Electrolytes & Keto...

[Seansie.]

Good morning! I have finally gotten in to a keto diet. It feels like a 'get out of jail card ' in many ways. I think it's around 5 weeks now and I don't wanna come of it! Yesterday however, I felt really unwell at work and couldn't work out why. I then wondered if it was due to a lack of electrolytes.

I had been using a cheap zero sugar one but then started to add more salt to my food (a friend does this so I thought it would work) But after desperately taking a large increase (4 tablets in 1.5 hrs) I finally started to feel stable.

Does anyone have experience of this diet and should I invest in an expensive supplement of electrolytes? Is it imperative to continually take them while on Keto? Are large doses the way to go?
I eat chicken & fish, eggs & cheese and tons of veggies cooked in coconut oil, organic butter/ olive oil. Dehydration this morning & yesterday are sudden, almost like at the start of the diet. Despite lots of fluids & electrolytes...
Any info would be welcome, thank you. Have a great day people. x

 

[JenniferM55]

Since beginning of June I've been under (in the main) 20g of carbs a day. Being low carb has many benefits, not least the feeling of well being it can provide, I enjoy it. Getting your electrolytes balanced is essential and it can be quite an act. If you don't get enough it can make you feel like you've got the flu, if you take too much it can cause problems, such a trouble with your heart's rhythm, especially if you're on heart meds and have issues such as Atrial Fibrillation (AF) as I do.

Try shaking some 'Lo Salt' on your food, or sprinkle some in a glass of carbonated water (really refreshing drink), Lo Salt has quite a lot of potassium. I also use Himalayan Pink Salt, not only high is sodium but it also has various minerals such as potassium and magnesium.

Maybe investigate various food apps, I use Cronometer via a web browser (the free version) which not only keeps track of my daily carbs, it also tracks what minerals could be in the food I eat.

 

[Outlier]

I use the Himalayan pink salt too.

 

[KennyA]

Hi - been doing 20g/day for over four years now and haven't experienced anything similar. I don't take any electrolytes or similar - the only thing I take regularly is vit D.

It's also possible you were just unwell. Not everything is caused by either diabetes or keto!

 

[Seansie.]

Since beginning of June I've been under (in the main) 20g of carbs a day. Being low carb has many benefits, not least the feeling of well being it can provide, I enjoy it. Getting your electrolytes balanced is essential and it can be quite an act. If you don't get enough it can make you feel like you've got the flu, if you take too much it can cause problems, such a trouble with your heart's rhythm, especially if you're on heart meds and have issues such as Atrial Fibrillation (AF) as I do.

Try shaking some 'Lo Salt' on your food, or sprinkle some in a glass of carbonated water (really refreshing drink), Lo Salt has quite a lot of potassium. I also use Himalayan Pink Salt, not only high is sodium but it also has various minerals such as potassium and magnesium.

Maybe investigate various food apps, I use Cronometer via a web browser (the free version) which not only keeps track of my daily carbs, it also tracks what minerals could be in the food I eat.

Thanks Jennifer, appreciated.

 

[Seansie.]

Hi - been doing 20g/day for over four years now and haven't experienced anything similar. I don't take any electrolytes or similar - the only thing I take regularly is vit D.

It's also possible you were just unwell. Not everything is caused by either diabetes or keto!

Thanks Kenny.

 

[Seansie.]

I didn't check it yesterday, but my blood pressure has just been pretty low at 111/71. I haven't experienced this before. No idea why. I take 2.5 mgs of ramipril in the morning.

 

[Seansie.]

I didn't check it yesterday, but my blood pressure has just been pretty low at 111/71. I haven't experienced this before. No idea why. I take 2.5 mgs of ramipril in the morning.

A Dr just called and reassured me those numbers are fine and a positive thing. I'll ditch the ramipril as of now and see how that goes. I have lost around 7 kg in maybe 5 weeks, so all good I guess. Just feeling very spaced out and wobbly, but feel happy about this good news.