Carnivore diets have become all the rage in recent years with clips on the subject attracting more than 1billion views on TikTok.
But a young woman who fully embraced the diet while in college has sounded an alarm over a little-known side effect.
Eve Catherine from Dallas suffered kidney stones as a result of eating too much protein, particularly meat and eggs.
‘I was in this era of being a carnivore. I was eating a New York strip steak every single night my senior year of college. In the morning, I would eat two or three eggs.
‘I would eat this specific type of yogurt that had 19 grams of protein in just one cup. Any snack that I had or anything had to be protein-centric.’
She had gotten a physical from her regular doctor, who tested her urine. The results indicated high protein levels, though they weren’t concerning.
But the next day, she saw blood in her urine, and her roommate took her to the emergency department.
‘I go into the restroom, and I pass a kidney stone,’ she said.
Eve Catherine from Dallas fully embraced the carnivore diet while at college. But she has sounded a warning over a little-known side effect
Kidney stones are stone-like masses in the organs that form from excess waste products.
In some cases, large stones block the flow of urine out of the body, leading to potentially life-threatening infections and risking sepsis.
The doctor initially downplayed her symptoms, and asked repeatedly if Eve was sure she was not on her period.
But urine that is dark, cloudy, or contains blood can be a sign of kidney stones
She said: ‘He does the X-ray thing to make sure there’s not anymore. I had to be put on morphine because it hurt so bad.’
High-protein diets cause the body to excrete more calcium through urine.
Excess calcium combines with oxalates, naturally occurring compounds in the body and plant-based foods, to form rigid kidney stones.
Eating a lot of protein, especially from red meat and some fish, can also cause the body to make more uric acid. Too much of it can build up in the kidneys and form crystals, which can turn into uric acid stones.
The doctor initially downplayed her symptoms, including blood in her urine, and asked repeatedly if Eve was sure she was not on her period at the moment
The carnivore diet, popularized by figures like Joe Rogan and Jordan Peterson, claims to boost mental and physical health, but studies increasingly show that a diet high in red meat is linked to higher risks of diabetes, heart disease, and cancer
‘Don’t eat too much protein, OK?’ she told her followers on TikTok. ‘Don’t neglect your fiber intake.’
Kidney stones are considered a relatively common ailment, affecting about 1 in 10 people in the US.
They are more likely to develop in men than women and are typically diagnosed in patients between the age of 30 and 60.
Many kidney stones are small enough to be passed through urine without patients noticing.
Passing stones can be very painful, and patients are often given over-the-counter pain relievers or opioids to manage it.
In other instances in which the stones are too large to pass, doctors may use shock waves to break up the stones, remove them surgically, or remove the stone through a thin tube inserted through the urethra and bladder.
But if left untreated, they can cause serious complications, dramatically increasing the risk of urinary tract infections, permanent kidney damage, and potentially fatal sepsis.
Interest in the carnivore diet has been partly fueled by advocates like Joe Rogan and Jordan Peterson, who say it’s improved their mental and physical abilities.
The carnivore diet consists primarily of animal products, including meat, fish, eggs, and limited animal-based fats, while excluding plant-based foods entirely
However, as popularity soared, so has research warning of potential hazards.
One 2023 study found people who eat just two servings of meat per week are at an increased risk for developing type 2 diabetes.
The Harvard University research, which is based on data from over 200,000 people followed for nearly 40 years, found those who ate the most red meat had a 62 percent higher risk compared to those eating the least.
And research from Oxford University found higher consumption of red meat increased the risk of heart disease by 18 percent for each additional 50 grams eaten per day.
One particularity harrowing case even saw a man on a carnivore diet suffer cholesterol levels so high that the fatty substance began leaking out of his hands.
Experts have also warned that those who limit their diet to meat could be at increased risk of conditions like scurvy and even cancer due to the diet’s lack of vitamin C and fiber.
While doctors from the Indiana University School of Medicine recently warned the diet could lead to increased risk of agonizing kidney stones – stone-like lumps in the organ that form from excess waste products.
However, some experts dispute some of findings of studies about the dangers of eating too much meat.
They highlight much of research fails to distinguish between the impact of processed meat like sausages and burger patties and less processed cuts like steak.
Most experts advise adopting a balanced diet of healthy animal products like lean cuts of meat, dairy and eggs alongside plenty of fruit and vegetables and wholegrain carbohydrates.