Carnivore diet influencer dies aged 66 after genetic heart failure, family confirms

18 July 2025, 01:32

A carnivore influencer who advocated a diet devoid of vegetables has died at the age of 66, his family has confirmed.

Health enthusiast Alex Cannon, from Liverpool, passed away on Sunday, July 6, having adopted the controversial lifestyle three years ago.

In that time, he had told thousands of followers across YouTube, TikTok and Instagram that the diet had helped him lose weight and boosted his mental wellbeing.

Carnivore diets promote the consumption of protein-rich foods such as meat, eggs, seafood, fish, some dairy products, and water.

The lifestyle has grown in popularity in recent years, thanks to its promotion on social media by ‘manosphere’ celebrities such as Joe Rogan, Andrew Tate and Jordan Peterson.

However, health experts have widely warned that the diet is unsustainable, as it excludes any fruit or vegetables.

Read more: Tributes paid to two Brit holidaymakers who died after jumping into pool shortly after arriving for holiday in Portugal

Read more: Sacked MasterChef host John Torode used ‘worst racial slur there is’ amid ‘all sorts of complaints’ against him

This can lead to a lack of essential nutrients such as fibre and an increased risk of bowel cancer and heart disease.

Mr Cannon claimed that switching to an all-meat diet helped him lower his blood pressure to the point where he no longer needed medication.

His first video on YouTube showed him preparing a “power bowl” made up of minced steak, bacon trimmings, salt and scrambled eggs. He captioned the clip: ‘Proper Human Diet’, with a winking emoji.

Mr Cannon attended and hosted talks on the contentious lifestyle as his following started to grow, telling audiences he no longer had acid reflux or bloating and had dropped from wearing XL-size clothing to medium.

His YouTube channel featured a disclaimer: “I’m not a doctor, nutritionist or dietitian, I’m a working class lad from Liverpool who found a way to reclaim my mental + physical health plus significant weight loss.”

The influencer and swimming coach said in many of his videos that he was “the happiest I’d been for many many years” and had lost at least 47lbs on the diet.

He said in one video: “I’ve eliminated my mental health issues, my weight-loss issues and my physical health issues, I just feel like superman.”

Fellow carnivore and YouTuber Kerry Mann said Mr Cannon died of a genetic heart defect, citing a coroner’s report provided to him by Mr Cannon’s family in his video shared earlier this week.

Mr Mann said: “According to the official coroner’s report, Alex’s death was related to a genetic heart condition.

“It was not linked to diet or lifestyle. The report indicated that his heart simply couldn’t pump blood effectively due to a hereditary issue.

“This news may bring some peace of mind. His passing was not related to diet but something entirely out of his control.”

In a statement on social media, his family – wife Michelle, son Alex and daughter Sophie said: “It breaks our hearts to share that our Mum’s soulmate and our wonderful Dad passed away peacefully in his sleep, on Sunday 6th July.

“There are no words for the pain or the emptiness he’s left behind. He was the one we all looked to, and losing him so unexpectedly has shaken our world in ways we still can’t believe.

“Everyone who knew and loved him is welcome to come and join us in celebrating his life. There will never be another like him.

“We miss him more than words can say. Forever our Mum’s rock. Forever our Dad. Forever our hero.”