Carnivore Mythbusting with Amber O’Hearn

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After years of repeating the protein leverage hypothesis and using nutrient density as a guiding idea, this episode shakes things up. Amber O’Hearn joins Tristan for a deep dive into two concepts that have shaped much of the low-carb and carnivore world. Both ideas have helped people get results, but new insights suggest they may not explain things as neatly as we’ve assumed.

Amber has been eating a carnivore diet for nearly a decade, researching nutrition along the way, and challenging long-held beliefs in the community. Her recent comments about protein’s role in hunger stirred a lot of curiosity, so this conversation unpacks what protein really does, what fat does even better, and why nutrient density as a term might mislead more than it guides.

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Meet the Guest

Amber O’Hearn is a longtime carnivore, author, and researcher known for digging into the mechanisms behind ketogenic and animal-based diets. She writes about nutrition science, metabolic nuance, and the deeper details many people overlook.

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Episode Highlights

Amber explains why the protein leverage model doesn’t perfectly match what we see in real life. Protein matters, but fat triggers satiety far more powerfully and keeps hunger down for longer. She also breaks down how protein affects hormones differently depending on whether someone is glucose-driven or fat-adapted. This explains why protein can feel calming and stabilizing for some people while making others hungrier.

They also dig into nutrient density and why measuring nutrients per calorie can distort how we think about real food. Spinach looks “nutrient-dense” on paper because it has almost no calories, yet it can’t keep you alive or nourish you long term. Amber explains why energy itself is a nutrient and why animal foods offer complete nutrition in a way plants simply cannot. It’s a conversation full of nuance, questions, and insights that help make sense of the mixed messages many people hear in the nutrition space.

In this episode:

• What the protein leverage hypothesis gets right and where it falls short
• Why fat often drives satiety more effectively than protein
• How insulin to glucagon ratios change protein metabolism
• Why nutrient density can be a misleading term
• The role of ketosis in appetite control and energy stability
• How individual context changes protein and fat needs
• Why carnivore and high fat approaches work differently for different people

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Disclaimer: These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. The contents of this podcast are for informational purposes only and do not constitute medical advice. The content presented here is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Always seek the advice of a qualified healthcare provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition or dietary changes. Reliance on any information provided by this article is solely at your own risk.