Why PK/Carnivore Diets May Not Suit All

The Paleo-Ketogenic Diet and its stricter cousin, the Carnivore Diet have gained great popularity in recent years. This is largely due to the endorsements of Functional Medicine doctors and nutritionists that the Paleo-Ketogenic is the correct evolutionary diet and by people sharing the information online. Both diets can certainly help patients feel better by cutting out the inflammatory processed foods of the Standard Western Diet. However, strict Paleo or Carnivore approaches may not suit all patients. Read on to find out why.

The Paleo Ketogenic (PK) Diet 

The PK diet combines the principles of the Paleolithic diet and Ketogenic diet.  It is a high fat, moderate protein and low or no carb diet focusing on achieving and monitoring ketosis by eliminating grains, legumes, dairy and starchy vegetables. It comprises whole unprocessed foods, grass-fed meats, organ meats, fish, eggs, healthy fats (animal and coconut oils) and non-starchy vegetables.

The Carnivore Diet

The Carnivore Diet involves consuming only animal-based foods, such as meat, fish, eggs and certain dairy products, while excluding all plant-based foods, including fruit, vegetables, grains, legumes, nuts and seeds, sugars and plant-based oils.

The Problem - Dysfunctional Mitochondria

While I applaud dietary efforts to get away from the highly sugared processed foods of the Standard Western Diet (people can feel better initially from this alone) I have observed in clinical practice that not everybody does well on a sustained PK or Carnivore diet. A major reason for this is due to mitochondria.

What are mitochondria?  Mitochondria are membrane-bound organelles (tiny organs) found in nearly all human cells. They are called the ‘powerhouses of the cell’ because their primary job is to make energy in the form of ATP (adenosine triphosphate) the cell’s main currency of energy.  However, mitochondria can become dysfunctional due to a variety of reasons that disrupt their structure and function. These include:

·      Oxidative stress (where the body’s toxic burden outweighs its ability to detoxify).

·      Certain drugs (like fluoroquinolone antibiotics, statins).

·      Deficiencies in nutrients needed by mitochondria.

·      Chronic infectious burden.

·      Poor diet, obesity and starvation.

·      Lack of exercise.

·      Chronic stress.

The overall result of mitochondrial dysfunction is chronic fatigue. You can see from the above list that quite a number of people may be suffering from mitochondrial dysfunction. 

Are Your Mitochondria Getting The Right Fuel?

Mitochondria rely on glucose and fats to produce energy via a process known as oxidative phosphorylation.  However, individuals with impaired mitochondrial function cannot use fats well as a fuel and need to rely more on glucose from carbs for ATP production. Therefore, one of the main reasons why many people don’t do well on PK or Carnivore diets is that their dysfunctional mitochondria cannot use fats easily to provide energy.  In PK or Carnivore diets, the idea is that your dietary fuels are fats and fibre. If your cells can’t use fats easily for fuel, you are going to end up feeling tired and brain fogged. This is why people are puzzled by ongoing symptoms of brain which they think their diet should have addressed.

The Struggle To Use Fats

Dysfunctional mitochondria struggle to use fats effectively due to the following mechanisms involved in energy production:

·      Impaired transport mechanisms of fats into the cell.

·      Defects in enzymes that break down fats for use in the cell.

·      Impaired Electron Transport Chain (production line that helps make ATP) leading to reduced energy availability in the cell.

·      Accumulation of toxins in the cell.

·      The more dysfunctional the mitochondria, the greater shift towards glycolysis (sugar metabolism) and away from using fats as fuels.

The Toxic Irony

The irony is that the reason why many people adopt the PK or Carnivore diet is to address gut-related conditions like SIBO or IBS.  Initially, taking out foods like gluten grains, cows’ milk products and refined sugars significantly reduces gut inflammation, bloating and cramping. However, due to lack of being able to process fats, the individual with poorly functioning mitochondria remains fatigued and brain fogged. In the case of the Carnivore diet, further lack of fibre may contribute to more constipation which then ironically promotes more SIBO, more oxidative stress and more mitochondrial dysfunction.  This is a self-perpetuating loop.

Another Problem - Poor Thyroid Function

There is another potential problem for those adopting a PK or Carnivore diet - an under functioning thyroid gland. The reasons why individuals with poor thyroid function may struggle on a PK or Carnivore diet is due to the following mechanisms:

·      Hypothyroidism slows the basal metabolic rate, reducing the body’s ability to use fats efficiently for energy.

·      Conversion of thyroxine (T4) to the active thyroid hormone triiodothyronine (T3), crucial for energy production, requires adequate carbohydrate intake.

·      The PK or Carnivore diet can increase cortisol, especially in the initial stages to adapt to burning fat. However, elevated cortisol can suppress thyroid function, resulting in more fatigue.

·      The PK or Carnivore diet may limit foods critical for thyroid hormone production.

·      Hypothyroidism reduces thermogenesis (heat production in the body), making someone more susceptible to the cold. This affects mitochondrial function and limits the ability to use dietary fats - a cornerstone of the PK and Carnivore diets.

The Solution

In a previous blog The 5 Step Plan To Getting your Diet Right I made the point that there is no “one-size-fits-all” diet, that your diet should be tailored to your unique biochemical needs. 

If you have tried or been disappointed by the results of a PK or Carnivore diet, you should check your mitochondrial and thyroid function to see if poor function of either are the reason why it isn’t delivering expected health improvements. The relevant lab tests that I recommend to patients are:

·      Mitochondrial Health Index

·      Lactate/Pyruvate Index

·      Full Thyroid Panel

Armed with the information from these tests. I can then tailor the individual’s diet to their biochemical and fuel needs. This can involve increasing the amount of healthy carbs in the diet (such as sweet potatoes, carrots, beetroot), providing appropriate mitochondrial and adrenal/thyroid support and, of course, addressing the reasons why both became dysfunctional in the first place.

If you have been disappointed by the results of your diet and would like to get to the bottom of the problem, please get in touch with the Good Health Clinic on goodhealthclinic@outlook.com to request a free 30 minute Enquiry Call or book an appointment.

Please note that an Enquiry call is not a consultation but an exploratory call to see if this is a clinical approach you wish to pursue.

To your very good health,

Suzanne Jeffery (Nutritional Medicine Consultant)

M.A.(Oxon), BSc.(NMed), PGCE, MNNA, CNHC

The Good Health Clinic at The Business Centre, 2, Cattedown Road, Plymouth PL4 0EG

Tel no: 07836 552936/ Answer phone: 01752 774755 

Disclaimer:

All advice given out by Suzanne Jeffery and the Good Health Clinic is for general guidance and informational purposes only.  All advice relating to other health professionals’ advice is for general guidance and information purposes only. Readers are encouraged to confirm the information provided with other sources.  Patients and consumers should review the information carefully with their professional health care provider. The information is not intended to replace medical advice offered by other practitioners and physicians. Suzanne Jeffery and the Good Health Clinic will not be liable for any direct, indirect, consequential, special, exemplary or other damages arising therefrom.