“Is it safe to stay in ketosis indefinitely?”

August 23 2018 by , medical content by in Ketosis, Q&A, Weight loss

Is it harmful at all to stay in ketosis forever? Why is the scale not moving even though on the meal plan? And what about age and weight loss?

Get the answers in this week’s Q&A with Dr. Andreas Eenfeldt:

Can we stay in ketosis indefinitely?

I was watching the documentary, ‘The Skinny on Fat”, and one of the doctors said it’s not good to stay in ketosis indefinitely. Is this true? Or did I misunderstand?

Cheryl

There is no proof that it’s anything but healthy long term. However, most people end up dipping in and out of ketosis semi-regularly anyway, as it’s a hard thing to ALWAYS be in deep ketosis. So if being in ketosis forever has any negative unknown effects, it’s likely something that very few people are going to experience anyway.

To learn more about all the myths and unfounded fears about keto, have a look at this guide:

Low-carb and keto myths and fears

Best,
Andreas Eenfeldt

Why am I not losing??

I am so confused! I am eating to the meal plans provided and I have not lost a thing. I know my body has changed as the pictures I take show it, but the scales are not moving and if they do it is up not down. I am so lost! Help!

Leigha

Hi Leigha,

If your body is changing that’s a good sign! I would suggest first making sure you’re really keeping your carbs very low, second make sure you’re not eating more fat than you need to stay satisfied after meals, and third consider adding some intermittent fasting.

Here are many more tips if you want them:

How to lose weight

Top 10 tips to lose weight on low carb for women 40+

Best,
Andreas Eenfeldt

Serious hair lost after 4 months on keto

Hi Dr. Andreas,
I have been loosing a lot of hair at the 4 months mark of my keto diet, which is very scary for a healthy 46 years old women. I don’t need to loose weight, my main reason to be on keto diet is to get rid of the pain in my body, as I feel that I have a lot of inflammation or I get inflammation muscles easily from activities.

Now, I have stopped the Keto diet due to the serious hair loss, even when I have been drinking bone broth together with lots of seaweeds a few times a week at least. Would you pleases let me know what I should do? I am back on my normal high-carb diet for two weeks now as I am on holiday, the hair lost seems to slow down.

If I go back to keto after 1-2 days of fasting, will I keep on losing a lot of hair again right away or it will start again after four months ?

Thank you and hope to hear your answer soon!
Kamie

Hi Kamie,

Hair loss after four months is not entirely uncommon, and it’s normally a very temporary thing that you’ll completely recover from.

Learn more about it here:

Temporary hair loss

Best,
Andreas Eenfeldt

Does age have anything to do with a keto diet for weight loss?

I’ve been on a keto diet for 3 plus weeks and have been in low to moderate ketosis for at least 3 weeks. I have experienced the leg and toe cramps at night and have increased salt intake and have been using magnesium supplements to address the cramping issues. Although I can see less fat on my body, I have not experienced any weight loss. I have been intermittent fasting for 16-18 hrs. a day for 3 weeks. I would like to loose 40 lbs. I have listened to many of the Diet Doctors videos. I am 73 years old. Could this lack of weight loss have anything to do with my age? Any suggestions?

Wanda

Hi Wanda!

Yes, weight loss can be more of a challenge with age, especially for women. It’s certainly not fair. It seems like you’re doing many things right, but perhaps you can find some useful tips here, beyond just being persistent:

How to lose weight

Top 10 tips to lose weight on low carb for women 40+

Best,
Andreas Eenfeldt

Keto for beginners

Intermittent fasting for beginners

How to lose weight

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19 comments

1 comment removed
2
Jeanette
August 23 2018
In regards to hair loss - my doctor put me on zinc tablets as I was experiencing the same issue - (it was actually occuring before I converted to LCHF, but I think I was not really paying much attention as I had other health concerns to concentrate on) although my blood markers didn't show that I was low in zinc. However, it completely fixed it. If I go off zinc for even a few weeks, my hair loss returns. I am pleased to report that all my other concerns have disappeared and all my markers are excellent. It was my own doctor who suggested I go low carb in the first place some 3 years ago, but I didn't do it in earnest until 18 months ago. That was when I found Diet Doctor, and I haven't looked back.
3
Karen
August 24 2018
I have been eating LCHF for almost a year now. Moderately, have lost 45 pounds, 15 inches off my waist, no hair loss as I take magnesium, zinc and a multi vitamin daily.
My blood pressure dropped, my cholesterol fine and my endurance has surged. I have been sugar and gluten free for 242 days.
4
Bg
August 24 2018
Go plant based. It's far better for you and won't wreck your health long term like keto will.
5
BobM
August 24 2018
Bg, there's really no evidence that "plant based" is better for you than anything else. For instance, in the Women's Health Initiative Dietary Intervention Trial, they took 49,000 women and put them into two groups. The control group ate whatever. The group under test ate less red meat (by 20%, a statistically significant amount), more fruits and vegetables, less saturated and total fat, and fewer calories. Yet, at the end of 8 years and 400+ million US dollars, there was no statistically significant differences between the two groups. And this includes cancer, which the study was specifically designed to test. (This is one of the ONLY two RCTs I know of that tested reduction in red meat and cancer, both of which indicated red meat did not cause cancer.)

Your evidence that plant based is good for you?
6
Pam
August 28 2018
I just finished the 2 week challenge; followed it exactly. the food was great, completely satisfying and i was never hungry. BUT, I never got into ketosis! a few times the dipstick read "Trace" amounts. I do not need to lose weight. I am doing it for other health reasons. So, I am disappointed. What am I doing wrong?
7
Happy A
August 30 2018
Pam,
It may take a little longer to get rid of the carbs in ur liver. Once the carbs are depleted in ur liver, u will be good to go. Hang in there! U r almost there.
8
EDUARDO
August 30 2018
Hello, my aunt is 79 years old and has high cholesterol and danger of some blockage in her veins. Is she a candidate for a Keto diet?

Besides this, do you know if popcorn is permitted for snack?

Thank you.
9
Gentiann
August 30 2018
Popcorn is a high carb snack and should be avoided.
10
Sonia
November 1 2018
Is it OK to drink wine or spirits with a Keto diet please?

Reply: #11
11
Reply to comment #10 by Sonia
Kristin Parker Team Diet Doctor
November 2 2018
Here is our guide to alcohol in conjunction with the low carb way of eating.
https://www.dietdoctor.com/low-carb/alcohol
12
Rowena
February 11 2019
10 months ago I was pre-diabetic with HbA1c of 5.9. A recent blood test showed that my HbA1c had only gone down 0.2 and is now 5.7. Do most people have a lower HbA1c on the keto diet? Thankfully random stabbing pains that I was experiencing all over my body have gone on keto.

I have a problem with the electrolyte balance. Unless I use the water soluble electrolyte replacement tablets morning and night I wake in the morning with a headache. The electrolyte tablets contain 3.24g glucose anhydrous, 175mg sodium chloride, 298mg potassium chloride, 756mg sodium bicarbonate, 1344 mg citric acid anhydrous per 200ml. Is it safe to use these electrolyte tablets indefinitely?

To eliminate glucose from my diet and address the headache problem I have been adding more salt to my diet and making my own electrolyte drink but I’m back to having headaches in the mornings. How can I get rid of the headaches? How much salt is too much?

How do I stop my LDL cholesterol from going up? LDL cholesterol has increased from 3.1mmol to 4.4mmol. Triglycerides have gone from 0.6 to 0.7.
13
Carmaine Luyt
July 14 2019
I Have been diagnosed with type 1 diabetes 3 weeks ago. If i follow your Keto diet and stop taking insulin does it mean that I need to use this Keto diet for the rest of my life and that I cant eat any form of breads?

Reply: #14
14
Reply to comment #13 by Carmaine Luyt
Kristin Parker Team Diet Doctor
July 16 2019

I Have been diagnosed with type 1 diabetes 3 weeks ago. If i follow your Keto diet and stop taking insulin does it mean that I need to use this Keto diet for the rest of my life and that I cant eat any form of breads?

Here is our guide to type 1 diabetes. It is imperative that you work with your doctor on making sure your medicine dosage stays accurate.
https://www.dietdoctor.com/diabetes/type-1
15
Tina
July 20 2019
I keep getting leg cramps at night... any idea why?

Reply: #16
16
Reply to comment #15 by Tina
Kristin Parker Team Diet Doctor
July 23 2019

I keep getting leg cramps at night... any idea why?

You may find this guide helpul.
https://www.dietdoctor.com/low-carb/leg-cramps
17
Joanna K Boyer
February 17 2020
I have been on keto and in ketosis mostly, for a year and a half. I love it! One concern is that my teeth are staining a lot, and never did before. A grey palor is hard to get rid of with Sensodyne Whitening toothpaste, and dark brown stains too. Is there a link with Keto? Is there any health threat? Is there a solution other than frequent dental cleansing? Thank you!

Reply: #18
18
Reply to comment #17 by Joanna K Boyer
Kristin Parker Team Diet Doctor
February 18 2020

I have been on keto and in ketosis mostly, for a year and a half. I love it! One concern is that my teeth are staining a lot, and never did before. A grey palor is hard to get rid of with Sensodyne Whitening toothpaste, and dark brown stains too. Is there a link with Keto? Is there any health threat? Is there a solution other than frequent dental cleansing? Thank you!

Most people report improved dental health with keto since there is less sugar to feed the plaque build up. If you have increased coffee or red wine consumption, this could be causing the issue. I recommend you ask your dentist for other potentially problematic foods.
19
Gabri
January 30 2021
Hi,

Great article!
But what I don’t understand and can’t find an answer to is the following;
I read and hear some people stating they are in ketosis 95% of the time. I started testing my blood and will be at 1.7 or 1.8 at a certain time of day (a while after my bulletproof coffee), but doing several tets throughout the day will always show several moments (after I eat usually, even if it was 0 carbs) where the reading will show something like 0.3 or even 0.2.
Does this mean I’m only in ketosis from the coffee until I eat? Or am I getting a false ketosis reading because of the bulletproof coffee? Or does everybody have this, and getting a high reading like 1.7 means I’m as much in ketosis as one can get??

Thanks for giving me your view on this!

Regards,
Gabri

Reply: #20
20
Reply to comment #19 by Gabri
Kerry Merritt Team Diet Doctor
January 30 2021

Hi,
Great article!
But what I don’t understand and can’t find an answer to is the following;
I read and hear some people stating they are in ketosis 95% of the time. I started testing my blood and will be at 1.7 or 1.8 at a certain time of day (a while after my bulletproof coffee), but doing several tets throughout the day will always show several moments (after I eat usually, even if it was 0 carbs) where the reading will show something like 0.3 or even 0.2.
Does this mean I’m only in ketosis from the coffee until I eat? Or am I getting a false ketosis reading because of the bulletproof coffee? Or does everybody have this, and getting a high reading like 1.7 means I’m as much in ketosis as one can get??
Thanks for giving me your view on this!
Regards,
Gabri

Hi, Gabri! It's perfectly normal for ketone levels to fluctuate throughout the day. Here's more info that may be helpful for you! https://www.dietdoctor.com/low-carb/ketosis

Older posts

“Is it safe to stay in ketosis indefinitely?”

Can we stay in ketosis indefinitely?

Why am I not losing??

Serious hair lost after 4 months on keto

Does age have anything to do with a keto diet for weight loss?

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