Dr. Joseph Mercola - Take Control of Your Health

Dr. Mercola
  • 4.6 (1.5K)
  • Alternative Health
  • Updated Semiweekly

Listen to Dr. Mercola's Weekly Podcast, as the legendary natural health pioneer continues to lead you on your journey towards optimal health.

  1. 2d ago

    The Need to End Mercury Fillings for Children Now

    Dental amalgam is approximately 50% mercury by weight, and it releases a vapor that can be inhaled and absorbed, with children's developing neurological systems potentially more sensitive to its effects Since 2020, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has advised dentists to avoid mercury fillings in children under 6 and other higher-risk patients, but the recommendation carries no obligation and no penalty for ignoring it Access to mercury-free care remains unequal, with low-income children, children of color, indigenous communities, Medicaid patients, service members, and institutionalized people often having fewer choices about the materials used Forty-six countries have banned amalgam by law, the European Union (EU) barred it for children under 15 in 2018, and the Minamata Convention set December 31, 2034 as the global end date Consumers for Dental Choice is leading the effort to end amalgam use in children, and I will match every donation dollar for dollar through August 22, 2026, up to $150,000

  2. 3d ago

    When 'More' Stops Working

    The supplement aisle runs on a single promise — that bigger numbers are better — but past a point, "more" stops translating into more that your body actually keeps The neon-yellow urine after a big multivitamin is mostly riboflavin passing straight through; it's a daily receipt for the part you paid for and didn't absorb Absorption is dose-dependent: the fraction your body takes up tends to fall as the dose climbs, so doubling the dose doesn't double what reaches your cells With some nutrients the body actively limits how much it admits at once, so how and when you take a supplement can matter as much as the amount The form a nutrient comes in can change how much you absorb, which is why the delivery method often matters more than how much you take

  3. 4d ago

    Women with Kidney Disease Are Undertreated and Left Behind by Decades of Male-Dominated Research

    Chronic kidney disease affects 844 million people worldwide, yet women are less likely than men to be tested, diagnosed, referred to specialists, or receive treatments that have been adequately studied in female patients Up to 30% to 50% of chronic kidney disease cases go undiagnosed in high-income countries, and women are up to twice as likely as white men to remain undiagnosed even when kidney damage is present Women account for about 55% of the global chronic kidney disease population but represented only 45.4% of participants in kidney disease clinical trials, creating major gaps in knowledge about how treatments affect women Social and economic factors, including caregiving responsibilities, financial barriers, and delayed access to specialist care, contribute to poorer kidney disease outcomes for many women as the condition progresses Protecting kidney health includes addressing contributing factors, such as high blood pressure, poor mineral balance, vitamin D deficiency, physical inactivity, and ultraprocessed food consumption, while using routine blood and urine testing to detect problems before permanent damage occurs

  4. 4d ago

    End System of Choice for the Rich and Mercury for the Poor! Help Bring Mercury-Free Dentistry to All

    August 16 through 22, 2026, we celebrate our 16th Mercury-Free Dentistry Week. Consumers for Dental Choice has engineered a tectonic shift in dentistry — modern dentists no longer place mercury-based dental fillings (amalgam) — and aware consumers shun them Unlike a decade ago, neither the U.S. Food and Drug Administration nor the World Health Organization defends amalgam, and major dental products companies have stopped making it During the last 16 years, I have watched my friend Charlie Brown, executive director for Consumers for Dental Choice, build a powerhouse national and international force that is changing dentistry 180-degrees, from mercury-based to mercury-free In early February 2026, the U.S. Indian Health Service announced it will "end the use of mercury-containing dental amalgam in its facilities by 2027, transitioning to mercury-free restorative materials across IHS and tribal dental program" In July 2026, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services sent a notification urging – but not requiring – all state Medicaid directors to phase out the use of mercury-containing dental fillings by restricting or ending their state's Medicaid coverage for amalgam But the fight is far from over. Amalgam is still routinely used in government programs serving our military, the institutionalized, and low-income families. To end this morally unacceptable system of choice for the rich and mercury for the poor, once again I put my money where my mouth is. Until midnight on August 22, 2026, I will match your gift to Consumers for Dental Choice, dollar for dollar. I'm all in with this cause and ask you to join me!

  5. Aug 12

    The Role of Food Nutrients in Reducing Oxidative Stress Linked to Microplastics

    Microplastics and nanoplastics are now found in food, water, and air, and research suggests they accumulate in organs such as the liver, pancreas, kidneys, and brain. Laboratory and animal studies indicate they may contribute to oxidative stress, inflammation, and insulin resistance in these areas The same biological changes linked to microplastic exposure are also associated with Type 2 diabetes, including impaired blood sugar control, disrupted gut bacteria, and metabolic dysfunction that develops long before symptoms appear In animal studies, nanoplastics, which are microscopic, crossed the blood-brain barrier, where they triggered inflammation, interfered with how brain cells use glucose for energy, and contributed to memory and learning problems associated with cognitive decline Your body has a built-in defense system called Nrf2 that helps neutralize oxidative stress and repair cellular damage, and many nutrients found in colorful fruits, herbs, spices, and other plant foods help activate this protective pathway While eliminating all microplastic exposure is no longer realistic, reducing everyday plastic use, supporting healthy metabolism, tracking HOMA-IR, and eating a wide variety of nutrient-rich whole foods help strengthen your body's resilience against plastic-related damage

  6. Aug 11

    Why Pills Don't Fit Modern Life: The Burden of Too Many Capsules

    The morning handful of capsules is a holdover from a slower era — nearly every other part of daily life has been simplified, but the pill routine never was The sheer number of capsules required for some nutritional supplement regimens is itself a barrier to long-term adherence Difficulty swallowing pills is far more common than most people assume, and larger pills are dramatically harder to get down — a common reason for why so many people fail to maintain their supplement routines Multiple daily schedules and travel make a pill or capsule routine fragile; it's often the first thing to fall by the wayside on a busy or disrupted day For suitable ingredients, reformulating capsules into a powder that can be mixed into food or beverages removes most of that friction, thereby giving you the best chance of staying consistent in the long term

  7. Aug 10

    Could Hydrogen-Rich Water Support Your Body's Own GLP-1? Here's What a Clinical Trial Found

    In a small, eight-week trial, participants who drank 1 liter of hydrogen-rich water daily showed higher GLP-1 levels than those drinking plain water Participants who consumed hydrogen-rich water experienced substantially larger reductions in food cravings than those who drank regular water, which may make it easier to resist unnecessary snacking The strongest improvements occurred in physical hunger-related cravings, which may reflect an effect on the body's appetite signals rather than simple appetite suppression, though the study did not test this mechanism directly Along with supporting appetite regulation, hydrogen-rich water improved subjective sleep quality and lowered both total cholesterol and LDL cholesterol without causing serious adverse effects Combining hydrogen-rich water with better gut health, adequate protein, easy-to-digest carbohydrates and the removal of seed oils may help create an environment where your body's natural appetite-control system can work more effectively

  8. Aug 8

    Why Plain Water May Fall Short for Rehydration After Heavy Sweat

    After heavy sweating, plain water doesn't fully replace what your body loses because sweat carries away sodium, potassium and other electrolytes that are necessary for proper hydration, muscle function and recovery In a study of firefighters recovering from extreme heat exposure, carbohydrate-electrolyte drinks restored hydration more effectively than water alone, even though all participants drank the same amount of fluid People who consumed electrolyte-containing drinks remained less thirsty, retained more fluid and cleared exercise-related lactate faster, helping their bodies recover more efficiently after strenuous activity Hydration isn't just about how much you drink; paying attention to thirst, urine color and urination frequency provides a more accurate picture of your body's fluid needs than following a fixed water-intake rule Foods and beverages that provide both fluids and minerals, such as fruit, coconut water, cooked vegetables and electrolyte-enhanced drinks, support hydration better than plain water after significant sweat loss

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Listen to Dr. Mercola's Weekly Podcast, as the legendary natural health pioneer continues to lead you on your journey towards optimal health.

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