For years, studies have linked diets rich in red meat to cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and other negative side effects.
The carnivore diet is simple. Eat only meats, eggs, and small amounts of low-lactose dairy products. Exclude all other foods.
Out of the several diets I’ve tried, this all-meat diet happens to be one the most restrictive. For about a week, I only ate meats, eggs, fish, hard cheese, butter, and water. Did I love it? Absolutely no!
By the fifth day, I felt dizzy. I had flu-like symptoms and suffered crazy heart palpitations.Then came diarrhea. I didn’t want to be more than a short sprint from the toilet.
Symptoms of Adaptation Period
The best time to go the carnivore way is when you’re already fat-adapted. Even then, you will experience an umpteen of the initial, adaptation-related side effects of the carnivore diet. Personally, I suffered from diarrhea and low energy. On the fifth day, I quit being a carnivore.
What Are the Common Symptoms of the Carnivore Diet?
Due to the total elimination of a majority of food groups, your body will need some time to adjust to the nutritional, hormonal, and digestive changes in your body.
During the adaption period, you’ll experience several adverse symptoms and side effects. Thanks to your body’s natural response to a zero-carbs diet, and removal of excess additives.
Nausea and flu, are some of the temporary side effects you’ll likely experience, but they generally go away after 2-4 weeks. Other symptoms to expect during the adaption phase include brain fog, irritability, cravings, decreased focus, and headaches.
Tips and Tricks to Survive the All-Meat Diet
Drink lots of water. Here are two more simple tricks to help reduce or perhaps even eliminate most of the suffering as you adapt to the carnivore diet:
Eating More Meat
A carnivore diet is typically high fat and high protein, meaning you’ll feel full for a very long time. This might trick you into eating very little. And there lies a problem.
Eating small amounts of food is one of the main reasons why ‘carnivores’ suffer. Feeling extremely hungry in the first few weeks is very common, and the last thing you want to do is ignore it.
Address your hanger pangs by either eating more meat or consuming better-quality cuts. Never mind about gaining fat, instead, figure out the amount of calories you need, which you’ll take into account when deciding quantities of food.
Supplements for Electrolyte Support
In the first few days, you’ll lose weight as glycogen reserves are broken down to release energy— weight loss is normal when your diet has no carbs. This process removes water, and loads of sodium, chloride, potassium, and magnesium, which you’ll need to replenish. But how?
Add some extra salt into your diet. You may as well drink meaty bone broth to replenish water, and add both sodium and potassium, thus offsetting some of the discomforts. If this doesn’t do the trick, then you may want to ‘mineralize yourself’ using an electrolyte supplement.
Supplemental pills are especially crucial if you need to replenish the lost magnesium or potassium. The ideal daily ranges for various deficiencies are 2-7g sodium, 0.25-0.5g magnesium, and 0.5-3.5g potassium.
FAQs
Reduced fiber intake can sometimes lead to constipation. Because when you're on a carnivore diet, you're off the fiber foods. So, staying hydrated and including magnesium-rich foods can help keep things moving smoothly. The carnivore diet can also simply reduce stool volume, because the body is utilizing food better.
Does carnivore diet have side effects? ›
Other longer-term concerns about keto diets, especially the carnivore diet, include the increased risk of kidney stones, gout, and osteoporosis. Also, the very high protein intake associated with the carnivore diet can lead to impaired kidney function.
How to get over the carnivore flu? ›
Add some extra salt into your diet. You may as well drink meaty bone broth to replenish water, and add both sodium and potassium, thus offsetting some of the discomforts. If this doesn't do the trick, then you may want to 'mineralize yourself' using an electrolyte supplement.
What can go wrong on the carnivore diet? ›
Moreover, some processed meats, especially bacon and breakfast meats, also contain high amounts of sodium. Eating a lot of these foods on the carnivore diet can lead to excessive sodium intake, which has been linked to an increased risk of high blood pressure, kidney disease, and other negative health outcomes.
Why do I feel sick on a carnivore diet? ›
In the carnivore diet, fats become a primary source of energy. If you're not accustomed to a high-fat diet, this sudden change can result in feelings of nausea or even vomiting. This happens because your gallbladder and pancreas, responsible for producing bile and enzymes to digest fats, need to ramp up their activity.
Why do I feel so bad on the carnivore diet? ›
Low-carb flu, characterized by symptoms like headaches, fatigue, nausea, confusion, and irritability, is a common side effect during the first week or two of a carnivore diet. These symptoms usually resolve within a few days to a couple of weeks.
How do you reduce inflammation in a carnivore diet? ›
It's true fish, which is acceptable on the carnivore diet, is rich in anti-inflammatory omega-3 fatty acids. “These fatty acids fight off inflammation in many different ways and reduce the production of pro-inflammatory cytokines,” says Arsenault. However, red meat, high in saturated fat, is also allowed on the diet.
Why do people quit carnivore? ›
Health practitioners and individuals alike have contributed to the dialogue about the carnivore diet's sustainability and nutritional adequacy. A diet devoid of plant-based foods could potentially lead to deficiencies in certain vitamins, minerals, and dietary fiber.
Has anyone gotten sick from a carnivore diet? ›
Carnivore flu refers to a collection of uncomfortable symptoms associated with the transition from a Western diet high in carbs and processed foods to a low-carb, high-fat carnivore diet. Symptoms include brain fog, low mood, bad breath, nausea, constipation, diarrhea, and body aches.
What are the bad results from carnivore? ›
By skipping fruits and vegetables, people likely won't get enough fiber in their diets, which can affect gut health. They also will miss out on carotenoids and polyphenols, substances with antioxidant properties that have been linked to lower risk of chronic diseases such as Type 2 diabetes and some types of cancer.
Yes, you can drink coffee on a carnivore diet. Despite its plant origin, many followers of the carnivore diet still consume coffee, considering caffeine's stimulating properties. However, caution must be taken as excessive intake of caffeine may add stress to the body's metabolism and disrupt sleep patterns.
Is the carnivore diet bad for your heart? ›
Eating lots of meat can cause serious digestive issues, and eating lots of saturated fats, which are plentiful in the Carnivore diet, can elevate LDL cholesterol (the bad kind!) and increase risk of heart disease.
How long can I stay on the carnivore diet? ›
“It's very restrictive, unsustainable, and there's no evidence to support its claims.” What's more, it can lead to nutritional deficiencies. If you're healthy, it's probably OK to try this diet, as long as you don't stay on it for more than a week to 10 days.
How to transition out of carnivore? ›
How I'm Transitioning Off Of Carnivore. As I mentioned above, it's important to slowly reintroduce foods. Ideally, the best option is to slowly bring in one food at a time and test any reactions over a period of 3-5 days - whether physical or mental/emotional.
What happens when you switch to a carnivore diet? ›
Many people report enhanced mental clarity on the carnivore diet. This could be due to the stable blood sugar levels, which prevent the mental fogginess that can come with blood sugar crashes. Additionally, the brain is made up of about 60% fat, so a diet high in quality fats might support optimal brain function.
Can carnivore diet cause liver problems? ›
Overweight people who ate the most animal protein were 54 percent more likely to have fatty liver than individuals who consumed less meat, the analysis found. "This was independent of common risk factors for NAFLD such as sociodemographic factors, lifestyle, and metabolic factors, said senior study author Dr.
Does the carnivore diet affect hormones? ›
Hormonal Balance
Eating mostly carnivore can aid with building hormones, alleviating premenstrual syndrome symptoms (PMS symptoms), and increasing fertility in women. By cutting out plant foods, women also minimize exposure to phytoestrogens in fruits, vegetables, grains, soy, and legumes.
Why do I feel tired after eating carnivore? ›
During this transition, individuals may experience increased fatigue, a phenomenon that can stem from a variety of nutritional and biological factors. One common reason for feeling tired on the carnivore diet is the body's adaptation to a different source of energy.
Can you eat too much on carnivore? ›
Can You Eat as Much as You Want on the Carnivore Diet? Thinking that you can eat as much as you want on the carnivore diet is a big mistake. Eating too much on this diet will likely result in weight gain and other health issues. It is essential to be mindful of your portions and understand how much your body needs.
