Questions about starting ketogenic diet

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Daymoo
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Questions about starting ketogenic diet

Post by Daymoo »

Hi,

I’ve started my keto diet per Bredesen’s suggestion in advance of seeing my Bredesen trained doctor (one month away.)

I ordered what I thought were the blood strips twice, but I received urine strips instead.

Two questions:

As long as I know I am hydrated, eg not first thing in the morning, does ANY amount of ketones showing on my urine strip = I am in Ketosis? I’m guessing if I weren’t, it would be negative, or zero? (And yes I understand that being overhydrated can cause a false negative).

2. I have experienced some intense all day charley horses that I am associating with a kind of keto flu. I’ve increased magnesium, topical and internal. I also take ionized electrolyte blend (concentrace ) throughout the day, as well as nettles tea.But I’m concerned about calcium—I’m not taking much — about 300 mg a day in a multi— and I’m wondering if it is advisable to get the biomarkers for eg minerals and cofactors BEFORE one starts Ketosis to avoid things like charley horses. In other words, could I be digging myself into a more mineral imbalanced place doing keto without properly monitored mins, or is there a kind of homeostasis that eventually happens that makes the mineral piece more adjunctive to the keto diet?

Thanks, community! Any input welcome.
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TheresaB
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Re: Questions about starting ketogenic diet

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Daymoo wrote:As long as I know I am hydrated, eg not first thing in the morning, does ANY amount of ketones showing on my urine strip = I am in Ketosis? I’m guessing if I weren’t, it would be negative, or zero? (And yes I understand that being overhydrated can cause a false negative).
As long as you're not ingesting/supplementing with with something to raise ketone levels in your body (coconut oil, MCT oil, ketone salts/products) if the urine strip shows ketones are present, then your body is making ketones. You are correct in that hydration can influence what's being reflected, but you could conceivably be in ketosis and have no ketones reflected on a urine strip, if the body happens to be using all the ketones it's making because there will be none to excrete.

Ketone urine strips are not a bad way to get started, they're helpful but imprecise. They're like a traffic sign that tells you the direction you need to go, it just doesn't tell you how many miles.

If it helps, we do have a wiki: Ketosis and Ketogenic Diet
Daymoo wrote:I have experienced some intense all day charley horses that I am associating with a kind of keto flu.
Daymoo wrote:But I’m concerned about calcium—I’m not taking much — about 300 mg a day
Muscle cramps can be a sign of keto flu. Your strategy with magnesium is a good one, what caught my eye was your comment about calcium. I'm not an expert in calcium, I'm hoping someone with greater knowledge on the subject speaks up, but my general impression is to stay away from calcium supplements, even for those with osteoporosis.
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optimize
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Re: Questions about starting ketogenic diet

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Daymoo wrote: I also take ionized electrolyte blend (concentrace ) throughout the day, as well as nettles tea.
Hi Daymoo,
How much sodium and potassium are you getting each day from the concentrace? I used pink salt and potassium gluconate powder in water, and drank extra when I felt a headache starting (a sign of dehydration), and did well.
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Re: Questions about starting ketogenic diet

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optimize wrote:
Daymoo wrote: I also take ionized electrolyte blend (concentrace ) throughout the day, as well as nettles tea.
Hi Daymoo,
How much sodium and potassium are you getting each day from the concentrace? I used pink salt and potassium gluconate powder in water, and drank extra when I felt a headache starting (a sign of dehydration), and did well.

Thanks, optimize, I think you hit the nail on the head. My multi only has 80 mg of potassium chloride, and the concentrace only has a whopping 3 mg per serving-- about three servings a day. My potassium was borderline low on all my recent CBCs, so go figure-- I do eat tons of avocados, but methinks I need more [of the right] potassium.
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Daymoo
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Re: Questions about starting ketogenic diet

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[quote="TheresaB"]
As long as you're not ingesting/supplementing with with something to raise ketone levels in your body (coconut oil, MCT oil, ketone salts/products) if the urine strip shows ketones are present, then your body is making ketones. You are correct in that hydration can influence what's being reflected, but you could conceivably be in ketosis and have no ketones reflected on a urine strip, if the body happens to be using all the ketones it's making because there will be none to excrete.

If it helps, we do have a wiki: Ketosis and Ketogenic Diet"

Thanks, TheresaB-- yes I'm surprised that the ketones were so high on the strips-- maybe because I'm low in potassium/dehydrated; maybe because I do eat some coconut butter throughout the day.

I will do the potassium and recheck, and get those blood strips soon.

So grateful!
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floramaria
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Re: Questions about starting ketogenic diet

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Daymoo wrote:My multi only has 80 mg of potassium chloride, and the concentrace only has a whopping 3 mg per serving-- about three servings a day. My potassium was borderline low on all my recent CBCs, so go figure-- I do eat tons of avocados, but methinks I need more [of the right] potassium.
Hi Daymoo, I also began to experience muscle cramps when I got onto a strict Keto diet...even though I was also eating a lot of avocados.
At first I tried upping Mg but that did not help at all. It wasn’t until I added potassium that I found relief. My preferred source is Modified Citrus Pectin. Weirdly, part of why I like it is my brain has convinced me that it tastes like butterscotch. lol:
( I think that only shows it has been a long time since I have had butterscotch)
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Re: Questions about starting ketogenic diet

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Daymoo,

Sodium can also be an issue. When you go keto, your insulin levels will drop. This signals the kidneys to excrete sodium (high levels of insulin do the reverse). The sodium excretion can be large enough to cause the body to also excrete more potassium to keep the ratio in balance. So you might try more salt (sodium chloride). See https://www.dietdoctor.com/low-carb/ket ... de-effects
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What to do about charley horses (cramps)

Post by LBKnudson »

For a long time I have had charley horses or cramps especially in my legs. I have found something that works every time to stop them. It is 'Concentrace Trace Mineral Drops' from www.traceminerals.com. It tastes horrible but it works. I take a teaspoon of it in water to stop the cramp immediately.
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