Carnivore Diet for Weight Loss: Benefits & Results

1. What Is a Carnivore Diet? 

The carnivore diet, also known as a meat-only or zero-carb diet, is a strict diet that mainly focuses on meat. It involves eating only animal goods like meat, fish, eggs, and dairy and eliminating all plant-based foods such as fruits, vegetables, grains, and legumes.

Many people linked the carnivore diet with ancestral eating patterns. Many proponents also argued that early humans mostly consumed meat, but anthropological data indicates that the diet varies depending on time, location, and available resources. However, its modern adoption as a carnivore diet is linked with many benefits, including losing weight, reducing inflammation, and other health benefits.

The carnivore diet is an elimination diet because it eliminates all non-animal foods to simplify nutrition and potentially reduce inflammation and autoimmune symptoms. It is high in protein and fat, which leads to weight loss and improved energy levels.

The carnivore diet has become a trending topic with public figures such as Peterson and his daughter, Mikhaila Peterson. They follow a stricter version called the "lion diet," which includes only beef, salt, and water. This dietary modification received a lot of attention from the TikTok community, but experts called it unrealistic and potentially harmful.

According to a 2023 self-reported survey, about 72% of people who follow the carnivore diet reported significant weight loss, which positively impacts people's weight management.

2. How the Carnivore Diet Promotes Weight Loss 

The Carnivore Diet, which includes only animal-based foods, has gained popularity for its weight-loss benefits. Weight is maintained in a carnivore diet through ketosis, appetite suppression, and caloric restriction. 

Mechanism of Fat Burning and Ketosis

The carnivore diet eliminates carbohydrates, which causes the body to enter ketosis. Ketosis refers to a state in which the body burns fat instead of glucose. This “metabolic switch” leads to fat loss as the body becomes more fat-adapted. A 2021 study in Nutrition and Metabolism highlights the process of ketosis, showing that ketosis enhances the fat-burning process. When the body is in ketosis, it has become fat-adapted, meaning your body efficiently uses fat as its primary energy source, leading to weight loss.

Promotes Weight Loss by Suppressing Appetite

The carnivore diet is high in protein, suppressing appetite by increasing satiety and decreasing the ghrelin hormone. Ghrelin is an orexigenic hormone, also known as the hunger hormone. Participants in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition (AJCN) reported in a 2019 study that reducing ghrelin contributes to a feeling of fullness for long periods, which decreases caloric consumption.

Promotes weight loss with Lower Snack Consumption

The Carnivore Diet helps individuals lose weight by reducing snack consumption. Meals with high protein enhance satiety and decrease appetite. Foods high in protein reduce cravings, minimise appetite, and lower calorie intake, which supports weight loss.

Promotes Weight Loss by Muscle Retention

The carnivore diet retains muscle due to a higher intake of leucine. Leucine is an amino acid present in meat that helps in muscle catabolism (prevents muscle tissue from breaking down). The National Institutes of Health (NIH) highlighted that leucine is necessary to perform vital functions in maintaining muscle mass. It is also helpful in maintaining weight loss and ensuring that the metabolism works effectively.

 

A 12-week study published in The Obesity Journal in 2022 showed that people who followed a low-carb diet lost an average of 15% of their weight, which makes them promising for effective weight management.

3. Scientific Evidence: Does It Work?

 

The carnivore diet consists of animal-based foods and has gained popularity because of its potential benefits for weight loss. The diet has supporters with promising findings and defenders with significant criticisms.

The Healthline reported that a carnivore diet is effective in weight loss due to calorie restriction, which leads to a deficit of high protein-rich content and increases satiety. However, the long-term effects and sustainability of the diet are still questionable.

A study published in 2020 by Frontier in Nutrition showed that patients with autoimmune disorders following the modified low-carb diet showed reductions in the inflammation marker C-reactive protein (CRP). The carnivore diet relieves inflammation and supports weight loss through improved metabolic functions.

The American Heart Association reported that carnivore diet proponents have raised concerns that this diet raises cholesterol levels because it is high in saturated fats, which increases LDL cholesterol, which poses a risk of cardiovascular diseases. A restrictive diet can also cause nutrient deficiencies, especially fibre, vitamins, and minerals.

Lack of Long-Term Research

No long-term studies (over two years) exist on the health impacts of the carnivore diet. It's important to consult healthcare providers to monitor cholesterol levels, kidney function, and potential nutrient deficiencies. Long-term clinical trials are required to investigate the diet's sustainability besides its short-term benefits, like weight loss and inflammation reduction. The NIH gap analysis highlights the necessity of more investigations regarding the diet's sustainability and long-term health impacts. 

However, a considerable portion of the evidence available is from self-reported surveys, which may contain bias and inaccuracies. One of the most notable advocates of the carnivore diet, Dr. Shawn Baker, claims that it improves metabolic health and helps people lose weight. Compared to other diets, this claim remains controversial, especially in scientific circles. 

4. Potential Risks and Side Effects of Carnivore Diet

Besides the benefits of a carnivore diet, many potential risks are associated with it. As the diet is high in protein and saturated fat, it increases the risk of heart disease and leads to nutrient deficiencies and gastrointestinal problems. Some concerns about the carnivore diet include the following:

 

Nutrient Gaps

The carnivore diet eliminates all plant foods, including fruits and vegetables, making it challenging to fulfil dietary fibre requirements. The USDA nutrient database highlighted that fibre intake is necessary for digestion and controlling blood sugar levels. A person may suffer from constipation and other digestive issues without sufficient fibre. Fibre promotes gut health by promoting a healthy gut microbiome; a carnivore diet lacks fibre.

Vitamin C is another nutrient usually obtained from plant-based foods, mainly fruits like citrous. Vitamin C is essential for immune function and collagen production. Without these sources, individuals may be at higher risk of scurvy. The USDA nutrient database highlights that foods like organ meats can provide small amounts of vitamin C but not enough to meet the recommended daily intake.

Heart Health Risks

Multiple studies have shown that many people following a carnivore diet experience high LDL cholesterol levels. A 2023 JAMA meta-analysis also reported that diets high in saturated fats, such as the carnivore diet, increase LDL levels, raising the risk of cardiovascular disease. However, certain factors such as LDL particle size, individual genetics, and overall metabolic health also play a major role.

Although some proponents argue that the increase in LDL may not correlate with adverse heart outcomes for everyone, the results among health experts remain that elevated LDL is a risk factor for heart disease. Moreover, recent debates in journals like the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition (2023) also highlighted ongoing discussions around the role of saturated fats in heart disease.

Disturbance in the Digestive System

The carnivore diet lacks dietary fibre and causes constipation. As a result of insufficient fibre in the diet, constipation remains one of the more common complaints. The constipation results from a lack of plant-based foods that aid healthy digestion. In contrast, some people might drink plenty of water and consume organic meats to prevent constipation. Thus, fibre is an essential nutrient for bowel health, which the carnivore diet lacks the most.

Social Sustainability and Carnivore Diet

The carnivore diet raises significant social sustainability issues. It may be challenging for some people to follow a carnivore diet in social gatherings and dining out. Going out for a meal or meeting friends can be complicated because many dishes do not contain only animal-based material, which may make following a carnivore meal plan difficult. Similarly, restaurants also do not provide pure animal foods, which restricts many people from eating out and causes people to avoid social interaction. To address environmental concerns, consider consuming ethically sourced options such as grass-fed beef or supporting regenerative agriculture practices.

Mitigation Strategies to Overcome Side Effects of Carnivore Diet

These are ways to follow a healthy carnivore diet to overcome such concerns. Suggested treatment involves eating organ meat to overcome nutrient deficiencies. They are very high in calories and are rich sources of vitamins such as B12, iron, and minor vitamin C. Similarly, consuming organ meats, such as liver for vitamin C and bone marrow for fat-soluble vitamins, also aids in mitigating the potential nutrient deficiencies on a carnivore diet. 

However, electrolyte supplements are recommended to combat magnesium, potassium, and sodium deficiencies caused by low carbohydrate intake. These strategies are helpful in some ways, but they still leave a wide gap in the risk of nutrient deficiency.

5. Comparison of Carnivore Diet vs. Keto, Paleo, and Vegan Diets

The carnivore diet differs from keto, paleo, and vegan diets. Each diet is unique in its characteristics and food inclusions, goals, and long-term implications.

• Carnivore diet: A restrictive dietary pattern that consists of only animal products, such as meat, eggs, and dairy. It is well-known for rapid initial weight loss due to the elimination of carbs and water weight. Carnivore followers often see faster results in the first few weeks due to water loss from glycogen depletion.

• Keto diet: A high-fat, low-carb diet causes the body to burn fat for energy. It also promotes quick weight loss through ketosis, but slower than the carnivore diet because of minimal carb intake.

• Paleo diet: This eating plan is based on foods humans might have eaten during the Palaeolithic Era. A modern paleo diet includes fruits, vegetables, lean meats, fish, eggs, nuts, and seeds. In the paleo diet, the weight loss process is gradual compared to carnivore and keto due to the carb amount.

• Vegan diet: A vegan diet is an entirely plant-based diet and excludes all animal products. Foods such as meat, eggs, dairy, fish, poultry, or honey are restricted in a vegan diet. Animal byproducts such as gelatine, casein, whey, and lactose are also not allowed in a vegan diet. Weight loss is more gradual on a vegan diet because it includes more carbohydrates from grains and beans.

 

The below table also highlights the difference between these diets with allowed foods and their role in weight loss.

Feature	Carnivore Diet	Keto Diet	Paleo Diet	Vegan Diet
Carb Intake	0g (no carbs)	Less than 50g (low-carb)	Moderate, includes fruits and vegetables	High (from grains, fruits, and vegetables)
Food Inclusivity	Animal products and excludes plant food sources	Allows some carbs, primarily fat-based	Includes fruits, vegetables, meats, and nuts	Plant-based only, excludes all animal products
Weight Loss Speed	Fast initial results	Moderate weight loss over time	Steady weight loss	Gradual, sustainable weight loss
Cost Comparison	Higher cost (due to meat)	Moderate, depends on protein sources	Moderate (whole foods, not processed)	Affordability depends on the specific foods chosen

6. How to Start a Carnivore Diet 

For beginners, transforming from a regular diet to a carnivore diet may be challenging. Here are some effective ways to start the carnivore diet.

Eliminate carbohydrates gradually from the diet: 

Rather than eliminating carbs, decreasing carbohydrate intake gradually over three days is advisable. Here’s a sample meal plan for 3 days to eliminate the carb intake

• Day 1: For breakfast, substitute high-carb foods with lower-carb meals like eggs and bacon, grilled chicken for lunch, and steak for dinner.

• Day 2: You can consume fish or beef patties during lunch or dinner, but grains and sugar snacks should be avoided.

• Day 3: Start switching to an all-meat diet consisting of ribeye steak, pork chops, or ground beef.

Electrolyte Management

As carnivores focus only on animal-based food sources, they lead to electrolyte imbalances due to the exclusion of carb intake from the food. So, it is essential to manage electrolyte balance by consuming sodium and potassium salts as a supplement to manage these levels. The recommended amount of sodium meets the requirement for salty meat, or you can also take salt with a meal. Similarly, meat contains potassium and rib salt substitutes to deal with deficiencies.

Tracking Tools to Stick with the Plan

It is essential to track nutrient intake while starting a carnivore diet. Many available online tools help individuals track their nutrient intake and stick with their plans. For example, Cronometer is an application that helps track macronutrients and micronutrients, including vitamins and electrolytes, from meals. 

Cost-Effective Budgeting Tips

It may be challenging to stick to the Carnivore Diet due to expenses. However, buying in bulk makes it much more cost-effective and consistent. Purchase frozen seafood and ground beef, which are more affordable and offer the same nutritional benefits as costly meats. To buy meat within budget, purchase in bulk from local butchers or wholesale stores. Also, look out for deals on salmon, shrimp, and frozen seafood. They help diversify your diet at a low cost.

Online communities also provide information, support, and encouraging tips. People can also follow the carnivore or zero-carb Reddit group for added motivation. You can also share your own experience and read other success stories. The advantages of community support include learning from the community, asking questions, answering other users’ questions, and remaining consistent in achieving your goals.

7. Frequently Asked Questions

Does the carnivore diet cause heart disease?

There is mixed evidence that a carnivore diet leads to heart issues.  Some studies suggest that high meat consumption may increase heart disease risk, while others argue that it depends on individual factors like overall diet quality and genetics. For example, the American Heart Association warns about the potential dangers of consuming excess meat. At the same time, advocates like Dr. Shawn Baker argue that it does not lead to heart disease and is safe.

Can you build muscle on carnivores?

Yes, you can build muscle on a carnivore diet. Meat is rich in high-quality protein, which supports muscle protein synthesis. However, muscle building for an individual depends on various factors like training intensity, calorie intake, and overall health.

Is dairy allowed in the carnivore diet?

Yes, some dairy sources, like cheese, butter, or heavy cream, are allowed in the carnivore diet. The intake of dairy depends on lactose tolerance. Other people can consume dairy, but some people are not able to digest it. Strict carnivore diets often exclude dairy and focus only on animal meats.

How fast will I lose weight?

Many people have reported experiencing an initial weight loss of approximately 5–10 pounds within the first 1–4 weeks of a carnivore diet. However, the results vary from person to person, depending on several factors. 

Is this safe long-term?

There’s no clear consensus. It’s best to consult a doctor for long-term safety.