Keto adapting - heart palpitations and dizzy when standing

(Luke Owen) #1

Hi,

I’m getting dizzy when I stand up and am having heart palpitations.

Any suggestions on why and what can help?

Luke

(Bob M) #2

I’d focus on more salt first. See if that helps.

(Michael - When reality fails to meet expectations, the problem is not reality.) #3

“Salt” = sodium, potassium, magnesium and their ratios. If you don’t eat dairy, calcium as well.

Here’s what Phinney has to say about it:

#4

You’re electrolyte depleted my fried! The dizzy when standing up is most likely Sodium, the Heart palpitations are Potassium. Gotta get it in!

(Luke Owen) #5

Thanks!

Why does this happen? Will this go away when I’m adapted?

Luke

(Michael - When reality fails to meet expectations, the problem is not reality.) #6

Eating carbs causes your metabolism and kidneys and muscles and other stuff to retain water. This is not healthy, since one of the purposes of excreting water is to remove metabolic waste products. Eating keto is not water retaining, so your metabolism and kidneys and muscles and other stuff allow water to pass through taking all the waste with it to excrete. That’s good; natural and healthy. Unfortunately, the water takes water soluble minerals along with it. So you have to replenish either from food or supplements.

#7

This is your bodies natural state, carbs make you constantly re-uptake salt over and over again. Naturally you need to get enough from diet. Naturally you’d be getting massive amounts from organ meats and such. Right now you’re flushing them out, it gets better but you do need to consume the (actual) correct sodium amount now. If your diet doesn’t have enough mag/pot you gotta fix that too. If unsure track with cronometer and take a look at what you’re really getting in. You’re probably going to be very surprised.

(You've tried everything else; why not try bacon?) #8

The kidneys excrete sodium more readily when insulin and glucose are not interfering. So on a ketogenic diet, we need to make sure to get a bit more salt. Also, sodium intake is only a concern to people with salt-sensitive hypertension, which is a small minority of people with high blood pressure. The rest of us need far more salt to be healthy, than most governmental recommendations allow. (The U.S. dietary intake for salt is particularly unhealthy.)

Several recent studies independently showed that the healthiest sodium intake is in the range of 4-6 grams/day, which translates to 10-15 grams of table salt (sodium chloride). (This figure includes any salt already present in our food, so it’s not as much of a challenge as it may seem.) The proper salt intake will also help your body regulate calcium, magnesium, and potassium, and may make it unnecessary to supplement these other minerals. Should you find that you still need to supplement, there is plenty of information on these forums, which searching on the name of the mineral in question will turn up.

(Joey) #9

+1 to everything said in response above.

Here’s my n=1 related to this topic:

Since going keto (restricting extraneous carbs) over a year ago, I’ve been putting salt on everything I eat in addition to salting my daily drinking water (along with spiking it with magnesium citrate powder) to keep my electrolytes up…

My blood pressure is remarkably lower now than ever. In fact, I flirt with a bit of postural hypotension - which is basically getting dizzy when standing up from a flat position. So, in the morning when getting out of bed, first I sit on the side of the bed with my feet down for a moment. Then I stand up. This does the trick. No worries.

The dizziness is a very minor issue and it’s a sign of LOW blood pressure. Other than fainting if you’re not careful by changing positions gently, it’s not going to hurt you - it’s far superior to high blood pressure. Enjoy your improving health! And stay hydrated and keep your electrolytes up. Sounds like you’re doing well :vulcan_salute:

#10

I use taste to know when I need to supplement with lots of salt. When I can’t taste salt taken straight or as salt water then I know I’ve gotten too low. I add what appears to be an insane amount of salt to my food and after a few days I can taste salt again. I just keep adding til I get to the point where it’s too salty for me (salt lover), then I cut back for a time where I can’t taste it anymore. I also supplement higher dose potassium and magnesium regularly. Not so worried about calcium as the vitamin D and K2 will pull calcium out of soft tissue, joints and push it into bones and teeth.

(You've tried everything else; why not try bacon?) #11

While working for a factory years ago, I noticed that the instructions for the electrolyte drink they made us take on really hot days said to drink the stuff until it stopped tasting good. It worked! Between one sip and the next, you’d suddenly realise the stuff had gone from tasting great to tasting awful.

I’m the same way with salt. When I need more, I love the taste, but once I’ve had enough, salty food loses its appeal.