or so I have started low carb diet but not very high fat as of now and have been seeing frequent urination in morning hours like 6-12pm and then have to wake up like once or twice in night for peeing...and at the same time feel thirsty when ever i wake up for peeing ..
So was wondering whats going on.. my FBS (fasting sugar) is generally between 4.6 to 5.0 and PPS (2hrs after lunch / dinner) is between 5.6 to 6.2 and I am not on any medication.

The extra peeing usually resolves after a few days.. so if you have been keto for 2 months should have passed by now.
However "low carb" isn't necessarily ketogenic so maybe you are restocking your glycogen stores then releasing the stored water?
Keto flu is often ameliorated by taking in some extra salt so that may be useful.
I see on another thread that you have taken up a vegetarian diet which also might be having an impact?

 

[JohnyT2]

Some very good points, thanks for putting them up

The extra peeing usually resolves after a few days.. so if you have been keto for 2 months should have passed by now.

Yes even thats what I thought and I guess there where few nights where i slept like bear only to wake up early morning, but then there were nights where i woke up more than once to pee and drink water. Probably I am swinging between keto state in and out

However "low carb" isn't necessarily ketogenic so maybe you are restocking your glycogen stores then releasing the stored water?

Very much possible and probably very closely explains the issue.
There has been minor weight loss that probably explains the same, unlike guys reporting loosing stones in months time.

Keto flu is often ameliorated by taking in some extra salt so that may be useful.

Will give it a try, is himalayan pink salt better option ?

I see on another thread that you have taken up a vegetarian diet which also might be having an impact?

Aah, yes I do eat 1/2 apple or some other fruit in moderate quantity probably that to adds up water content along with yogurts that i have.

 

[bulkbiker]

Aah, yes I do eat 1/2 apple or some other fruit in moderate quantity

Probably won't do your blood sugar or liver much good though..

 

[JohnyT2]

Probably won't do your blood sugar or liver much good though..

I have not found any effect on blood sugar with a fruit platter, have tested it multiple times.
Yet i try to keep it in moderate quantities as my limited understanding tell me that liver uses up fructose and converts into glucose and then into fat.

 

[bulkbiker]

I have not found any effect on blood sugar with a fruit platter, have tested it multiple times.
Yet i try to keep it in moderate quantities as my limited understanding tell me that liver uses up fructose and converts into glucose and then into fat.

Not sure the conversion to glucose part is correct? I thought it just went from fructose to fat in the liver.. hence fruit not great when NAFLD is in the equation..happy to be proven wrong though..

 

[JohnyT2]

Not sure the conversion to glucose part is correct? I thought it just went from fructose to fat in the liver.. hence fruit not great when NAFLD is in the equation..happy to be proven wrong though..

This is what wikipedia says

"Under one percent of ingested fructose is directly converted to plasma triglyceride.[2] 29% - 54% of fructose is converted in liver to glucose, and about a quarter of fructose is converted to lactate. 15% - 18% is converted to glycogen."
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fructolysis

Its an interesting read.

Though there have been malaysian doctors claiming to control diabetes by replacing glucose with fructose too..

 

[bulkbiker]

This is what wikipedia says

"Under one percent of ingested fructose is directly converted to plasma triglyceride.[2] 29% - 54% of fructose is converted in liver to glucose, and about a quarter of fructose is converted to lactate. 15% - 18% is converted to glycogen."
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fructolysis

Its an interesting read.

Though there have been malaysian doctors claiming to control diabetes by replacing glucose with fructose too..

I"m guessing that would depend entirely upon circulating glucose already in the body though.. so if you have a disordered metabolism with loads of circulating glucose then it might not work quite like that?