Fact-Checking Dr. Oz’s Health Advice on Supplements, Weight Loss and More

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.

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