Severe leg cramps, zero carb, and holiday sweets

#22

I’d suspect that dessert because that’s exactly what happens to me if I go out of ketosis with sugar.

I can exit ketosis with ‘healthy carbs’ with no effects at all, but sugar will bring on those intense ‘charley horse’ cramps.

(Shawn Kittel) #23

Thanks for this thread! I’ve been having some weird leg cramps going on too and I’m in the middle finals week for school only to be revisited by constant snacking to keep myself from going crazy. I know I’ve been going over my carb limit a bit not too I don’t think, and stopped my workout routine lately. The combo sounds like a recipe for what might be happening with my legs now that I’m reading this. I appreciate all the great comments here. This information may be key to a restful sleep. Never thought excessive carbs could cause cramping issues, but could be.

(Cris Cavanaugh) #24

I am having the same issue. Too many carbs- leg cramps at night. I have been fat adapted 7 years.

#25

Wow. YES!

SAME THING FOR ME.

I’m so thankful to have found this thread. I dealt with horrible leg cramps while I was pregnant years ago and a quick Google search that mentioned drinking more water ended up being the fix then. I’m generally low-carb, but I’ve been hard core keto for a few months now and last night went on a sugar bender when I took my kids to the movies. I didn’t get much sleep at all last night because I was up several times with horrible leg cramps. I agree with the rest of the crowd, just another good deterent to keep me low-carb/keto!

Fortunately and unfortunately, the more fat adapted and used to healthy eating I become, the more it negatively affects me when I swerve off that path. It definitely has changed the emotional and mental response that takes place when I look at “foods” (absolute junk) that I used to really delight in. Now I’m nearly averse to things I used to love—after last night I’ll never look at Raisinets the same way again!

(Kirk Wolak) #26

There is something.

When you first go low carb, your body gets to DUMP water as it tends to bind each glucose with 3 water molecules (Dr. Fungs book). So, Imagine you load up on carbs. MORE than you liver can handle.

It has to SEND that glucose and a lot of water into the fat cells. But wait, that means we are going to NEED to hold water. Which means your body is going to alter your electrolytes to help you, but it can do that by stealing what is otherwise available. And leading to the leg cramps.

To me, this also explains why it happens at night mostly. Your body is dealing with the assaults of the day. That’s when it is emptying the liver a bit, and pushing stuff around.

It was NOT the lack of salt. I believe it was the lack of water. Did you notice being extra thristy that day or the next?