Hyperbaric Oxygen for Alzheimer's: Clinical Evidence Does Not Support Claims on Dr Oz Show

To borrow a pun from this episode of the Dr Oz Show, the way some so-called experts talk about hyperbaric oxygen can be absolutely breathtaking. Board-certified neurologist David Perlmutter, MD, FACN, made some bold claims and did not hesitate to recommend HBOT for Alzheimer's disease to millions watching. CLICK HERE to see the video.

Perlmutter directs the Perlmutter Hyperbaric Center in Naples, Florida, and practices Functional Medicine, an integrative medical approach we cannot quite understand after considerable reading. Alzheimer's is not an FDA-cleared indication for hyperbaric oxygen, nor does the medical literature support Perlmutter's violative claims. From our Alzheimer's page:

Hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT) has not been shown to slow the progression of Alzheimer’s or other age-related dementias. Some physicians and families claim HBOT helps manage Alzheimer's symptoms and improve activities of daily living by increasing the circulation of oxygenated blood to functioning areas of the brain, but these palliative effects do not last.... Weak evidence from primary research and clinical trials does not support the use of hyperbaric oxygen for Alzheimer’s disease. Patients and families should be wary of bolder claims.

Let's repeat and italicize that last line for emphasis: Patients and families should be wary of bolder claims.

[Photo: Video still from The Doctor Oz Show website]