1) Vitamin C
2) Freeze-dried beef liver
3) Ox bile
4) Betaine HCL + digestive enzymes (protease + lipase)
5) Beef Bone Broth
6) Folic acid (vitamin B9)
7) Magnesium Glycinate
->CONCLUSION
The carnivore diet has gained a lot of attention in recent years. More and more people are eating exclusively animal products to lose excess weight or fight autoimmune diseases. carnivore diet It is now hard to deny that it can help people with chronic inflammatory bowel diseases, skin diseases or depression.
The representatives of the carnivore diet when it comes to the correct design of one. While for Shaun Baker, orthopaedic surgeon, world record holder in rowing and Carnivore Supporters from the very beginning carnivore diet consists only of meat, eggs and salt, other representatives are much less dogmatic. Paul Saladino, a physician and, alongside Shaun Baker, the best-known representative of the Carnivore Movement, are next to meat, fish and organs also easily digestible fruits and honey on the menu (=animal based diet).
We at carnivoro are somewhat more pragmatic and believe that both extremes have their place. The classic carnivore diet is a radical elimination diet recommended for people suffering from autoimmune diseases or obesity. The far less restrictive "animal-based diet," for which there is unfortunately no concise German translation yet, allows easily digestible fruits, dairy products, and honey on the menu.
If you are just coming to the carnivore diet If you have become aware of this, you will most likely be familiar with the classic version of this diet, which prohibits the consumption of all plant-based foods. Such a radical change in eating habits often leads to certain difficulties in adapting. Carnivore Newbies often experience flu-like symptoms (keto flu) in the first few weeks. Diarrhea, fatigue, difficulty concentrating, or nausea are not uncommon.
This is often accompanied by nutrient deficiencies, as vitamins such as vitamins A, C, E, and folic acid (B9) are present in very low concentrations in cooked or roasted meat. Roasted muscle meat also contains relatively small amounts of important minerals such as magnesium and calcium. This is particularly problematic for people with intestinal diseases, in whom nutrient absorption is often impaired due to illness and excessive mineral excretion occurs due to frequent diarrhea.
The carnivoro Team has compiled the seven most important supplements that you should consider when switching to a carnivore diet are intended to provide support and ensure long-term prevention of nutrient deficiencies.
1) Vitamin C
One of the main criticisms of the carnivorous diet is the lack of viable amounts of ascorbic acid, more popularly known as vitamin C. Vitamin C is an essential vitamin because it cannot be produced by the body itself and must be obtained in sufficient concentrations through food. Ascorbic acid is involved in the production of hormones, optimizes immune system function, and aids in the absorption of other nutrients.
If fruits and vegetables are on the menu, you usually don't have to worry about a vitamin C deficiency. However, the situation is quite different if you eat only animal products. Although raw muscle meat contains small amounts of the vitamin, useful concentrations are only found in fresh organs like liver or spleen.
According to the German Nutrition Society (DGE), the recommended daily dose is 90-110 mg. However, if one believes the prevailing opinion in the “Carnivore Community," then 20 mg daily is said to be sufficient. It is often argued here that the vitamin C requirement is significantly lower on ketogenic, low-carb diets. This is because glucose, whose chemical structure is similar to ascorbic acid, is said to compete with vitamin C for the amino group of a protein. It is therefore assumed that the body needs less vitamin C on low-carb and zero-carb diets.
We believe that caution is better than indulgence. Anyone who strictly Carnivore fed on raw organs If you do without and enjoy eating your meat medium-well or well-done, you certainly can't go wrong with a vitamin C supplement.
2) Freeze-dried beef liver
Beef liver is often called a superfood, and for good reason. It's the undisputed pound-for-pound champion of all common foods, leaving kale and blueberries green with envy. Packed with vitamin A, vitamin B12, iron , copper and zinc, the liver should not be exposed to any Carnivore Liver contains high amounts of folic acid, a B vitamin that is essential in a classic carnivore diet often neglected. 100g of fresh liver contains 27 mg of vitamin C – almost as much as a whole lemon.
But be careful, because the dose makes the poison: The same amount of liver contains 5-20 times the recommended daily intake of vitamin A, which is toxic in high concentrations. Therefore, fresh liver should only be eaten as a meal once a week. Opinions differ on the taste of liver, however. Not everyone can tolerate the typical liver flavor. This is probably also why freeze-dried beef liver capsules are our best-selling product.
We at carnivoro find: Supplementation with freeze-dried beef liver is safer, more sensible and less expensive. Beef liver in capsule form It's easy to dose, has a neutral taste, and can be taken anywhere. 3g of freeze-dried beef liver is equivalent to approximately 9-10g of fresh liver and should be taken with meals.
3) Oakseng
Anyone who Carnivore gets at least half of its calories from animal fats. Especially at the beginning of a carnivore diet Bile acid supplementation may be beneficial. By eliminating almost all carbohydrates, the stomach and small intestine must metabolize significantly more fat. The energy previously generated by carbohydrates is now replaced by calories from fat. In a typical carnivorous diet, 50-60% of all calories come from fat; for competitive athletes, this can be up to 80%.
Unfortunately, the stomach and small intestine do not always appreciate the extremely increased fat consumption. Especially in the first weeks of a carnivore diet The body often does not produce enough bile acid to metabolize the additional amount of fat consumed. Fatty stools, flatulence, or constipation are the result, as only a portion of the fatty acids is absorbed into the blood. The rest is excreted in the stool and often leads to unpleasant diarrhea, one of the main reasons for premature discontinuation of the diet. carnivore diet .
All beginnings are difficult. The transition from sugar to fat metabolism requires patience and often brings with it unpleasant side effects at first. Ox bile powder can help support the body's own bile production and thus boost fat metabolism. Meat lovers with a high basal metabolic rate (< 2,500 kcal / day) need more fat from their diet and should consider long-term supplementation. Ox bile should be taken shortly before meals.
4) Betaine HCL + digestive enzymes (protease + lipase)
Betaine HCL is the second supplement on our list designed to support the stomach in digesting proteins. Betaine HCL is the hydrochloric acid-bound form of betaine (a derivative of the amino acid glycine) and is said to increase hydrochloric acid levels in the stomach. Similar to fats, when meat is consumed more, the body needs to produce more stomach acid to efficiently digest the increased protein intake. Betaine HCL is said to support hydrochloric acid production in the stomach. Nutrient absorption can only be ensured if there is sufficient stomach acid. Bloating, diarrhea, and even heartburn can result from a lack of stomach acid.
For Carnivore For beginners, it may be worthwhile to take a combination supplement that contains betaine HCL as well as lipases and/or proteases. Lipases are enzymes that break down free fatty acids from fats and are therefore an essential component of fat digestion. Proteases break down proteins or peptides and catalyze the conversion of inactive protein precursors into active proteins. Supplementation can be particularly beneficial from the age of 50, as gastric juice production decreases with age.
5) Beef Bone Soup (Bone Broth)
For Carnivore For purists who eat almost exclusively muscle meat, we recommend the regular consumption of beef bone broth. Although there are various Carnivore Influencers who seem to eat nothing but steak and salt. Unfortunately, the classic version of carnivore diet can lead to various deficiency symptoms even after a short period of time. If neither fish nor cheese is consumed, a calcium or magnesium deficiency can quickly become noticeable. Brittle fingernails, muscle cramps, or skin changes are the first signs of a calcium deficiency. Magnesium is found in raw muscle meat, but not in sufficient concentrations.
A good compromise is the regular consumption of high-quality, carefully prepared beef bone broth. Bone broth is characterized primarily by its high mineral content. Through gentle, slow cooking, valuable minerals such as calcium, magnesium, and potassium, as well as trace elements (iron and copper). How many minerals ultimately make it into the broth depends on the cooking time and the quality of the bones used. If homemade beef bone broth is cooked for less than 8 hours, often only a small portion of the minerals can be released from the bone.
Especially for endurance athletes among meat eaters, a supply of additional minerals is particularly important, as electrolytes are excreted through sweat. This makes it virtually impossible to meet the increased mineral requirements with steak, eggs, or salt alone. Beef bone broth is also an excellent source of collagen, often making taking a collagen supplement unnecessary. Here, too, organic is better. Ideally, the bones used come from grass-fed, pasture-raised cows.
carnivoro says: Certain minerals are often lacking in a carnivorous diet. Calcium and magnesium are found in insufficient concentrations in meat. Regular consumption of beef bone broth can provide missing minerals and trace elements, especially for athletes or meat eaters with lactose intolerance. Due to its high calcium and collagen content, beef bone broth is also an ideal dietary supplement for older women.
6) Folsvar (Vitamin B9)
Folic acid belongs to the B vitamins and is often referred to as vitamin B9 or less frequently as vitamin B11 or vitamin M The name comes from the Latin word folium, meaning leaf. Therefore, it's not surprising that particularly high concentrations of the vitamin are found in green, uncooked leafy vegetables. Strictly speaking, we should actually be referring to folate here, since folic acid is the synthetic version of the naturally occurring folate found in dietary supplements.
Bad news for steak lovers: unfortunately, folic acid is only found in extremely low concentrations in beef muscle meat. While there are usable amounts of the vitamin in liver and egg yolk, you would need to consume almost 70 g of liver or 150 g of egg yolk (equivalent to about 8 eggs) daily to get 50% of your recommended daily intake.
Folic acid plays an important role in cell division, formation, and regeneration and is involved in the formation of white and red blood cells. A persistent folic acid deficiency can lead to anemia and often manifests as fatigue, dizziness, or shortness of breath.
We at carnivoro think that folic acid, along with vitamin C, is often not consumed in sufficient quantities even in high-quality carnivorous diets. Although both vitamins are found in useful concentrations in raw liver, spleen, or egg yolk, they carry the risk of vitamin A toxicity through daily consumption of organs .
7) Magnesium Glycinat
Magnesium is one of the essential minerals and is involved in over 300 enzymatic reactions in the body and is responsible for the proper function of muscles and nerves. Nuts, legumes, fresh fruit, and grain products are particularly rich in magnesium. Some edible fish, such as sole and turbot, also contain high concentrations of this important mineral.
To reach the daily amount of 350-400 mg for men (300-350 mg for women) recommended by the DGE, Carnivore Purists, however, eat 1.5 kg of beef. However, for people with chronic inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), people with excessive sweating, or competitive athletes, the recommended daily amount is likely to be significantly higher than the DGE (German Nutrition Society) limit.
The most common preparations on the market are magnesium citrate, oxide, and carbonate, in which magnesium is bound to salts or oxygen. Less commonly found is magnesium bisglycinate, in which magnesium forms a bond with two molecules of the amino acid glycine. The bond with glycine better protects the sensitive mucous membranes in the digestive tract from irritation. For example, magnesium citrate can cause more frequent stomach pressure or diarrhea, as the compound can have a laxative effect even in small amounts.
On the other hand, Magnesium Glycinate It is particularly well tolerated and could be particularly helpful for IBD patients or people with a tendency to loose stools. Due to its binding to glycine, magnesium glycinate cannot be bound by mineral thieves such as phytic acid. Caution regarding dosage: Magnesium glycinate contains only about 14% pure magnesium. To absorb 100 mg of pure magnesium, seven times the amount of magnesium glycinate is required.
carnivoro Team advises: For pregnant women, IBD patients and competitive athletes who Carnivore If you want to eat a balanced diet, taking a magnesium supplement is often beneficial. People who suffer from loose, often loose stools are better off using the particularly easily tolerated magnesium glycinate. Ideally, it should be taken with meals or 30 minutes before bedtime.
RESULT:
Accompanying intake of dietary supplements is particularly useful if digestive processes need to be supported or if one or more nutrient deficiencies are suspected. Carnivore Veterans who regularly eat fresh organs and/or consume easily digestible fruit in addition to their diet have less to worry about supplementation. Carnivore Newbies, athletes or meat eaters with IBD may benefit from supplementation to carnivore diet Make sense.
DISCLAIMER:
Even if we carnivoro If you are convinced of the benefits of the supplements mentioned above and have taken them as a supplement for several years, this article is for informational purposes only. The text makes no claim to completeness, nor can the timeliness, accuracy, or balance of the information presented be guaranteed. This text is in no way a substitute for professional advice from a physician or pharmacist, and it should not be used as a basis for self-diagnosis or for starting, changing, or discontinuing treatment of illnesses. Always consult your trusted physician if you have any health questions or complaints!