Paleo Diet: Overview, Uses, Side Effects, Precautions, Interactions, Dosing and Reviews

Overview

The paleo diet is a dietary pattern thought to date back to the Paleolithic Age. The paleo diet includes meat, fish, shellfish, vegetables, fruits, roots, eggs, and nuts. Grains, dairy products, salt, refined fats, and sugar are avoided.

The paleo diet is used for many conditions, including diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and obesity, but there is no good scientific evidence to support these uses.

The paleo diet is usually high in protein, vegetables, and fruits and low in sodium, unhealthy fats, and processed foods. Making these dietary changes can reduce weight. Reduced weight often reduces blood pressure, blood sugar, and cholesterol levels.

How does it work ?

The paleo diet is usually high in protein, vegetables, and fruits and low in sodium, unhealthy fats, and processed foods. Making these dietary changes can reduce weight. Reduced weight often reduces blood pressure, blood sugar, and cholesterol levels.

Uses & Effectiveness

Possibly Effective for

Obesity. Following the paleo diet reduces weight, waist size, and appetite. However, the paleo diet does not seem to be better than any other diet that reduces overall calorie intake, especially in the long-run.

Insufficient Evidence for

Heart disease. Early research shows that following the paleo diet might improve body weight, blood pressure, and levels of fat in the blood in people at risk for heart disease.
Diabetes. Early research shows that following the paleo diet might improve some blood sugar measures in people with diabetes or pre-diabetes.
A mild form of gum disease (gingivitis). Early shows that following the paleo diet might increase tooth plaque and decrease gum bleeding in people unable to access standard oral hygiene.
High cholesterol. Early research shows that following the paleo diet can lower total cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein (LDL or "bad") cholesterol, and triglyceride levels, and increase high-density lipoprotein (HDL or "good") cholesterol, in people with high cholesterol.
A grouping of symptoms that increase the risk of diabetes, heart disease, and stroke (metabolic syndrome). Early research shows that following the paleo diet might slightly reduce waist size and triglycerides, but does not improve blood pressure or blood sugar.
Fatigue in people with multiple sclerosis (MS). Early research shows that following the paleo diet might reduce fatigue in some people with MS.
Acne.
Anxiety.
Asthma.
Athletic performance.
Cancer.
Chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS).
Depression.
Fatigue.
High blood pressure.
Kidney stones.
Menstrual cramps (dysmenorrhea).
Nearsightedness.
Osteoarthritis.
Rheumatoid arthritis (RA).
Skin conditions.
Skin infections.
Weak and brittle bones (osteoporosis).
Others.

More evidence is needed to rate the paleo diet for these uses.

Side Effects

Special Precautions and Warnings

Following the paleo diet is POSSIBLY SAFE. There are no reports of adverse effects from following the paleo diet in most people.

Pregnancy and breast-feeding: There isn't enough reliable information to know if the paleo diet is safe to follow when pregnant or breast-feeding. Stay on the safe side and avoid use.

Weak bones (osteoporosis): The paleo diet might not provide enough calcium to meet daily requirements. This could be a problem for people with or at risk for osteoporosis. It is important to use a calcium supplement if there is not enough calcium in your diet.

Interactions

We currently have no information for Paleo Diet overview.

Dosing

The appropriate or safe use of the paleo diet depends on several factors. Be sure to seek and follow relevant directions from your physician or other healthcare professional before using this diet.

View References

REFERENCES:

Jonsson, T., Granfeldt, Y., Ahren, B., Branell, U. C., Palsson, G., Hansson, A., Soderstrom, M., and Lindeberg, S. Beneficial effects of a Paleolithic diet on cardiovascular risk factors in type 2 diabetes: a randomized cross-over pilot study. Cardiovasc Diabetol 2009;8:35.

Lindeberg, S., Jonsson, T., Granfeldt, Y., Borgstrand, E., Soffman, J., Sjostrom, K., and Ahren, B. A Palaeolithic diet improves glucose tolerance more than a Mediterranean-like diet in individuals with ischaemic heart disease. Diabetologia 2007;50(9):1795-1807.

Baumgartner, S., Imfeld, T., Schicht, O., Rath, C., Persson, R. E., and Persson, G. R. The impact of the stone age diet on gingival conditions in the absence of oral hygiene. J Periodontol 2009;80(5):759-768.

Jonsson, T., Granfeldt, Y., Erlanson-Albertsson, C., Ahren, B., and Lindeberg, S. A paleolithic diet is more satiating per calorie than a mediterranean-like diet in individuals with ischemic heart disease. Nutr Metab (Lond) 2010;7:85.

Jonsson, T., Granfeldt, Y., Lindeberg, S., and Hallberg, A. C. Subjective satiety and other experiences of a Paleolithic diet compared to a diabetes diet in patients with type 2 diabetes. Nutr J 2013;12:105.

Osterdahl, M., Kocturk, T., Koochek, A., and Wandell, P. E. Effects of a short-term intervention with a paleolithic diet in healthy volunteers. Eur J Clin Nutr 2008;62(5):682-685.

Ryberg, M., Sandberg, S., Mellberg, C., Stegle, O., Lindahl, B., Larsson, C., Hauksson, J., and Olsson, T. A Palaeolithic-type diet causes strong tissue-specific effects on ectopic fat deposition in obese postmenopausal women. J Intern Med 2013;274(1):67-76.

Jew, S., AbuMweis, S. S., and Jones, P. J. Evolution of the human diet: linking our ancestral diet to modern functional foods as a means of chronic disease prevention. J Med Food 2009;12(5):925-934.

O'Keefe, J. H., Jr. and Cordain, L. Cardiovascular disease resulting from a diet and lifestyle at odds with our Paleolithic genome: how to become a 21st-century hunter-gatherer. Mayo Clin Proc 2004;79(1):101-108.

Frassetto, L. A., Schloetter, M., Mietus-Synder, M., Morris, R. C., Jr., and Sebastian, A. Metabolic and physiologic improvements from consuming a paleolithic, hunter-gatherer type diet. Eur J Clin Nutr 2009;63(8):947-955.

Diamond, Evan, MD; Tibaldi, Joseph, MD. A case of ketoacidosis in a breastfeeding patient on the paleo diet. Endocrine Practice, suppl. Supplement 2; Jacksonville Vol. 22: 177.

Fenton TR, Fenton CJ. Paleo diet still lacks evidence. Am J Clin Nutr. 2016;104(3):844.

Genoni A, Lyons-Wall P, Lo J, Devine A. Cardiovascular, Metabolic Effects and Dietary Composition of Ad-Libitum Paleolithic vs. Australian Guide to Healthy Eating Diets: A 4-Week Randomised Trial. Nutrients. 2016;8(5).

Hoffman R. Can the paleolithic diet meet the nutritional needs of older people? Maturitas. 2017;95:63-64.

Manheimer EW, van Zuuren EJ, Fedorowicz Z, Pijl H. Paleolithic nutrition for metabolic syndrome: systematic review and meta-analysis. Am J Clin Nutr. 2015;102(4):922-32.

Otten J, Mellberg C, Ryberg M, et al. Strong and persistent effect on liver fat with a Paleolithic diet during a two-year intervention. Int J Obes (Lond). 2016;40(5):747-53.

Pastore RL, Brooks JT, Carbone JW. Paleolithic nutrition improves plasma lipid concentrations of hypercholesterolemic adults to a greater extent than traditional heart-healthy dietary recommendations. Nutr Res. 2015;35(6):474-9.

Otten J, Ryberg M, Mellberg C, et al. Postprandial levels of GLP-1, GIP and glucagon after 2 years of weight loss with a Paleolithic diet: a randomised controlled trial in healthy obese women. Eur J Endocrinol. 2019;180(6):417-27.

Blomquist C, Chorell E, Ryberg M, et al. Decreased lipogenesis-promoting factors in adipose tissue in postmenopausal women with overweight on a Paleolithic-type diet. Eur J Nutr. 2018;57(8):2877-86.

Mellberg C, Sandberg S, Ryberg M, et al. Long-term effects of a Palaeolithic-type diet in obese postmenopausal women: a 2-year randomized trial. Eur J Clin Nutr. 2014;68(3):350-7.

Jamka M, Kulczynski B, Juruc A, Gramza-Michalowska A, Stokes CS, Walkowiak J. The effect of the paleolithic diet vs. healthy diets on glucose and insulin homeostasis: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. J Clin Med 2020;9(2):296.

Lee JE, Titcomb TJ, Bisht B, Rubenstein LM, Louison R, Wahls TL. A modified MCT-based ketogenic diet increases plasma ß-hydroxybutyrate but has less effect on fatigue and quality of life in people with multiple sclerosis compared to a modified paleolithic diet: a waitlist-controlled, randomized pilot study. J Am Coll Nutr 2020:1-13. Online ahead of print.

Ghaedi E, Mohammadi M, Mohammadi H, et al. Effects of a paleolithic diet on cardiovascular disease risk factors: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials [published correction appears in Adv Nutr 2020 Jul 1;11(4):1054]. Adv Nutr 2019;10(4):634-46.

Sohouli MH, Fatahi S, Lari A, et al. The effect of paleolithic diet on glucose metabolism and lipid profile among patients with metabolic disorders: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. Crit Rev Food Sci Nutr 2021;1-12.

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