Top-3 Mineral Deficiencies On A Keto Diet (And How To Fix It)

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Ketogenic diets have exploded in popularity over the last few years and a common question I get asked after clients start a ketogenic diet is “why do I feel lousy?” Like them, you’re probably thinking going keto will provide an immediate mental and physical boost.

For some, it will. For others, you may experience adverse symptoms, known as the “keto flu”. When you start a very low-carb ketogenic diet, the reduction in starches and sugars in your diet will flush water and sodium out of your body in the first few weeks.

As your sodium levels fall, so too will potassium levels. This can leave you feeling tired, sluggish, and wondering what you got yourself into. While this is only temporary, here are some suggestions for avoiding key mineral deficiencies when adopting a ketogenic dietary strategy. 

Sodium

One of the biggest health and nutrition “myths” is that you should avoid salt. If you’re fit, healthy, and following a keto diet you’ll lose water and sodium in the first few weeks.

For athletes, this problem can be compounded because you also lose sodium through your sweat, and as your sweat rate increases, your sodium and blood volume will decline. Not a good recipe for optimal energy and performance.

On the flip side, if you’re overweight, out of shape or in poor health then your body is likely already retaining sodium due to the excess bodyweight (and subsequent increase in hormones insulin and aldosterone, which make you retain more salt).

Symptoms of low sodium include fatigue, headaches, compromised ability to perform (especially outdoors in the heat) and in more serious cases you may pass out. Remember that most of the sodium in your body is found in your bloodstream, so if you become deficient, you don’t have many reserves to tap into.

In the first few weeks on a keto diet only about half of your weight loss is from body-fat, the other half is from water and sodium loss. Therefore, getting enough sodium is crucial.

Aim for an extra 1,000-2,000mg of sodium daily via:

  • Pink Himalayan or Celtic Sea salt (preferred over standard table salt)

  • Broth or bouillon (1-2 cups per day)

  • Shellfish (i.e. oysters, mussels, crab, etc.)

Athletes who struggle with salt loses, or heavy sweaters, should consider taking 250-750 mg of sodium before workouts to offset adverse effects of low sodium on performance. (Sweat testing can provide you with personalized amounts).

Potassium

When you lose sodium on a keto diet, the salt depletion causes a parallel loss of potassium. Common symptoms of a potassium deficiency - the medical term is hypokalemia - include weakness, muscular cramps, constipation, irritability or skin problems.

In athletes, low potassium can compromise lean muscle mass which will ultimately impact performance, and in more severe cases, you may experience heart palpitations, irregular heartbeats, respiratory distress (and even heart failure with serious deficiency). 

Virtually all fruits and veggies contain significant amounts of potassium, but not all are keto friendly. In fact, most people don’t realize that animal protein is terrific source of dietary potassium, however the cooking process strips a great deal of it away (but the leftover juices from cooking can be used to keep your levels up).  

Here is a list of my potassium-rich keto-friendly foods:

  • Spinach (2 cups) – 330mg

  • Chicken breast - 330mg

  • Salmon (3 oz) - 326mg

  • Beef (3 oz) - 315mg

  • Avocado (1/2 medium) - 320mg

  • Broccoli (1/2 cup) - 230mg

  • Asparagus (1/2 cup) – 202mg

Magnesium

Do you ever suffer from muscle cramps? Lack of magnesium may be the culprit. Magnesium is the body’s “calming” mineral; helping to keep your brain, heart and muscles relaxed.

Magnesium is also essential for protein synthesis, blood sugar control, energy metabolism and over 300 other biochemical reactions in the body. Intense exercise, lack of sleep, and stress can all deplete magnesium levels.

Animal protein is also a great source of magnesium – in particular shellfish like oysters and mussels – along with leafy greens.

Veggies get their deep green colour from chlorophyll, and the core of the chlorophyll molecule is magnesium, so make sure to always eat your leafy greens at mealtime. The darker the leafy green, the more magnesium.

Include the following regularly:

  • Spinach (1 cup cooked) – 157mg

  • Swiss Chard (1 cup cooked) – 154mg

  • Pumpkin Seeds (1/8 cup) – 90mg

  • Oysters (3 oz.) – 80mg

  • Yogurt (Plain) – 50mg

  • Avocado (1/2 medium)– 30mg

The Bottom Line: If you’re starting (or already following) a keto diet, it’s important to make sure you keep your electrolytes in balance, in particular sodium, potassium and magnesium.

If you follow this approach, you can significantly reduce – and even prevent – many of the adverse symptoms associated with starting up a ketogenic diet.

Remember, a keto diet is just one strategy, or tool, to achieving weight loss and better health. In some it will work well, in others it won’t.

Find the dietary strategy you can follow consistently and you’ll increase your odds of achieving your long-term weight loss goals.

Dr. Marc Bubbs ND, MSc, CISSN, CSCS

 

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>> Want to learn more about keto? Listen to Dr. Ryan Lowery PhD talk all things ketogenic diet in Episode #33 of the Performance Nutrition Podcast...