A carnivore diet is a restrictive diet that only includes meat, fish, and other animal products like dairy and eggs. More recently, it has been brought into the limelight by influencers and social media personalities. In fact, there is a whole community of "meatfluencer" who are sharing their meat-eating plans. One of them is Dr Paul Saladino MD, whose belief that there was no better way to prevent chronic diseases than a carnivore diet prompted him to write books and post videos regarding the same. He believed so much in this eating plan that he became a go-to person for many following the same plan, until recently, when he decided to quit.

Here Are Seven Reasons Why He Decided To Quit

Carnivore Diet Disrupted His Sleep

Switching to an all-meat diet isn't always straightforward, especially when it comes to digestion—a lesson Dr Saladino learned firsthand. He experienced sleep disturbances, likely due to the difficulty of digesting high-protein meals. Since protein takes longer to break down, it demands more energy from the body, which can interfere with rest.

According to Johns Hopkins Medicine, digestion slows by up to 50% during sleep. Additionally, many types of meat contain tyramine, a compound derived from the amino acid tyrosine. Increased tyramine intake can lead to health issues and also triggers the release of norepinephrine, a hormone that raises heart rate and blood pressure, making restful sleep harder to achieve.

He also experienced hypnagogic jerks—sudden muscle spasms that jolt the body awake. "I would fall asleep but then jerk myself awake like I was falling multiple times. It was stressful and traumatic, leading to poor sleep," he shared in his YouTube video.

Eating Only Meat May Have Triggered Heart Palpitations

Another concerning side effect Dr Saladino experienced was heart palpitations—episodes where his heart felt like it was racing or fluttering. While stress is a common cause, few would immediately link palpitations to meat consumption.

However, a sudden shift to an all-meat diet can lead to electrolyte imbalances. The elimination of carbohydrates lowers insulin levels, prompting the kidneys to excrete more sodium. This disrupts the balance of essential minerals like potassium and magnesium, which are crucial for heart function.

Muscle Cramps Became Persistent

Dr Saladino also suffered from frequent muscle cramps while following the carnivore diet. In a post on X, he emphasized the importance of maintaining adequate magnesium, calcium, and potassium levels to prevent cramping. He initially believed that animal-based foods provided sufficient minerals, but his ongoing cramps led him to reconsider.

"I started to think maybe long-term ketosis is not great for me,” he admitted on the *More Plates More Dates* podcast. “Probably not a great thing for most humans."

His Testosterone Levels Dropped Significantly

Dr Saladino also saw a decline in his testosterone levels after following the carnivore diet for over a year. "At the beginning of my carnivore experiment, my testosterone was about 800. After a year to a year and a half, it had dropped to around 500," he revealed.

The issue likely stems from excessive protein intake, which can elevate inflammation and disrupt hormone levels. A 2022 study published in Nutrition and Health found that consuming more than 35% of daily calories from protein can lead to various negative effects, including reduced testosterone.

He Had Chronically Low Insulin Levels

Because he largely eliminated carbohydrates—except for a small amount of fruit—Dr Saladino developed persistently low blood sugar. In his YouTube video, he explained, "I had very low insulin because I wasn’t eating carbohydrates, and the protein I consumed wasn’t insulinogenic enough."

While some diabetics report improved blood sugar control on the carnivore diet, its effects vary based on individual metabolic responses. For non-diabetics, low insulin can lead to hypoglycemia, causing symptoms like dizziness, confusion, a racing heart, and, in extreme cases, seizures or coma. Mild cases can be managed with fast-acting carbohydrates like juice or candy, but severe episodes require medical attention.

His Blood Test Results Showed Concerning Imbalances

Lab tests revealed that his magnesium levels were low, while his sex hormone-binding globulin (SHBG) was elevated—both potential red flags for long-term health issues.

A magnesium deficiency can cause numbness, tingling, fatigue, nausea, headaches, and muscle cramps. Since cramps often strike at night, low magnesium may also contribute to sleep disturbances.

High SHBG levels indicate an excess of circulating protein in the blood, which can increase the risk of heart disease, osteoporosis, and depression. To counteract these imbalances, introducing more magnesium-rich foods—such as leafy greens, nuts, beans, and yogurt—could be beneficial.

He Felt Cold All The Time

Electrolyte imbalances and metabolic disruptions can even affect body temperature, which Dr. Saladino experienced firsthand. "I was always cold,"he shared in his YouTube video.

Upon testing his thyroid function, he discovered that his total T3 and free T3 hormone levels were "not ideal." These hormones regulate metabolism, and low levels can slow down metabolic processes, leading to cold intolerance.

Parkinson's disease is a progressive, neurodegenerative movement disorder caused by the loss of dopamine-producing brain cells, primarily affecting people over 60. Apart from motor loss, the disease also causes cognitive decline, depression, anxiety and swallowing problems.

The first symptom may be a barely noticeable tremor in just one hand or sometimes a foot or the jaw. Over time, swinging your arms may become difficult and your speech may become soft or slurred. The disorder also causes stiffness, slowing of movement and trouble with balance that raises the risk of falls.

However, before clear symptoms begin to appear, Neurologist Rachel Dolhun says certain signs may help identify the onset of the disease decades before it is diagnosed.

“It’s important to stress that not everyone who has these symptoms goes on to develop Parkinson’s,” said neurologist Rachel Dolhun. “But we know that in some people, these can be some of the earliest signs," she told The Washington Post.

Here is what you should look out for:

1. Loss Of Smell

Loss of smell, or hyposmia, is a common and early non-motor symptom of Parkinson's disease, affecting up to 90 percent of patients. This symptom can significantly impact quality of life by reducing the enjoyment of food and diminishing appetite.

While strongly linked to Parkinson's, smell loss can also stem from other causes, including sinus problems, COVID-19, or aging.

2. Acting Out Dreams

Acting out dreams, known as REM Sleep Behavior Disorder (RBD), involves physically enacting vivid, often unpleasant dreams through shouting, punching, or kicking during sleep.

This typically happens because the brainstem fails to temporarily paralyze muscles during REM sleep. It is a strong early warning sign of Parkinson's disease, often appearing years or decades before motor symptoms. About 50 percent of people with Parkinson's experience RBD.

READ MORE: Parkinson’s Patients May Soon Walk Better With This New Personalized Brain Therapy

3. Constipation

Constipation is a very common and significant non-motor symptom of Parkinson's disease that is caused by nerve changes slowing gut muscles and potentially exacerbated by low activity and dehydration.

Constipation can also be caused by Parkinson's medications such as anticholinergics, amantadine and other common drugs such as opioids, iron/calcium antacids.

4. Dizziness As You Stand

The autonomic nervous system fails to properly constrict blood vessels or increase heart rate upon standing, often due to a lack of norepinephrine. This causes the autonomic nervous system to fail in regulating blood pressure. Over time, this leads to Neurogenic Orthostatic Hypotension.

Beyond dizziness, symptoms include blurred vision, weakness, fatigue, cognitive "fog," and "coat hanger pain" (pain in the neck/shoulders). Often times, patients experience dizziness in the morning or immediately after meals.

Diagnosing Parkinson’s disease is mostly a clinical process, meaning it relies heavily on a healthcare provider examining your symptoms, asking questions and reviewing your medical history. Various imaging and diagnostic tests used to detect disease includes CT scan, PET scan, MRI scan and genetic testing.

Health authorities have urged the public to stay alert to Nipah virus symptoms after doctors warned that up to 75 per cent of infected patients may not survive. The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) has classified Nipah as a “high priority pathogen” because of its severe fatality rate and the absence of any proven treatment.

In India, the federal health ministry has confirmed two cases in the eastern state of West Bengal. This has triggered large-scale containment measures, with local officials placing nearly 200 people who had contact with the infected individuals under quarantine.

Also Read: Vitamin D Supplements Under Scrutiny As It Fails Safety Test

In response, several Asian nations have stepped up airport checks and health surveillance for travellers arriving from India. Professor Paul Hunter, an infectious disease specialist at the University of East Anglia, said identifying Nipah cases at borders is challenging, as symptoms can take a long time to appear.

What Is Nipah Virus?

According to UKHSA, Nipah virus is a zoonotic infection, meaning it can pass from animals to humans. It can also spread through contaminated food or via direct human-to-human contact. The virus was first discovered in 1999 during an outbreak affecting pig farmers in Malaysia and Singapore.

Fruit bats, especially those belonging to the Pteropus species, are the virus’s natural carriers. Research shows that Nipah can also infect other animals, such as pigs, dogs, cats, goats, horses and sheep.

Nipah Virus Symptoms

• Sudden onset of fever or general flu-like illness
• Development of pneumonia and other breathing-related problems
• Swelling or inflammation of the brain (encephalitis) or meningitis

Symptoms usually appear between four and 21 days after exposure, although longer incubation periods have occasionally been reported. More severe complications, including encephalitis or meningitis, can develop between three and 21 days after the initial illness begins.

Also Read: Nipah Virus Outbreak In India: All That You Need To Know About This Infection

Nipah Virus Symptoms Explained As Doctors Warn 75% Fatality Rate

UKHSA has cautioned that between 40 and 75 per cent of people infected with Nipah virus may die. Those who survive can experience long-term neurological effects, such as ongoing seizures or changes in behaviour and personality. In rare instances, the virus has been known to reactivate months or even years after the first infection.

Nipah Virus: Can You Prevent It From Spreading?

For people travelling to regions where Nipah is known to occur, prevention largely involves reducing exposure risks:

• avoid contact with bats, their habitats, and sick animals
• do not drink raw or partially fermented date palm sap; if consuming date palm juice, make sure it has been boiled
• wash all fruits well with clean water and peel them before eating; avoid fruits found on the ground or those that appear partly eaten by animals
• use protective clothing and gloves when handling sick animals or during slaughter and culling
• maintain good hand hygiene, especially after caring for or visiting ill individuals
• avoid close, unprotected contact with anyone infected with Nipah virus, including exposure to their blood or bodily fluids

Nipah Virus Symptoms Can Be Transmitted Easily?

Many Nipah infections have been linked to eating fruit or fruit-based products contaminated by the saliva, urine or droppings of infected fruit bats. Human-to-human transmission can also occur through close contact with an infected person or their bodily fluids, according to Mirror.

Such transmission has been documented in India and Bangladesh, with cases often involving family members or caregivers tending to infected patients. At present, there is no specific, proven treatment for Nipah virus infection, and no licensed vaccine is available to prevent it.

So far, no Nipah virus cases have been reported in the United States or the United Kingdom.

Smoking has long been recognized as one of the most preventable causes of disease and early death worldwide. It plays a major role in heart attacks, strokes and several chronic illnesses. While public health messaging often focuses on how much a person smokes, new research suggests that when someone starts smoking may be just as important for long-term health.

A large nationwide study published in Scientific Reports analyzed health data from over nine million adults in South Korea. The findings were striking. People who began smoking before the age of 20 faced a significantly higher risk of stroke, heart attack and early death compared to those who started later, even if their total lifetime smoking exposure was similar.

Smoking Before 20: Why the age matters

Traditionally, doctors and researchers estimate smoking-related harm using pack-years, which combines the number of cigarettes smoked per day with the number of years a person has smoked. While this remains useful, the new study highlights an important gap. Two people with the same pack-years may not have the same health risks if one started smoking much earlier in life.

The researchers found that early starters had a much higher risk of stroke and heart attack than those who took up smoking after the age of 20. This suggests that the body may be especially vulnerable to tobacco damage during adolescence and early adulthood, making age of initiation an independent risk factor.

Smoking and stroke: what we already know

The link between smoking and stroke is well established. Long-term studies, including the famous Framingham Heart Study, have consistently shown that smokers are far more likely to experience a stroke than non-smokers. The risk increases with the number of cigarettes smoked and affects people across age groups.

Smoking damages blood vessels, speeds up plaque build-up in arteries, raises blood pressure and makes blood more likely to clot. All of these changes increase the chances of both ischaemic and haemorrhagic strokes. Younger adults who smoke are not protected simply because of their age, and in many cases, their relative risk is even higher.

Key findings from the Korean cohort

The study followed participants for nearly nine years using data from a mandatory national health screening programme. Researchers looked at stroke, heart attack, combined cardiovascular events and overall death rates.

Those who started smoking before 20 had about a 78 percent higher risk of stroke compared to non-smokers, especially when they also had high smoking exposure. Early starters also showed a much greater risk of heart attacks and combined cardiovascular events. Importantly, they had a higher risk of death from all causes, not just heart-related conditions. These patterns were consistent across men and women and across different metabolic health profiles.

Why early smoking causes greater harm

There are several reasons why smoking at a younger age may be more damaging. During adolescence, the heart, blood vessels and brain are still developing, which may make them more sensitive to toxins in tobacco smoke. Starting early is also linked to stronger nicotine dependence, making quitting harder and often leading to longer periods of smoking.

Early exposure may also trigger lasting inflammatory and metabolic changes in the body. These changes can increase stroke risk later in life, even when total cigarette exposure appears similar on paper.

What this means for public health

The findings send a clear message. Preventing smoking during adolescence could significantly reduce the future burden of stroke and heart disease. School-based education, strong warning messages and policies that limit youth access to tobacco remain critical.

Delaying smoking initiation, even by a few years, may have lifelong benefits. With cardiovascular diseases already among the leading causes of death globally, protecting young people from tobacco use is not just about avoiding addiction. It is about safeguarding their long-term health.