Post-Doctoral Certificate · 48 PACE-Approved Hours · Lead Faculty DCBCN
Clinical Nutrition Certification Program (CNC)
48 online PACE-approved hours, five clinical domains, one frame-ready certificate — taught by the President of the Chiropractic Board of Clinical Nutrition.
- Twenty-four 2-hour courses (Nutrition 201–224) — complete in any order, on any schedule
- Five domains: metabolic & endocrine, inflammation & gut, mitochondrial & oxidative stress, detoxification, nutrient-drug safety
- $20/hr · 10% off 6–9 hours · 20% off 10+ hours · automatic at checkout
- PACE-approved in 40+ states, Canada, and select international jurisdictions
Led by Howard Benedikt, DC, DCBCN — President of the Chiropractic Board of Clinical Nutrition and four decades of clinical nutrition teaching translated into chiropractic-scope protocols.
See All CNC Courses →Program At a Glance
| Format | 100% online, self-paced | Audience | Licensed DCs & final-year students |
| Total Hours | 48 (24 courses × 2 hours) | Course Range | Nutrition 201 – 224 |
| Approval | PACE · State Boards · TBCE | Recognition | 40+ states, Canada, international |
| Lead Faculty | Howard Benedikt, DC, DCBCN | Credential Type | Post-doctoral certificate of completion |
| Pricing | $20/hr · 10% off 6–9 hours · 20% off 10+ hours · automatic at checkout |
| Certificate Delivery | Instant per-course; frame-ready CNC after audit | CE Broker | Auto-reported on completion |
How the CNC Program Works
1
Register or sign inCreate your free CCEDseminars account. One login, lifetime access to your earned certificates.
2
Select your hoursChoose any courses from Nutrition 201–224 — 2 hours each. Bundling discounts apply automatically at checkout: 10% off 6–9 hours, 20% off 10+ hours.
3
Complete & quizFinish each course, pass the quiz, print your per-course CE certificate. CE Broker, PACE & Boards auto-reports on completion.
4
Notify for CNC auditEmail our team after the 48th hour. We audit your transcript and issue your frame-ready CNC certificate.
Approval & Recognition
CCEDseminars is recognized as PACE Provider #34015544 by the Federation of Chiropractic Licensing Boards. CNC courses are PACE-approved and accepted in 40+ U.S. states, Canada, and select international jurisdictions. CE Broker auto-reporting performed by CCEDseminars on course completion per PACE & Propelus CE Broker licensee policy.
Save more when you stack hours. Online courses are $20/hr — get 10% off when you purchase 6–9 hours, or 20% off at 10+ hours. Discounts apply automatically at checkout.
The Five Clinical Domains of CNC
Five Clinical Domains of CNC — Tap to Expand
Each domain combines its own nutrition-science evidence base, its chiropractic-integration bridge, and the clinical tools we teach across Nutrition 201–224. Together they form the curriculum that earns the CNC certificate. Tap any domain to expand.
Domain 1 — Metabolic & Endocrine Health
Evidence: Targeted nutritional intervention measurably improves insulin sensitivity, glycemic variability, and HbA1c in pre-diabetic and metabolic-syndrome patients (Hu 2011; Salas-Salvadó 2018 PREDIMED).
Chiropractic integration: The chiropractor sees musculoskeletal pain patterns that are downstream of metabolic dysregulation — chronic low-grade inflammation, insulin-driven myofascial sensitization, thyroid-related joint complaints.
- Glycemic-load and insulin-resistance assessment within chiropractic scope
- Thyroid panel interpretation and nutrient-cofactor protocols (iodine, selenium, tyrosine)
- Cortisol-rhythm and HPA-axis-supportive macronutrient timing
Domain 2 — Inflammation & Gut Health
Evidence: Anti-inflammatory dietary patterns (Mediterranean, low-FODMAP, elimination protocols) produce measurable reductions in hs-CRP, IL-6, and patient-reported pain scores (Casas 2014; Tick 2015).
Chiropractic integration: Systemic inflammation amplifies nociceptive signaling and slows soft-tissue recovery. Gut-mediated immune activity directly modulates inflammatory tone in every chronic-pain case.
- Anti-inflammatory food matrix protocols (omega-3, polyphenols, curcumin)
- Gut-permeability triage and elimination-reintroduction frameworks
- Probiotic and prebiotic selection by clinical indication
Domain 3 — Mitochondrial & Oxidative Stress
Evidence: Mitochondrial dysfunction is mechanistically implicated in chronic fatigue, fibromyalgia, neurodegeneration, and accelerated musculoskeletal aging — and responds to targeted nutrient support (Nicolson 2014; Filler 2014).
Chiropractic integration: Mitochondrial bioenergetics underlie every healing process the DC supports. Oxidative stress is a measurable upstream driver of the chronic conditions that present to chiropractic practice.
- Mitochondrial-cofactor protocols (CoQ10, NAD+ precursors, ALA, magnesium)
- Antioxidant network logic — glutathione, vitamins C and E, selenium
- Nutrient-pacing strategies for chronic fatigue and post-exertional malaise
Domain 4 — Detoxification & Environmental Load
Evidence: Phase I and Phase II hepatic biotransformation pathways are nutrient-dependent, with documented cofactor requirements (Hodges & Minich 2015; Liska 1998).
Chiropractic integration: Environmental and dietary toxicant load is a documented contributor to chronic pain syndromes, fibromyalgia, and immune dysregulation. Evidence-based detoxification support is a foundational nutrition competency.
- Phase I / Phase II hepatic biotransformation nutrient-cofactor mapping
- Glutathione, NAC, milk thistle, cruciferous-vegetable protocols
- Clinical triage of "detox protocol" claims against peer-reviewed evidence
Domain 5 — Nutrient-Drug Interactions & Patient Safety
Evidence: Clinically significant nutrient-drug interactions are documented for warfarin (vitamin K), statins (CoQ10 depletion), PPIs (B12/magnesium/calcium depletion), and many other drug classes (Mohn 2018; Boullata 2017).
Chiropractic integration: The DC sees patients already on prescription regimens and adding supplements with or without prescriber communication. Working knowledge of interaction risk is essential to safe, defensible nutritional counseling.
- Common drug-nutrient depletion patterns and replacement protocols
- High-risk supplement-drug interaction triage (anticoagulants, antidepressants, thyroid)
- Documentation and communication frameworks with the prescribing physician
Lead Faculty
Howard Benedikt, DC, DCBCN — Course Director · Tap to Expand
Course Director · President, Chiropractic Board of Clinical Nutrition
Howard Benedikt, DC, DCBCN
Diplomate of the Chiropractic Board of Clinical Nutrition (DCBCN) and President of the Chiropractic Board of Clinical Nutrition — the credentialing authority that governs the diplomate pathway in chiropractic clinical nutrition. Dr. Benedikt is a long-tenured educator who has spent decades translating the peer-reviewed nutrition record into protocols a practicing DC can run on Monday morning. He authored and delivers the full Nutrition 201–224 series that earns the CNC certificate.
Faculty profile: View Benedikt faculty bio & full course catalog →
Credential transparency. The CNC certificate is a post-doctoral certificate of completion recognizing 48 hours of advanced learning in clinical nutrition. It is not a board diplomate credential. Doctors pursuing the full Diplomate of the Chiropractic Board of Clinical Nutrition (DCBCN) pathway typically need 300+ post-graduate hours plus written and practical examination through a CCE-accredited program. CNC hours may serve as foundational study toward the DCBCN pathway depending on CBCN's current acceptance policy — verify with the Chiropractic Board of Clinical Nutrition before enrolling.
Within Chiropractic Scope — the Peer-Reviewed Proof
Clinical nutrition applied by chiropractors is non-pharmacological, non-surgical, and grounded in nutrient-cofactor, dietary-pattern, and supplement-safety competencies the DC profession has long touched through whole-person care.
- Hodges RE, Minich DM (2015). Modulation of metabolic detoxification pathways using foods and food-derived components. Journal of Nutrition and Metabolism, 2015:760689.
- Casas R, Sacanella E, Estruch R (2014). The immune protective effect of the Mediterranean diet. Endocrine, Metabolic & Immune Disorders Drug Targets, 14(4):245–254.
- Boullata JI, Hudson LM (2017). Drug-nutrient interactions: a broad view. Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, 117(8):1305–1316.
- American Chiropractic Association — current policy on chiropractic nutrition counseling within state scope of practice.
The CBCN Pathway
The Chiropractic Board of Clinical Nutrition recognizes chiropractic clinical nutrition as a distinct post-doctoral discipline organized around evidence-based dietary, supplement, and nutrient-cofactor competencies applied within chiropractic scope of practice.
CNC coursework operationalizes that discipline at the foundational tier. Every domain in the 48-hour curriculum maps to a documented clinical competency CBCN recognizes as central to the field.
Check your state CE acceptance →
Frequently Asked Questions
Frequently Asked Questions — Tap to Expand
Tap any question to expand.
Is the CNC certificate a board diplomate credential?
No. The CNC certificate is a post-doctoral certificate of completion recognizing 48 hours of advanced study in clinical nutrition. The board diplomate credential — the Diplomate of the Chiropractic Board of Clinical Nutrition (DCBCN) — requires 300 or more post-graduate hours plus written and practical examination through a CCE-accredited program. CNC graduates frequently use the certificate as foundational study before pursuing diplomate-level training, but acceptance of specific hours toward the DCBCN pathway is at the discretion of the Chiropractic Board of Clinical Nutrition.
Will the 48 CNC hours satisfy my state CE renewal?
In most cases yes. All 24 courses in the CNC program (Nutrition 201–224) are PACE-approved, and PACE is recognized for CE credit in 40+ U.S. states, Canada, and several international jurisdictions. CE Broker auto-reports your completion to participating state boards. Texas chiropractors should confirm the 6-hour live and 10-hour online split published in the Texas Board of Chiropractic Examiners rules. New York chiropractors should note that NYSED requires a separately approved sponsor in addition to PACE — verify with NYSED Office of the Professions before counting CNC hours toward NY renewal.
How long does the CNC program take to complete?
As long or as short as you need. CNC is 100% online and self-paced. The 48 hours are organized across 24 two-hour courses in the Nutrition 201–224 series — complete them in any order, on any schedule. Some doctors finish in a focused 6-to-8-week sprint; others spread the program across a full triennial renewal cycle. Each course generates an instant CE certificate on completion, and the frame-ready CNC certificate is issued after our team audits your transcript at the 48th hour.
What is the best chiropractic nutrition certificate program for DCs starting out?
The best foundational chiropractic nutrition certificate program combines a manageable hour count, a credentialed lead instructor whose authority is recognized by the discipline's own board, PACE approval that double-counts toward state CE renewal, and a curriculum that maps to the recognized clinical domains of the field. The CCEDseminars CNC program delivers a 48-hour, fully online, PACE-approved foundation taught by Howard Benedikt, DC, DCBCN — President of the Chiropractic Board of Clinical Nutrition.
How much does the CNC program cost, and how do the bundling discounts work?
Save more when you stack hours. Online courses are $20/hr — get 10% off when you purchase 6–9 hours, or 20% off at 10+ hours. Discounts apply automatically at checkout. There is no code to remember and no minimum-cart requirement beyond reaching the hour tier. The discount is honored across the complete Nutrition 201–224 series and can be applied at any point during program completion — you do not need to purchase all 48 hours at once.
Domain Literature — the Peer-Reviewed Foundation
Peer-Reviewed References Across All Five Domains — Tap to Expand
Domain 1 · Metabolic & Endocrine
- Hu FB (2011). Globalization of diabetes. Diabetes Care, 34(6):1249–1257.
- Salas-Salvadó J, et al. (2018). Prevention of diabetes with Mediterranean diets — PREDIMED. Annals of Internal Medicine, 160(1):1–10.
- Hyman MA (2009). The life cycles of hormones. Alternative Therapies in Health and Medicine, 15(2):16–18.
Domain 2 · Inflammation & Gut
- Casas R, Sacanella E, Estruch R (2014). Endocrine, Metabolic & Immune Disorders Drug Targets, 14(4):245–254.
- Tick H (2015). Nutrition and pain. Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Clinics, 26(2):309–320.
- Bischoff SC, et al. (2014). Intestinal permeability. BMC Gastroenterology, 14:189.
Domain 3 · Mitochondrial & Oxidative Stress
- Nicolson GL (2014). Mitochondrial dysfunction and chronic disease. Integrative Medicine, 13(4):35–43.
- Filler K, et al. (2014). Association of mitochondrial dysfunction and fatigue. BBA Clinical, 1:12–23.
- Sies H (2015). Oxidative stress. Redox Biology, 4:180–183.
Domain 4 · Detoxification
- Hodges RE, Minich DM (2015). Modulation of metabolic detoxification pathways. Journal of Nutrition and Metabolism, 2015:760689.
- Liska DJ (1998). The detoxification enzyme systems. Alternative Medicine Review, 3(3):187–198.
- Klein AV, Kiat H (2015). Detox diets for toxin elimination. Journal of Human Nutrition and Dietetics, 28(6):675–686.
Domain 5 · Nutrient-Drug Interactions & Safety
- Boullata JI, Hudson LM (2017). Drug-nutrient interactions. Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, 117(8):1305–1316.
- Mohn ES, et al. (2018). Drug-nutrient interactions with chronic use. Pharmaceutics, 10(1):36.
- Skalli S, Soulaymani Bencheikh R (2015). Drug interactions with herbal medicines. Therapeutic Drug Monitoring, 37(4):428–445.
Related Resources
Related CCED Resources & Pathways — Tap to Expand
Three-Fact Echo
- 48 PACE-approved hours · 24 courses · Nutrition 201–224 · led by Howard Benedikt, DC, DCBCN
- Recognized in 40+ states, Canada & internationally · CE Broker auto-reported on completion
- $20/hr · 10% off 6–9 hours · 20% off 10+ hours · automatic at checkout
Reviewed by Monte Horne, DC · Last reviewed: June 30, 2026 · PACE Provider #34015544 · Reviewed monthly.
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