Physical Address
304 North Cardinal St.
Dorchester Center, MA 02124
Dr. Mehmet Oz built his television empire on the simple promise that you can take control of your health.
Over 13 seasons of “The Dr. Oz Show,” from 2009 to 2022, he told viewers what to eat, how to exercise, what supplements to take and when to worry about symptoms.
The heart surgeon turned daytime host is an unconventional pick to run the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, which oversees health insurance programs for more than 150 million people nationwide. Nonetheless, his longtime focus on prevention seems to align with the Trump administration’s stated intentions to address America’s chronic disease “epidemic.”
The New York Times analyzed claims Dr. Oz has made about preventive health measures across 2,500 television appearances, clips from “The Dr. Oz Show,” social media posts and other public statements. We then asked experts to weigh in on the evidence behind some of his common claims.
Much of Dr. Oz’s advice is rooted in strong science and conventional wisdom: Eat well, move more, prioritize sleep. But he has also frequently pushed products and hacks that have little to no scientific evidence showing that they stave off disease, drawing scrutiny from members of Congress and from researchers. In some cases, he has had financial ties to the products he has promoted.
Some of his claims have raised concerns among medical experts about how Dr. Oz might use his perch if he is confirmed.
Dr. Marion Nestle, an emeritus professor of nutrition, food studies and public health at New York University, said that some of Dr. Oz’s talking points, like those about weight loss and supplements, were “surprising, coming from somebody with medical training, who you would think would approach this a bit more scientifically.”
“But he has said on numerous occasions that he wants to give people hope,” she added.
Dr. Oz did not respond to a request for comment.
The Claim: Fish Oil and Omega-3 Fatty Acid Supplements Are Good for Your Heart
In online columns and on episodes of his show, Dr. Oz has discussed the wide-ranging benefits of “superstar” omega-3 fatty acids in food. He has also touted fish oil supplements that contain omega-3s as a way of preventing heart disease and other conditions. The supplements include those sold on iHerb, a company he has served as a spokesman for and has invested in.
Many people without heart disease take fish oil pills to prevent it, but reviews of studies on fish oil have not found these supplements prevent cardiovascular issues, said Dr. Pieter Cohen, an associate professor at Harvard Medical School who studies supplements.
“I see this all the time,” he added. “People who are totally healthy will be like, ‘Oh yeah, I take omega-3.”
Some studies have even found that fish oil pills may actually raise the risk of developing an irregular heartbeat. However, there is evidence that people with pre-existing heart disease or high triglycerides levels may benefit from the supplements. And extensive research shows that eating a diet rich in fatty acids is beneficial to your overall health.
The Claim: Sunlight Will Make You Healthier
Spending 15 to 20 minutes basking in the sun without sunscreen can cure any number of ills, Dr. Oz has said on his show, in blog posts and on TikTok. It can energize you, reduce depression, cut cancer risk and lower your blood pressure, he has claimed. He most commonly attributes these benefits to vitamin D, which the skin produces when exposed to ultraviolet light.
There has been a fair amount of scientific controversy over vitamin D. Dr. Oz has raised that before his viewers, but he has also promoted vitamin D supplements, including those sold by iHerb.
Though vitamin D is a necessary nutrient for strong bones, Americans also get it from their diet, including fortified foods, said Dr. Steven Wang, the chief of dermatology at Hoag Memorial Hospital Presbyterian in Newport Beach, Calif. And a large body of research has been inconclusive about other health benefits, such as reducing the incidence of cancers, heart attack or stroke. On the other hand, Dr. Wang said, there is a known risk associated with chronic sun exposure: skin cancer. About five million new cases are diagnosed each year in the United States.
The Claim: Certain Meats Raise Cancer Risk
Eat red, processed, or charred meats only in moderation, or avoid them altogether, Dr. Oz has advised on his show, in TV appearances and on public posts. That guidance comes from his concern that they increase the risk of cancer.
On this point, experts agree. There is strong evidence that consuming red and processed meat increases the risk of digestive and other cancers, said Carrie Daniel-MacDougall, a nutritional epidemiologist at MD Anderson Cancer Center in Texas. The iron in meat, along with the chemicals that are used to preserve it, or that are produced when it is cooked at very high temperatures, can damage DNA, cause inflammation and produce toxic compounds when digested, Dr. Daniel-MacDougall said.
The Claim: Supplements Work for Weight Loss
Pine nuts, apple cider vinegar, “teatoxing,” supplements containing green-coffee-bean extract, raspberry ketones: The list of weight loss hacks Dr. Oz has promoted on his show over the years goes on.
“These kinds of things make people feel like they’re doing something positive for their health,” Dr. Nestle said.
But there is no rigorous research that supports weight loss supplements, Dr. Cohen said. There may be theoretical benefits to some of the products Dr. Oz has promoted — for example, Dr. Nestle said it’s possible that the fermentation in apple cider vinegar might slightly aid with digestion. But there is not substantial evidence that these items lead to weight loss.
The Claim: Probiotics Are Good for Gut Health
Dr. Oz has talked about the perks of probiotics — live microorganisms sometimes known as “good bacteria” — including improving gut health. He has promoted iHerb’s probiotic supplements on social media.
One theory behind the benefits of probiotics is that they bolster the gut microbiome. But there is no consensus on whether a generic probiotic pill helps healthy people, said Justin L. Sonnenburg, a professor of microbiology and immunology at Stanford University. The contents of these supplements can also vary. And because everyone has a different gut microbiome, people’s reactions to specific probiotics are hard to predict, he said.
Dr. Sonnenburg does, however, recommend eating foods like kimchi and kefir that contain microbes that are good for the gut. These foods also contain beneficial substances, called metabolites, that are not found in most supplements.
The Claim: You Should Exercise to Lower Disease Risk
Dr. Oz long promoted exercise on his show as a way to ward off Alzheimer’s disease, cancer, cardiovascular issues and more. A wealth of research has shown that to be legitimate. Even regular short bursts of exercise — like the 10-minute or less workout routines Dr. Oz frequently highlighted on his show — are linked with a lower chance of cancer and other diseases. Exercise also strengthens the brain, bolsters heart health and improves the immune system’s defense against infections.
The Claim: Socializing Is Vital for Good Health
Your heart needs a reason to keep beating, Dr. Oz told his fans time and again. He has called loneliness an “epidemic.” On Valentine’s Day, he posted a TikTok in front of a Rodin statue at the National Gallery in Washington, D.C., opining that friendships “reduce your blood pressure, reduce your chronic pain, your anxiety, your depression.”
Researchers have theorized that social connections are vital for managing stress, which in turn can help keep blood pressure in check. Social isolation has also been linked to an increased risk of depression, heart disease and cognitive decline, particularly among older adults. And studies have found a link between social isolation and chronic pain.
The Claim: Poor Sleep Raises Cancer Risk
America is facing a “sleep crisis,” according to Dr. Oz. He has said that inadequate sleep can increase your risk of cancer, lead to high blood pressure and make it hard to lose weight.
“Sleep is beneficial for your health, but the body of evidence on sleep duration and cancer is not consistent,” said Trang VoPham, an epidemiologist at the Fred Hutch Cancer Center in Washington. Several studies and research reviews have found no association between the two, while a few have linked sleeping for nine hours or more with an increased risk of colorectal cancer.
Dr. VoPham said there is evidence that night-shift workers, whose schedules are chronically misaligned with their exposure to light, are at increased risk for obesity and cancer. Chronic poor sleep is also associated with an increased risk of insulin resistance and high blood pressure.
