These Keto Diet Side Effects Are Seriously Strange

This article was medically reviewed by Rachel Lustgarten, R.D., C.D.N., a clinical dietitian and member of the Prevention Medical Review Board.

The keto diet has blown up as an ultra-low carb eating plan that can help you drop pounds fast—but its effects on your body go beyond weight loss.

A typical keto diet is comprised of 80% fat, 15% protein, and a mere 5% of calories from carbohydrates. If you consume 2,000 calories a day, that means just 100 of them are coming from carbs—including healthy carbs like fruits and vegetables. When you eat this way, it triggers ketosis, which means your body has burned through all its carbs and needs to begin burning fat for energy.

It’s true: Following a strict high-fat, low-carb regimen can help move the number on the scale, but there might be some other keto diet side effects that you aren’t aware of. Some of them are positives, but a few could be unpleasant—or even dangerous. Here’s what you should know about keto diet dangers before you decide to try it for yourself.