HoldsUp

Robert H. Lustig

Robert H. Lustig is a researcher and author focused on pediatric health, nutrition, and metabolic disease. His published research investigates the biochemical and environmental mechanisms driving obesity, including the health impacts of dietary fructose, ultraprocessed foods, and chemical obesogens. He also studies pediatric endocrine and growth outcomes, food addiction, and the influence of industry practices on chronic disease.

43 claims checked on air: 6 context 7 contradicted 7 overstated 17 supported 6 unverified

What they said on air - unverified

2 citing their own research

0:18:50unverifiedvery lowTake Back Your Health - with Dr. Robert H. Lustig | The Empo

Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease affects 45% of American adults.

"It is 45% of American adults and 25% of American children today, having nothing to do with obesity." (said at 0:18:50)

No published record matching the claim that non-alcoholic fatty liver disease affects 45% of American adults was located; this does not prove the claim false.

0:30:02unverifiedvery lowTake Back Your Health - with Dr. Robert H. Lustig | The Empo

Wheat contains approximately 700 different antigens, of which gliadin and glutenin are two.

"are 700 different antigens. Two of them are gluten, so gliadin and glutenin, and those are the famous ones and those are the ones we have tests for. The other 698 we don't have tests for" (said at 0:30:02)

No published record matching the claim that wheat contains approximately 700 distinct antigens, with tests existing for only two (gliadin and glutenin) and 698 remaining untestable, was located; this does not prove the claim false. Proteomic and allergenomic studies show that wheat contains a diverse and complex array of both gluten (gliadins, glutenins) and non-gluten proteins (such as alpha-amylase/trypsin inhibitors, serpins, and agglutinins) capable of triggering immune responses. However, the specific quantification of 700 discrete antigens and the binary division regarding test availability are not substantiated in the peer-reviewed scientific literature.

0:55:07unverifiedvery lowTake Back Your Health - with Dr. Robert H. Lustig | The Empo

Uric acid interferes with the mitochondrial enzyme carnitine palmitoyltransferase 1 (CPT-1).

"It has effects on the mitochondria because it interferes with the enzyme carnitine palmitoyltransferase 1, so it means that you're not getting stuff into your mitochondria to be able to get things burned." (said at 0:55:07)

No published record matching the claim that uric acid interferes with carnitine palmitoyltransferase 1 (CPT-1) was located; this does not prove the claim false.

0:56:05unverifiedvery lowTake Back Your Health - with Dr. Robert H. Lustig | The Empo

Average salt intake prior to refrigeration was approximately 15 grams per day without widespread hypertension, compared to modern intake of 6.9 grams per day with a 40% incidence of hypertension.

"The average consumption of salt prior to refrigeration was about 15 grams of salt per day—15—and there was no hypertension. But today the average consumption of salt is 6.9 grams per day—half as much—and we have a 40% incidence of hypertension." (said at 0:56:05)

No published record matching the claim that average salt consumption prior to refrigeration was 15 grams per day without hypertension, compared to modern intake of 6.9 grams per day with a 40% incidence of hypertension, was located; this does not prove the claim false. Published evolutionary and historical reviews note that human populations evolved in low-salt environments and that dietary salt intake has markedly increased in recent decades alongside rising hypertension rates.

1:00:26unverifiedvery lowTake Back Your Health - with Dr. Robert H. Lustig | The Empo

Neither Abraham Flexner nor Simon Flexner believed in nutrition, which led to nutrition not being taught in medical schools following the Flexner Report.

"And to be honest with you, that goes back 110 years to the Flexner Report, because neither Flexner, Abraham nor Simon, believed in nutrition." (said at 1:00:26)

No published record matching the claim that neither Abraham Flexner nor Simon Flexner believed in nutrition, or that their personal disbelief in nutrition led to its exclusion from medical school curricula following the Flexner Report, was located; this does not prove the claim false.

1:07:37unverifiedvery lowTake Back Your Health - with Dr. Robert H. Lustig | The Empo

Insulin drives the production of ACE2 on the cell surface.

"Insulin: turns out insulin drives ACE2—ACE2, angiotensin-converting enzyme 2. Now, that is normally a water channel in cells, especially lung, but it drives the production of ACE2." (said at 1:07:37)

No published record matching the claim that insulin drives the production of ACE2 on the cell surface was located; this does not prove the claim false. In addition, angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) functions physiologically as a membrane-bound carboxypeptidase within the renin-angiotensin system—converting angiotensin II into angiotensin-(1-7)—rather than serving as a cellular water channel (a role performed by aquaporins).

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