The Unpleasant Vagina Issue Women are Reporting From Trying the Latest Diet Trend
Ever been tempted by the Keto Diet? Its popularity has soared in the US with many celebrities claiming to follow it.
Check out our investigations into the pros and cons.
On the plus side, it has helped some with unhealthy levels of fat to gain control of their weight and body composition. On the not-so plus side, it comes with a whole slew of pretty gnarly side effects like the keto flu, keto breath, and keto diarrhoea.
Now, people are talking about another unpleasant side effect of the keto diet: keto crotch.
Yep, some people online noticed that their vaginas started to emit an intense odour after going on the low-carb diet.
Is keto crotch a real thing?
To make one thing super-clear first, there's no research confirming that keto crotch is, in fact, a thing. But that doesn't mean people aren't still experiencing some less-than-pleasant odours down there on the keto diet.
Keto crotch sounds similar to the keto breath phenomenon. When your body is in ketosis (a.k.a. it breaks down fat for fuel instead of carbs), it produces ketones (chemicals like acetoacetate, beta-hydroxybutyrate, and acetone-yes, that last one is the same ingredient in nail polish remover).
These are chemicals that are naturally produced by your body. But, because your body produces more of them on the keto diet, the excess can make your poop, pee, and breath a little more smelly (again, like nail polish remover).
But that's probably not what’s happening here, says Jessica Shepherd, MD, a minimally invasive gynaecologist in Dallas and founder of Her Viewpoint.
Instead, it’s more likely that going on the keto diet changes your vaginal pH-and that changes your vaginal odour, she says. “Any diet can change your vaginal pH,” she says, which can then change the odour a bit.
Okay, well what about a keto crotch rash?
In addition to having a pretty gnarly smell down there, some women are also reporting that they’ve noticed a rash in their crotch area on the keto diet (fun!).
But there’s really nothing about the keto diet in particular that would cause you to break out in a crotch rash-at least, none that the scientific community has found a direct link to, says Christine Greves, MD, a board-certified ob/gyn at the Winnie Palmer Hospital for Women and Babies.
“If you're on the keto diet and develop a rash, don’t just blame it on the diet. Make sure you get some assistance.” she says.
But while there’s no direct link, going keto could potentially have an indirect effect on whether you develop a rash. “Changes in diet can lead to potential changes in vaginal health, which could mean more rashes,” says Dr. Shepherd.
Of course, it’s entirely possible that other things you do around the time you start the keto diet could lead to a keto crotch rash, like working out more and hanging out in your sweaty gym clothes for too long.
But if you notice a rash down there and it’s not going away, it’s time to call your doctor.
What else should I know about the side effects of keto?
Going on a high fat, low carb diet can be a little rough on your body at first but keto crotch isn't where your side effects end.
You may end up having the keto flu , which is basically a bunch of flu-like symptoms that often appear at the beginning of the keto diet.
We’re talking headaches, fatigue, body aches, dizziness, and nausea. It’s like the “real” flu, but with a different cause.
In general, you can expect the keto flu to last anywhere from 24 hours to up to two weeks, as your body adjusts to being in ketosis.
And then there’s keto diarrhoea, which is about as fun as it sounds. Given that the keto diet is high in fat, it can end up making your poop a little more liquidy than usual, Barbie Boules, R.D.N., founder of Nyoutrition previously told Womenshealthmag.com.
Couple that with the fact that a lot of people on keto tend to use artificial sweeteners, which also can cause stomach issues, and you’re set up for some serious bathroom sprints.
What should I do if I think I have keto crotch?
If you notice you have a weird odour going on down there right after you go keto, you may want to give it a few days to see if it goes away, says Dr. Greves. (Also, definitely don't douche. Douching can open you up to a whole host of other issues and increase your risk of infection.)
But if the smell persists or you start to notice other symptoms like itchiness, burning, and abnormal discharge, it’s time to see your doctor.
It’s entirely possible that you were just unlucky enough to develop an infection or other gynaecological issue at the same time as you went keto, and that it has nothing to do with your diet, says Dr. Greves. Either way, you need to get it looked at.
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