Keto and Mood

sporadical · 2017-10-02 18:07:11 UTC

Hi everyone! I have been attempting keto with varying success for a few months now (I am down about 20 lbs from my heaviest - yay! But am still struggling with cravings - boo.)

After about a month break from keto, I am on my 9th day back on (swearing off all cheating now). This past weekend was a bit emotional for me. Nothing crazy happened. Let me explain.

For the past few days I’ve noticed that I seem to be very sensitive, very much out-of-the-norm for me. I cried for almost a day about something someone said. I am frustrated and depressed with a certain turn of events, that isn’t really that big of a deal. I am getting fed up with things I used to just roll with.

I’ve read that electrolytes can affect mood so I’ll try maybe doubling up my minerals (I take a magnesium supplement that’s 125% the RDV, and potassium pills that are only 3%, which I pop like candy). Maybe that’s all it is. But I have another personal theory that I wonder if anyone else has thought about.

So I’ve been overweight my entire life, ever since I was a kid. I’ve also been very easy going, even-tempered, and level-minded. Never had any issues with depression, not even in the angsty teen years. Things always roll off my back pretty easy. If I’m upset, 90% of the time I’m fine by the next morning.

I’ve also done a lot of research on diet, nutrition, keto, sugar, etc. in the past few months and a lot of people say that sugar is like a drug in many ways. It makes me wonder if maybe my entire life I was self-medicating with sugar? Could that be why I’ve always been so chill, because I was sort of drugged up on sugar all the time?

Was just curious to hear anyone else’s thoughts. Thanks everyone!

LizinLowell · 2017-10-02 18:26:32 UTC

I can’t answer your question specifically because I don’t know the science. For me, my addiction to sugar caused me wild mood swings.

BUT I am fairly convinced that the fat I am burning is releasing extra estrogen into my system & causing me hormonal weirdness. Social anxiety & sensitivity are definitely some of my hormonal symptoms! The issues come in waves seemingly unrelated to my normal cycle. I haven’t found out a ton of info on this phenomenon but I do hope it levels out once I lose the last 25 pounds.

But even if this is not your issue, Keto definitely affects hormones!! Hope you find some answers.

sporadical · 2017-10-03 13:15:11 UTC

Ah, yes that does make sense. That’s probably what it is, then! I mean, I don’t like to just blame any change on keto, but it does make sense that it’s throwing some hormones off balance and whatnot. I hope it levels out soon, for the both of us! Thank you!

cadori · 2017-10-03 14:20:49 UTC

It’s a very real thing. Carbohydrate consumption increases serotonin release.

ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Brain serotonin, carbohydrate-craving, obesity and depression.

RJ Wurtman and JJ Wurtman, Obesity research, Nov 1995

Serotonin-releasing brain neurons are unique in that the amount of neurotransmitter they release is normally controlled by food intake: Carbohydrate consumption--acting via insulin secretion and the "plasma tryptophan ratio"--increases serotonin release; protein intake lacks this effect. This ability of neurons to couple neuronal signaling properties to food consumption is a link in the feedback mechanism that normally keeps carbohydrate and protein intakes more or less constant. However, serotonin release is also involved in such functions as sleep onset, pain sensitivity, blood pressure regulation, and control of the mood. Hence many patients learn to overeat carbohydrates (particularly snack foods, like potato chips or pastries, which are rich in carbohydrates and fats) to make themselves feel better. This tendency to use certain foods as though they were drugs is a frequent cause of weight gain, and can also be seen in patients who become fat when exposed to stress, or in women with premenstrual syndrome, or in patients with "winter depression," or in people who are attempting to give up smoking. (Nicotine, like dietary carbohydrates, increases brain serotonin secretion; nicotine withdrawal has the opposite effect.) It also occurs in patients with normal-weight bulimia. Dexfenfluramine constitutes a highly effective treatment for such patients. In addition to producing its general satiety-promoting effect, it specifically reduces their overconsumption of carbohydrate-rich (or carbohydrate-and fat-rich) foods.

But serotonin is derived from tryptophan, so fortunately, there are keto friendly sources of tryptophan: nuts, seeds, tofu, cheese, red meat, chicken, turkey, fish and eggs.

Exercise can help too - dopamine and endorphins are wonderful.

sporadical · 2017-10-03 15:02:52 UTC

Oh wow! So it very well could be I was numbing myself for years with carbs. Which is weird, because I didn’t have any kind of unhappiness or trauma to deal with. I will definitely try eating more foods with tryptophan, and hopefully that will improve my mood too! Thank you for sharing @cadori !

mlcox630 · 2017-10-03 14:54:37 UTC

Following this thread. @sporadical I’m in the same boat. There’s a thread somewhere on here that says Keto is easy, then it’s hard, then it’s easy again. I keep getting stuck in the middle. I commit to it, it’s easy for a few days, and then the emotion sets in. It’s not the physical cravings… I am not necessarily hungry. I just describe it as a sadness that I am eating differently than everyone around me. I’ll stick with you! We can do this together. I am not happy that you’re feeling the same thing as me, but glad that I am not alone in it.

Thank you @cadori for the article!

sporadical · 2017-10-03 15:09:10 UTC

Thank you @mlcox630! This is all very new to me. I started Keto months ago but every week or so I’d cheat, have some kind of special event, or would mess up in some way and get kicked out of ketosis. It’s really weird because the longest I went in ketosis was like 19 days, and I’m only on my 10th day of starting anew. Don’t know what’s different now, but it is a relief to have someone who is also experiencing this! Especially when so many other people are remarking how keto has helped with mood swings and depression. How long have you been on keto, Marcy?

mlcox630 · 2017-10-03 18:08:20 UTC

I am even newer than you are! I started on August 28, so a little over one month. I “cheat” on occasion and justify it because it’s just one meal. I am not doing myself any favors by justifying a cheat meal versus a cheat day. I know that. I test my ketones and I’m usually only out of ketosis for about 24-36 hours. I can’t help but wonder if I restart the clock each time though and that’s why I am having trouble. I had a carby meal on Thursday evening, and was back in ketosis Friday evening. Still, I would do myself a huge favor by just staying in ketosis, at the very least until I am fat adapted. In many ways, I do feel much better. Do you physically feel well? For me, the struggle is mental. I don’t crave the cake, but feel I am missing out when others eat the cake. (if that makes sense)

dub · 2017-10-03 18:55:15 UTC

Are you getting enough magnesium?

sporadical · 2017-10-05 17:40:21 UTC

@mlcox630 I am/was having that same difficulty–and I wondered the same question! I asked about it here, and the conclusion I came to was-- yes, I was restarting the clock each time I cheated. So I’m trying everything I can to get through with no cheats until I’m fat-adapted (at which time hopefully the urge to cheat will be gone!) Hopefully you will do the same!

Physically, I feel ok for the most part. I still get tired early in the night–almost like I’m still having some leftover keto flu symptoms, which is weird because it’s my 12th day and they’ve never lasted this long. I will also get nauseated some times, which is normal when I’m a carb eater, but didn’t have this issue when I was on keto before. Again, it’s really weird, not sure what I’m doing different this time.

Mentally, I think I’m a bit opposite from you. I do miss out when others enjoy something without me, but just a little. My biggest problem is I’m still craving. If you put bread in front of me I’d have a lot of trouble resisting.

@dub, I am taking a magnesium supplement daily that is 125% the recommended daily intake, but who knows if I’m absorbing it? I think I’ll try eating more naturally magnesium-rich foods, and see if that helps!

Thank you for the responses, everyone! I’m terrible with tracking, but I think I might have to suck it up and put the effort in to track my vitamins and minerals as well as my macros.