Florida Man’s extreme diet of cheese, meat, and butter for 8 months leads to THIS health scare

How would you do if you stuck to one diet every day? While some diets are healthy when repeated, some may lead you into a health dysfunction. In a bizarre case documented in JAMA Cardiology, a

Florida man

in his mid-40s was admitted to a Tampa hospital with alarming symptoms after adopting an extreme

carnivore diet

. The man, known for consuming large quantities of high-fat, high-cholesterol foods, presented with yellowish nodes on his palms, elbows, and feet that were oozing a strange substance.
The patient revealed that he had been following a strict carnivore diet for eight months, relying heavily on

butter

,

cheese

, and hamburger patties, consuming up to nine pounds of these foods daily. Despite claims of weight loss, increased energy, and better cognitive functioning, his skin condition worsened over the month leading up to his hospital visit.
Medical examinations revealed that the man’s cholesterol levels had skyrocketed to over 1,000 mg/dL, a stark contrast to the healthy range of under 200 mg/dL. Before embracing this diet, his cholesterol had fluctuated between 210 and 300 mg/dL.

Cardiologists diagnosed him with

xanthelasma

, a condition in which high cholesterol or other blood fats lead to the formation of lipid deposits. The authors of the case study emphasised the importance of managing cholesterol levels to prevent complications.
“This highlights the impact of dietary patterns on lipid levels,” they wrote.
Despite warnings, some influencers continue to champion high-fat carnivore diets, with a former vegan recently gaining attention on TikTok for promoting her diet of butter, ground beef, and nearly two dozen eggs daily.
The Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) strongly advises against such diets, recommending a balanced diet that includes fruits, vegetables, grains, low-fat dairy, and varied protein sources. The Dietary Guidelines for Americans for 2020 to 2025 also stress the need for diverse food groups, advising only 5.5 ounces of

meat

per day alongside vegetables, fruits, and grains.