What alternative supplements or prescription treatments for neuropathy did Mehmet Oz mention and at what dosages?
Executive summary
Mehmet Oz has advocated a mix of topical therapies and nutritional supplements as options for people with neuropathic pain—most consistently citing capsaicin cream and lidocaine patches, and mentioning B‑vitamins (B1 and B12) and turmeric/curcumin among “natural” options—but the reporting does not provide consistent, clinician‑style dosage recommendations for neuropathy from Oz himself [1] [2]. Several sources note specific doses for turmeric in a general pain context (1,500 mg/day in one small study) but do not attribute a firm neuropathy dose to Oz; other recommended products and commercial ties raise possible conflicts of interest that merit disclosure [1] [3] [4].
1. Topical therapies Oz cited — capsaicin cream and lidocaine patches
Multiple pieces that summarize Dr. Oz’s guidance list topical capsaicin as a frontline natural option for neuropathic pain and name prescription lidocaine patches (examples: Lidoderm) as another topical treatment people use on affected feet or hands [1] [2]. The sources describe capsaicin as “commonly used” and effective for neuropathic pain when applied topically, and they name lidocaine patches as a standard topical prescription option [1] [2]. None of the provided materials, however, specify an Oz‑endorsed application schedule, concentration, or exact patch duration; they report the treatments in general terms without Oz‑attributed dosing instructions [1] [2].
2. B‑vitamins — Oz acknowledged B1 and B12 as nerve‑supportive but gave no hard dosages
Readers seeking vitamin fixes will see Dr. Oz (in patient Q&A summaries) acknowledge that vitamins B1 and B12 “support nerve health” and that they have been discussed as potential aids for neuropathy, while advising that specific doses should be worked out with a clinician [2]. The reporting presents the recommendation as cautious and non‑prescriptive: Oz or his correspondents name the vitamins but defer dose decisions to medical providers; the articles do not record a numeric dose that Oz recommends for neuropathy [2].
3. Turmeric/curcumin — a cited dose for general pain, not a neuropathy‑specific Oz prescription
In a roundup of “natural pain relief” attributed to Dr. Oz, curcumin (turmeric extract) is described as having anti‑inflammatory effects and one small study is cited showing 1,500 mg/day of curcuma extract was as effective as 1,200 mg/day of ibuprofen for knee osteoarthritis pain when taken for four weeks [1]. That 1,500 mg/day figure appears in reporting of Dr. Oz’s broader chronic‑pain advice, not as a neuropathy‑specific, Oz‑endorsed dosing regimen, and the source stops short of presenting it as definitive guidance for neuropathic conditions [1].
4. Prescription oral agents — sparse direct attribution to Oz in reporting
Common prescription neuropathy drugs such as gabapentin (Neurontin) appear in patient Q&A threads that invoke Dr. Oz’s name, but those posts are on third‑party Q&A sites that explicitly state they are not affiliated with Oz’s show, so they cannot reliably be read as Oz’s formal recommendations [5]. The available reporting therefore does not credibly attribute a specific oral prescription and dosing regimen for neuropathy directly to Mehmet Oz.
5. Commercial ties, home‑remedy controversies and limits of the record
Context matters: one feature notes Oz’s advisory role with iHerb and his media profile as a wellness influencer, which can color product recommendations [3]. Consumer chatter and forum posts link Oz to gummy products and ads for neuropathy remedies (some name investors such as Mark Cuban), but those user posts are not verified endorsements or clinical directions and reflect skepticism and potential commercial motives [4]. Separately, Oz’s earlier televised home remedy for cold feet (microwaved rice socks) led to litigation and illustrates that public‑facing tips have legal and safety consequences [6] [7]. The assembled sources therefore permit confident statements that Oz has promoted capsaicin, lidocaine patches, B‑vitamins and turmeric as options, but they do not supply consistent, clinician‑level dosing instructions for neuropathy from Oz himself [1] [2] [3] [4].