Does the Carnivore Diet Cause Constipation? – Carnivore Snax

Carnivore diet constipation is unfortunately quite common. And it makes sense. You’re making radical dietary changes, and your gut is adapting in real time. So why am I not pooping on carnivore diet, and what can I do to restore regularity?

First, be aware that it’s actually quite normal to find yourself spending less time in the bathroom while you follow this nutritional regimen. You’re likely eating less, after all. And you’re certainly consuming less fiber (if any at all).

So, don’t freak out just yet. Constipation on carnivore diet happens. There are things you can do to get back to feeling more regular. It could be as simple as waiting it out a few days while your gut adapts, or changing the amount of fat you eat every day. 

Key Takeaways

• Carnivore diet constipation is almost always temporary. It can take the gut 2-4 weeks to adapt.
• Going less often doesn’t inherently = constipation. Meat makes a lot less waste than plant-based foods.
• Fiber is not the fix you’ve been led to believe. In fact, some patients who dropped to zero fiber in one study completely resolved constipation.¹
• The biggest levers you can pull if you’re not pooping on carnivore diet are hydration + electrolytes and fat intake. 

Wait, Am I Constipated?

First things first. We need to make it clear what constipated actually means. Because a lot of people throw the word around willy-nilly because they didn’t go to the bathroom for 1-2 days. There’s a chance your schedule is just changing a little bit.

The Cleveland Clinic defines constipation as fewer than three bowel movements per week, and more specifically, paired with hard, dry stools that are difficult or painful to pass.² So think carefully. When was the last time you went? How did it go? Because if you’re only going 3 times a week but it’s not painful or difficult, you might not actually be constipated.

We know that’s a little subjective. That’s why doctors use the Bristol Stool Scale to assess consistency. Types 1 and 2 indicate actual constipation – hard lumps, sausage-shaped but lumpy. Types 3 and 4 are the sweet spot. Types 5-7 are too loose.³ 

All of this is to say, you’re probably adapting to the diet rather than constipated if you’re consistently in the 3-4 range but just going to the bathroom less often than you’re used to.

It makes sense when you think about it. Your body is used to digesting bread, cereal, fruit, and whatever else you used to eat. Now, it has zero carbs. Just meat and eggs. Maybe a little dairy. That’s a really dramatic change. 

Let’s Have a Conversation About Regularity

So what’s actually normal on the carnivore diet once your body gets accustomed to this new way of eating? What’s “regular?” That’s the funny thing. There is no such thing. Anywhere from three times a day to three times a week is normal.² How are you supposed to do anything with that range?!

We can confidently say that it’s normal to go less often on the carnivore diet, though. Your body is capable of processing animal protein much more efficiently than plant matter. Meat gets digested all the way and absorbed, with very little residue behind to excrete as waste. 

In contrast, plants are loaded with indigestible cellulose. That’s where a lot of the bulk from your stools used to come from. Thus, the volume drops quite a bit when you remove plant-based foods.

The REAL red flags for constipation on carnivore diet are less about frequency and more about how your bowel movements actually go. These are a few of the things we’d actually be concerned about:

• Straining
• Hard, dry stool
• Feeling as if you can’t fully empty
• Relentless bloating

These are the signs that something actually isn’t right and needs to change. Especially if you’ve felt this way for more than a few weeks. That’s no longer simply adaptation. 

This is why it’s so important to keep a detailed log of what you’re eating and how you feel while switching over to the carnivore diet. It’s normal for people to panic early on, but it could just be growing pains. 

The Biggest Misconception About Carnivore Diet Constipation: You Need More Fiber!

Okay, so you think you’re constipated on carnivore diet. Let’s make one thing very clear, though – the diet itself isn’t “broken.” People will tell you that the root cause of your carnivore diet constipation struggles is a lack of fiber. That tracks with what you’ve been led to believe your whole life.

That being said, we know this is not exactly true. A study published more than a decade ago disproved it, in fact. So why do we still put the blame on fiber? Your guess is as good as ours.

Basically, the study found that the opposite of mainstream conception was true – that more fiber actually had the potential to make constipation worse! Patients struggling with chronic idiopathic constipation stopped eating fiber altogether for two weeks. The results were tracked over a six-month span. The patients eating zero fiber had complete constipation resolution: bloating, straining, and abdominal pain got better. Those who kept eating fiber saw no positive change.¹

Now, we’re not telling you that fiber is bad for everyone. But the knee-jerk reaction to add fiber back into your dietary regimen is unlikely to make things better. We address the carnivore diet and fiber connection in depth in our blog if you’d like to learn more. 

So What Really Causes Constipation on the Carnivore Diet?

It’s not a fiber problem. So why am I not pooping on carnivore diet, then? Unfortunately, there’s no one-size-fits-all answer. It could be a handful of things. And it’s actually quite likely that the real culprit behind carnivore diet constipation is multiple factors. 

It’s the Adaptation Phase

Your gut microbiome is a living ecosystem that adapts in real time based on what you feed it – for better or worse. Now, the long-term changes of the carnivore diet are positive. But the short-term implications can be chaotic. 

You’ll start to feel changes fairly quickly after getting started with the carnivore diet – within a single day, in some cases. An animal-based diet boosts the production of bile-tolerant organisms while decreasing the bacteria that process plant polysaccharides.⁴

It takes time for a shift of this nature to fully stabilize. According to Kaiser Permanente gastroenterologist John Riopelle, “Any time you make a big change to your diet, there’s the chance it will affect your gastrointestinal health. What’s more, everyone’s colon is unique, which is why some people may be stricken with constipation, others with diarrhea, and still, some may not notice a change at all.”⁵

This adaptation phase lines up with something known as the carnivore flu. Your body is recalibrating to a completely different fuel source. You’ll likely feel sluggish, nauseous, and struggle with cravings for a week or two. But it’s worth it for the long-term benefits of carnivore!

Are You Dehydrated?

The whole point of carnivore is to cut carbs and force your body to run on fat for fuel instead. However, cutting carbs can quickly cause your body’s water stores to plummet. Every gram of glycogen (stores carbs in your muscles/liver) holds around 3-4 grams of water. The water glycogen holds onto goes away with the carbs when you remove them from your diet.

To make matters worse, your kidneys excrete more sodium on a low-carb diet. That pulls even more water out. Translation: less water is available to the colon, which leads to harder, drier stools. That’s what you feel as constipation on carnivore diet.

The fix is simple – drink more water. But plain water alone may not cut it. You should make sure you’re getting electrolytes as well. Sodium, magnesium, and potassium all help keep the intestinal fluid balance right in the sweet spot. An electrolyte tablet/powder is one of the few carnivore diet supplements that is actually worth it. 

Nutritional Gaps in Your Diet

You’ve probably heard the most common complaint lobbied against carnivore diet: it opens the door to nutritional deficiencies. Surely you can’t get all the nutrients you need from meat and eggs alone. That’s partially true. Eating just beef and chicken is going to leave holes in your diet.

This matters because certain micronutrients are so important for digestion. That’s why we stand by it when we tell you the best meat for carnivore diet is organ meat. You get all sorts of concentrated B vitamins and minerals that you’d otherwise miss out on.

You can also fill in the gaps with bone broth, which has glycine and gelatin. Both of those things support the integrity of your gut lining, helping digestion go more smoothly. Fatty fish are another staple on the carnivore diet food list because they have omega-3s and extra fat. The point is, you might need to rethink your carnivore meal plan if you’re constipated. 

You Need a Better Protein-to-Fat Ratio

This one catches a lot of people off-guard. The only two carnivore macros you care about are protein and fat. But there’s a delicate balance between them that you have to take into consideration. Too much protein can actually cause more harm than good.

This sounds so contradictory. You’d think lean chicken breast and extra-lean ground beef are smart choices. However, fat is arguably more important. It prompts your body to release bile, and bile has a natural laxative effect on the colon. Not getting enough fat on carnivore diet causes bile production to slow down, so then everything else in your digestive system slows down.

Now, bile acid production DOES adapt to dietary fat intake. But there’s a lag during the transition. Your liver needs a little time to align bile synthesis with higher fat demands.6 Dr. Ropelle says, “There may be a delay in enzymes that digest fat to respond to the increasing amount of fat in your diet.”⁵

Our Advice on Managing Carnivore Diet Constipation

Like any of the side effects of carnivore diet, constipation can be overcome with a few simple tweaks – and perhaps a little patience in some cases!

Eat More Fat

It could be as easy as swapping chicken breasts in favor of chicken thighs. Or eating ribeye instead of filet. The more fat you can get in your diet, the better. Go with 80/20 ground beef over 93/7. Cook in tallow or butter, and be generous with the glob you put on your steak. 

You can also try drizzling bone marrow over your meals (trust us – you’ll never go back!). Some people even add a tablespoon of tallow or ghee to their coffee in the morning. It’s a functional replacement for creamer. The point is, you need to eat more fat. 

Looking for an easy way to add 20-30 grams of fat to your diet every day? Try our meat chips, especially the fattier cuts like brisket, ribeye, or lamb. They are made from just two ingredients: regeneratively raised meat and salt. They’re the best snacks for carnivore diet you’ll ever try!

Drink Enough Water (and Bone Broth)

Hydration is so important in combating carnivore diet constipation. Your goal should be to consume a gallon of water a day – give or take a little. If that sounds unattainable, we’d venture to guess that you’re not even thinking about drinking water until later in the day, and that you stop earlier in the evening than you should. 

Chugging water to play catch-up is not a good thing. You should drink one full glass the moment you wake up to get your system turning. Continue to have water within reach for the rest of the day. 

Having a hard time drinking enough water? Bone broth could be a better tool anyway because it does more than plain water can – it has electrolytes built in! Speaking of which…

Get Electrolytes

Be generous in salting your food. Most people underseason their meat on carnivore because they assume seasoning is a bad thing. But it’s not. Salt in particular is a staple! 

Magnesium in particular is an important electrolyte. One study found that supplementing with magnesium oxide could improve constipation in 70.6% of patients!⁷ It pulls water into the intestines where it’s needed most.

Move Your Body

Motion is lotion, they say. Physical activity can be a powerful way to get the gut moving as well. Even just a 20-minute walk after a big meal helps promote the specific contractions that get food all the way through your digestive tract. 

Don’t try to be a hero. No need to run a marathon or spend hours in the gym each day. Just be consistent in getting your exercise in on a daily basis.

Be Patient

Most importantly, remember that the first 1-2 weeks on carnivore diet can be weird. Don’t chalk it up to carnivore diet constipation right away. Your body spent years running on carbs, fiber, and processed foods. It’s going through quite the adaptation process right now!

Frequently Asked Questions

Is it normal to not poop on the carnivore diet?

Not pooping isn’t normal. But pooping less is certainly normal. When people talk about constipation on carnivore diet, it’s really stool consistency that matters most. Is it painful or difficult to go to the bathroom? If so, you may be struggling with carnivore diet constipation.

How often should I poop on a carnivore?

Every 1-3 days is “normal.” Some people go daily – maybe even twice a day! Others don’t feel the urge for multiple days in a row. Frequency is less important than comfort. If you can pass stools without straining, it doesn’t really matter how often you go. 

How to stop constipation on a carnivore diet?

Drink more water, get extra electrolytes, and eat additional fat. Those are the three best things you can do if you’re not pooping on carnivore diet and want to make a change. 

Closing Thoughts on Carnivore Diet and Constipation

It’s normal to assume a lack of fiber will inevitably lead to carnivore diet constipation. But as you now know, the truth is quite a bit more nuanced. You can combat constipation on carnivore diet with these tips. Stock up on carnivore chips today and give your body what it needs to thrive!

References

1. Ho KS, Tan CYM, Mohd Daud MA, Seow-Choen F. Stopping or reducing dietary fiber intake reduces constipation and its associated symptoms. World J Gastroenterol. 2012;18(33):4593-4596. PubMed
2. Cleveland Clinic. Constipation: Symptoms & Causes. Cleveland Clinic
3. Lewis SJ, Heaton KW. Stool form scale as a useful guide to intestinal transit time. Scand J Gastroenterol. 1997;32(9):920-924. PubMed
4. David LA, Maurice CF, Carmody RN, et al. Diet rapidly and reproducibly alters the human gut microbiome. Nature. 2014;505(7484):559-563. Nature
5. Riopelle J, DO, gastroenterologist, Kaiser Permanente. Quoted in Dr. Axe: Keto Diet Constipation. Dr. Axe
6. Chiang JYL. Bile Acid Metabolism and Signaling. Compr Physiol. 2013;3(3):1191-1212. Wiley
7. Mori S, Tomita T, Fujimura K, et al. A Randomized Double-blind Placebo-controlled Trial on the Effect of Magnesium Oxide in Patients With Chronic Constipation. J Neurogastroenterol Motil. 2019;25(4):563-575. PubMed