Dr. Eric Berg DC · 2026-07-31 · Eric Berg (host), Steve (host), Karen, Diana, Tonya
The Dr. Berg Show LIVE - July 31, 2026
41 research-tied claims examined: 3 contradicted 6 overstated 4 context 20 supported 8 unverified
3 Contradicted by research
Zinc and vitamin D help reduce viral load and keep the chickenpox/shingles virus in remission.
"couple things though, I think would be important in reducing this viral load uh would be uh to have enough zinc. Uh that that's a good thing, and also some vitamin D as well to help uh kind of keep it in remission." (said at 0:07:05)
Clinical and epidemiological evidence does not support the claim that zinc or vitamin D supplementation reduces viral load or maintains varicella-zoster virus (VZV) latency and remission. A large cohort study of 177,572 adults found no association between serum vitamin D status or vitamin D supplementation/prescriptions and the risk of developing herpes zoster (shingles). A systematic review also found no conclusive evidence that vitamin D deficiency or supplementation influences herpes zoster reactivation. Additionally, a case-control study investigating dietary micronutrients found no statistically significant association between individual zinc intake and the risk of herpes zoster.
- contradicts: Micronutrient intake and the risk of herpes zoster: a case-control study. (International journal of epidemiology 2006) · cited 45x in the literature
"None of the dietary intakes of the seven micronutrients examined had a statistically significant association with zoster risk when considered singly." (abstract, results, passage verified)
pubmedfull study (doi) - contradicts: Vitamin D Deficiency or Supplementation and the Risk of Human Herpesvirus Infections or Re… (Open forum infectious diseases 2021) · cited 8x in the literature
"There was no evidence that vitamin D deficiency is associated with cytomegalovirus (CMV) disease (pooled risk ratio, 1.06; 95% CI, 0.66-1.7), herpes zoster after transplantation (1 study)... Any association between vitamin D and herpesviruses remains inconclusive." (abstract, results and conclusions)
pubmedfull study (doi) - contradicts: Association between vitamin D and incident herpes zoster: a UK Biobank study. (The British journal of general practice : the journal of the Royal College of General Practitioners 2022) · cited 6x in the literature
"No evidence showed that low vitamin D was associated with a higher incidence of HZ, compared with people with sufficient vitamin D (deficient: adjusted hazard ratio [HR] 0.99, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.90 to 1.10; insufficient: HR 1.03, 95% CI = 0.96 to 1.10). No evidence was found that supplementing vitamin D or receiving vitamin D prescription was associated with HZ incidence... No evidence supported vitamin D supplementation as a strategy to prevent HZ." (abstract, results and conclusions, passage verified)
pubmedfull study (doi)
The average person carries at least 6 pounds of fluid in their lower legs from the knees to the feet.
"an average person consumes at least 6 lb of fluid from the knees down to the feet, the lower legs, okay?" (said at 0:20:22)
The claim that the average person carries at least 6 pounds of fluid in their lower legs (from knees to feet) is contradicted by physiological measurements of lower limb volume and extracellular fluid content.
Total lower leg volume (which includes skin, muscle, bone, blood, and extracellular fluid combined) in healthy adults typically ranges from approximately 2 to 4 liters (roughly 4.4 to 8.8 pounds total tissue mass) per leg, depending on body size. Bioimpedance analysis of segmental extracellular volume in healthy adults demonstrates that the extracellular fluid volume of both full legs combined (from hip to foot) is approximately 2.80 ± 0.82 liters (around 6.17 pounds total for both entire legs).
Consequently, the extracellular fluid content of the lower leg alone (from knee to foot) for a single leg is estimated at roughly 0.5 to 1.0 liters (1.1 to 2.2 pounds), and even combined across both legs, lower leg fluid volume is well below 6 pounds in normal healthy individuals. Carrying 6 pounds (approx. 2.7 kg / 2.7 liters) of fluid solely in the lower legs below the knees would represent severe clinical fluid overload or edema.
Nasal breathing increases oxygen delivery to the lungs compared to mouth breathing.
"Breathing through the nose, not the mouth, improves asthma because you actually get more oxygen in the lungs." (said at 1:03:00)
The speaker's claim bundles two distinct assertions: that nasal breathing improves asthma compared to mouth breathing, and that this occurs because it delivers more oxygen to the lungs. While clinical and physiological evidence confirms that nasal breathing protects against asthma symptoms and bronchoconstriction compared to oral breathing, the stated mechanism is incorrect. Nasal breathing benefits asthmatic airways primarily by warming, humidifying, and filtering incoming air, which prevents airway cooling, mucosal dehydration, and resultant bronchospasm. It does not improve asthma by delivering a greater quantity of oxygen to the lungs.
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.