Happy keto camper here, since June. (Minus 28 pounds) One thing that has not changed is that I have diarrhea ALL THE TIME. I am not complaining, really. Pre-Keto, I was constantly constipated. Now I feel like I am getting a daily cleanse. And it’s fabulous. I remember reading that this is common at the beginning stages of keto. But is it the norm for most? Or did I win the loose stool lottery? Curious in Kansas.
Let’s all talk about my poop, shall we?
Dundee
(Gerald mclean)
#2
Hi I am the opposite I have been Constipated for the last month been on it only that month lost 5 lb the first week but no weight lost in 3 weeks any ideas
PSteinke1122
(Pam )
#3
I did have loose stools to begin with but I attribute that to the change over to erythritol as a sweetner. It can have a laxative effect and it took my body a while to adjust to it.
robintemplin
(Robin)
#4
Hi Dundee… well, from what I have gathered with this forum group, everything is normal for someone. One month in, is one month closer to seeing results. It will happen. But yeah, constipation SUCKS!
robintemplin
(Robin)
#5
Also, what are your clothes telling you? The scale is only one indicator of progress. Most times, my clothes tell me before the scales do.
PaulL
(You've tried everything else; why not try bacon?)
#7
For me, the behaviour of my digestive tract is closely related to salt intake. Too little salt causes constipation, too much makes stools mushy. Too much water can also cause diarrhoea, as can too much fat, in many people. Sugar alcohols can be another culprit, as can oversupplementing with magnesium and/or potassium.
So here are some suggestions: First, keep table salt (sodium chloride) intake within the range of 10-15 grams/day, including salt already present in food. Second, drink to thirst, and not to some excessive target recommended by sports drink manufacturers. Thirdly, eat fat to satiety, not just for the sake of cramming it in. Fourth, eat mostly solid fats, saturated and monounsaturated, and minimise polyunsaturates (in other words, avoid seed oils). Watch out for foods containing non-sugar sweeteners, especially if the list of ingredients contains items with names ending in “-ol.” If you are taking magnesium and/or potassium, consider cutting back somewhat on the dose. Lastly, if you try all these things, and nothing works, see your physician.
robintemplin
(Robin)
#9
OK. Got it. Well, I had leg cramps early on, so added more magnesium and potassium. They went away, for the most part. Until recently. I don’t do any sweetness other than the sweet leaf stevia drops in my coffee (3Xday) and I’m only eating real food, no bad oils etc, and read labels carefully. No hidden sugars with different names. So, I may have gone too far on both magnesium and potassium, and I probably should add salt. Before keto, I put salt on my salt. I was a salt-o-holic. Now I just season the meat or the few veggies I eat, but way less salt.
The magnesium I take is the powder version in Calm. It definitely gives me the gurgles. I do twice a day. Think I’ll go to once. And cut back on potassium.
I feel too good to go ask a doctor about this, and truly have no complaints, (even the runs) except for the freaking leg and foot cramps at night. I’ll figure it out. Thanks for all your insight. And for solving the mystery of the ghosted out naughty words. Life is good.
islandlight
(Laurie)
#11
Magnesium carbonate is not the best, and can indeed cause diarrhea. Different kinds of magnesium serve different purposes. When I was researching this, I decided that magnesium glycinate and bisglycinate were the best all-round sources, at least for me. (I no longer take supplements.)