Carnivore Diet will do this to Your Labs [Carnivore Diet Results]- 2024

Summary

Dr. Ken Berry, a family physician, explains the impact of the carnivore diet on various lab tests, including blood counts, metabolic panels, and hormone levels. The diet, consisting solely of animal products, can improve anemia, liver and kidney function, blood sugar, and reduce inflammation. Dr. Berry highlights that the carnivore diet often lowers triglycerides and boosts HDL cholesterol, though its effects on total and LDL cholesterol can vary. He dispels the myth that eating meat makes blood acidic and emphasizes how the diet can improve overall health, including hormonal balance and reducing markers of pre-diabetes and metabolic syndrome.

Takeaways

• 🥩 The carnivore diet consists solely of animal product foods, including meats, eggs, seafood, crustaceans, shellfish, and insects, cooked in animal fats.
• 🩸 A carnivore diet can significantly improve anemia by increasing hemoglobin and hematocrit levels due to its richness in iron, B12, and folate.
• 📈 The complete metabolic panel may show improvements in liver and kidney function, as well as a decrease in blood sugar levels after following a carnivore diet.
• 💧 Urine analysis may reveal the presence of ketones, indicating a state of ketosis, which is considered a healthy state for those on a carnivore diet.
• 📉 A lipid panel may show decreased triglycerides and increased HDL cholesterol, suggesting a positive impact on heart health.
• 🔄 About one-third of people may experience a decrease, no change, or an increase in total cholesterol and LDL cholesterol levels when starting a carnivore diet.
• 📉 Hemoglobin A1c levels, a marker for diabetes, are likely to decrease significantly, especially for those with pre-diabetes or diabetes.
• 💉 Fasting insulin levels, often elevated in modern society, are expected to decrease drastically after three months on a carnivore diet.
• 🚹 In men, total testosterone levels may increase, while in women, it may increase slightly or decrease if they have PCOS.
• 🔍 CRP, a marker of inflammation, typically decreases after three months on a carnivore diet, indicating reduced inflammation.
• 🌡 Contrary to popular belief, a carnivore diet does not make the blood more acidic; arterial pH remains unchanged.

Q & A

What is the carnivore diet?

The carnivore diet is a diet consisting solely of animal product foods, including meat, eggs with yolk, seafood, crustaceans, shellfish, and insects. It excludes any plant-based foods and emphasizes cooking with animal fats only.

How does the carnivore diet affect blood work, specifically anemia?

The carnivore diet, being rich in iron, B12, and folate, can significantly improve anemia as indicated by increases in hematocrit and hemoglobin levels after a few months of adherence.

What changes can one expect in liver function tests after following the carnivore diet?

The carnivore diet can lead to improvements in liver function tests, particularly for those with fatty liver disease, as indicated by normalization of liver function markers such as AST and ALT.

How might kidney function be affected by the carnivore diet?

The carnivore diet can improve kidney function, as evidenced by improvements in creatinine levels and estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) in those with chronic kidney disease.

What is the impact of the carnivore diet on blood sugar levels?

The carnivore diet can lead to a decrease in blood sugar levels, which is beneficial for individuals with high blood sugar or conditions like pre-diabetes and type 2 diabetes.

Why might a doctor be concerned about ketones in urine, and what does the carnivore diet do in this regard?

Traditionally, doctors may be concerned about ketones in urine as a sign of dehydration or kidney problems. However, the carnivore diet, which keeps one in a state of ketosis, can result in ketones in urine, which is now considered a healthy state by some medical professionals.

How does the carnivore diet affect lipid profiles?

The carnivore diet can lower triglycerides and increase HDL cholesterol, which are beneficial changes. However, total cholesterol and LDL cholesterol may decrease, remain the same, or increase, with a small percentage experiencing a significant rise.

What changes in hemoglobin A1c levels can be expected with the carnivore diet?

The carnivore diet can significantly lower hemoglobin A1c levels, especially in those with pre-diabetes or diabetes, often bringing them closer to normal ranges.

Why is it important to check fasting insulin levels before and after starting the carnivore diet?

Checking fasting insulin levels is crucial as the carnivore diet can drastically reduce fasting insulin, which is a risk factor for many chronic medical conditions.

How does the carnivore diet affect testosterone levels?

Men may experience an increase in total testosterone levels after three months on the carnivore diet, while women without PCOS may see a slight increase, and women with PCOS may experience a decrease in abnormally high testosterone levels.

What is the impact of the carnivore diet on thyroid function?

Individuals with hypothyroidism may notice improvements in TSH, free T3, and free T4 levels, potentially allowing for reduced thyroid medication. Those with Hashimoto's thyroiditis may see a decrease in TPO and TG antibody levels.

Does the carnivore diet make the body acidic as some influencers claim?

Contrary to popular belief, the carnivore diet does not make the body or blood more acidic. After three months on the diet, arterial pH levels remain unchanged, debunking the myth that eating meat acidifies the body.