The Dr. Berg LIVE Show - May 8, 2026

Key hard-to-get nutrients include magnesium, which is not easy to get from food. Most people need a therapeutic dose beyond the RDA. The maintenance dose for the average person should be 600 mg of magnesium glycinate because magnesium oxide has low absorption. Vitamin D is another important supplement, though in summer with sufficient sun exposure it may not be needed. Trace minerals are needed because they are depleted from soils. Soil testing even on fertile land showed no selenium. Animals on land deplete minerals without proper replenishment. Farmers typically focus on NPK rather than trace minerals. Shellfish or organ meats provide trace minerals, but most people lack them. These three (magnesium, vitamin D, trace minerals) are the bare bones that the great majority of people should take. Additional supplements depending on goals include vitamin C, B complex, and B1 for stress.

Varicose Veins10:02

Many people develop varicose veins as they age. Sitting worsens them. Regular consistent exercise provides stimulation to circulation. Higher intensity exercise a couple times per week also helps. Workout routine includes interval training twice weekly on Monday and Friday to increase VO2 max from 47 to above 50. Monday treadmill intervals involve getting pulse rate to about 160 for 3 minutes, resting 3-4 minutes, repeated four times. Friday involves pushing up a hill for 30 seconds at similar pulse rate, repeated four times. Off days include less intense cardio. Weight training alternates one muscle group once per week, rotating through different muscle groups every other day.

Raising GFR and Lowering Creatinine12:00

GFR measures how well the nephron filters blood. The kidney filters all blood many times daily through a miraculous tiny selective filter. When damaged, tests show kidney disease. Kidney disease has no symptoms until much of the kidney is destroyed. The single worst thing for kidneys is high blood glucose from eating refined carbs, which acts like sandpaper through kidneys and arteries. High-quality food is recommended. Vitamin D is needed to heal kidneys, but damaged kidneys cannot convert vitamin D to active form, leading to serious deficiency and increased inflammation.

Vitamin D for Kidney Disease15:01

Active form of vitamin D can be taken that does not require conversion, but this needs doctor supervision. At stage 5 or even stage 4 kidney disease, doctor supervision is required because too much of certain nutrients can be harmful. The active form of vitamin D has a half-life of two to three hours.