What are the side effects of not eating carbohydrates?

The ketogenic diet, aka keto, has brought the super-low carb diets back into the limelight and if your goal is to lose weight, you're pretty sure to see results (especially in the belly fat zone) tenacious). Like any extreme diet, however, very low carb diets cause a significant share of side effects. POPSUGAR has spoken with Kristin Kirkpatrick, a dietitian at the Wellness Institute at Cleveland Clinic, to find out what these side effects are, why they occur and how to avoid them, but probably not all.

Side Effects of Go Low-Carb

1. Headache: During the first few days of a low carbohydrate diet, your body makes major adjustments to switch from its preferred fuel, glucose and glycogen stores (which come from the sugars and carbohydrates you eat) to ketones. , in your liver by burning fat. The physical effects of this process are collectively known as "keto flu" and are the source of the headaches you may feel at the beginning of your diet. Kristin said that your body started using ketones about three or four days later, which should clear the headache.
2. Bad breath: The presence of ketones, especially acetone, in your breath can make it smell "fruity and sometimes unpleasant," Kristin said.
3. Weakness and / or fatigue: You might feel tired or shake during the first few days of a low carb diet – again, as your body is looking for a source of energy to replace glycogen. According to Kirstin, this is another side effect that usually disappears once you have contracted ketosis.
4. Muscle cramps: Muscle cramps can have many causes: dehydration, lack of potassium, or lack of magnesium, all of which are related to significant changes in the foods you consume on a low carbohydrate diet. Kristin recommends proper hydration (11 cups of water a day is a good goal) and indicates that some of her patients have found that magnesium supplements are also helpful.
5. Constipation or diarrhea: If you cut complex carbohydrates, such as legumes, you also cut fiber – or at least reduce it considerably, said Kristin. This is one of the main reasons why people with keto, such as constipation or diarrhea, have gastrointestinal problems.
6. Itchy skin: "It's a rare side effect without a definite cause," said Kristin. It is usually seen in women of Asian descent, she added.

Kristin told POPSUGAR that constipation seems to be the most common side effect, simply because "fiber stores can accumulate". The good news is that it is preventable: eating nuts and non-starchy vegetables will boost your fiber intake. Kristin recommended adding foods like broccoli and macadamia nuts to your diet.

The delivery? Do your research, said Kristin. Know what you can eat (and what you can not), what will be the effects on your body and what you can do to make them more bearable. She also recommended working with a dietitian specializing in low carb diets.

"Some side effects, such as bad breath and headaches, can not be avoided," said Kristin, but others may, like constipation, muscle cramps and potentially weakness and fatigue. Kristin said little research has been done on the long-term effects of the keto diet. Regarding these short-term side effects, Kristin said it's just that: in the short term. They tend to shrink as your body adapts to food. So, good news for beginners in keto and in difficulty: keep the first weeks!