February 3, 2026
A carnivore diet is defined by one core rule: animal foods in, plant foods out. That includes meat, eggs, seafood, dairy, and optionally organ meats. Some versions keep coffee, tea, and seasonings, but the center remains the same—an animal-focused pattern that removes plant foods entirely. The term “carnivore diet” is newer, yet the style of eating itself has been around for a very long time, with references that go back well before modern nutrition debates.
Ten years of personal adherence is presented as a direct counter to one of the most repeated fears: scurvy has not shown up.
Most of what is described comes from reported outcomes and clinical observation, with a smaller but growing number of papers now appearing. The most common shifts people report include weight loss and body composition changes, along with stronger glycemic control, which matches what tends to happen when carbohydrates are dramatically reduced.
Metabolic markers often move in a favorable direction—A1C, blood pressure, and lipid markers with one notable exception. Inflammatory markers such as high-sensitivity CRP are also described as often improving.
Gut-related complaints show up repeatedly, including GERD, IBS, and inflammatory bowel disease. Inflammatory conditions such as arthritis and asthma are also mentioned, along with skin improvements. Mental health changes are described as real enough to be impossible to ignore—depression and bipolar improvements were once dismissed as unacceptable claims, yet the logic remains simple: the brain is an organ, and nutrition affects organs.
Neurological conditions are also included as areas where improvement has been observed—Huntington’s disease, MS, ALS, Parkinson’s—framed as part of a broader treatment algorithm rather than a “cure.” Autoimmune conditions stand out as one of the most consistent categories: not a universal fix for everyone, but significant enough to justify deeper investigation.
Several explanations are placed side by side without pretending certainty. One view is that removing “everything” removes intolerances and irritants. Another is that cutting ultra-processed foods alone can drive improvement, since this way of eating eliminates most packaged and industrialized products automatically.
Weight loss itself can explain many metabolic improvements. Improved gut function is also proposed, even though it clashes with the popular assumption that the gut “requires” fiber, probiotics, and prebiotics. Higher protein intake is included, along with the idea that humans may be naturally adapted to a more carnivorous baseline, supported by a paper describing multiple converging lines of evidence suggesting humans were primarily carnivorous until roughly 120,000 years ago, then shifted toward more diverse foods as hunting pressures increased and megafauna declined.
Two situations are singled out as the strongest use cases: inflammatory bowel disease (Crohn’s and ulcerative colitis) and food addiction. The IBD examples described are striking: people avoiding colectomies, stepping away from surgical paths, and in some cases coming off biologics after many years.
Other recurring categories include autoimmune conditions, metabolic disease, eating disorders, and mental health concerns.
One unusual observation is included as a reminder that the mechanisms are not fully understood: Ehlers-Danlos syndrome. A case is described involving decades of daily joint dislocations that reportedly stopped within a month, followed by weight loss, strength rebuilding, and improved function. POTS is mentioned as frequently appearing alongside EDS, with improvement often reported in that combination as well.
A practical benchmark is given: three months. This is tied to a survey of roughly 12,000 people, where most had seen meaningful improvement by that point—sometimes not full resolution, but enough to confirm the direction. Some may need another three to nine months depending on what is being addressed.
After a period of stability, many people reintroduce foods. The reintroduction described is not framed as a return to a standard Western diet, which is explicitly labeled a “recipe for disaster,” but rather a careful re-entry of select whole foods after symptoms have settled.
The transition phase is presented as the point where clinical support matters, especially for older or medically frail individuals on multiple medications. When carbohydrates drop, medications often need adjustment. Diabetic medications can require tapering within days due to rapid changes in blood glucose. Antihypertensives can also need reduction, and some mental health drugs may require careful tapering. Biologics are discussed in a symptom-based way—complete symptom resolution is treated as the threshold before considering weaning.
Dehydration is described as common when insulin drops, since insulin affects sodium reabsorption in the kidney and water follows sodium. Symptoms can include headache, palpitations, cramps, fatigue, and a general drained feeling.
Bowel patterns commonly change. Stool volume often drops significantly without fiber, and it becomes normal for some people to have bowel movements every two, three, or four days—especially smaller individuals who eat less. The key distinction is pain: lower frequency without pain is not treated as constipation by default. About a quarter of people experience diarrhea or steatorrhea during adaptation, often linked to fat malabsorption.
Undereating is flagged as a frequent pitfall: appetite suppression can lead to low intake, which then creates its own set of problems.
Protein is treated as the priority macronutrient. A range is given: roughly one gram per pound of ideal body weight is used as a practical starting point, with adjustments depending on response. Fat becomes the dominant calorie source because carbohydrates are minimal, typically placing fat between 50% and 85% of calories. Carbohydrates usually remain below 5%, though not zero due to small amounts found in eggs and dairy.
A higher-fat approach is linked with better results in certain mental health and central nervous system issues, and women are noted as often doing better with slightly higher fat ratios.
Dyslipidemia is identified as the main concern. A pattern common in low-carb settings is described: LDL-C, ApoB, and total cholesterol can rise, while triglycerides often fall and HDL often rises.
A proposed explanation is the lipid energy model: as glycogen stores decrease and leaner physiology increases fat trafficking, lipoprotein movement rises and cholesterol markers follow. A dramatic example is included where carbohydrate intake caused LDL to drop rapidly, supporting the idea that glycogen status influences the pattern.
The unresolved question is direct: does elevated ApoB in this context increase cardiovascular risk? Imaging is presented as a practical tool—especially coronary artery calcium scans, with re-imaging over time as one way people choose to monitor risk while continuing the dietary approach.
Fiber concerns are addressed through multiple mechanisms for gut nourishment beyond fiber fermentation: direct short-chain fatty acids (butyric acid found in butter) and ketone physiology, including beta-hydroxybutyrate’s close biochemical relationship to butyrate. A microbiome analysis is referenced where a long-term carnivore participant showed strong alpha diversity and even “fiber-loving” bacteria despite not eating fiber.
Cramping is treated as a real-world issue, often linked to low intramuscular glycogen and low triglycerides combined with increased activity or energy restriction. One fast-acting intervention is described: pickle juice, tied to transient receptor potentials in the oropharynx that can stop cramps within 30–90 seconds by inhibiting motor neuron firing and helping relaxation and calcium reuptake. Longer-term mitigation can involve restoring energy stores without carbohydrates, with protocols described as using very high fat intake in some cases.
Research is described as still early but moving. Case reports and series are referenced for conditions including hidradenitis suppurativa, IBD, and anorexia—highlighting anorexia’s seriousness and reported remissions with weight restoration. A major milestone is named: a first randomized controlled trial underway in Canada, beginning in January, with more expected to follow.
