The Carnivore Diet Cures Depression and Autoimmune Diseases
Jordan Peterson and his daughter Mikhaila Peterson claim that a diet consisting exclusively of beef, water, and salt - the so-called 'Lion Diet' - cured their depression, anxiety, and autoimmune conditions. No clinical trials support these claims, and nutritionists warn of serious health risks.
What we know
Jordan Peterson is a Canadian clinical psychologist and professor who achieved international prominence with the book 12 Rules for Life. Alongside legitimate contributions to psychology - personality psychology mapping, critique of postmodern relativism - Peterson has publicly and enthusiastically promoted a diet consisting exclusively of beef, water, and salt, claiming it cured his depression, anxiety, gout, autoimmune problems, and a range of other conditions. His daughter Mikhaila Peterson went through a lengthy process of elimination dieting and reached the same conclusion.
McGill University's Office for Science and Society analysed the carnivore diet as a phenomenon and concluded it is an 'extreme fad diet' without clinical evidence. Wikipedia notes that the 'carnivore diet is associated with pseudoscientific health claims.' The specific medical risks are well documented: the absence of dietary fibre causes constipation and increases the risk of colorectal cancer; high intake of saturated fats raises LDL cholesterol and cardiovascular disease risk; high protein intake strains the kidneys; elimination of plant foods causes micronutrient deficiencies.
The fundamental problem with anecdotal evidence of the 'Peterson' variety is what clinicians call confounding variables. Peterson introduced the diet at the same time as making a range of other lifestyle changes, went through serious health crises (including a benzodiazepine dependency and treatment in Russia), and changed his environment and stress levels. It is impossible to extract from such a narrative the conclusion that the diet specifically caused any improvement. Registered dietitian Kelsey Kunik stated directly: 'I would never recommend a carnivore diet. Completely removing plants from the diet is a recipe for disaster.'
Despite this, Peterson and Mikhaila present these claims to millions of followers with an authority derived from an entirely different field - Jordan as a psychologist, Mikhaila as a 'biohacker' drawing on personal experience. Neurologist Steven Novella described the carnivore diet in 2023 as the 'latest fad diet' and 'a diet for select elites', pointing to an additional dimension of the problem: for the average person on a modest income, a diet of nothing but beef is not financially accessible as a therapy.
Common claims
- The carnivore diet is a clinically proven treatment for depression and autoimmune diseases.False - no clinical trials support this
- Peterson personally reported improvement on the diet.Supported - but anecdotal, not clinical, evidence
- Eliminating plant foods carries serious health risks.Supported - documented in the medical literature
- A beef-only diet is nutritionally adequate long-term.False - causes micronutrient and fibre deficiencies