Keto depression
amring
Posts: 21 Member
Hi everyone, I'm on my second week of the keto diet and have lost 2.3kg so far. I don't have any sugar spikes anymore but I seem to be feeling so low (depressed, sad,empty) can it be linked to my diet? I struggle to get enough fat and fibre in..I was wondering if anyone else is experiencing the same? I'm not sure if it's sugar withdrawals...would appreciate if I can get some opinions! Thanks
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Replies
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From what little I know of keto there is often a big water weight drop in the beginning and it's super important to keep your electrolytes up when you're on keto. Could be that? You're not feeling restricted or missing any food in particular?6
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I'd give it another week and if you don't think you are adapting well, maybe move from keto <20 grams to low carb 50 or so grams, by increasing your carb intake to a more sustainable level. Not everyone does well with the keto diet. As for "sugar withdrawal", I'm not sure that is a scientific thing, as there is always sugar (glucose) circulating in the bloodstream. Even on a zero carb diet. Hope you feel better soon.5
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There used to be another poster who frequented these boards who had a similar response to keto. I doubt it was from sugar "withdrawal", though. Saying that, depression increasing on keto has been known to happen. Not everyone responds well to keto.
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GottaBurnEmAll wrote: »There used to be another poster who frequented these boards who had a similar response to keto. I doubt it was from sugar "withdrawal", though. Saying that, depression increasing on keto has been known to happen. Not everyone responds well to keto.
This. I've heard from some that they felt down doing keto, although some find it improves mood or makes mood more stable.
However, sometimes if you were using food (certain kinds of eating) as a crutch to stifle feelings (which I've certainly done) losing it as an option can lead to that reaction too. If that's what's going on, sometimes journaling or mediation or just learning to sit with the feelings can help.12 -
I may be alone in thinking this but I would not try to “tough it out” or wait and see if it gets better, especially if you’re just doing keto to lose weight. Having depression and anxiety myself it’s certainly not a road I would want to continue down if I had the option. If a diet change solves the problem then that is fantastic. If not, then you can move on to find the actual culprit and seek help for it. The sooner you figure out the cause or get help in treating it if no cause can be found, the better.
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My depression and anxiety lifted when I started keto. I'm not exaggerating when I say it has been the best treatment for depression I've ever tried. It definitely has a huge effect on mood.
Our gut has so many neurons, it's often referred to as our "second brain".
If you start feeling depressed on a specific diet, I would strongly suggest you change it. Even if it's just the diet causing this, depression can become a feedback loop where your depression causes you to live in other ways that increase your depression themselves which also caused you to do things that make it worse. For instance, it can make you less likely to go outside, you get less vitamin D, your depression worsens making you even less likely to go outside. And that's just one example.
I really don't think you should mess with that. Just try a different WOE. There's one for you.15 -
Fatty_Nuff wrote: »I'd give it another week and if you don't think you are adapting well, maybe move from keto <20 grams to low carb 50 or so grams, by increasing your carb intake to a more sustainable level. Not everyone does well with the keto diet. As for "sugar withdrawal", I'm not sure that is a scientific thing, as there is always sugar (glucose) circulating in the bloodstream. Even on a zero carb diet. Hope you feel better soon.
keto is 50g net or less. low carb is over 50 up to 100/150g. OP look up keto and depression and there are a lot of things on the internet about it including in keto forum boards.
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I've been doing keto for a while on and off. Week 2 is always the hardest. Mentally, physically and especially craving wise. I do suggest you start if you dont already, taking a multi vitamin.
If after week 3 you still dont feel good, I suggest moving to carb cycling. That way you get 3 carb meals a week and still see great weightloss.14 -
it depends on you. I personally cannot low carb because I get an empty feeling like a hole in my soul.
Good thing that Keto is not the answer to the world's weight loss problems and you can lose just as easily eating carbs as long as under your calorie goal.
Why are you keto-ing by the way? for health reasons such as diabetes? And if so, do you have to go all out keto or can you just decrease your carbs a bit and have less but not keto less?12 -
Here is a good article:
https://www.self.com/story/this-is-what-eating-carbs-actually-does-to-your-body4 -
this one is satyrical but makes valid points https://drbillsukala.com/carbohysteria-letter-to-carbohydrate/3
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Are you getting all your vitamins? Restrictive diets often make certain vits tricky/rare2
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To those who used the Woo reaction on the first two posts, I just wanted to make sure you know what it means, as many mistakenly think it is a positive or hit it by accident:
https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10570889/new-community-reaction-woo
"In our community Woo means that you think an idea or approach is too good to be true."15 -
This was me on keto (I was on it for a month) It was a struggle to get out of bed everyday and I could not stop crying constantly.
But a little after I ate a handful of Mike and Ike's - I was back to feeling normal. I will never do keto again unless medically necessary.11 -
Hi everyone, I'm on my second week of the keto diet and have lost 2.3kg so far. I don't have any sugar spikes anymore but I seem to be feeling so low (depressed, sad,empty) can it be linked to my diet? I struggle to get enough fat and fibre in..I was wondering if anyone else is experiencing the same? I'm not sure if it's sugar withdrawals...would appreciate if I can get some opinions! Thanks
@amring my sugar withdrawals started to fade after week two and by week four were no longer in full control but it can vary from person to person. I found the first 90 days to be a wild ride but I did do it cold turkey by cutting out all foods containing added sugar and or any form of any grain plus keeping total carbs just under 50 grams most days. That was back in Oct 2014. Now over 4 years later I follow the same way of eating except do go over 50 grams of carbs sometimes due to eating more fruit and fiber in general so I float in and out of nutritional ketosis unless my pain starts to return. Pain management is my goal so eating to keep down gut inflammation is my overriding concern so as to reduce risks of all causes of premature health failures.
Best of continued success and keep in mind we are all different so there are many different ways to eat our way to better total health. I am glad my health and health markers are better now at 68 than many years ago.7 -
You are detoxing. Just stick with it you will feel awesome in a few days.35
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MichelleSilverleaf wrote: »
Would I be correct in 'assuming' you have not done Keto yet?
https://gutmicrobiotaforhealth.com/en/about-gut-microbiota-info/
When we move to the Keto WOE we are feeding our gut microbiota differently so the shift in population can lead to a die off of the more health negative microbiota leading to a pronounced short term detoxing for some of us for a few weeks.28 -
GaleHawkins wrote: »MichelleSilverleaf wrote: »
Would I be correct in 'assuming' you have not done Keto yet?
https://gutmicrobiotaforhealth.com/en/about-gut-microbiota-info/
When we move to the Keto WOE we are feeding our gut microbiota differently so the shift in population can lead to a die off of the more health negative microbiota leading to a pronounced short term detoxing for some of us for a few weeks.
I don't need to do keto to know that's not how it works. And you don't exactly have a reputation of sharing factual information, either.18 -
MichelleSilverleaf wrote: »GaleHawkins wrote: »MichelleSilverleaf wrote: »
Would I be correct in 'assuming' you have not done Keto yet?
https://gutmicrobiotaforhealth.com/en/about-gut-microbiota-info/
When we move to the Keto WOE we are feeding our gut microbiota differently so the shift in population can lead to a die off of the more health negative microbiota leading to a pronounced short term detoxing for some of us for a few weeks.
I don't need to do keto to know that's not how it works. And you don't exactly have a reputation of sharing factual information, either.
While you do not understand the detox part when going keto that often occurs that is fine as long others do understand that are trying Keto for the first time.27 -
Change in your lifestyle is by definition stressful. It's my unscientific opinion that changing mood may be a natural response to the added stress that comes from changing the way you're eating. I don't see it as being abnormal, although I didn't experience exactly the same when I started keto.
For me, it was the repeated dream of falling through a hundred foot thick rainbow layer cake with my mouth open, or a sudden fight-or-flight sensation while I briefly considered stealing a cracker from a baby for the carbs.7 -
I'd also be depressed if I was on a diet where carbs are seen as the enemy🤔🤐22
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GaleHawkins wrote: »MichelleSilverleaf wrote: »GaleHawkins wrote: »MichelleSilverleaf wrote: »
Would I be correct in 'assuming' you have not done Keto yet?
https://gutmicrobiotaforhealth.com/en/about-gut-microbiota-info/
When we move to the Keto WOE we are feeding our gut microbiota differently so the shift in population can lead to a die off of the more health negative microbiota leading to a pronounced short term detoxing for some of us for a few weeks.
I don't need to do keto to know that's not how it works. And you don't exactly have a reputation of sharing factual information, either.
While you do not understand the detox part when going keto that often occurs that is fine as long others do understand that are trying Keto for the first time.
She understands a considerable amount more about keto than you do. Our liver and kidneys do a great job of detoxing and if they don't you need an emergency room rather than keto. Those that are trying to understand keto need to be told facts rather than woo.17 -
I have been on keto for 6 days now. It is my first time. I did already reach moderate ketosis today. I do not have cravings but i did get headaches and i have felt very tired the past few days but today was my first day where i felt energized. I have been on low carbs before, around 50g per day. 2 years ago and it took me 3 weeks to get over the cravings. I was living for the next meal. It is different this time. I am going for 20g max. Neither time did i feel depressed. I think it would be worth trying to do maybe a new activity or go out with friend to see if it gets a little better. You can always rise carbs a little but personally, i would wait a little because of the effort it takes to get in ketosis. You can also consult a doctor maybe have a blood test.1
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My guess is low electrolytes too.
When you cut carbs you lose water and electrolytes in glycogen and because insulin falls (which help control water and electrolyte retention). Most keto'ers need at least 3000-5000+ mg of sodium a day to replace what you've lost. If not, the most common symptoms are fatigue, moodiness, headaches, stomach upset, BM issues, muscle weakness and spasms.
There is 2300 mg of sodium in 1 tsp of salt. I would try half a teaspoon of salt twice a day with water, plus liberally salting your food, as soon as possible. If that is the issue, it could resolve within hours.
It is possible that keto is causing it, or it is completely unrelated, but my guess is low sodium. Get more. It can't hurt unless you have kidney disease.
Good luck.16 -
FWIW, neither the Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition nor pubmed have even ONE article that includes both "detox" and "keto" so there's a big clue. Actually, JISSN doesn't have a single article with "detox" included in it, either...hint, hint.
The dude who owns my gym and is a competitive bodybuilder has also written a couple books on keto (both of which I have read) and runs a separate business, "Ketogenic Performance Initiative" and not a single mention of "detox" there either. Hmmm...yeah.
So when you have actual PhD's who have published evidence-based, peer-reviewed scientific articles and you also have boots-on-the-ground hardcore adherents agreeing on something...but *this one guy on MFP* says something else...mmmkay.13 -
Depression was the main reason I stopped my keto trial prematurely. I was planning to give it a try for 2 months but I had to cut it short after week 3. It was so bad I was getting suicidal thoughts, which is very unlike me. It wasn't "sugar withdrawal" because I go weeks without sugar spontaneously sometimes when non-sugary foods seem more attractive to me. It also wasn't from lack of coping skills or using food to self-comfort. It may absolutely be the case for some people, but that wasn't what went wrong for me. No amount of comfort food deprivation would ever lead to suicidal thoughts, it's that unbelievably uncharacteristic for me. My brain chemistry may be wonky and sensitive to certain changes, so this may not be everyone's experience, but it was mine, so I quit the diet. It had the same effect on me as a drug that is used to help quit smoking had, and it is known to mess with brain chemistry. That's why I suspect this was involved.
I tried it again at a later date, about 2 years later, thinking it may have been coincidental and surely enough, I started feeling really down by week 2. I stopped it right away because I didn't want it to get worse.21 -
I want to thank everyone for your replies. Reading your posts made me happy! It feels nice to have so much support and people who understand. I'm considering to up my intake of carbs slightly and see what happens, maybe give it another 2 weeks. You guys are the best!!! Thank you all!13
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Depending on how bad it was I would make sure you're taking a multivitamin if you're not and make sure you're taking vitamin D if you're not. If you're already doing those things and you still feel this way then first you do need to talk to your doctor about it and if you think it's the way of eating that's changed it and you need to change it back for now. It just not worth it5
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