Can Carnivore Diet Cause Gout?

Gout is painful. That’s why when you think about following the carnivore diet, you might wonder how it affects your joints. Can carnivore diet cause gout? What are the chances of you suffering from this condition when you increase your meat consumption?

Let’s find out here.

Read: Can the Carnivore Diet Help Psoriasis?

Can the Carnivore Diet Cause Gout? 

There’s not enough study about the carnivore diet. Thus, there’s no medical proof that it can cause gout or if increasing meat consumption can cause this medical condition.

Gout is inflammatory arthritis. It is characterized by joint swelling and pain. It happens when there’s excessive uric acid in the body and it crystallizes as a monosodium urate in cartilage, bones, tendons, and other sites of the body.

This is an old disease. It has appeared in ancient medical records. It was once a disease of the upper class who could pay for a rich diet. But it has already become prevalent in many developed countries.

What Causes Gout? 

One of the common causes of gout is high serum uric acid. When there’s excessive uric acid in the blood, it leads to urate crystallization. And the crystals are deposited in the tissues and joints.

The build-up of uric acid could be caused by an overproduction of uric acid or your body can’t excrete it.

Why Do People Have Difficulty Eliminating Uric Acid? 

A meat diet contributes to an increase in uric acid of 1 to 2 mg/dL. The rest of it comes from your own body. But because meat has a higher level of purines, scientists blame them for gout attacks.

Some studies found that eating animal-based food is linked to increased chances of experiencing gout.

However, these studies are purely based on observation. They are not scientific.

Then again, if you have an underlying urate elimination problem, your condition will get worse if you continue to eat meat-only products.

Read: Can the Carnivore Diet Cure IBS?

Are Vegans Safe from Gout? 

No, they are still susceptible to gout. Just look at this study.

With that in mind, it’s difficult to say if the carnivore diet can contribute to gout.

If it does, then our ancestors would have been in pain because their diet was rich in animal meat. They were not able to hunt or gather if that was the case.

But because they have survived, it could be telling us that the carnivore diet has nothing to do with gout.

Then again, there’s no scientific research that will conclude it.

Sugar Intake 

There is also a connection between uric acid levels and type 2 diabetes. Thus, it’s possible that sugar and other refined carbs can exacerbate the issue.

There’s a history of gout becoming common in some areas where sugar consumption began to rise sharply.

Fructose is a form of sugar. It is found in sweetened beverages. It is also known to increase blood uric acid levels.

Some studies also showed that there’s a link between fructose consumption and increased risk of gout. However, there’s no conclusive data that can prove that this sweetener causes gout.

Read: Is the Carnivore Diet Safe Long Term?

Can the Carnivore Diet Treat Gout? 

The carnivore diet hasn’t been studied properly. In that case, there’s no conclusive evidence that it can cause or treat this condition.

However, some people are saying that this diet might treat gout because it improves insulin sensitivity. Since it focuses on low to no carb consumption, it may help you lose weight. And obesity is one of the contributing factors to gout.

May Improve Insulin Sensitivity 

Insulin resistance causes kidney damage. It also affects uric acid elimination. Because there’s a problem eliminating uric acid from the body, a uric acid build can happen, leading to gout.

Because the carnivore diet calls for low to no carbs, it may help in improving your insulin sensitivity.

Furthermore, this diet will remove plant toxins because you are not allowed to eat fruits and vegetables when on the carnivore diet.

On this diet, fructose, sugary drinks, and alcohol are eliminated. They are a source of fructose and this sweetener is known to increase uric acid.

May Promote Healthy Weight Loss 

As mentioned earlier, obesity may cause gout. The higher your BMI, the higher your chances of developing this condition.

You may lose weight because you can’t overeat meat. It has a high satiety level that results in reduced calorie intake.

Because the carnivore diet is high in proteins, it can support metabolism and muscle synthesis.

Since it’s low in carbs, it can inhibit fat storage while encouraging the body to burn more fats.

Unfortunately, though, these are just theories. There’s no scientific evidence that can prove how useful the carnivore diet is to gout.

You may try this diet for the short term and find out if by eliminating plant foods, your gout will improve.

This diet is too restrictive. You should only eat meat. You can’t have fruits and vegetables. Some people reported experiencing constipation days after following this diet. Others, however, had diarrhea.

Furthermore, this diet is low in fiber. Thus, it may affect your gastrointestinal system.

If you develop gout after starting a carnivore diet, it can be that the underlying issues have not been resolved yet. The sudden increase in purine can also boost uric acid production, resulting in gout attacks.

But many are saying that it may resolve with time.

Then again, it’s best to talk to your doctor. If you have a problem with gout, you may consider what you’re eating. You may not need to follow this restrictive diet. You just have to avoid those high-purine foods that are causing the attacks.

You should talk to a nutritionist if you wish to try this carnivore diet.

Summary 

Can the carnivore diet cause gout? It may or may not cause gout. Some followers have reported having treated their gout after following a meat-only diet while others experienced gout attacks. It’s important to know what causes your gout so you can find a solution. You should talk to your doctor. And if you have tried it and experienced that your gout has improved, please leave a comment below. We love to hear from you.