Symptoms of Keto Flu:

Keto flu is the name given to a set of symptoms some people experience when first starting keto. It’s not actually a flu and definitely not contagious, but it can become quite tiring. Keto flu symptoms are very similar to that of your regular flu and can last anywhere from a day to a few weeks! You may experience

• fatigue
• headaches
• cough
• sniffles
• irritability
• nausea

Many people who experience these symptoms in the beginning of their ketogenic diet will believe the diet is to blame and carbs are good after all. Ironically, seeing these symptoms is a sign that you were very dependent on carbohydrates! Your body is going through withdrawal from sugar and carby foods.

There are studies that have shown sugar has the same effect on our bodies and brains as cocaine and heroin! The same areas of the brain are activated when one eats sugar as when one ingests cocaine. In addition, when we eat sugar, our brain sends messages for the release of dopamine, the “feel good” hormone. After some time, the release of dopamine is more or less regulated and less is sent out each time we eat sugar. The absence of large amounts of dopamine triggers our need to want more sugar, to get that same “feel good” feeling back. Coincidentally, drug addiction is exactly that. The brain remembers what made it feel good, even if you don’t- cravings aren’t random.

When we stop eating sugar (or carbs altogether) our bodies can go through withdrawal. Many people report irritability and mood swings from the hormone surges, or lack thereof. Our bodies are re calibrating themselves without the influence of heavy factors such as carbs.

Readjusting to Fat

Headaches and fatigue can come from the sudden drop in carbs. When our bodies are used to using carbs for energy, it takes a little bit of time to readjust to using fat. This is the process of becoming keto adapted! It usually takes a person anywhere from 2-5 days to enter ketosis. When carbs are limited to under 50g (depending on the person, but textbooks seem to agree on this number) the body starts to break down fatty acids in ketones, which the brain then uses for fuel.

Alleviate Keto Flu = Replenish Electrolytes!

One of the main causes of keto flu is lack of electrolytes. Electrolytes are minerals in your body that carry an electric charge. Electrolytes affect the amount of water in your body, the acidity of your blood (pH), your muscle function, and other important processes. An electrolyte deficiency can be caused by a few things, most prevalent of which are your water intake and foods you may not be eating enough of.

On a low carb diet, drinking water is extremely important. The fat inside your cells will become replaced with water as a place holder when losing weight. For this reason, many people experience water retention while in ketosis; their cells are storing water, instead of fat. They do this in case of dehydration. Drinking more water during water retention can help combat it! Your body will let go of that emergency water it’s been storing when it sees water is flowing freely.

The one drawback of drinking a lot of water is the electrolytes it can flush out with it. You will be peeing a lot! The more water you’re drinking, the better, until you start to expel more electrolytes than you’re ingesting. Many people on keto can become deficient in magnesium, potassium, sodium, calcium, phosphorus or chloride, to name a few. Make sure to replenish your electrolytes, whether by a supplement or simply introducing foods that are high in electrolytes into your diet.