NAD recommends changes in Cognivin ad claims

NEW YORK The National Advertising Division of the Council of Better Business Bureaus on Thursday recommended to Biotech International Corp. that the company modify or discontinue claims that its Cognivin dietary supplement product helps improve memory or cognitive function.

However, the NAD did determine that the advertiser can make certain limited claims regarding the potential memory and cognitive function benefits of some of the ingredients in Cognivin, including:

• Huperzine has been shown to help memory and cognitive function in elderly patients with Alzheimer’s disease and middle school children;
• Citicholine can help support memory by influencing brain neurotrophic mechanisms and processes of cerebrovascular regulation;
• Vinpocetine is of benefit to patients with chronic cerebral dysfunction of vascular origin.

In addition, NAD did find there is sufficient research to support claims that Ginkgo Biloba has been “clinically proven” to support memory and cognitive function.

In response, Biotech suggested it would consider NAD’s recommendations in future advertising.

The claims were challenged by the Council for Responsible Nutrition, a trade association of dietary-supplement manufacturers.