Nutrition: a marathon, not a sprint

At Zera, we believe that nutrition is best achieved over time, not overnight. While a carnivore diet may be an effective starting point, it doesn’t lend itself to long-term adherence. Extreme diets tend to grab our attention, but they rarely provide sustainable health benefits. That said, why do we see so many people getting healthy on the carnivore diet in the short term – improved body composition, elevated mood, more energy, better digestion? Does this mean it’s a viable long-term strategy for the health of athletes or even the general population?

Let’s explore why the Carnivore Diet may be an effective short-term solution to a specific health problem (e.g., autoimmune disease), but not the ideal way to maintain health or athletic performance.

Why the Carnivore Diet is Not a Long-Term Solution for Athletes

While some athletes may benefit in the beginning, adhering to a carnivore diet over the long term can present significant challenges. These problems may come more quickly for some, but they are real enough to cause concern.

Lack of carbohydrates

Whether you’re an athlete or not, a carnivore diet completely excludes carbohydrates, which are vital for maintaining optimal performance. The reasons why carbs are vital are as follows

1. Primary Fuel for Fast Muscle Fibers
   Carbohydrates are the primary source of energy for fast-reacting muscle fibers, which are critical for explosive exercise. In contrast, low-carb athletes often struggle to maintain strength and explosiveness. While other factors such as training methods and biomechanics can have an impact, no chronically low-carb athlete has demonstrated consistent explosive power in the last two decades of nutritional observations.

2. Thyroid Hormone Function
   Carbohydrates are critical for the conversion of T4 to T3 (active thyroid hormone). This conversion is critical for metabolic efficiency and overall hormone balance.

3. Recovery and Adaptation
   Carbohydrates are an immediate source of energy, helping to relieve stress and support recovery. Without carbohydrates, the body turns to energy from fat, which is less efficient for high-intensity bursts. This process triggers stress hormones such as cortisol, adrenaline and norepinephrine, which creates the illusion of sustained energy. However, this “boost” is short-lived and unsustainable.

Low Carbon Dioxide Emissions

Contrary to popular misconception, carbon dioxide (CO2) is not only a waste product, but also a key component of our biological complexity. CO2 produced during carbohydrate metabolism plays a key role in the following areas:

• Oxygen delivery: through the Bohr effect, CO2 increases the oxygen content of tissues, especially when the body is in motion.
• Endurance: it supports sustained performance and recovery and is therefore essential for athletes.

While low-carb diets may be suitable for low-intensity, survival-type activities such as hiking or obstacle races, they can be overwhelming in environments that require repeated bursts of energy. Without sufficient carbon dioxide, the body will struggle to maintain tissue oxygenation and endurance.

Key message.

For people with autoimmune diseases or those seeking initial recovery, a meat-based diet may provide short-term benefits. However, long-term adherence may present significant challenges, especially for athletes. Carbohydrates are essential for sustained energy, recovery, hormonal balance and overall resilience. At Zera, we promote a balanced nutrition strategy that emphasizes long-term health and performance over quick fixes.

For more information on how to optimize nutrition and performance, check out our guide to maximizing your potential.

Nutrition is like a marathon, not a sprint. Choose your energy sources wisely.

Zera: Fueling Performance and Health Through Optimal Nutrition

The Role of Carbohydrates in High-Intensity Sports

In fast-paced sports such as basketball, soccer and combat, athletes always need a readily available source of energy. Carbohydrate-rich diets fulfill this need, while carbohydrate-restricted diets often fall short. In survival-type scenarios, energy levels appear to be adequate, but this perception often stems from stress hormones and increased fat oxidation, masking an underlying energy deficit. Reactive, high-intensity exercise requires different energy levels than endurance activities, which are more in line with the energy needs of the Prius stable.

Carbohydrates play a key role in vasodilatation and protection of protein structure, thus ensuring cellular stability. As Dr. Ray Peat, Ph.D., states, “Energy and structure are interdependent at every level.” This is especially true for athletes, as energy stability directly impacts their performance and recovery.

Very Little Fiber: Dietary Risks for Meat Eaters

A meat-eater’s diet contains no fiber at all, which can lead to:

1. weakened intestinal motility
   Lack of fiber may affect bile flow, slowing intestinal peristalsis and affecting overall digestive health.

2. Missed detoxification opportunities
   Fiber foods help with processes such as estrogen detoxification, and without fiber foods, detoxification mechanisms may be compromised.

3. Digestive Optimization
   Specific fibers, such as raw carrots or bamboo shoots, can enhance intestinal health and positively impact nerve function and overall athletic performance.

While fiber is not essential, consuming the right type of fiber can help improve digestion, detoxification, and mood stability, which indirectly improves physical performance.

Micronutrient Gaps in Carnivore Diets

The diets of carnivores are often deficient in key micronutrients, and it is difficult to replenish these nutrients with supplements alone. Chief among these are minerals and electrolytes, which are critical for cellular function and athletic performance.

Electrolytes and neuromuscular function

Electrolytes do more than prevent cramps; they are vital for muscle contraction, neuronal communication, and brain health. A deficiency in electrolytes can disrupt cellular metabolism and affect athletic performance.

Calcium Deficiency

While vegetarians are prone to fractures due to insufficient calcium intake, meat-only eaters may also suffer from inadequate calcium intake. Without the intake of dairy products or effective calcium supplements (such as eggshell powder), calcium intake may not be balanced with the high phosphorus content of meat. Inadequate calcium intake can negatively impact bone health and increase the risk of serious injury.

Collagen and amino acid imbalance

A lack of collagen sources (such as gelatin or bone broth) can lead to an amino acid imbalance that increases levels of tryptophan, histidine, methionine, and cystine. Over the long term, this imbalance may trigger inflammation and metabolic disorders, hindering an athlete’s recovery and performance.

To summarize

At Zera, we understand the complex relationship between nutrition and optimal performance. A balanced diet – without bias – is essential to maintaining energy, structure and flexibility. The proper balance between carbohydrates, fiber and micronutrients is the foundation for optimal health and optimal athletic performance.

Long-term insights into athlete nutrition: key considerations for Zera

Understanding Fatigue and Nutritional Support

Athletes who consume too much muscle meat may experience various forms of fatigue, often referred to as “adrenal fatigue,” a term coined by health researcher Gary Millet. This highlights the importance of nutritional balance. Collagen is often overlooked but plays a vital role in supporting connective tissues, including the intestinal lining, hair, skin, nails and tendons. At Zera, we emphasize the importance of consuming enough collagen, the cornerstone of enhanced durability and performance.

However, a diet that focuses on muscle meats without accompanying fruits can lead to vitamin C deficiency. Vitamin C is vital; it is an important antioxidant that promotes collagen synthesis, enhances immune function, maintains cardiovascular health, aids in iron absorption, and enhances the effects of other antioxidants. Maintaining optimal levels of nutrients, not just avoiding deficiencies, is the key to staying on top of your game.

Immediate Benefits of a Meat Eating Diet

If there are potential long-term downsides to a meat-based diet, why do so many people still report improvements in body composition, digestion, cognitive clarity, inflammation reduction, and autoimmune symptom relief? The immediate benefits come primarily from the elimination of inflammatory compounds and fibers that are not inherently digestible in humans.

Another factor is the relative increase in nutrient density, although not always in ideal balance. Animal products provide unique vitamins such as retinol, creatine, K2-MK4, taurine, and heme iron that will have a profound effect on those transitioning from a plant-based or low-protein diet. Addressing protein deficiency alone can significantly improve health and perceived quality of life.

Optimizing the Protein-to-Energy Ratio

Improving the protein-to-energy (P:E) ratio can further improve results, especially for those seeking to significantly change their body composition. Protein, which primarily serves as a building block rather than an energy source, has a higher thermogenic effect, meaning it takes more energy to digest protein than it provides. For people who consume too many calories from fat and carbohydrates, adjusting this ratio can improve energy management and satiety and reduce the likelihood of overeating.

Additionally, consuming offal (a treasure trove of natural micronutrients such as liver and heart) can add an extra layer of nutrients to a meat-eater’s diet. These superfoods replenish vitamins and minerals, providing great benefits for athletes and active individuals.

Gut Rest and Reduced Inflammation

The benefits of the carnivore diet are also seen in gut health, as it is a low-residue diet that promotes gut rest. This is similar to the effects of fasting, as most food is rapidly digested in the small intestine, thus reducing the digestive burden. Increased energy, enhanced cognitive function, and suppressed inflammatory symptoms can be attributed to the elimination of energy-depleting, brain-disrupting substances, as well as a rise in adrenal stress hormones like cortisol.

Dr. Steven Gundry’s findings also reveal the effects of plant defense chemicals, bacterial endotoxins, and semi-digestible fibers, all of which contribute to inflammation and decreased physical function. A carnivore’s diet reduces these factors, providing respite for the gut and the body.

At Zera, we believe that understanding the delicate interplay of nutrition, recovery, and performance is critical to long-term success. Customizing diets to balance short-term benefits with sustainable health is the cornerstone of athletic durability and excellence.

It All Starts in the Gut: Why Athletes Should Prioritize Gut Health

At Zera, we believe that gut health is fundamental to athletic performance and recovery. Addressing gut issues and recovering from gut injuries should be a top priority for athletes in their quest for optimal performance. Read our guide on how to set goals and stay at your best.

Plant defense: nature’s dilemma

Plants, like animals, have evolved complex defense mechanisms. These include natural toxins and so-called “anti-nutrients”, which help to ward off natural enemies. This is much less effective than the poisons of the animal kingdom. While animals eating plants with fruits such as strawberries to spread their seeds is good for the plants themselves, other plants do not have an evolutionary benefit when consumed by humans. To avoid this, they produce compounds such as lectins, tannins, oxalates, goitrogens, and trypsin inhibitors-natural insecticides and deterrents.

These phytotoxins can interfere with nutrient absorption, disrupt hormone levels, and even cause digestive problems. Under stressful conditions, plants may even increase their production of toxins and send chemical signals to neighboring plants to do the same – a complex self-protection strategy.

How humans and animals respond to plant toxins

Unlike ruminants, such as cattle, which have multiple compartments in their stomachs, ruminants also have a rumen full of bacteria that neutralize toxins. Humans, on the other hand, similar to carnivores, rely on a sterile, acidic stomach. Free-ranging animals instinctively avoid overconsumption of toxic plants, but even their instincts fail in a restrictive environment. For example, sheep are excellent toxin neutralizers but are still susceptible to thyroid dysfunction and other health problems if they consume too much kale.

Studies have shown that overconsumption of plant toxins by livestock can have adverse effects. For example, lambs that consumed excessive amounts of kale developed enlarged thyroid glands (goiter) compared to grazing lambs that consumed a variety of foods. Similarly, in humans, phytotoxins (e.g., goitrogens) impair thyroid function, reducing iodine utilization and thyroid hormone production. This can lead to inflammation and other health problems.

Cooking: The Art of Reducing Toxins

Humans also have an instinct to guide dietary choices. We often find that cooked kale or peeled carrots are more flavorful than raw. This preference is not only related to taste, but also reflects how cooking and peeling reduces many of the phytotoxins that are often concentrated in the peel.

While vegetables such as broccoli, cauliflower, or rutabaga have been advocated as part of the daily diet for generations, it is worth noting that these vegetables are a significant source of goitrogens. These compounds interfere with the production and conversion of thyroid hormones, which can affect overall metabolic health.

Trust your instincts.

Kids tend to be more inclined to follow their natural instincts, so there’s a good reason why they may reject foods like raw vegetables. At Zera, we encourage you to listen to your body and make choices that favor balance, health, and performance. Proper preparation – cooking and peeling – can transform potentially harmful plant-based foods into beneficial nutrients.

Exercise health begins with gut health. By understanding and mitigating the effects of plant-based toxins, you will lay the foundation for optimal performance and recovery. Prioritize gut health and other issues will be solved.

When it comes to nutrition, it’s important to remember that just because certain plants contain nutrients doesn’t mean our bodies are able to absorb them efficiently. As Zera emphasizes, there is a significant difference between the presence of a nutrient and its bioavailability. If your body is not able to effectively utilize these nutrients, then choosing foods based solely on their nutritional content may not produce the desired results.

This fits perfectly with the digestion-absorption-utilization model of nutrition. If you can digest a nutrient, you can absorb it; if you can absorb it, your body can utilize it for its intended purpose. This model, pioneered by nutritionist Ronnie Smith of Energy Concepts, emphasizes the importance of optimizing bioavailability and reducing factors that undermine gut health.

By reducing damage to the digestive and neuroimmune systems, the initial results are dramatic. Many people experience significant reductions in intestinal inflammation, edema and bloating. These visual and functional improvements are often due to addressing bacterial overgrowth, endotoxins and other gut irritants. It’s a targeted approach, similar to restoring balance to an ecosystem. After all, the gut is a complex ecosystem.

The connection between the gut and the brain plays a key role here. The gut-brain axis – connecting the central nervous system to the enteric nervous system – means that gastrointestinal function directly affects mood and cognitive state. This relationship is not limited to mood, but extends to the efficiency of the nervous system, which is critical for optimal performance. Your physiology functions as an interconnected system, not as isolated parts – just like your movements.

Some may argue that elite athletes can rely on a substandard diet to stay healthy. While this may be true for a few genetic anomalies, most of us need to put in the work and optimize our nutritional intake to reach our potential. For most, cutting corners will only lead to poor performance.

Reducing Bacterial Endotoxins
One of the outstanding benefits of a carnivore diet is its ability to reduce bacterial endotoxins. These endotoxins, along with other gut irritants, are a major cause of intestinal and neuroimmune dysfunction. By eliminating these factors, this diet helps to improve overall health and athletic performance.

Hormonal Benefits
The short-term effects of a meat diet usually stem from the resolution of intestinal issues, resulting in improved hormonal balance. This includes lower serotonin levels – elevated levels of this neurohormone inhibit metabolic efficiency and ATP production, leaving the body in a low-energy, hibernation-like state. Energy is critical for adapting to stress, both in training and in everyday life.

Additionally, with limited carbohydrates, the diet drives the body to rely on fat oxidation. This shift triggers the release of stress hormones such as cortisol and glucagon, which mobilize energy reserves. Many people report that this “hyper” state is due in part to this adaptive energy response.

For those committed to optimizing health and performance, there is no doubt that dietary choices are linked to bioavailability and gut health, and Zera encourages a pragmatic approach that supports the delicate balance between the body’s systems for long-term success.

The role of stress hormones: insights from Zera

In the short term, cortisol (the “stress hormone”) can act as an anti-inflammatory response. However, prolonged, excessive release of cortisol inhibits metabolism and leads to degeneration over time. This “high” state is usually not a sign of cognitive enhancement, but rather an over-reliance on stress hormones. It is important to note that this chronic state can disrupt sleep cycles, which athletes already struggle with, especially when schedules are tight.

In addition to elevated levels of chronic stress hormones, dietary choices such as meat-eating or keto diets can further impact hormonal health. These diets may increase SHBG (Sex Hormone Binding Globulin), decrease GnRH (Gonadotropin Releasing Hormone), and lower T3 thyroid hormone levels, which can have a ripple effect on overall health.

The Carnivore Diet: Lessons in Short-Term Gains

The Carnivore Diet can be a useful dietary cornerstone, but is far from a complete template. It provides key insights – dos and don’ts – that we can integrate into a balanced eating regimen.

Many of the initial results stem from increased protein intake, addressing common protein intake deficiencies. However, some athletes and bodybuilders may overconsume protein to the detriment of their health. The carnivore diet also highlights the nutritional value of organ meats, especially from ruminants, which are nutrient-rich sources of energy. For most people, once a week is sufficient, but athletes with higher energy needs may need to consume them more frequently.

The diet’s emphasis on increasing the protein-to-energy ratio-reducing carbohydrates and fats while increasing thermogenic proteins-provides another benefit. It removes many processed and inflammation-prone ingredients, as well as certain plant fibers that may not be suitable for everyone. In addition, it challenges the outdated stigmatization of saturated fat and cholesterol. These nutrients contribute to anti-stress and protective steroid hormone production, while industrial seed oils should be avoided.

Rethinking the foundations of nutrition

Carnivore diets have also prompted a reassessment of mainstream vegetable consumption. Instead of focusing on high levels of cruciferous and leafy greens, options such as raw carrots, white mushrooms and bamboo shoots should be emphasized. However, high-quality carbohydrates and vegetables aren’t harmful in and of themselves; it’s processed, inflammation-prone junk food that damages our health.

Most of the benefits of the meat-eater diet are attributed to improved gut health. By cutting out problematic foods and focusing on nutrient-dense choices, people can deal with potential health challenges. That said, the limitations of the diet also highlight the importance of balance and long-term sustainability.

At Zera, we believe in focusing on the basics. Whether it’s diet or performance, focusing on what really matters always leads to the best results.

A low-residue, high-gut motility diet mimics fasting by prioritizing digestion in the small intestine. This approach addresses many of the health and performance issues stemming from gut health, making gut healing a key concern for athletes.

Essentially, the carnivore diet is a low-energy diet, both from a macro- and micronutrient standpoint, and also induces systemic stress, which in the long term can lead to a survival-like state. This black-and-white approach to eating, while effective at first glance, typically attributes improvements to the wholesale removal of food groups such as carbohydrates, when in reality, the benefits come from a series of more subtle physiological changes. It’s important to recognize that suppressing symptoms is not the same as addressing the underlying cause, a misconception that can make the carnivore’s diet a deceptive solution. A targeted and precise approach – like using a chisel rather than a sledgehammer – can produce the same or even more benefits without the risks associated with extreme dietary changes.

Short-term meat diets can work to cleanse the intestines, especially over a period of a few weeks, but only if you consume intestinal-beneficial fibers such as raw carrots, white mushrooms, or bamboo shoots. In addition, consuming small amounts of carbohydrates through foods such as fruits, fruit juices, raw honey or milk will ensure that you avoid unnecessary nutritional deficiencies during this period. In this way, you will not be deprived of an important source of energy, but will adapt your approach to your needs.

In fact, extreme diets (such as carnivory) usually have a positive or negative ripple effect on multiple physiological systems. Is it the lack of carbohydrates or meat that really makes a difference? Or is it a series of smaller downstream adjustments? That’s why it’s hard for a broad-brush diet to deliver sustainable results over the long term. Instead, a chisel-like strategy – customizing protein, carbohydrate, and fat intake while identifying and addressing inflammatory triggers – leads to more balanced, long-lasting results.

For athletes, if you’re considering temporarily adopting a carnivore’s diet, it’s best to limit it to two weeks when demand is lowest. For professional athletes, this is appropriate early in the season, while for the average person, a reduction in training volume should be considered to avoid unnecessary stress. It is vital to distinguish between a temporary transition period and a sustainable long-term program.

In short, a carnivore’s diet can be effective in helping the gut stabilize in the short term or identify sensitive points in extreme situations. Beyond that, a tortoise-style strategy – gradual and consistent – wins the race better than a quick but unsustainable sprint by the hare.

Now that you’re here ……

Zera is committed to providing you with practical advice from coaches, sports scientists and physical therapists to help you optimize your athletic performance. If you find this content helpful, please consider sharing it with your community or discussing it further to help others explore new approaches to health and exercise. For more advice on health and dietary strategies, check out our How to Choose the Perfect Bra for Your Breast Shape guide.