Dr. Eric Berg DC · 2026-08-28 · Eric Berg (host), Steve, Sura, Maria, Noelle

The Dr. Berg Show LIVE - August 28, 2026

Health

28 research-tied claims examined: 4 contradicted 7 overstated 2 context 11 supported 4 unverified

Contradicted by research

0:33:28 Eric Berg (host)contradictedhigh

High cholesterol in most people is caused by eating too many refined carbohydrates.

"what causes high cholesterol in most people is too many refined carbohydrates." (said at 0:33:28)

Dietary refined carbohydrates do not cause elevated total or LDL cholesterol (hypercholesterolemia). Extensive meta-analyses of randomized controlled feeding trials show that dietary saturated fatty acids and trans fatty acids, alongside polygenic and familial genetic factors, are the primary drivers of elevated LDL cholesterol. In contrast, replacing dietary fats with carbohydrates typically lowers or does not raise LDL cholesterol, but can increase fasting triglycerides, lower HDL cholesterol, and shift LDL particles toward a smaller, denser phenotype (the atherogenic dyslipidemia pattern associated with insulin resistance).

contradicts: Effects of dietary fatty acids and carbohydrates on the ratio of serum total to HDL choles… (The American journal of clinical nutrition 2003) · cited 2830x in the literature
"The ratio did not change if carbohydrates replaced saturated fatty acids, but it decreased if cis unsaturated fatty acids replaced saturated fatty acids... Replacing fats with carbohydrates increased fasting triacylglycerol concentrations." (abstract, results)
pubmed full study (doi)
contradicts: Saturated fat, carbohydrate, and cardiovascular disease. (The American journal of clinical nutrition 2010) · cited 639x in the literature
"A focus of dietary recommendations for cardiovascular disease (CVD) prevention and treatment has been a reduction in saturated fat intake, primarily as a means of lowering LDL-cholesterol concentrations... However, replacement with a higher carbohydrate intake, particularly refined carbohydrate, can exacerbate the atherogenic dyslipidemia associated with insulin resistance and obesity that includes increased triglycerides, small LDL particles, and reduced HDL cholesterol." (abstract, passage verified)
pubmed full study (doi)
context: Dietary Fats and Cardiovascular Disease: A Presidential Advisory From the American Heart A… (Circulation 2017) · cited 1370x in the literature
"Replacement of saturated with unsaturated fats lowers low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, a cause of atherosclerosis, linking biological evidence with incidence of CVD in populations and in clinical trials." (abstract, passage verified)
pubmed full study (doi)

0:46:47 Eric Berg (host)contradictedmoderate

Fasting before or after chemotherapy reduces side effects.

"there's some interesting data on fasting and just protecting your body against things, especially chemo. It lowers the side effects." (said at 0:46:47)

While preclinical animal studies and early pilot trials suggested that short-term fasting or fasting-mimicking diets might protect normal cells from chemotherapy toxicity (differential stress resistance), systematic reviews and meta-analyses of clinical trials in humans do not support the claim that fasting lowers chemotherapy side effects. A 2023 meta-analysis of clinical trials comparing fasting regimens to non-fasting during chemotherapy found no significant difference in overall side effects (RR = 1.10; 95% CI: 0.77–1.59) or neutropenia (RR = 1.33; 95% CI: 0.90–1.97). Subsequent systematic reviews and meta-analyses published in 2025 similarly found no statistically significant reduction in chemotherapy-related toxicities between fasting and non-fasting cancer patients.

contradicts: Therapeutic Fasting in Reducing Chemotherapy Side Effects in Cancer Patients: A Systematic… (Nutrients 2023) · cited 47x in the literature
"The overall pooled estimate for a variety of fasting regime when compared to non-fasting, indicated no significant difference in the side effects (RR = 1.10; 95% CI: 0.77-1.59; I 2 = 10%, p = 0.60), including neutropenia alone (RR = 1.33; 95% CI: 0.90-1.97; I 2 = 0%, p = 0.15)." (abstract, results, passage verified)
pubmed full study (doi)
contradicts: Diet as an Adjunct Therapy in Reducing Chemotherapy Toxicities and Improving Patients Qual… (Nutrition and cancer 2025) · cited 3x in the literature
"The random-effects meta-analysis showed no significant difference in the incidence of chemotherapy toxicities between fasting and non-fasting patients." (abstract, results, passage verified)
pubmed full study (doi)

0:49:24 Eric Berg (host)contradictedmoderate

Benfotiamine is converted into a water-soluble form in the blood and does not cross the blood-brain barrier effectively.

"The problem with benfotiamine is it's good for peripheral neurological issues in your feet, but it quickly breaks down into a water-soluble in your in your blood mainly. So, it's not necessarily good for brain stuff." (said at 0:49:24)

The speaker's assertion that benfotiamine is not effective for central nervous system issues ("brain stuff") due to breakdown in the blood is contradicted by clinical and preclinical research. Preclinical studies demonstrate that oral administration of benfotiamine significantly increases thiamine diphosphate (ThDP) levels in key brain areas such as the hippocampus and entorhinal cortex while improving cognitive and metabolic markers. Furthermore, human clinical trials have demonstrated that oral benfotiamine is safe and potentially efficacious in slowing cognitive decline and improving brain metabolic outcomes in patients with mild cognitive impairment and Alzheimer's disease.

contradicts: Oral benfotiamine reverts cognitive deficit and increase thiamine diphosphate levels in th… (Experimental gerontology 2020) · cited 23x in the literature
"The supplementation with 150 mg/kg of benfotiamine for 30 days increased the concentrations of thiamine diphosphate in the hippocampus and entorhinal cortex." (abstract, results, passage verified)
pubmed full study (doi)
contradicts: Benfotiamine and Cognitive Decline in Alzheimer's Disease: Results of a Randomized Placebo… (Journal of Alzheimer's disease : JAD 2020) · cited 107x in the literature
"The increase in ADAS-Cog was 43% lower in the benfotiamine group than in the placebo group, indicating less cognitive decline, and this effect was nearly statistically significant (p = 0.125). Worsening in CDR was 77% lower (p = 0.034) in the benfotiamine group compared to the placebo group" (abstract, results, passage verified)
pubmed full study (doi)
contradicts: Neuroprotective Effects of Thiamine and Precursors with Higher Bioavailability: Focus on B… (International journal of molecular sciences 2021) · cited 62x in the literature
"Among these, the thioester benfotiamine (BFT) has been extensively studied and has beneficial effects both in rodent models of neurodegeneration and in human clinical studies. BFT has no adverse effects and improves cognitive outcome in patients with mild Alzheimer's disease (AD)." (abstract)
pubmed full study (doi)

1:01:14 Eric Berg (host)contradictedhigh

Spinal curvatures such as lordosis, kyphosis, or scoliosis are typically caused by weak bones from osteomalacia or rickets being pulled out of shape by muscles, and can be improved if caught early with adequate vitamin D and exercise.

"What typically creates lordosis or kyphosis or scoliosis is you have these weak bones, okay? It's like a uh osteomalacia it's called or even rickets. And then the muscles are pulling it out of shape and then we have this distorted thing. But if you can catch it in time and you you have enough vitamin D and then you do the right exercises, you can get some symmetry back there." (said at 1:01:14)

The claim that spinal curvatures such as scoliosis, kyphosis, or lordosis are typically caused by osteomalacia or rickets and can be corrected with vitamin D is contradicted by established medical literature. The vast majority of scoliosis cases are adolescent idiopathic scoliosis (AIS), which accounts for the vast majority of pediatric spinal deformities and has a complex, multifactorial etiology driven by genetic, neurohormonal, and biomechanical factors, not metabolic bone disease or nutritional deficiency. While severe untreated rickets or osteomalacia can cause skeletal deformities, they are rare causes of clinical spinal curves in the general population. Conservative management of idiopathic spinal deformities relies primarily on bracing and physiotherapeutic scoliosis-specific exercises (PSSE), rather than vitamin D supplementation.

contradicts: Adolescent idiopathic scoliosis : a review of aetiological theories of a multifactorial di… (The bone & joint journal 2022) · cited 115x in the literature
"Adolescent idiopathic scoliosis (AIS), defined by an age at presentation of 11 to 18 years, has a prevalence of 0.47% and accounts for approximately 90% of all cases of idiopathic scoliosis. Despite decades of research, the exact aetiology of AIS remains unknown. It is becoming evident that it is the result of a complex interplay of genetic, internal, and environmental factors." (abstract, results, passage verified)
pubmed full study (doi)
context: Physiotherapeutic Scoliosis-Specific Exercise Methodologies Used for Conservative Treatmen… (International journal of environmental research and public health 2022) · cited 111x in the literature
"Due to the multifactorial etiology of scoliosis, a comprehensive treatment plan is essential for conservative management. Physiotherapeutic scoliosis-specific exercise (PSSE) methods have lately gained popularity for the conservative treatment of scoliosis." (abstract, results, passage verified)
pubmed full study (doi)

Unverified means no publication matching the claim was located; it does not prove the claim false. Spotted an error? See the corrections policy - disputes from the people quoted are prioritized.