Influencer Zhanna Samsonova reportedly died in intensive care after years of publicly promoting a highly restrictive raw vegan diet. Image credit: Blue Bird, via Pexels
Zhanna Samsonova, known on TikTok, Facebook and Instagram as Zhanna D’Art, reportedly died in intensive care after finally seeking medical treatment while travelling in Southeast Asia.
Samsonova, aged 39, promoted a “completely raw vegan diet” which she followed for at least four years, eating a diet exclusively comprised of “fruits, sunflower seed sprouts, fruit smoothies and juices”.
Samsonova’s mother attributed her daughter’s passing to “cholera-like infection”, however, the family is awaiting a medical report and death certificate to confirm the official cause of her death.
Reports and the content of Samsonova’s social media channels also suggested that she ate little in the way of vegetables or legumes, which are an essential source of fats and proteins in a vegan diet.
“I see my body and mind transform every day,” wrote Samsonova to approximately 15,000 Instagram followers.
“I love my new me, and never move on to the habits that I used to use.”
Her diet even excluded water, with Samsonova saying that she received all the water she needed from the fruits she consumed.
“I’m not thirsty for water. I don’t want to drink water,” she wrote.
“I get my water from fruits and coconuts and I’m OK with it!”
While raw food diets can have health benefits, including weight loss, lower diabetes risk and improved heart health, these diets come with a number of risks, especially when poorly planned and implemented.
Calcium and Vitamin D deficiencies are common in raw food diets, which can lead to poor bone health.
A study published in the Journal of Nutrition found that 100% of the study’s participants who followed a raw vegan diet ingested less than recommended levels of Vitamin B12.
Low levels of B12 can result in health concerns such as anaemia, nervous system damage, infertility and even heart disease.
An unidentified friend of Samsonova’s living in the apartment above her told local news outlets of her decline in health.
“A few months ago, in Sri Lanka, she already looked exhausted, with swollen legs oozing lymph,” said the friend to reporters.
“They sent her home to seek treatment. However, she ran away again. When I saw her in Phuket, I was horrified.”
“I lived one floor above her and every day I feared finding her lifeless body in the morning. I convinced her to seek treatment, but she didn’t make it.”
Severely restrictive eating habits can be a sign that someone is suffering from an eating disorder.
If you or someone you know is experiencing concerns with disordered eating, you can contact the Butterfly Foundation Helpline for free and confidential support.
