I’m 32 and have learned known of the benefits of low carb and ketogenic diets for about 10 years. Despite knowing, I was never good about following the diet and due to work and social activities followed a more SAD.
I have managed to do very low carb a couple of times over the years. In high school I boxed a bit and competed at 130lbs at 5’6. Shortly thereafter I stopped boxing and over the course ofnthe next three years my weight went up to my heaviest of 186. I began to look into nutrition and low carbing which allowed me to shed weight fairly easily and while low carbing somewhat loosely I could get my weight down to 160 and stay there effortlessly.
I would inevitably fall off the tracks and presume a SAD diet a couple of times over the past decade and probably gained and lost 20 to 25lbs 3 or 4 times. My friends would often comment about hownmy weight fluctuated so much and I would just tell them sometimes I practice what I preach and sometimes I don’t.
Last summer I got heavy again and was at 186 and started low carbing with intermittent fasting and recently my last weight I checked was 155. I don’t own a scale, only occasionally use one at the gym but I’m not good about working out and have done virtually none since last summer. I’m fairly sure I’m still around 155 though perhaps closer to 150.
I decided to go back to school and things given me access to some study databases that I would’ve had to pay for prior and have read up a great deal on the benefits of extended fasts and have incorporated some into my lifestyle over the course of the last couple of months, usually 48 hour fasts.
I decided to go on my first extended fast last week but hit a bit of a snag that prompted me to break the fast.
Forgive me fornthe long intro but I wanted to introduce myself a little and give a bit of a back story with this being my first post and all.
Last week I attempted a seven day fast. I felt comfortable doing it since I considered myself fairly fat adapted. On most days I have around 50 grams of net carbs with occasionally more or less net carbs. I have gotten readings on my keto strips so I know I’ve spent some time in ketosis. On my 48 hour fasts I felt great and hunger was not a problem so I decided to try it.
Everything was going well but on day 5 of my fast I noticed some redness on my face and a bit on my chest. The redness was present along my nose in the ridge between the nose and cheek where sweat accumulated and on my chest along the collarbone and middle of chest where sweat accumulated. I also had redness along the upper and lower lips. It wasn’t painful or itchy so I ignored it and showered like I do most nights and went to bed. I believe this day had been unusually warm which caused me to sweat more than usual. I don’t like to exercise while losing weight since I prefer to do one or the other, either lose weight and not exercise or exercise and not be concerned with weight.
On the 6th day the redness had aired somewhat but had become extremely painful and itchy. It hurt to frown or smile as the stretching really irritated the rash on my face. I got somewhat worried because up to this point I had never had a rash such as this though I’ve always and still do have acne that I’ve had for as long as I can remember. I had never even heard of a keto rash until after I got this even though I’ve been in ketosis before.
After I got the rash I followed Dr. Fung’s advice and upped the carbs and the next day the rash felt a little better and by the 3rd day the pain was gone but I was leftbwith some unsightly brown skin in the area where the rash was present that appears to be hanging around for some time from what I’ve read. I really hate the appearance of the rash and it makes me hesitate.
I failed my goal of 7 days and would like to give it another go but the keto rash makes me nervous due to the scarring that it will leave and the time it will take for the scars to fade.
I understand there is still some confusion as to the cause of the rash but here are some observations from my own experience.
My rash came in on day 5 of a fast so that rules out the likelihood that it was a food that caused my rash. Up to this point I have been eating lots of dairy with no apparent ill effects.
My rash came at a time when I suspect my ketones were sky high since it was on day 5 of a fast. It was also probably the first time in my life they ever got that high (Not counting early development since I’m not sure what ketone totals are present then). I don’t have strips to test since I didn’t really see a need for them.
My rash also came at a point when I was burning a lot of my own fast reserves due to it being on day 5 of a fast.
My rash is present in areas where I sweat.
With this being said I give more credence to the notion that the keto rash, at least in my case, was caused by high levels of ketones or acetone coming through the sweat pores and irritating the skin. I also give some credence to the idea that it my be a reaction due to toxins build up in our adipose tissue being burned.
I would like to try my 7 day fast again due to my having cut it just short. I thought about ignoring the fast but I work in a public setting and need to worry about my appearance.
I am thinking of following Dr. Fung’s advice and increasing net carbs slightly to around 20 grams with the use of berries on a ketogenic diet for two weeks. I’m hoping this fat adapts me further and makes it less likely I will have a keto rash. He also suggests putting ACV on the rash though I don’t see the point of this.
I’ve also seen Dr. Berg’s videos where he recommends a bile salt supplement, B vitamins (specific or b complex I’m not sure yet), and some digestive enzymes.
I understand bile helps in the digestion of fats and when fasting bile also helps detoxify harmful compounds. I wonder if they will help at all while fasting since i will not be ingesting any food though perhaps with bile can help with toxins from the adipose tissue burned.
I am also worried about working up a sweat while on keto and am concerned about sweating even just from it being hot weather.
Would love to incorporate exercise on keto but again, concerned with sweat.
I tried to keep my electrolytes and minerals in order during the fast but I’m thinking next time I should oversupplement them a degree.
I would like to start boxing again and while I know I can’t make it to 130 anymore I’m fairly sure I can make it to 140 as I still have a bit of fat reserves.
Id rather not box at 150 because at this weight the guys hit way too hard and it is not as much “fun”.
If anyone has been through a keto rash during a fast I’m anxious to hear your experience.
I’ve been a lurker on these forums for a awhile know reading up old threads but I’ve decided to join now that I’m commited to this lifestyle and pattern of eating so I’m happy to meet you all!
I apologize for any mistakes as i am typing on a small smartphone and with spell check and the touchpad it can get pretty confusing what ends up being written.