Should I eat organ meats?

Our read is that diversifying organ consumption beyond muscle meat to include organs like liver, heart, testicles, spleen, or thymus can lead to improved nutritional status, vitality, performance, and appearance, according to Paul Saladino.

Liver, in particular, is highlighted as an essential organ meat, providing crucial nutrients such as vitamin A, zinc, manganese, selenium, choline, carnitine, and copper, which are vital for various bodily functions and fetal development.

While there are considerations regarding potential contaminants and overconsumption, these can often be mitigated through careful sourcing, preparation, or by opting for desiccated forms.

Paul Saladino suggests searing or cooking the exterior of raw organs, or consuming desiccated forms, to mitigate contamination risks. For raw consumption, he advises using well-raised animals, as freezing kills parasites and visual inspection can identify infectious agents. He also notes that consuming half an ounce of liver daily during pregnancy is safe. For athletes, he recommends avoiding testicles due to naturally occurring androgens that could lead to a positive drug test, and instead focusing on other organ meats like liver and heart.

• 01Paul Saladino claims that diversifying organ consumption beyond muscle meat to include organs like liver, heart, testicles, spleen, or thymus leads to improved nutritional status (10x).
• 02Paul Saladino states that consuming desiccated organ meats like liver and bone marrow in capsule form can improve vitality, performance, and appearance (4x).
• 03Paul Saladino asserts that liver is the most important organ meat to consume, especially for individuals on medication (1x).
• 04Paul Saladino indicates that consuming half an ounce of liver daily during pregnancy is safe and provides essential nutrients for fetal development (7x).
• 05Paul Saladino claims that liver consumption is essential for obtaining vitamin A, zinc, manganese, selenium, choline, and carnitine (2x).
• 06Paul Saladino notes that liver is a good source of copper, essential for diamine oxidase production and melanin production in hair cells (1x).
• 07Paul Saladino suggests that organ meats from New Zealand may contain fewer contaminants than those from the US (1x).
• 08Paul Saladino states that searing or cooking the exterior of raw organs, or consuming desiccated forms, can mitigate contamination risks (1x).
• 09Paul Saladino claims that consuming raw or undercooked liver from well-raised animals is safe, as freezing kills parasites and visual inspection can identify infectious agents (5x).
• 10Paul Saladino says that bone broth and organ meats are essential components of a healthy diet for specific individuals and conditions (2x).
• 11Paul Saladino believes that being insulin sensitive and consuming sufficient nutrients, including large amounts of animal foods and organs, contributes to the best immune terrain (1x).
• 12Paul Saladino suggests that nutrients in drinks like Celsius can be obtained from organ meats, and energy can be fueled by fruit juice or honey for long-term metabolic health (1x).
• 13David Sinclair states that pure resveratrol in human clinical studies has improved blood sugar levels, HDL cholesterol, blood pressure, kidney filtration, and fatty liver (1x).

Paul Saladino warns that polar bear liver consumption may be problematic due to high vitamin A and cadmium contamination (2x). He also cautions that overconsumption of nutrient-dense organ meats may empower the body to expel oxalates, leading to adverse effects (2x). Paul Saladino notes that consuming only muscle meat without organ meats like liver can lead to nutrient deficiencies (2x). He also advises that athletes subject to drug testing should avoid consuming testicles due to naturally occurring androgens, including testosterone, which could lead to a positive drug test (1x). Paul Saladino mentions that freezing organ meat and cutting it into small pieces can cause abrasion to the esophagus (1x). Peter Attia highlights that extrapolating findings from mouse studies to humans can be problematic due to significant physiological differences, particularly concerning the liver (1x). Paul Saladino also states that antibiotics and metformin deplete the body of CoQ10, potentially leading to a weakened heart, increased risk of high blood pressure and high cholesterol, and depletion of folate and B12 (1x).

The verdict could change if new evidence emerged demonstrating significant, widespread, and unavoidable risks associated with consuming organ meats from well-sourced animals, or if studies showed that the claimed nutritional benefits are negligible or can be easily obtained through other, less problematic dietary means. Additionally, if further research definitively linked moderate organ meat consumption to adverse health outcomes, particularly in humans, the verdict would need re-evaluation. Conversely, stronger evidence from human clinical trials supporting the specific benefits of organ meat consumption would further solidify the current verdict.