Why I QUIT keto

I quit strict carnivore. I was having health issues while in ketosis. Find out what those were and where I landed with my diet...

I had a longer discussion on this with my buddy Thomas DeLauer. Check it out here:

I'm always willing to learn and evolve, and be honest about where I'm at with my thinking. I will never stop being curious and asking questions about dietary paradigms and the supporting science, as well as personal anecdotes about how I'm feeling. Diet and lifestyle is a never ending work in progress...

Hope you enjoy!

Legal Notice: This is not medical advice.

[cinnamontownproductions]

I was on a low carb diet for about 20 years. Thanks to Dr. Saladino I stop the diet and I’m now eating meat, fruit, and honey. I am feeling so much better. I can sleep better, I have more energy, and my heart isn’t pounding anymore. Thank you so much Dr. Saladino!!!!

[ryanturner]

I have tried many diets over the years, played college soccer, powerlifting, bodybuilding, and at 32 years old I can confidently say that there is no magic diet and no one singular diet you should eat for your life. At this point I sort of switch back and forth between bouts of a ketogenic diet, and a moderate carb diet. Both have a base of red meat, eggs, and animal products. I also mess around with fasting times.

I think people get too caught up in finding something that they feel great on and then feeling like they need to stand by it forever like it's a team. Your diet always was and has been fluid. The body needs different things at different times and for different reasons. Don't get caught up in that tribalism of diet.

[yew]

Our ancestors almost certainly oscillated back and forth between ketogenic and glucose fueled states depending on external conditions such as food scarcity and climate. I highly doubt they ever went for prolonged periods of time in only one of the states.

[mahinnnadiamoinkus]

Think I’ll stick to my grain-free and low-carb Mediterranean diet! This is what works best for me. I enjoy eating veggies, small portion of berries, fatty fish, grass-fed meats, olive oil, and tiny amount of legumes. Don’t forget what might work for one might not work for another.

[DrewBeam]

I think he is absolutely correct I did low carb carnivore for 3 months, but had the same issues no matter how much I supplemented electrolytes. I am now following mostly fruit and meat veg if I want. Feel much better!

[jamesboyhan]

Amazing video. I will always admire you for learning and being able to change your views even with a book and a large monetary interest in sticking to your guns with strict Carnivore. You always seek out the truth and ask questions. Honest and genuine. That’s why I follow. Cheers!

[charlesmuller]

I can relate to what happened with you on the ketogenic diet: decrease in overall and free testosterone and poor sleep.(Didn't have heart palpitations) Once I added more carbs my testosterone is now over 800! However, I don't regret doing Keto for a while as it was a great tool to reset my body and I am more conscious of the amount and quality carbs I eat. I follow more of the thought process of "earn your carbs" where I make sure that I am very active on heavier carb days. You mentioned a very important point: Healthy carbs are fine when you are metabolically healthy. Most Americans are not though! I think a Ketogenic diet for a certain amount of time can help reset your body metabolically, and then mix in lots of movement and then add carbs back in once you start the more intense exercise. My problem happened when I added the intense exercise still on keto and didn't provide the carbs. I tweaked it with more carbs and I found my balance.

[poloy]

If you are SEDENTARY, Obese, Overweight and/or insulin-resistant you should lower your carbs intake.

This video applies only to those who are active and athletic -> animal based diet with fruits and HONEY

[ryandixon]

I like anyone that can be open to modifying or admitting they are maybe not entirely right. I bought your book. Still hold a ton a ton of value in your book

[uuhamm]

Experimented with adding fruit and honey to my diet and it wasn't for me. I've never had the electrolyte issues Paul is talking about though. I feel like I get enough of an insulin bump from a higher protein intake with more grass fed beef.

[RudyJi]

great stuff ! beef, liver, greek yogurt, raw honey, fruits, some veggies. thanks for your work

[leadfeather]

66 years old and in very good health and excellent strength; feel 40 years old. Here is my list in order of what I consider to be most important.

1 Avoid linoleic acid from all sources as much as possible, especially foods fried in seed oils. Thank you so much Paul!
2 Don't eat too much
3 Exercise regularly
4 Eat real food, especially ruminant animals, whole fruits and veggies.
5 Eat much less grains


Working well for me.

[NeConKiller]

I did strict keto for 1.5 years while weightlifting. It has many unique benefits but also many drawbacks. When i switched to a meat/fruit diet i started to feel optimal. I felt satiated more than on keto and my athletic performance is fantastic. I also lose weight easier somehow. The only thing i would disagree with is eating honey. It seems like an easy way to spike insulin to detrimental levels.

[hamishlove]

@Paul Saladino, not hating, I think it's great to adapt and be open and do what works for you. One thing that troubles me now, as it did when you were so confident about carnivore, is that on the one hand you were dismissive of RDAs and metrics used in "normal populations", but then relied on them to inform your insistence that organs are needed and now that fruit and honey are needed.

I also note you are quoting from papers that were published from before you went carnivore and yet now the results are being presented as indicating why keto is bad. Were the same papers and results not doing that 6+ years ago?

[phantom]

I love you’re content. No bullshit, just straight facts and experience!

[davidhill]

Thanks for this, Doc! With no disrespect of strict keto and carnivore, ultra-low carbs didn’t work for me as I experienced most of what you described. Those issues resolved when I increased carbs moderately. More importantly, I lost none of the benfits I achieved on a high beef protein and natural fat diet, namely perfect blood pressure, complete resolution of rosacea, and lower resting heart rate. As an aside, I don’t get the tribalism around diet regimens. If a person is experiencing demonstrably good results from their health regime, why not just encourage them?

[daynaandsteve]

I'm pretty healthy now. I did carnivore for around a year to heal a lot of auto immune issues. I've found if I add too many carbs back in, in whatever form, the pain comes back pretty quick. I can tolerate some fruits, but not much and not often. I'm also very active, I'm a farmer. Eating this much carbs/honey is not for everyone. I enjoy Pauls excitement but I also think that a large amount of Americans just cannot tolerate the amount of carbs he's suggesting.

[sharonwilkins]

I train around 2 -3 hours a day six days a week carnivore near killed me … cramps insomnia and down right face planting fatigue. I NEED CARBS thank you for making me feel normal and God bless you for having the courage to speak the truth ( all haters gonna hate lol )

[gottfrei]

I admire your honesty, I too get palpitations when I cut out carbs for too long. Nothing a few bananas can't fix though.

[BigB]

He sounds just as convincing as he was when he was wrong .
I like the carnivore plus diet with fruit and honey. Working my way their. Like the keto diet every so often if I need to get control. Feel a lot better around 100g of carbs.