Hot flashes and keto

Since I’ve been eating more fat I’ve got hot flashes. Every day even though I’m on a low dose of estergan.Is that normal. When will that stop. How do I get that to stop.?

Help Roseanne

Weight Loss

Roseanne Wabeke asked 5 years ago
last edited 5 years ago

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Answers (1)

Hi Roseanne,

I personally haven’t experienced this but I did remember an article I read by Maria Emmerich. She posted this on her facebook page (Keto Adapted-Maria Emmerich)

A well-formulated keto-adapted diet works for menopausal symptoms by replacing glucose that’s lacking from the estrogen-deprived brain. When glucose can’t get into brain, it causes hot flashes and low cognitive function, two common complaints of my clients going through menopause. Ketone bodies are water-soluble fat breakdown products that can pinch hit for glucose in the brain and other tissues.

When the brain is deprived of estrogen after decades of exposure, hot flashes arrive. During the years of exposure, estrogen becomes closely involved in the transportation of glucose into the brain cells. When we are menstruating and have healthy estrogen, it transports about 40 percent more glucose into the brain cells than would be shuttled without estrogen. When the healthy estrogen goes away at menopause, the transportation of glucose into the brain cells decreases, and the brain cells become a little starved for energy. The hypothalamus responds to this starvation by increasing the release of norepinephrine [adrenaline], which increases the level of sugar in the blood, to raise the heart rate, and this causes an increase in the body temperature. A hot flash is an outward sign that the brain’s trying to protect itself from blood sugar starvation.

Ultimately, you want to use fat to fuel you’re your body instead of carbs. Carbohydrates promote inflammation and leads to hormonal imbalances that further intensify symptoms. Women who are already in menopause and halt the detrimental symptoms with a well-formulated keto-adapted diet often see a regular menstrual cycle return, less belly fat tissue, along with increased libido.

It sounds to me that your body is fighting to get rid of the sugar and start to burn fat for fuel. You could probably slow down the process by reducing your fats but I wouldn’t increase your carbs to compensate. I would probably increase water intake too to help move past these symptoms! Wishing you the best!