Eating only meat, man's whole body is 'dyed yellow'

A man developed strange yellow patches all over his body while on a 'carnivore' diet.

Cholesterol streaks on a patient's hand - Photo: JAMA Cardiology

According to ScienceAlert on February 17, a 40-year-old man living in Florida, USA, saw asymptomatic yellow streaks on his palms, soles of his feet and elbows about 3 weeks before going to see a doctor.

The streaks appeared about eight months after he started following a carnivore diet, which means he eats nothing but meat, poultry, eggs, seafood, some dairy products, and water. He completely excludes fruits, vegetables, grains, and nuts.

The carnivore diet (a type of keto diet that is low in carbohydrates and high in good fats) has become increasingly popular in recent years. However, from a scientific perspective, this diet deprives the body of essential vitamins, nutrients, and fiber, and increases the risk of diseases such as cancer.

In the above case, this man consumed up to 4kg of fatty foods every day. He even added fat to his hamburgers. His cholesterol level was over 1,000mg/dL, more than 5 times the recommended level for adults.

His eating habits and high cholesterol levels caused him to develop yellow patches on his skin as cholesterol overloaded his blood. In some areas of his body, the buildup was so great that the cholesterol began to "spit" through his skin.

Doctors diagnosed him with xanthelasma, also known as periocular xanthelasma. The condition typically appears around the eyes but can also appear elsewhere on the body.

Previous research has linked xanthelasma to other medical conditions, including diabetes, thyroid disease, high blood fats or cholesterol. Although the yellow streaks are not painful, they can only be removed with special surgery, even if the person has changed and is eating normally.

High cholesterol is also linked to a number of other health problems, such as heart disease, stroke, and kidney disease. There is also evidence that high cholesterol levels that clog blood vessels can promote the growth of cancer and may even increase the risk of dementia (memory loss).

Hopefully the man in question can adjust to a healthier diet as advised by his doctor even though he says the carnivore diet has helped him lose weight, have more energy and be more alert.

The study was published in the journal JAMA Cardiology .

Source: https://tuoitre.vn/an-toan-thit-nguoi-dan-ong-bi-nhuom-vang-khap-nguoi-20250218105101726.htm