Who Shouldn’t Follow a Ketogenic Diet?
The question “who shouldn’t follow a ketogenic diet” is a really important one. When considering changing to a ketogenic diet, there are a few key questions to ask yourself.
- Do I have any contraindicated health conditions?
- Do I have a health condition that requires extra support if I’m to adopt a ketogenic diet?
This website is not here to tell you that you can or can’t follow a ketogenic lifestyle.
Rather, we’ve put together a list for you to consider whether a ketogenic diet would be appropriate for you. The recommendation is always to consult a practitioner who is experienced in the ketogenic diet.
The transition to burning fat for fuel can be rough in the early days. A little thought and planning can save a lot of discomfort.
Absolute contraindications for a ketogenic diet
What ‘absolute contraindication’ means is that if you suffer from any of the following you can’t follow a ketogenic diet.
Your body doesn’t have the correct tools to burn fat as its primary source of fuel. The majority of these conditions are really obscure but we should know what they are. Most of these will be diagnosed early in life, so you’ll most likely know if you have any of the following:
Most of these will be diagnosed early in life, so you’ll most likely know if you have any of the following:
Absolute Contraindications for a ketogenic diet
- Carnitine deficiency (primary).
- CPT I or II deficiency.
- Carnitine translocase deficiency.
- β-oxidation defects.
- Pyruvate carboxylase deficiency.
- Porphyria.
Health Conditions that need extra support
There are some health conditions that can make embarking on a ketogenic diet difficult or even dangerous. If you fall under any of the categories below then seek support from a qualified practitioner with experience of the ketogenic diet. Patricia Daly, an experienced ketogenic practitioner put together the following list as a general guide:
- Poor nutritional status.
- Impaired gut function.
- Abnormalities in blood biochemistry.
- History of pancreatitis.
- Active gall bladder disease.
- History of kidney failure.
- Gastric bypass.
- Abdominal tumours.
- Liver tumours.
Source: https://patriciadaly.com/ketogenic-diet-contraindications/
The Bottom Line
A ketogenic lifestyle can have profound health benefits. But, we’d be lying if we said it was easy. In the early days, you’ll most likely suffer from both physical and mental discomfort. We’ll be providing tips and tricks to help with this. You can also read through Catherine’s and Kathy’s journals and how they coped when first starting out.
If you do fall under the category of requiring extra support, we strongly recommend that you seek out an experienced practitioner. They can tailor a plan and support you along the way.