Carnivore diet diarrhea symptoms are not a sign of any infection or illness. It is your body trying to get used to the changes when transitioning from one diet to another. In most cases, this occurrence is usually a temporary side effect, thus reversible.

Experiencing runny stools just happens to be one of the several side effects. On the other hand, you could undergo constipation, and stomach upsets, amongst others.

When shifting from your normal or plant-based diet to a carnivore diet, your body experiences a huge metabolic shift, thus triggering diarrhea as a side effect. Your body needs adequate time to adapt to the sudden increase in bile production and consumption. Meanwhile, you’ll experience the loose motions and toilet runs until your body copes up. 

The carnivore diet affects your gut bacteria and compromises bile production from your gallbladder. Therefore, your body needs to be more efficient when producing and absorbing bile during the digestion process.

Other causes can come from an imbalanced diet such as too much protein and not enough fats or vice versa.

Causes of Carnivore Diet Diarrhea

1. Too Much Protein

Adequate protein consumption is recommended for a healthy body. However, too much of something can have negative effects. Just like with fat metabolism, your body will definitely take some time to adjust to increased protein consumption.

It may be a good idea to reduce your protein consumption lightly. A good macronutrient ratio to follow for proteins and fats while utilizing a carnivore diet: 70-80% of your calories should come from fats and the rest from protein.

2. Adjusting to the Increase in Fat Intake

Since you are cutting out carbs in a carnivore diet, your intake of dietary fat is greatly increased and will force the liver to produce more bile. Since bile is responsible for the breakdown and absorption of fats, not producing enough bile can cause digestive issues. Your body will need to adapt by upregulating the production of bile and this adjustment takes time.

3. Inefficient Bile Absorption

Ingesting fatty foods will not only affect the production but also the absorption of bile. Due to the increase in bile production, the body may fail to reabsorb the bile properly. The extra bile might end up in your colon or small intestines and cause diarrhea. 

4. Nutrient Deficiencies

Some nutrients in your body are very fundamental in maintaining your gut health. The fat-soluble vitamins A & D play a crucial role in regulating bile production. If you happen to compromise the amount of these nutrients, your body will have a hard time upregulating the production of bile to meet demands.

5. Gut Bacteria Shifts

Fortunately, the diet transition leads to a gut-cleansing effect in your body which also has a very loathed side effect, diarrhea. Shifting to a meat-only diet means you’re going to limit your fiber intake during your meals. This eliminates enormous carbohydrate-craving microbes in your body, and they need to exit the body somehow. This means that these microbes are usually excreted through reactive diarrhea.  

How to Fix Carnivore Diet Diarrhea

There are some adjustments you can make to your diet to rule out some causes of carnivore diet diarrhea, which is in your control. As for the carnivore diet diarrhea caused by a change in your diet, is not uncommon and this transition will require some time for the body to adjust.

1. Don’t Eat Too Lean

Your carnivore diet should only have a moderate amount of protein and the majority of your calories should come from fat. As mentioned earlier, aim for 20-30% of your calories to come from protein and the rest from fat.

There are also some foods such as protein from dairy and protein shakes that can cause loose stools. Try to get your protein from a variety of sources such as red meats, eggs, fish, and other seafood like oysters and mussels.

2. Increase Your Fat Intake

Try increasing your fat intake as this can slow down digestion and reduce diarrhea. Incorporating sources of healthy fats, such as animal fat, olive oil, and coconut oil, into your meals may help to reduce diarrhea while following a carnivore diet.

3. Drink Bone Broth

Consider sipping on bone broth throughout the day to sooth your digestive system. Bone Broth is is rich in nutrients and can help alleviate carnivore diet diarrhea.

4. Try to Limit Your Intake of Dairy and Eggs

For some people, dairy and eggs can cause issues such as diarrhea. Try to limit these foods in your diet and see if your symptoms improve.

5. Try to Limit Your Intake of Processed Meats

Stick with fresh, whole cuts of meat and avoid processed meats like sausages and deli meat. Processed meat can contain additives that can irritate the digestive system.

Conclusion

The positive aspect of diarrhea experienced while following the carnivore diet is that it is not typically a symptom of an illness or infection; rather, it is a side effect that may be mitigated by paying attention to one’s dietary choices and lifestyle habits.

Don’t forget about giving your body time to adjust: It can take time for your body to adjust to a new diet, so be patient and give yourself time to adapt.

If your diarrhea persists or worsens, it is important to seek medical advice to rule out any underlying health issues.