Frequently asked questions

These are the questions that come up in the first week or two. They are answered directly and honestly. Where the answer is "we do not know yet", it says so.

Health and safety

Will I get scurvy from not eating fruit?

Almost certainly not. Vitamin C is present in fresh meat, especially organ meats and meat that has not been heavily cooked. The vitamin C requirement also drops significantly on a low-carbohydrate diet because vitamin C and glucose compete for the same cellular transporters. Documented carnivore scurvy is rare to non-existent in the modern era.

Stefansson and Andersen ate only meat for a year under supervision at Bellevue Hospital in 1928. No scurvy, no deficiencies.

What about fibre?

Fibre is not an essential nutrient. The reason it is recommended in standard dietary advice is to feed gut bacteria and to add stool bulk. On carnivore, transit slows, the microbiome reshapes around protein and fat fermentation, and stool volume drops. None of that is dangerous in itself, though some people miss the regular bowel routine.

If constipation persists past week three and is uncomfortable, that is worth investigating. Most cases resolve with more fat, more salt, and time.

What about cholesterol?

Most people see LDL rise, sometimes dramatically. Some see it stay flat or drop. Whether this matters is contested in the scientific literature and not a question we will settle here.

Practical recommendation:

• Get a full lipid panel before you start. Baseline matters.
• Re-test at 3 and 6 months.
• If you see a large rise, talk to a doctor who is familiar with the LMHR (lean mass hyper-responder) literature and willing to discuss particle size and Lp(a), not just total cholesterol.
• Total cholesterol on its own is a weak marker. ApoB and Lp(a) are more informative.

Do I need supplements?

For most people, no. Meat is dense in B12, iron, zinc, selenium, and most fat-soluble vitamins. The likely gaps:

• Vitamin D if you live somewhere with limited sun and do not eat much fatty fish or pastured egg yolks.
• Magnesium if leg cramps persist past week three despite adequate salt.
• Omega-3 if your meat is largely grain-finished and you do not eat fish.

Multivitamins are usually not necessary. Targeted supplementation based on symptoms is more useful.

Practicalities

How long do I need to do it?

A 30-day experiment is the minimum to clear adaptation and see baseline. 90 days is a reasonable elimination protocol if you are using it diagnostically. After that, you decide.

Some people stay strict carnivore long-term. Others use it as a 90-day reset and then reintroduce foods one at a time to find which ones their body actually doesn't tolerate. Both are valid uses.

Can I drink alcohol?

Not on any tier of carnivore. Wine, beer, and spirits are fermented plants. Beyond that, alcohol on a low-carb metabolism hits much harder than it used to. Most people who tried "one glass" early in adaptation regret it.

If you choose to include occasional alcohol, dry spirits (vodka, gin, tequila) without mixers do the least damage.

What if I cheat?

A single planned meal off-protocol after week three is unlikely to undo your progress. A weekend of carbs in week one will restart the adaptation clock and you will run weeks 1-2 again.

Beyond physical effects, "cheating" is the wrong frame. You are running an experiment. If you eat a non-carnivore meal, you are stopping the experiment. Restart from there or accept the change. Guilt is not a useful input.

Can I exercise?

Yes. Caveats:

• Strength training generally holds or improves.
• High-intensity (HIIT, sprints) dips for 2-3 weeks then returns.
• Long endurance (over 90 minutes) needs more food, not less. People underestimate this.
• Recovery typically improves. Soreness reduces.

Can I cook in olive oil or coconut oil?

No, on every tier of carnivore. Both are plant-derived. The good substitutes are tallow, lard, butter, and ghee. They handle high heat better than seed oils anyway.

Who is this not for

Pregnant or breastfeeding women?

There is no safety data for elimination diets during pregnancy. The conservative recommendation is to delay starting until after pregnancy. If you are already doing it and become pregnant, talk to your obstetrician. Some women continue, some shift to animal-based.

Kids?

Growing kids have higher and more varied nutrient needs than adults. The diet has not been studied in childhood development. Most paediatricians will not recommend an elimination diet for children without a specific medical reason.

Some families with severe allergy or autoimmune issues in their children have moved to animal-based diets under medical supervision. That is different to a self-directed experiment.

Eating disorder history?

The structure of carnivore (clear "yes" and "no" lists, no calorie counting) is helpful for some people and harmful for others. If you have a history of restriction or binge cycles, talk to a clinician who knows your history before starting.

Where to go next

• Want the full primer? What is the carnivore diet?
• Ready to start? How to start
• Worried about side effects? Side effects and what to expect