Top diet doctor pinpoints the popular diet that’s most likely to increase dementia risk
A renowned diet physician has cautioned that anyone who choose to follow a carnivorous diet are “playing with fire.”
There are a slew of accounts on social media platforms like TikTok promoting the diet, whose proponents claim to lose weight by surviving on animal-based items like butter, eggs, and meat.
However, Dr. Rupy Aujla, a general practitioner in the NHS, claims that people who choose a carnivorous lifestyle may be placing themselves at risk for major health problems, including memory loss.
‘That is something that would alarm me, that people are putting themselves at danger of cardiovascular disease and even dementia as well,’ he said.
Speaking on his podcast, The Doctor’s Kitchen, Dr Aujla said there were a number of hazards people considering it should be aware of.
Considering that there aren’t any long-term studies of people following these diets in contemporary settings, he just felt that this was playing with fire.
‘You’re putting yourself at severe risk of cardiovascular disease and dementia, and everything else that comes with that as well.’
He said the alleged benefits of the carnivore diet are mostly tied to its lack of carbohydrates, such pasta and bread, that could help some people lose weight under specific conditions.
For those in certain situations, like those with true intolerances, “as a short-term diet it may actually provide some therapeutic benefits,” he stated.
Dr. Aujla did, however, point out that research on both humans and mice suggested the carnivore diet would have detrimental effects on health.
On the mice study he said: ‘It found that long-term adherence to either keto or the carnivore diets may be pro-inflammatory and pro-aging.
“They actually saw alterations in important organs like the kidneys and heart, where the build-up of senescent cells exacerbated toxicity and inflammation throughout the body.”
‘Senescent cells are sort of like age cells that like sticking around and simply cause a lot of inflammation and don’t get cleared away by the immune system.
‘These are the kind of cells you don’t want in excess and they can contribute to general systemic inflammation.’
Dr. Aujla emphasised that research on humans has shown a higher risk of heart muscle dysfunction and an effect on cell health that may exacerbate chronic inflammation.
However, he continued, the most concerning feature of the diet based on animals was the high cholesterol, which is associated with a higher risk of dementia, heart attacks, and strokes.
According to the NHS, meat can be a rich source of vitamins and minerals including iron, zinc, and B vitamins in addition to providing the body with protein, which is needed to maintain and grow muscle.
However, it encourages Brits to choose lean cuts and restrict intake of red and processed meat to optimise the health advantages while minimising the drawbacks such high saturated fat content which might increase the risk of high cholesterol.
The NHS lists omega-3-rich oily fish and eggs as two very healthful animal proteins.
Health service advice states Brits eating 90g of red or processed meat a day, should try to cut down to 70g.
In this context, 70g is equivalent to three quarter-pound beefburgers or three slices of ham.
This is advised by the NHS since consuming excessive amounts of red and processed meat has been associated with a higher risk of colon cancer.
It comes only weeks after an analysis of 2million participants indicated eating red and processed meat could lead to an increased risk of getting type 2 diabetes.
Analysis revealed that regularly eating 50 grams of processed meat a day – the equivalent of two slices of ham – was linked to a 15 per cent higher risk of developing type 2 diabetes in the next 10 years.
Meanwhile eating 100g of unprocessed red meat a day – equivalent to a small steak – was linked to a 10 per cent higher risk of type 2 diabetes.
Consuming 100g of poultry, or a small chicken breast, per day was also linked to an 8% increased risk of the illness.
