Keto Flu Muscle Cramps: Where Do They Strike?

The keto flu is a collection of symptoms, including muscle cramps, that some people experience when starting a ketogenic diet. The ketogenic diet is very low in carbohydrates, high in fat, and moderate in protein, and it aims to put the body in a state of ketosis, where it burns stored fat instead of glucose for energy. The keto flu can be caused by a combination of factors, including dehydration, electrolyte imbalances, and withdrawal from carbohydrates. Muscle cramps can occur anywhere in the body but most commonly affect the calves, quadriceps, feet, hands, and abdominals. To alleviate muscle cramps and other symptoms of the keto flu, it is recommended to increase fluid and electrolyte intake, particularly sodium, potassium, and magnesium.

Muscle cramps can be caused by insufficient electrolytes, specifically sodium

Muscle cramps are one of the symptoms of "keto flu", which is a collection of symptoms that may appear after starting a ketogenic diet. This occurs when the body enters ketosis and switches from burning carbohydrates to burning fat for energy. This can be a major change for your body, and you may experience flu-like symptoms such as fatigue, nausea, and muscle cramps.

Muscle cramps can be particularly frustrating, but they can often be avoided by addressing a few key issues. One of the main causes of muscle cramps during keto dieting is insufficient electrolytes, specifically sodium. Electrolytes are electrically charged minerals that play vital roles in your body, including facilitating cellular communication, maintaining fluid balance, and helping muscles contract and relax. When you restrict carbohydrates, your body also reduces the amount of insulin in circulation, and low insulin levels lead to decreased sodium retention. As a result, people on a ketogenic diet tend to excrete more sodium in their urine, resulting in a deficiency.

To combat this, it is important to ensure adequate electrolyte intake, especially sodium. You can achieve this by salting your food or drinking sports drinks that are high in electrolytes. Additionally, including potassium-rich, keto-friendly foods like leafy green vegetables in your diet can help maintain electrolyte balance.

It is worth noting that muscle cramps can also be caused by other factors such as dehydration, muscle fatigue, and overall diet changes. However, addressing insufficient electrolytes, specifically sodium, can be an effective strategy to alleviate muscle cramps during a ketogenic diet.

Dehydration can also cause muscle cramps

Drinking enough water can help with symptoms like fatigue and muscle cramping. It is especially important to replace fluids when experiencing keto-flu-associated diarrhea, as this can cause additional fluid loss.

When you start a keto diet, your body dumps the water that was stored with glycogen, potentially leading to dehydration. To prevent this, it is important to drink lots of water. If you were drinking many sugar-filled drinks before starting this diet, it is even more important to stay hydrated, as you are cutting out what may have been an important source of hydration.

Most people don’t know how much water to drink every day, but it’s easy to determine. Just take your current body weight and divide it by two. That’ll give you the minimum number of ounces of water to drink every day. If you’re very active, make sure you drink a little extra on top of the minimum number of ounces you need.

Dehydration can also lead to an electrolyte imbalance, which can cause muscle cramps. Electrolytes are substances that carry electrical signals between the body’s cells. An imbalance in these substances leads to disrupted electrical messages that may cause muscle contractions and spasms.

Therefore, it is important to ensure you are getting enough electrolytes from the food you eat to avoid muscle pains and other symptoms of an imbalance. Electrolytes include calcium, magnesium, potassium, and sodium. You can get these from eating a balanced diet. However, if symptoms persist, a doctor may recommend supplements or other dietary changes.

Cramps can be avoided by increasing fluid intake

The keto flu is a collection of symptoms experienced by some people when they start a ketogenic diet. The symptoms, which can feel similar to the flu, are caused by the body adapting to a new diet consisting of very few carbohydrates.

One of the symptoms of keto flu is muscle cramping. This is due to dehydration, which is a common issue when starting a ketogenic diet. When dietary carbohydrates are reduced, glycogen levels plummet and water is excreted from the body.

However, water is not the only way to increase fluid intake. Fluid intake can also be increased by consuming electrolytes, which are often lost when the body dumps water. Many keto flu symptoms may be caused by your body's reaction to low levels of electrolytes. If you are experiencing symptoms like fatigue, muscle cramps, or body weakness, electrolytes may be the solution. Adding more salt to your food or drinking sports drinks that are high in electrolytes can help your body adjust to ketosis more smoothly.

Dialysis patients who aren't given enough sodium may experience muscle cramps

Dialysis patients may experience muscle cramps due to several factors related to their treatment and underlying health conditions. One of the main causes of muscle cramps in dialysis patients is fluid imbalance. If patients gain too much weight between dialysis treatments due to excessive fluid intake, the subsequent dialysis session must remove a higher volume of fluid to achieve their dry weight or normal weight without excess fluid. This rapid or excessive fluid removal during dialysis, also known as ultrafiltration, can lead to muscle cramping.

Additionally, overly aggressive fluid removal during a single treatment can also trigger muscle cramps. Skipping treatments or cutting them short can contribute to this issue by resulting in excessive fluid gains that require more aggressive removal during the next session. Therefore, completing the full prescribed dialysis sessions is essential for managing fluid levels and preventing fluid overload, which can also trigger muscle cramps.

Dialysis patients are also advised to manage their sodium intake carefully. While too much sodium can increase thirst and lead to excessive fluid gains, which contribute to cramping, too little sodium in the body can also cause muscle cramps. Sodium is essential for maintaining the balance of sodium and water in the body, and when sodium levels are too low, it can be challenging for the kidneys to regulate fluid balance.

Furthermore, dialysis patients are at risk of carnitine deficiency, which can also contribute to muscle cramps. Carnitine plays a critical role in energy production and the transport of fatty acids in the body. During dialysis, a significant amount of carnitine is removed from the blood, and patients may not be able to replace it adequately through their diet due to protein restrictions. This deficiency can lead to prolonged muscle contractions and is often treated with carnitine supplementation.

To prevent and manage muscle cramps, dialysis patients should work closely with their care team. Adjustments to the dialysis prescription, such as longer or more frequent treatments, can help lower the ultrafiltration rate and reduce the risk of cramping. Additionally, addressing dietary factors, such as fluid and sodium intake, is crucial. In some cases, home dialysis modalities like peritoneal dialysis or home hemodialysis may be prescribed as they can help regulate fluid levels more effectively and potentially reduce the occurrence of muscle cramps.

Low-carb diets increase potassium loss through urine, which can cause muscle cramps

The keto flu is a collection of symptoms that some people experience when they start a ketogenic diet. This can include muscle cramps, which can be caused by a low-carb diet increasing potassium loss through urine.

The ketogenic diet is very low in carbohydrates, high in fat, and moderate in protein. It puts the body in a state of ketosis, where it burns stored fat for energy instead of glucose. This is a major change for the body, and the transition period can be challenging.

The keto flu typically occurs within the first few days of starting the diet and can last from a few days to several weeks. Symptoms can range from mild to severe and include fatigue, muscle soreness, and stomach discomfort.

Low-carb diets can lead to increased potassium loss through urine, which can contribute to muscle cramps. Potassium is an essential electrolyte that helps muscles contract and relax. When insulin levels decrease on a low-carb diet, the body excretes more sodium, and potassium loss can increase. This loss of electrolytes can lead to muscle cramps and other keto flu symptoms.

To prevent muscle cramps, it is important to ensure adequate potassium intake. This can be achieved by consuming potassium-rich foods, such as leafy green vegetables, avocados, and starchy fruits and vegetables. Additionally, drinking plenty of water and replenishing electrolytes can help reduce the risk of muscle cramps.

It is worth noting that muscle cramps can also be related to other factors, such as age, BMI, cardiovascular disease, kidney disease, and exercise intensity. However, for those on a ketogenic diet, addressing potassium loss through urine can be an effective strategy to reduce the occurrence of muscle cramps.

Frequently asked questions