Zero Carb - Why is my energy so low?

[Ketokwaka]

Interesting to note the energy issue which I have also felt. I’ve been wondering what hormonal response (thyroid, testosterone) to dietary changes would translate into changes in energy and how that works. Just curious if there is anything known about this?

[PaulL]

There are indications (but no real evidence, so far as I know) that the body uses thyroid hormones more efficiently on a ketogenic diet, so that many ketonians have lower thyroid numbers but no symptoms of thyroid deficiency.

There are also indications that testosterone levels are better in men on a ketogenic diet, which is not surprising, since testosterone is made from cholesterol, and cholesterol is generally better-managed on a ketogenic diet. (Higher cholesterol also benefits the body’s ability to handle infectious diseases, by the way.)

Similarly, the ketogenic diet is also well-known as a treatment for PCOS and certain other hormonal problems women can experience on the standard diet (progesterone is also made from cholesterol). In fact, it used to be joked about on these forums, back when I first joined, that couples that went keto should be prepared for the woman to get pregnant!

Very little of this has been rigorously studied, so far as I know, so read these remarks with a certain amount of scepticism, please.

[Naghite]

Your thyroid is happy to spend energy on the creation of sex hormones that if it believes it has enough energy to spare. The body determines short term energy from the insulin spikes when eating. Chronic depression of insulin can promote thyroid degradation and limit hormone production. Fasting is the clearest way to see this, but overly strict ketogenic eating can do the same by lowering RMR and reducing testosterone. To avoid this pitfall, spike your insulin through carbs or enough protein to tell your body you have enough energy for both a good RMR and enough to spend energy on sex hormone creation. I use protein myself currently.

[PaulL]

overly strict ketogenic eating can do the same by lowering RMR and reducing testosterone

But, surely, that only applies if one is restricting calories on keto, right? I don’t restrict, and my libido and energy levels are better on keto than they were during my years as a carb -burner.

[Naghite]

But, surely, that only applies if one is restricting calories on keto, right? I don’t restrict, and my libido and energy levels are better on keto than they were during my years as a carb -burner.

From what I have read it is about insulin. So eating 20% protein and 80% fat would not produce much of a spike without a HUGE portion of food. Now, are you eating more than 150g of protein in a day or maybe 25 g carbs and 75 g protein in a meal? If so, then you probably hit the insulin spike needed to promote your thyroid. Those with seizures however, may not be hitting that cap with protein and therefore may suffer RMR and testosterone issues. At least, that is how I currently understand it. Similarly those who eat many small ketogenic meals a day are probably not spiking insulin enough and when they no longer lose weight, blame the diet as opposed to decreased RMR due to lack of insulin signalling.

[Shinita]

I notice that hunger on ZC is so different. Pre-ZC, hunger felt sharp , and when I was “starving”, all I could think about is how I need to eat soon and it would dampen my mood. Hunger on ZC feels more subtle.

Oh yes, exactly I lost my sharp sudden hunger when I got fat adapted. And carnivore brought more changes.

Mom cooked it for something like 20 minutes (probably not literally, but I swear that’s what it seemed like) on each side, and it tasted like sandpaper.

People have odd and unique perceptions. Unless turning charcoal, nothing loses its own taste if you ask my tastebuds. Liver always tastes liver, quite strongly except the mild ones.
Maybe your Mom preferred it like that? Her version surely sounds better to me - but it depends on the liver. I don’t use 40mins on beef liver, faaaar from it. Maybe on chicken liver but I need a huge amount for that, competing for the pan surface… A small amount is ready in 30 mins but it depends on so many things.

Tomorrow I will fry rabbit liver It doesn’t need much time and it’s one liver so it gets the proper space so maybe 10 mins? I don’t know, I just fry everything until they become properly brown. It doesn’t work with darker brown things but rabbit liver is light enough, I see the changes.

[Fangs]

read this from Dr Kevin Stock…now he IS a bodybuilder guy but READ the info ya know and see what hits ya if anything!

Are you John or Sally? losing weight and how it might happen

This is part of an article that might help some ‘get why carnivore’ does one thing for a person and yet another for a person which can be very different. Just that kind of read where we all might not fit in one or the other cause there are tons of shades of gray area for all of us…but this read gives a good idea of maybe where we fall. Gives us a bit of perspective when someone says ‘why am I not getting benefits’ from carni vs. what I am seeing others getting? Comments and more welcomed :sli…

[Ketokwaka]

Makes sense. Thanks for that. Not enough research ATM. Thinking there might be some cause and effect between caffeine, thyroid function and cholesterol. Might test the following out. Stop drinking coffee, then monitor thyroid and cholesterol via my next round of bloodwork. Just fyi I seem to be a hyper responder (a la Dave Feldman), tests have ruled out familial causes. Not too concerned, just trying see what happens.