Are you trying to lose weight? Are you following a ketogenic diet?
If so, it’s important to be aware of the signs and symptoms of ketosis. This condition can occur when your body begins burning fat for energy instead of carbohydrates.
While ketosis is not dangerous, it can cause uncomfortable side effects like nausea, vomiting, and constipation.
How Does It Feel To Be In Ketosis?
Knowing what to look for can help you adjust your diet if necessary and get back on track to achieving your goals. So what are the signs and symptoms of ketosis?
Here are the signs and symptoms of ketosis so that you can be aware of the health problems if they start to occur.
What are the signs of ketosis?
Ketosis is a metabolic state in which the body burns fat instead of glucose for fuel. Ketones are byproducts of this process, and they can be detected in the urine when ketosis occurs.
Ketones provide energy to many organs, including the brain when blood sugar isn’t available, so it’s important to know the signs and symptoms of Ketosis.
A person might experience some common physical signs that indicate Ketosis:
- Bad breath (acetone on your breath)
- Dry mouth
- Increased thirst
- Fatigue or tiredness
There may also be psychological changes associated with Ketogenic diets due to lack of carbohydrates or sugars, such as lightheadedness or dizziness; irritability; difficulty concentrating; and mood swings.
If you are experiencing any of these signs or symptoms, it is important to speak with a healthcare professional before starting or continuing on a Ketogenic diet. While achieving Ketosis can be a healthy state for some people, it may not be the best option for everyone, so always consult with your doctor first.
What are the symptoms of ketosis?
Some common symptoms include:
- Loss of appetite
- Tiredness
- Trouble sleeping (insomnia)
- Mild irritability.
The clearer your urine tests show that there are no ketones present, these things should pass quickly – usually between 24-72 hours after you started fasting again.
If there aren’t any visible ketones on your test strip, this means that ketosis is not happening.
Ketones are subject to daily fluctuations depending on what you eat and when food was consumed so it’s important to keep track of how many days in a row your urine tests show positive for at least trace amounts of ketone bodies (acetoacetic acid).
Ketogenic diets can be used therapeutically as well as preventatively. Ketogenic diets have been known used in the treatment of epilepsy since 1920; however, today we know they also help with weight loss and metabolic disease including type-two diabetes.
People who follow a ketogenic diet may experience several symptoms during the first few weeks while their body adapts from burning carbohydrates (glucose) to fats.
One of the most common symptoms is fatigue due to low blood sugar. Other known side effects include headache, bad breath (acetone), and constipation.
Ketogenic diets have also been linked with kidney stones – these are mainly a problem for people who already had an existing condition where they get kidney stones or if their urine pH was very acidic before starting on this diet.
Bad breath often occurs during the early phases of ketosis because acetone is being released from your body as one of its breakdown products when you burn fat instead of glucose for energy.
Acetone tends to smell fruity or like nail polish remover so it’s important not to confuse this with other types of bad smelling that might be caused by an infection.
Ketones can also make you feel tired and sleepy as your body uses them for energy instead of glucose.
When transitioning to a ketogenic diet, it’s important that you monitor your symptoms – both good and bad – so you can troubleshoot any problems that might arise.
Keep track of how many days in a row your urine tests show positive for at least trace amounts of ketone bodies (acetoacetic acid).
If you are feeling great then continue on the diet but if not, consider tweaking it until you find something that works better for you. There is no “one size fits all” approach to ketosis.
Conclusion
The ketogenic diet is an effective way to lose weight. However, you should be aware of the signs and symptoms that might indicate if this plan isn’t working for you or your body needs a break from it.
If you are following the keto lifestyle with success but find yourself experiencing any of these side effects on a regular basis, make sure to consult with your doctor before continuing.
It may be time for a change in plans.
Whether you have never tried the ketogenic diet before or are looking into starting one soon, I hope this blog has helped provide some information about what to expect when going through the process of entering ketosis.
Have any questions? Let me know below. I’ll do my best to answer.