HoldsUp

Dr. Eric Berg DC · 2026-08-13 · Eric Berg (host), Steve, Fur

The Dr. Berg Show LIVE - August 13, 2026

34 research-tied claims examined: 2 contradicted 6 overstated 3 context 19 supported 4 unverified

19

Supported by research

0:05:37Eric Berg (host)supportedhigh

Gallstones can be dissolved using bile salts.

"Because sometimes the doctors will say, "Well, no, no, that's been proven. You can't dissolve a stone with bile salts." But there's research out there." (said at 0:05:37)

Oral bile acid therapy using bile acids such as ursodeoxycholic acid (UDCA) and chenodeoxycholic acid (CDCA) is a well-established, evidence-based medical treatment capable of dissolving gallstones. Multiple randomized controlled trials and clinical reviews confirm that oral bile acid litholysis can achieve complete dissolution, specifically in patients with small, radiolucent (uncalcified) cholesterol gallstones in a functioning gallbladder with a patent cystic duct.

0:07:59Eric Berg (host)supportedhigh

The human body has difficulty excreting or eliminating excess iron.

"because if you start taking iron and you don't really need it, it can create more problems because it's very difficult for our bodies to get rid of iron." (said at 0:07:59)

Human physiology has no active, regulated excretory mechanism to eliminate excess iron. Systemic iron balance is maintained almost exclusively by controlling intestinal iron absorption (regulated primarily by hepcidin) and recycling iron internally. Basal iron loss occurs at a low, fixed rate (approximately 1–2 mg/day) through non-specific processes such as the shedding of enterocytes, desquamation of skin cells, and minor blood loss. Consequently, excessive iron intake can lead to accumulation and tissue toxicity in organs such as the liver, heart, and pancreas.

0:07:59Eric Berg (host)supportedhigh

Copper helps regulate and protect iron in the body.

"So for most people um the problem is other things like copper is low and copper tends to help um regulate and protect um iron in certain places." (said at 0:07:59)

Established physiological and biochemical evidence demonstrates that copper plays an essential role in regulating iron metabolism and distribution in the human body. Copper-dependent multicopper oxidases (including ceruloplasmin, hephaestin, and zyklopen) catalyze the oxidation of ferrous iron (Fe2+) to ferric iron (Fe3+). This ferroxidase activity is required for ferroportin-mediated cellular iron export, safe loading onto transferrin, and proper mobilization from tissue stores (such as the liver and intestinal enterocytes). Copper deficiency impairs ferroxidase activity, leading to defective iron trafficking, tissue iron trapping, and secondary anemia.

  • supports: The molecular basis of copper and iron interactions. (The Proceedings of the Nutrition Society 2004) · cited 128x in the literature
    "The intimate relationship between Fe and Cu in human nutrition has been recognised for many years. The best-characterised link is provided by caeruloplasmin, a multiCu-binding protein that acts as a serum ferrioxidase and is essential for the mobilisation of Fe from storage tissues. Decreased Cu status has been shown to reduce holo-caeruloplasmin production and impair ferrioxidase activity, leading, in a number of cases, to decreased tissue Fe release and the generation of anaemia that is responsive to dietary supplementation with Cu but not Fe." (abstract, passage verified)
    pubmedfull study (doi)
  • supports: Multi-copper oxidases and human iron metabolism. (Nutrients 2013) · cited 204x in the literature
    "To date, three multi-copper oxidases have been detected in humans--ceruloplasmin, hephaestin and zyklopen. Each of these enzymes has a high specificity towards iron with the resulting ferroxidase activity being associated with ferroportin, the only known iron exporter protein in humans. Ferroportin exports iron as Fe(2+), but transferrin, the major iron transporter protein of blood, can bind only Fe(3+) effectively. Iron oxidation in enterocytes is mediated mainly by hephaestin thus allowing dietary iron to enter the bloodstream. Zyklopen is involved in iron efflux from placental trophoblasts during iron transfer from mother to fetus. Release of iron from the liver relies on ferroportin and the ferroxidase activity of ceruloplasmin which is found in blood in a soluble form." (abstract, passage verified)
    pubmedfull study (doi)
  • supports: Intersection of Iron and Copper Metabolism in the Mammalian Intestine and Liver. (Comprehensive Physiology 2018) · cited 165x in the literature
    "Investigations in recent years have revealed that copper may positively influence iron homeostasis, and also that iron may antagonize copper metabolism. For example, when body iron stores are low, copper is apparently redistributed to tissues important for regulating iron balance, including enterocytes of upper small bowel, the liver, and blood. Copper in enterocytes may positively influence iron transport, and hepatic copper may enhance biosynthesis of a circulating ferroxidase, ceruloplasmin, which potentiates iron release from stores." (abstract, passage verified)
    pubmedfull study (doi)
0:07:59Eric Berg (host)supportedhigh

Pathogens feed on and utilize iron in the body.

"Iron is very reactive if it's uh if you can't get rid of it and pathogens eat it." (said at 0:07:59)

Iron is an essential micronutrient for almost all microbial pathogens, playing a vital role in their metabolism, replication, and virulence. Host organisms actively sequester iron via mechanisms termed 'nutritional immunity' (such as binding iron to transferrin, ferritin, and lactoferrin) to limit its availability. In response, bacteria and other pathogens have evolved specialized uptake systems, such as the secretion of high-affinity iron-chelating molecules (siderophores) and heme-acquisition systems, to capture and utilize host iron for growth.

0:09:26Eric Berg (host)supportedmoderate

Diuretics are ineffective for treating lymphedema.

"There's also something called lymphedema which happens in one leg as well. So that's a different protocol. Uh this is what diuretics don't work for lymphedema." (said at 0:09:26)

Clinical guidelines and systematic reviews establish that diuretics are ineffective for treating lymphedema. Unlike edema resulting from systemic volume overload or altered hemodynamics (such as congestive heart failure or renal dysfunction), lymphedema is caused by impaired lymphatic drainage leading to interstitial accumulation of protein-rich fluid and progressive fibroadipose tissue deposition. Diuretics remove intravascular fluid rather than interstitial macromolecular fluid and do not address the underlying lymphatic mechanical failure. Systematic reviews note an absence of evidence supporting diuretic therapy in lymphedema, and clinical management guidelines recommend complete decongestive therapy and compression garments rather than diuretics.

0:21:41Eric Berg (host)supportedhigh

Fat-soluble vitamins and phytonutrients like curcumin require dietary fat for optimal absorption.

"there's fat-soluble supplements, vitamin A, E, D, K1, K2. Uh most of the phytonutrients are fat-soluble uh like curcumin uh for example. So you would want to take those with food because they're fat-soluble. Now do you have to? No. Um will you get the full absorption? Probably not." (said at 0:21:41)

Fat-soluble vitamins (A, D, E, and K) and hydrophobic phytonutrients such as curcumin depend on lipid micellization and mixed bile acid-lipid micelles in the intestinal lumen for efficient uptake across enterocytes. Randomized pharmacokinetic trials show that taking fat-soluble vitamins (such as vitamin D3) with a fat-containing meal significantly increases peak plasma concentrations compared to taking them in a fasted or fat-free state.

0:22:45Eric Berg (host)supportedhigh

Corn on the cob has a glycemic index of 51, while maltodextrin has a glycemic index over 100.

"And you soak that corn or you eat corn on the cob. Uh the glycemic index the the spike of blood sugar is 51. But if you take corn in this form like in maltodextrin, this is over a hundred." (said at 0:22:45)

The host's statement is accurate. Standardized glycemic index (GI) testing databases and systematic reviews establish that sweet corn (corn on the cob) has a low-to-moderate GI typically reported around 48 to 54 (with 51 as a standard published mean value on the 100-point glucose scale). In contrast, processing corn starch into maltodextrin hydrolyzes the starch into rapidly absorbed glucose polymer chains, raising its glycemic index to a high value typically measured between 85 and 110 (frequently exceeding 100).

0:29:45Eric Berg (host)supportedmoderate

After menopause, women's muscles become resistant to building and begin to atrophy.

"Prolonged fasting is a problem for a lot of women, especially if they're postmenopausal, because they're going into it with maybe some atrophy, because what happens after menopause is the muscles become resistant to building and they start losing muscle." (said at 0:29:45)

Published human physiological and body composition studies confirm that the menopausal transition is associated with skeletal muscle loss (atrophy) and attenuated muscle protein synthesis (anabolic resistance) in response to typical anabolic stimuli such as dietary protein and resistance exercise. Longitudinal and cross-sectional studies document significant declines in lean body mass across the menopausal transition (averaging ~5.7% lower muscle/lean mass in postmenopausal vs. premenopausal women), while metabolic tracer studies show blunted cumulative muscle protein synthesis responses to exercise and protein ingestion in postmenopausal women.

0:30:35Eric Berg (host)supportedhigh

In polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS), high insulin causes elevated androgens which leads to thinning hair on the top of the scalp.

"And also, I mean, just think about even females that have polycystic ovarian syndrome: That's high androgen coming from the high insulin, and a lot of times they'll get thinning of the hair on the top part right here." (said at 0:30:35)

The speaker accurately describes the established pathophysiological link between hyperinsulinemia, hyperandrogenism, and female pattern hair loss in polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). In PCOS, compensatory hyperinsulinemia secondary to insulin resistance directly stimulates ovarian theca cells to synthesize excess androgens and suppresses hepatic production of sex hormone-binding globulin (SHBG), elevating circulating free androgen levels. This androgen excess frequently leads to androgenetic alopecia (female pattern hair loss), which classically presents as thinning at the vertex and crown (the top of the scalp).

0:31:58Eric Berg (host)supportedhigh

Diabetes and high blood sugar are the number one cause of kidney damage.

"Think about the number one root cause of kidney damage: It's diabetes; it's high blood sugar." (said at 0:31:58)

Epidemiological data and clinical nephrology guidelines consistently identify diabetes mellitus (and diabetic kidney disease resulting from chronic hyperglycemia) as the leading cause of chronic kidney disease (CKD) and end-stage renal disease worldwide, followed by hypertension.

0:10:05Eric Berg (host)supportedhigh

Lymphedema fluid retention is characterized by high protein concentration accumulating in the interstitial tissue.

"it's not just water that you're retaining. It's protein. There's too much protein in there. And uh the the protein is toxic and it's creating a a kind of a sponge of fluid on one side." (said at 0:10:05)

Lymphedema is classically defined and characterized as the accumulation of protein-rich interstitial fluid resulting from impaired lymphatic transport and drainage. Published clinical literature and reviews consistently describe lymphedema as a high-protein edema in contrast to low-protein edemas (such as those from venous insufficiency or heart failure), because serum proteins extravasated into the tissue space cannot be properly cleared by the obstructed or defective lymphatic system.

0:43:23Eric Berg (host)supportedmoderate

Migraine sufferers have a defect where they produce less ATP and have a brain energy deficit.

"migraine sufferers have something very unique: They have a situation where they don't produce as much ATP in the brain—like the energy production is less on top of an already high-demand situation in the brain of needing the energy." (said at 0:43:23)

The host's statement is supported by clinical neuroimaging and metabolic research. Phosphorus magnetic resonance spectroscopy (31P-MRS) studies and systematic reviews demonstrate that individuals with migraine exhibit altered interictal brain energy metabolism, characterized by significantly reduced levels of adenosine triphosphate ([ATP]) and phosphocreatine ([PCr]) in cerebral tissues (such as the occipital cortex). This impaired ATP production occurs alongside increased baseline cortical excitability and high neuronal energy demand, creating a metabolic mismatch that lowers the threshold for migraine attacks.

0:44:02Eric Berg (host)supportedmoderate

Pyrrolizidine alkaloid-free butterbur herb provides significant relief for migraines.

"It's called butterbur herb. Make sure it's PA-free because that's a toxin that you want to make sure doesn't come with it. But that has been shown to give great relief for migraines." (said at 0:44:02)

Standardized root extract of butterbur (Petasites hybridus) purified to remove hepatotoxic pyrrolizidine alkaloids (PAs) has been evaluated in randomized, placebo-controlled trials and shown to significantly decrease migraine attack frequency (e.g., a 48% reduction at 75 mg twice daily vs. 26% for placebo). An evidence-based guideline update by the American Academy of Neurology and the American Headache Society designated butterbur as effective for migraine prevention with Level A recommendation. Ensuring the extract is PA-free is essential because naturally occurring pyrrolizidine alkaloids are known hepatotoxins.

0:44:30Eric Berg (host)supportedmoderate

Clinical research shows that taking 400 milligrams of vitamin B2 (riboflavin) daily is beneficial for migraine sufferers.

"So you'd want like 400 milligrams of B2 every single day, of course with a low-carb diet. There's research to show that that has been beneficial for migraine sufferers." (said at 0:44:30)

Clinical trials and systematic reviews demonstrate that high-dose vitamin B2 (riboflavin) at 400 mg daily is effective for migraine prophylaxis, significantly reducing migraine frequency, duration, headache days, and pain severity compared to placebo.

0:45:42Eric Berg (host)supportedhigh

Taking zinc supplements over a long period depletes the body of copper.

"Especially with zinc, you need copper, because if you take zinc for a long period of time, you'll start depleting copper." (said at 0:45:42)

Zinc supplementation—particularly at high doses or over prolonged periods—is well established to deplete copper and cause secondary copper deficiency. In the intestinal mucosa, zinc induces the synthesis of metallothionein, an intracellular protein with high binding affinity for copper. This traps copper within enterocytes, preventing its absorption into systemic circulation and causing it to be excreted when mucosal cells are shed. Clinical studies and systematic reviews document that prolonged zinc intake regularly leads to reduced serum copper levels, hypocupremia, anemia, neutropenia, and neurological deficits.

0:50:37Eric Berg (host)supportedhigh

Raw egg whites block the absorption of biotin in the body.

"and raw egg whites. Okay. Block biotin." (said at 0:50:37)

Raw (undenatured) egg whites contain the glycoprotein avidin, which binds tightly to dietary biotin in the gastrointestinal tract, preventing its absorption and bioavailability. In controlled human experimental trials, consuming diets high in undenatured egg white or egg-white beverages consistently induces biotin depletion and marginal biotin deficiency.

0:58:44Eric Berg (host)supportedmoderate

Bedwetting and nighttime urination problems in young children occur because the hormone vasopressin has not fully developed yet.

"usually when kids they wet their bed or they have urination problems, there's a certain um hormone that hasn't really developed yet, uh vasopressin, which is working with the kidney and uh also so they don't have enough of it and so it will increase over time" (said at 0:58:44)

The speaker's statement accurately reflects a primary physiological mechanism of pediatric primary nocturnal enuresis (bedwetting). Under normal development, the pituitary gland establishes a circadian rhythm with increased secretion of arginine vasopressin (AVP, or antidiuretic hormone) during sleep, which signals the kidneys to concentrate urine and reduce nocturnal urine production. In many children with nocturnal enuresis, a maturational delay in this neuroendocrine rhythm leads to insufficient nocturnal vasopressin secretion (nocturnal polyuria). This circadian regulation typically matures as children grow older, and synthetic vasopressin (desmopressin) is a standard first-line treatment. While nocturnal enuresis is multifactorial—also involving arousal thresholds and functional bladder capacity—developmental deficiency in nocturnal vasopressin is a well-established cause.

0:50:06Eric Berg (host)supportedhigh

Phytic acid found in grains inhibits and blocks the absorption of certain dietary minerals.

"phytic acid does, that's in the grains that basically block uh certain minerals and things like that." (said at 0:50:06)

Extensive nutritional and metabolic research confirms that phytic acid (myo-inositol hexakisphosphate), a major phosphorus storage compound found in cereal grains, seeds, and legumes, acts as an antinutrient by chelating divalent mineral cations—primarily iron (Fe2+), zinc (Zn2+), and to a lesser degree calcium (Ca2+) and magnesium (Mg2+). Because humans lack endogenous intestinal phytase enzymes, these phytate-mineral complexes remain largely insoluble and unabsorbed in the gastrointestinal tract, significantly reducing micronutrient bioavailability.

0:56:50Eric Berg (host)supportedhigh

Calcium oxalate stones represent the most common type of kidney stones.

"the most common form of kidney stone, which is the calcium oxalate stone" (said at 0:56:50)

Calcium oxalate is well established in epidemiological studies and literature reviews as the predominant component and most common type of kidney stone globally, accounting for the vast majority of nephrolithiasis cases.

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.