### Lawsuit Filed Against Health Supplement Company Co-Founded by Joe Rogan
A lawsuit has been filed against a health supplement company co-founded by controversial podcast host Joe Rogan over “misleading” advertising that one of its products actually works to improve brain function. The complaint alleges that Onnit Labs Inc. claims that its supplement ‘Alpha BRAIN’ supports memory, focus, and processing speed even though a clinical trial funded by the company says otherwise, creating “false, misleading and deceptive advertising” surrounding the product.
### Allegations of Misleading Claims and False Advertising
The suit claims that the supplement performed no better than a placebo in most of the tests in a clinical study, and in many cases, the placebo worked better than the actual product. Onnit, co-founded by Rogan and sold to Unilever in 2021, is at the center of the lawsuit, but neither Rogan nor his podcast are named as defendants in the complaint obtained by The Independent. Another podcaster and YouTuber, Aubrey Marcus, is also credited with founding Onnit but is not mentioned in the lawsuit.
### Rogan’s Promotion of ‘Alpha BRAIN’ on His Podcast
Rogan has been advertising and promoting the ‘Alpha BRAIN’ supplement line created by Onnit on his podcast for many years. In a clip posted to YouTube by Onnit in 2022, Rogan spoke about the product and the studies they funded to support its efficacy. However, the lawsuit claims that the full text from the study showed minimal improvement in memory and no improvement in other cognitive domains.
### Lawsuit Challenges Product Claims and Study Results
Throughout the study, the lawsuit alleges that there was not a statistically significant difference between the ‘Alpha BRAIN’ group and the placebo group in most tests, with the placebo group outperforming in many areas. The lawsuit challenges the product’s claims of improving memory, focus, and mental speed based on the study results.
### Onnit’s Marketing and Target Audience
Onnit’s website claims that ‘Alpha BRAIN’ helps support cognitive functions and “flow state,” targeting students, professionals, gamers, artists, and entrepreneurs. The product ingredients include Vitamin B6 and L-Theanine, among others, with statements acknowledging that they have not been evaluated by the FDA.
### Plaintiff Seeks Damages for False Advertising
The plaintiff, Jean Paul Lotz, who purchased the product multiple times, alleges that he did not see any improvement in memory, focus, or mental processing speed. He aims to represent a class of New Yorkers who purchased the product and is seeking monetary and statutory damages for false advertising under New York General Business Law.
The lawsuit against Onnit for false advertising continues to unfold, with further developments expected as the case progresses.
Original Story at www.independent.co.uk – 2024-05-20 17:06:55
