Many people who try out the Ketogenic Diet wonder whether they should drink enough water or not. The answer depends on several factors, such as your health condition, body type, and metabolism rate.
Water plays a vital role in our bodies. It helps us stay hydrated and keeps our organs functioning properly. Water also aids digestion and helps flush toxins from the system. If you want to get into Ketosis, drinking plenty of water is essential.
The amount of water you need will vary depending on your current weight, height, age, gender, and physical activity level.
How Much Water Should You Drink On Keto?
As we mentioned above, the exact amount of water you should drink while on keto also depends on external factors like the weather, the intensity of your workouts, and the food choices that you make. However, there are some guidelines that can help you determine what is best for your body.
To calculate how many ounces of water you should be consuming each day, simply multiply your body weight by 0.75. So, if you weigh 180lbs, you should aim to drink 90oz of water per day.
Why The Keto Diet Can Make You Dehydrated
The ketogenic diet is one of the most popular diets out there today. And while many people swear by it, others say it makes them feel awful. But what exactly does being on the keto diet do to your body? And why might you feel dehydrated during the process?
Side Effects Of Dehydration
If you are trying to lose weight while on a ketogenic diet, it might seem like a good idea to skip drinking water altogether. After all, water is just empty calories, right?
Well, there are some important side effects of dehydration that you should know about. Let’s take a look at what could happen if you don’t drink enough water.
Dizziness
Not drinking enough water can cause blood pressure levels to drop because it becomes too thick to efficiently regulate around the entire body. This happens when fluids are lost due to sweating, vomiting, diarrhea, excessive urination, or heavy breathing during exercise.
When you are dehydrated, the brain does not have normal access to blood levels as compared to usual. This causes the brain to send signals to the heart faster, leading to increased pulse rates and decreased blood pressure.
As a result of this, people often feel lightheaded or dizzy when they stand up suddenly. They might even feel like they’re falling down.
Headache
A headache occurs when your body is experiencing a mild form of dehydration. Your brain can temporarily contract away, causing the pain sensation. Dehydration causes you to lose electrolytes, leading to muscle cramps and headaches.
Fainting
You know how it feels like you’re about to pass out, but there’s nothing wrong with you? You feel fine, and everything seems normal. But then suddenly you start feeling lightheaded and giddy – and before you know it, you’ve fallen over.
This sensation happens because your brain doesn’t get enough oxygenated blood flow. Your heart pumps less blood around your body, and your brain gets less blood flow. As a result, your nerve cells don’t receive enough oxygen, and you lose consciousness.
If you experience this type of episode, you probably felt thirsty beforehand. In fact, many people report having had similar episodes while standing up after sitting down, or even lying down. These symptoms are often caused by dehydration.
Dehydration occurs when you lose more fluid than your kidneys produce. When your blood volume decreases, your heart beats faster to pump more blood into your circulation.
However, the extra pumping causes your arteries to constrict, reducing blood flow to the organs and tissues. Your brain receives approximately 20% of the total amount of blood pumped by your heart.
Therefore, if you’re dehydrated, you’ll likely notice symptoms such as dizziness, headache, fatigue, nausea, vomiting, muscle cramps, confusion, irritability, trouble concentrating, and shortness of breath.
Lethargy
If you drink less than what is recommended for your age group, you may develop symptoms like fatigue, dizziness, headaches, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, abdominal pain, constipation, and muscle aches.
You may also experience mental confusion, anxiety, difficulty concentrating, and depression.
In addition to drinking plenty of water, you may also benefit from taking electrolyte supplements and eating foods high in potassium. Foods rich in potassium include bananas, potatoes, spinach, avocados, tomatoes, dried fruits, beans, nuts, seeds, and whole grains.
Benefits Of Staying Hydrated On Keto
The ketogenic diet is often described as being high fat and low carb. However, it isn’t just about eating lots of butter and bacon.
There are some health benefits associated with drinking plenty of water while following a ketogenic lifestyle. This article looks at what you need to know.
Hydration
Drinking enough water is essential to keeping healthy. Water helps us digest food, transport nutrients throughout our bodies, regulate body temperature, flush out toxins, keep skin looking youthful and healthy, and maintain muscle mass.
Not drinking enough water can lead to headaches, lethargy, constipation, irritable bowel syndrome, dry mouth, and even kidney stones.
Weight Loss
One study found that people who drank five cups of water per day lost twice as much weight as those who didn’t drink enough water. Another study showed that people who ate breakfast every morning had lower levels of belly fat than those who skipped meals.
Brain Health
A lack of water can cause brain cells to shrink. In fact, one study found that men who drink less than half of the recommended daily amount of water are four times more likely to develop dementia. Drinking plenty of water could help prevent Alzheimer’s disease.
Conclusion
It’s important to stay hydrated when following any type of diet plan. The ketogenic diet is no exception. If you don’t drink enough water, you risk developing dehydration-related conditions like headaches, constipation, and poor energy levels.
However, there are other reasons why staying hydrated is beneficial. For example, drinking plenty of water can help reduce hunger pangs, boost metabolism, and improve digestion.
