Dietary Supplement Claims

Anyone who has watched television, read magazines, or looked at the nutritional supplement section in the supermarket is familiar with the claims made on supplement bottles. “Lose weight the natural way!” they'll say, or “Helps fight appetite!” or “Promotes muscle building!” You may even be tempted to purchase the supplements based on these claims. After all, who doesn't want a bit of help dropping pounds or putting on muscle? But how much can you trust these vague claims?

The answer is: not much. Thanks to the Dietary Supplement Health and Education Act of 1994 (DSHEA), which was passed partially due to the pressure of supplement lobbyists, dietary supplements are classified as foods rather than drugs in regards to Food and Drug Administration (FDA) oversight. As such, the companies that make the supplements are able to make certain broad health-related benefits claims which they don't have to prove with real evidence. The companies can say that their green-tea extract pills actually help you lose weight, with a little bit of text saying this isn't endorsed by FDA studies, and get away with it. In a way, it's like those old medicinal claims about the healing benefits of miracle tonics and potions from many years ago.

Unfortunately, this is all legal under the law as it currently exists. People don't know what they can trust. The FDA cannot fully regulate supplements until they have been proven harmful. That is, they have little oversight of the safety of dietary supplements until they've already hurt someone.

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If you or someone you love has been injured as a result of taking the dietary supplement Hydroxycut, contact the Hydroxycut lawsuit attorneys of today at your convenience to learn more about your legal options.