There is a lot of debate surrounding the components of our diet and their effects on our overall health and well-being. For example, some proponents claim that a carnivore or all-meat diet, rich in red meat, poultry, fish, and eggs, can help manage chronic diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis (RA), while others insist that it can actually worsen symptoms. So, what’s the truth?
In this article, we will discover more about the relationship between our dietary choices and autoimmune diseases, such as RA. Delving deeper than mere anecdotal evidence, our findings will be supported by clear scientific evidence.
Why Do Some People Recommend an All-Meat Diet To RA Patients?
With a quick search of the internet, you can find anecdotal reports of the beneficial effects that a carnivore diet may have on your Rheumatoid Arthritis.
Popularised by Mikhaila Peterson, the daughter of the controversial self-help guru Jordan Peterson, a carnivore diet includes meat, fish, and other animal-derived products. It is similar to a keto diet but a lot more restrictive.
So, why do some people try such a diet? Meat is high in protein, and is a good source of iron, which is critical to the effective functioning of the immune system. Notably, it is well documented that anaemia is a common comorbidity for individuals with RA1, suggesting a requirement for sufficient iron levels in the diet of RA patients. Animal products can also be a good source of vitamin B12. Vitamin B12 is essential for the production of red blood cells, and people with rheumatoid arthritis often have low levels of this vitamin.2
These are not exactly strong arguments for consuming meat since it’s easy to obtain all the protein and iron we need from plants, and B12 is a simple supplement (recommended for elderly adults, regardless of animal intake or not).
The potential short-term benefit of a carnivore diet is that it is an elimination diet. Many inflammatory arthritis patients suffer from food sensitivities, and any form of elimination diet can potentially improve a patient’s symptoms if their specific sensitivities are temporarily avoided.
However, if you have RA and are considering trying out a carnivore diet, you should certainly think again. It’s important to remember that there’s no definitive scientific evidence to support the use of a carnivore diet for RA. In fact, it’s possible that this type of diet could actually make your RA symptoms worse, and we will consider this in more detail below.
Does a Carnivore Diet Increase Inflammation?
Inflammation is a key factor in RA, and we know that a diet high in inflammatory foods can exacerbate symptoms. Evidence suggests that a carnivore diet can increase inflammation.
A systematic literature review found “meat-based” or “Western-like” diets to be positively linked with markers of inflammation, such as C-reactive protein.3 Another study reports an increase in plasma concentrations of inflammatory biomarkers in diabetes-free women following increased intake of total, unprocessed, and processed red meat.4 Meanwhile, a recent cross-sectional study, using data from the UK Biobank, described an association between higher meat consumption, particularly processed meats, and higher levels of inflammatory markers primarily due to adiposity.5
Can a Carnivore Diet Cause Rheumatoid Arthritis?
There is debate over whether meat consumption can be a factor in the development of RA. However, most experts believe there is some link between the two. So, what does the research say?
Studies have shown that people who eat a lot of meat are more likely to develop RA. For example, a high intake of red meat has been associated with the early onset of RA, particularly in those who smoke or are overweight.6 Another study showed that the risk of developing RA is higher when consuming a diet high in processed meat .7 Likewise, beef intake has been associated with an increased risk of RA in a recent cross-sectional study.8 A meta-analysis study describes a non-linear dose-response relationship between red meat consumption and RA risk, with high red meat intake increasing an individual’s risk of developing RA.9
How Might Meat Consumption Be Linked With RA?
The exact mechanism behind this link remains to be determined. However, there are several theories about how a high meat intake can contribute to RA development and progression. Firstly, specific components in meat, such as saturated fats and inflammatory chemicals, may trigger the activation of the immune system and lead to joint inflammation. Researchers have described a link between the consumption of animal fats and cartilage degradation and subchondral bone changes similar to that seen with osteoarthritis.10 Consumption of saturated fats may also contribute to muscle wasting in RA patients by inducing protein degradation and inhibiting protein synthesis.11
Given the high collagen content of meat, it is possible that high intake may lead to collagen sensitisation resulting in the production of anti-collagen antibodies, particularly in susceptible individuals.12 Moreover, meat is an iron-rich food, and iron is known to accumulate in the rheumatoid synovial membrane and contribute to inflammatory tissue damage.13
Consumption of red meat leads to the production of trimethylamine-N-oxide (TMAO), a pro-inflammatory metabolite derived from choline and carnitine metabolism that has been linked to cardiovascular inflammation.14 While the role of TMAO in RA has not been studied in detail, serum concentrations of TMAO correlate with psoriatic arthritis disease activity.15
Diet is believed to have a direct effect on both the composition and function of the gut microbiota,16 and this may translate to inflammatory and immune responses and the subsequent development of inflammatory diseases, such as inflammatory arthritis and inflammatory bowel disease. Indeed, gut microbiome dysbiosis has been associated with numerous autoimmune disorders, including multiple sclerosis, type 1 diabetes, rheumatoid arthritis, and celiac disease.17 Scientists at Harvard University have shown that switching to an animal-based diet very quickly alters the microorganisms living in the gut, with pro-inflammatory microbes seeming to flourish in this environment.18 Interestingly, RA patients have been shown to have significant differences in their oral and gut microbiota composition too.19
Consuming a high-cholesterol diet, which is typically one rich in meat, has been found to alter the permeability of the gut, leading to “leaky gut”.20 Leaky gut is thought to play an integral role in the joint inflammation associated with RA.21
Another theory is that the process of cooking meat can create compounds that can trigger an autoimmune response, leading to the development of arthritis. Cooking foods using high heat, such as when grilling, frying or baking, can increase levels of advanced glycation end products (AGEs). AGEs form when sugars combine with other food components, such as proteins and fats. The accumulation of AGEs in the body promotes oxidation and chronic inflammation. Reducing the intake of AGEs in the diet may help to reduce the progression of inflammatory diseases, such as RA, osteoarthritis, and heart disease.22
What Foods Trigger Rheumatoid Arthritis?
When it comes to managing RA, diet plays a key role. Certain foods can trigger RA flares, and avoiding these can help keep symptoms under control. Trigger foods vary from person to person, so it’s important to figure out which ones affect you. The best way to do this is to keep a food diary. Write down everything you eat and drink and when you experience arthritis symptoms. After a few weeks, you should start to see patterns emerge.
If you’re living with RA, it’s important to be aware of the potential triggers in your diet and to make choices that will help you feel your best.
Some of the most common RA trigger foods include:
- Red Meat: Numerous studies describe worsening RA symptoms when consuming a diet high in red meat. Red meat contains a lot of saturated fat, which can trigger inflammation. Processed foods can be particularly problematic.
- Dairy: Milk, cheese, and other dairy products are common triggers for RA. Food sensitivities may have some relationship with RA symptoms.
- Nightshades: Tomatoes, potatoes, peppers, and eggplants belong to the nightshade family. These plants contain a chemical called solanine, which may trigger inflammation and pain in people with RA.
- Sugar: A diet high in sugar may trigger a flare-up of RA symptoms.
- Alcohol: Alcohol is known to have inflammatory effects and can alter the immune response.
- Gluten: People with RA may be more likely to be sensitive to gluten, a protein found in wheat, barley, and rye.
Rheumatoid Arthritis and Diet
If you’re living with an autoimmune condition, it is essential to follow a healthy diet to help you manage your symptoms. While autoimmune diseases, such as inflammatory arthritis, are often treated with medication, some people find that dietary interventions can also be beneficial, helping to manage symptoms and even improving overall health.
Are you wondering if there is a special diet that can help you manage your RA symptoms? With so many dietary options being championed today, where do you start?
The checklist diagram and descriptions below should give you a good reference of various dietary options and the benefits that they offer to RA patients:
- An animal-based diet may either represent a keto diet, which is very low in carbohydrates and very high in fat, or a carnivore diet, which consists of 100% animal products and no plant-based products.
- A paleo diet includes food that would have been hunted and gathered in the past, such as fruits, vegetables, lean meat, fish, nuts and seeds, and eggs.
- A Western diet is low in fruit and vegetables and high in fat and salt.
- The autoimmune protocol (AIP) includes whole foods rich in nutrients and eliminates pro-inflammatory foods. The foods may either be animal- or plant-based.
- A vegan diet is based on plant-based foods only.
- A whole food, plant-based (WFPB) diet focuses on whole foods, eliminating processed foods entirely.
- The WFPB Rheumatoid Solutions Program (RSP) is an elimination diet focused on plant-based, low-fat foods with no meat, dairy, eggs, oils, or artificial sugars. The program works to improve gut health and reduce chronic inflammation.
Can A Carnivore Diet Provide Adequate Nutrition?
The answer is a resounding no. Advocates of the diet often fail to recognise that the carnivore diet is nutritionally incomplete. An entirely animal-based diet lacks the essential polyphenols, vitamins, and minerals that are so crucial for overall health.
Plant-derived polyphenols, such as flavonoids, lignans, and stilbenes offer potent antioxidant effects, and their continued consumption may protect against the development of cancers, cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, osteoporosis, and neurodegenerative diseases.23 These key metabolites simply cannot be obtained from an all-meat diet.
Meat also has a complete absence of fiber, which is essential for a healthy gut microbiome, providing nutrition that supports beneficial bacteria and facilitates the production of short-chain fatty acids, which are the necessary fuel for the cells of the human intestinal lining. In the results of the American Gut Project, the largest published study to date of the human microbiome, it was found that humans who ate more than 30 different plant foods per week had improved microbiome status.24 If more plants = microbiome health, then it’s easy to see the catastrophic impact of eating zero plant matter.
Is a Plant-Based Diet Good for Autoimmune Disorders?
Meat is often considered an essential part of a healthy diet. However, its negative impact on our health far outweighs its perceived benefits. In fact, while meat can provide a source of beneficial iron, protein, energy, and nutrients, so too can plant-based alternatives but without any of the adverse effects. In fact, scientific evidence backs the extensive health benefits offered by whole plant-based foods.
Plant-based diets include a variety of fruits, vegetables, grains, and beans. One of the main reasons that a plant-based diet can be beneficial for autoimmune disorders is because it is high in nutrients and antioxidants and can help to reduce chronic systemic inflammation throughout the body.25 Research has shown that just one month of consuming a vegan diet can modify gut bacteria and improve RA disease activity.26 Moreover, a recent randomised crossover trial demonstrated an improvement in RA joint pain following a low-fat vegan elimination diet.27
There is also growing evidence that a plant-based diet can help heal a leaky gut. Food components linked with a plant-based diet, including fibre and short-chain fatty acids, are known to increase the integrity of the gut barrier.28 A plant-based diet can also help with weight loss, which is often a goal for people with autoimmune disorders as they work to improve their overall health.
Key Takeaways
The foods you eat have a direct effect on your body’s ability to heal. A diet that reduces inflammation in the body may help ease some symptoms of RA, such as joint pain, fatigue, and stiffness. An elimination diet can effectively reduce RA symptoms, but the health risks of using a meat-based dietary approach far outweigh any short-term benefits. In fact, studies consistently show that carnivore or meat-based diets exacerbate inflammation, whereas plant-based diets have been scientifically proven to reduce inflammation in inflammatory arthritis patients and lower the risk of developing other forms of chronic disease. The carnivore diet is nutritionally incomplete, deficient in essential vitamins, and adopts the opposite approach to what the science tells us to do for maximum gut health – which is to eat more plants.
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