HoldsUp

Dr. Eric Berg DC · 2026-08-21 · Eric Berg (host), Steve (host), Gina, Eric, Dwayne, Jacone Harrison

The Dr. Berg Show LIVE - August 21, 2026

40 research-tied claims examined: 3 contradicted 11 overstated 8 context 14 supported 4 unverified

3

Contradicted by research

0:22:44Eric Berg (host)contradictedhigh

Consuming excessive refined carbohydrates is the single biggest factor causing elevated LDL cholesterol.

"That's because the single biggest factor in LDL is consuming excessive refined carbohydrates. So you must lower that because the excess of that turns into triglycerides and then that converts into a couple other things that ends up high LDL, the bad kind." (said at 0:22:44)

Extensive randomized controlled trials and meta-analyses demonstrate that dietary saturated fats and trans fats—along with genetic factors—are the primary dietary and biological determinants of elevated low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol, not carbohydrates. While high intake of refined carbohydrates raises serum triglycerides and lowers HDL cholesterol, replacing saturated fats with carbohydrates typically lowers or produces no increase in LDL cholesterol. Furthermore, meta-analyses of low-carbohydrate, high-fat diets show that carbohydrate restriction often increases LDL cholesterol levels rather than lowering them.

0:47:52Eric Berg (host)contradictedmoderate

The kidney nephron uses ketones as its primary fuel rather than glucose.

"out of all of the parts of the kidney, the nephron actually uses ketones as its primary fuel. It doesn't like glucose. Yet, people are feeding it glucose all day long and that's what destroys the kidney." (said at 0:47:52)

The claim that the nephron uses ketones as its primary fuel is contradicted by renal metabolic physiology. Under normal physiological conditions, the kidney nephron (particularly the proximal tubule, which accounts for the vast majority of renal ATP consumption) relies primarily on the beta-oxidation of fatty acids, along with lactate and glutamine, rather than ketone bodies. While the kidney can take up and metabolize ketone bodies (such as beta-hydroxybutyrate) as an alternative energy substrate during periods of fasting, starvation, or ketosis, ketones are not the baseline primary fuel. Furthermore, different nephron segments exhibit distinct metabolic profiles: proximal tubules have low glycolytic capacity and perform gluconeogenesis, whereas more distal tubular segments and the renal medulla actively utilize glucose via glycolysis.

1:05:20Eric Berg (host)contradictedhigh

Ulcerative colitis is completely food-related.

"That's no fun. It's completely food related." (said at 1:05:20)

Ulcerative colitis is not solely or completely caused by food. Established scientific and medical consensus demonstrates that ulcerative colitis is a complex, multifactorial, immune-mediated chronic inflammatory disease. Its pathogenesis involves an interplay of genetic predisposition (hundreds of identified susceptibility loci), epithelial barrier dysfunction, dysregulated immune responses, gut microbial dysbiosis, and diverse environmental factors (such as smoking history, medications, appendectomy status, psychological stress, and diet). While dietary factors can influence the gut microbiome, intestinal inflammation, and symptom flares, claiming that the disease is 'completely food related' contradicts biomedical consensus.

11

Overstated

0:06:04Eric Berg (host)overstatedvery low

N-acetylcarnosine drops work to treat cataracts in dogs.

"Like you probably are only going to find it on Amazon for dogs because it works in dogs. But if you go off Amazon, you'll be able to find it. But N-acetylcarnosine is a good drops." (said at 0:06:04)

Preliminary and developer-led reports suggest topical N-acetylcarnosine (NAC) drops may reduce lens opacities and slow cataract development in dogs and humans by acting as an antioxidant prodrug of L-carnosine. However, independent systematic assessments, including a Cochrane review, conclude there is no convincing evidence that NAC drops effectively reverse cataracts or prevent cataract progression. High-quality, double-blind randomized trials confirming therapeutic efficacy in canines or humans are lacking.

0:08:18Eric Berg (host)overstatedvery low

Consuming silica water over several months helps chelate and remove aluminum from the body in autism.

"I would also order, probably a subscription service, you could order silica water. That tends to be very good for autism, especially if there's aluminum involved, which there's some data that shows that it is. So silica water over a period of months can help chelate or bind and pull that out." (said at 0:08:18)

Small, preliminary open-label studies have suggested that drinking silicon-rich mineral water for up to 12 weeks can increase urinary aluminum excretion in healthy adults and in small cohorts of patients with Alzheimer's disease or secondary progressive multiple sclerosis. However, no clinical trials or published studies have evaluated the use of silica-rich water to remove aluminum or improve clinical symptoms in individuals with autism spectrum disorder. Applying preliminary findings from unrelated neurological conditions to autism overstates the available evidence.

0:09:08Eric Berg (host)overstatedlow

Non-Hodgkin's lymphoma is correlated with exposure to glyphosate.

"Non-Hodgkin's lymphoma is definitely correlated with more glyphosate." (said at 0:09:08)

Epidemiological evidence on the link between glyphosate exposure and non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL) is mixed and debated, making the assertion that they are "definitely correlated" an overstatement. A 2019 meta-analysis (Zhang et al.) reported a 41% increased risk of NHL among individuals with the highest cumulative exposure to glyphosate-based herbicides (meta-RR = 1.41, 95% CI: 1.13–1.75). However, other meta-analyses and large pooled cohort studies (such as the AGRICOH consortium) found no statistically significant overall association with general or ever-exposure to glyphosate (e.g., meta-RR = 1.05, 95% CI: 0.90–1.24 in Boffetta et al., 2021), though some subtype analyses noted elevated risks specifically for diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL). Because findings vary by exposure definition, subtype, and study methodology, a definitive correlation across all NHL is not universally established.

0:16:20Eric Berg (host)overstatedhigh

Eighty percent of the population has Helicobacter pylori without it causing problems.

"I told him H. pylori, 80% of the population has it, but it's not creating problems." (said at 0:16:20)

The claim that 80% of the population has Helicobacter pylori is an overstatement of global and regional infection rates. Large-scale systematic reviews and meta-analyses show that global prevalence of H. pylori has declined from approximately 52.6% before 1990 to about 43.9% to 50% in recent decades, with wide geographic variation (ranging from under 25% in high-income regions to over 70% in parts of Africa). While it is true that the vast majority of infected individuals remain clinically asymptomatic without apparent symptoms, the overall population prevalence is far below 80%.

0:27:23Eric Berg (host)overstatedlow

Nasal breathing increases oxygen delivery deeper into cells because of carbon dioxide restriction.

"even though the nose might feel like you're getting less air that CO2 that you're getting that restriction allows more oxygen to really get deeper into the cells. So nose breathing gives you more oxygen even though it feels like you're getting less" (said at 0:27:23)

The speaker's claim merges the known physiological mechanism of the Bohr effect (where higher carbon dioxide tensions reduce hemoglobin's affinity for oxygen, facilitating its release into peripheral tissues) with the observation that nasal breathing increases airway resistance and end-tidal CO2 (PETCO2). While nasal breathing increases respiratory resistance, lowers respiratory rate, and increases PETCO2 compared to mouth breathing, direct clinical evidence that this elevates cellular or tissue oxygen delivery is lacking. Studies evaluating tissue oxygenation (such as near-infrared spectroscopy of working muscle) find no significant difference in tissue oxygen desaturation between nasal and oral breathing, and comprehensive reviews note that physiological mechanisms directly linking the breathing route to cellular oxygenation dynamics remain largely hypothetical and lack robust experimental confirmation.

0:24:02Eric Berg (host)overstatedhigh

Regular flushing niacin provides massive benefits for increasing HDL cholesterol levels.

"I think you can get very regular niacin pills that create the flush and get the benefits, and there's some massive benefits for increasing your HDL and all sorts of things." (said at 0:24:02)

Flushing niacin (nicotinic acid) significantly raises high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) levels by approximately 15% to 30%. However, claiming "massive benefits" from this HDL elevation is overstated regarding clinical health outcomes. Extensive randomized controlled trials and systematic reviews demonstrate that raising HDL-C levels with niacin fails to reduce cardiovascular events, fatal or non-fatal myocardial infarctions, strokes, or overall mortality, while significantly increasing adverse side effects.

0:26:09Eric Berg (host)overstatedmoderate

Targeted exercises for the back of the throat and tongue muscles can dramatically open airways to resolve sleep apnea.

"exercises to the back of your throat, um, the muscles around the tongue can dramatically open up your airways to the point where you cannot have sleep apnea anymore." (said at 0:26:09)

Targeted tongue and throat muscle exercises (orofacial myofunctional therapy) significantly improve upper airway muscle tone and reduce obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) severity. Systematic reviews and meta-analyses of clinical trials show that myofunctional therapy leads to mean reductions in the Apnea-Hypopnea Index (AHI) of approximately 9 to 13 events per hour, alongside improvements in daytime sleepiness and minimum oxygen saturation. However, claiming that these exercises open airways to the extent that patients 'cannot have sleep apnea anymore' overstates the magnitude of the effect. Clinical evidence shows that while therapy decreases OSA severity (for instance, reducing average AHI from 28.0 to 18.6 events per hour), most patients experience partial disease attenuation rather than complete cure or resolution of sleep apnea.

0:54:01Eric Berg (host)overstatedmoderate

Potassium helps maintain arterial flexibility and functions in the sodium-potassium pump in nerves and muscles.

"potassium is fascinating. It actually helps keep your arteries flexible. Okay. It it's involved in a sodium potassium pump in your nerves and your muscles." (said at 0:54:01)

The claim bundles two assertions. First, the statement that potassium is involved in the sodium-potassium pump (Na+/K+-ATPase) in nerves and muscles is fundamental physiology; the pump actively transports potassium into cells and sodium out to maintain membrane potential and cellular excitability. Second, while basic science suggests potassium regulates vascular tone and may mitigate vascular calcification, clinical evidence that potassium supplementation improves direct measures of arterial flexibility (such as arterial stiffness or pulse wave velocity) is weak and inconsistent. A meta-analysis of seven randomized controlled trials (PMID: 27865190) found that potassium supplementation improved central pulse pressure but did not significantly improve pulse wave velocity or augmentation index.

0:59:40Eric Berg (host)overstatedmoderate

Activated charcoal is an effective intervention for acute accidental poisoning by neutralizing and adsorbing ingested poisons.

"activated charcoal is a great thing to have around the house, especially if there's any accidental poisoning because it's it helps neutralize poisons." (said at 0:59:40)

Activated charcoal is an established gastrointestinal decontamination method in emergency clinical toxicology that binds to and reduces systemic absorption of many ingested drugs and toxins. However, the claim is overstated and mechanistically inaccurate in several key ways. First, activated charcoal acts via physical surface adsorption rather than chemical neutralization. Second, it is not effective for all ingestions, failing to bind heavy metals, lithium, toxic alcohols/ethanol, strong acids, alkalis, and hydrocarbons. Finally, toxicology guidelines do not endorse routine, unguided administration in the home for accidental poisonings due to risks of pulmonary aspiration, compromised airways, vomiting, and potential delays in seeking emergency medical evaluation.

1:03:20Eric Berg (host)overstatedhigh

Dry eyes are caused by a vitamin A deficiency.

"That's a vitamin A deficiency" (said at 1:03:20)

The claim that dry eyes are caused by a vitamin A deficiency is overstated. While severe vitamin A deficiency (VAD) is a well-established cause of ocular surface dryness and damage (xerophthalmia, including conjunctival and corneal xerosis), it is only one specific and relatively rare cause in developed countries. Major consensus guidelines, such as the TFOS DEWS II definition report, establish that dry eye disease (DED) is a common, multifactorial ocular surface disease primarily driven by tear film instability, tear hyperosmolarity, ocular surface inflammation, meibomian gland dysfunction, and aqueous tear deficiency from aging, autoimmune conditions (such as Sjögren syndrome), digital screen use, and hormonal changes, rather than nutritional vitamin A deficiency alone.

1:03:23Eric Berg (host)overstatedmoderate

Vitamin A only works if you have enough zinc.

"but vitamin A only works if you have enough zinc." (said at 1:03:23)

Zinc and vitamin A have well-documented physiological interactions, but the claim that vitamin A "only works" in the presence of adequate zinc is an absolute overstatement. Zinc is an essential cofactor for certain enzymes involved in vitamin A metabolism (such as retinol dehydrogenase/retinene reductase in the visual cycle) and plays a role in the hepatic synthesis of retinol-binding protein (RBP), which mobilizes stored vitamin A into circulation. However, evidence shows that impairment of vitamin A metabolism typically occurs primarily during severe zinc deficiency rather than rendering vitamin A entirely nonfunctional under general physiological conditions.

  • partial: The vitamin A-zinc connection: a review. (Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences 1980) · cited 106x in the literature
    "It is speculated that only severe zinc deficiency results in a deficit of a sufficient magnitude for impairment of vitamin A metabolism at the cellular level. For example, retinene reductase, an apparent zinc-metallo alcohol dehydrogenase of the retina, appears to be sensitive to a severe zinc deficiency in animal studies. In humans, impaired dark adaptation may be a result of inadequate supplies of the metabolizable zinc necessary to maintain the activity of the enzyme system." (abstract, passage verified)
    pubmedfull study (doi)
8

Needs context

0:11:27Eric Berg (host)needs contextmoderate

The diagnostic standards for normal bone density were changed, categorizing millions of people as having osteopenia or osteoporosis.

"But also realize not too long ago they changed the normals for osteoporosis and instantly put millions of people in the state of having osteopenia or osteoporosis just by changing what normal is." (said at 0:11:27)

The statement refers to the 1994 World Health Organization (WHO) establishment of densitometric diagnostic criteria for osteoporosis and osteopenia. The WHO defined 'normal' bone mineral density (BMD) using young adult peak bone mass as the reference point (T-score >= -1.0), with osteopenia defined as a T-score between -1.0 and -2.5, and osteoporosis defined as a T-score of -2.5 or lower. Because BMD naturally declines with age, comparing postmenopausal individuals against healthy young adults classified millions of older adults as having low bone mass or osteoporosis. However, this established the standardized international definitions rather than altering an existing standard to arbitrarily reclassify individuals.

0:13:12Eric Berg (host)needs contextlow

TUDCA is an antibacterial bile salt.

"The other thing I would take is I would take TUDCA on an empty stomach twice a day. That bile salt is antibacterial." (said at 0:13:12)

Bile acids and bile salts as a chemical class possess antimicrobial and antibacterial properties that help regulate the gut microbiome, with direct in vitro activity demonstrated for compounds such as ursodeoxycholic acid (UDCA), deoxycholic acid (DCA), and chenodeoxycholic acid (CDCA). However, tauroursodeoxycholic acid (TUDCA) is the hydrophilic taurine-conjugated form of UDCA; conjugated and hydrophilic bile acids generally exhibit weaker direct antibacterial action than unconjugated, more hydrophobic bile acids. While bile acids broadly influence microbial composition and possess antibacterial properties in preclinical models, there is no evidence establishing oral TUDCA supplementation as a clinically effective antibacterial agent in humans.

0:20:34Eric Berg (host)needs contextmoderate

TUDCA is mostly water-soluble rather than fat-soluble, preventing it from aiding fat digestion.

"TUDCA is very, very different than regular bile salts. It's mostly water soluble. It's not fat soluble, which means it's not something that's going to help you digest fats at all." (said at 0:20:34)

The claim is partially accurate regarding the physical chemical properties of tauroursodeoxycholic acid (TUDCA), but inaccurate regarding its functional ability to aid in fat digestion. TUDCA (and its parent bile acid ursodeoxycholic acid, UDCA) is indeed a highly hydrophilic (water-soluble) bile acid compared to typical endogenous bile salts such as taurocholate or taurochenodeoxycholate. Because of its hydrophilic nature, TUDCA forms larger, less efficient mixed micelles for solubilizing hydrophobic lipids such as cholesterol, leading to lower rates of intestinal uptake compared to more hydrophobic bile salts (PMID: 7093350). However, stating that TUDCA "is not going to help you digest fats at all" is incorrect. Clinical research shows that supplementation with ursodeoxycholic acid species improves lipid digestion and absorption in patients with lipid malabsorption (such as cystic fibrosis patients with mild liver involvement) (PMID: 26882172), though high-dose UDCA supplementation in healthy individuals can modestly alter or decrease the efficiency of triglyceride absorption relative to standard hydrophobic bile salt pools (PMID: 6719039). Therefore, while TUDCA is predominantly hydrophilic and less efficient than hydrophobic bile salts at micelle formation, it still participates in fat solubilization and digestion.

0:30:49Eric Berg (host)needs contexthigh

Blood pH is slightly alkaline, the stomach is highly acidic, the large intestine is acidic, and the small intestine is alkaline.

"You have the blood is slightly alkaline, very slightly. You have the stomach, super acid, large intestine, acid, small intestine, alkaline." (said at 0:30:49)

The host's broad characterization of physiological pH across body compartments is generally accurate in describing relative pH differences, but oversimplifies the internal gradients of the intestinal tract. Normal blood pH is tightly regulated and slightly alkaline (7.35–7.45). The stomach is highly acidic (fasting luminal pH approximately 1.0–2.5). In the small intestine, intraluminal pH is slightly acidic to neutral in the duodenum and proximal jejunum (pH ~6.0–6.6) and gradually increases to slightly alkaline in the terminal ileum (~7.4–7.5). Upon entry into the large intestine (cecum and proximal colon), pH drops back to acidic levels (~5.7–6.4) due to bacterial fermentation of carbohydrates into short-chain fatty acids, before rising toward near-neutral (6.7–7.0) in the distal colon and rectum. Thus, while the large intestine's proximal segment is acidic compared to the terminal ileum and the terminal small intestine is alkaline, both the small and large intestines span a continuum from acidic/neutral to neutral/alkaline.

0:32:21Eric Berg (host)needs contextmoderate

Ox bile is alkaline and can neutralize stomach acid.

"Yes, it is true that um ox bile is alkaline. So that can neutralize the stomach acid." (said at 0:32:21)

Fresh mammalian bile (including bovine/ox bile) and biliary secretions are slightly alkaline to neutral (typically pH 7.4–8.5 due to bicarbonate content), and along with pancreatic and duodenal secretions, biliary bicarbonate contributes to buffering acidic chyme entering the duodenum. However, ox bile supplements primarily consist of dried bile salts/acids, which have minimal acid-buffering capacity compared to standard antacids. Furthermore, in the digestive tract, duodenal neutralization is primarily driven by pancreatic and duodenal mucosal bicarbonate rather than bile alone, and the ingestion of bile salts into an acidic stomach can cause mucosal irritation rather than acting as a therapeutic acid neutralizer.

0:32:21Eric Berg (host)needs contextmoderate

Having sufficient stomach acid stimulates the liver to produce more bile.

"if you have enough stomach acid that will actually tell your liver to make more bile." (said at 0:32:21)

When acidic chyme from the stomach enters the duodenum, duodenal acidification triggers the release of the hormone secretin into the bloodstream. Secretin acts on the liver's biliary ductular epithelial cells (cholangiocytes) to stimulate the secretion of bicarbonate and water, significantly increasing total hepatic bile flow (ductular choleresis) to help neutralize acid in the small intestine. However, stomach acid and secretin stimulate the secretion of water and bicarbonate into the bile ducts (increasing bile volume and output), rather than stimulating hepatocytes to synthesize more bile acids (which is regulated primarily by bile acid return via the enterohepatic circulation and FXR signaling).

0:42:35Eric Berg (host)needs contextmoderate

Arugula is the food with the highest concentration of dietary nitrate/nitric oxide precursors, followed by cacao and beetroot juice powder.

"The food that has the most nitric oxide would be arugula. Uh and then you can also do cacao and then um um beet beetroot uh juice powder also has it." (said at 0:42:35)

Arugula (rocket) and leafy green vegetables contain the highest concentrations of inorganic nitrate, followed by root vegetables like beetroot, which act as dietary precursors for endogenous nitric oxide synthesis via the enterosalivary nitrate-nitrite-nitric oxide pathway. Foods do not contain meaningful amounts of nitric oxide gas directly. Furthermore, cacao does not contain high concentrations of inorganic nitrate precursors; its modulation of nitric oxide bioavailability occurs through cocoa flavanol activation of endothelial nitric oxide synthase rather than providing direct nitrate content.

0:55:34Eric Berg (host)needs contextmoderate

Entering ketosis causes a temporary spike in uric acid, which is an antioxidant with greater antioxidant capacity in human blood than vitamin C.

"There is going to be a temporary spike in uric acid. Uric acid is not all bad. It's a very powerful antioxidant, even more powerful than vitamin C in your blood." (said at 0:55:34)

Entering ketosis often causes a transient increase in circulating serum uric acid due to competitive inhibition between ketone bodies (such as acetoacetate and beta-hydroxybutyrate) and uric acid for renal tubular secretion transporters (such as OAT4 and URAT1); randomized trials and meta-analyses show that this elevation is typically temporary and does not persist as a long-term increase. Furthermore, uric acid functions as a major endogenous antioxidant in human plasma, contributing significantly to total aqueous antioxidant capacity due to its relatively high physiological concentrations. However, calling it 'more powerful than vitamin C' requires biochemical qualification: in vitro and plasma studies demonstrate that ascorbic acid (vitamin C) is the primary and most effective aqueous-phase antioxidant per molecule protecting plasma lipids against peroxidative damage, reacting before urate is consumed.

14

Supported by research

0:11:20Eric Berg (host)supportedmoderate

Standing on vibration plates is beneficial for countering osteoporosis.

"There's also data that shows that standing on the vibration plates are very beneficial to counter osteoporosis." (said at 0:11:20)

Multiple systematic reviews and meta-analyses of randomized controlled trials demonstrate that whole-body vibration (WBV) therapy using vibration platforms has beneficial effects on bone mineral density (BMD), particularly at the lumbar spine and femoral neck, in postmenopausal women with osteopenia or osteoporosis. While the magnitude of improvement in BMD is generally modest and dependent on specific frequency, amplitude, and cumulative exposure parameters, published clinical trial data supports the claim that vibration plate training provides therapeutic benefit for countering osteoporosis.

0:20:51Eric Berg (host)supportedmoderate

TUDCA crosses the blood-brain barrier.

"It can actually go systemically through the entire body, across the blood-brain barrier, go into your eyes." (said at 0:20:51)

Tauroursodeoxycholic acid (TUDCA) is a hydrophilic bile acid conjugate that is widely documented to be orally bioavailable and capable of crossing the blood-brain barrier (BBB) via passive diffusion and bile acid transporters, reaching the central nervous system to exert neuroprotective and anti-apoptotic effects in various neurological models.

0:30:17Eric Berg (host)supportedhigh

B vitamin deficiency can cause cracked lips.

"Even B vitamin deficiency can create cracked lips." (said at 0:30:17)

Deficiencies in several B-complex vitamins—particularly riboflavin (vitamin B2), as well as pyridoxine (vitamin B6), folate (vitamin B9), and cobalamin (vitamin B12)—are well-established causes of cheilosis and angular stomatitis/cheilitis (fissuring, inflammation, and cracking of the lips and mouth corners).

0:30:49Eric Berg (host)supportedhigh

Scientific data does not support the idea that dietary acid or alkaline intake can dramatically alter systemic blood pH due to buffering mechanisms.

"there's no real data that shows that you can dramatically alter your pH by just I'm just now going to start eating more acids because the body is constantly buffering and things like that." (said at 0:30:49)

The host's statement that scientific data does not support dramatic alterations in systemic blood pH via dietary acid or alkaline intake due to homeostatic buffering mechanisms is supported by clinical research. Systemic acid-base homeostasis is tightly regulated by physiological buffering systems, renal excretion, and respiratory compensation. Clinical trials investigating protein-rich or acid-base dietary interventions show that while acidifying or alkalizing diets or supplements may induce minor fluctuations in urinary pH, blood bicarbonate concentrations, or tissue-level markers, they fail to induce substantial or dramatic shifts in systemic blood pH (Fenton et al., 2011, PMID 21529374; Ströhle et al., 2020, PMID 32873957). Randomized trials confirm that standard dietary acid loads do not significantly alter baseline acid-base homeostasis or systemic blood pH in healthy adults.

0:40:35Eric Berg (host)supportedmoderate

Butterbur herb is supported by solid research as an effective remedy for migraine headaches.

"There's also, just as a side note, a wonderful herb that I stumbled on that has hardcore research on migraines. It's called butterbur um herb. Check it out if you have migraines. It might be something that can help." (said at 0:40:35)

Multiple randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trials and systematic reviews demonstrate that standardized butterbur root extract (Petasites hybridus, specifically 75 mg twice daily / 150 mg daily) is effective in reducing the frequency of migraine attacks compared to placebo. Clinical guidelines, such as the Canadian Headache Society migraine prophylaxis guideline, have formally recommended butterbur for migraine prevention based on randomized trial evidence.

0:42:00Eric Berg (host)supportedhigh

Nitric oxide facilitates arterial vasodilation, decreases with aging, and is significantly depleted by high glucose levels in the bloodstream.

"What allows the arteries to be very very u vasodilated and relaxed is uh nitric oxide. Nitric oxide as we age it does go down but the biggest killer of that is too much glucose flowing through that those blood vessels. It'll just wipe out the nitric oxide." (said at 0:42:00)

Nitric oxide (NO) is the primary endothelium-derived relaxing factor responsible for vascular smooth muscle relaxation and arterial vasodilation. Established clinical and mechanistic literature demonstrates that NO bioavailability declines progressively with aging and is markedly impaired by hyperglycemia. High blood glucose levels promote reactive oxygen species (ROS) production, endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) uncoupling, and advanced glycation end-products, all of which directly quench NO and diminish endothelial vasodilation.

  • supports: Vascular endothelial dysfunction and pharmacological treatment. (World journal of cardiology 2015) · cited 238x in the literature
    "Different risk factors such as hypercholesterolemia, homocystinemia, hyperglycemia, hypertension, smoking, inflammation, and aging contribute to the development of endothelial dysfunction... Among these mechanisms, a reduction in nitric oxide (NO) bioavailability plays a central role in the development of endothelial dysfunction because NO exerts diverse physiological actions, including vasodilation, anti-inflammation, antiplatelet, antiproliferation and antimigration." (abstract, results)
    pubmedfull study (doi)
  • supports: Cardiovascular risk factors and molecular routes underlying endothelial dysfunction: Novel… (Biochemical pharmacology 2022) · cited 83x in the literature
    "Endothelial dysfunction is a systemic disorder in which traditional cardiovascular risk factors, such as aging, gender, hypertension, smoking, hyperglycemia, and dyslipidemia... act synergistically to tip the endothelial balance in favor of vasoconstrictive, pro-inflammatory, and pro-thrombotic phenotypes... The hallmark of endothelial dysfunction is a marked reduction of nitric oxide (NO) bioavailability owing to epigenetic-sensitive dysregulation of the endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) gene and upregulation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) in endothelial cells (ECs)." (abstract, results)
    pubmedfull study (doi)
0:42:35Eric Berg (host)supportedhigh

Oral bacteria produce nitric oxide precursors, and mouthwash kills the oral microbes responsible for nitric oxide production.

"your microbes do make it. And this is why like mouthwash really kills off the microbes that help you make nitric oxide" (said at 0:42:35)

The host's statement that oral bacteria help generate nitric oxide (via the enterosalivary nitrate-nitrite-nitric oxide pathway) and that antibacterial mouthwashes disrupt these microbes is supported by extensive human clinical literature. Human salivary bacteria (such as *Veillonella*, *Actinomyces*, and *Rothia*) express nitrate reductases that reduce dietary nitrate to nitrite, which is subsequently converted into nitric oxide systemically. Randomized controlled trials demonstrate that broad-spectrum antibacterial mouthwashes (such as chlorhexidine) significantly reduce nitrate-reducing oral bacteria, lower salivary and plasma nitrite levels, and blunts nitric oxide generation.

0:49:23Eric Berg (host)supportedhigh

Statin medications block and deplete coenzyme Q10 in the body.

"They're pretty smart because it is co-enzyme Q10. It blocks co-enzyme Q10. So, um, this is why if someone is on a statin, they better be taking co-enzyme Q10." (said at 0:49:23)

Statin medications inhibit HMG-CoA reductase, the rate-limiting enzyme in the mevalonate pathway. Because mevalonate is a common precursor for both cholesterol and ubiquinone (coenzyme Q10) synthesis, statin treatment blocks endogenous CoQ10 biosynthesis and significantly lowers circulating and cellular CoQ10 concentrations in humans and animal models.

0:50:54Eric Berg (host)supportedhigh

In the human circadian rhythm, cortisol levels are naturally at their lowest around 2:00 AM and peak at 8:00 AM.

"You want it at the very lowest at 2:00 in the middle of the night, 2:00 a.m. Okay. And it should be the highest at 8:00 a.m." (said at 0:50:54)

The speaker's description of human circadian cortisol timing is supported by established endocrinology research. In healthy individuals on a typical diurnal sleep-wake schedule, cortisol secretion follows a robust 24-hour circadian rhythm governed by the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis. Systemic cortisol levels reach their lowest point (nadir) around the middle of the night (typically midnight to 2:00 AM) and peak in the early morning shortly after awakening (around 7:00 to 9:00 AM).

0:46:47Eric Berg (host)supportedhigh

The final stage of converting vitamin D into its active form requires functioning kidneys.

"that last stage of conversion of vitamin D to the active form requires a good kidney" (said at 0:46:47)

The synthesis of biologically active vitamin D is a multi-step process. Vitamin D precursors undergo initial 25-hydroxylation in the liver to form 25-hydroxyvitamin D (calcifediol). The final activation step to form 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D (calcitriol) occurs primarily in the proximal tubules of the kidneys via the 1-alpha-hydroxylase enzyme (encoded by CYP27B1). Consequently, functional renal tissue is required to maintain adequate physiological conversion and circulating levels of active vitamin D.

0:54:01Eric Berg (host)supportedmoderate

Increasing dietary potassium intake has been shown to reduce the risk of stroke.

"taking more potassium has been shown to reduce reduce excuse me the risk of a stroke and a 100% of respondents say that's true. HOST: That's some confidence right there. Yes, potassium is fascinating." (said at 0:54:01)

Multiple systematic reviews and meta-analyses of prospective cohort studies demonstrate that higher dietary potassium intake is significantly associated with a reduced risk of stroke. A meta-analysis published in the BMJ found that higher potassium intake was associated with a 24% reduction in incident stroke risk (RR 0.76, 95% CI 0.66–0.89), alongside randomized trial evidence showing that increased potassium lowers blood pressure in adults with hypertension. Another dose-response meta-analysis in the Journal of the American Heart Association confirmed a 13% lower stroke risk comparing highest to lowest potassium intake categories (RR 0.87, 95% CI 0.80–0.94), with maximum risk reduction observed at around 3,500 mg (90 mmol) of daily potassium intake.

0:59:10Eric Berg (host)supportedhigh

UVB phototherapy has been demonstrated to effectively treat and clear psoriasis.

"there's also another uh valid therapy using UVB uh lights and that's been shown to dramatically get rid of psoriasis." (said at 0:59:10)

Ultraviolet B (UVB) phototherapy, particularly narrowband UVB (NB-UVB), is an established first-line phototherapeutic treatment that effectively treats and clears chronic plaque and guttate psoriasis. Systematic reviews of randomized controlled trials demonstrate high response rates, with approximately 70% of patients achieving at least a 75% reduction in Psoriasis Area and Severity Index (PASI 75) score and substantial disease clearance in both outpatient clinic and home settings.

1:00:43Eric Berg (host)supportedhigh

Modern cultivated fruits such as Honeycrisp apples, pineapples, pears, and peaches have been hybridized and bred to have significantly higher sugar and fructose content than ancestral or indigenous varieties.

"they've been hybridized to be super high in sugar. Uh especially like pineapple and um uh even some of these uh honeycrisp apples like versus you know apples used to be more like indigenous kind of sour and not that sweet. Even like indigenous uh pears are like not that sweet and even peaches are certain are not that sweet but they've been bred for more sugar which gives you more fructose." (said at 1:00:43)

Human domestication and selective breeding of fruit crops (such as apples, pears, and peaches) have systematically increased fruit sweetness and sugar content (specifically simple sugars like fructose and sucrose) compared to wild or ancestral ancestors. Population genomics studies confirm that artificial selection during domestication and modern improvement directly targeted fruit taste and sugar accumulation pathways—for instance, selecting for increased fructose content in modern peach cultivars via transport genes such as PpERDL16 and sweet/acid balance loci across wild vs. cultivated fruit species.

1:02:20Eric Berg (host)supportedhigh

Tinnitus or ringing in the ears frequently results from prior exposure to loud sounds or explosions that caused ear damage.

"A lot of times um ringing in the ear has occurred um from old loud sounds or explosions that could have damaged the ear that now it's showing up." (said at 1:02:20)

The speaker's claim that tinnitus frequently develops from past exposure to loud noises or explosions causing ear damage is supported by clinical and epidemiological research. Large cohort studies and systematic reviews demonstrate that acoustic trauma, occupational or combat noise exposure, and blast injuries are major risk factors for tinnitus. For example, analysis of over 750,000 military veterans in the Million Veteran Program showed that daily combat noise exposure and traumatic injuries significantly increased the risk of tinnitus compared to age alone, with tinnitus frequently presenting as a long-term consequence of prior acoustic injury.

4

No source found (not proven false)

0:19:44Eric Berg (host)unverifiedvery low

There are only four doctors in the United States who have been trained by Dr. Coimbra in his high-dose vitamin D protocol.

"There's only four doctors in the United States that have been trained by Dr. Coimbra." (said at 0:19:44)

No published record matching the claim that only four doctors in the United States have been trained by Dr. Cicero Coimbra in his high-dose vitamin D protocol was located; this does not prove the claim false.

0:26:09Eric Berg (host)unverifiedvery low

Sleep apnea increases the risk of heart attack and stroke.

"There's some interesting hardcore data that shows that it does increase risk of heart attack and stroke, sleep apnea." (said at 0:26:09)

No published record matching the claim that sleep apnea increases the risk of heart attack and stroke was located; this does not prove the claim false.

0:21:05Eric Berg (host)unverifiedvery low

TUDCA helps thin bile to prevent the formation of stones in the bile ducts.

"It actually does help you thin the bile to prevent stones in your bile ducts." (said at 0:21:05)

No published record matching the claim that tauroursodeoxycholic acid (TUDCA) helps thin bile to prevent the formation of stones in the bile ducts was located; this does not prove the claim false.

0:49:23Eric Berg (host)unverifiedlow

The American Heart Association and the American College of Cardiology do not recommend coenzyme Q10 supplementation for people taking statins.

"unfortunately even in the American Heart Association uh the also the American College of Cardiac uh Cardiology they don't even recommend it." (said at 0:49:23)

No published record matching the claim regarding specific American Heart Association and American College of Cardiology recommendations on coenzyme Q10 supplementation for people taking statins was located; this does not prove the claim false.

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.