Carnivore Diet for IBS: Pros, Cons, and Alternatives

You’ve probably tried other regimens to no avail if you’re now looking into the carnivore diet for IBS. Other elimination diets may not have made a measurable difference in how you feel…so why will the carnivore diet be any different? After all, you don’t even get any fiber on this diet.

IBS affects up to 1 in 7 adults. If you’re one of the unlucky ones who deals with the bloating, pain, gas, and other symptoms, you’re willing to try whatever it takes just to feel normal again. And we’re going to show you why the carnivore diet may be just what you need.

Learn more about what actually happens when you strip your diet to animal products only, whether the evidence supports the carnivore diet for IBS specifically, and what the realistic downsides look like.

Key Takeaways

• The carnivore diet can eliminate a lot of IBS triggers: FODMAPs, gluten, lactose, fiber, and processed additives.
• Your goal should be to get to a better baseline and then slowly reintroduce certain foods.
• The downsides of the carnivore diet for IBS include constipation (especially IBS-C), nutrient gaps, and difficulty sticking with such a restrictive regimen.
• A modified carnivore diet could be the best approach for long-term IBS management.

Understanding the Carnivore Diet

You may be able to surmise from the name alone what this diet is all about. You strip everything off your plate except for animal-derived products. That means you can enjoy steak, chicken, ground beef, pork, wild game, fish, eggs, and in many cases, dairy (although that’s up in the air).

What you DON’T eat is anything else. No vegetables, fruits, nuts, seeds, legumes, grains, or any processed junk that most Americans eat on a daily basis. While you’ve always been led to believe that some of these foods are good for you, that may not be the full story.

Obviously processed foods are awful for you. They contain all sorts of preservatives, tons of sugar, and other junk our bodies were never meant to digest. But the same can be said of many natural plant-based foods. Potatoes, some vegetables/fruits, and nuts/seeds. These contain anti-nutrients that can flare up inflammation in the gut, which is where the IBS story starts and ends.

People have used the carnivore diet for all sorts of inflammatory ailments. Removing seed oils, artificial sweeteners, preservatives, heavily processed grains, lectins, oxalates, and other compounds can be powerful.

The beauty of the carnivore diet is actually in how ruthless it is. You strip ALL of this away at once, rather than picking and choosing what you think might be the problem. You get to a better baseline and can then begin to assess what was causing grief. 

Overview of IBS

IBS, or irritable bowel syndrome, is a functional gastrointestinal disorder. That’s just a fancy way of saying your gut doesn’t work the way it’s supposed to. But to this point, experts have not been able to figure out why. 

There are no ulcers, visible inflammation on a scope, bacterial overgrowth (that’s SIBO), or anything obviously wrong. But the symptoms are undeniable. Bloating, abdominal pain, gas, diarrhea, constipation, or for many, an unpredictable rotation of all five.

There are actually a few different forms of IBS:

• IBS-D: primarily diarrhea
• IBS-C: primarily constipation
• IBS-M: alternating between both

Most people manage IBS the best they can through dietary changes, keeping stress at bay, and in some cases, taking medication. Scientists don’t know everything about IBS, which is part of what makes treating it so difficult. What we DO know, though, is that gut-brain connection is involved. Stress, anxiety, and sleep deprivation can trigger flare-ups just as easily as the wrong food.

Is Carnivore Diet Good For IBS?

You’ll find that the topic of the carnivore diet for IBS is very divisive. It has real, documented benefits and plenty of anecdotal success stories. But the downsides are not to be overlooked. In the interest of transparency, we want to look at both sides of the coin.  

Benefits of the Carnivore Diet for IBS

The obvious case for trying the carnivore diet plan for IBS management is eliminating countless triggers all in one fell swoop. By comparison, most IBS diets (low FODMAP, gluten-free, dairy-free) just remove a single trigger. The carnivore diet kicks all of them to the curb:

• FODMAPS
• Gluten
• Lactose
• Fiber (which, contrary to what so many people assume, can actually make IBS-D worse)
• Processed additives
• Emulsifiers
• Sugar
• Artificial sweeteners

You’re left with way fewer foods on your plate, and the ones that remain are far less likely to cause a flare-up. Animal proteins and fats are absorbed higher up in the digestive tract, so there’s less fermentation in the colon. Thus, less gassiness. That alone probably sounds like a win right now!

People who try the carnivore diet for IBS say they feel less bloated within a week or so. Then the abdominal discomfort follows. Those struggling with IBS-D in particular see stools firm up thanks to the reduction in fermentation.

And while experts say they can’t pin inflammation as the culprit behind IBS, we have to imagine it plays a part. The carnivore diet removes so many compounds that lead to an unfavorable inflammatory response: seed oils, excess sugar, and certain plant compounds. Your gut nerves are more sensitive if you have IBS, and thus, more likely to overreact to dietary inflammation. Lowering the inflammation baseline can make a world of difference.

There’s also the simplicity side of things. You know how complicated managing IBS can be if you’ve tried other regimens. Scanning labels for FODMAPs, second-guessing every meal, and hoping for the best. Having a shorter carnivore diet food list to pull from takes a lot off your mind, and it may even help with the stress connection to IBS.

Potential Problems With the Carnivore Diet and IBS

The carnivore diet meal plan is powerful. But it’s not without its downsides. Every diet has them. The first of note is fiber. Which is honestly one of the most misunderstood nutrients.

Removing all fiber can make constipation worse if you have IBS-C. Soluble fiber is important for keeping stools soft and ensuring “regularity.” You may just end up more backed up if you remove it altogether. This is the most common complaint we see about carnivore diet for IBS.

There are other nutritional deficiencies that you may be concerned about as well. Vitamin C, potassium, magnesium, and certain phytonutrients are harder to get from animal sources alone. The solution is to eat plenty of organ meats, which have the good stuff you won’t get from muscle meat. Eat plenty of eggs, too. And be sure to take your multivitamin and electrolytes. 

The transition period can be grueling, too. It’s known as the “carnivore flu.” You feel physically and mentally drained as your body learns to use fat for fuel instead of carbs. Some digestive symptoms can get worse before they get better. It only lasts a week or two, though, and then you’re in the clear.

There’s also the sustainability side of the carnivore diet and IBS. It can be hard to come to terms with eating meat and eggs only for the rest of your life. Especially when it comes to eating out, traveling, sharing meals with family: all harder on meat-only.

Here’s the thing about practicing the carnivore diet for IBS, though - nobody said you had to do it forever. This is best looked at as a short-term transition, after which you can slowly begin reintroducing foods that may not be a problem. More on that in a moment. 

Is a Restrictive Diet Right For You?

We can’t recommend the carnivore diet for IBS across the board. It all depends on where you’re at in your journey and what you’ve already tried. 

Someone who has found no success from the typical advice (more fiber, probiotics, stress management, maybe a round of low FODMAP) may be at their wits' end wondering what to try next. The carnivore diet can definitely make sense in that case. You can remove everything, get to a new baseline, and find out what actually caused your symptoms to flare up as you reintroduce foods back into your rotation.

But restriction can take a psychological toll. Anyone with a history of disordered eating should be cautious about jumping into a diet that eliminates entire food groups.

Just remember the end goal of any elimination diet is to widen your diet over time, not permanently shrink it. Commit to strict carnivore for 4-8 weeks. Use that window to establish a symptom-free baseline. Then reintroduce foods one at a time, waiting 5-7 days between each addition to track how your body responds.

Other Ways to Manage IBS

There are some other alternatives you can look toward if you’re not sold on the concept of the carnivore diet for IBS management. 

A Modified Carnivore Diet

This is kind of what we’ve talked about so far. The carnivore diet doesn’t necessarily NEED to be exclusively meat and eggs in perpetuity. After 4-8 weeks of strict carnivore, you can reintroduce one food at a time. 

The most common early reintroduction is often white rice because it’s easy to digest and low in allergens. You can also add back in cooked root veggies such as carrots and sweet potatoes. Cooking them is important because they’re gentler this way than they are raw. Other low FODMAP foods you can add back in are blueberries and strawberries.

But you only reintroduce one food at a time, waiting at least 1-2 weeks between additions. You need to be able to track the root cause if symptoms flare back up. You can monitor progress in your phone’s notes app.

Just keep in mind you’re never going to reintroduce some of the more problematic foods. Anything processed, high in gluten, or loaded with sugar doesn’t have any place in your rotation.

The Low FODMAP Diet

This is the most studied diet for IBS. It was originally developed at Monash University with a very simple premise: remove all fermentable oligosaccharides, disaccharides, monosaccharides, and polyols. These are the specific carbs that pull water into the intestine and ferment super fast in the colon. They’re no good.

Low FODMAP works for about 75% of IBS patients. The structure is similar to carnivore (eliminate, then reintroduce), but less extreme. It’s a good middle ground if you can’t commit to the carnivore diet for IBS. You still get to eat plants, grains, and most proteins. You just avoid the specific carbs most likely to cause fermentation: garlic, onions, wheat, beans, certain fruits, lactose-heavy dairy.

It can be a little complex, though. Trying to figure out which foods are high in FODMAPS (and which are fair game) takes a lot of label scrutinizing. It’s effective, but mentally draining. 

The Mediterranean Diet

You may see the carnivore diet vs Mediterranean diet compared, and there’s a reason for that. Both are good protocols for certain digestive disorders, including IBS.

This approach is far less targeted than carnivore (or low FODMAP), though. You just eat whole foods, healthy fats (olive oil and fish), lean proteins, veggies, and moderate grains. You cut out all processed foods and sugar. 

It’s a basic “healthy” diet. But the simplicity can be a double-edged sword. You’re not necessarily eliminating any triggers like the other two regimens above do. It’s the easiest to commit to since you’re not making radical changes. And it may be enough to minimize gut sensitivity and improve symptoms if your IBS is mild. Otherwise, it may not move the needle. 

Bottom Line on the Carnivore Diet for IBS

We hope this guide to the carnivore diet and IBS has left you feeling clear about how this radical nutritional regimen may be able to provide relief. 

Is it a magic bullet for healing the gut? Not by any means. But does it have the potential to relieve some of the most frustrating symptoms you live with every day? For sure. At this point, what do you have to lose? 

Our advice is to keep your carnivore diet meals simple during the elimination phase. And be sure to stock up on the right carnivore diet snacks that won't introduce anything your gut has to question. Our meat chips can help keep you sane during this journey because they’re absolutely delicious. We’ve seen them called “meat pastries” because they start out crispy before melting in your mouth, giving way to tantalizing flavors. Yet, they’re just meat and salt! 

Learn more about our carnivore chips and what makes them the best high-fat snacks you can add to your rotation today. Best of luck trying the carnivore diet for IBS!

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