Keto diet
- Thread starter Pura Vida
- Start Date
No! I was already taking D2 at GP's suggestion but all else I get from eating suitable low carb foods.
Properly managed, very low carb/ketogenic diets should NOT cause any such deficiency issues, so unless you may already be lacking certain vitamins or minerals, or you're going to eat some particularly restrictive "keto diet", you should get everything necessary from your food. However, if you're not already used to a lower carb diet, you may find initially you lose/wee out extra fluids while your body rids itself of extra stored glucose, which may cause temporary reductions in potassium and magnesium levels, but you should be replacing these minerals anyway by eating suitable vegetables, etc. Google will provide lists of low carb foods with high vitamin and mineral content if you want to check.
If you are taking metformin long term, you may need to check for possible vitamin B12 deficiency but this is not related to low carb/ketogenic diets.
Properly managed, very low carb/ketogenic diets should NOT cause any such deficiency issues, so unless you may already be lacking certain vitamins or minerals, or you're going to eat some particularly restrictive "keto diet", you should get everything necessary from your food. However, if you're not already used to a lower carb diet, you may find initially you lose/wee out extra fluids while your body rids itself of extra stored glucose, which may cause temporary reductions in potassium and magnesium levels, but you should be replacing these minerals anyway by eating suitable vegetables, etc. Google will provide lists of low carb foods with high vitamin and mineral content if you want to check.
If you are taking metformin long term, you may need to check for possible vitamin B12 deficiency but this is not related to low carb/ketogenic diets.
Oldvatr
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You are probably covered if you are eating an omnivore diet. But carnivores need to be aware of some nutrients that may be missing
https://health.selfdecode.com/blog/carnivore-diet/
Note that most cuts of meat are actually deficient of B12 and folate unless you eat the offal cuts (especially liver)
A vegan variant of keto is also difficult to source all the nutrients you need without supplementation. B12, Iron, D3. K2 and omega 3 fats do not come easy with vegan, but can be part of a pescatorian vegetarian diet by including seafood and eggs.
Keto diets based on meal replacement shakes contain added vitamins to cover the 8 weeks or so of the diet plan., but will not cover long term use
https://health.selfdecode.com/blog/carnivore-diet/
Note that most cuts of meat are actually deficient of B12 and folate unless you eat the offal cuts (especially liver)
A vegan variant of keto is also difficult to source all the nutrients you need without supplementation. B12, Iron, D3. K2 and omega 3 fats do not come easy with vegan, but can be part of a pescatorian vegetarian diet by including seafood and eggs.
Keto diets based on meal replacement shakes contain added vitamins to cover the 8 weeks or so of the diet plan., but will not cover long term use
Last edited:
AloeSvea
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Thanks for posting that @Oldvatr - very interesting!
My understanding had been that grass-fed cow-meat was a good all-rounder - including vitamin C needs due to some interesting mechanism our body's have on an all-ish meat diet. Cows being the post human intervention/agriculture of the aurochs, which got our species through an ice age (from memory). And yes, about needing to eat offal to be truly healthy.
But an interesting read indeed.
Because I live in two countries in wildly different climate conditions in different hemispheres, I am also very aware that nutrients in soil conditions differ wildly between countries. What supplements, or foods are necessary for good health can differ for that reason. But at least, in Aotearoa/New Zealand, I was pleased that a lot of the nutrional pointers were ones that I have been heeding. (On a very long-term low-carb/keto diet). Complete with forcing myself to eat mussels, which I don't like, but very important for Kiwis to eat food from the ocean due to the make-up of our soil.
Ditto about the sun/vitamin D. Because I got badly deficient in a part of the world where the sun does not shine/much for a large part of the year, I understand how hugely important vitamin D is in our blood glucose regulation system. But, in Aus and Aotearoa/NZ too much of an o-zone layer deficient sun is deadly. So how much sun and when and using good protection the rest of the time is crucial. All good things spelt out in that link.
As a long term keto eater, I personally only supplement to counter 'drug mugging' effects of medication, in my instance, a newbie to metformin, so I take CoQ10, B12, but also zinc, when I can't eat as much kaimoana/sea food as is healthy in this country. (Many Kiwis are deficient in zinc, due to low levels of zinc, along with other nutrients, which is natural in the soil.) (Zinc is a crucial component of a heathy blood glucose system is my understanding.). Before taking medication, I took pains to get the necessary nutrients from food only.
Thanks again for the link. Hope others more knowledgable than I am on a longterm meat diet contribute to this interesting discussion.
My understanding had been that grass-fed cow-meat was a good all-rounder - including vitamin C needs due to some interesting mechanism our body's have on an all-ish meat diet. Cows being the post human intervention/agriculture of the aurochs, which got our species through an ice age (from memory). And yes, about needing to eat offal to be truly healthy.
But an interesting read indeed.
Because I live in two countries in wildly different climate conditions in different hemispheres, I am also very aware that nutrients in soil conditions differ wildly between countries. What supplements, or foods are necessary for good health can differ for that reason. But at least, in Aotearoa/New Zealand, I was pleased that a lot of the nutrional pointers were ones that I have been heeding. (On a very long-term low-carb/keto diet). Complete with forcing myself to eat mussels, which I don't like, but very important for Kiwis to eat food from the ocean due to the make-up of our soil.
Ditto about the sun/vitamin D. Because I got badly deficient in a part of the world where the sun does not shine/much for a large part of the year, I understand how hugely important vitamin D is in our blood glucose regulation system. But, in Aus and Aotearoa/NZ too much of an o-zone layer deficient sun is deadly. So how much sun and when and using good protection the rest of the time is crucial. All good things spelt out in that link.
As a long term keto eater, I personally only supplement to counter 'drug mugging' effects of medication, in my instance, a newbie to metformin, so I take CoQ10, B12, but also zinc, when I can't eat as much kaimoana/sea food as is healthy in this country. (Many Kiwis are deficient in zinc, due to low levels of zinc, along with other nutrients, which is natural in the soil.) (Zinc is a crucial component of a heathy blood glucose system is my understanding.). Before taking medication, I took pains to get the necessary nutrients from food only.
Thanks again for the link. Hope others more knowledgable than I am on a longterm meat diet contribute to this interesting discussion.
