‘Extreme’: Photo exposes shocking side effect of popular diet

You might want to think twice about adopting this popular diet after weird “yellow nodes” started emanating out of one devotee.

A US man on an extreme diet left doctors baffled when he was admitted to hospital with ooze emanating from yellowish nodes on the palms of his hands, elbows, and the soles of his feet.

The unnamed patient from Tampa, Florida had adopted a “carnivore diet” in the eight months prior to his admission that saw him eating only meat, fat, and dairy products.

The carnivore diet — which involves consuming only animal by-products such as meat, eggs and dairy — has gained popularity in fringe fitness circles. Devotees claim that the pure protein, no-vegetable lifestyle has helped them shed weight and improve their overall health.

But while the man in his mid-40s reported an overall improvement on his health after taking up eating entire blocks of butter, between 2.7 to 4kgs of cheese and hamburger patties – he developed a very strange side-effect as a result.

“He reported weight loss, increased energy, and improved mental clarity [but a] physical examination revealed multiple painless yellowish nodules on his palms and elbows,” a report published in JAMA Cardiology this week read.

Devotees of the carnivore diet claim that the pure protein, no-vegetable lifestyle has helped their overall health.

Doctors discovered that the butter man’s total cholesterol level exceeded 1000 mg/dL.

In Australia, cholesterol levels are measured in millimoles per litre (mmol/L). 1 mmol/L of blood glucose is equivalent to 18 mg/dL of blood glucose, meaning the man’s cholesterol levels were around 55.5 mmol/L.

For comparison, a healthy cholesterol level according to Australian guidelines should be between 3.9 – 5.5 mmol/L.

Having high total cholesterol is strongly associated with coronary heart disease.

Cardiologists diagnosed the man with xanthelasma, a condition caused by high cholesterol levels or other fats in the blood. In cases of xanthelasma, excess lipids ooze from blood vessels and form localised lipid deposits.

The carnivore diet involves consuming only animal by-products such as meat, eggs and dairy. Picture: istock.

These deposits are commonly found around the eye, a condition called xanthelasma palpebrarum, but can present, as in this case, elsewhere in the body.

Xanthelasma — particularly xanthelasma palpebrarum — can be caused by high cholesterol, diabetes or thyroid issues.

The case study authors did not provide information about the man’s outcome but noted that the case “highlights the impact of dietary patterns on lipid levels and the importance of managing hypercholesterolemia to prevent complications”.

It comes after doctors issued a warning about other risks associated with the carnivore diet at the end of last year.

Dr Rupy Aujla advised strict carnivores – along with the keto diet, which involves a low-carb menu – could “be pro-inflammatory and pro-ageing”, pointing to past research while appearing on the popular podcast The Doctor’s Kitchen.

“They observed changes in key organs such as the heart and kidneys where the accumulation of senescent cells contributed to systemic inflammation and toxicity,” he explained.

“These don’t get cleared away by the immune system, these are the cells you don’t want in excess and they can contribute to overall systemic inflammation.”

A man who only ate meat, cheese and butter for eight months suffered a shocking side effect. Picture: JAMA Cardiologym 2024

While other doctors have voiced concerns over adequate nutrition as a result of a meat-heavy, veggie-less diet, Dr Aujla noted that the carnivorous lifestyle could also increase the risk of “cardio fibrosis and disregulated mitochondrial function” in addition to increased cholesterol levels.

“This is something that would concern me, that people are putting themselves at risk of cardiovascular disease and even dementia as well,” he said, while adding that a short-term iteration of the diet could prove beneficial to “those with genuine intolerances”.

“I think this is playing with fire considering we don’t have long-term studies of people consuming these diets.”