Low carb diet side effects

captainscapegoat said:

Does anyone have any experience of the possible side effects of a LCHF diet? Basically, how did it go when you started?

This is something I'm probably going to have to try, just kind of scared of basically 'hacking' my metabolism.
Thoughts on long-term issues too?

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Depending on how low you go and how fast you may get a bit of keto flu then again you might not.
For me the side effects were significant weight loss, dramatic lowering of blood sugar levels to non diabetic and a general improvement in overall health.
Oh yes I also made a load of new friends here and learnt a whole lot about Type 2 diabetes and my own metabolism.
One last thing which may or may not be considered positive - I also became a bit of an evangelist for an ultra low carb way of eating.

you might want to keep an eye out for how solid your dumps might become... mine went pretty solid and it was not too great.. though the painkillers for frozen shoulder probably did not help.

Our side effects (that is effects apart from normalising blood sugars and reversing diabetic symptoms) were weight loss, suddenly feeling very happy and healthy, full of energy, a sense of getting our lives back. That was four and a half years ago. We both continue to be well and energetic and feel at least a decade younger than we actually are.
Should you be concerned about possible initial negative effects, have a look round the Diet Doctor site, which goes through the various issues. We had none of these.
Sally

I suffered carb flu because being a panic merchant I jumped in too quick. Take it steady and slow at first until you find the right levels for you. Good luck.

it could be wise to add a multi vit tablet and some calcium. apart from the poops it can effect liver and kidney function. whilst using it as a standard diet my practice nurse checked my kidney and liver function every 8-12weeks. oddly it was the statins thats messed them up caused quite bad liver function damage and muscle aches. the diet over two separate years of use did not effect the function.it cured the fatty liver that i had and reduced my cholesterol to normal levels. my hba1c at the time was 37 and remained stable. compared to low calorie diets its pain free. it does not stress the body like seriously low cal diets. im not promoting it but for me it works i just dont over do the fats.

There are some possible side effects of low carb mentioned on dietdoctor: https://www.dietdoctor.com/low-carb

The overall benefits are awesome so don't be put off by initial side effects. Long term benefits = much more energy, less spikes and much better overall control.
If I'm honest I found it very bizarre to be eating more of things I'd previously avoided in the past, like cheese for example.
I did struggle in the first couple of weeks, suffered a lot of lows especially overnight and first thing. Whilst they are draining in themselves I also felt really exhausted and a bit anxious about things as I was really overthinking and analysing my results.
My advice would be to take it step by step. Don't go cold turkey and reduce your carbs gradually and give yourself chance to rest as your body gets used to it.

Low carb is anything under 130g carbs a day whereas ketogenic is under about 25g a day.
High fat is taken by some to mean the overall % of fat in the diet compared to other macronutrients some people put it at above 60% others go closer to 75/80% fat. Quite a few people are fine at high fat levets, others ( including myself) are not. Some people seem to go for a Xgram per day range of daily fat, which may just reflect the % fat they are personally aiming for
Its a case of experimenting and seeing what works for you. My line is to make the least changes necessary to get a significant improvement

My philosophy on life is - approximately - don't push your luck.
The Greeks used to say 'meden agan' and probably still do, meaning 'nothing in excess'.
Having read and heard of the complaints about eating a low fat diet many seem to be due to trying to see results greater, or sooner, without regard to everything that is going on - like those who drink far more than necessary and then have to deal with the consequences of loss of metabolites. They reason that as adequate water is advised then more than adequate water must be better - and so on.
If things are going wrong - aka side effect - on the low carb diet that normally means that a central interpretation is not suiting you - unlike medication where there can be side effects even when the tablets are doing what they say on the packet, low carb is not a hammer to knock your metabolism off the square, it is a wedge to level it up and make it right again.

As @hankjam described you will likely see a change in your toilet habits, some of which may hurt a little.

Another side effect is having to pretend to be deaf when everyone tells you that you’re mad to do it.

Strangely enough after over 30 months of eating this way, I am starting to get “carb cravings” whereas I rarely did when I started.