Vitamin O
Encyclopedia
Vitamin O is a dietary supplement
which has been marketed and sold by Rose Creek Health Products since 1998. It is not recognized by nutritional science as a vitamin and the manufacturer has been fined by the Federal Trade Commission
for making false claims of health benefits of the product. The false statements included claims that taking the supplement has a beneficial effect on a wide variety of ailments, including angina, anaemia, and various forms of cancer
, as well as increasing vigour and improving state of mind. In addition, it was claimed that vitamin O is "a special supplemented oxygen taken in liquid form and produced through electrical-activation with a saline solution from the ocean," and that the substance increases the amount of oxygen present in the blood.
As a result of the Dietary Supplement Health and Education Act, the product could be sold without approval by the Food and Drug Administration
, provided claims were never made by the producers of the supplement about its medical efficacy. Rose Creek complied, instead collecting statements from users who attributed wide-ranging benefits to taking it. However, later ads also ran statements from "experts", who provided anecdotal evidence
from small-scale clinical trial
s showing positive results in several patients. Because of this, the Federal Trade Commission
filed an injunction in March 1999 against Rose Creek Health Products Inc., stating that the ads being run in both print and online sources, including USA Today
, were "blatantly false". Studies run on vitamin O showed it to be composed largely of salt water
as well as a small quantity of germanium
, which would provide no benefits not attributable to the placebo effect
.
On April 28, 2000, Donald L. Smyth, CEO of Rose Creek Health Products Inc., agreed to pay a cash settlement of $375,000 for consumer redress, and to abstain from making claims as to the scientific accuracy of beneficial effects attributed to the supplement, or promoting its efficacy in treating life-threatening illnesses.
As of 2010, the product contains a disclaimer stating "This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease".
Dietary supplement
A dietary supplement, also known as food supplement or nutritional supplement, is a preparation intended to supplement the diet and provide nutrients, such as vitamins, minerals, fiber, fatty acids, or amino acids, that may be missing or may not be consumed in sufficient quantities in a person's diet...
which has been marketed and sold by Rose Creek Health Products since 1998. It is not recognized by nutritional science as a vitamin and the manufacturer has been fined by the Federal Trade Commission
Federal Trade Commission
The Federal Trade Commission is an independent agency of the United States government, established in 1914 by the Federal Trade Commission Act...
for making false claims of health benefits of the product. The false statements included claims that taking the supplement has a beneficial effect on a wide variety of ailments, including angina, anaemia, and various forms of cancer
Cancer
Cancer , known medically as a malignant neoplasm, is a large group of different diseases, all involving unregulated cell growth. In cancer, cells divide and grow uncontrollably, forming malignant tumors, and invade nearby parts of the body. The cancer may also spread to more distant parts of the...
, as well as increasing vigour and improving state of mind. In addition, it was claimed that vitamin O is "a special supplemented oxygen taken in liquid form and produced through electrical-activation with a saline solution from the ocean," and that the substance increases the amount of oxygen present in the blood.
As a result of the Dietary Supplement Health and Education Act, the product could be sold without approval by the Food and Drug Administration
Food and Drug Administration
The Food and Drug Administration is an agency of the United States Department of Health and Human Services, one of the United States federal executive departments...
, provided claims were never made by the producers of the supplement about its medical efficacy. Rose Creek complied, instead collecting statements from users who attributed wide-ranging benefits to taking it. However, later ads also ran statements from "experts", who provided anecdotal evidence
Anecdotal evidence
The expression anecdotal evidence refers to evidence from anecdotes. Because of the small sample, there is a larger chance that it may be true but unreliable due to cherry-picked or otherwise unrepresentative of typical cases....
from small-scale clinical trial
Clinical trial
Clinical trials are a set of procedures in medical research and drug development that are conducted to allow safety and efficacy data to be collected for health interventions...
s showing positive results in several patients. Because of this, the Federal Trade Commission
Federal Trade Commission
The Federal Trade Commission is an independent agency of the United States government, established in 1914 by the Federal Trade Commission Act...
filed an injunction in March 1999 against Rose Creek Health Products Inc., stating that the ads being run in both print and online sources, including USA Today
USA Today
USA Today is a national American daily newspaper published by the Gannett Company. It was founded by Al Neuharth. The newspaper vies with The Wall Street Journal for the position of having the widest circulation of any newspaper in the United States, something it previously held since 2003...
, were "blatantly false". Studies run on vitamin O showed it to be composed largely of salt water
Brine
Brine is water, saturated or nearly saturated with salt .Brine is used to preserve vegetables, fruit, fish, and meat, in a process known as brining . Brine is also commonly used to age Halloumi and Feta cheeses, or for pickling foodstuffs, as a means of preserving them...
as well as a small quantity of germanium
Germanium
Germanium is a chemical element with the symbol Ge and atomic number 32. It is a lustrous, hard, grayish-white metalloid in the carbon group, chemically similar to its group neighbors tin and silicon. The isolated element is a semiconductor, with an appearance most similar to elemental silicon....
, which would provide no benefits not attributable to the placebo effect
Placebo effect
Placebo effect may refer to:* Placebo effect, the tendency of any medication or treatment, even an inert or ineffective one, to exhibit results simply because the recipient believes that it will work...
.
On April 28, 2000, Donald L. Smyth, CEO of Rose Creek Health Products Inc., agreed to pay a cash settlement of $375,000 for consumer redress, and to abstain from making claims as to the scientific accuracy of beneficial effects attributed to the supplement, or promoting its efficacy in treating life-threatening illnesses.
As of 2010, the product contains a disclaimer stating "This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease".