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What You Need To Know About The Keto Flu: Symptoms, Remedies & Tips To Avoid Feeling Like Garbage

What You Need To Know About The Keto Flu: Symptoms, Remedies & Tips To Avoid Feeling Like Garbage

by Heather Burnett |

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What is the keto flu, and what can you do about it? Today, I’m answering all of your frequently asked questions about the keto flu.

Let me guess, you’ve started the keto diet, but now you feel like total garbage?

Headaches, muscle cramps, nausea, dizziness with a touch of constipation. You feel awful.

You need answers and remedies – ASAP.

You’re in the right place. I’m Heather, and I’ve been following a keto diet for the past six years. And yes, it worked. (I’ve lost 100 pounds.) But guess what? The keto diet isn’t super easy to stick to, and it can be hard to understand, especially if you’re new.

What Is The Keto Flu?

First, the good news. The keto flu isn’t a bug or virus.

The keto flu is the name given to the symptoms your body experiences when it goes through carbohydrate restriction.

What Causes The Keto Flu?

Look at keto flu symptoms as your body’s reaction to using a new fuel source. Remember, you’re switching from running on carbs and glucose to fat and ketones.

When Do Symptoms Start?

Ok, so while there is no definite timeframe, the symptoms of the keto flu happen within the first week of restricting carbs.

You may begin to feel them within 12 hours of starting the keto diet, or you may never feel them at all.

Why Does The Keto Flu Not Impact Everyone?

Your metabolic flexibility determines your experience with the keto flu.
Metabolic Flexibility is also known as your body’s ability to adapt from burning carbs for energy to burning fat for fuel.

Let’s break that down.

Your metabolic flexibility is determined in part by genetic predisposition and part lifestyle.

So, if you’ve been on a high carb, high sugar “diet,” it is likely that you will suffer more keto flu symptoms than your best friend who has been off sugar for years and maintains relatively good eating habits.

How Long Does The Keto Flu Last?

Symptoms of the keto flu usually go away within a few days as your body becomes adjusted. Depending on your metabolic flexibility. Some people have reported symptoms lasting for weeks, but this not typical.

Symptoms of The Keto Flu

Keep in mind these that the symptoms vary from person to person. Symptoms range from mild to severe.

Difficulty Sleeping/Insomnia

Fatigue

Headache

Digestive Upset

Lack of Focus

Irritability

Sugar Cravings

Nausea

Mental Fog

Heart Palpitations/Arrhythmia

Constipation

Cramps (Leg & Muscle)

Dizziness

High or Low Blood Pressure

Keto Flu Symptoms Causes & Remedies

Electrolytes (sodium, magnesium, potassium) are must-have minerals your body needs to function correctly. They play a significant role in the overall functioning of your heart, muscles, and brain. When you start a keto diet, you flush out a lot of electrolytes, so it makes sense to replenish them.

Low Sodium

the keto flu symptoms headache low sodium

If you’re having headaches, dizziness, muscle cramps, difficulty concentrating (brain fog) or you have little to no energy, you may need more sodium.

Up your salt intake by adding 1/2 teaspoon Pink Himalayan salt to a glass of water- a tall glass of water.

Or, consider sipping on nutrient-rich bone broth.

Low Magnesium

Keto Flu Symptoms Leg Cramps

Having muscle and leg cramps?
Dizziness?
Fatigue?

You may need magnesium.

Take a 300-500 mg supplement or add more magnesium-rich foods to your diet like almonds, chia seeds, chicken, beef, spinach, and beef.

Low Potassium

Symptoms of low potassium are muscle cramps and pains, weakness, and increased heartbeat.

To increase potassium levels, you could take a supplement or add more potassium-rich foods like avocado, fish, meat, mushrooms, Brussels sprouts, and broccoli.

Keto Flu Remedies

Stay Hydrated

the keto flu remedy hydration

The keto diet can cause you to drop water weight, especially in the first week, which can lead to dehydration.

Dehydration leads to all kinds of nasty keto flu-like symptoms like headaches, dizziness, weakness.

Stay on top of your water game by drinking plenty of H20! Tea and coffee count too, but nothing is better than water.

Drink even more if you are suffering from diarrhea – which can also cause dehydration.

Cut Carbs At A Slower Pace

If you’ve been following the Standard American Diet for years, cutting out sugar and all carbs at one time may be too taxing on your body.

Start with small steps and work your way up.

You may want to go with a low carb diet instead of going all-in with keto.

Remember, your goal is progress over perfection.

Cut out junk food and sugar first.

Give your body time to adjust then move on to grains, pasta, and rice.

Trying to do all the things all at once could be self-sabotage.

Eat More Healthy Fats

the keto flu healthy fats

Eat more healthy fats to help your body transition. Here are a few of the healthiest sources of fat for a ketogenic diet.

Avocados

Avocado Oil

Olive Oil

Coconut Oil

Chia Seeds

Flax Seeds

Since you are using fat for energy instead of carbs, you likely need more fuel if you are feeling tired and worn out. Try snacking on a few fat bombs to add fats and replenish your energy levels.

Avoid Heavy Exercise

Keep walking, swimming, and practicing yoga, but avoid strenuous workouts for the first couple of weeks while your body is adapting.

Did I Miss Anything?

Do you have enough information to explain your symptoms and try a remedy?

Or are you still confused about the keto flu?

Either way, please let me know by leaving a comment below! 

Don’t Miss These Keto Recipes & Tips

Total Keto Diet For Beginners

Ketogenic 30 Day Meal Plan: 90 Recipes for Breakfast, Lunch, & Dinner

10 Keto Meal Prep Tips + 21 Keto Recipes

40 Keto Crockpot Recipes 

50 Ways To Use Your Air Fryer On The Keto Diet

The Ultimate Keto Shopping List

Looking For Ways To Make Sticking To Keto Easier?

I get it! I’ve lost 100 pounds on the keto diet and maintained that weight loss for six years – these meal plans and recipes helped me a TON. 

Shout Out To Tastaholics Custom Keto Weekly Meal Plans & Keto In Five cookbooks!

Here’s the low-down on the weekly meal plans – Tastaholics will send you pre-calculated, low carb meal plans and recipes right into your inbox – no more hunting down recipes on the internet and trying to fit them together perfectly every day. 

Doesn’t that sound easy? It is. And you can try it totally free right here

Or – opt for the Keto In Five– These Are Not your Grandmother’s Cookbooks -You can download them to any device!

Each collection offers 30 breakfast recipes, 30 lunch recipes, 30 dinner recipes & 30 dessert recipes with only 5 ingredients & 5 net carbs! They provide all the macro info for you – which makes life so much easier! 

Go ahead & try the meal plans or grab the Keto In Five Bundle!You’ve got nothing to lose – They offer a 365 Day money-back guarantee, but you won’t need it:) Ok – sales pitch over:) 

Filed Under: Keto, Keto Diet Resources For Beginners, Low Carb Tagged With: keto, keto flu, keto flu remedies, ketogenic, low carb flu

About Heather Burnett

Hey! Thanks for sticking around. I started this blog to help people like you take control of your health, achieve your fitness goals, lose weight, and gain the confidence you need to go out and live life to the fullest. (Because that's what losing 100 pounds did for me:) I will help you eat clean, shed the shame with the pounds, and become the bad-ass beauty you already are!

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If you want straight talk about food, power, and weight loss, drop your email below. No BS, guaranteed.

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I lost 148 pounds—an entire fourth-grader!—on the keto diet, and post recipes, meal prep, and fitness tips to help you do it, too. Since losing the weight, I've become a Certified Health Coach, which is a fancy way of saying I now can help you tailor keto -- or any eating program -- to your individual needs. Because of keto, my entire relationship with food, my body, and my perception of my role as a woman has changed big time. Are you ready to make a change?

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I lost 148 pounds—an entire fourth-grader!—on the keto diet, and post recipes, meal prep, and fitness tips to help you do it, too. Since losing the weight, I've become a Certified Health Coach, which is a fancy way of saying I now can help you tailor keto -- or any eating program -- to your individual needs. Because of keto, my entire relationship with food, my body, and my perception of my role as a woman has changed big time. Got 3 minutes? Here's how I can help you!

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