NAD Finds PNI Can Support Certain Advertising Claims For “Sytrinol”, Recommends Advertiser Discontinue Certain Claims

New York, New York – Dec. 1, 2011 – The National Advertising Division of the Council of Better Business Bureaus Claims has determined that Proprietary Nutritionals, Inc., can support certain advertising claims for the company’s Sytrinol product. NAD recommended the company discontinue certain claims, including comparisons to statin drug therapy.

NAD, the advertising industry’s self-regulatory forum, reviewed the claims for the product as part of NAD’s ongoing monitoring program.

The advertiser described Sytrinol as a patented, proprietary formulation derived from natural citrus and palm fruit extracts, combining polymethoxylated citrus flavonoids (270 mg) with tocotrienols (30 mg). The claims at issue included both general and quantified cholesterol-reduction claims, antioxidant claims, anti-inflammatory claims, and claims that the product is safe. NAD also expressed its concern about statements at the advertiser’s website that, in NAD’s view, compared the product with prescription statin therapy. NAD reviewed performance claims that included:

• “30% improvement in Cholesterol in just 30 Days”
• “Clinically Studied”
• “Lowers Total Cholesterol”
• “Lowers LDL”
• “Lowers Triglycerides”
• “SYTRINOL® is a powerful antioxidant”
• “Antioxidant Benefits”
• “Anti-Inflammatory Benefits”
• “proven to be safe”
• “safe

(Full text of decision available to media upon request.)

The advertiser’s evidence included in part a clinical study on Sytrinol. The study was randomized and double-blinded, and included 120 male and female participants between the ages of 19 to 65 with elevated cholesterol levels. Following its review of the evidence in the record, NAD concluded that the clinical study provided a reasonable basis for claims that the product lowers and improves cholesterol, including the claims, “30% improvement in Cholesterol in just 30 Days,” “Clinically Studied,” “Lowers Total Cholesterol,” “Lowers LDL,” and “Lowers Triglycerides.”

NAD further found that research on the Sytrinol’s ingredients provided a reasonable basis for the claims that the product provides “Antioxidant Benefits” and “Anti-Inflammatory Benefits.”

However, NAD recommended that the advertiser discontinue its claim that Sytrinol is a “powerful antioxidant.”  

NAD found that the advertiser provided a reasonable basis for claims that Sytrinol is “safe,” but recommended that the advertiser discontinue claims that Sytrinol has been “proven to be safe.”

Finally, NAD recommended the advertiser discontinue certain comparisons to statin drug therapy.

PNI, in its advertiser’s statement, said the company “accepts NAD’s recommendations and will discontinue the remaining claims discussed in the decision.”