InterHealth Removes Claims After NAD Recommendation

NEW YORKInterHealth Nutraceuticals will remove nearly all of its Zychrome chromium compound claims for insulin management at the recommendation of the National Advertising Division (NAD). Administered by the Council of Better Business Bureaus, NAD investigated the claims at the request of Nutrition 21, manufacturer of the competing chromium picolinate product Chromax.

According to NAD, InterHealth relied on a single preliminary study for dozen chromium dinicocysteinate (CDNC) claims such as 2x more effective than chromium picolinate in improving insulin function" and "The most effective chromium to date." However, the study did not find statistic significance for measured variables, and "did not rely on head-to-head test results to support its comparative efficacy claims," NAD said in a statement.

Consequently, NAD recommended InterHealth discontinue the contested claims, except one: "CDNC is a new form of chromium compound." The recommendation applies to all media, including broadcast, print or Internet advertising and trade show publications.

Nutrition 21 challenged the claims after questioning InterHealth's research. "Nutrition 21 was convinced that the research InterHealth was relying on did not support the superiority claims. We believe that the NAD recommendation was fully supported by the record in the NAD proceeding," the comapny said.

In response, InterHealth said it welcomes the NAD's decision regarding Zychrome's advertising. "We are pleased the NAD determined that scientific evidence demonstrates that Zychromes chromium dinicocysteinate compound improves insulin levels and resistance," it said in a statement. "We will modify advertising for Zychrome in accordance with the NADs recommendations."