Fact-Check #6: Paul Saladino on Fiber and Gut Health | The Proof

One of my goals for 2023 is teaching you how to better assess the legitimacy of someone’s claim.

It’s easy to cherry pick small parts of studies, or isolated findings, that are not in accordance with the wider body of evidence on that topic… and use them to create content to an audience that either a) wants to hear the claim you’re making so won’t bother to question it and may even propagate it or b) doesn’t have the skills or time to run a fact check.

In this example we examine fibre and gut health. There is a plethora of evidence that demonstrates a dose dependent relationship between fibre consumption and mortality - the more fibre people eat, the lower their risk of premature death. A finding that’s consistent across cohort studies with people from countries all over the world. You might be thinking - yeh but people who eat more fibre may smoke less, exercise more, drink less alcohol etc. Researchers are aware of this and to limit the effect this may be they use what’s called a multi-variate adjustment in their models. And after this the effect for fibre remains, and it’s a ‘dose-dependent’ relationship meaning the more fibre one consumes the lower their risk of premature death (benefits likely continuing as one goes above daily intake recommendations). (PMID: 25552267, PMID: 30638909)

Despite this Paul Saladino decides to use this clinical intervention study out of Stanford to support his story that humans thrive on low fibre meat heavy diets. When we go into a study, wanting it to fit a preconceived view, it’s highly likely we will misinterpret the results. And that’s exactly what Paul has done. (PMID: 34256014)

Maybe @carnivoremd2.0 can sit down with the lead researcher Dr Justin Sonnenburg to better understand the study. Or if not, at the very least, listen to episode #191 of The Proof with Dr Sonnenburg and Dr Gardner. 📺

- Simon 🙏🏻

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[sandradings]

I love that you always stay friendly, it´s really rare in this topic.

[peterbedford]

Interviews with the actual researchers and authors of studies is far more accurate than getting the "interpretation" of their work by others!
Thank you.

[Test-ebbj]

So great that you put this straight! It is such a misinterpretation/ misinformation!

[megavegan]

I’ve heard Huberman misrepresent this same study, despite the fact that he interviewed Dr. Sonnenburg on his podcast, who explained the results exactly as you did here.

[thefly]

Calling him a psychiatrist during the opening is a bit disingenuous. He's also a Board certification as a Physician Nutrition Specialist. It also appears that he's dedicated his life to becoming an expert in this specific field, so perhaps you should go on his podcast to discuss this topic.

[jacquelinedella-santa]

Exceptional! Thank you. I am in one of those poor lower base line microbiome, but I am taking slowly to increase my fibres, being vegan, i am still struggling to find the balance. Thank you so much for your work

[Lieutenant-Dan]

Love this, dispelling misinformation with facts and a cheery disposition 😊

[jeffreyjohnson]

Dr. Gil Carvalho, who I know you interviewed, did an interview with a microbiome expert, whose name I can't remember. She said that, sometimes, the microbiome is so dead, that introducing more fiber will not revive it. For those people, they need to reintroduce the missing microbes, and then start to reintroduce the fiber gradually.

[andreinikiforov]

2:45 He suggests that a gradual increase in fiber intake may have potential benefits for inflammation, however, it is important to review the actual studies and research, including randomized controlled trials, that investigate the CAUSAL impact of fiber intake on gut biodiversity. I hope you make a video about the studies (not researchers' opinions or hopes) that directly refute P. Saladino's argument.

[markumark]

These fact checks are SO good! Thank you, Simon!

[meiosys]

Stellar as usual, Simon. Thank you for working so hard against the constant drip of misinformation.

[MrSunnyBhoy]

I was vegetarian for 3yrs until recently. I was having a lot of fiber and I have eczema which was ok but just a few months ago it went crazy, all over my body. After researching it to death, it seems main cause is salicylates in various fruits and veg causing inflammation in ppl like me with autoimmune diseases. A lot of ppl with eczema have completely healed by switching to a carnivore diet. I am trying that now and seeing improvements already. I never thought I'd try this. But I feel whilst plants etc are v healthy for a normal person without these diseases, for ppl like me it's Poison. I dont believe everything anyone says so I take what I believe is right for me and I try it. I'd like your view on this Simon.

[NicholasHallows]

This is a great fact check. I hope these videos find their way to the subjects' audiences. Keep em coming!

[Chris.]

thank you for exhibiting justice and due diligence in combating this bullshit

[jenniferkoslo]

Thank you for all of the fact checking - love it!

[jasminejohnson]

When I switched over to a plant based diet I experienced a big increase in inflammation! I piled on the fiber very quickly coming from a keto diet and yo yo dieting past.. and it made my IBS so much worse! But i persevered and stuck with the plants and within a few months my pain and inflammation went away and now 5 years late my IBS is completely in remission and I feel amazing! I'm so thankful for the wonderful benefits of plant foods❤🔥🔥

[ThingsYoudontwanttohear]

Keep them coming! I am a fan of fact-checking even if it proves me wrong.

I speculate that Paul mostly cares about the number of his followers, not their health nor longevity. He behaves a bit like evolution in that way.

[MVPetey]

I got my badge in better
assessing scientific claims by listening to The Skeptics Guide to the Universe podcast. Simon, you should have an episode where you interview those guys. They really take reviewing scientific data seriously. I think if you haven't already heard of them that you would like it! Keep up the fantastic content =)

[munkyfatt]

Thanks Simon for setting that straight! 💪 It's maybe not your style to hunt down and publicly fact check people like 'Carnivore MD' but it's great to see.

P Saladino is clearly a healthy human (maybe more because he surf's daily and spend all day in the Costa Rica sunshine) but it would be really interesting to see how his views really stand up against someone like yours. After reading The Proof is in the Plants, I just can't ever take him or this whole carnivore diet thing seriously...

[lophiz]

Just a passing note as of 8/2023, Paul Saladino has quit the carnivore diet. He now believe that consuming carbs is important to generate and insulin response to a glucose spike because "your body needs it" for a healthy kidney and other unspecified "metabolic health" reasons.