Muscles chronically dehydrated in keto?

(Amy) #1

Help me understand how muscles aren’t chronically dehydrated when in ketosis. My chiropractor is complaining that my muscles are chronically tight, and I’m having trouble with spinal adjustments. He blames dehydration. I have noticed that my muscles are “flatter” since starting keto. Even though I consume a ton of electrolytes, salt, and water, it seems like our muscles will naturally be less plump and supple if they are purging all glycogen, along with it’s water.

(Robert C) #2

I cannot answer your question but have a comment.

The chiropractor may see many people on SAD - so it might be an unnatural state to have inflated muscles but, which he/she thinks is the norm.

If you are keto, downing electrolytes and water and noticeably flatter (i.e. doing everything right) - maybe the question should be:
“Why do people that eat processed foods and lots of carbs have such plump muscles?”

Also, maybe your muscles just need to adjust to their new size - naturally lengthening - just as much of the rest of the body needs time to adjust to it new fat-burning metabolism.

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

As you clearly understand, carbohydrate and insulin make the body retain sodium and water, and on a keto diet, the body returns to excreting them at its normal rate, which is faster. If you are getting enough salt and drinking to thirst, I wouldn’t worry about it.

Though I am sorry that your chiropractor is unhappy, I don’t really see that you have a problem. Chiropractic as a discipline started well before the current nutritional guidelines were introduced, so he ought to be able to cope.

(Chris) #4

Is that an official diagnosis?

(Amy) #5

No, it is a question. My chiro doesn’t know I’m doing keto, he just stated that my body will respond better to adjustments if my muscles are properly hydrated. I’m feeling frustrated with sciatic pain.

(Amy) #6

It sounds like you guys are saying that muscles are healthier when in a ketogenic state. I do tend to get dehydrated more easily since starting this WOE 4.5 months ago, but it’s easily fixed with a salt/electrolyte tablet.

I admit, When I’m consuming massive amounts of salt, this WOE does feel unnatural to me, like we’re tricking our body, and it seems like there would be some consequence to that. Did our ancestors really eat this much salt?

(Robert C) #7

You might want to look into your total liquid and salt intake.

Is your tea, coffee and water adding up to more than half your lean body weight (pounds) in ounces?

It is easy to over hydrate and wash away electrolytes thinking more more more water is better. This will lead to feeling like a lot of salt is necessary.

(Full Metal KETO AF) #8

I think this is a valid question, one which I have asked myself. I have never eaten a paleo diet but I read a lot before choosing to give keto a go and they don’t use salt. One of the things that put me off about it.

#9

Considering they had to preserve food without refrigerators, they probably ate more salt on average than we did.

(You've tried everything else; why not try bacon?) #10

Getting enough salt has been a constant throughout human history. It is really true that the word “salary” derives from the salt allowance given to Roman soldiers as part of their pay.

Recent research shows that the human body is healthiest when daily sodium intake is between 4 and 6 grams. This means that goverment recommendations are too low, and that the U.S. recommended level, the lowest of all, is woefully inadequate. Four to six grams of sodium (Na) translates to 10-15 grams of table salt (NaCl). But that amount includes salt already present in food. Since a U.S. teaspoon of NaCl weighs 5 g, that means we need 2-3 teaspoons of salt a day.

(squirrel-kissing paper tamer) #11

I don’t know if our ancestors ate “this much salt” but I do know if you put a salt lick out every critter makes their way to that thing. Animals will also visit areas with high salt soil and eat the soil for salt. After watching Dr. Berry interview James D., the author of The Salt Fix, I was pleasantly surprised to hear him say things that I already thought felt right.

I guess I don’t understand why thoughts about science based on a time when we knew a lot less are still being used today. Back when these heart and blood pressure studies were being done people could smoke cigarettes in a hospital bed while recovering from surgery.

#12

They drank water from natural sources which contained salt and other natural minerals in it. The problem over the years is companies filtered all of this shit out and labelled it pure to sell to the masses. They did the same with milk, and the impurities in fruits, which is why most fruits now are frankenfoods and more processed than shit like cereal.

(Amy) #13

I’ve never been one to shy away from salt (my blood tests have always been high in sodium, which is fine since I have low blood pressure), but eating it beyond what my body craves feels wrong.

(Amy) #14

I’m not sure of my lean body weight, but I can guess. I weigh 127, and I’m guessing that my body fat is 26, so 46 ounces? I’m probably drinking more than that, as I drink a lot of tea and I fill a 20 oz bottle with water and electrolytes each morning, and I often have a can of sparkling water on top of that. I’ll try cutting out the sparkling water. It’s an expensive habit anyways.

(Amy) #15

I tried adding in a FEW paleo-friendly carbs for a month, and returned to ketosis each day, but struggled occasionally with cravings for more carbs, which results in me binging on artificially-sweetened treats. I returned to being strict with my carb intake, while eating more often to prevent losing more weight. I’m going to keep ketoing, but at some point I may go back to eating a keto lunch, paleo dinner, in an 8/16 IF pattern.