Low Carb headaches

suelegal

"your body and BRAIN NEED at least 130g of cho a day to function properly. going from 200+ g a day to 50g a day = headache and body hating you "


Sorry, that's just not true. If you make healthy low carb choices, you can stay well under that amount and still supply all the vitamins and minerals your body and brain need.

dls06

I limit my carbs to 30 per meal and no more then 150 a day. (3 meals,2 snacks.)
It's more about healthy carbs then low carb for me.
Lost all the weight I wanted and don't feel deprived.

angelapolite

I agree, I feel that choosing the RIGHT carbs is key. My carbs mainly come from vegetables, so I know I am getting the vitamins that I need.
Soon, once I've lost more weight, I will re-introduce whole grains again. I started dieting using the MFP guidelines, and lost 12 lbs. But now I'm feeling that I am eating way too many carbs, especially sugars. And since Saturday, limiting my carbs and sugars, I already have much more energy, but the downside is the headaches, which I noticed started today.

PinkSouljah

This has helped me BIG time: omege 3-6-9, vitamin B12 and B6 and potassium. I also take a good multi vitamin, try taking these

Jeff92se

I agree, I feel that choosing the RIGHT carbs is key. My carbs mainly come from vegetables, so I know I am getting the vitamins that I need.
Soon, once I've lost more weight, I will re-introduce whole grains again. I started dieting using the MFP guidelines, and lost 12 lbs. But now I'm feeling that I am eating way too many carbs, especially sugars. And since Saturday, limiting my carbs and sugars, I already have much more energy, but the downside is the headaches, which I noticed started today.

So you keep the calorie / exercise portions same as before but just reducing the carb portions to better carbs(and less carbs overall)?

angelapolite

This has helped me BIG time: omege 3-6-9, vitamin B12 and B6 and potassium. I also take a good multi vitamin, try taking these

Yeah, I already have my fish oil, I do need to start taking vitamins again. I really prefer liquid vitamins verses pills.

angelapolite

I agree, I feel that choosing the RIGHT carbs is key. My carbs mainly come from vegetables, so I know I am getting the vitamins that I need.
Soon, once I've lost more weight, I will re-introduce whole grains again. I started dieting using the MFP guidelines, and lost 12 lbs. But now I'm feeling that I am eating way too many carbs, especially sugars. And since Saturday, limiting my carbs and sugars, I already have much more energy, but the downside is the headaches, which I noticed started today.

So you keep the calorie / exercise portions same as before but just reducing the carb portions to better carbs(and less carbs overall)?

I uped my calories from 1300 to 1400. Changed my carbs to 10%, fat 55% and protein to 35%. I also put my sugars to 10 grams and fiber to 30 grams.

ilikejam33

The headaches are most likely withdrawl. When i lowered my carbs (50-80 a day) i had the worst headaches of my life, for days on end, if this is what my body does when i get rid of sugar, then why the heck would i keep eating it!

After about a week or so they will go away, it helps to try varying the carbs you are eating, i found good luck with spinach and broccoli, i dont know why but they helped get rid of the headaches.

Also what the sugar alcohols, they are actually very hard for your body to get use to and even now if i have too many i get heaaches and a crampy tummy.

Low carb is fine, everone has ther opinion but the fact is that osme people do better low carb, and some low cal, and some low fat. For me i have now found a perfect balance and you will too

Good Luck

angelapolite

The headaches are most likely withdrawl. When i lowered my carbs (50-80 a day) i had the worst headaches of my life, for days on end, if this is what my body does when i get rid of sugar, then why the heck would i keep eating it!

After about a week or so they will go away, it helps to try varying the carbs you are eating, i found good luck with spinach and broccoli, i dont know why but they helped get rid of the headaches.

Also what the sugar alcohols, they are actually very hard for your body to get use to and even now if i have too many i get heaaches and a crampy tummy.

Low carb is fine, everone has ther opinion but the fact is that osme people do better low carb, and some low cal, and some low fat. For me i have now found a perfect balance and you will too

Good Luck

I agree, I see the headaches as your body cleaning itself out. I'm usually ok after about a week as well. I try to limit the sugar alcohol as well. I get a rumbling tummy with too much sugar alcohol.:ohwell:

tolkienlady

Oh my goodness...to the person who wanted medical proof that the body only needs 50-100 grams of carbs a day...here goes: I have a graduate degree in specialty biochemistry, and I will tell you that the human body doesn't need ANY carbohydrates per day and YES I will give you 1000+ Medical studies to prove that. The body makes it's OWN carbohydrate (glucose) from ingested amino acids via a process called "gluconeogenesis" when carb intake is too low. When protein AND carbs are both low, amino acids are used for structure, gluconeogenesis is halted, and fat is now broken down for its ketones which are then used as the primary fuel. The heart uses ketones EXCLUSIVELY and the peripheral tissues prefer it. In fact, that is what happens when we sleep at night. During sleep the body breaks down fat into ketones to rejuvenate the heart and peripheral tissues. Ketones are the bodies nightly rejuvenation fuel. All organs and tissues can and do use ketones as fuel...and ketoSIS (the state a person is in when eating low carb) is NOT THE SAME as (ketoACIDOSIS) that a type1 diabetic gets. They are NOT the same.

The body NEEDS protein to build and maintain muscle . The body NEEDS fat to build and maintain cellular integrity. The body DOES NOT need any ingested carbohydrate. Again...the body makes it's own carbohydrate from ingested amino acids, and will also use ketones as fuel from fat breakdown. Biochemistry is a vast and complex field, and even most physicians know little about biochemistry. The physicians I studied with (we all take the same biochemistry class) got C's or D's in biochemistry. (which was an eye opener to those of us who chose it as our field that they did so poorly.) My point is this: people should not be quick to quote biochemistry to others or "make it up as they go" from fitness gurus who understand basic nutrition only. (and basic nutrition is a highly watered down version of the glycolytic pathway)

When quoting biochemistry to others, please only do so if you really understand it. Once again...the body does NOT need carbohydrates. The body has 3 basic fuel pathways: 1. the glycolytic pathway (the pathway that uses glucose), 2. beta-oxydation (fat burning pathway) or 3. the pentose 5 pathway (a pathway that would be too difficult to explain here). The fatigue during low carb induction is b/c the body only "codes" (activates it's DNA fragments) for the enzymes it uses, and the enzymes needed for beta oxydation are different than those needed for the glycolysis. The body has to "turn on" the DNA to make the new enzymes for beta oxydation and "shut off or slow down" the enzymes for glycolysis. This actually requires energy input and you feel weak. Well...signing off...and...for those high carb fanatics...troll me if you must...I won't really care...b/c I'm right. Have a great day everyone.

AllyLouB

Excellent post above thankyou, even if I am battling to get my head round it

tolkienlady

I want to clarify a sentence I wrote above: "When protein AND carbohydrates are kept low..." Regarding low protein I meant "low" as pertaining NOT to the high protein that body builders use...so let me restate the sentence so nothing is misunderstood. Let it be rewritten as: "When protein is kept at the proper RDA, and carbs are kept low..." That would be better. Thank you. Excess protein eaten while on a low carb diet will be converted to carbohydrate or fat for storage. That is why it is important while on a low carb diet to calculate how much protein you need and not go excessively over. So...the perfect low carb diet would be "enough protein to maintain and/or build muscle (if lifting weights), and low carb (which amount depends on your insulin resistance level - which is usually never more than 100g per day) Current research does say that a 1:1 ratio carb to protein also promotes fat loss IF you are exercising or lifting weights, BUT you will need to reduce calories on the 1:1 ratio, and the weight loss will be slower. All research validating this info can be found on PubMed

Acg67

Oh my goodness...to the person who wanted medical proof that the body only needs 50-100 grams of carbs a day...here goes: I have a graduate degree in specialty biochemistry, and I will tell you that the human body doesn't need ANY carbohydrates per day and YES I will give you 1000+ Medical studies to prove that. The body makes it's OWN carbohydrate (glucose) from ingested amino acids via a process called "gluconeogenesis" when carb intake is too low. When protein AND carbs are both low, amino acids are used for structure, gluconeogenesis is halted, and fat is now broken down for its ketones which are then used as the primary fuel. The heart uses ketones EXCLUSIVELY and the peripheral tissues prefer it. In fact, that is what happens when we sleep at night. During sleep the body breaks down fat into ketones to rejuvenate the heart and peripheral tissues. Ketones are the bodies nightly rejuvenation fuel. All organs and tissues can and do use ketones as fuel...and ketoSIS (the state a person is in when eating low carb) is NOT THE SAME as (ketoACIDOSIS) that a type1 diabetic gets. They are NOT the same.

If the body needs no carbs as you say, why would the body then produce it's own carbs if it did not need them?

tolkienlady

No. The body does not need carbohydrates. EXCESS protein is converted to glucose for fuel (if needed) or stored as fat (if not needed). Just b/c the body will convert protein to carbohydrate when in excess (and if the body is caloric deficient) doesn't in any way mean it NEEDS to do that. That logic isn't accurate. That's like saying b/c the body stores excess calories as fat that the body NEEDS to store excess calories as fat. If the body always did what it NEEDED then no one would ever be obese. The body can survive forever without carbohydrates. This is just the way it is. The body will either survive on ketones if fat is high and carbs low, or make it's own glucose when caloric deficient and carbs are the dietary predominant macronutrient. This is much to difficult to explain to the lay person on a forum post. It took me years to learn all this I'm telling you in a few paragraphs...but...If you would like to split hairs...or would like a detailed study on biochemistry I suggest "Biochemistry" by Voet & Voet. It explains everything. You COULD also set up an appointment with John's Hopkins University and they will help you understand ketogenic diet and beta oxydation. I'm NOT here to argue but to help others dig out of misnomers who are on the low carb diet.

gerrielips

I agree, I feel that choosing the RIGHT carbs is key. My carbs mainly come from vegetables, so I know I am getting the vitamins that I need.
Soon, once I've lost more weight, I will re-introduce whole grains again. I started dieting using the MFP guidelines, and lost 12 lbs. But now I'm feeling that I am eating way too many carbs, especially sugars. And since Saturday, limiting my carbs and sugars, I already have much more energy, but the downside is the headaches, which I noticed started today.

The whole grains add fiber and seem to satisfy me more, along with the vegetables, plus 1-2 fruits a day - are you sure that eliminating whole grains at this phase is the correct thing to do for long term dietary changes?

Acg67

No. The body does not need carbohydrates. EXCESS protein is converted to glucose for fuel (if needed) or stored as fat (if not needed). Just b/c the body will convert protein to carbohydrate when in excess doesn't in any way mean it NEEDS to do that. That logic isn't accurate. That's like saying b/c the body stores excess calories as fat that the body NEEDS to store excess calories as fat. If the body always did what it NEEDED then no one would ever be obese. The body can survive forever without carbohydrates. This is just the way it is. The body will either survive on ketones if fat is kept high, or make it's own glucose if fat is low. This is much to difficult to explain to the lay person on a forum post. It took me two years to learn all this I'm telling you in a few paragraphs...but...If you would like to split hairs...or would like a detailed study on biochemistry I suggest "Biochemistry" by Voet & Voet. It explains everything. You COULD also set up an appointment with John's Hopkins university and they will help you understand ketogenic diet and beta oxydation. I'm NOT here to argue but to help others dig out of misnomers who are on the low carb diet.

So having a blood glucose level of 0 would be perfectly fine since your "The body can survive forever without carbohydrates" got it, learn something new everyday

GurleyGirl524

it is probably your blood sugar dropping. It is very important to eat carbs. I just try to make sure the majority of mine come from fruits and veggies

katekross

Good morning. You need to choose foods that have a lower glycemic index. Also, helpful hint When you look at the nutrition facts, the amount of grams for fiber can be subtracted from total carbohydrates.

LemonsAndCoffee

I don't have any scientfic advice or anything but I just wanted to let you know you aren't alone. I re-started healthy eating over the weekend and Monday - Tuesday I had a horrible headache and my body just felt weird. Tuesday night into Wednesday it went away and I feel great today so I'm assuming it was just my body adjusting :happy:

ETA: I just wanted to add that I was drinking lots of water, eating good proteins, lots of fruit/veggies....so I wasn't starving myself or anything.

skm4jc

I'm doing low carb, too. I've done it before, I just needed to get back on that bandwagon.

There's not much you can do for the headaches right now. As you said, they will pass in a few days. Drink more water, take an Excedrin or two, and/or drink an extra cup of coffee or tea.

As to your question about tracking sugar alcohols: The answer is no, at least not on MFP. Some food entries already have the sugar alcohols subtracted - usually this is noted in parenthesis (0 net carbs, sugar alcohols subtracted, etc). I have not yet found a good app that helps you track these numbers well. The Atkins app touts being improved, but I think it still sucks. I try to keep a notebook.