No, Your Body Doesn't Hate Keto—It's Just Missing Minerals by Roxana Soetebeer, MHP, NNP, PHC, PFC
No, Your Body Doesn't Hate Keto—It's Just Missing Minerals
If you've ever felt off during keto or fasting—headaches, fatigue, dizziness, muscle cramps—you've probably been told it's "keto flu." But what if I told you the real reason isn't the diet... it's your electrolytes?
Let's start at the beginning: when you cut carbs, your insulin drops. That's exactly what you want—it's how you finally unlock your fat stores. But insulin also plays a role in how your kidneys handle sodium. When insulin is high, your body holds on to sodium and water. When insulin drops, the kidneys let go of sodium. Water, along with all the minerals dissolved in it, follows. Imagine minerals being flushed out.
Then there's glycogen. The storage form of glucose. For every gram of glycogen in your muscles and liver, your body holds about four grams of water. As you use up that glycogen on keto or while fasting, that water, too, is flushed out—and along with it, critical electrolytes like sodium, potassium, and magnesium.
So if you're feeling awful, it's not because your body "hates keto." It's because you haven't replaced what your body has lost.
Electrolytes are minerals that help your body do almost everything: balance fluids, support muscle contractions, keep your heart beating, and help your brain communicate with your body.
There are three major electrolytes to focus on:
Sodium is the one most people fear—but on keto, it's the one you can't afford to ignore. It's essential for energy, blood pressure regulation, and hydration. If you're getting lightheaded when standing up or feel like your heart is racing, you might need more sodium.
Typically, people aim for 4 to 6 grams of sodium per day on a keto diet. That's around 2 to 3 teaspoons of salt. Spread it out during the day and consider sipping on broth or making a DIY electrolyte drink (more on that later).
Potassium helps regulate blood pressure, muscle contractions, and nerve signals. But there's a catch: potassium is tightly regulated by your body, and supplementing it in large doses can be dangerous. That's why potassium supplements in the U.S. are limited to just 99 mg per serving.
The daily recommended intake of potassium is about 2,600–3,400 mg, depending on your age and sex. You can safely hit that through foods like meat, avocado, leafy greens, and salmon. For supplementation, potassium chloride (like NoSalt or NuSalt) can be added in small amounts to homemade electrolyte drinks—but go slow.
Be especially cautious if you have kidney issues or are on medications that affect potassium levels. Too much potassium can cause irregular heart rhythms—and in extreme cases, be life-threatening.
Magnesium is involved in over 300 bodily functions—from muscle relaxation and nerve function to blood sugar regulation and sleep. Yet most people are deficient, especially on keto.
Not all magnesium supplements are created equal:
- Citrate: Helps with constipation, but too much causes diarrhea.
- Glycinate: Calming and good for sleep and anxiety.
- Malate: Best for energy and muscle soreness.
- Threonate: Crosses the blood-brain barrier—great for brain fog.
- Oxide: Poorly absorbed. Skip it.
I aim for 300–500 mg of elemental magnesium per day. Pay attention to the label—many supplements list the compound weight, not the actual magnesium content.
Here are some of the most common symptoms of electrolyte imbalance:
- Headaches
- Fatigue or weakness
- Brain fog
- Dizziness
- Cramping (especially at night)
- Heart palpitations
- Constipation
- Muscle twitches (sometimes related to stress as well)
If you're experiencing these, it might not be the carbs you cut. It might be what you haven't replaced.
Blood tests for electrolytes (like serum magnesium or potassium) can help, but they don't always reflect what's happening at the cellular level. That's why paying attention to how you feel often tells you more than lab work. If serum levels trend out of range, you will likely find yourself somewhere in intensive care in pretty rough shape.
Short answer: yes. More is not always better:
- Too much sodium can cause bloating or raise blood pressure in people with kidney disease. It is not likely to eat too much salt because we reject it when our body has enough.
- Too much potassium can affect heart rhythm. Always use caution with supplements.
- Too much magnesium usually shows up as loose stools. That's your sign to dial it back.
Store-bought electrolyte drinks are expensive. With few exceptions, they are often full of junk ingredients. Making your own is easy, effective, and cleaner. We made one together in our Patreon coaching call this week.
Here's the recipe: Homemade Ketorade
For store-bought, I recommend these:
Electrolytes are not optional. They are essential. If you're eating very low-carb or fasting and feeling off, don't assume keto isn't working—9 times out of 10, it is an electrolyte imbalance.
This isn't about "powering through." It's about giving your body what it actually needs. Get your sodium, potassium, and magnesium where they need to be, and keto gets a whole lot easier.
If this helped you, share it with someone who's new to keto and struggling. It might be the one thing they haven't tried yet—but the thing that makes all the difference.
—Coach Roxana
Written by Roxana Soetebeer, MHP, NNP, PHC, PFC
Published March 29th, 2025
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