Description
Why Electrolytes?
Transitioning from a standard Western diet to a ketogenic or very low carb diet entails making a rapid and dramatic change in the kinds of foods consumed. Many of the unpleasant issues associated with this transition—often called the “keto flu”—are a direct result of changes in electrolyte status. With the removal of most carbohydrates from the diet, insulin levels decrease. Insulin influences the kidneys to reabsorb minerals, especially sodium. When insulin levels are lower, excretion of electrolytes is increased, which typically requires keto dieters to increase intake of these compounds in order to maintain healthy levels of these critical elements.
Keto-Adaptation and Beyond
Supplementing with a broad array of electrolytes, such as that provided by Pure Electrolytes may help ease the transition during the first few weeks of becoming adapted to ketosis and a fat-based metabolism. Beyond this initial phase, supplemental electrolytes may be helpful for the long term to ensure keto dieters obtain the minerals they need, and may be especially beneficial for those using ketogenic diets to support athletic performance, an increasingly popular application of this way of eating. The ketogenic diet itself may increase the need for electrolytes, and individuals who engage in strenuous physical activity may require even more beyond this, owing to a loss of crucial minerals in sweat, and to the role of electrolytes in muscle contraction and proper nerve conduction.*
References
- Quiñones-Galvan A, Ferrannini E. Renal effects of insulin in man. J Nephrol. 1997 Jul-Aug;10(4):188-91.
- Ter Maaten JC, Voorburg A, Heine RJ, Ter Wee PM, Donker AJ, Gans RO. Renal handling of urate and sodium during acute physiological hyperinsulinaemia in healthy subjects. Clin Sci (Lond). 1997 Jan;92(1):51-8.
- Herlitz H, Widgren B, Urbanavicius V, Attvall S, Persson B. Stimulatory effect of insulin on tubular sodium reabsorption in normotensive subjects with a positive family history of hypertension. Nephrol Dial Transplant. 1996 Jan;11(1):47-54.
- Jeff S. Volek, Stephen D. Phinney. The Art and Science of Low Carbohydrate Performance. Beyond Obesity LLC. 2011.
- Jeff S. Volek, Stephen D. Phinney. The Art and Science of Low Carbohydrate Living. Beyond Obesity LLC. 2012.
- Phinney SD. Ketogenic diets and physical performance. Nutr Metab (Lond). 2004;1(1):2. Published 2004 Aug 17. doi:10.1186/1743-7075-1-2.
- Volek JS, Freidenreich DJ, Saenz C, Kunces LJ et al. Metabolic characteristics of keto-adapted ultraendurance runners. Metabolism. 2016 Mar;65(3):100-10. doi: 10.1016/j.metabol.2015.10.028.
- McSwiney FT, Wardrop B, Hyde PN, Lafountain RA, Volek JS, Doyle L. Keto-adaptation enhances exercise performance and body composition responses to training in endurance athletes. Metabolism. 2018 Apr;81:25-34. doi: 10.1016/j.metabol.2017.10.010
Warnings
Always be sure to speak with your healthcare provider before starting any new nutritional supplement when pregnant or nursing. For children, we recommend speaking with your child's pediatrician regarding proper dosing. Store away from children.
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