OmegaXL: Backed by Research

In the ad above, Great HealthWorks claims that its OmegaXL joint and muscle support supplement, which the company says harnesses the natural pain-relieving properties of green-lipped mussels, is backed by more than 40 years of clinical research, a claim it repeats on its website.

After receiving a number of complaints from consumers regarding research-backed claims for OmegaXL, TINA.org took a closer look. One of our readers noted in March that the company has only been around since 2003. So how can its supplement be supported by more than 40 years of research? Good question, dear reader.

As it turns out, it’s not the supplement itself that has been studied, according to the company, but rather a specific class of ingredients in OmegaXL. The company asserts on its website:

40+ Years of Clinical Research The SPMs (Specialized Pro-Resolving Mediators) in OmegaXL have been shown in research to support a healthy inflammatory response.

While there is some research demonstrating the efficacy of SPMs in reducing inflammation, as we’ve noted before, studies examining individual ingredients may not be enough to substantiate claims made about a product that combines those ingredients with other ingredients.

That’s because certain ingredients may not be as effective when mixed with other ingredients as they are on their own. And the dosage or delivery method of an ingredient tested in an ingredient study may not be the same as the dosage or delivery method of the ingredient in the advertised product.

In OmegaXL’s case, the supplement facts label doesn’t differentiate between the product’s alleged SPM ingredients and its non-SPM ingredients. It only provides the ingredients in the OmegaXL Proprietary Blend: green-lipped mussel, oil extract containing omega fatty acids, extra virgin olive oil, pure olive oil and d-alpha Tocopherol or vitamin E.

Furthermore, and perhaps most important, the company doesn’t link to or name any of the purported SPM ingredient studies on its website (and didn’t provide them to TINA.org upon request). That means consumers can’t compare the findings of the alleged studies with the limited ingredient information the company provides.

Unapproved drug claims

Another red flag? In 2021, the FDA sent Great HealthWorks a warning letter over its use of drug claims without the agency’s required approval, including several marketing statements related to OmegaXL’s purported ability to treat joint pain due to inflammation. Yet TINA.org found that the company hasn’t entirely scrubbed these pain relief claims from its marketing materials.

Memory improvement claims

Great HealthWorks also sells other supplements including one called MemoryXL that it claims is “clinically proven” to improve memory, clarity and focus. But like its alleged SPM ingredient studies, the company doesn’t link to its “clinical proof” on its website (and didn’t provide the purported research behind its brain claims upon request by TINA.org.)

Meanwhile, consumers should know that such cognitive claims for supplements have come under fire before, including by TINA.org.

Great HealthWorks did not respond to TINA.org’s request for comment.

The bottom line

It’s worth remembering that the FDA does not approve supplements. So it’s up to consumers to do their own research into these products before making a purchase.

Find more of our coverage on supplements.