The Art Of Keto

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The Biggest Reason Why Your Heart Rate Is Higher On Keto

I switched to a ketogenic diet during the middle of my training for my first marathon, not the greatest idea in hindsight. However, it was during this time that I noticed an increase in my active heart rate and wondered why. 

An elevated heart rate on keto is often due to low levels of fluids (dehydration) and electrolytes, particularly sodium. As a result, less fluid circulates within the blood, which may cause the heart to pump at an increased rate. Increased caffeine intake may also contribute.

In this article, I'll go over why you may be experiencing an elevated heart rate when switching to a ketogenic diet and what you can do to help bring it back to normal.

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As mentioned, I experienced an increase in heart rate when I first switched to a ketogenic diet. It wasn't a small increase either. On average, my heart rate was averaging ten to fifteen beats higher per minute, given the same running pace as previous weeks. 

A ten to fifteen beats per minute increase may not seem like much, but it is if you weren't expecting it. An increased heart rate, no matter how low or high, could catch you off guard or leave you worried. 

What you eat before a run on keto is vital if performance is of any concern.

When it comes to sports performance, a ten to fifteen beat increase per minute could make a big difference, so what gives?

Table of Contents

Why Your Heart Rate is Higher On Keto

You may have noticed that when first starting a ketogenic diet, an increasing frequency in urination. If you're wondering why you probably quadrupled the number of bathroom trips within the first few days on a ketogenic diet, I wrote a little more about it in this article.

Within the first week or two of starting a ketogenic diet, your body begins to expel large amounts of water and electrolytes, most notably sodium. A rapid drop in fluid and sodium, which happens during the beginning stages of a ketogenic or low carb diet, can result in an overall reduction in the fluid circulating the blood. This reduction is what may lead your heart to pump faster than usual or possibly even abnormally.

As your body flushes out water at an increased rate, electrolytes are also rapidly being flushed out. It's like when an athlete finishes a game, or a marathon runner completes a race, they've been sweating and losing electrolytes via their sweat, which they must replace. 

We need to be mindful of three electrolytes in particular: sodium, potassium, and magnesium. These electrolytes are involved in many processes of the body, which include muscle contraction, especially of the heart.

Let me explain further…

How Water And Electrolytes Are Lost Rapidly

On average, the typical adult will store 500 grams of carbohydrates in the body that act almost like an energy reserve. Carbohydrates are stored in the body as glycogen within the cells of the liver and skeletal muscle. For every gram of carbohydrate your body stores, approximately three grams of water are stored along for the ride.

heart rate higher on keto increase water

When carbohydrates from the diet are restricted, your body must access your glycogen to provide energy to your working muscles and your brain. It's during the first week of a very low carb or ketogenic diet that your body will begin to burn through this stored glycogen. 

As a result, water stored with the glycogen is released and expelled through the urine and sweat. Think of each gram of carbohydrate your body stores as a sponge that can soak up three grams of water. When the body uses the sponge (carbohydrate), the water is squeezed out and expelled.

This decrease in both glycogen and water is why you may experience a rapid decline on the scale the first week or two when switching to a ketogenic diet. It's not unheard of for people to drop between five to ten pounds in just the first week of starting a ketogenic diet. 

While a significant drop on the scale may lead you to do the happy dance, it doesn't come without its' drawbacks. If you aren't mindful of replacing the lost water and electrolytes, this can potentially lead to some unwanted side effects such as an increased heart rate and the keto flu.

What Is The Keto Flu

A common side-effect of the ketogenic diet people experience when first starting is the dreaded keto flu. It's called the keto flu because many of the keto flu symptoms share similarities to influenza, commonly known as the flu.

keto flu heart rate higher on keto

Keto flu symptoms include:

You may hear people say the keto-flu is a symptom of carb withdrawal, which may be true in some cases. In my experience, most of the keto-flu symptoms are a result of the rapid fluid and electrolytes lost as a result of a low-carb or ketogenic diet. 

People will use the keto flu as a scare tactic warning people against a ketogenic diet or reasoning why keto is bad. Anecdotally, many of the symptoms are quickly resolved or avoided altogether by merely being mindful of fluid and sodium intake. 

Increased Heart Rate May Affect Certain Individuals More Than Others

While an increased heart rate can affect just about anyone switching to a low carb or ketogenic diet, specific individuals may experience an increase more than others, such as individuals who typically have low blood pressure. 

The following individuals should also be aware of possible conflicts. Consult with your doctor before switching to a low carb or ketogenic diet should any of the following apply to you.

Diabetics

By nature, low carb or ketogenic diets may reduce the need for medicine that's taken to lower blood sugar. If you're prescribed a dosage based on a diet moderate to high in carbohydrates and switch to a very low carb or ketogenic diet, this can result in your blood sugar dropping too low. 

Low blood sugar can lead to both a rapid or abnormal heart rate. It's best to consult with your doctor before undertaking a low carb or ketogenic diet if you are on any medication.

Those with high blood pressure

A low carb or ketogenic diet has the potential to improve blood pressure, taking a dose prescribed based on your previous diet may prove to be too strong. 

Similar to individuals with diabetes taking medication to lower blood sugar, if you're taking medication to reduce high blood pressure, please consult with a doctor before undergoing a drastic change to your diet.

Athletes

As mentioned in the beginning, I experienced this increase in heart rate when transitioning to a ketogenic diet. The increase in heart rate was mainly due to dehydration, a lack of sodium, and my body adjusting to burning fat instead of carbohydrates as its primary fuel source.

Something as simple as taking half to a full teaspoon of salt and a glass of water before a run was enough to bring my heart rate to pre keto levels. While I still take a little sodium before my workouts, my body has naturally adjusted to burning fat and ketones for fuel.

However, if you are just getting started on your ketogenic journey and do perform regular physical activity, it may take time for your body to adjust and become keto-adapted. 

On average, it takes most individuals at least three weeks and sometimes even longer before their exercise performance gets back to baseline.

heart rate higher on keto athlete

Wondering how to best fuel your run while on keto? What to eat before a run on keto.

Three Ways To Solve Heart Palpitations While Following A Ketogenic Diet

So now that you know why you may be experiencing an increased heart rate on a low carb or ketogenic diet, what do you do?

Increase your fluid and sodium intake

Sodium is mostly responsible for maintaining the body's fluid balance. To help offset the electrolytes and fluids flushed from your body due to a reduction in carbohydrates, you should increase your sodium and water intake. 

Many individuals find themselves switching from sodium-filled pre-packaged foods to more whole foods after adopting a healthy ketogenic lifestyle. While eating a healthy and whole foods-based diet is probably best. Changing from pre-packed to whole foods leads many to become sodium deficient if not used to salting their foods previously.

To make sure you're getting enough sodium, you can easily accomplish this by salting your food liberally and to taste. If you're an athlete or sweat excessively, you may find that you need to supplement a little extra sodium to help with performance and replenish any electrolytes lost through sweat.

Additionally, staying hydrated is essential. Make sure you're drinking water throughout the day and even more if you're very active. How much water should you drink on keto? While there's no need to carry a little water jug wherever you go, make sure you are drinking to thirst. 

Perfect Keto Electrolytes Capsules

Exercise patience

If you've already increased your sodium and fluid intake, it may simply be a matter of time. It can take a few weeks and sometimes months for your body to become keto-adapted.

When you become keto-adapted, your body switches from using sugar to fat as its primary fuel source. Any side-effects, such as an increased heart rate, may take time. Exercising while your body is undergoing this transition may help your body adapt faster and become more efficient at using fat and ketones. 

Increase carbohydrate intake

If you've increased your sodium and fluid intake, given your body enough time to adapt, and the problem doesn't stop, try increasing your carb intake slightly. 

Increasing carbohydrates isn't an excuse to revert to junk food and eating copious amounts of sugar, but upping your carbohydrate intake from low or ketogenic numbers to more moderate levels may be required if any of the side-effects do not subside.

The Takeaway

A ketogenic or low carb diet may increase heart rate in specific individuals due to a rapid loss of fluid and electrolytes. Make sure you stay hydrated by drinking to thirst and increasing your salt intake by salting your foods to taste. 

The Hidden Truth Why You May Sweating More On Keto

During the first couple of weeks, while transitioning into a state of ketosis, your body is undergoing a whole host of changes. In particular, you may be wondering why you're sweating a little more than usual.

Increased sweating on keto may occur during the beginning stages of a ketogenic diet as the body adjusts to burning fat for fuel. Ketones, especially acetone, are excreted via our breath, urine, and sweat more rapidly at the start of a ketogenic diet.

In this article, I'll explain why you may be sweating more on keto, other signs and symptoms to look out for, and how you can proactively take measures to avoid it.

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What Is Ketosis And Why It May Cause You To Sweat More

There are a few reasons why you may be sweating more at the beginning of your ketogenic journey. 

A common reason why you may be sweating more on keto is what's often referred to as the “keto-flu.” And just how it sounds, the keto flu can result In not only increased sweat production but many of the other flu-like symptoms you would associate with the common influenza flu.

Additionally, when undergoing a ketogenic diet, the body begins producing ketone bodies to supply your brain, heart, and muscles with enough energy while carbohydrates from the diet are restricted. Why is this problematic? Your body has yet to become efficient at utilizing ketones and fat for fuel, also known as keto or fat-adaptation. 

Your body produces three ketone bodies: beta-hydroxybutyrate, acetoacetate, and acetone. In particular, acetone is found in larger quantities during the beginning stages of a keto diet but also exits the body more readily due to your body's inefficiency at burning fat for fuel at the start. 

Out of the three ketone bodies, acetone, in particular, is excreted from the body through your breath, urine, and sweat glands, which is why alongside increased sweat production, you may also notice a nail polish-like smell to your sweat, breath, and urine.

sweat more on keto acetone nail polish smell

This inefficiency with using fat and ketones as fuel is a common reason why if you test for ketones using ketosis strips, you may register high levels of ketones according to the ketone level chart on the test strip bottle. After a few weeks, you may start to see lower levels of ketones via the urine test strips as you become more fat-adapted.

If testing to check your ketone levels is of importance to you, I would recommend other forms of measuring ketones. In this case, I would usually recommend using a blood-ketone monitor as it's generally considered the gold standard in all of the published keto research.

Click here to purchase a blood ketone meter.

Also, while not as prevalent, people in ketosis report increased sweating at night. While the exact reason night sweats may occur, increased sweating at night may be a result of low blood sugar or possibly even sugar withdrawals. According to Mayo Clinic, if your blood sugars drop very low, as is the case in hypoglycemia, a common symptom you may experience is an increase in sweat. 

What Is The Keto Flu?

The keto flu is quite common and experienced by the majority of people who start a ketogenic diet. Keto flu is often caused by the massive shift your body undergoes when first entering a state of ketosis, and it's called the keto flu since the symptoms are often similar to the common influenza flu.

Anecdotally, many people have been able to avoid or resolve their flu-like symptoms by making sure they stay well hydrated and increase their electrolyte intake, most notably sodium.

Sodium, in particular, is one of the most important electrolytes to offset the flu-like symptoms. Not only does sodium help regulate proper nerve and muscle function, but sodium also helps to maintain fluid balance in and around your cells.

If carbohydrates from the diet are heavily restricted, the body experiences a massive increase in both a loss in fluid and electrolytes. Carbohydrate restriction may be why you also experience an increased need to urinate more frequently during the first week on a ketogenic diet, which I wrote more about here.

An average human adult is capable of storing 500 grams of carbohydrates in the form of glycogen. Think of glycogen as a reserve your body has to supply your muscles and brain with quick energy when it needs to.

With every gram of carbohydrate the body stores, an additional three grams of water is stored with it. As glycogen's depleted during a low carb or ketogenic diet, water stored with carbohydrates is released and eventually expelled from the body, mostly through urine, but also through your sweat glands. 

Think of each gram of carbohydrate like a sponge that can soak up a maximum of three grams of water. When the body uses up the carbohydrate, it’s like squeezing the water out of the sponge. 

A Few Keto Flu Symptoms

Many of the keto-flu symptoms share similarities with the common flu such as:

  • Nausea
  • Fatigue
  • Dizziness 
  • Sleeplessness
  • Headache

Often, if you're experiencing a noticeable increase in sweat production while following a ketogenic diet, you might also be experiencing some other commonly related symptoms, which I'll outline below.

Other Ketosis Symptoms You May Notice

If you're sweating more on keto, I find that often, you may also notice some other symptoms that can be closely related, which I've outlined below.

Increased heart rate

Those suffering from excessive sweating when starting a ketogenic diet may also notice their resting and active heart rate may run higher than usual. An increase in fluid loss, which happens during a ketogenic diet and with increased sweating, may lead the heart to pump faster than usual.

Electrolytes are vital and heavily involved with many processes of the body, one of which includes muscle contraction, and arguably the most important muscle of them all… your heart. 

If you're experiencing an increased heart rate on keto, you can learn more about why that happens, and what you can do about in the article I wrote.

Not only is your body expelling more fluids through your sweat, but you may also be noticing more frequent urges to urinate. Water binds to carbohydrates, and when we severely restrict carbs, the body will naturally hold onto less water. 

Large drop on the scale

The most common reason people start keto is that they want to lose weight; more specifically, they want to lose fat. While a significant drop on the scale can be quite the motivator, most of the initial weight loss in the first and even second week of a ketogenic diet is water weight. 

If you've noticed a considerable drop on the scale during the first week and wondering why it may have slowed down considerably in the following weeks, don't be alarmed. Generally, I wouldn't consider using the scale to track fat loss until after the first two to three weeks. It's after this period when things begin to normalize, and the number on the scale is more indicative of fat being lost rather than water fluctuations.

large drop in the scale when sweating more on keto

Unrealistic expectations are a common reason people panic and either give up on their diet or make significant adjustments when it's not necessary. Here are other reasons why you may not be losing weight on keto.

Keto breath and dry mouth

Keto breath is quite familiar to many who start a ketogenic diet. For the same reason that you may notice a nail polish remover-type smell to your urine or sweat, the same applies to your breath. Keto breath, as it's referred to, is a result of a particular ketone body, specifically acetone, being excreted.

Acetone is excreted through your urine, breath, and sweat at higher rates during the first weeks of a ketogenic diet. When first transitioning to keto, the body isn't as efficient at using fat and ketones for fuel. Keto breath will often reduce significantly or entirely once you become keto-adapted.

Things To Help Alleviate Excessive Sweating

While many of the symptoms will resolve on its own over time, it can still be quite annoying. So how do you cure excessive sweating in the meantime? Here are a few tips.

Increase electrolyte intake

One of the best things you can do to reduce the amount you sweat and resolve any keto flu-like symptoms is to increase your electrolyte intake, most importantly, sodium.

Sodium, in particular, plays a crucial role in maintaining proper fluid balance within your body and can easily be lost through excessive sweat, urination, or a combination of both. Maintaining adequate electrolyte levels can easily be achieved by making sure you salt your food liberally and to taste. 

Additionally, you can use an electrolyte supplement if you prefer to drink them or use them to flavor your water like you would crystal light. . Below are a few of my favorite keto-friendly electrolyte supplements:

Wear loose-fitting clothing

Wearing lighter, looser, and more breathable fabric clothing can make a big difference when it comes to sweat, especially in warmer climates. Dressing with proper ventilation and light colors is an excellent way to help reflect sunlight and keep your body cool simultaneously.

Monitor caffeine consumption

While a good cup of coffee (or three) is a great way to start our mornings, caffeine is a diuretic. Caffeine can potentially dehydrate us and also cause an increase in sweat. 

Try to cut back on your coffee intake or perhaps make the switch to decaf and see if it make any difference. Of course, if cutting your coffee consumption down or cold turkey is worth the trade-off.

monitor caffeine intake to help sweat on keto

Avoid certain foods

Certain foods affect people differently. If you find certain foods that cause you to sweat, they may be worth avoiding. Also, spicy foods, in general, may cause you to sweat and should be avoided if possible.

Drink less water

Not usually the case for most people, but drinking too much water can cause excessive sweating. When you drink too much water, your kidneys have to work overtime to get rid of this extra fluid, which can be released as sweat. 
It can also be said that you may be low in electrolytes, which would help retain the fluid you do drink.

Medical alternatives

Sometimes you've given your body enough time to adjust, tried all of the tips outlined above, and still find your sweating levels bothersome, what should you do? In this case, you may want to consider talking to your doctor about potential treatments.

  • Prescription antiperspirants that aren’t available over the counter
  • Oral Medications. Find out if the benefits outweigh the risks.
  • Anti Depressants. Sometimes anxiety can lend itself to excessive sweating. 
  • Botox Injections. Aside from getting rid of wrinkles, botox has a multitude of uses, but the effects are temporary and must be repeated.
  • Surgery. In extreme cases, surgery may be the last resort.

Final Thoughts

Given enough time, the excessive sweating and other symptoms you may be experiencing tend to resolve on their own. 

However, if you've been in ketosis for more than a few weeks or months and still experiencing excessive sweating, there may be another underlying reason. In that case, you should consult with your doctor to find out the reason why and potential courses of action you can take to help resolve the issue.