Dr. Oz Admits Weight Loss Supplements Are “Flawed” With “Lots of Fraud”

Dr. Oz has been taking a lot of flack the past couple of weeks, some of it legitimate and some of it not, but he’s been taking it head on this week, reacting to both a letter sent to him (allegedly not intended to be public) from ten scientists as well as a letter from his peers at Columbia University (where Oz is a professor.)

Today, he went on The Today Show and interviewed with Matt Lauer about the entire affair, and said something I found super important:

Just in case you missed it, here’s the direct quote:

“I’m proud of all those words. There’s only one time that I have not been proud of and that’s the understandable frustration that has been expressed about weight-loss supplements. I wish I could take back the words I said about them. This is a flawed area with lots of fraud, both in the research and in products. And we no longer talk about them. I haven’t talked about them in a year.”

I think it’s super important to highlight this particular quote, because so many of us believe in the probability of success due to weight loss supplements because of people like Oz, but – and let me be clear – it’s essential to note that he’s calling the research fraudulent, which implies that anyone could’ve come to the same conclusions his production team did when it comes to this stuff.

Also worth noting:

During an earlier interview with NBC’s Stephanie Gosk, Oz defended his show, saying its purpose was to discuss “the good life,” not medicine.

He emphasized the point with Lauer, saying his show is “much broader than a medical lecture series.” Oz said his show embraces “unconventional practices” like the power of prayer or how wellness is practiced in China.

“My whole life has been about pushing boundaries, looking around the corner, both high tech solutions but also some low tech approaches,” he said.

He said last week’s letter from doctors criticizing him as careless came from individuals who “have agendas,” specifically biases against genetically modified organisms, an areas he has supported.

“I think they were unfair in not wanting us to have that conversation,” he said.

But Oz said [he] welcomed the letter from his colleagues at Colombia and was “very proud to have that feedback.”

“You’re not going to please everyone, that’s not my goal. My job is to help America understand the opportunity towards health,” he said. “The show has to be much broader than what might take place in a doctor’s office…I completely respect why so many of my colleagues might have a difficulty with that, but I’m also appreciative that many of them do understand why that’s important.” [source]

Ultimately, we all could benefit from a little skepticism, but how can you be adequately skeptical of something like weight loss supplements when everything tells you they should work annnnnnd if they, in fact, don’t, it’s your fault?

Here’s a hint: stick to weight loss efforts that can result in long term and permanent results. This does not include raspberry goji hoodie ketone berries.

Here’s another hint: the way you lose it is the way you’ll keep it off. Make sure it’s manageable.

What do you think about this? Does this entire affair change your view of Dr. Oz?