THE CARNIVORE DIET BENEFITS
You were drawn towards the carnivore diet because you’d seen such amazing carnivore diet before and after stories, and you were eager to embark on your own nutritional transformation.
But after the first few days or even a week, you aren’t feeling the benefits of carnivore diet - on the contrary, you feel worse than before. What gives? This is known as the carnivore flu, your body’s response to such a drastic change from using carbs for fuel to now relying on fat.
Common symptoms of carnivore flu are digestive discomfort, fatigue, cramps, headaches, irritability, and brain fog. How long does carnivore flu last, though - and can you ease the carnivore diet flu symptoms in the meantime?
The good news is this is a short adaptation period that typically subsides within a few weeks. Once you make it out the other side you’ll be glad you weathered the storm. We’ll share tips on starting the carnivore diet for beginners below to ease the transition.
What is the Carnivore Flu?
For those who are just getting started on this journey, what is the carnivore diet - more specifically, what is allowed on the carnivore diet? It’s a radical shift away from traditional dietary norms, as you’ll completely cut out plant-based foods and other processed products.
That means you’ll eat lots of meat, fish, eggs, and potentially some dairy here and there if you choose to enjoy cheese on carnivore diet. Keto vs carnivore are commonly compared since they both eliminate carbs, but carnivore is more strict in that carbs are completely off the menu.
So, is the carnivore diet good for you? It’s known for simplifying nutrition and potentially delivering benefits like improved digestion, reduced inflammation, and stable energy levels. Many use this diet to manage autoimmune conditions as well.
But let’s dig in a bit deeper - how does the carnivore diet work? Your body essentially shifts from using carbs for energy to relying solely on fats and protein. As you can imagine, this is a jarring transition for your body - enter the carnivore diet flu.
So what is the carnivore flu? It’s a temporary set of symptoms some people experience in the early days of switching to carnivore. Not everyone deals with it, especially those who follow a more structured approach to transitioning to carnivore.
However, those who do deal with it find it to be a bit debilitating, with both physical and mental carnivore diet flu symptoms taking a toll. Be clear though, this “flu” isn’t an illness as much as it is a combination of carb withdrawal, electrolyte imbalances, and metabolic adaptation.
As discouraging as it can feel, it’s a normal part of the process and actually shows the changes you’re making are having an effect. If there’s a silver lining to be had here, it’s this: the sooner you experience the carnivore diet flu symptoms, the quicker you’ll be fully adapted!
Let’s take a closer look at what you can expect in the meantime.
Common Carnivore Diet Flu Symptoms
Not everyone experiences all these carnivore diet flu symptoms, but each of these has been reported. The most common are fatigue and digestive discomfort.
Fatigue and Low Energy
A sudden drop in carbohydrates leaves your body scrambling to adjust its energy source from glucose to fat. This is known as fat adaptation, and it causes temporary fatigue or sluggishness while your body tries to find its footing.
You’ll also be losing electrolytes at a faster rate since you aren’t consuming carbs (which hold onto water). This exacerbates the low energy levels you might feel in the early days of carnivore.
Muscle Cramps or Weakness
Speaking of electrolyte loss, this issue can also manifest itself in the form of muscle cramps or weakness. The most important electrolytes you’ll be missing out on are sodium, potassium, and magnesium. Without taking steps to replenish these you’ll feel cramps, spasms, or a general feeling of weakness.
Headaches and Dizziness
Dehydration and electrolyte loss can lead to headaches or a feeling of lightheadedness as well. This is because kidneys excrete more water as your insulin levels drop. Electrolytes leave with the water, leaving you dehydrated. This is again the result of eliminating carbs, it’s normal.
Digestive Symptoms
You may have been interested in the carnivore diet for gut health as a means of easing digestive upset, but it might get worse before it gets better, unfortunately.
This is the result of eliminating dietary fiber on the carnivore diet coupled with an increase in fat and protein intake. You may experience carnivore diet constipation, bloating, or diarrhea as your digestive enzymes adjust.
Brain Fog, Irritability, or Mood Swings
For some it’s not the physical ailments that are the most difficult, but rather, the mental symptoms of carnivore flu.
Switching to fat as your primary energy source can temporarily impact brain function and lead to foggy thinking or irritability. A drop in blood sugar levels can create mood swings as well.
The good news is that none of these symptoms last forever. In fact, they all tend to be fairly short-lived. So, how long does carnivore flu last?
How Long Does Carnivore Flu Last?
The short answer is you can expect the carnivore diet flu to last anywhere from 1-3 weeks. This side effect of carnivore diet is highly individualized, though. It varies greatly from person to person based on a few important factors.
Factors That Affect Duration
We don’t want you to think that you’re absolutely going to experience grueling carnivore diet flu symptoms for the next three weeks.
In fact, you might only feel them for a few days if you follow our advice later on how to mitigate them. These are the factors influencing not only how long the symptoms persist, but how severe they are:
- Previous Diet: Those transitioning from a high-carb diet will find it takes longer to adjust than someone already accustomed to low-carb or keto eating.
- Electrolyte Balance: Sodium, potassium, and magnesium depletion can prolong symptoms. We’ll talk more about this later, but certain supplements for carnivore diet can help.
- Activity Level: Those who try to push through the symptoms and continue exercising at their normal clip may experience amplified muscle cramps or fatigue during the adaptation phase.
- Metabolism and Health: Slower metabolisms or underlying health conditions are risk factors for longer adjustment periods as well.
Typical Timeline for Adaptation
So, how long does the carnivore flu last? Let’s walk you through a sample timeline for what you can expect over the coming weeks:
- Days 1-3: Most people experience initial symptoms like fatigue, headaches, and brain fog as the body’s immediate reaction to reduced carbs and water loss.
- Days 4-7: Muscle cramps, digestive issues, or mood swings may peak as your body begins adapting to burning fat for fuel.
- Week 2: Symptoms start to subside for many as fat adaptation improves and the body adjusts to its new metabolic state.
- By Week 3: Most people feel more energetic and notice that symptoms like headaches, brain fog, and cramps have resolved. At this point, you’re well on your way to better health!
The key takeaway is that you should stay patient and stick through the uncomfortable adaptation period. Trust us, the carnivore diet results 30 days down the road will be worth it!
Strategies to Ease Carnivore Diet Flu Symptoms in the Meantime
Even though it’s less than a month, there’s no need to feel miserable while your body adapts to the carnivore diet. We have some carnivore diet tips to ease the transition and help you work through the adaptation phase as quickly as possible.
Gradual Transition to Carnivore
While you want to work through the carnivore diet flu quickly to get out on the other side, we actually recommend being more methodical in your transition to carnivore. This minimizes the shock to your system, in turn reducing the severity and duration of symptoms.
You might start by simply cutting out processed foods and sugars that don’t belong in any dietary regimen. Then, you can start gradually reducing carbs and replacing them with animal fats to help your body get used to burning fats for energy instead.
Electrolyte Replenishment
Most of the symptoms of carnivore flu are associated with dehydration and the electrolyte loss that ensues. The answer here is as simple as replenishing electrolytes at a faster rate.
There are two directions you can take this - dietary changes or supplement enhancements. The optimal approach likely blends both.
Start with our free carnivore diet meal plan, which features plenty of carnivore breakfast ideas, carnivore lunch ideas, and carnivore dinner ideas. We also have carnivore sides and carnivore diet desserts. Most electrolytes can be replenished through food alone, including:
- Sodium: Add sea salt or Himalayan salt to your meals and drink water with a pinch of salt throughout the day.
- Potassium: Incorporate potassium-rich foods like beef, pork, and organ meats.
- Magnesium: Include fatty fish or use a magnesium supplement if needed
As far as carnivore diet snack ideas, our meat chips are a perfect choice as they contain just two ingredients - meat and salt. You’re getting plenty of protein, fat, and sodium to support your body in this transition. They taste amazing, too.
But even still, you might find that adding an electrolyte powder or tablet supplement to your routine is necessary. Just make sure you do your research to avoid inadvertently consuming something plant-based and encroaching on the rules of carnivore diet.
Stay Hydrated Without Overhydrating
Electrolytes are just one piece of the puzzle. You also need to make sure you’re drinking enough water - but overdoing it isn’t the answer either. This can actually cause more harm than good as your body excretes electrolytes at a faster rate when you’re peeing too frequently.
Simply listen to your thirst cues and pair water intake with electrolytes to maintain balance. Bone broth is another excellent hydration option that also replenishes minerals. Make sure you’re drinking high quality water, ideally, filtered or spring water.
Optimize Fat Intake
It’s not as simple as just following a high fat carnivore diet. The type and amount of fat you eat matters more than you might think. If you’re feeling sluggish, try increasing your fat intake by adding tallow, butter, or fatty cuts of meat like ribeye or pork belly to your meals.
Rethinking your carnivore diet grocery list and consuming the best carnivore diet meat can help stabilize your energy levels and reduce feelings of sluggishness.
Rest and Recovery
This transition takes a toll on your body, and with energy levels already depleted, you need to make sure you’re getting plenty of rest. Aim for 7-8 hours of quality sleep every night.
You might even want to avoid intense workouts during the first couple of weeks, as your energy might be lower than usual. Instead, focus on maintenance with light movement like walking or yoga to stay active without overexerting yourself.
Stay Patient - it’s Worth the Wait!
Most importantly, don’t call it quits just because the going gets tough in the first few weeks. By the time you start to feel your worst, you’re probably at the peak of adaptation and almost through it! Keep your end goals in mind and trust the process. You’ll be glad you did!
Closing Thoughts on the Symptoms of Carnivore Flu
That does it for our guide on the carnivore diet flu symptoms. As uncomfortable as this process may be, it’s just a temporary phase that shows your body is adapting to a new way of fueling itself. The symptoms tend to subside within a few weeks at most.
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At this point, though, the only thing left to do if you haven’t already is set yourself up for success on carnivore with the best low carb snacks - our carnivore chips.
They’re a great source of healthy animal protein and fats and they taste amazing, with many referring to them as a meat pastry for how they melt in your mouth. We have so many great cuts in store for you, too, including:
Feel your best faster with the right snacks to ease the transition. Enjoy a smoother adaptation phase with the help of Carnivore Snax today!
