Raw Liver Is Making Me Extremely Sick

[cout12]

I've eaten like 1-2 once of raw liver a day for years, and never had any problem.

But in the past 6 months every time I eat it I get extremely sick. Fever, bedridden, migraines, diarrhea, etc for days.

I've tried different groceries but still get sick. This is the 3rd time I try to reintroduce it in 6 months all from different groceries (in the same town though).

Any reason why that might be?

Liver is really good at reducing my acne and just making me feel good in general (at least it was for many years), but cooking it isn't really an option. I don't have the time and it tastes disgusting cooked.

 

[Art Vandelay]

Those symptoms don't suggest vitamin A toxicity, especially when you consider the amount you're were eating and you've only had 3 servings in the last 6 months.

Could be pathogenic? Do you have any idea how old the liver is before you buy it? The amount of handling most meats go through it's not hard for it to become contaminated.

Try cooking it using some of the recipes mentioned here on the forum if you can't handle the taste. Mushrooms, liver, and a small amount of tomato sauce is my go-to recipe.

 

[cout12]

Could be pathogenic? Do you have any idea how old the liver is before you buy it? The amount of handling most meats go through it's not hard for it to become contaminated.

It probably is, but what I'm wondering is did my immune system become too weak all of a sudden or something? I've eaten raw liver hundreds of times and from a dozen cities / countries and it's never happened.

 

[Richiebogie]

Maybe after giving your body a break from eating liver it has worked out that the liver is bad and now it triggers disgust.

Maybe your body couldn't work this out while you were eating it every day. A bit like an addict seems to enjoy substance abuse.

Meanwhile your mind thinks liver is the healthiest food on Earth!

Isn't the liver a detoxifier? If so it will house toxins and various nasty chemicals designed to detoxify.

It might be the most dangerous part of an animal to eat.

Maybe avoid it, unless you are in a famine situation!

Next try going without dairy for a month!

 

[charlie]

Isn't the liver a detoxifier? If so it will house toxins and various nasty chemicals designed to detoxify.

It might be the most dangerous part of an animal to eat.

Ray Peat said the liver is one of the cleanest parts of the body. It does not "house" the toxins.

 

[charlie]

Next try going without dairy for a month!

 

[Ritchie]

Ray Peat said the liver is one of the cleanest parts of the body. It does not "house" the toxins.

I think this statement deserves to be unpacked a little.. Do you have a source for where Peat says this and on what it is based on? What if it is a sick liver from an unhealthy animal? Compromised or strained liver, fatty liver or a liver that is overloaded with toxins? I mean, when you say the liver doesn't house the toxins, I'm assuming you mean a healthy, fully optimally functioning liver. As we all know to well this isn't often the case, particularly with animals being raised in sub optimal conditions, with sub optimal and unnatural diets. Further to this, even though a healthy liver may not "house" the toxins long term, at various times surely lots of toxins etc are passing through it. Who's to say that the animal wasn't killed while this was occurring..

 

[charlie]

I think this statement deserves to be unpacked a little.. Do you have a source for where Peat says this and on what it is based on? What if it is a sick liver from an unhealthy animal? Compromised or strained liver, fatty liver or a liver that is overloaded with toxins? I mean, when you say the liver doesn't house the toxins, I'm assuming you mean a healthy, fully optimally functioning liver. As we all know to well this isn't often the case, particularly with animals being raised in sub optimal conditions, with sub optimal and unnatural diets. Further to this, even though a healthy liver may not "house" the toxins long term, at various times surely lots of toxins etc are passing through it. Who's to say that the animal wasn't killed while this was occurring..

Are you a vegetarian?

Desiccated Liver

 

[jitsmonkey]

I've eaten like 1-2 once of raw liver a day for years, and never had any problem.

But in the past 6 months every time I eat it I get extremely sick. Fever, bedridden, migraines, diarrhea, etc for days.

I've tried different groceries but still get sick. This is the 3rd time I try to reintroduce it in 6 months all from different groceries (in the same town though).

Any reason why that might be?

Liver is really good at reducing my acne and just making me feel good in general (at least it was for many years), but cooking it isn't really an option. I don't have the time and it tastes disgusting cooked.

You are running out of a nutrient of some sort that is used to process the high amount of nutrients in liver.
It could be any number of them but I'd start with Vitamin D
then Vitamin K and or Magnesium
could be something else but that's where I'd start
also consider how well fueled you are PRIOR to eating the liver


this is not an issue of toxin or allergy or any of that its an issue of running out of a rate limiter.
Essentially the amount of nutrient provided at the given time requires resources for assimilation.
One or more of those resources is missing.

 

[BibleBeliever]

What is your zinc intake like? Too much zinc can lower copper; too much copper can lower zinc. Liver is extremely copper-rich. Usually 200% per 28 grams. Prolonged copper-rich consumption, without adequate zinc could induce a zinc deficiency. https://www.westonaprice.org/health...d-diets-and-a-contributor-to-chronic-fatigue/

Zinc deficiency can induce diarrhea:
Zinc and intestinal function. - PubMed - NCBI

 

[Art Vandelay]

It probably is, but what I'm wondering is did my immune system become too weak all of a sudden or something? I've eaten raw liver hundreds of times and from a dozen cities / countries and it's never happened.

Possibly. As JackHanma mentioned liver(beef liver in particular) is very high in copper, could easily easily cause a zinc deficiency and tank your immune system.

 

[Such_Saturation]

You can try it cooked to see if it’s liver worms causing it

 

[meatbag]

sage advice

Possibly. As JackHanma mentioned liver(beef liver in particular) is very high in copper, could easily easily cause a zinc deficiency and tank your immune system.

its got zinc tho

 

[raypeatclips]

You can try it cooked to see if it’s liver worms causing it

How did if take this long for someone to suggest not eating raw meat?

 

[BibleBeliever]

sage advice



its got zinc tho

Much lower. I think it has about 20x more copper than zinc.
I think I've read some saying the ideal ratio is 7x more zinc than copper, some even say it's higher.
Thus a deficiency could occur due to excessive antagonism over a prolonged period.

 

[damngoodcoffee]

I don't get eating raw meat.
I don't even understand people eating medium rare steaks, well done is so much better!

 

[meatbag]

Much lower. I think it has about 20x more copper than zinc.
I think I've read some saying the ideal ratio is 7x more zinc than copper, some even say it's higher.
Thus a deficiency could occur due to excessive antagonism over a prolonged period.

Well if that ratio isn't maintained on the days they're not eating liver I assume it would balance out unless there is some kind of mineral regulation pathology

Do you know where you got the zinc should be 7x higher than copper? I don't think I've heard that before, I did know there was somewhat of an antagonism though

 

[meatbag]

I've eaten like 1-2 once of raw liver a day for years, and never had any problem.

But in the past 6 months every time I eat it I get extremely sick. Fever, bedridden, migraines, diarrhea, etc for days.

I've tried different groceries but still get sick. This is the 3rd time I try to reintroduce it in 6 months all from different groceries (in the same town though).

Any reason why that might be?

Liver is really good at reducing my acne and just making me feel good in general (at least it was for many years), but cooking it isn't really an option. I don't have the time and it tastes disgusting cooked.

have you been eating liver everyday or 1-2 oz on the day you eat liver? what is the frequency, if its everyday that is too much

If the liver tastes really off putting Its probably not fresh, due to the high concentration of various enzymes it degrades fairly quickly. Soaking overnight in milk and then cooking in a lot of butter makes a night and day difference. Slice very thin and cooks through quickly. I actually think its fairly appetizing this way

 

[meatbag]

Also I'll just add that what Such said is no joke. Although the liver is clean and doesn't store toxins like some uninformed people say, it can be infected with parasites and this can happen in just about any species that has a liver;muskrats, monkeys, deer, pigs, otters, rats, bats, gophers, hedgehogs, porcupines, moose, rabbits, elk, capybara, bears, pangolins, shrews, lemurs, rhinoceros, zebras, fish, dolphins, dogs, whales, snakes, lizards, frogs, mudpuppies, moles, camels, and cats .It is actually a pretty big problem and it is taught in most schools (not that that always means its true). Even from a very trusted source I personally would be very cautious and would never eat the liver raw

 

[jitsmonkey]

How did if take this long for someone to suggest not eating raw meat?

lolol I have to admit I somehow completely missed the "raw" part of this conversation
yeah. stop that. I still think that those who have issues with liver are dealing with rate limiting factors
but yeah cook your liver kids.