NAD Recommends Discontinuance of Blood Boost Dietary Supplement Claim to “Cure” Type 2 Diabetes and “Reverse” Insulin Resistance
For Immediate Release
New York, NY – June 11, 2020 – The National Advertising Division (NAD) recommended that Nature’s Boost, LLC discontinue certain health-related efficacy claims concerning the ability of its Blood Boost Formula dietary supplement to cure diabetes or substantially reduce a diabetic’s symptoms. NAD further recommended that the advertiser discontinue qualified claims as to the efficacy of any Blood Boost ingredient to confer these benefits, as well as a claim that the product is “all-natural.” The claims were challenged by the Council for Responsible Nutrition (CRN).
The challenged claims and testimonials, which appeared on the advertiser’s website and on an affiliate marketer website (top-health-updates.com), included but were not limited to:
Express claims:
“Miracle Diabetes Curing Diet Nets Biggest Deal in Shark Tank History!”
“Apparently the Kim sisters have invented a new chemical compound that can reduce blood sugar and lower bad cholesterol. Most importantly, it can effectively reverse high blood sugar.”
“RI’s work by blocking the inhibiting plasmalemmal transporter-mediated reuptake of a neurotransmitter from the synapse into the pre-synaptic neuron. What this means to men without a doctorate in chemistry: a permanent cure for Diabetes.”
“Reduces Blood Pressure”; “Regulates Blood Sugar”; “Lowers Bad Cholesterol (LDL)”; “Increases Good Cholesterol (HDL)”;and “Reverses Insulin Resistance”
Testimonials:
Featuring the purported effect that the product had on blood sugar and blood pressure for one user over a 14-day period (claim found on the top-health-updates.com website). The claims which discuss this user’s experience over 14 days, feature statements that after the 14-day period the user’s “high blood sugar was totally normal” and included images of blood pressure readings suggesting that blood pressure was significantly reduced over the 14-day period.
“Oprah’s Blood Boost Formula Result’s – The pills arrived way faster than I expected them to. I couldn’t wait to see if Blood Boost Formula lived up to the hype. I took one pill every night before bed. In less than six days my blood sugar is back to the stable range for the first time in years.”
“What makes Blood Boost Formula the best product out there is its all-natural ingredient matrix. You can take the supplement with complete confidence, knowing it is free from any harmful fillers, synthetics, or chemicals.”
NAD recommended that the claims and testimonials that Blood Boost (or its ingredients) “cure” diabetes and “reverses insulin resistance” be discontinued. Given that there is no cure for diabetes, NAD was especially troubled by these claims and noted that the Federal Trade Commission and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration have issued warning letters and opened enforcement actions against dietary supplement manufacturers making such claims.
Further, NAD noted that the advertiser failed to submit any testing on the actual product or any competing products in support of the challenged monadic and comparative health-related efficacy claims concerning Blood Boost Formula’s ability to reduce blood sugar in Type 2 diabetics, reduce high blood pressure, reduce LDL cholesterol and increase HDL cholesterol, or that it confers these benefits more efficaciously than any product in the marketplace. Consequently, NAD recommended that these claims be discontinued.
In the absence of competent and reliable scientific evidence in support of such claims, NAD also recommended their discontinuance in the form of consumer testimonials touting these unsupported health benefits on the advertiser’s own website and an affiliate marketing website (top-health-updates.com). In addition, NAD recommended that the celebrity (Oprah Winfrey) endorsement be discontinued because there is no evidence in the record that Oprah Winfrey used the product much less that she subscribes to the views presented.
With respect to an affiliate marketer website that appeared to be independent content, top-health-updates.com, while the affiliate marketer website is no longer active, NAD cautioned the advertiser that, in future advertising involving affiliate marketers, it disclose material connections and not make unsupported claims. NAD noted that consumers who purchase Blood Boost because they think they are viewing an article in the absence of any disclaimer that it is, in fact, an advertisement can be misled.
After assessing the evidence in the record as to the efficacy of the Blood Boost ingredients on the conditions identified (i.e., reduce blood sugar in Type 2 Diabetics, lower blood pressure, reduce LDL (bad) cholesterol, and raise HDL (good) cholesterol), NAD determined that it was not sufficiently reliable to support the advertiser’s qualified claims. Therefore, NAD recommended that advertiser’s claims touting these benefits be discontinued.
Finally, in the absence of any supporting evidence that the Blood Boost formula is “all-natural” NAD recommended that the advertiser discontinued the claims “What makes Blood Boost Formula the best product out there is its all-natural ingredient matrix. You can take the supplement with complete confidence, knowing it is free from any harmful fillers, synthetics or chemicals.”
In its advertiser’s statement, Nature’s Boost stated that it “accepts NAD’s decision in its entirety and agrees to discontinue the challenged advertising claims.”
Subscribe to the Ad Law Insights or Privacy Initiatives newsletters for an exclusive monthly analysis and insider perspectives on the latest trends and case decisions in advertising law and data privacy.
Latest Decisions
National Advertising Division Recommends T-Mobile Discontinue or Modify 20% Savings vs. ‘The Other Big Guys’ Claim; T-Mobile to Appeal
New York, NY – January 9, 2025 – The National Advertising Division recommended that T-Mobile discontinue or modify its advertising to avoid conveying the comparative claim that consumers can “save 20% every month vs. the other big guys” if they subscribe to T-Mobile in markets where Spectrum Mobile also...
In National Advertising Division Fast-Track SWIFT Challenge Behr Voluntarily Discontinues “No Comparable Product” Claim
New York, NY – January 8, 2025 – In a National Advertising Division Fast-Track SWIFT challenge brought by Benjamin Moore, Behr voluntarily discontinued its “No Comparable Product” claim.
National Advertising Division Finds Charter’s “Unlimited” Claims Supported; Recommends Clear & Conspicuous Speed Limitation Disclosures
New York, NY – January 7, 2025 – The National Advertising Division found that Charter substantiated certain express and implied claims about its Spectrum Mobile “Unlimited” and “Unlimited Plus” wireless data plans but recommended that Charter modify its website advertising to disclose high speed data...
National Advertising Division Recommends Solawave Discontinue Certain Claims for its Advanced Skincare Wand
New York, NY – January 6, 2025 – As part of its routine monitoring process, the National Advertising Division recommended Solawave discontinue certain express and implied claims for its SolaWave Advanced Skincare Wand.