HoldsUp

FoundMyFitness · 2016-01-23 · Rhonda Patrick (host), Rich Roll

Rhonda Patrick interviews Rich Roll on the Environmental Impact of Food, and a Plant-Based Diet

37 claims checked against research: 1 contradicted 4 overstated 4 needing context 21 supported 3 corroborated online 4 unverified

21

Supported by research

0:18:20Rich Rollsupportedhigh

The Ultraman triathlon consists of a 6.2-mile swim, a 261-mile bike ride (90 miles on day one and 171 miles on day two), and a 52.4-mile double marathon run over three days.

"day one, you do a 6.2-mile swim and then you get out of the water. You do it's a point-to-point ocean swim, and then you get on your bike and you ride 90 miles... The next day, the second day, you ride your bike 171 miles. And then the third day, you celebrate the whole thing by running 52.4 miles, a double marathon" (said at 0:18:20)

The speaker's description of the Ultraman triathlon distances and structure is accurate. An Ultraman triathlon takes place over three days and consists of: - Day 1: a 10 km (6.2-mile) swim followed by a 144.8–145 km (90-mile) bike ride; - Day 2: a 273.6–276 km (170–171 mile) bike ride; - Day 3: an 84.4 km (52.4-mile) double marathon run. Published studies examining Ultraman events confirm these precise distances and stage breakdowns.

0:25:13Rhonda Patrick (host)supportedmoderate

Approximately 70% of the United States population has inadequate vitamin D levels.

"Vitamin D inadequacy is pretty prevalent in the United States. Around 70% of the population doesn't have what's considered to be adequate levels." (said at 0:25:13)

Nationally representative data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) support the claim. When adequacy is defined using the Endocrine Society threshold of serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D [25(OH)D] ≥ 30 ng/mL (75 nmol/L), approximately 70% to 77% of the United States population fails to meet this level. For instance, analysis of NHANES 2001–2004 data showed that only 23% of Americans had 25(OH)D levels of 30 ng/mL or more (meaning ~77% had levels below 30 ng/mL), and an analysis among US children aged 1–11 found that 69% had 25(OH)D levels < 75 nmol/L (< 30 ng/mL). Note that while other guidelines (such as the Institute of Medicine) use a lower cutoff of 20 ng/mL (50 nmol/L) to define adequacy for bone health, the 30 ng/mL cutoff is widely cited in literature and practice to define vitamin D insufficiency/inadequacy.

0:25:13Rhonda Patrick (host)supportedmoderate

Supplemental vitamin D3 is commonly derived from lanolin excreted by sheep sebaceous glands.

"supplemental vitamin D3 form, which is commonly from lanolin, which is excreted from like the sebaceous glands of sheep, you know, so when they're making wool." (said at 0:25:13)

Published pharmacological and biomedical literature confirms that supplemental cholecalciferol (vitamin D3) is commonly manufactured using lanolin (wool grease/wax), a substance secreted by the sebaceous glands of sheep and extracted from sheared wool during processing.

0:20:54Rich Rollsupportedhigh

Pumpkin seeds (pepitas) are high in iron.

"pepitas, which are high in iron. You know, that's one thing everyone worries about your iron levels. So, um, I make sure I, you know, eat seeds that are high in, uh, high in iron." (said at 0:20:54)

The claim that pumpkin seeds (pepitas) are high in iron is supported by nutritional analyses and reviews. Studies evaluating edible seeds and commercial nuts confirm that pumpkin seeds (Cucurbita pepo / Cucurbita spp.) are rich sources of essential minerals, including iron, zinc, and magnesium. Comparative mineral composition analysis of commercial seeds identified pumpkin seeds as having high iron content among evaluated nuts and seeds, and narrative/systematic food science reviews highlight them as nutrient-dense foods rich in iron that can support hematopoiesis and dietary micronutrient intake.

0:36:49Rhonda Patrick (host)supportedhigh

Vitamin B12 is produced by microorganisms, including bacteria within the human gut.

"Okay, so it's not a microorganism, but it's made by microorganisms. So microorganisms, including in our gut, make it." (said at 0:36:49)

Vitamin B12 (cobalamin) is synthesized exclusively by certain prokaryotes (bacteria and archaea). Genomic, metabolomic, and metagenomic analyses confirm that various commensal bacterial species in the human gut microbiota possess the metabolic pathways required for de novo B12 biosynthesis. While gut-synthesized B12 is mostly produced in the colon downstream of the primary site of absorption in the terminal ileum (and thus does not adequately meet host nutritional requirements), the assertion that microorganisms, including those residing in the human gut, synthesize vitamin B12 is fully accurate.

0:37:11Rhonda Patrick (host)supportedmoderate

Vegetarians and vegans have higher concentrations of folate, vitamin K, magnesium, vitamin C, and vitamin E compared to non-vegetarians.

"In fact, if you look at the data, many different vegetarians and vegans have more of certain micronutrients: folate, vitamin K, magnesium. I mean, these are all—vitamin C, vitamin E. Vegans and vegetarians have a much higher concentration of these very important micronutrients." (said at 0:37:11)

A 2021 systematic review of 141 studies comparing nutrient intakes and status between adults consuming plant-based diets (vegetarians and vegans) and meat-eaters confirmed that vegetarians and vegans have higher intakes of folate, vitamin C, vitamin E, and magnesium. While micronutrient intake and biomarker concentrations vary by specific nutrient, plant-based diets rich in fruits, vegetables, legumes, whole grains, and nuts consistently yield higher dietary amounts and concentrations of key plant-derived micronutrients (including folate, vitamin C, vitamin E, and magnesium) compared to meat-based diets.

0:37:33Rhonda Patrick (host)supportedmoderate

Approximately half of the United States population does not consume enough magnesium.

"Magnesium half the country doesn't get enough of, you know?" (said at 0:37:33)

Nationally representative dietary survey data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) demonstrate that approximately 46% to over 50% of the United States population has total usual magnesium intake (from food and dietary supplements combined) below the Estimated Average Requirement (EAR). Consequently, the speaker's statement that about half of the country does not consume enough magnesium is accurate.

0:40:20Rhonda Patrick (host)supportedmoderate

Premenopausal women convert alpha-linolenic acid (ALA) into EPA and DHA more efficiently than others because estrogen activates the converting enzyme.

"You need DHA for every cell membrane, particularly in your brain. So you can convert ALA into those, but it's not very efficient. Women can do it much better because estrogen—at least premenopausal women can do it much better because estrogen activates the enzyme that converts it into it." (said at 0:40:20)

Human tracer studies and animal experiments support the host's claim. In vivo stable isotope tracer studies in humans show that young (premenopausal) women convert alpha-linolenic acid (ALA) into EPA and DHA significantly more efficiently than men (estimated fractional conversion to DHA is ~9% in young women compared to negligible/undetectable conversion in men). Mechanistic studies demonstrate that estrogen enhances this conversion by upregulating the expression and activity of the necessary desaturase and elongase enzymes (such as FADS2, ELOVL2, and ELOVL5), partly via estrogen receptor and PPAR-alpha pathways.

0:40:45Rhonda Patrick (host)supportedhigh

Genetic polymorphisms affect the efficiency with which individuals convert ALA into EPA and DHA.

"But there's gene polymorphisms, which are variations in sequence of DNA which changes the function of the gene in a way. So some people have ones that they can't convert ALA into EPA and DHA very well." (said at 0:40:45)

Genetic polymorphisms in the fatty acid desaturase (FADS1 and FADS2) and elongase (ELOVL2) gene clusters significantly influence the endogenous conversion efficiency of alpha-linolenic acid (ALA) into long-chain omega-3 fatty acids, including eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA). Large genome-wide association meta-analyses demonstrate that individuals carrying specific minor alleles have higher levels of the precursor ALA and significantly lower levels of downstream conversion products (EPA, DPA, and DHA), reflecting reduced enzymatic conversion capacity.

  • supports: Genetic loci associated with plasma phospholipid n-3 fatty acids: a meta-analysis of genom… (PLoS genetics 2011) · cited 431x in the literature
    "Minor alleles of SNPs in FADS1 and FADS2 (desaturases) were associated with higher levels of ALA (p = 3 x 10⁻⁶⁴) and lower levels of eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA, p = 5 x 10⁻⁵⁸) and docosapentaenoic acid (DPA, p = 4 x 10⁻¹⁵⁴). Minor alleles of SNPs in ELOVL2 (elongase) were associated with higher EPA (p = 2 x 10⁻¹²) and DPA (p = 1 x 10⁻⁴³) and lower docosahexaenoic acid (DHA, p = 1 x 10⁻¹⁵). In addition to genes in the n-3 pathway, we identified a novel association of DPA with several SNPs in GCKR (glucokinase regulator, p = 1 x 10⁻⁸). We observed a weaker association between ALA and EPA among carriers of the minor allele of a representative SNP in FADS2 (rs1535), suggesting a lower rate of ALA-to-EPA conversion in these subjects." (abstract, results, passage verified)
    pubmedfull study (doi)
0:45:28Rich Rollsupportedhigh

Consumer domestic water usage accounts for approximately 5% of all water use.

"As consumers, we're told we need to take shorter showers and we can't water our lawns, but consumer water use amounts to like 5% of all water use." (said at 0:45:28)

Published national and global water resource accounting data indicate that direct domestic and consumer water use accounts for a small fraction of total water withdrawals—typically between 5% and 12%, depending on whether regional, national, or global metrics and gross versus freshwater withdrawals are measured. In the United States, assessments by the U.S. Geological Survey indicate that direct residential domestic water use (both self-supplied domestic withdrawals and public-supply deliveries to households) represents approximately 5% to 8% of total national water withdrawals, with the vast majority consumed by thermoelectric power cooling and agricultural irrigation. Globally, domestic and municipal withdrawals account for roughly 10% to 12% of total water use, while agriculture accounts for roughly 70%.

0:47:22Rich Rollsupportedmoderate

Projections estimate that by 2030, 50% of Americans will be diabetic or prediabetic.

"and they're predicting that by 2030, 50% of Americans are going to be diabetic or prediabetic." (said at 0:47:22)

Nationally representative surveillance data and epidemiological models have consistently estimated that approximately 50% of US adults have diabetes or prediabetes. In an analysis of the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) published in JAMA, the combined unadjusted prevalence of diabetes (14.3%) and prediabetes (38.0%) among US adults was 52.3% as of 2011–2012. Multiple public health and demographic projection models have similarly forecast that 50% or more of the adult population would meet criteria for dysglycemia (prediabetes or diabetes) by 2020–2030.

0:54:48Rich Rollsupportedmoderate

Grass-fed cattle require more land and water and live longer before slaughter compared to conventionally raised feedlot cattle.

"When you're talking about a grass-fed animal, they're using a lot more resources, tons more land, tons more water. They keep the the animal alive longer, and there's not as much food, and and they they're eating longer. So the amount of resources that go into that calf are going to exceed what is happening on a conventionally raised, you know, sort of cattle farm." (said at 0:54:48)

Published life-cycle assessments and agricultural system models support the claim. Grass-fed beef production systems require cattle to graze longer to reach target slaughter weights due to lower average daily weight gain compared to grain-finished feedlot systems. Consequently, producing an equivalent quantity of beef via grass-finishing requires significantly more land area, total water consumption over the animal's longer lifespan, and a larger standing cattle population than conventional feedlot systems.

1:06:00Rhonda Patrick (host)supportedhigh

The World Health Organization classified processed meat as a Group 1 carcinogen, indicating it is cancer-causing to humans.

"the World Health Organization basically uh classified processed meat as a Group 1 carcinogen, or Group 1 meaning it's it's got components in it that are cancer-causing to humans." (said at 1:06:00)

In October 2015, the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), the specialized cancer agency of the World Health Organization (WHO), formally evaluated the carcinogenicity of red and processed meat. Based on sufficient evidence from epidemiological studies linking consumption primarily to colorectal cancer, IARC classified the consumption of processed meat as carcinogenic to humans (Group 1).

1:07:15Rhonda Patrick (host)supportedhigh

Nitrites in processed meats form carcinogenic nitrosamines in the colon and when cooked with water and heat.

"nitrites can form uh nitrosamines. They can form nitrosamines in uh our colon, and also they can form nitrosamines when they're in contact with water and heat. So if you're You've got some bacon that has nitrites, and you're frying it in a frying pan and the water, you're forming nitrosamines, which are carcinogenic." (said at 1:07:15)

Nitrites used in processed meats can react with secondary and tertiary amines to form carcinogenic N-nitroso compounds (NOCs), including volatile N-nitrosamines. This nitrosation occurs both exogenously during high-heat cooking (such as skillet frying of nitrite-cured bacon, which reliably yields compounds like N-nitrosopyrrolidine and N-nitrosodimethylamine) and endogenously within the human gastrointestinal tract upon digestion of cured meats.

1:08:45Rhonda Patrick (host)supportedmoderate

The vitamin C present in plants prevents nitrates from forming nitrosamines and shifts the pathway to nitric oxide formation.

"The vitamin C present there shifts the pathway to nitric oxide, and so that tends to not form nitrosamines. That's why eating plants you you end up getting more nitric oxide when you eat them" (said at 1:08:45)

Published biochemical and gastrointestinal models demonstrate that ascorbic acid (vitamin C) reacts with acidified nitrite derived from dietary nitrate in the stomach, reducing nitrosating species directly into nitric oxide (NO) and thereby inhibiting the formation of potentially carcinogenic N-nitrosamines.

1:10:50Rhonda Patrick (host)supportedmoderate

A study by Valter Longo found that higher protein intake was correlated with higher all-cause and cancer mortality in middle-aged adults, but was inversely correlated with mortality in adults above a certain age.

"A study that he published um last year was um it it was looking at—I forgot that timeframe, but it was, you know, people that were eating, you know, protein, meat, and it looked at the, you know, how much they were eating and correlated it to their all-cause mortality... and they found that people that eaten, you know, eat more meat had a higher all-cause mortality. They had more cardiovascular, they had more cancer. That was the real main thing, they had more cancer. Um, but it was a certain—you It was people that were older, but not too old. So once you got to a certain age, like above, I don't remember exactly, 55 or something like that, um, the opposite was true. So protein became more important. Um, protein intake was was um inversely correlated with mortality" (said at 1:10:50)

A 2014 study by Valter Longo and colleagues analyzed NHANES III epidemiological data alongside mouse models and found that among middle-aged adults (aged 50–65), high protein intake was associated with a 75% increase in overall mortality and a 4-fold increase in cancer mortality. Conversely, in participants aged 65 and older, high protein intake was associated with reduced cancer and all-cause mortality, matching the description given.

1:13:30Rhonda Patrick (host)supportedmoderate

IGF-1 acts as a major tumor promoter by stimulating cancer cell growth and overriding apoptosis pathways that eliminate damaged cells.

"IGF-1 is a major promoter of cancer, like it can it can allow cancer cells to grow and thrive. And and when we have a damaged cell, our body knows it, and our body goes, "Oh, wow, this is not good. If I don't kill this guy, it's going to potentially become cancer," so it kills it. But you know what IGF-1 does? IGF-1 comes over like, "Oh, no, don't die. No, no, we're cool, we're cool." So it like overrides that whole inherent pathway that we have, you know, in our bodies that are protective against getting cancer." (said at 1:13:30)

The host's description of IGF-1's biological mechanisms is supported by published literature. Insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1) is well established as a mitogenic and anti-apoptotic signaling molecule. It promotes cell proliferation and cell survival by activating downstream signaling cascades (such as the PI3K/Akt and MAPK pathways) that inhibit programmed cell death (apoptosis). In the context of carcinogenesis and tumor progression, elevated IGF-1 signaling counteracts apoptotic mechanisms that typically eliminate damaged or mutated cells, thereby facilitating tumor development and growth.

  • supports: Anti-apoptotic actions of insulin-like growth factors: lessons from development and implic… (Current pharmaceutical design 2007) · cited 29x in the literature
    "Underlying these activities is the capacity of IGF-I to promote survival in a variety of cell types, including those of the nervous system. However, in adult tissues deregulation of the IGF system can cause undesired cell survival and therefore excessive cell proliferation. Here, we review the contribution of IGF-I in developmental processes with a focus on the development of the inner ear, as well as pathological implications resulting from IGF-I deregulation during cancer." (abstract, conclusions, passage verified)
    pubmedfull study (doi)
  • supports: Growth hormone, insulin-like growth factor system and carcinogenesis. (Endokrynologia Polska 2016) · cited 35x in the literature
    "The growth hormone (GH) and insulin-like growth factor (IGF) system plays an important role in the regulation of cell proliferation, differentiation, apoptosis, and angiogenesis. In terms of cell cycle regulation, the GH-IGF system induces signalling pathways for cell growth that compete with other signalling systems that result in cell death; thus the final effect of these opposed forces is critical for normal and abnormal cell growth. The association of the GH-IGF system with carcinogenesis has long been hypothesised, mainly based on in vitro studies and the use of a variety of animal models of human cancer, and also on epidemiological and clinical evidence in humans. While ample experimental evidence supports a role of the GH-IGF system in tumour promotion and progression" (abstract, conclusions, passage verified)
    pubmedfull study (doi)
1:17:20Rich Rollsupportedmoderate

The WHO analysis reported an 18% increased risk of colorectal cancer for every 50 grams of processed meat consumed daily, and a 17% increased risk per 100 grams of red meat.

"And they still were able to come up with these correlative figures of, you know, what was it, 18% for every 50 grams of processed meat more likely for—was it colon cancer? Colorectal cancer. 17% per 100 grams of red meat for a couple other—pancreatic cancer, I think, a couple other ones, whatever." (said at 1:17:20)

The speaker accurately cited the relative risk estimates evaluated by the World Health Organization (WHO) and the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) for red and processed meat intake and colorectal cancer risk. A dose-response meta-analysis of prospective cohort studies demonstrated an 18% increased risk of colorectal cancer per 50 g/day increase in processed meat consumption (RR = 1.18, 95% CI: 1.10–1.28) and a 17% increased risk per 100 g/day increase in red meat consumption (RR = 1.17, 95% CI: 1.05–1.31).

1:15:50Rhonda Patrick (host)supportedmoderate

Approximately 40% of scientific publications cannot be replicated.

"something like 40% of scientific publications can't be replicated, which means people are just getting data, and you know, there's a lot of times when you get data and you can't repeat it" (said at 1:15:50)

Large-scale systematic replication projects across several scientific disciplines have documented substantial rates of replication failure, broadly aligning with the ballpark figure mentioned. For instance, the Open Science Collaboration's 2015 study attempting to replicate 100 psychology experiments found that only 36% to 39% of original findings replicated successfully, representing a failure rate of roughly 60%. In other areas such as preclinical cancer biology and economics, replication failure rates have varied widely, ranging from around 35% to over 85% depending on the discipline, study design, and replication criteria used. While no single universal failure percentage applies to all scientific literature, empirical assessments demonstrate that a substantial proportion of published experimental findings fail to replicate.

  • supports: Estimating the reproducibility of psychological science (Science 2015) · cited 8840x in the literature
    "We conducted replications of 100 experimental and correlational studies published in three psychology journals using high-powered designs and original materials when available. Replication effects were half the magnitude of original effects, representing a substantial decline. Ninety-seven percent of original studies had statistically significant results. Thirty-six percent of replications had statistically significant results; 47% of original effect sizes were in the 95% confidence interval of the replication effect size; 39% of effects were subjectively rated to have replicated the original result" (abstract, results, passage verified)
    openalexfull study (doi)
  • context: On the low reproducibility of cancer studies (National Science Review 2018) · cited 53x in the literature
    "Previous reports have suggested that close to 90% of cancer biology publications are irreproducible. The low number has recently been corroborated by five detailed replication studies in eLife, which have been commented on in Nature" (abstract, results, passage verified)
    openalexfull study (doi)
1:08:45Rhonda Patrick (host)supportedmoderate

Dietary nitrates from plants convert to nitric oxide, which causes vasodilation and improves endurance exercise performance.

"That's why eating plants you you end up getting more nitric oxide when you eat them, which is good because it it's good for uh vasodilation. It helps endurance, right? You're getting more red blood cells, um, more oxygen." (said at 1:08:45)

Dietary inorganic nitrates (rich in plant foods such as beetroot and green leafy vegetables) are reduced to nitrite and subsequently to nitric oxide (NO) in vivo. Nitric oxide promotes vasodilation, enhances muscle perfusion, and lowers the oxygen cost of submaximal exercise, translating to modest improvements in endurance exercise metrics (particularly time-to-exhaustion and open-ended endurance tasks). Meta-analyses of randomized controlled trials confirm these ergogenic effects, although the host's passing reference to 'getting more red blood cells' is physiologically inaccurate: dietary nitrate improves vascular perfusion and oxygen efficiency rather than increasing erythrocyte production.

1:16:55Rich Rollsupportedhigh

The International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) and WHO evaluated approximately 800 epidemiological studies to assess the carcinogenicity of red and processed meat.

"I think that this was a a consortium of scientists that span not just the WHO, but these other organizations over 10 countries. I think they looked at 800 studies and, you know, that that that dealt with many populations of people." (said at 1:16:55)

The International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), the specialized cancer agency of the World Health Organization (WHO), convened a working group of 22 experts from 10 countries in October 2015 to evaluate the carcinogenicity of red meat and processed meat. As detailed in the IARC Monograph evaluation (Volume 114) summarized in The Lancet Oncology, the working group reviewed more than 800 epidemiological studies that investigated associations between the consumption of red or processed meat and various types of cancer across multiple countries and populations.

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.