Mixed
Carnivore and animal-based diets do not consistently improve athletic performance and may impair high-intensity exercise capacity due to reduced muscle glycogen and constrained metabolic flexibility.
Do not switch to a carnivore or animal-based diet expecting better performance, especially if your sport involves sprinting, lifting, or high-intensity intervals. These diets reduce muscle glycogen and make it harder to produce energy quickly. While you might lose weight or feel less bloated, your high-intensity performance will likely suffer. Stick to established sports nutrition guidelines that prioritize carbohydrate availability for intense training.
The available evidence suggests that while carbohydrate restriction may induce specific metabolic adaptations, such as increased fat oxidation, these changes do not consistently translate into improved performance, particularly in high-intensity or high-volume training contexts.
Why this rating
Direct evidence for carnivore diets in athletes is explicitly stated as lacking; conclusions are extrapolated from ketogenic/low-carb studies.
Source
Carnivore and Animal-Based Diets in Sport: A Critical Evaluation of Current Evidence and Future Perspectives for Precision Nutrition
Zbigniew Waśkiewicz · Nutrients · 2026
DOI 10.3390/nu18060998
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