I’m two and a half weeks into keto. Before I started over I noticed that I breathed heavily, especially after meals. Now I breathe normally even after keto meals. I feel positive about it. I thought keto eliminated gasping. Not only gasping but also many other minor problems are cured during my journey.
Your observations are right. A high-fat, moderate-protein, and low-carb ketogenic diet can solve your gasping problem. New research performed on mice has shown that the keto diet reduces inflammation of the respiratory tract. Let’s see how this happens.
As we all know, our bodies have to work to convert food into fuel. This process is called metabolism and for this oxygen is required. During metabolism, energy and carbon dioxide are produced which is a waste product we exhale.
When our body breakdowns carbohydrates it produces the most amount of carbon dioxide for the number of oxygen molecules used. In contrast, when it breakdowns fat molecules it produces the least amount of carbon dioxide for the same number of oxygen molecules used. Therefore having a diet short of carbohydrates and rich in fats helps you breathe easier.
Also, the keto diet helps you lose weight. Therefore, people have less shortness of breath when they carry less body weight.