People opting for the carnivore diet are risking a ‘ticking time bomb’ with their health, a cardiologist has warned.

Social media sites are awash with accounts hyping the eating plan, which sees proponents ditch carbs for animal-based foods like steak, eggs and butter, claiming a range of benefits, including weight-loss.

But diets high in red meat have been linked to multiple health problems including heart disease and cancer. 

Experts have also warned that carnivore diet proponents are at higher risk of conditions like scurvy and even cancer due to its lack of vitamin C and fibre.

Now, Dr Dmitry Yaranov, a US-based heart surgeon, has said the high-protein diet can also lead to heart attacks in seemingly ‘fit’ patients as young as 35-years-old. 

In an Instagram video, seen more than 11million times, he said his patients ‘look like a statue. Shredded. Vascular. Peak performance’.

‘But I’ve seen what’s inside those vessels—and it’s not pretty. Yes, the body outside looks like a machine. But the inside tells a different story,’ he added.

‘I’ve cared for “fit” 35-year-olds with heart attacks. No symptoms, no warning, just a ticking time bomb.

The heart specialist warned that extreme diets can cause chronic inflammation that eventually leads to heart attack. He said real health is not about extremes but about balance 

‘Athletic does not equal healthy. Low body fat does not equal low risk and a six pack doesn’t protect you from a plaque rupture.’ 

Years on extreme restrictive diets like the so-called carnivore diet can lead to ‘sky-high’ cholesterol levels, damaged blood vessels, chronic inflammation and narrowed arteries, he said, increasing the risk of heart attack and stroke.

‘If your diet destroys your endothelium—it doesn’t matter how strong your biceps are.

‘Want real health? It’s not about extremes.’

The carnivore diet does not require people to count calories. Instead, foods must be high fat and high protein.     

Interest in the carnivore diet has soared in recent years, with clips on the subject reaching over 1billion views on TikTok. 

But so have studies warning of the potential hazards.

One 2023 study found people who eat just two servings of meat per week are at an increased risk for developing type 2 diabetes.

Brian Johnson, better known as the Liver King, has built a following from his raw carnivore diet, mainly filled with meat

Joe Rogan has admitted he endured diarrhoea so severe it felt like being trapped in a’ fire that appeared from nowhere’ after taking up the trendy carnivore diet

The Harvard University research, which was based on data from over 200,000 people who were followed almost 40 years, found those who ate the most red meat had a 62 percent higher risk compared to those eating the least.

And British research from Oxford University on 1.4million people found higher consumption of red meat increased the risk of heart disease by 18 percent for each additional 50 grams (roughly a quarter of an average-sized steak) eaten per day. 

Red meat and animal products like cheese and butter are also high in saturated fat, which can lead to plaque buildup in the arteries.

In the long term this makes the heart pump harder increasing the risk of heart attack and strokes.

However, some experts dispute some of findings of studies about the dangers of eating too much meat.

They highlight that a lot of research fails to distinguish between the impact of processed meat like sausages and burger patties, from less processed cuts like steak.   

The NHS says meat is a good source of protein which the body needs to maintain and build muscle, and can also provide a good source of vitamins and minerals like iron, zinc and B vitamins.

However, it advises people to choose lean cuts and limit intake of red and processed meat to maximise the health benefits while minimising the negatives like high saturated fat content which can increase the risk of high cholesterol.

While some warning signs are easy to spot — such as severe chest pain — others are more vague and hard to pinpoint

NHS data shows a rise in the number of younger adults suffering from heart attacks over the past decade. The biggest increase (95 per cent) was recorded in the 25-29 year-old demographic, though as numbers of patients are low even small spikes can look dramatic 

It comes as alarming data last year revealed that premature deaths from cardiovascular problems, such as heart attacks and strokes, had hit their highest level in more than a decade.

MailOnline has previously highlighted how the number of young people, under 40, in England being treated for heart attacks by the NHS is on the rise.

Cases of heart attacks, heart failure and strokes among the under-75s has tumbled since the 1960s.

This is believed to be due to plummeting smoking rates, advanced surgical techniques and breakthroughs such as stents and statins.

But now, rising obesity rates, and its catalogue of associated health problems such as high blood pressure and diabetes, are thought to be one of the major contributing factors.