People are highly intrigued by the keto diet as it helps in rapid weight loss. The keto diet is a high-fat, moderate protein, and very low-carb way of eating that induces a state of ketosis. No doubt it’s very effective in treating certain conditions and healthily accelerating weight loss. But this high-fat content of the keto diet isn’t for everyone as there are certain health conditions when a keto diet will do more harm than good. Scroll down and check out which are those health conditions when you should avoid keto diet.
* It is recommended that children (under 18 years old) should not follow the keto diet for weight loss as it seriously limits carbohydrates, and growing children need carbs to be mentally and physically active.
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Avoid Keto Diet In Pregnancy
People generally start a keto diet to lose weight. And weight loss is not recommended in pregnancy. Pregnant ladies should focus on nourishing their body and their growing baby with healthy food. But following the keto diet puts a lot of restrictions on having nutritious carb-rich whole grains, fruits and certain vegetables.
Moreover, the fetal brain requires glucose for function and development. But in this low-carb diet, the body depends on burning fat for energy. So, for a developing brain, relying on ketone (by-products of fat breakdown) energy supply has potential adverse effects.
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Breastfeeding
While breastfeeding, the body loses sugar via milk. And not eating enough carbohydrates in this situation can lead to ketoacidosis which is quite dangerous. So many restrictions on keto diet could also reduce milk production. Also, breastfeeding moms need hydration but ketosis can be dehydrating for the body. So, practically, keto is not the right choice if you are breastfeeding your baby.
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Irregular periods
Women who experience some menstrual dysfunction should avoid keto diet as it leads to irregularities in their periods. And sometimes the menstrual cycle disappears altogether.
Diet plays a major role in maintaining a regular menstrual cycle. Following a very low-carb diet over a long period can disturb the function of leptin and luteinizing hormone in the body. Both hormones are involved in regulations of the menstrual cycle and ovulation. This is how the lack of nutrient-dense foods contribute to abnormal periods.
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Type 1 Diabetes
These people are insulin-dependent, and a low-carb keto diet could increase the risk of hypoglycemia (low blood sugar) and decrease their blood sugar to dangerous levels.
If you have type 1 diabetes and want to try the keto diet, it’s advisable to talk to your doctor first. Monitor your health, watch for signs of ketoacidosis and work closely with your doctor as you may need to change your medications.
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Low BMI
People who are naturally very thin (BMI of 20 or less) need to maintain healthy body weight. So, they should not follow a keto diet which is known for promoting rapid weight loss.
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Recovering From An Eating Disorder
People with anorexia obsess about weight and restrict fat from their diet. Following a keto diet is dangerous for them as it already limits protein and severely restricts carbohydrates too. In that case, if fat is also limited, they will not get energy and go into severe starvation mode.
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Bariatric Surgery
People who have had bariatric surgery (weight loss/gastric bypass) cannot go on a keto diet. This surgery makes it harder for the body to digest and absorb fat. Also, there is a risk for nutritional deficiencies after bariatric surgery; severely limiting specific food groups (whole grains, fruits, and many vegetables) only increases the chance that deficiencies will occur. The keto diet is low in fibre. This increases the risk of constipation, which can be a concern after weight loss surgery. Therefore, it is not a good diet strategy after bariatric surgery.
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Liver Problems
Poor eating habits and fad diets that boost fat intake are particularly worrisome if you are having any of the liver diseases.
Keto diet requires you to eat high-fat foods (70-80% fat from total daily calories). With so much fat to metabolize, following the keto diet, which emphasizes eating lots of fats and restricting carbohydrates, could make any existing liver conditions worse.
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Gallstones/ Gallbladder Removal
People with gallstones should avoid eating fat as high-fat foods may lead to some gallstone pain.
A gallbladder holds bile, which helps in fat digestion. So, people who have undergone a gallbladder removal surgery should also avoid keto diet as it will be harder for them to digest the fat.
*As a word of warning: To be on the safer side, it is advisable to consult your doctor before going low carb or keto to rule out any health conditions.