Keto constipation. Please help

(Fabrizio) #1

Hello everyone, I need your help, how you read in the title.
I’m an Italian man 43 years old. I’m in ketosis since only two days now, but I know keto diet enough, because I’ve done it two years ago, for several months, followed by a nutritionist.

This diet is totally crucial for me, as I’m doing it for Mialgic Encephalomyelitis, a desease also known as cronique fatigue syndrome. This hit me 10 years ago, exactly, and has transformed my life in a living hell for many years, that I’m not going to describe here. Anyway, I’m a fighter, and I’ve always been looking for a solution. Keto diet has been, for me, the best tool I have ever found: it has been able to transform my body from a aching crate without energy to a person full of energy and healthy!!! Like a new Lazarus, I get up and go.
So, I have reached great results in the past, but I had to stop it because of constipation. I tried then differents diets, expecially an anti-inflammatory diet, with some results, very far from keto. I got worse recently. Simply this other diet is improving my health partially, as I have many relapses and everything is very difficult anyway.

Now I’m going to begin keto again, but feel constipated again after two days. I’ve tried many approaches, but I have never defeated this keto collateral effect. I took a laxative two hours ago, it’s not working. I’m already beginning to feel the benefits of ketosis, and I know it can really heal me finally in the long period, if united with the right approach of mind.
But I also know I cannot be constipated for a long time; I need some suggestions to overcome this step, everything this forum has to give me.
I’m desperate because this is the only possibility I have to heal.

(Joey) #2

Magnesium citrate works wonders for most folks experiencing constipation when adjusting to a carb-restricted diet. You can get it in the pharmacy section of most grocery stores.

I take 500 mg of equivalent Mg element in my daily drinking water for maintenance. But if you’re really blocked up you might go for 2 or 3 times this amount the first day or two.

This is same ingredient used in MUCH larger doses to prepare for a colonoscopy, so don’t over do it … or you’ll over do it :wink:

Best wishes! And congrats on getting your keto path back underfoot.

(You've tried everything else; why not try bacon?) #3

One big cause of constipation on a ketogenic diet is not getting enough salt. The kidney’s rate of excreting sodium is slowed down on a high-carb diet and when we embark on a low-carb ketogenic diet, they return to the faster normal rate of excretion.

That means we have to be sure to get enough salt when eating ketogenically. Since recent studies have shown that people are at their healthiest when they get between 4 and 6 grams of sodium a day, this means that we want to be eating between 10 and 15 grams of table salt, sodium chloride. Getting enough sodium also helps to keep our potassium, magnesium, and calcium regulated properly as well.

I find that in addition to constipation, I also suffer headaches when my sodium level is low. If I start to notice symptoms, I just eat a bit of salt, and that puts me right almost immediately. If the taste of salt starts to become unpleasant, then you’ve had enough and don’t need more.

(Joey) #4

A great read on the research covering related topics is Dr James DiNicolantonio’s “The Salt Fix” - stay salty, man. :vulcan_salute:

(Laurie) #5

Are you drinking enough water?

Also, I found that vegetables and fiber supplements made me slightly constipated. I know this seems surprising, as we think these are things that will prevent constipation. So you might try eating animal foods only (meat, fish, eggs, etc.). I eat only animal products now (including dairy), and I don’t have a problem.

I hope you find relief soon.

(Fabrizio) #6

Thank you all guys for the answers, you are awesome. I’m going to try the magnesium citrate first, because I think I’m ok with water and salt. Anyway it’s surprising how this issue has so different solution between people.

So I’m going to try all the possibile solutions one by one in a row, very consistently. I cannot leave the diet this time.

(bulkbiker) #7

Also don’t forget when you are eating keto there is far less waste from your body so “constipation” might just be less crp in less, literally, crp out…

And watch out for too much magnesium citrate… black diarrhea doesn’t look so attractive!

(KCKO, KCFO 🥥) #8

As someone who fights constipation, I second the watch the fiber, the magnesium citrate, and absolutely get enough salt. Magnesium needs vary a lot, the amounts I use make my husband get the runs. So start out slowly and add until you find your own sweet spot.

Glad to hear the keto diet has helped you so much. Hopefully you’ll get the :poop:issue under control.

(You've tried everything else; why not try bacon?) #9

Yes, this can be an issue for certain people. I used to know a guy who freaked out if he didn’t move his bowel at precisely 10 a.m. every day.

I am old enough to remember when the concept of “regularity” was first introduced into the American vocabulary by the makers of laxatives, who were trying to create a market for their products. My mother, a nurse whose training predated all that, once explained that, although the body tends to fall into a pattern, a deviation from that pattern was rarely a cause for concern. Her belief was that we were better off leaving our body to do its thing and not worrying about it, unless there were additional reasons to suspect an underlying problem.

I recently watched a Paul Mason video, in which he comments that taking fibre as a remedy for constipation is analogous to putting more cars on the road as a solution to traffic jams. And fortunately, we ketonians know how beneficial MCT oil can be for this particular problem!

#10

Glad to see you joining us. Don’t worry too much - there are lots of things to try. For one thing you might just “go” less often on keto - not the end of the world. Magnesium Shi— i mean Citrate is a pretty surefire solution. Also some of us still find fiber to be useful, so low carb green veggies or various fiber preparations can be helpful. I use a Psyllium Husk powder on and off…

MCT oil does a wonderful job of boosting ketones but also moving bowels - too much for some people!

Please don’t stop keto because of this. It can be managed but likely will sort it self out in any case.

#11
(Butter Withaspoon) #12

This ep of 2 keto Dudes has some very useful, backed up by science, information about constipation. Dr Paul Mason is highly respected and a great resource. I don’t remember which minute the discussion on constipation starts but these old eps are so valuable! I hope that helps you!

(Fabrizio) #13

Thank you again for your answers. As suggested today I’ve added magnesium to my 2 liters bottle of water I drink daily, but I don’t know if I’m doing right. I asked to the pharmacist “magnesium citrate”, he was hesitant and he gave me this product, that I’m not sure is the right one.
It’s not clearly labeled “magnesio citrato” as it should be in italian language. These are two photos of the product, one of the which has an English text. As you can read the amount suggested is between 2.3 and 4.6 grams for a normal use, so I don’t understand how this quantity relate to the suggested quantity 500mg or more of magnesium citrate. Maybe this is not the right product?

Thanks Lively and Hallie for the resources you linked, I appreciate it very much. Going to watch them.!

IMG-3363
IMG-3363.jpg1511×2015 583 KB
IMG-3362|374x500

(Fabrizio) #14

This is the other photo, the front of the product. Still don’t understanding if it is really magnesium citrate

IMG-3362
IMG-3362.jpg1511×2015 628 KB

(Robin) #15

Ditto with Someguy. Magnesium citrate. Use as much as you need to get cleared out, then go with the recommended amount. It’s my “one thing” I would take with me to a deserted island. LOL

#16

Fiber, many people don’t do very well when it’s not in there. I’m one of them. I ignored it for years, bought into the nonsense that my bodies “using everything” and made excuses for pooping like a rabbit every couple days to a week. Got to the point where I got a colonoscopy in my 30’s just for the doc to tell be start getting in more fiber. He said he has tons of low carb and keto people with that issue and it’s just fiber. Started getting in more fiber and problem of years resolved in days. Now I go like a normal person pretty much daily. The permanent downside from years of that is I know have diverticulosis from all the straining and pushing when I did go, which is one step before diverticulitis.

(Fabrizio) #17

Thanks for sharing your experience :pray:t3: .
I was at a point where I was tempted to eat LESS fibers, like many experts suggest. Now I don’t know what to think. So what’s the truth? What kind of food with fibers do you suggest me to add?

#18

My sources vary, pretty much my low carb bread that I eat (Schmidts 647), powdered fiber supplement that I usually just throw in my protein shakes, I put frozen blueberries in my protein sludge bowls or miralax when I need it, which that isn’t a fiber, but gets you going. I typically don’t get the RDA of fiber, but seems I don’t need to either. Those coming in is enough to keep me ok.

There’s not an “expert” alive that knows your body better than you! If you do better with fiber in there, then get in more fiber. Keto isn’t a cookie cutter one size fits all. I thought of it that way for years and it held me back huge. Now that I tweak it for me and my goals, I’m much better off.

(Fabrizio) #19

Ok, I’m going to try.

(UsedToBeT2D) #20

We all have constipation once in awhile, for whatever reason. Take a laxative, or even a suppository, clear it, no big deal. Keep calm.
Epsom salt, 2 tablespoons in a cup of water works for me. Yum.