NAD Recommends Nature’s Answer Discontinue Claims for its ‘Bio-Strath’ Supplement, Including Claims Related to Pregnancy, Disease, ADD-ADHD

New York, NY – Jan. 22, 2013 – The National Advertising Division has recommended that Nature’s Answer, LLC, discontinue a wide range of Internet advertising claims for “Bio-Strath,” including claims that the supplement benefits children with ADD/ADHD, pregnant women, people recovering from cancer treatments, people with dementia and people with diabetes.

NAD is an investigative unit of the advertising industry’s system of self-regulation. It is administered by the Council of Better Business Bureaus.

As part of NAD’s initiative with the Council for Responsible Nutrition to expand NAD review of advertising claims for dietary supplements, CRN challenged certain advertising claims made by Nature’s Answer for Bio-Strath.

Bio-Strath is a proprietary herbal blend of angelica root, lemon balm leaf, basil aerial parts, chamomile flower, cinnamon bark, caraway seed, elder flower, fennel seed, horseradish root, hyssop leaf, lavender flower, parsley aerial parts, peppermint leaf, sage leaf and thyme aerial parts. Bio-Strath contains minerals and trace elements, amino acids, vitamins and what the advertiser describes as “building substances.” Bio-Strath also contains saccharomyces cerevisiae, commonly known as baker’s yeast, which the advertiser seems to credit for most of the rejuvenating and health properties of Bio-Strath.

While the advertiser “submitted a variety of clinical studies testing of the efficacy of Bio-Strath supplements and elixir on a variety of health parameters,” NAD noted concerns with the methodology of the studies, or the availability of detailed information about the studies.

“Clinically proven claims are a promise that there is scientific evidence that proves or ‘establishes’ the truth of an advertiser’s claims and literally speaks to the testing of the product in terms of its claimed efficacy,” NAD noted in its decision. “There is an implied promise that the clinical testing was grounded in sound scientific methodology and yielded consumer relevant results.”

Following its review of the advertising and the advertiser’s evidence, NAD recommended that the advertiser discontinue all of the challenged claims with the following exceptions:

•  “Bio-Strath contains numerous strengthening nutrients needed by the human body for efficient performance and good health.”
•  “This rejuvenating tonic has been used . . . for 47 years.”
•  “The deep intelligence of the body allows each cell to absorb only that which it needs for internal order and balance.”

Nature’s Answer, in its advertiser’s statement, said the company “has determined that it is appropriate to remove all links to BIO-STRATH’s web site from www.naturesanswer.com and to modify the claims made on its website in accordance with NAD’s decision.”