ADD-care Told to Subtract ‘Help’ Claims

ADD-care is a dietary supplement that says it “may help” with symptoms associated with ADD and ADHD. But consumers should know that the advertising industry’s self-regulatory body says the research supporting that claim is unreliable.

Last week, the National Advertising Division (NAD) said it had recommended that ADD-care drop certain claims and testimonials appearing on the company’s website because the research behind them was “equivalent to anecdotal evidence.”

The Council for Responsible Nutrition, a trade association representing the dietary supplement industry, brought the complaint to NAD.

The study ADD-care points to as research tested the levels of impulsivity of four subjects after each were given a dose of ADD-care. But the study failed to include a comparative placebo group, a significant omission, NAD said.

In a release, NAD cited 11 claims and testimonials that it said should be pulled from ADD-care’s website, including one that stated:

ADD-care is a natural supplement that may help with symptoms often seen with ADD and ADHD and other mental health problems.

ADD-care countered in a statement that the company “has adequate substantiation and extensive research for its modest claims” but added that it will consider NAD’s recommendations, the release said.

The challenged claims and testimonials cited in the release could not be readily located on the website. However, similar language still appears on at least one page.

Consumers need to question the research behind any dietary supplement’s health claims.

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