Keto diet is one of the most popular and most effective low-carb diets people around the globe follow. Not only does it help manage your weight and contributes to fat loss, but it also offers a wide array of health benefits, and reduces the risk of common health issues related to PCOS, kidney, heart, brain, and gut.

However, not all people can go on a keto diet. An ideal keto diet consists of 20% protein-rich food, 5% grams of net carbs, and 75% fat content. It’s highly important to follow this diet in order for your body to produce enough energy and focus.

And since every person has a different body metabolism, this required food percentage may need to be more or less depending on a person’s height and weight. Also, medical history or underlying health conditions should also be factored in.

Who Cannot Go on a Keto Diet?

1. People with eating disorders, underlying medical conditions and history of serious health issues should refrain from going on a keto diet as it can have negative effects on medication and their overall health.

For people that have eating disorders, consuming excessive amounts of foods that are on an ideal keto diet can be too much for them or can cause them digestive issues. It can also cause negative psychological effects.

The ketogenic diet is also not advisable for people who have type 1 or type 2 diabetes. Since they are regularly taking doses of metformin and insulin medication, following a keto diet can cause adverse and harmful contraindications.

2. Children below 18 are underage. They need still need doctor’s advice and guidance before going on a ketogenic diet. Since they are still adolescents and are undergoing body changes, they need certain and sufficient amounts of proteins, carbs, fats, and other essential vitamins and minerals that are quite different from what are required in a keto diet. Depriving them with the said nutrients can impede or slow down the proper development of their body.

3. Pregnant and lactating women are usually strictly advised not to go on a keto diet because of the carbohydrate restriction. This can affect the baby’s development and their weight because the mother may not be getting the sufficient nutrients that are needed during this crucial period.

This can lead to nutritional deficiencies and development delays for the baby in the womb or breastfed newborns since the mother is not producing enough milk.

4. Those who are overweight, skinny, lethargic, and allergic to certain food items are not specifically restricted to the keto diet. But due to their weight, they may be required to consume specific grams of protein, carbs, and fats that differ greatly from an ideal keto diet. In this case, careful planning and consent from their doctor or GP is a must.

Doctors may also ask for an allergy test, because some protein-rich foods like chicken breast, seafood, nuts, and fish may trigger allergic reactions.

Furthermore, people who have drastically lost weight or are underweight because of health complications should not follow a keto diet. Since it is a low-carb diet, these individuals need more energy from glucose that a ketogenic diet doesn’t have enough of.

Side Effects of Keto Diet

When following a keto diet, you may experience the following symptoms, which are quite normal, especially if you have reached ketosis. It’s important to know each one to avoid panic, and to evaluate when to seek for a doctor’s professional help:

• There are days that your body loses more sodium, water, and other minerals like magnesium, zinc, and potassium, since you’re on a restricted diet. These may lead to constipation and dehydration, so make sure to consume a lot of water and hydrate as often as you can if you experience these signs.

• Since your body is utilizing fat for energy, you may experience keto-flu symptoms such as dizziness, muscle cramps, frequent urination, and headaches.

• Once your body reaches ketosis, you’ll have low urine pH that can eventually lead to calcium deficiency and bone erosion. In this case, always supply your body with calcium-rich foods.

• Extremely low pH levels can cause kidney stones and formation of crystals. Therefore, it’s highly important to watch out for further symptoms related to these two health issues. Refrain from the keto diet first and talk to your doctor about proper guidelines, medication, and adjustments in your keto diet.

• Having low blood sugar (hypoglycemia) is another side effect of following a keto diet. You may feel light-headedness, frequent sweating, irritability, appetite suppression, confusion, and anxiety. These symptoms usually subside naturally. 

• Lastly, women who are on their period may undergo disruption in their menstrual cycle, such as abnormal blood flow, irregular menstrual flow, dizziness, extreme irritability, and weakness. Consulting to an OB-GYN before continuing the keto diet is highly advised for as this can be a serious issue.

TAKEAWAYS:

All these being said, following a ketogenic diet requires proper guidelines, consistency, and discipline. And if you pair keto diet alongside exercise and with the help of keto pills, you can have a more manageable weight while staying in ketosis.

If you belong to any of those people mentioned above, it’s best advised to undergo thorough medical checkup or tests such as blood sugar levels as needed. These tests will prevent further complications that could worsen your health condition if you follow a ketogenic diet.

Regularly talk to your doctor too for weight monitoring and discussion if you ever feel other symptoms. This will help you assess whether you should refrain keto diet for a while or completely stop the process.