Joe Rogan Dishes On The Effects of His Carnivore Diet
When it comes to diets, nutrition, and fitness, to say Joe Rogan is interested would be an understatement. The UFC fight commentator, comedian, and podcaster has always had a vested interest in fitness, given his involvement in the fighting world. That means the Joe Rogan Experience host spends plenty of time exploring new nutritional systems and diets. And just recently, Rogan wrapped up 30 days on an all-meat diet called the carnivore diet. Suffice it to say, it’s a polarizing diet — and one that seemed to have equally polarized effects on Joe Rogan.
The downsides to Joe Rogan’s diet
Joe Rogan announced that during January, which was apparently World Carnivore Month for some folks, he’d be trying a new diet — the carnivore diet. He decided that for 30 days, he’d eat only meat, and abstain from carbohydrates, vegetables, and fruits.
However, to make up for the nutrients he’d be missing out on, the podcaster resorted to nutritional supplements. “I’m covering all my nutritional bases, but I’m not doing it with food, [and] I’m not doing it with plants. I’m only eating grass-fed meat,” explained Joe Rogan.
During his diet, Rogan gave frequent updates. It seems as if the biggest downside to the diet was the initial effect it had on his gastrointestinal habits. In a length Instagram post, Rogan wrote, “Carnivore diet update; the good and the bad. Let’s start with the bad. There’s really only one ‘bad’ thing, and that thing is diarrhea. I’m not sure diarrhea is an accurate word for it, like I don’t think a shark is technically a fish. It’s a different thing, and with regular diarrhea I would compare it to a fire you see coming a block or two away and you have the time to make an escape, whereas this carnivore diet is like out of nowhere the fire is coming through the cracks, your doorknob is red hot, and all hope is lost.”
Rogan continued, “I haven’t sh*t my pants yet, but I’ve come to accept that if I keep going with this diet it’s just a matter of time before we lose a battle, and I fill my undies like a rainforest mudslide overtaking a mountain road. It’s that bad. It seems to be getting a little better every day, so there’s that to look forward to, but as of today I trust my butthole about as much as I trust a shifty neighbor with a heavy Russian accent that asks a lot of personal questions.”
Joe Rogan’s positives to carnivore eating
Though the podcaster may have had to make a few extra trips to the bathroom, he also seems convinced that there were some serious upsides to his diet.
According to Joe Rogan, the carnivore diet had a marked effect on his energy levels. In the same Instagram post, Rogan continued, “Now, I’m well aware of the placebo effect and I’m constantly self-analyzing every perceived reaction I’m having to eating only meat for almost 2 weeks straight, but one thing I’m fairly sure of is that my energy levels are higher and steadier throughout the day. This seems undeniable.
I don’t know if it’s a temporary effect and if maybe it’s just the result of eating really disciplined, but either way it seems to be real.”
In an Instagram video, Rogan added, “My energy levels were completely flat the whole month. No ups and downs, no crashing after eating.”
Do increased energy levels make sense?
As reported by CNBC, eating only meat may have made Joe Rogan feel more energetic, but necessarily for the reasons he suspects.
Linda Van Horn, the department of preventive medicine at Northwestern University’s chief of nutrition explained that cutting out carbs likely lead to weight loss, which resulted in the feeling of increased energy — something that could occur when any food group is removed form a person’s otherwise balanced diet.
Van Horn added, “Regardless of where you’re coming from, it would help you to increase the number of meals that are vegetable-protein based, and reduce the number that are animal-protein based.”
