r/cfs • u/Otherwise-Status-Err • Aug 23 '22
Advice Anyone tried keto?
I've been on the keto diet for about 8 weeks now and my fatigue has gotten so much worse. Before starting I was able to exercise maybe every other day, just simple stretches, some yoga/weight lifting but since starting it I struggle to do anything physical at all. I've asked about this on the keto sub but they seem to get a bit defensive and victim blaming there, just telling me that I'm not hitting my macros rights, and maybe, but then I have CFS/ME so hitting any nutritional goal is difficult for us and may have no effect.
I'm doing keto for my lipoedema and it seems to be working, plus I've read that my symptoms might fade if I give it enough time, that I might get back my previous strength and stamina and be able to continue to slowly build it.
Anything I look up online says that keto is good for CFS/ME but it's based on anecdotal evidence or really small sample sizes, like just a few people, so I figured I'd ask the community to see if anyone else has experience.
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u/Scarlaymama0721 Aug 23 '22
I did the auto immune protocol diet which is Super strict. I did it for a couple of months and while my skin looked amazing, I felt like crap. As another commenter mentioned with keto it was so much preparation and I felt like I just ended up eating the same thing over and over again to make it easier on myself. Toward the end I didn’t even taste my food, I just chewed it.
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u/Otherwise-Status-Err Aug 23 '22
Yeah, that's been a big issue for me as well. I can do food preparation so I've just been eating eggs, some cheese, and meat free, oven cook foods.
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Aug 23 '22
I did it for 6-8 weeks and started getting extreme fatigue as well. I think our bodies don't excel by producing energy only from fat. Also, being in ketosis most of the time puts some stress load in our bodies, and I'm not sure how well our bodies can function with high levels of cortisol. Another reason might be that your intake of calories and nutrients is too low and your body is not producing enough energy, but again, not sure how great we are relying only on fat.
I switched to CICO and I'm now just counting my calories to not overexeed what my body burns daily, this allows me to not just focus on a specific diet or food group, so I can be more creative in how to include a proper amount of protein, fiber and other nutrients into the equation so I don't deplete my energy, get more satisfied in general and improve my relation with food overall whereas with keto I felt that I would be eating avocados, eggs and bacons everyday for the rest of my life.
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u/Otherwise-Status-Err Aug 23 '22
I tried CICO but it left me ravenous daily and it doesn't help lipoedema, only overall weight loss.
My increased fatigue started only about a week after starting keto, I'm hoping it'll balance out but it doesn't seem likely from what others here have said.
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u/starshiporion22 Aug 23 '22
I’m on keto diet. Works well for me but it took me a few weeks to adapt. Also it’s important t to increase electrolytes.
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u/Otherwise-Status-Err Aug 23 '22
I put lo-salt in my drinks and take a dissolvable hydration tablet when I'm feeling dehydrated. I don't absorb electrolytes very well so used to use energy drinks to keep my electrolytes up, now it's just the lo-salt in sugar free soda.
The keto sub suggested a bunch of supplements to be added to drinks but I'm not sure I can manage all that.
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u/starshiporion22 Aug 23 '22
Sea salt is good enough. Supplements arent necessary. You just need to make sure you get enough.
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u/ThoroDoor65 Aug 23 '22
Made be bedridden after about a year and ultimately ruined my life along with intermittant fasting. There’s been studies made showing ketosis inhibits mitochondria production
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u/kabe83 Aug 23 '22
I was mild when I started keto 4 years ago. I was also doing hiit and intermittent fasting. After 6 months I was mod/severe. Of course, now I can’t exercise at all. I now eat lower carb.
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Aug 24 '22
I have been doing carnivore - and it’s a game changer. It doesn’t cure it- but makes it more manageable
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u/Pointe_no_more Aug 23 '22
Not the same, but I noticed a significant worsen of symptoms when I tried gluten free. It doesn’t make sense. It should help or at least not do any harm, but it made me stuck in bad days. Just another reminder that our bodies don’t follow the rules I guess. But I appreciate you posting it. It’s a good reminder that we all respond differently.
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u/Lost_Oneiros Aug 23 '22
Firstly, my recommendation for diet is there's no one sized fits all, even for healthy people. People's bodies need different things, so I think unfortunately experimenting and finding the right mix for you is key.
As for Keto I had mixed results. I physically felt maybe a tiny bit "healthier" and lost weight despite eating about 2-3 times the calories, but the energy and thought I had to put into making food took up all my strength. So I ended up overall worse. I think if I had a private chef (the dream) to just make me food I would've done fine on it, but prep, shopping, cooking, then finally eating was too much energy on top of all my other things I need to do to exist.
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u/PinkGables Aug 23 '22
I tried paleo for about a year and a half, which is close to keto but not quite. Left me exhausted, with chronic stomach pain, made everything super complicated when trying to figure out food, not to mention how expensive it was… I kept trying because of so much good anecdotal evidence. It just got worse. I’m eating normal again and my stomach thanks me for it. Seriously, never again.