Top diet doctor pinpoints trendy diet that can increase dementia risk

People opting in for the carnivore diet are ‘playing with fire’ a top diet doctor has warned.

Social media websites like TikTok are awash with accounts hyping the eating plan, which sees proponents survive on animal-based foods like steak, eggs and butter, claiming benefits for weight-loss.

But NHS GP Dr Rupy Aujla says those opting in for a carnivore lifestyle could be putting themselves at potentially serious health risk, including of the memory robbing disorder.

‘That is something that would concern me, that people are putting themselves at risk of cardiovascular disease and even dementia as well,’ he said.

Speaking on his podcast, The Doctor’s Kitchen, Dr Aujla said there were a number of hazards people considering it should be aware of.

NHS GP Dr Rupy Aujla says those opting in for a carnivore lifestyle could be putting themselves at potentially serious health risk, including of the memory robbing disorder.

The NHS says meat is a good source of protein which the body needs to maintain and build muscle, and can also provide a good source of vitamins and minerals like iron, zinc and B vitamins

‘I just think this is playing with fire considering we don’t have long-term studies of people consuming these diets in modern environments,’ he said. 

‘You’re putting yourself at severe risk of cardiovascular disease and dementia, and everything else that comes with that as well.’

He said the supposed benefits of the carnivore diet are mainly linked to its lack of carbohydrates, like pasta and bread, that could help some people lose weight in specific circumstances.    

‘As a short-term diet it may actually provide some therapeutic benefits for people in specific circumstances such as those with genuine intolerances,’ he said. 

However, citing studies on both people and mice, Dr Aujla said scientists had found the carnivore diet could have serious health implications.

On the mouse study he said: ‘It found that long-term adherence to either keto or the carnivore diets may be pro-inflammatory and pro-aging.

‘They actually observed changes in key organs such as the heart and kidneys where the accumulation of something called senescent cells contributed to systemic inflammation and toxicity.’

‘Senescent cells are sort of like age cells that like hanging around and just produce a lot of inflammation and don’t get cleared away by the immune system.

Brian Johnson, better known as the Liver King, has built a following from his raw carnivore diet, mainly filled with meat

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‘These are the kind of cells you don’t want in excess and they can contribute to overall systemic inflammation.’

On human studies, Dr Aujla highlighted, increased risk of impaired heart muscle function and impact on cell health that could increase chronic inflammation.

But he added that the most worrying aspect of the animal-based diet was elevated levels of cholesterol, which is linked to increased risk of heart attacks and strokes as well as dementia. 

The NHS says meat is a good source of protein which the body needs to maintain and build muscle, and can also provide a good source of vitamins and minerals like iron, zinc and B vitamins.

However, it advises Brits to choose lean cuts and limit intake of red and processed meat to maximize the health benefits while minimising the negatives like high saturated fat content which can increase the risk of high cholesterol. 

The NHS highlights eggs and oily fish rich in omega-3 fatty acids as particularly healthy animal proteins.

Health service advice states Brits eating 90g of red or processed meat a day, should try to cut down to 70g.

For context 70g is about three slice of ham or one quarter-pound beefburger. 

The NHS recommends this because eating too much processed meat and red meat has been linked to an increased risk of bowel cancer. 

It comes just weeks after an analysis of  2million people found eating red and processed meat could lead to a higher risk of developing type 2 diabetes.

Analysis revealed that regularly eating 50 grams of processed meat a day – the equivalent of two slices of ham – was linked to a 15 per cent higher risk of developing type 2 diabetes in the next 10 years.

Meanwhile eating 100g of unprocessed red meat a day – equivalent to a small steak – was linked to a 10 per cent higher risk of type 2 diabetes.

Eating 100g poultry per day – such as a small chicken breast – was also associated with an 8 per cent higher risk of the condition.