Have you tried the ketogenic diet? A lot of people have had success with this diet. It may help you lose weight or improve certain health conditions related to eating too many carbohydrates. This diet, however, has many side effects that you should be aware of. If you’re concerned about the link between the keto diet and restless leg syndrome, here’s what you need to know.
The ketogenic or keto diet is high in fat and low in carbohydrates. It’s designed to put the body into a state known as ketosis, which forces the body to burn fat rather than carbohydrates for energy. The keto diet is used for weight loss and may also help with conditions such as:
There are several different versions of the keto diet, including some designed for athletes or bodybuilders. The keto diet is basically fairly safe when implemented correctly. However, it can still have side effects.
"Keto flu," general fatigue, brain fog, and malaise, is known to happen for many people early in the diet when their bodies run out of carbs to burn and switch to burning fat. Other side effects include diarrhea and reduced athletic performance. And there is a strong link between the keto diet and restless leg syndrome that causes problems for people who are new to this diet.
General sleeping problems are common side effects for people on this diet. This includes the sleeping problem known as restless leg syndrome (RLS). RLS causes uncomfortable sensations in the legs that make you want to move them. These symptoms often occur in the evening or at night when you’re trying to sleep. Sitting or lying down makes the symptoms worse, and this will seriously disrupt your sleeping patterns or stop you from falling asleep at all.
There is a strong link between the keto diet and restless leg syndrome because of electrolyte deficiencies. Electrolytes are minerals that carry a positive or negative charge. The minerals support energy production in the body and hydration and are essential for a variety of bodily functions.
Two of the essential electrolytes are potassium and magnesium. It’s very common to suffer from deficiencies in these electrolytes when you’re on a keto diet which, in turn, may cause restless leg syndrome.
You may have to experiment with your diet a bit when trying to correct restless leg syndrome. It can be very difficult to get enough of these nutrients on the keto diet without eating more carbs than you're allowed. You can try supplementing these nutrients with tablets or with electrolyte drinks. However, when it comes to getting enough potassium, in particular, taking a supplement may not be ideal. You will get enough potassium from your food, therefore food is a better source of this nutrient.
Foods like avocado, edamame, and salmon are good options for getting more potassium in your diet without adding too many carbs.
The key to this is to listen to your body and to work with a medical professional who’s aware of the keto diet. You will need an individual approach to correcting your deficiencies that takes into account the keto diet as well as your overall health and any conditions you might have. This is even more important if you have Adrenal Fatigue Syndrome (AFS).
Poor sleeping patterns are a common problem when you have AFS and a major cause of the stress that brings on AFS. This type of stress tends to be relatively low-grade but chronic and it can last for years. This type of chronic stress is the primary cause of AFS. Stress activates the NeuroEndoMetabolic (NEM) stress response, causing the release of cortisol into the body. Cortisol is a very helpful hormone that helps your body cope with stress by prompting changes in the body’s circuits.
When you’re under chronic stress, the adrenals become fatigued from the high demand for cortisol. The changes brought about by cortisol, however, are usually temporary. In case this becomes permanent, it causes imbalances in these altered circuits, and this can be very dangerous and debilitating.
The Neuroaffect Circuit is one of six circuits in the body and includes the brain, the autonomic nervous system (ANS), and the microbiome. These components work together and separately to resolve stress and perform lots of very essential functions. When they become unbalanced and start to malfunction because of AFS, it can be very distressing and dangerous.
Poor sleep is already very common when you have AFS due to neurotransmitter imbalances and other health problems. If you make the change to the keto diet during this time and experience restless legs, this will only worsen your sleeping problems and cause additional stress for your body. This will, in turn, worsen adrenal fatigue.
This link between the keto diet and restless leg syndrome means that you need to be very careful when deciding whether to try this diet. Work with a medical practitioner who’s aware of AFS and make any changes slowly, checking for side effects.
You will also need to be careful when trying to rebalance your electrolytes to alleviate restless leg syndrome when you have AFS. Taking supplements such as magnesium and potassium can cause paradoxical reactions or sensitivities, which will further increase stress levels and worsen AFS. That’s why you should try to get the nutrients you need first from food and only supplement with the help of an AFS aware doctor.
Unfortunately, the link between the keto diet and restless leg syndrome means that you may experience this type of sleeping problem when you try this diet. If you do, here’s what you need to do:
For more help with your diet or with poor sleeping patterns, you can use our Ask the Doctor system by clicking here or talk to one of our staff at +1 (626) 571-1234.
There is a strong link between the keto diet and restless leg syndrome. People who are new to the keto diet often experience this sleeping disorder because of nutrient imbalances. These can be difficult to correct while staying on this diet, so consult your doctor for help.
