Can Intermittent Fasting Change Your Nutrient Requirements

In this video, I want to answer another question I received. Can intermittent fasting alter your nutrient requirements? We’re going to go over the different concepts that go into this topic.

When you do intermittent fasting, fasting, or prolonged fasting, you’re living off of your reserves. I recommend taking nutrients during your fast because you don’t know if you’re deficient.

There isn’t a simple answer to this question. There are so many variables involved when it comes to this, such as:

• Poor soil
• Nutrient density
• History of bad eating
• Low stomach acid
• Low bile
• Medication
• Stress
• Grain
• GI issues
• Polymorphism
• Keto (on keto you need more sodium, B2, and potassium)

Another factor to look at is the difference between:

• Water-soluble vitamins — Are only stored for several days with the exception of B12.
• Fat-soluble vitamins — Are stored for months.

There are a lot of classical deficiencies that are very severe. But, even though you might not have a severe deficiency, you could have a subclinical vitamin deficiency which can still create long-term health problems.

Some symptoms a subclinical deficiency are:

• Hair loss
• Fatigue
• Anxiety
• Sleeping problems

During fasting, you might not show symptoms of the fat-soluble vitamin deficiencies, but you might show signs of a deficiency in water-soluble vitamins. This is one more reason why vitamin B is so important for those on the ketogenic diet.
It’s very difficult for your body to get rid of certain minerals like iron, for example. But, other minerals that you use a lot of, like potassium, don’t stay in the body for very long.

It’s also true that microbes can make certain vitamins. But, you have to have healthy microbes for this to happen. Factors like an imbalance of microbes due to a history of antibiotics, or inflammation in the gut can disrupt this process.

When you’re doing healthy keto (the ketogenic diet) and intermittent fasting, I recommend that you:

• Take B vitamins
• Take trace minerals
• Take electrolytes

You also need to look at your history:

• Do you have a reserve of nutrients left in your tissues to pull out of?
• Is your current diet nutrient-dense, is it healthy keto or not?

Dr. Eric Berg DC Bio:
Dr. Berg, 53 years of age is a chiropractor who specializes in Healthy Ketosis & Intermittent Fasting. He is the author of The New Body Type Guide and other books published by KB Publishing. He has taught students nutrition as an adjunct professor at Howard University. He no longer practices, but focuses on health education through social media.