New research has found that people who follow the Paleolithic, or Paleo, diet have high levels of a blood biomarker tied to heart disease. The finding raises some red flags about this type of diet, which, the researchers suggest, is not balanced enough to ensure good health.

Share on Pinterest Following the Paleo diet could threaten heart health, a new study finds.

The Paleolithic diet — often known as the Paleo diet, for short — claims to emulate what the ancestors of modern humans used to eat.

People who follow a Paleo diet have a high intake of meats, fruits, vegetables, nuts, and seeds, but no dairy, legumes, or whole grains.

This type of diet has been surrounded by controversy, and researchers have been debating whether or not it is safe and healthful.

For example, one study from 2016 suggests that the Paleo diet could protect against heart attacks and cardiovascular disease by raising blood levels of a protective molecule.

Yet, another study from the same year made a completely opposite discovery, concluding that this type of diet led to unhealthful weight gain and raised the risk of diabetes and cardiovascular problems.

Now, research conducted by a team from Australia points to more evidence suggesting that people who follow Paleo diets may be placing their heart health at risk.

The investigators hail from four different research institutions in Australia: the School of Medical and Health Sciences and the School of Science, both at Edith Cowan University, in Joondalup; the School of Molecular and Life Sciences, at Curtin University, in Bentley; PathWest Laboratory Medicine, in Nedlands; and CSIRO Health and Biosecurity, in Adelaide. The researchers’ findings appear in the European Journal of Nutrition.