Diet
Keto diet side effects, the low-carb ketogenic diet promises to lose weight quickly, but health experts are concerned about its risks and complications, so what are the harms of the keto diet?
The ketogenic diet has
gained so much popularity recently that it is being promoted as either a low or
no carbohydrate diet.
Keto uses the fat-burning
system in the body to help people lose weight quickly and dramatically within
10 days, but health experts believe that it is an unhealthy way to lose weight
and has some damages.
The most prominent
information about the harms of the keto diet includes:
Although the potential
benefits of the keto diet are impressive, there are some potential negative
effects, and we will mention the harms of the keto diet as follows:
Keto diet side
effects
1. Infection with
the keto flu
At the beginning of the
ketogenic diet, most people suffer from the keto flu and feel sick as the body
begins to adapt to the low level of carbohydrates, and begins to feel flu-like
symptoms, such as:
Headache, fatigue,
irritability, constipation, nausea and vomiting, lightheadedness, and muscle
pain.
In the process of
breaking down fats, instead of the body producing sugar for energy, it produces
ketones and then gets rid of them through frequent urination.
This may lead to loss of
nutrients responsible for fluid balance in the body and dehydration, which
contributes to flu symptoms that may last for about a week.
2. Have diarrhea
Many people who follow
the ketogenic diet may experience diarrhea as a result of not replacing the
carbohydrate deficiency by increasing fiber-rich foods such as vegetables.
Or because of intolerance
to dairy products and artificial sweeteners that are eaten in this diet, or as
a result of exhausting the gallbladder, which is responsible for breaking down
fats in food.
3. Ketoacidosis
A person with type 1 or
type 2 diabetes should not follow a ketogenic diet without consulting a doctor.
This is because it may
lead to a dangerous condition called ketoacidosis as a result of the body
storing ketones, which are acids resulting from burning fats, so the blood
becomes very acidic, which may damage the liver, kidneys, and brain if not
treated, and may lead to death.
Symptoms of ketoacidosis
include dry mouth, frequent urination, nausea, bad breath, and breathing
difficulties.
4. The
possibility of regaining weight
Health experts say the
ketogenic diet is too restrictive, so it's not appropriate to follow for an
extended period of time.
Thus, most people begin
to regain much of the weight loss once they return to their previous diet and
carbohydrate intake.
5. Decreased
muscle mass and metabolism
The weight changes
associated with the ketogenic diet may be the result of losing muscle mass,
especially if a person consumes much more fat than protein.
Muscle burns more
calories than fat, which will negatively affect your metabolism, and this can
have lasting effects on your resting metabolic rate and your weight in the long
term.
6. Increased risk
of heart and kidney disease
Frequent urination is one
of the disadvantages of the keto diet, which leads to the body losing fluids
and many important nutrients, such as:
Sodium, magnesium, and
potassium, which increase the risk of acute renal insufficiency and dangerous
dehydration that may lead to dizziness, kidney injury, or kidney stones.
These nutrients are also
important for heart health, and too little can lead to an irregular heartbeat,
which can be fatal.
A scientific study showed
that people who eat low carbohydrates have high levels of harmful cholesterol,
which is a risk factor for heart disease.
7. The incidence
of chronic diseases
The keto diet contains
low amounts of fruits, vegetables, grains and legumes without which the person
following this diet loses fiber, some vitamins, minerals, and phytochemicals
that only come from these foods, in addition to eating large amounts of
unhealthy fats.
All of this may be
accompanied by negative effects on his health in the long term, such as
osteoporosis, and an increased risk of chronic disease.
Benefits of the
keto diet
After you know the
disadvantages of the keto diet, we mention some of the benefits that may result
from following the keto diet after consulting a specialist, as follows:
·
A study has shown the importance of ketones resulting from following the
ketogenic diet for nerve health and thus can strengthen the brain and protect
nerve cells, especially for Alzheimer's patients.
·
Another study points to the importance of the ketogenic diet as a
complementary side-to-side treatment for chemotherapy or radiation therapy for
cancer. Because it causes more oxidative stress to cancer cells than normal
cells in the human body.
·
A study found that the ketogenic diet can reduce acne symptoms by
reducing the intake of processed and refined carbohydrates that cause a
significant rise in blood sugar, and thus negatively affect the skin.
