Keto and High Blood Pressure
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PeaceHealthLife
Posts: 2 Member
I have read both that a keto diet is not recommended for people with high blood pressure and I have also read that it is recommended. What is your opinion? I am interested in a Keto Diet because I think my body would respond well, but do have high blood pressure. I know a lot of what I would be eating (cheese, some meats) can be high in sodium. My cholesterol and blood sugar are good. Going to the doctor in two week and will ask her, but wanted to get some opinions.
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Replies
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In general, keto does lower blood pressure if you are a sodium responder, but could raise it if you are a high responder for stress and are not finding the diet pleasant. If you are on medications it's highly recommended to always have the ability to contact your doctor. Keto hugely affects electrolytes which could cause uncontrollable dramatic drops in blood pressure if you are on meds for it, and may require a dose adjustment along the way. Try it and see how it does for you, but keep your doctor on board.2
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Also, if you go the carnivore route, most meats and oils are very low in sodium anyway, so long as you stay far away from canned stuff.1
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Keto means reduced insulin levels which in general means more sodium lost to urine. Hence the "keto flu" with issues like postural hypotension. Discuss with doctor on basis that you expect to have lower retention of sodium.1
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I agree with the others. If low sodium helps you then keto will probably help you.
What sources were you reading?2 -
My husband and I live the Keto Lifestyle his A1C was a 6.2 and he is on cholesterol meds and high blood pressure meds. He just went to the doc and his A1C 5.8 blood pressure much lower and his cholesterol much lower! Even with the meds he ran high and now in normal range! They see him in 3 months and may try him off the meds! Doc said keep doing what he's doing !2
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Are you on bp meds?0
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I agree with the others. If low sodium helps you then keto will probably help you.
What sources were you reading?
I thought on keto you are supposed to up your sodium levels as well as potassium to prevent keto flu and to keep electrolytes balanced? which I read can raise blood pressure in some people1 -
Huh I never thought about that. Thank you guys for the insight! I'm on BP meds (verapamil) for my migraines and have been doing the stand up/get the spins thing. I'm not low low with the carb range (55 gross, 35 net, light purple) but it gives me something to take to my doctor to make sure I'm doing this right. Thanks!!0
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CharlieBeansmomTracey wrote: »I agree with the others. If low sodium helps you then keto will probably help you.
What sources were you reading?
I thought on keto you are supposed to up your sodium levels as well as potassium to prevent keto flu and to keep electrolytes balanced? which I read can raise blood pressure in some people
Yes, but if high sodium levels are exacerbating a high BP condition, then keto is a good fit because it will lower your sodium levels. If sodium levels get too low, then the electrolyte imbalance (aka keto flu - I hate that term) will occur.
You generally don't need to increase potassium and magnesium unless sodium has been low for a while. Its then that the body will leach out its K and Mg to use as electrolytes if Na is unavailable.0 -
CharlieBeansmomTracey wrote: »I agree with the others. If low sodium helps you then keto will probably help you.
What sources were you reading?
I thought on keto you are supposed to up your sodium levels as well as potassium to prevent keto flu and to keep electrolytes balanced? which I read can raise blood pressure in some people
Yes, but if high sodium levels are exacerbating a high BP condition, then keto is a good fit because it will lower your sodium levels. If sodium levels get too low, then the electrolyte imbalance (aka keto flu - I hate that term) will occur.
You generally don't need to increase potassium and magnesium unless sodium has been low for a while. Its then that the body will leach out its K and Mg to use as electrolytes if Na is unavailable.
just wondering as everything I have read about keto says to keep sodium around 3500-5000mg a day for ketoers. which for a lot of people with high blood pressure a lot of them are told to keep it under 2000 mg a day. I mean its possible it will work for op.but its ultimately up to the OP with what they choose to do so.0 -
CharlieBeansmomTracey wrote: »CharlieBeansmomTracey wrote: »I agree with the others. If low sodium helps you then keto will probably help you.
What sources were you reading?
I thought on keto you are supposed to up your sodium levels as well as potassium to prevent keto flu and to keep electrolytes balanced? which I read can raise blood pressure in some people
Yes, but if high sodium levels are exacerbating a high BP condition, then keto is a good fit because it will lower your sodium levels. If sodium levels get too low, then the electrolyte imbalance (aka keto flu - I hate that term) will occur.
You generally don't need to increase potassium and magnesium unless sodium has been low for a while. Its then that the body will leach out its K and Mg to use as electrolytes if Na is unavailable.
just wondering as everything I have read about keto says to keep sodium around 3500-5000mg a day for ketoers. which for a lot of people with high blood pressure a lot of them are told to keep it under 2000 mg a day. I mean its possible it will work for op.but its ultimately up to the OP with what they choose to do so.
There's also preliminary research that suggests those whose blood pressure responds to sodium were found to be insulin resistant (which causes sodium retention) so another reason some people may see favorable blood pressure results on keto is the underlying hyperinsulimia is being treated by the diet.1 -
AlabasterVerve wrote: »CharlieBeansmomTracey wrote: »CharlieBeansmomTracey wrote: »I agree with the others. If low sodium helps you then keto will probably help you.
What sources were you reading?
I thought on keto you are supposed to up your sodium levels as well as potassium to prevent keto flu and to keep electrolytes balanced? which I read can raise blood pressure in some people
Yes, but if high sodium levels are exacerbating a high BP condition, then keto is a good fit because it will lower your sodium levels. If sodium levels get too low, then the electrolyte imbalance (aka keto flu - I hate that term) will occur.
You generally don't need to increase potassium and magnesium unless sodium has been low for a while. Its then that the body will leach out its K and Mg to use as electrolytes if Na is unavailable.
just wondering as everything I have read about keto says to keep sodium around 3500-5000mg a day for ketoers. which for a lot of people with high blood pressure a lot of them are told to keep it under 2000 mg a day. I mean its possible it will work for op.but its ultimately up to the OP with what they choose to do so.
There's also preliminary research that suggests those whose blood pressure responds to sodium were found to be insulin resistant (which causes sodium retention) so another reason some people may see favorable blood pressure results on keto is the underlying hyperinsulimia is being treated by the diet.
ahh ok well that makes sense.I knew people used it for IR,PCOS and type 2 and some seizure disorders to help control those things.0 -
CharlieBeansmomTracey wrote: »CharlieBeansmomTracey wrote: »I agree with the others. If low sodium helps you then keto will probably help you.
What sources were you reading?
I thought on keto you are supposed to up your sodium levels as well as potassium to prevent keto flu and to keep electrolytes balanced? which I read can raise blood pressure in some people
Yes, but if high sodium levels are exacerbating a high BP condition, then keto is a good fit because it will lower your sodium levels. If sodium levels get too low, then the electrolyte imbalance (aka keto flu - I hate that term) will occur.
You generally don't need to increase potassium and magnesium unless sodium has been low for a while. Its then that the body will leach out its K and Mg to use as electrolytes if Na is unavailable.
just wondering as everything I have read about keto says to keep sodium around 3500-5000mg a day for ketoers. which for a lot of people with high blood pressure a lot of them are told to keep it under 2000 mg a day. I mean its possible it will work for op.but its ultimately up to the OP with what they choose to do so.
It stressed to keto'ers to keep sodium to at least 3000-5000mg because we lose so much sodium. Our sodium needs are not actually higher. That 5000mg is to replace sodium that the body lost due to the lowered insulin from fewer carbs.
I would guess that people who eat very low carb but high protein would not experience the same need to replace lost sodium because protein is insulingenic, unlike fat.0 -
CharlieBeansmomTracey wrote: »CharlieBeansmomTracey wrote: »I agree with the others. If low sodium helps you then keto will probably help you.
What sources were you reading?
I thought on keto you are supposed to up your sodium levels as well as potassium to prevent keto flu and to keep electrolytes balanced? which I read can raise blood pressure in some people
Yes, but if high sodium levels are exacerbating a high BP condition, then keto is a good fit because it will lower your sodium levels. If sodium levels get too low, then the electrolyte imbalance (aka keto flu - I hate that term) will occur.
You generally don't need to increase potassium and magnesium unless sodium has been low for a while. Its then that the body will leach out its K and Mg to use as electrolytes if Na is unavailable.
just wondering as everything I have read about keto says to keep sodium around 3500-5000mg a day for ketoers. which for a lot of people with high blood pressure a lot of them are told to keep it under 2000 mg a day. I mean its possible it will work for op.but its ultimately up to the OP with what they choose to do so.
It stressed to keto'ers to keep sodium to at least 3000-5000mg because we lose so much sodium. Our sodium needs are not actually higher. That 5000mg is to replace sodium that the body lost due to the lowered insulin from fewer carbs.
I would guess that people who eat very low carb but high protein would not experience the same need to replace lost sodium because protein is insulingenic, unlike fat.
possibly. I dont know. thats why I ask questions.I mean I cant do keto as I have a health issues,the high fat is a no on. I just ask questions so I can learn about it.besides from what I have read and researched. some things arent extensive enough though and dont tell you everything lol0 -
If you haven't checked it out already, check out the website Optimal Keto Living. As it explains perfectly, when losing weight, the high fat component of the HFLC way of eating is actually derived from the fat stores on our own bodies. Therefore, you're not necessarily eating large quantities of dietary fat. Only higher protein and reduced sugars and carbohydrates.
As for BP, when I started eating predominantly keto, my BP dropped significantly from 135/96 to 123/73. That happened in less than a month. Another friend of mine was on a maximum dosage for BP medication and since starting this keto has been able to go off of his BP medication completely. Not only that , but he has dropped 68 lbs in only 4 months! ( his starting weight was 375, so his weight would drop quickly at the start)0 -
Brelynndee wrote: »If you haven't checked it out already, check out the website Optimal Keto Living. As it explains perfectly, when losing weight, the high fat component of the HFLC way of eating is actually derived from the fat stores on our own bodies. Therefore, you're not necessarily eating large quantities of dietary fat. Only higher protein and reduced sugars and carbohydrates.
As for BP, when I started eating predominantly keto, my BP dropped significantly from 135/96 to 123/73. That happened in less than a month. Another friend of mine was on a maximum dosage for BP medication and since starting this keto has been able to go off of his BP medication completely. Not only that , but he has dropped 68 lbs in only 4 months! ( his starting weight was 375, so his weight would drop quickly at the start)
Here is what I do know, is that keto is low carb(usually less than 50g net) high fat(dietary fat) and moderate protein.High protein can knock you out of ketosis(as protein can be broken down as glycogen). as for using just fat from your body,thats not 100% true,your body is using the fat you eat as fuel instead of the carbs. thats why most people eat 5% carbs,25% protein and the rest are fats(or some variation but protein is kept to a lower amount than fat). and as for dropping a high amount of weight at first a lot of that is water weight,sodium and and glycogen stores. keto is not a magical way to lose fat,you still have to be in a deficit to lose weight.I do know that also its used to help treat many health issues as well. aside from that I would say that your friend having so much to lose was in a bigger deficit than normal which is what caused him to lose weight so quickly.for many keto helps prevent them from having sugar cravings and can help them stick to a deficit easier.2
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