What Are 'Cheese Hands'? The Carnivore Diet Symptom Making Headlines

Mic the Vegan, a well-known plant-based health educator, recently highlighted a little-known side effect of the carnivore diet that has sparked widespread discussion, what he calls: “cheese hands.” The term refers to xanthelasma, yellowish cholesterol deposits that appear under the skin, typically around the eyes – but in one reported case, across the hands, feet, and elbows.

The case study, published in JAMA Cardiology, details a 40-year-old man who developed extensive xanthelasma after following a carnivore diet for eight months. His cholesterol levels soared to nearly 1,000 mg/d – well above the recommended threshold – after consuming large amounts of animal fat, including cheese, butter, and fatty meats.

Xanthelasma occurs when cholesterol builds up in specific areas of the body, particularly where the skin is thinner or blood flow is higher. While it is sometimes seen in individuals with normal cholesterol levels, it is also associated with elevated lipids in the blood. Research has linked xanthelasma to a greater likelihood of atherosclerosis (where your arteries become narrowed) and coronary artery disease.

The study reported that the man’s dietary habits included “a high intake of fats consisting of six to nine pounds of cheese, sticks of butter, and additional fat incorporated into his daily hamburgers.” Some in the carnivore diet community have dismissed the findings, arguing that his diet was extreme and not representative of most followers. However, Mic countered that xanthelasma is “heavily associated with higher levels of cholesterol,” and similar cases have been noted in online forums where carnivore dieters report cholesterol deposits around their eyes.

Mic also referenced research showing that people with familial hypercholesterolemia – a genetic condition causing high LDL cholesterol – often develop xanthelasma and are at greater risk of heart disease. “If cholesterol is depositing in plaques in random places on the body, then what’s happening in the arteries, where we’re most concerned with it?” he asked. Similar cases of cholesterol buildup in the Achilles tendon have been associated with severe heart disease, suggesting that external cholesterol deposits could serve as an early warning sign of internal plaque buildup.

Some carnivore diet proponents claim that high cholesterol is only dangerous when inflammation is present. However, Mic pushed back, citing lipid expert Dr William Cromwell, who has said: “Some say you have to have inflammation in order for [cholesterol] to cause a plaque. You do not.” He also pointed to a mouse study in which extreme LDL cholesterol levels resulted in rapid atherosclerosis and xanthelasma development.

The study adds to ongoing debates over the long-term health impacts of the carnivore diet. While its advocates argue that eliminating plant foods can have health benefits, there is no legitimate long-term evidence to support this. Experts warn of potential cardiovascular and other health risks associated with eating a diet of purely animal foods. “Clearly the carnivore diet is getting out of hand,” Mic said, “and by out of hand, I mean cholesterol appears to literally be coming out of their hands.”

You can find more of Mic the Vegan’s videos on his YouTube channel.