17/08/2026
If you’re doing keto, banting or another low carb lifestyle and you’ve ever thought, “Why the hell do I feel like this?” this one’s for you 😂
Headaches, feeling lightheaded when you stand up, fatigue, weakness, brain fog, muscle cramps, twitching, constipation, feeling shaky, a racing or fluttery heartbeat, feeling flat during your workouts, or just feeling completely drained can all happen when your electrolyte intake isn’t keeping up with what you’re losing.
When you cut carbs, insulin drops and your kidneys tend to excrete more sodium and water. That means you can be drinking plenty of water and still be short on electrolytes.
This is why I don’t understand the fear around salt on a low carb lifestyle. Salt isn’t just something sitting on your plate making your food taste good 🧂 Your body needs it for fluid balance, nerve function, muscle function and blood pressure regulation. Sodium status also has a relationship with insulin sensitivity, so chronically under-consuming it isn’t the goal.
Then you have potassium and magnesium, which also play important roles in muscle and nerve function.
So if you’re eating low carb and suddenly you’re getting headaches, cramping in bed, feeling dizzy, exhausted, constipated and wondering why your heart is doing a little cha-cha… 💃🏻 before you decide keto has betrayed you, take a look at your electrolytes.
Especially if you’re fasting, exercising, sweating, drinking a lot of coffee or simply eating a low carb diet with very little processed food.
Sometimes you don’t need another coffee. You need to get salty 🧂💧
How many of these symptoms have you experienced since going low carb? Tell me in the comments. I’m curious how many of us learned the electrolyte lesson the hard way 🫠
This content is for educational purposes only and is not intended as medical advice. It does not replace advice from your doctor or other qualified healthcare professional. If you have persistent, severe or concerning symptoms, please seek appropriate medical care.
