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Transitioning to a new diet can cause some withdrawal symptoms, especially transitioning to a diet like keto. One thing that causes higher heart rates when you’re on a keto diet is called “ keto flu “.
Keto flu is one of the side effects of getting on a keto diet. Keto flu happens when you’re switching to a keto diet, and your body is trying to adjust to it. It is called keto flu because the symptoms are similar to that of influenza. Some of the symptoms of keto flu are:
- You tend to sweat more
- You may get sudden bouts of nausea
- You find it hard to sleep
- You will feel more tired.
- You will be irritable.
- You will have frequent headaches.
You can probably see how all these things can come together to cause heart palpitations. Here are some reasons behind the keto flu:
Water loss
Before the heart palpitations started, you probably noticed that you started visiting the toilet more frequently. Well, that’s because the keto diet makes you lose a lot of water. It’s like this, keto is all about cutting down on carbs, and that comes with water loss because the amount of water you have in your body reduces. Cutting on carbs leads to water loss because when your body is storing carbohydrates, it also stores waters along with it. When your body doesn’t store enough carbohydrates, it uses the stored up carbs and water it already has. That’s the reason for the frequent water trips and the increased heart rate.
Solution
To minimise the effect of the water loss, it is advised you increase your water intake. If your body is losing more water than it gets, you’re bound to get sick so you should be wary of this. Drink at least seven glasses of daily to reduce the effects of keto flu. You can also try drinking salted water as it also helps.
Loss of minerals
Carbohydrates help produce insulin, which is a hormone that helps to process glucose; in short, insulin gives you energy. When you cut down on carbs, the insulin your body produces will reduce. When your body isn’t producing enough insulin, your kidney will excrete more sodium, affecting the electrolytes in your body. Some of the essential electrolytes that the keto diet affects are magnesium, sodium, and potassium. Magnesium, sodium, and potassium are important minerals that your body needs to function well.
Solution
You can try taking a supplement such as Maxwell Keto as they contain the essential minerals you need and help in replenishing them. You should also look for food sources rich in magnesium, potassium, and sodium and make them part of your diet.
Going on the keto diet is something you can reap amazing results from. Once you know the cause of your high heart rate, you’ll know how to find a solution to it. You should implement these solutions as they will most likely help with your high heart rate. If it doesn’t help, you should go and see your doctor for advice.
