Quackbase!

A database that tracks dubious medical claims.


Claim number: 26

Claimant: Solal Technologies

Claim date: Feb. 1, 2011

Forum in which the claim was made: Flyer

Claim methodology: Vitamins

Frequency with which the claim is made by this claimant: Frequent

Actual claim: Alleviates Vitamin Deficiency

Plausibility of this claim: Tests are disputed or inconclusive

Summary

This Solal flyer claimed that more than 80% of South Africans tested are deficient in vitamin D3, which is essential for heart health.

Responses

Documents relevant to this claim

Description

Solal Technologies' advertisements for Krill Oil offer a special promotion whereby consumers can receive “FREE VITAMIN D3 (60 tablets). The advertisement also contains, inter alia, the claim “more than 80% of South Africans tested are deficient in vitamin D3, which is essential for heart health and significantly reduces the risk of many cancers”. The complainant, Kevin Charleston, pointed out that no information is given about the alleged Vitamin D3 deficiency. However, according to a study done in August 2010 on 10 year old children, “Vitamin D supplementation or fortification is not warranted in healthy children living in Johannesburg”. The complaint was partially upheld. See ruling at http://www.camcheck.co.za/asa-ruling-solal-tech-krill-oil/>