Doctor Warns These Trendy Diets Could Cause ‘Dementia’

Oftentimes people use food as a means to improve some physical or internal part of themselves. So it’s not uncommon for new diets to blow up and become trendy. Especially when the participants claim there are reapable benefits.

The diet that isn’t new but has been getting some resurrected attention lately is the carnivore diet – it includes the consumption of only animal products like meat, dairy, eggs, poultry, and seafood but does not include vegetables, grains, fruits, nuts, etc. While many who partake in the diet claim to see positive changes in their weight and appearance, doctors warn that those results may not be long-term.

Source: Aimur Kytt / Getty

Speaking on his podcast The Doctor’s Kitchen, Dr. Rupy Aujla addressed the findings that were discovered after a study was conducted on mice that were put on both the carnivore diet and a keto diet. He said, “It found that long-term adherence to either keto or the carnivore diets may be pro-inflammatory and pro-aging. 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 also said the carnivore diet “promoted cardio fibrosis and dysregulated mitochondrial function” and that people can begin to get high cholesterol.

“This is something that would concern me, that people are putting themselves at risk of cardiovascular disease and even dementia as well,” he said. “I think this is playing with fire considering we don’t have long-term studies of people consuming these diets.”

Some of the general benefits that many TikTokers claim they’ve accrued since being on the carnivore diet are weight loss, improvement with acne and skin, a boost in their mood, and some even claim to have a decrease in brain fog.

Dr. Aujla pointed out that while the meal plan might not be good to indulge in for long periods, it may be safe to do it in moderation. He said, “As a short-term diet it may actually provide some therapeutic benefits for people in specific circumstances such as those with genuine intolerances.”

RELATED CONTENT: Changing The Conversation Around Healthy Eating With Your Family