Rachael Davis
An American YouTuber who followed a diet of red meat and eggs for over two years has shared the shocking effects it’s had on his body.
In March 2023, Patrick weighed 301 pounds (136kg) and felt like “a prisoner” in his own body. He told the MailOnline that he was “so big, heavy and unhealthy” and it was making him “miserable”.
His weight was a contributing factor to his depression and limited energy levels. Patrick felt unable to play with his young son upon returning from work as an HVAC technician in Nebraska, USA.
Desperate for a fix, Patrick turned to a carnivore diet to see if it would help him shed the pounds and increase his overall health.
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Struggling with depression and coming home with little energy after working as a HVAC technician in Nebraska, unable to play with his young son, Patrick decided he needed a drastic change and decided to embark on a carnivore diet.
As of December 2024, he had dropped 138 pounds to reach a weight of 163 pounds (73.9kg). Anyone who has ever engaged in a weight loss programme will know that losing that much weight is no mean feat, not least when it amounts to nearly 50% of what Patrick started with.
So, besides the weight loss, how has Patrick fared by adopting a diet that many health professionals would struggle to recommend?
The carnivore diet’s effects
Patrick’s diet has involved eating a 16-ounce steak, a pound of ground beef, and half a dozen eggs every day.
He says the diet made him feel “refreshed and energised”, and also reported that his sleep had significantly improved.
"You might see some early benefits such as improved blood pressure, reduced belly fat, and improved cardiovascular health,” says Healthline, discussing the carnivore diet. “Whether these benefits are lasting, however, is less clear."
In his December 2024 video, Patrick said the positive effects had continued as he approached the two-year anniversary of adopting the diet.
Nevertheless, many medical studies and professionals are concerned that the carnivore diet carries long-term risks.
“Due to its highly restrictive nature and complete elimination of the majority of food groups, there are many downsides to the carnivore diet' including a potential increased risk of heart disease, high blood pressure and kidney disease,” said Healthline.
Cancer Research UK notes that many studies into red meat consumption have tied it to bowel cancer, too.
How did Patrick’s bloodwork fare?
He shared his blood test results as part of the December 2024 update, and the numbers are quite startling.
After the first four months of following the diet, Patrick got blood tests to see how his body was reacting to the process. At that stage he had already lost 50 pounds and said he was “feeling really good”.
"Everything came back really good," he said. His triglycerides, HDL, LDL and total cholesterol levels all looked healthy.
However, the tests did flag that his testosterone levels were declining.
A year into the diet, Patrick had lost 120 pounds and further blood tests indicated his sodium, potassium, creatinine, calcium and fasting blood sugar levels were in good shape.
Of course, much of this improvement can be attributed to losing almost half of the weight he was carrying when he began the experiment.
"Everything was perfect except my testosterone again," he said.
In December 2024, he confirmed that the diet still hadn’t had a positive impact on his testosterone levels.
Along with that news, he shared that he had been feeling “terrible again” in July 2024, and was “struggling with some anxiety and depression” whilst having “zero energy”.
His testosterone levels had continued to decline by that stage, and he had begun incorporating some fruits and vegetables into his diet.
Concerned by his testosterone levels, he visited a urologist who recommended that he begin testosterone replacement therapy (TRT). The treatment has been proving successful, with Patrick saying his energy levels and mental health had improved.
Despite the successes he’s had with the carnivore diet, Patrick attributed the testosterone problem to eating a lot of processed food as part of the programme.
"This is where I'm at now,” he said in December 2024. “I just hope it continues to improve everything with my overall health."
Is a carnivore diet right for you?
While the short-term effects of the diet have been beneficial for Patrick, the general consensus is that we should each eat a balanced diet that covers each of the major food groups.
Cancer charities recommended limiting the amount of red meat we consume so as to limit the likelihood of developing bowel and colon cancer, and the long-held wisdom of eating five different fruits and vegetables each day remains the same.
Extreme diets are nothing new, nor are people who swear by them. If you are considering trying one out for yourself, speak to your GP to ensure you understand the ins and outs of what you’re planning to try, and to make sure the diet is suitable for you and your physical condition.