Dr. Nathan Bryan

So these beets were full of nutrients, probably full of nitrate that provided the benefits of that.

But unfortunately, today, the beets that are grown, at least in America, really are nutrient depleted, just like most of the food.

No, because, again, through our survey that we published in 2015, we realized that you really can't eat enough beets to get enough nitrate to improve your performance.

And the other caveat is that if you're using mouthwash, you've got fluoride in your toothpaste or fluoride in your drinking water that you're mixing the beet powder in, you're not going to get a nitric oxide benefit from it.

Oh, yeah, from 2004 to... So a 20-year period, we're seeing...

What is that?

Almost a quadrupling of the use of antacids.

And this is globally or is this in the U.S.?

That's worldwide, I believe.

Yeah, worldwide.

Now, this is a problem.

I mean, these antacids… What is an antacid?

So it's a medication that's given orally to suppress stomach acid production.

And as a biochemist and physiologist, I can't think of nothing more damaging than to inhibit stomach acid production.

Because stomach acid is required to break down proteins into amino acids, whether you're eating animal protein or plant-based protein.

It's required for nutrient absorption.

You need stomach acid to absorb B vitamins.

You need stomach acid to absorb selenium, chromium, iodine, magnesium, iron.

I mean, most nutrients, micronutrients, are absorbed in the lumen of the stomach.

And if the stomach is not making stomach acid, then these nutrients are not absorbed.