Topic: Beriberi

The discussion shifts to the premise that many diseases labeled as vitamin deficiencies may actually be toxicity diseases. Roydas argues that processed and refined foods create metabolic blockages because the body cannot fully process incomplete nutrients. This perspective suggests that illness is caused by what is present in the food supply—such as chemical additives—rather than what is missing, making the "deficiency" narrative a convenient marketing tool for supplement manufacturers.

During World War II, Japanese researchers investigated infantile beriberi, which was traditionally attributed to a Vitamin B1 deficiency. Doctors observed that when infants were removed from the breast milk of mothers eating white rice, their symptoms improved despite being moved to other B1-deficient foods like sweetened condensed milk. This led researchers at the time to conclude that the condition was a toxicity resulting from processed rice rather than a lack of vitamins.