Dr Paul Mason explains common causes of bloating on low carb or ketogenic diets. FODMAPs and fibre are both poorly digestable and can be fermented by our gut bacteria producing gas, which leads to bloating. Some of the gases produced, such as methane, can also reduce intestinal activity, causing a degree of constipation. This can be further exacerbated by fibre, which by increasing faecal bulk, makes them more difficult to pass.
To add insult to injury, FODMAPs can attract water, causing a combination of constipation and diarrhoea. This is why irritable bowel syndrome often has features of both constipation and diarrhoea.
Dr Paul Mason describes how ketogenic diets are often high in foods containing both fibre and FODMAPs and reducing their quantities often leads to significant improvements.
