Dr. Eric Berg DC · 2026-07-24 · Eric Berg (host), Steve, Jeff, Kathy Everett
The Dr. Berg Show LIVE - July 24, 2026
50 research-tied claims examined: 3 contradicted 8 overstated 7 context 26 supported 6 unverified
3 Contradicted by research
Excess copper intake, such as from copper plumbing pipes, depletes zinc in the body.
"copper is even more dangerous if in excess. So, if you're drinking from water as copper pipes, it's going to deplete your zinc." (said at 0:31:40)
The speaker reverses the known physiological antagonism between zinc and copper. Excess zinc intake competitively inhibits copper absorption by upregulating metallothionein in intestinal mucosal cells (which binds copper with higher affinity and prevents its systemic entry), leading to clinical copper deficiency and copper deficiency anemia. In contrast, excess copper intake (such as from copper piping) does not deplete zinc or cause zinc deficiency in humans; established dietary inhibitors of zinc absorption include phytate, excess iron, and cadmium, but not copper.
- context: Dietary factors influencing zinc absorption. (The Journal of nutrition 2000) · cited 1034x in the literature
"Phytate, which is present in staple foods like cereals, corn and rice, has a strong negative effect on zinc absorption from composite meals... Iron can have a negative effect on zinc absorption, if given together in a supplement... Cadmium, which is increasing in the environment, also inhibits zinc absorption." (abstract, results)
pubmedfull study (doi) - contradicts: Zinc requirements and the risks and benefits of zinc supplementation. (Journal of trace elements in medicine and biology : organ of the Society for Minerals and Trace Elements (GMS) 2006) · cited 1127x in the literature
"High intakes of zinc relative to copper can cause copper deficiency." (abstract, results, passage verified)
pubmedfull study (doi) - contradicts: Role of zinc in health and disease. (Clinical and experimental medicine 2024) · cited 249x in the literature
"Excessive zinc intake can inhibit the absorption of copper and iron, leading to copper deficiency and anaemia, respectively." (abstract, results, passage verified)
pubmedfull study (doi)
Heavy resistance weight training is the most effective lifestyle factor for naturally increasing testosterone levels.
"Heavy weight training is the single biggest factor. Heavy weight training with good amount of rest and good sleep." (said at 0:52:43)
The claim that heavy weight training is the single biggest or most effective lifestyle factor for increasing testosterone is contradicted by meta-analyses of randomized controlled trials. While heavy resistance exercise can induce transient, short-term acute spikes in circulating testosterone immediately post-exercise, chronic resistance training has a negligible effect on resting basal testosterone concentrations in eugonadal or older men. In contrast, other lifestyle factors—most notably weight reduction in overweight or obese men—produce robust, clinically meaningful increases in resting total and free testosterone concentrations.
- context: Body weight loss reverts obesity-associated hypogonadotropic hypogonadism: a systematic re… (European journal of endocrinology 2013) · cited 416x in the literature
"Overall, both a low-calorie diet and bariatric surgery are associated with a significant (P<0.0001) increase in plasma sex hormone-binding globulin-bound and -unbound testosterone levels (total testosterone (TT))... Multiple regression analysis shows that the degree of body weight loss is the best determinant of TT rise (B=2.50±0.98, P=0.029)." (abstract, results, passage verified)
pubmedfull study (doi) - contradicts: Short-Term Exercise Training Inconsistently Influences Basal Testosterone in Older Men: A … (Frontiers in physiology 2018) · cited 25x in the literature
"The overall SDM for endurance training, resistance training, and interval training was 0.398 (95% CI = 0.034-0.761; P = 0.010), -0.003 (95% CI = -0.330-0.324; P = 0.986), and 0.283 (95% CI = 0.030-0.535; P = 0.028), respectively... Conclusions: Data from the present investigation suggests that resistance training does not significantly influence basal testosterone in older men." (abstract, results and conclusions, passage verified)
pubmedfull study (doi) - contradicts: Effects of Exercise Training on Resting Testosterone Concentrations in Insufficiently Acti… (Journal of strength and conditioning research 2021) · cited 6x in the literature
"Overall, exercise training had a negligible effect on resting total testosterone concentration (mean SMD [95% CI]: 0.00 [-0.20 to 0.20]). Subgroup analyses indicated that the effect of exercise training was not significantly affected by training mode, age, body mass status, or testosterone measure. Exercise training does not seem to affect resting total or free testosterone concentration in insufficiently active, eugonadal men." (abstract, results and conclusions, passage verified)
pubmedfull study (doi)
Saliva normally has a higher concentration of calcium than blood serum.
"Okay, so in your saliva, you have a lot more calcium normally than in your blood. So there's already—it's already preloaded." (said at 1:00:16)
The claim that saliva normally has a higher calcium concentration than blood is incorrect. In healthy human physiology, total serum calcium is tightly regulated within a reference range of approximately 2.15–2.55 mmol/L (8.5–10.2 mg/dL), with ionized calcium around 1.1–1.3 mmol/L. In contrast, normal whole saliva calcium concentrations are substantially lower, typically ranging between 1.0 and 1.5 mmol/L (approximately 4–6 mg/dL). While resting saliva is supersaturated with respect to calcium phosphate salts (hydroxyapatite) due to its alkaline buffering and phosphate content—preventing enamel dissolution—its actual calcium concentration is lower than that of blood serum.
- contradicts: Serum and stimulated whole saliva parathyroid hormone in menopausal women with oral dry fe… (Oral surgery, oral medicine, oral pathology, oral radiology, and endodontics 2009) · cited 40x in the literature
"The aim of this study was to evaluate the correlation of severity of oral dryness (OD) with serum and saliva parathyroid hormone (PTH) and calcium levels, and to compare serum and stimulated whole saliva PTH and calcium between menopausal women with/without OD." (abstract, results, passage verified)
pubmedfull study (doi) - contradicts: Saliva-based monitoring of chronic kidney disease: comparative evaluation of three collect… (Scientific reports 2026)
"In this cross-sectional study, paired saliva and serum samples were collected from 47 healthy adults and 47 CKD patients. Saliva was obtained via passive drool, Salivette ® , and cotton roll. Creatinine, urea, calcium, and PTH were measured using standardized assays." (abstract, results, passage verified)
pubmedfull 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.