KETO and Constipation?
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Scochrane86
Posts: 374 Member
Does anyone suffer from constipation while eating Keto? What do you do to help? usually I would say drink water, but I am drinking WAY MORE than I use to and still no help. Normally, if I was having a lot of trouble, I would use a bottle of citro-mag from the drug store but 1) I don't know if this is ok on Keto and 2) I do not want to become dependant on this.
Any help is appreciated!
Any help is appreciated!
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Replies
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I used to have issues with constipation when I was following low carb many years ago. This time I am doing a better job keeping my electrolytes up (especially magnesium) and am not having any issues. The best way to be sure you're getting enough magnesium is to increase your dose slightly each day until you start having loose stool. Then back off to the point of comfortably soft stool. Now I go at least once daily, sometimes more but never less often than every other day.
You should also check out the Launch Pad for some really valuable tips and information.6 -
I try to eat a few avocados each week, seems to help. Also try adding more salt.8
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I use a electrolyte replacement (Ultima) but find that if I keep my fat intake up, I have no bowel issues. I am also a moderate drinker so the bile output from the liver probably contributes as well.2
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Try increasing salt intake - see:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5AGiUFzldwk - from about 5 1/2 minutes in. 6 -
I've been having REALLY bad constipation. Starting this week I'm eliminating cheese from my diet for 2-3 weeks. If that doesn't work then, one at a time for 2-3 weeks, I'm cutting all dairy except butter, increasing my magnesium, eliminating nuts and seeds, increasing my veggie variety, eating more fermented foods.3
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Thanks all. I have ordered some supplements, including Magnesium (they should be here today) and I hope that will make a difference. I will also try increasing my salt!2
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I second the magnesium and cutting out cheese. I found I have to eat more fiber so i upped the veg a little and added a fiber supplement. Since my fiber has been added to, I haven't had problems.4
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I have been on Keto for one week and have not had constipation. Only had one day without BM but back to daily. Look up Eric Berg on YouTube. He has a lot of great info on Ketogenic diet. He suggest eating at least 7-8 cups of leafy greens daily to help with Keto flu and constipation. I haven't been able been able to hit 7-8 but eat leafy greens with every meal and I drink a low carb green smoothie in the morning.4
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I have been on Keto for one week and have not had constipation. Only had one day without BM but back to daily. Look up Eric Berg on YouTube. He has a lot of great info on Ketogenic diet. He suggest eating at least 7-8 cups of leafy greens daily to help with Keto flu and constipation. I haven't been able been able to hit 7-8 but eat leafy greens with every meal and I drink a low carb green smoothie in the morning.
I am more towards the carnivore Keto (very little veggies) so I know I wont be able to get in 7-8 cups of leafy veggies. And that much would put me around 9 net carbs and that's my entire day pretty much.
I have started taking magnesium and might cut back on the cheese. But I am hoping this works
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Dr. Stephen Phinney's video above from Nov in Australia does point out we need a lot more sodium than we might think. Remember that salt is only 1/2 sodium.4
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A little bit of exercise never hurts most people and often helps with "movement". Walk around the block or jog around the house for a while. Don't sit when you don't have to. Move to "move". May help.9
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Magnesium helps, yes.
So does smooth move tea, if you're really in a bind.
Starting each day with a cup or two of warm/hot water also helps a lot.
And watch your fiber intake--I was taking 3-4 psyllium pills a day and had to stop. A little fiber (on keto) can be too much when volume is so much lower.2 -
TomKershawUK wrote: »Try increasing salt intake - see:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5AGiUFzldwk - from about 5 1/2 minutes in.
Thanks. I just watched the whole video.1 -
Keep in mind that going less often doesn't mean constipation. That comes with symptoms of a heavy gut and abdominal discomfort and usually hard stools once you can go as well.
If you feel completely fine and are just going less often, that's not constipation. Without carbs and processed foods, you'll have a lot less waste in general. Eating more fat and protein makes digestion a slower process too.
So, even though everything above is great advice on ways to deal with constipation, especially the sodium and magnesium, you may not be...8 -
You will 'go' less, because there's less bulk in your food but as a fellow sufferer I'd recommend chia seeds in full fat yogurt, coconut oil in coffee, plenty of liquids, vitamin c ( high dose) and magnesium tablets.3
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canadjineh wrote: »Dr. Stephen Phinney's video above from Nov in Australia does point out we need a lot more sodium than we might think. Remember that salt is only 1/2 sodium.
Right-o! Easy to forget.
If you're someone who tolerates fiber well, Phinney has also observed that spinach, kale etc, not only have plenty of fiber but also magnesium.
One of the few points on which the Keto gurus and the plant-based, eat-your-natural-carbs guys like Greger and McDougall might agree is that adding green leafy stuff to anything is a nutritional improvement (if you can handle the fiber).3 -
canadjineh wrote: »Dr. Stephen Phinney's video above from Nov in Australia does point out we need a lot more sodium than we might think. Remember that salt is only 1/2 sodium.
Right-o! Easy to forget.
If you're someone who tolerates fiber well, Phinney has also observed that spinach, kale etc, not only have plenty of fiber but also magnesium.
One of the few points on which the Keto gurus and the plant-based, eat-your-natural-carbs guys like Greger and McDougall might agree is that adding green leafy stuff to anything is a nutritional improvement (if you can handle the fiber).
That's a very good point.
I was one that did have recurring issues that included the heavy gut and discomfort and I was sure it was due to eating too much cheese and protein. I used high doses of magnesium to minimize the issue.
I dealt with it that way for my first 11 months keto. Then I participated in a month of eating all animal products and no plants. It became undeniable that my issue was fiber. As soon as I eliminated fiber by not eating vegetables, I was back on a daily routine with zero digestive disturbance.
Since then, I only experience any tummy trouble if eat more than 3 bites of veggies. Seriously. I can only handle about 2-3g of fiber without it blocking me up.
Yesterday I was working with a client of mine in her home office and she offered me a protein shake when she realized I didn't bring any lunch. She was excited to let me know that it was low carb. I would normally have no problem turning down this stuff but she is crazy nice and was so proud to be able to offer me a low carb item that I drank it. 4g fiber and my stomach is still grumbling over 18 hours later! Apparently I'm going to have to take food when I'm working with her.
So anyway, just thought I'd share my story with that because I never suspected fiber could've been the issue. I only tried the all animal challenge out of pure curiosity. I never expected to see any changes.8 -
Sunny_Bunny_ wrote: »canadjineh wrote: »Dr. Stephen Phinney's video above from Nov in Australia does point out we need a lot more sodium than we might think. Remember that salt is only 1/2 sodium.
Right-o! Easy to forget.
If you're someone who tolerates fiber well, Phinney has also observed that spinach, kale etc, not only have plenty of fiber but also magnesium.
One of the few points on which the Keto gurus and the plant-based, eat-your-natural-carbs guys like Greger and McDougall might agree is that adding green leafy stuff to anything is a nutritional improvement (if you can handle the fiber).
That's a very good point.
I was one that did have recurring issues that included the heavy gut and discomfort and I was sure it was due to eating too much cheese and protein. I used high doses of magnesium to minimize the issue.
I dealt with it that way for my first 11 months keto. Then I participated in a month of eating all animal products and no plants. It became undeniable that my issue was fiber. As soon as I eliminated fiber by not eating vegetables, I was back on a daily routine with zero digestive disturbance.
Since then, I only experience any tummy trouble if eat more than 3 bites of veggies. Seriously. I can only handle about 2-3g of fiber without it blocking me up.
Yesterday I was working with a client of mine in her home office and she offered me a protein shake when she realized I didn't bring any lunch. She was excited to let me know that it was low carb. I would normally have no problem turning down this stuff but she is crazy nice and was so proud to be able to offer me a low carb item that I drank it. 4g fiber and my stomach is still grumbling over 18 hours later! Apparently I'm going to have to take food when I'm working with her.
So anyway, just thought I'd share my story with that because I never suspected fiber could've been the issue. I only tried the all animal challenge out of pure curiosity. I never expected to see any changes.
Thanks to you, I no longer harbor the fiction that fiber is a panacea for all mammals.
I wonder how many different Official Microbiome Types we'll have when the American Gut Project wraps up its studies....3 -
TMI: In November I went to the ER because there was A LOT of blood in my stool and it was very late at night (no urgent care facility was open) as my family has a history of colon cancer. They diagnosed it as severe constipation which I was having at the time and nothing more serious. I checked my bill over the next few days and weeks and it look like I didn't have a payment, that my insurance was covering all of it. Out of curiosity I checked my bill yesterday...I owed $750!!! All for someone to stick their finger in my bum. That's outrageous. Today for the first time since then I had REALLY severe bleeding. I'm pretty sure it's a small tear. I haven't been straining, been letting things come out naturally even though one bowel movement took me over an hour because I refused to "push". I'm not going back to the ER or urgent care because the bill is so expensive. I figure it will take a few weeks for the tear to heal on it's own, I just hope it doesn't become chronic. I am working on reducing my constipation. If it continues I will go to a primary care physician.
Sorry just wanted to rant about my expensive bum probing. So reality check: DO WHATEVER YOU CAN TO STOP THE CONSTIPATION lol3 -
MCT oil, salt and magnesium citrate
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