While the weight loss benefits of intermittent fasting far outweigh the drawbacks, there are potential small aggravating side effects, one of which being an intermittent fasting headache. If you have ever gone without food for extended periods of time (much more than your body is used to), then you have experienced a fasting headache. Headaches on your fast day, or during your fasting window, typically occur due to the following reasons:
-Hypoglycemia (Low blood sugar levels)
-Dehydration
-Electrolyte Deficiency
-Caffeine Withdrawal
On the bright side, there are ways to manage and eliminate these headaches so that you won’t have to stop fasting and you can hold on until your target feeding window arrives. Below is a summary explaining each of these causes, and remedies that have worked for me and many others.
Eventually as you progress in your fasting journey, the headaches will go away completely.
1. Hypoglycemia
Hypoglycemia occurs when the body’s sugar or glucose level drops below 70mg/dL. This decrease in glucose triggers headaches, confusion, irritability, weakness, dizziness, shakiness, and hunger. If before your fasting window started, you eat a meal high in sugar, you could experience a quick rise in blood sugar and a rapid drop causing a headache.
Remedy
Don’t eat carbs with a high glycemic index (GI) rank prior to starting your fasting period. If you choose to eat high GI carbs, try to consume them towards the middle of your feeding window and low GI carbs closer to the end of your fasting period. Low GI carbs produce a much smaller fluctuation in your blood sugar levels and should help reduce massive glucose swings that trigger intermittent fasting headaches. If you are not sure what high and low GI carbs are, check out this link.
https://www.shape.com/weight-loss/tips-plans/list-low-high-gi-foods
2. Dehydration
Dehydration can bring on an intermittent fasting headache. The average human person should have a body composition made up of 50-65% water. What this means is that next to oxygen, drinking water is essential. Even more so, your brain is made up of 75% water and when there is a lack of water, your brain can temporarily contract or shrink from fluid loss causing dehydration headaches. Per Medical News Today, this pain is caused due to your brain pulling away from your skull. Yea…who’d have thought!! Wow! It’s true, check it out here:
https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/317511.php
Medical News Today also shared a few symptoms of dehydration headaches.
- extreme thirst
- reduced urination
- dark colored urine
- confusion
- dizziness
- fatigue
- dry, sticky mouth
Remedy
Okay so the obvious solution here is to drink water. You should try to aim for at least ½ gallon of water per day and if you are doing rigorous workouts, I recommend at least 1 gallon per day.
3. Electrolytes Deficiency
Another reason for intermittent fasting headaches are electrolyte imbalances. Drinking water full of electrolytes will help you endure your fast. Electrolytes are chemical components in the body which are necessary for many physiological functions within your body, such as: muscle contraction, nerve impulses, heart function and brain function to mention a few. The major electrolytes your body needs during intermittent fasting are: sodium, magnesium, and potassium.
As it pertains to intermittent fasting, the goal is to lower insulin levels to tap into fat stores for energy usage to lose weight. When insulin levels are lowered, your body holds less water and sodium, which can lead to electrolyte imbalances. Some common signs of electrolyte deficiencies are:
- Headaches
- Dizziness
- Fatigue
- Confusion
- Muscle Cramps
- Racing Heart
This is why you must consume electrolytes during fasting.
Remedy
In an article posted on simmland.com, they provide this rule of thumb as it pertains to consuming enough sodium to keep your electrolytes balanced during fasting.
“RULE OF THUMB: Get at minimum 2000 mg-s of sodium a day (1-2 tsp of salt). If you’re physically active or sweat a lot, then aim for 4000-7000 mg-s (2-3 tsp of salt). Mixed with water.” (http://siimland.com/everything-about-getting-enough-electrolytes-while-fasting/)
Libifit recommends adding Himalayan salt to your water as opposed to regular table salt. The benefits of Himalayan salt are widely supported and written about. Check out this image below from organics.org comparing table salt and Himalayan salt.
To make sure you get all of the other necessary electrolytes, here are some awesome drink recipes to help remedy intermittent fasting headaches and to ensure you receive all of the proper chemicals you need during your fast.
This drink is made of lemon and Himilyan salt to stop your headaches within minutes. In addition to addressing electrolyte imbalances, this salt and lemon drink helps to boost your immune system, boost energy, restore alkaline balance within your body, and increase serotonin levels (your “feel good” hormones). Check it out.
https://edrugsearch.com/lemon-himalayan-salt-stop-migraine-headaches/
I have tried this one and this drink will help you allude this nagging intermittent fasting headaches until your body adjusts.
4. Caffeine Withdrawal
Caffeine withdrawal is a common cause of intermittent fasting headaches. If you are used to drinking several cups of coffee and tea per day, and you suddenly stop cold turkey, your body isn’t going to like it and in response, you may begin to have headaches.
Remedy
Drink caffeine! Coffee and tea will not break your fast. You should drink coffee and tea because both help to improve the rate at which you burn body fat and helps to make you feel satiated. Black coffee has GABA (Gamma-aminobutyric acid) which is a chemical to help you feel good and calm. Green tea especially has a chemical called Epicgallocatechin – 3- gallate (EGCG) which helps you handle your fast better and reduce your hunger levels as well. So, if you feel hungry, reach for a cup of green tea!
***Be advised to not add creamers and sugar to your coffee or tea. These things will break your fast and you certainly don’t want that. Also, you don’t want to over do it with the caffeine. Too much caffeine can have a negative effect in that it may rev your adrenals and cause your cortisol levels to rise. Rising cortisol levels could lead to insulin levels increasing and of course the goal of intermittent fasting is to keep insulin levels low to activate fat stores for energy. So don’t blow it by drinking too much coffee.
Finally, Take Pain Medicine
There may come a time during your intermittent fasting period where your headache may be too severe for you to handle and in that case, simply take some pain medicine. If you do not have any health conditions and taking over-the-counter pain meds have been approved by your health care provider, go for it. A little Advil won’t break your fast. And with the stress of kids, jobs, spouses, and God knows what else, some times you just need some DRUGS!!!
Whether you are doing a 16 hour fast, every other day fast, intermittent fasting headaches may come along with the package. However, thankfully there are ways to cure the headaches and keep you on your weight loss journey.
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Sources
https://edrugsearch.com/lemon-himalayan-salt-stop-migraine-headaches/
https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/317511.php
https://www.shape.com/weight-loss/tips-plans/list-low-high-gi-foods
http://siimland.com/everything-about-getting-enough-electrolytes-while-fasting/
