low carb

[patricia031]

Ive been on a low carb diet the past week. ive noticed that my pulse rate is high all the time is this normal ? , ive also noticed my blood pressure is higher. after a week i have more energy less tired so thats good. only planning in doing this for two months then going back to low calorie, although ive been checking what im eating and im still under a 1000 calories a day. does low carb affect pulse and blood pressure ?

[SunsetRunner]

First of all, 1000 calories a day is too low for anyone unless prescribed by a doctor. No, low carb diets will not raise your heart rate or increase blood pressure. In fact, it should help drop your resting heart rate and reduce blood pressure. Lack of vital nutrients such as magnesium and potassium can increase the risk for fatal heart rhythms. The fact that you are on a very low-calorie diet, it’s likely you are not getting the nutrients you should be. I strongly suggest taking supplements at the very least if you are going to continue a very low-calorie diet like that. You may have more energy now but it will catch up with you real quick being that low in calories.

[Arjpc]

I'm on a low carb diet and my heart rate has actually dropped.  Have you had your thyroid checked at all?

You need to eat more than 1000 calories a day.  Aim for at least 1200-1400 calories, if not more based on your goal.  I always gain weight if I eat less than 1200 calories.

[emili]

I couldn't even imagine it. But if you have the willpower for that - kudos. I guess I am curious what happens after the two months? why are doing it? if your calorie intake is going to stay the same with carbs or without, is there a health reason for not having carbs? Are you experimenting? your increase in HR could be a coincidence. If there is a weather change or you have a cold or taking a medication, less sleep or stress it will all have an affect on your HR..

[Daves_Not_Here]

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@patricia031wrote:

Ive been on a low carb diet the past week. ive noticed that my pulse rate is high all the time is this normal ? , ive also noticed my blood pressure is higher. after a week i have more energy less tired so thats good. only planning in doing this for two months then going back to low calorie, although ive been checking what im eating and im still under a 1000 calories a day. does low carb affect pulse and blood pressure ?

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Welcome @patricia031 -- what was your pulse rate before and after?  Same question for your blood pressure?

I eat low carb -- my resting heart rate varies between 50 and 60 and my blood pressure has remained constant at 110/70

I believe that, to the extent you become dehydrated, your pulse rate will increase to compensate for the reduced blood volume (however, this could be a fallacy).  Dehydration is a common side effect of low-carb eating which can be mitigated by increasing your sodium intake.

 My personal experience has been that when I ate low-carb, I received the benefits of low-carb.  When I stopped, the benefits stopped.  I no longer view it as a temporary means to an end, but rather a lifestyle I am trying to sustain.

[MagsOnTheBeach]

A lot of things cqn cause a change. What are you eating? Why only 1000 calories a day? 

[patricia031]

was to give me a boost on the weight loss and a friend suggested i give it a go. im having 10 to 20 grams of carbs a day. after a few months going to up myself to 50 grams i find doing the low carb hard but i am stubborn when i get something into my head i tend to stick to it. I work as a carer doing 12 hour shifts and lately it has been more stressful and i am not sleeping well because of this, also i tend to forget to drink because we are so busy. so i think all these things are the reason my pulse is high.

[SunsetRunner]

10-20 grams of carbs per day is way too low. I am pre-diabetic, and it is recommended that I consume 30 grams of carbs per meal. Carbs provide energy. 

[Daves_Not_Here]

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@SunsetRunnerwrote:

10-20 grams of carbs per day is way too low. I am pre-diabetic, and it is recommended that I consume 30 grams of carbs per meal. Carbs provide energy. 

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Hi @SunsetRunner -- I was pre-diabetic for 10 years but recently reversed it by eating very low-carb (HgbA1c is now 5.2%).  I would say the "conservative" recommendations I had been receiving from my physician as to what I should do and how many carbs I should eat were of absolutely NO HELP -- I was slowly sliding towards the diabetes and heart disease that took both my parents.  I believe the medical establishment considers diabetes to be irreversible and therefore takes a fatalistic approach to treatment. 

I will tell you that I have far more energy now than when I followed the standard advice to eat carbs.  My evidence is that I can now take a 4 hour bike ride on an empty stomach, something that would have been impossible for me 6 months ago (and I had good cardio fitness then).

I didn't use the services at https://www.virtahealth.com/ , but I understand they are reversing diabetes and pre-diabetes in their patients, primarily through dietary means.