The carnivore diet – a nutrition plan based almost entirely on animal-based foods and completely excluding fruits, vegetables, and grains – is gaining popularity on social media. Millions of posts under the hashtag #carnivore present it as a solution for weight loss, increased energy, and even relief from chronic illnesses.
A new scientific review published in the journal Nutrients sought to systematically examine the health effects and nutritional adequacy of this diet.
How Was the Research Conducted?
The researchers conducted a comprehensive review of the existing scientific literature on the topic. After strict screening, only nine studies published between 2021–2025 were included – a figure that illustrates just how limited research in this area still is.
The studies included:
Case studies
Social media surveys
Nutritional model studies
Comparative studies
In other words, there are still no long-term studies or large-scale clinical trials.
More than 2,000 participants who reported following the diet noted improvements such as:
Better feelings of satiety
Improved sleep
Mental clarity
Enhanced physical performance
Reduced inflammation (according to blood markers like CRP)
Improvement in some liver functions
Some participants with early metabolic issues also reported improvements in triglyceride levels and hemoglobin A1c.
And What About the Risks?
Alongside positive reports, the review highlights significant problems:
Consistent nutritional deficiencies: The analyzed menus showed a lack of calcium, magnesium, vitamin C, vitamin B1 (thiamine), potassium, folic acid, and dietary fiber.
Fiber intake was especially low – less than one gram per day, compared with the recommended 25–30 grams per day for heart and gut health.
Concerns were also found regarding deficiencies in vitamin E, vitamin D, and iodine, and sometimes even excess vitamin A in those consuming large amounts of liver – which could lead to toxicity.
Many participants showed increases in LDL (“bad”) cholesterol and total cholesterol – levels known to be linked to increased risk of cardiovascular disease.
In a small study of 24 participants, there was a slight decrease in the number of people with abnormal lipid values – but in practice, LDL and total cholesterol levels increased.
Study Limitations
It is important to emphasize that the number of studies is very small. In addition, there are no long-term studies on the topic, and most data are based on self-reports rather than controlled experiments. Another issue is the lack of a uniform definition of the carnivore diet (some eat only meat and water, others include eggs, dairy products, and even honey).
In other words, there is still not enough evidence to determine the long-term effects of the diet.
Although the simplicity of the diet and anecdotal evidence may seem appealing, the findings point to potential risks – mainly nutritional deficiencies and increased cholesterol.
The lack of dietary fiber is considered a significant concern, as fiber is essential for digestive health and reducing the risk of heart disease and metabolic disorders.
Nutrition experts emphasize that, to date, scientific recommendations continue to support a balanced diet that includes:
Vegetables and fruits
Whole grains
Quality protein
Healthy fat sources
Diets such as the Mediterranean diet, for example, are supported by many years of research and are proven to reduce the risk of chronic diseases.