The Carnivore Diet for Women’s Health
As we go into the New Year you will see many people talking about doing a new “diet” and the Carnivore Diet as a means to improve health status and boost weight loss seems to continue to make its way around the internet and into the minds of those struggling to both lose and keep weight off. Is this meat-and-animal-source-only diet the answer to all of your weight loss problems? How does it impact women's health?
Let’s see what science has to say thanks to Andrew’s University dietetic intern Jessica Whelen (author of this great blog post w/a few add ons from me, Bea). This has been reviewed and is accurate for science/research base information.
What is the Carnivore diet anyway?
The Carnivore Diet is a highly restrictive diet that excludes all food groups with the exception of meat, fish, eggs, and some animal products.
You may be thinking that this sounds similar to a Ketogenic Diet…and it is…but the key difference is that the Carnivore Diet eliminates all carbohydrate sources (including fruits and vegetables), while the Ketogenic Diet limits carbohydrate sources so you’re still consuming some, typically avoiding grains while still consuming some fruits and vegetables.
Something shocking with such a popular diet is that the Carnivore Diet is also not backed by research/science as there are currently no controlled studies to support health and weight loss claims of the Carnivore Diet.
Why do you people attempt the Carnivore Diet despite the lack of research?
People tend to attempt the Carnivore Diet as a means to lose weight and possibly improve other health-related concerns (i.e. reduce inflammation) that they have due to the high protein content of the diet. It is theorized that you don’t need to eat anything else for other vitamins and minerals because you are receiving them from the animal. Unfortunately, this isn’t the case, and the long-term use of this diet comes with nutritional risks and health implications.
Risks of the Carnivore Diet
Constipation
With the elimination of multiple food groups (fruits, vegetables, whole grains, nuts, seeds, and legumes) comes the elimination of multiple other essential nutritional elements, particularly fiber. Dietary fiber aids in the body's digestive processes. Dietary fiber is primarily found in dark leafy greens and other vegetables, fruits, whole grains, nuts, seeds, and legumes. Constipation will likely set in with an insufficient intake of dietary fiber. Constipation is already a problem for many women throughout the stages of their menstrual cycle, so a woman following a Carnivore Diet may experience worsened symptoms of constipation due to hormone disruption from lack of carbohydrates.
Increased Disease State Risk
Dietary fiber is also essential in the regulation of blood sugar, and for keeping inflammation markers down in the body. High levels of inflammation in the body are directly related to various disease states such as cardiovascular disease, diabetes, cancer states, Alzheimer’s/dementia, and cognitive-related disorders such as ADHD and Autism Spectrum Disorder.
The higher intake of cholesterol and fat also pose risk to disease states such as cardiovascular disease and stroke.
Heart Disease
As per the CDC (Center for Disease Control), heart disease is the leading cause for death in women in the United States, killing 314,186 women in 2020. This means that heart disease accounted for one in every five female deaths in the United States in 2020 alone. Women transitioning through menopause are at a heightened risk of heart disease due to the symptoms that come with menopause. The body produces less estrogen, which leads to an accumulation of belly fat. Menopausal women also experience thickening and stiffening of arteries. These changes increase risk of cardiac events.
The Carnivore Diet presents heightened intake of saturated fats, which presents a heightened risk for heart disease and related issues such as stroke as the saturated fats can lead to plaque build up and lead to blockages.
Thyroid Conditions
One disease women tend to have more cases is thyroid disease. Low carbohydrate consumption can have implications on the functionality of your thyroid. Your thyroid is essential in your body’s hormone production. The body produces many, many hormones responsible for various processes in the body: reproduction, cell growth, cell repair, sleep/wake cycles, fluid balance, mood, stress, and blood pressure and sugar regulation. Studies have shown a relationship between low carbohydrate intake and a significant drop in plasma T3 (an active form of thyroid hormone) concentrations. This can lead to an underactive thyroid, or Hypothyroidism, which can present with symptoms such as: fatigue, dry skin, weight gain, puffy face, coarse hair and skin, and an increased sensitivity to the cold. Compromising your thyroid will not help with any long-term weight management goals.
Kidney Issues
If you are consuming an increased amount of heavily processed meats such as lunch meats and foods like bacon you are going to additionally have a higher intake of sodium, which can lead to kidney stones, kidney disease and increased blood pressure.
Slowed Digestion
The Carnivore Diet presents a heightened intake of protein and fat, which takes longer to break down in the body and digest. This can lead to digestive system and GI discomfort especially when paired with increased risk of constipation due to low fiber content.
Fatigue & Brain Fog
Carbohydrate is the body’s preferred source of energy, especially the brain. When carbohydrates fall short you may experience signs and symptoms of carbohydrate deficiency such as brain fog, headaches, fatigue, weakness, decreased energy, dizziness/lightheadedness, increased hunger, and shakiness (particularly in hands), to name a few.
In short
A Carnivore Diet is non-essential for weight loss. Be reminded that if you are seeking weight loss a caloric deficit is needed (not restricted/starvation kind) or an individual nutrition program, and this can be achieved with any dietary preferences and/or dietitian. If you are seeking this diet for improved health, remember the risks at stake:
Increased LDL (high cholesterol)
Increased risk of heart disease and stroke
Decreased fiber
Dysregulation of blood sugar and ability to manage inflammation markers
Dysregulation of the digestive system
Hormone disruption due to lack of carbohydrate
High blood pressure
Increased risk of kidney issues due to potential increase sodium intake in processed meats
Brain fog
Headaches
Fatigue
Lightheadedness/Dizziness
Hunger
Following a Carnivore diet can be particularly detrimental to women's health due to the implications of following a low carb high fat diet:
Increase risk of cardiovascular disease
Increased risk of hypothyroidism
Increased risk of hormone disruption
For generally improved health and weight management be sure to include foods not only rich in protein and omega-3 fatty acids, but also vitamins, minerals, carbohydrate, and fiber. Include a diversity of foods to help avoid overloading your body with nutrition components like LDL cholesterol and sodium that can lead to severe health conditions. If you would like to get off the diet rat wheel and learn how to be healthy both for a healthy body weight (for you) and truly have a good relationship with food check out this link.
Resources
Lower Your Risk for the Number 1 Killer of Women | Health Equity Features | CDC. (2020,
August 20). Www.cdc.gov. https://www.cdc.gov/healthequity/features/heartdisease/
Mayo Clinic Staff. (2022, December 10). Hypothyroidism (underactive thyroid). Mayo Clinic.
https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/hypothyroidism/symptoms-causes/syc-
20350284
The Carnivore Diet: Can You Have Too Much Meat? (n.d.). Cleveland Clinic. Retrieved
December 4, 2023, from https://health.clevelandclinic.org/the-carnivore-
diet#:~:text=You%20eat%20only%20meat%2C%20fish
The connection between menopause and cardiovascular disease risks. (n.d.). Www.heart.org.
https://www.heart.org/en/news/2023/02/20/the-connection-between-menopause-and-c
ardiovascular-disease-risks