People who opt for a carnivorous diet are “playing with fire”, a leading nutritionist has warned.
Social media websites such as TikTok are flooded with accounts promoting the eating plan, which sees its proponents survive on animal foods such as meat, eggs and butter, and claim to have weight loss benefits.
But NHS GP Dr Rupy Aujla says those who opt for a carnivorous lifestyle could be exposing themselves to potentially serious health risks, including memory loss disorder.
“That’s something that worries me, that people are putting themselves at risk for cardiovascular disease and even dementia as well,” he said.
Speaking on his podcast, The Doctor’s Kitchen, Dr Aujla said there are a number of dangers that people considering doing so should be aware of.
NHS GP Dr Rupy Aujla says those who choose a carnivorous lifestyle could be exposing themselves to potentially serious health risks, including memory loss disorder.
“I think this is playing with fire considering we don’t have long-term studies on people consuming these diets in modern settings,” he said.
‘You’re putting yourself at serious risk for cardiovascular disease and dementia, and everything else that comes with that, too.’
He said the purported benefits of the carnivore diet are mainly related to its lack of carbohydrates, such as pasta and bread, which could help some people lose weight in specific circumstances.
“As a short-term diet, it might actually provide some therapeutic benefits for people in specific circumstances, such as those with genuine intolerances,” he said.
However, citing studies in both people and mice, Dr Aujla said scientists had found that the carnivorous diet could have serious health consequences.
Commenting on the mouse study, he said: ‘It was found that long-term adherence to ketogenic or carnivorous diets may be pro-inflammatory and pro-aging.
‘In fact, they observed changes in key organs such as the heart and kidneys, where the accumulation of something called senescent cells contributed to inflammation and systemic toxicity.’
‘Senescent cells are something like age cells, which remain in the air and produce a lot of inflammation that the immune system does not eliminate.
“These are the kind of cells we don’t want in excess and can contribute to overall systemic inflammation.”
In human studies, Dr. Aujla highlighted an increased risk of impaired heart muscle function and an impact on cellular health that could increase chronic inflammation.
But he added that the most worrying aspect of the animal-based diet was the elevated cholesterol levels, which are linked to an increased risk of heart attacks and strokes, as well as dementia.
The NHS says meat is a good source of protein which the body needs to maintain and build muscle, and can also provide a good source of vitamins and minerals such as iron, zinc and B vitamins.
The NHS says meat is a good source of protein which the body needs to maintain and build muscle, and can also provide a good source of vitamins and minerals such as iron, zinc and B vitamins.
However, it advises Britons to choose lean cuts and limit consumption of red and processed meat to maximise the health benefits and minimise the negative aspects, such as high saturated fat content, which can increase the risk of high cholesterol.
The NHS highlights eggs and oily fish, rich in omega-3 fatty acids, as particularly healthy animal proteins.
Health service advice states that Britons who eat 90g of red or processed meat a day should aim to cut this to 70g.
For context, 70g is roughly equivalent to three slices of ham or a quarter-pound beef burger.
The NHS recommends this because eating too much processed meat and red meat has been linked to an increased risk of bowel cancer.
This comes just weeks after an analysis of 2 million people found that…Eating red and processed meat may lead to a higher risk of developing type 2 diabetes.
One analysis found that regularly eating 50 grams of processed meat a day (the equivalent of two slices of ham) was linked to a 15 percent higher risk of developing type 2 diabetes over the next 10 years.
Meanwhile, eating 100 grams of unprocessed red meat a day (the equivalent of a small steak) was associated with a 10 percent higher risk of type 2 diabetes.
Eating 100 grams of poultry meat a day (such as a small chicken breast) was also associated with an 8 percent higher risk of developing the disease.