From TikTok meal plans to David Goggins-style gym motivation, there’s no shortage of influencers preaching the power of protein. But health experts are warning that chasing endless gains through ultra-high-protein diets could lead to something far more serious than a missed workout — a condition known as “rabbit starvation.”
The warning comes as more people cut carbs and fats in pursuit of lean muscle, following extreme meal trends like keto and carnivore diets.
These approaches often revolve around eating huge amounts of meat, eggs, or fish while stripping out most carbohydrates and fats — something dietitians say can overload the body and do serious damage over time.
What exactly is ‘rabbit starvation’?
According to Dr Margaret Murray, a dietitian and senior lecturer at the School of Health Sciences at Swinburne University of Technology, “rabbit starvation” — also called protein poisoning — occurs when someone consumes too much lean protein and not enough fat or carbohydrates.
“It’s a term often linked to early 20th century explorer Vilhjalmur Stefansson,” Dr Murray told The Independent, “in reference to the fact that those who subsisted on a diet of mainly rabbits (which are famously lean) quickly fell dangerously ill.”
Because rabbit meat is almost pure protein with little fat, early Arctic explorers who lived off it for extended periods found themselves suffering from exhaustion, nausea, and even death — despite eating plenty of food.
Healthline reports that when fat and carbs are missing from the diet, the liver and kidneys become overwhelmed by the byproducts of protein digestion, such as ammonia, urea, and amino acids.
In modern terms, that means your “all-meat, all-day” meal plan could be putting your organs under immense strain.
Dr Murray warns that the signs of rabbit starvation can start subtly but worsen fast.
Reported symptoms include:
- Nausea
- Fatigue
- Headaches
- Mood changes
- Low blood pressure
- Hunger (even after eating large amounts of food)
- Diarrhoea
The lack of fat in particular is what makes this condition so dangerous. While social media often paints fat as the enemy, it’s an essential part of healthy nutrition — playing key roles in hormone regulation, energy balance, and nutrient absorption.
As The Independent noted, even those obsessed with fat loss and definition still need some fats to stay healthy.
So, how much protein is actually enough?
For most adults, there’s no need to overload on protein shakes, steaks, or egg whites.
Dr Murray says the recommended daily protein intake for the general population is:
- 0.84g per kilogram of bodyweight for men
- 0.75g per kilogram for women
So, a man weighing 80kg would need roughly 67 grams of protein per day — easily achieved through a balanced diet.
“Most adults are already eating plenty of protein,” Dr Murray said. “Even so, many people still go out of their way to add even more protein to their diet.”
For those hitting the gym hard and training for muscle growth, she adds that up to 1.6 grams per kilogram of bodyweight (around 144 grams for a 90kg person) can support strength and size gains.
But there’s a ceiling: “Research shows there is no additional muscle gain benefit from eating any more than that.”
In other words — doubling your chicken portions won’t double your muscle mass.
While getting enough protein is vital for muscle repair and maintenance, too much — especially without enough dietary fat — pushes the body into dangerous territory.
The UK fitness scene is booming, with more people than ever tracking macros and drinking post-workout shakes. But, as experts point out, eating too much protein is actually quite difficult — and often only happens when people start replacing balanced meals with extreme meat-only diets.
It’s also been theorised that Christopher McCandless, whose story inspired Into the Wild, may have suffered from rabbit starvation before his death, due to a lack of fat sources in his wilderness diet.
That example might be extreme, but it’s a reminder that “lean” isn’t always healthy — especially when your body’s running on pure protein.
Protein remains an essential macronutrient, especially for athletes and gym-goers. But it’s not the whole picture — and without carbs and fats, your body can quickly tip into a dangerous imbalance.
So before you cut everything but steak and eggs from your plate, take it from the experts: your muscles might grow, but your body won’t thank you for it.
As Dr Murray put it plainly: “Even for people working to increase muscle mass through resistance training… there’s no additional muscle gain benefit from eating any more than 1.6 grams per kilogram of body weight.”
Sometimes, moderation — not excess — is the real secret to getting stronger.
Featured image credit: SportManual
