An extreme diet left the man with a noticeable "fat mark" on his palms and soles.

An article detailing a clinical case was published in the journal JAMA Cardiology. A patient visited Tampa General Hospital in Florida (USA) complaining of unusual yellow formations in the folds of various parts of his body. According to the American, he noticed them about three weeks prior to his clinic visit.

During discussions with the doctors, it emerged that the man had been following a specific eating pattern for about eight months known as the carnivore diet — a diet consisting of carnivorous or predatory foods, as well as being low in carbohydrates. The primary components of this diet are meat and animal fats, while plant-based foods, including fruits, vegetables, legumes, and grains, are excluded.

The American admitted to consuming three to four kilograms of butter, cheese, and other fatty products daily, often adding fat to hamburgers, which he also ate every day. He reported that after switching to this diet, he lost weight, experienced a surge of energy, and noticed improved mental clarity.

However, test results revealed that his body was not pleased with such a diet. The patient's cholesterol levels were alarmingly high, reaching 10,000 milligrams per liter. For reference, healthy levels are considered to be within 2,000 milligrams per liter, while elevated levels start at 2,400 milligrams per liter.

Ultimately, doctors diagnosed him with “xanthelasma”. This condition involves the formation of yellowish cholesterol deposits beneath the skin, often around the eyelids. In this clinical case, they appeared on the man's palms, soles, and elbows. The excess fats in his body were so significant that some cholesterol was excreting through cracks in the skin.

Medical professionals recommended that the patient reconsider his dietary habits and reduce fat intake. However, the doctors cautioned that abandoning the extreme diet would not eliminate the unsightly cholesterol deposits, which would need to be surgically removed or treated with cryotherapy using liquid nitrogen.

The report does not provide information on the American's future. In conclusion, the authors of the article reminded readers that high cholesterol levels can lead to other serious consequences, including cardiovascular diseases, the risk of strokes, and liver problems.

Abandoning certain foods has become one of the popular trends in nutrition today. Experts from Perm Polytechnic previously discussed the potential consequences for adherents of raw food diets, veganism, and the carnivore diet.

Specialists specifically warned that excluding carbohydrates from the diet could disrupt insulin synthesis, lead to insulin resistance, and deplete adrenal cortex function. Additionally, such a diet could contribute to pancreatitis, spastic constipation, and hypomagnesemia, or magnesium deficiency.