Bizarre side effect of extreme ‘carnivore diet’ leaves man’s hands covered in yellow knuckles

No more carnivores?

A Florida man in his mid-40s on a diet heavy on meat, fat, and dairy arrived at a Tampa hospital with ooze oozing from yellow nodules on the palms of his hands, elbows, and soles of his feet.

The man told doctors that he had adopted a “meat-eating diet” for eight months, explaining that his daily intake consisted of whole sticks of butter, 6-9 pounds of cheese and hamburger fries.

His case was published in JAMA Cardiology this week.

The carnivore diet – which involves eating only animal by-products such as meat, eggs and milk – has gained popularity in fringe fitness circles. Adherents claim that the clean protein, veggie-free lifestyle has helped them lose weight and improve their overall health.

However, this patient seems to have taken it to extremes – and he insisted that his overall health had improved.

Since going full fat and all animal, the man claimed he lost weight and had noticeable improvements in his energy levels and cognitive functioning.

But his skin was a different story: painlessly but decidedly ew ooze had been affecting him for nearly a month before he sought treatment.

Doctors discovered that Butter Man’s total cholesterol level exceeded 1,000 mg/dL. In comparison, a healthy cholesterol level is below 200 mg/dL with 240 mg/dL considered “high.”

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

Before adopting his extreme carnivore meal plan, the man’s cholesterol had fluctuated in the 210 to 300 mg/dL range.

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

These deposits are usually found around the eye, a condition called Xanthelasma palpebrarum, but can present, as they did in this case, elsewhere in the body.

Xanthelasma – especially Xanthelasma palpebrarum – can be caused by high cholesterol, diabetes or thyroid issues.

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

However, some dead beauties will not heed the warning.

Earlier this month, a former vegan gained traction on Tiktok by following the “high-fat carnivore diet,” consisting of whole sticks of butter, ground beef, and nearly two dozen eggs every day.

And Fat Forward’s fanbase doesn’t end there.

A fitness influencer swears by her bone broth and raw liver diet, while a former vegan claims her hair, teeth and nails improved just by eating animal products.

In 2022, Tiktoker Courtney Luna went viral for trashing her carnivorous diet of cream, butter, steak, bacon, eggs and burgers after boasting that her diet helped her shed 30 pounds.

Surprisingly, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention does not approve of the carnivore diet. They advise a “variety” of fruits, vegetables and grains to be eaten, along with sources of low-fat dairy and various sources of protein.

A healthy diet, according to the 2020-2025 Dietary Guidelines for Americans presented by the US Department of Agriculture, consists of 2.5 cups of vegetables each day, 2 cups of fruit, 6 cups of grains, 3 cups of dairy, 5 grams of oil and only 5.5 ounces of meat per day.