Top Supplements to Supercharge Your Carnivore Diet: The Ultimate Guide

The carnivore diet, characterized by the exclusive consumption of meat and animal products, has garnered attention for its potential benefits, including weight loss and simplified meal planning. On this diet, you cut carbohydrates and eat nothing but meat and other animal products, like beef, chicken, pork, fish, and eggs. The idea is that by cutting all carbs, your body will burn fat for energy and you’ll lose weight. Other claims of this diet are that it can fight inflammation, lower blood sugar in people with diabetes, and improve mental health. However, this restrictive approach raises concerns about nutrient deficiencies. While animal-based foods are rich in protein, certain vitamins, and minerals, they may lack essential nutrients found in plant-based foods. Therefore, strategic supplementation can be crucial to maintaining optimal health while adhering to a carnivore diet.

Understanding the Carnivore Diet

The carnivore diet is a very restrictive way of eating. It doesn’t align with the Dietary Guidelines for Americans, which recommends eating fruits, vegetables, and whole grains along with lean protein from animal sources. Cutting out entire food groups could leave you short on the nutrients you need to stay healthy. It involves consuming only animal products, such as meat, fish, poultry, eggs, and some dairy. This approach contrasts sharply with balanced diets that include fruits, vegetables, grains, and legumes.

Historical Context

Eating a carb-free diet isn’t a new idea. Scottish military surgeon John Rollo, MD, first used a meat-only diet to treat patients with diabetes in the late 1700s. Cutting carbs helped lower his patients’ blood sugar levels. Former orthopedic surgeon Shawn Baker, MD, popularized this way of eating with the release of his 2019 book The Carnivore Diet. An endorsement from comedian and podcast host Joe Rogan gave the diet even more exposure. In 2019, Rogan ate nothing but meat for 30 days and claimed that he “lost 12 pounds and gained a lot of energy.”

Allowed and Restricted Foods

Animal-based foods like meat, chicken, and fish make up the whole carnivore diet. The list of approved foods is short because it only includes animal products. You can eat red meat like steak, burgers, and chuck roast. Chicken, lamb, and pork are also ok. Fish like salmon and trout, and seafood such as oysters and clams are on the list. And if you like organ meats such as liver and oxtail, feel free to eat them too. Eggs are OK in small amounts. To cook your foods, you’ll use butter, fat tallow, or ghee (a type of clarified butter). Seasonings are about the only part of the diet that allows some variety. Spices like salt, pepper, chili paste, cumin, paprika, and garlic are all allowed.

Any foods that aren’t animal-based are off the table. You can’t eat fruits, vegetables, grains, legumes, nuts, or seeds. This diet does allow cheese, as well as other dairy foods like milk and yogurt. You’re supposed to limit these foods, though, because of their effects on inflammation.

Read also: Unlocking Organ Meat Benefits

Potential Benefits and Side Effects

The carnivore diet claims to promote weight loss. Its other supposed benefits are for improving heart health, autoimmune issues, blood sugar control, and mood.

It’s hard to know if or how this diet might improve health, since there’s been very little research on the subject. One study surveyed more than 2,000 people who said they’d followed a carnivore diet for nine to 20 months. People in the study reported improvements like: Lower body mass index (BMI) More energy Better sleep More strength and endurance Improved memory and focus. Most people with diabetes in the study were able to lower the dose of their diabetes medicine or go off it entirely. Overall, they said they were happy with this way of eating. One problem with this study was that the researchers didn’t know exactly what people ate. They also didn’t measure their nutrient levels or check their health. They based their results on survey answers alone. The authors say we need more research to better understand the carnivore diet.

The carnivore diet doesn’t align with the Dietary Guidelines for Americans, which recommends that adults get 45% to 65% of their daily calories from carbohydrates. By cutting out entire food groups, this diet could leave you short on important vitamins and minerals. Not getting enough fiber from your diet could cause constipation. A high-fat, high-protein diet may cause loose poop because it changes the balance of good and bad bacteria in the gut. People who eat this way also complain of headaches, nausea, and a lack of energy. Animal-based diets are high in saturated fat, which can raise low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol. And processed meats, which the diet allows, are high in salt, which can raise blood pressure.

Why Supplement on a Carnivore Diet?

While the carnivore diet is nutrient-dense, it can sometimes fall short in key areas, such as vitamin C, magnesium, or certain electrolytes. For some, these gaps can lead to fatigue, muscle cramps, or other symptoms of deficiency. A high-quality multivitamin can act as a safety net, ensuring you’re meeting your nutritional needs without compromising the principles of the diet. Multivitamins aren’t mandatory on a carnivore diet, but they can be beneficial for filling potential nutrient gaps, such as vitamin C, magnesium, or electrolytes, especially if organ meats or seafood are limited. Research suggests that while a carnivore diet is rich in many nutrients, individual needs vary, and supplementation can act as a safety net. Consulting a healthcare professional can help determine if multivitamins are right for you.

Potential Nutrient Deficiencies

The biggest concern with a meat-heavy diet is the lack of certain nutrients, especially fiber, antioxidants, and certain vitamins and minerals.

Fiber: Although not a vitamin or mineral, fiber is crucial for digestive health.
Vitamin E: An important antioxidant, it’s found mostly in nuts, seeds, and plant oils such as olive oil.
Calcium: Essential for bone health, it’s found in dairy products, but not animal foods like meat.
Magnesium: Important for muscle and nerve function and bone health, you’ll find magnesium most abundantly in plant foods like nuts, seeds, whole grains, and green leafy vegetables.
Potassium: Vital for heart and muscle function, fruits, vegetables, and legumes are the richest sources of potassium.
Phytonutrients and antioxidants: While not vitamins or minerals, phytonutrients and antioxidants (compounds found in plants) are still very important and have various health benefits, including anti-inflammatory effects.

Multivitamins can help bridge nutrient gaps, ensuring your body gets the nutrients it needs to function optimally. However, they’re not a replacement for a well-planned diet, but they can serve as a helpful backup for those with specific deficiencies or dietary limitations.

Specific Nutrients to Consider

Vitamin C: While meat contains small amounts, some individuals may need extra support to maintain optimal levels, especially if under stress or illness.
Magnesium: Research shows that low magnesium levels can lead to muscle cramps, fatigue, and sleep issues.
Electrolytes (Sodium, Potassium, Calcium): A carnivore diet can sometimes disrupt electrolyte balance, particularly during the initial adaptation phase. Supplementing with these minerals can help prevent symptoms like headaches, dizziness, or muscle weakness. Starting a low-carb diet can change fluid and mineral balance in the body.
Vitamin D: If you’re not consuming enough fatty fish, organ meats, or getting sufficient sunlight, you might fall short on vitamin D, which is vital for bone health, immunity, and mood regulation.
Omega-3 Fatty Acids: While fatty fish like salmon provide omega-3s, relying solely on land-based meats may lead to an imbalance between omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids, potentially increasing inflammation.

Essential Supplements for the Carnivore Diet

Here are key supplements to consider supplementing or ensuring adequate intake:

1. Multimineral Supplements

What They Are: Multimineral supplements, including trace mineral drops, provide a spectrum of minerals that might be lacking in a meat-heavy diet.
Why They Benefit Carnivore Eaters: Trace minerals are crucial for various bodily functions, including bone health, metabolic processes, immune support, and nerve function.
What to Look For: Choose a supplement that covers a broad range of minerals, especially those not abundantly found in animal products, like magnesium and potassium.

2. Electrolyte Supplements

What They Are: Electrolytes are minerals that carry an electric charge and are vital for maintaining normal fluid levels, facilitating muscle function and nerve signaling, and keeping our energy up.
Why They Benefit Carnivore Eaters: Electrolytes can become imbalanced on a carnivore diet, especially during the initial adaptation phase. Supplementing with sodium, potassium, and magnesium can help prevent symptoms like headaches, dizziness, and muscle weakness.

3. Fiber Supplements

What It Is: Fiber supplements are derived from different plant sources, such as whole grains and husks, that are naturally high in special types of carbohydrates that the body can’t fully break down.
Why They Benefit Carnivore Eaters: “If you avoid eating plants, there’s a very good chance you’ll be missing out on fiber,” says Taub-Dix. And a lack of fiber can cause a variety of issues, including constipation and an increased risk for colon cancer.
What to Look For: Opt for a fiber supplement that provides both soluble and insoluble fibers (such as psyllium husk), as each type plays a different role in digestive health.

4. Multivitamins

What They Are: As the name implies, multivitamins contain a variety of vitamins and minerals, often in quantities that meet our daily needs.
Why They Benefit Carnivore Eaters: Certain vitamins-particularly vitamin C, vitamin E, and some B vitamins-are less abundant in animal products and often missing in very low-carb eating plans like carnivore.
What to Look For: Snyder suggests choosing a comprehensive multivitamin that includes 100 percent of your daily needs for essential vitamins and minerals, including water-soluble vitamins, particularly vitamin C, which is not typically found in high amounts in animal products.

5. Probiotics

What They Are: Probiotics are live, “friendly” bacteria and yeasts that are beneficial for digestive and gut health, according to Michels.
Why They Benefit Carnivore Eaters: A meat-heavy, dairy-free diet lacks both probiotics as well as prebiotics (types of fibers) found in plant foods that help to “feed” healthy microbes in the gut, says Michels. Probiotics support a healthy gut microbiome, which is where the majority of your immune system is found, can help defend against occasional constipation, diarrhea, and bloating, and also facilitate nutrient absorption.
What to Look For: Ideally, choose a probiotic supplement with a variety of strains and a high colony-forming unit (CFU) count of about 10 billion per serving to ensure a wide range of benefits. Because probiotic strengths vary widely from one to 50 CFUs, it’s smart to get your provider’s opinion on which strength to take if you’re unsure.

6. Organ Meat Supplements

What They Are: These supplements are made from dried and powdered animal organs, such as beef and chicken liver, kidneys, or heart, which are very nutrient-dense.
Why They Benefit Carnivore Eaters: Organ meats are among the most nutrient-dense foods available and loaded with more vitamins and minerals per ounce compared to regular meat, says Michels. In her opinion, even among people eating lots of beef, chicken, fish, or eggs, organ meats can provide plenty of additional nutrients such as B12, copper, and iron that support energy, a positive mood, circulation, and focus.
What to Look For: High-quality, freeze-dried organ supplements derived from grass-fed, pasture-raised animals are best for ensuring the highest nutrient content and ethical sourcing.

Additional Supplements to Consider

Vitamin C
Vitamin K2
Omega-3 fatty acids

While most vitamins are present in animal products, individual needs may vary, so monitoring intake and considering targeted supplementation is a good approach.

Multivitamin Recommendations

Best Multivitamin for Men on a Carnivore Diet

While a well-planned carnivore diet can provide most essential nutrients, some men may consider multivitamin supplementation to address potential gaps.

Ancestral Supplements Grass-Fed Beef Organs

This supplement offers a blend of nutrient-rich organ meats, including liver, heart, kidney, pancreas, and spleen, sourced from grass-fed cattle. It’s rich in vitamins A, B12, and other essential nutrients, supporting energy levels, immune function, and overall vitality.

Read also: Guide to Keto Fiber

Optimum Nutrition Opti-Men

Tailored for men, this multivitamin provides a blend of essential vitamins and minerals, including vitamins A, C, D, E, B-complex, and key minerals. It’s designed to support active lifestyle and overall health.

Best Multivitamin for Women on a Carnivore Diet

While a well-planned carnivore diet can provide most essential nutrients, some women may consider multivitamin supplementation to address potential gaps, especially during life stages like pregnancy, menstruation, menopause, or PCOS.

Garden of Life Vitamin Code Multivitamin for Women

This multivitamin is tailored to meet women’s specific health needs, providing essential nutrients such as iron and B12, which are crucial for energy and reproductive health. It is formulated with whole-food ingredients and included probiotics to support digestive health.

Perelel Health Women’s Daily Vitamin Trio

Designed by experts, this daily pack includes a multivitamin capsule, an omega DHA + EPA capsule, and a beauty blend with collagen peptides. It’s crafted to support overall women’s health, including skin elasticity, joint health, and immune function.

Thorne Women’s Multi 50+

Formulated specifically for women over 50, this multivitamin provides optimal amounts of essential nutrients to support bone health, cognitive function, and overall wellness during the menopausal and postmenopausal stages.

Addressing Common Concerns and Misconceptions

Is the Carnivore Diet Safe?

This diet probably won’t hurt you if you’re healthy and you go on it for a short period of time. But it’s not recommended. “It’s certainly not a plan that dietitians or health professionals advocate,” says Zelman. “It’s very restrictive. And it concerns me that there’s so little fiber.” The Dietary Guidelines for Americans and American Heart Association both recommend eating plant-based foods. “That’s because of the nutritional goodness, the phytochemicals, fiber, antioxidants, vitamins, minerals, and micronutrients found in plants. You don’t get all of those in animal products,” says Zelman.

This diet isn’t safe during pregnancy or while breastfeeding because it will leave you short on the nutrients that both you and your growing baby need. If you have kidney disease, the high protein content may be too much for your kidneys to process, Zelman says. Also avoid this diet if you have diabetes, heart disease, or high blood pressure because of the high saturated fat and sodium content. Fad diets are never a good idea for people who have had eating disorders. Such a restrictive diet could trigger unhealthy eating patterns, Zelman says.

Can You Lose Weight on a Carnivore Diet?

In theory, you can lose weight if you stick to the diet. But because the diet is so restrictive, it can be hard to stay on it. Once you stop eating this way, the weight will probably come back. Studies of low-carbohydrate diets like the keto diet show that they do help people lose weight quickly. One reason is that they cut out calorie-filled, sugary junk foods like cookies, cake, and sodas. And the high protein and fat content of the carnivore diet should prevent you from feeling hungry, says Zelman. But the weight loss is likely to be short-lived. This diet is so restrictive that it’s hard to stay on it for long. Any weight that you do lose will probably come right back as soon as you go back to your former way of eating.

Is the Carnivore Diet Healthy?

The Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommends that you eat a balanced diet with fruits, vegetables, whole grains, dairy, lean protein, and oils.

As for the claims that the carnivore diet fights inflammation and boosts energy, “There’s no evidence whatsoever,” Zelman says. “There are no controlled studies to support these claims.” In fact, the diet probably has the opposite effect on energy levels. Carbohydrates fuel your brain and maintain your blood sugar level. Without them, “it’s hard to feel energetic,” she says.

Carnivore Diet vs. Keto

At a glance, the carnivore and keto diets might seem similar: they both limit carbs and emphasize animal-based foods. The keto diet is a high-fat, moderate-protein, very low-carb diet. It encourages fats from both animal and plant sources, like avocado, coconut oil, nuts, seeds, and olive oil. The carnivore diet, on the other hand, is all about animal products-meat, fish, eggs, and sometimes dairy. It's high in protein and fat, but intentionally excludes all plant-based foods, including those healthy fats from nuts, seeds, avocados, and oils. There's also a big difference in scientific research backing the keto diet. Keto has been extensively studied, with research suggesting benefits for certain medical conditions and weight management.

Practical Tips for Supplementing on the Carnivore Diet

Consult a Healthcare Professional: Before starting any supplement regimen, consulting a healthcare professional is highly recommended. Personalized supplementation is key, as nutrient needs vary based on factors like age, gender, activity level, and overall health.
Prioritize Whole Foods: Focus on consuming a variety of animal products, including organ meats and fatty fish, to maximize nutrient intake from food sources.
Monitor Your Health: Pay attention to any symptoms of nutrient deficiencies and adjust your supplement plan accordingly.
Choose High-Quality Supplements: Opt for supplements from reputable brands to ensure purity and potency.

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