Let’s break it down in a way that respects your desire to go hard, but also keeps you alive and thriving.
1. What “100% organ meat” really means
If you literally eat only:
- Liver, kidney, heart, brain, sweetbreads, etc.
- No muscle meat
- No eggs, dairy, fruit, veg, carbs
…then every single calorie is coming from the densest parts of the animal. That means:
- Megadoses of certain nutrients (vitamin A, copper, iron, cholesterol, sodium)
- Basically zero fiber
- Likely low or imbalanced in some vitamins/minerals (thiamin, magnesium, calcium, vitamin C, potassium, etc.), similar to issues seen with strict carnivore diets.
You’re turning the dial past “optimal” into “chemically weird experiment.”
2. The big red-flag risks
(a) Vitamin A toxicity (liver is the landmine)
Liver is insanely rich in preformed vitamin A:
- 100 g of beef liver can give more than 6× the recommended daily intake of vitamin A.
- Medical references warn that excessive intake of preformed vitamin A from animal sources (like liver) can cause hypervitaminosis A – with symptoms like liver damage, increased intracranial pressure (headache), bone pain, hair loss, and more.
Mainstream nutrition sources usually suggest liver as a small weekly dose (e.g. ~100–250 g per week) within a balanced diet — not as a daily staple and definitely not as the only food.
Going 100% organ, with liver in the rotation constantly, is a direct shot at chronic vitamin A overload.
(b) Copper / iron overload
Organs, especially liver and kidney, are very high in copper and iron:
- Too much copper can damage liver, kidneys, heart, brain and blood cells.
- High iron intake can be a real issue if you have hemochromatosis or other iron-storage problems (often undiagnosed).
If you’re pounding organs every single meal, you’re in the zone where these minerals can stack up faster than your body can balance them.
(c) Heart and metabolic risk: saturated fat, cholesterol, sodium
Medical and cardiology sources are still pretty consistent:
- Meat-heavy, high-saturated-fat diets (like strict carnivore / animal-based) are associated with higher LDL (“bad”) cholesterol and worse vascular markers.
- Organ meats are safe for most people in moderation, but they’re high in cholesterol and saturated fat, so people with cardiovascular risk factors are typically advised to limit them.
100% organ diet = maximum exposure, zero dilution.
(d) Missing pieces: fiber + some key micronutrients
A recent analysis of a carnivore-style diet (muscle meat + animal products) found:
- It exceeded needs for some vitamins (A, B12, zinc, etc.)
- But fell short in thiamin, magnesium, calcium, vitamin C, and sometimes iron, folate, iodine, potassium, and had essentially no fiber.
Now imagine a version of that diet that’s even more restricted (only organs). No evidence suggests that’s nutritionally complete. You’re stacking:
- Gut health challenges: zero fiber = higher risk of constipation, altered microbiome, possible long-term colon issues.
- Potential electrolyte and vitamin imbalances that don’t show up until you’re months in and suddenly feel wrecked.
(e) Toxins + contamination risk
Organ meats (especially from conventional animals) can carry higher levels of:
- Certain metals like cadmium, compared with other cuts.
- Possible antibiotic residues depending on how the animal was raised.
Again: in moderation, probably okay. As the only food, you’re betting your long-term health that everything is perfectly clean, always.
(f) Special high‑risk groups
A 100% organ-meat diet would be especially concerning if you:
- Are pregnant or trying to conceive – high vitamin A intake is linked with birth defects, and organ meats are one of the richest sources.
- Have liver or kidney disease, lipid issues, gout, or iron-storage disorders
- Are a child or teen (different tolerances, faster growth, different needs)
For these groups, mainstream advice is actually to limit organ intake, not crank it to 100%.
3. “But I want to push the limits” – smarter way to harness organs
If your instinct is: “I want max nutrient density, primal, nose-to-tail energy” — you can still do that without going full 100% organ.
A more sane high-organ approach might look like:
Base of the diet:
- Mostly muscle meats (ruminant meats like beef/lamb often tolerated well)
- Add eggs, maybe some dairy if you handle it
Organs as “micro-dosed superfoods”:
- Liver: tiny portions (e.g. 30–60 g) once or twice a week, not daily
- Heart, tongue, marrow, oxtail: can be eaten more freely; they’re closer to “normal meat” nutritionally
- Other organs (kidney, brain, sweetbreads): small, occasional servings
Optional “animal-based but not insane” add-ons:
Even hardcore animal-based advocates usually include some fruit, honey, and/or raw dairy alongside meat and organs.
That still gives you:
- High protein
- High nutrient density
- Some carbs for training / hormones / thyroid
- A bit more micronutrient balance versus pure meat-only
And if you’re cool with it philosophically, layering in non-processed plant foods (leafy greens, berries, maybe potatoes or whole grains) brings your risk profile down another few notches.
4. If you
still
want to experiment (minimum safety moves)
I can’t recommend a 100% organ diet as safe, especially long-term. But if your mind is set on some version of an extreme animal-based approach, you’d want to:
- Talk to a doctor or registered dietitian first, especially if you have any past medical issues.
- Ask about tracking:
- Liver function tests
- Blood lipids (LDL, HDL, triglycerides)
- Iron/copper status
- Uric acid (for gout risk)
- Cycle organs, especially liver (more like once or twice a week, not daily).
- Watch for early signs of vitamin A toxicity: headaches, bone pain, dry/peeling skin, nausea, irritability, vision changes.
5. The bottom line
- Organ meats are powerful, nutrient-dense tools.
- Mainstream medical/nutrition sources: “beneficial in moderation, high risk in excess.”
- A 100% organ meat diet is likely to:
- Overload vitamin A, copper, iron
- Spike saturated fat + cholesterol
- Give you zero fiber and probable micronutrient gaps
- Put real stress on your liver, heart, and long-term health
So the move isn’t “all organs, all the time.”
The move is: use organs like concentrated ammo in a bigger arsenal – small, strategic doses on top of a base of whole foods that your body can actually thrive on for decades.
If you tell me what you’re chasing (fat loss, performance, autoimmune stuff, pure experimentation, etc.), I can sketch a version of a high-organ, high-animal plan that pushes the envelope without trying to kill you slowly.