Keto Diet Could Be Hurting Your Health: What You Need to Know

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The ketogenic diet has become one of the most popular trends for weight loss—but just because it’s popular doesn’t mean it’s safe. While the keto diet may lead to short-term weight loss, growing research and real-world experience show that it can also come with serious side effects that may damage your long-term health.

If you’re feeling exhausted, foggy, inflamed, or just not yourself on keto, you’re not alone.

What Is the Keto Diet?

The keto diet is a high-fat, very low-carbohydrate diet designed to force your body into ketosis—a state where it burns fat for fuel instead of glucose. This process can suppress appetite and lead to rapid weight loss. But your body wasn’t meant to stay in ketosis long-term.

To stay in ketosis, most people on keto eat:

70–80% of calories from fat
5–10% from carbohydrates
10–20% from protein

This extreme imbalance can disrupt multiple systems in your body.

Top Health Risks of the Keto Diet

1. Hormone Imbalances

The keto diet can throw off thyroid function, adrenal health, and female hormones. Low-carb diets reduce insulin and leptin, two hormones critical for regulating the reproductive system and metabolism.

📌 Studies show that prolonged carbohydrate restriction can suppress thyroid hormone levels (Powers et al., 2010).

2. Nutrient Deficiencies

Keto eliminates or restricts many nutrient-dense foods like fruits, legumes, and whole grains. This can lead to deficiencies in:

Vitamin C
Magnesium
Potassium
B vitamins
Fiber

Deficiencies may result in fatigue, constipation, muscle cramps, and brain fog.

3. Gut Health Disruption

Low-fiber intake on keto can harm your gut microbiome, leading to constipation, bloating, and reduced immune function.

📌 Your gut bacteria thrive on prebiotic fibers found in vegetables, legumes, and whole grains—many of which are avoided on keto.

4. Increased Inflammation and Oxidative Stress

Although some claim keto is anti-inflammatory, consuming large amounts of saturated fat, processed meats, and low-antioxidant foods can trigger chronic inflammation, especially in people with underlying health conditions.

5. Liver and Kidney Strain

Ketosis increases the burden on your liver (which processes fats) and kidneys (which excrete ketone byproducts and uric acid). This can be especially risky for people with pre-existing liver or kidney conditions.

📌 Studies have linked the keto diet to elevated liver enzymes and increased risk of developing nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD).

Symptoms That Your Body May Be Reacting Poorly to Keto

Persistent fatigue or brain fog
Constipation or bloating
Hormonal issues or irregular cycles
Thinning hair or brittle nails
Irritability or mood swings
Trouble sleeping
Bad breath (a sign of ketone buildup)

Is There a Safer, Balanced Alternative to Keto?

Yes—and it’s called the ASTR Diet.

After battling chronic fatigue and inflammation himself, Dr. Joseph Jacobs developed the ASTR Diet, a balanced, anti-inflammatory approach to healing through nutrition.

Detailed in the book Eat to Heal, the ASTR Diet is based on four pillars:

Anti-inflammatory foods to reduce pain and disease
Sustainable eating with long-term energy balance
Toxin-free living to support liver and hormonal health
Restorative practices like intermittent fasting for cellular repair

Unlike keto, the ASTR Diet supports gut health, hormone function, and immunity—without depriving your body of essential nutrients.

Final Thoughts: Listen to Your Body

If you’re struggling on keto, it’s not your fault. Many trendy diets ignore the long-term consequences of extreme restriction. Prioritize healing and sustainability instead.

🟢 Learn more in Eat to Heal
🟢 Book a free consultation with a certified health coach to personalize your plan:
ASTR Diet Consultation

References

Paoli A, Rubini A, Volek JS, Grimaldi KA. Beyond weight loss: a review of the therapeutic uses of very-low-carbohydrate (ketogenic) diets. Eur J Clin Nutr. 2013;67(8):789–796.
Maalouf M, Rho JM, Mattson MP. The neuroprotective properties of calorie restriction, the ketogenic diet, and ketone bodies. Brain Res Rev. 2009;59(2):293–315.
Powers M, et al. The influence of dietary carbohydrates on the thyroid axis. Endocr Pract. 2010;16(2):303–307.
Yancy WS, et al. A low-carbohydrate, ketogenic diet to treat type 2 diabetes. Nutr Metab (Lond). 2005;2:34.
Axelsen M, et al. Liver dysfunction associated with ketogenic diet. J Pediatr Gastroenterol Nutr. 1998;26(3):263–266.

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Keto Diet Could Be Hurting Your Health: What You Need to Know