Dieters are being warned of the perils of a trendy eating plan, after one man developed irreversible symptoms on his hands, feet and elbows.
An adult man developed yellowish nodules after following a strict carnivore diet for eight months, a trio of US cardiologists reported. His cholesterol levels were four times higher than normal and was following a “carnivore diet”.
Cholesterol is a waxy substance throughout the body which builds cells and makes vitamins. All the cholesterol our bodies need is produced in the liver, but our cholesterol levels can also increase through eating meat, poultry and dairy products.
Although cholesterol is a vital factor in maintaining our health, having too much of the substance in our bodies can lead to a higher risk of heart disease and stroke. Too many saturated fats can lead to high cholesterol levels, so it’s important to make sure you’re eating a balanced diet of fruit, vegetables and protein, as well as some healthy fats.
The fad diet the man was following is based on eating largely animal fats and not much else. He reported eating nearly 10 pounds (around 4.5kg) of butter, cheese and other fatty foods daily since starting the diet, even adding more fat to the hamburgers he ate every day.
According to Harvard Health, the carnivore diet only allows consumption of meat, poultry, eggs, seafood, fish, some dairy products, and water. It is a type of ‘keto’ or ketogenic eating plan that works to promote the burning of fat for energy over other nutrients, therefore boosting weight loss.
The medical experts, two of which were from Tampa General Hospital in Florida, and the other from the University of Texas’ MD Anderson Cancer Center, published a paper about the incident in the journal JAMA Cardiology.
Konstantinos Marmagkiolis, Jaime Caballero, and Cezar Iliescu described the symptoms of a patient who had come to Tampa General Hospital seeking medical help after yellowish nodules appeared on various parts of his body.
The man in his 40s revealed that the nodules had appeared three weeks prior to his hospital visit, after adopting the carnivore diet around eight months prior to this strange symptom.
Blood tests showed his cholesterol was approximately four times higher than normal. The doctors diagnosed the patient with xanthelasma, a condition in which yellowish deposits of cholesterol build up in various parts of the body.
His body had so much cholesterol that some of it was pushing through cracks in his skin.
Of course, the doctors advised the man to cut back on his fat intake, but that this would not get rid of the nodules. The yellow bumps could only be removed by surgical excision or by burning them with liquid nitrogen.
The medical experts also reminded the patient that having such high levels of cholesterol could lead to a host of other conditions. Cardiovascular disease, a greatly increased risk of stroke, and liver problems are all connected to high cholesterol levels.
The NHS recommends several methods to lower your cholesterol.
Ways to lower your cholesterol as stated by the NHS
Eat less fatty food
Try to eat more:
- oily fish, like mackerel and salmon
- olive oil, rapeseed oil and spreads made from these oils
- brown rice, wholegrain bread and wholewheat pasta
- nuts and seeds
- fruits and vegetables
Try to eat less:
- meat pies, sausages and fatty meat
- butter, lard and ghee
- cream and hard cheese, like cheddar
- cakes and biscuits
- food that contains coconut oil or palm oil
The NHS also recommends not smoking, exercising more and cutting down on alcohol to reduce your cholesterol levels.
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