Paul Saladino

Paul Saladino
Born	1977
Nationality	American
Occupation(s)	Psychiatrist, health influencer, author, entrepreneur
Known for	Advocacy of the carnivore diet, promotion of raw milk consumption
Notable work	The Carnivore Code

Paul Saladino (born 1977) is an American psychiatrist and health influencer recognized for advocating pseudoscientific ideas concerning human nutrition and wellness. He is a leading proponent of the carnivore diet, which emphasizes a diet composed mainly or entirely of meat products, a dietary trend that lacks robust scientific validation for its claimed benefits. His publication The Carnivore Code has been characterized by The New Yorker as effectively serving as a manifesto for the Paleo diet community, in which he controversially describes plants as "poison". Additionally, Saladino endorses the consumption of raw milk, despite its unproven health advantages and associated risks of bacterial contamination.

He maintains a significant digital footprint under the handle carnivoremd2, boasting approximately 2 million followers on Instagram and over 500,000 on TikTok as of late 2024. His posts frequently include shirtless appearances, and both his Instagram and TikTok profiles have faced suspensions at least once.

Saladino is the founder of Heart & Soil, a company located in Austin, Texas, specializing in the production of food supplements. The business is co-owned with Brian Johnson, another carnivore diet advocate known as Liver King. Heart & Soil offers supplements featuring encapsulated organ meats and liver pills.

Biography and education

Saladino obtained a degree in chemistry from the College of William and Mary and spent six years traveling across North America and New Zealand. Prior to earning his medical degree, he worked as a physician assistant. He received his Doctor of Medicine from the University of Arizona in 2015 and completed his medical residency at the University of Washington in 2019. He is board-certified in psychiatry and holds certification in "Functional Medicine". As of 2022, his medical license in California was listed as "delinquent" due to unpaid fees.

Advocacy

Saladino encourages the intake of animal organs, attributing benefits such as enhanced immunity, improved gut health, support for weight loss, and stronger bones. He has advised against using toilet paper, asserting it contains chemicals that disrupt hormones and negatively affect hormonal balance.

By 2020, Saladino had modified his strict carnivore regimen to include honey and fruit, aiming to mitigate symptoms he experienced on the diet such as sleep disturbances, heart palpitations, muscle cramps, and decreased testosterone. He expressed doubts about the long-term appropriateness of sustained ketosis for most individuals.

Throughout the Coronavirus pandemic, he voiced skepticism regarding vaccine effectiveness, promoting "metabolic health" and "natural immunity" over prevailing medical recommendations.

In 2022, he revealed a personal hygiene practice that excludes shampoo, soap, deodorant, and toothpaste, opting to use only water.

In May 2024, Saladino uploaded a video advocating feeding "raw dairy" to infants; this content amassed over 90,000 views before being removed following public criticism.

In May 2025, he conducted an interview with United States Secretary of Health and Human Services Robert F. Kennedy Jr at the White House. The promotional footage featured both individuals consuming shots containing raw milk combined with glyphosate-free honey.

Collaborations

In 2022, Saladino, known as an "adventure companion" to carnivore diet advocate Anthony Gustin, founder of the online retailer Perfect Keto, traveled to meet the Hadza people of Tanzania. He promoted the Hadza lifestyle as an exemplary nutritional model, referring to them as "the closest thing we have to a time machine." This focus on ancestral eating patterns corresponds with popular dietary movements such as the paleo diet and Saladino's own carnivorous regimen.

The following year, Saladino collaborated with the upscale California grocery chain Erewhon Market to develop the Raw Animal-Based Smoothie. This beverage incorporated components like kefir, beef organ meats, "Immunomilk" (freeze-dried bovine colostrum), raw honey, and natural sweeteners. Heart & Soil supplied both beef organs and Immunomilk. Priced at $19, the smoothie initially utilized raw milk sourced from California's Raw Farms, which subsequently transitioned to pasteurization after detecting the presence of H5N1 influenza A virus. Despite potential bacterial contamination concerns, this product exemplifies Saladino's dedication to raw animal-derived nutrition.

Influence and reception

Saladino's ideas have impacted figures such as low-carbohydrate entrepreneur Dave Asprey and celebrity Heidi Montag. His 2020 interview on Joe Rogan's podcast notably broadened his reach and public recognition.

Science educator Joseph A. Schwarcz has criticized Saladino for overstating scientific dangers and advocating contentious health assertions. These include promoting consumption of lamb testicles and raw liver while condemning cruciferous vegetables like broccoli and kale as harmful due to their sulforaphane content—despite sulforaphane's established anti-cancer benefits. Schwarcz labels these assertions as "laughable," underscoring widespread skepticism regarding Saladino's nutritional guidance.