The Fitness Freak
No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • Exercise
    • Cardio Training
    • Strength Training
    • Pilates
    • Yoga
  • Fitness
    • Fitness Gadgets
    • Health Trackers
  • Health
    • Personal Care
    • Hair & Body Care
    • Skin Care
    • Vitamins
    • Protein
  • Nutrition
    • Diet
  • Lifestyle
  • Home
  • Exercise
    • Cardio Training
    • Strength Training
    • Pilates
    • Yoga
  • Fitness
    • Fitness Gadgets
    • Health Trackers
  • Health
    • Personal Care
    • Hair & Body Care
    • Skin Care
    • Vitamins
    • Protein
  • Nutrition
    • Diet
  • Lifestyle
The Fitness Freak
No Result
View All Result
Home Health

Krill oil marketing: a case study of Australia’s broken regulations

thefitnessfreak by thefitnessfreak
February 5, 2015
in Health, Vitamins
0 0
0
Krill oil marketing: a case study of Australia's broken regulations
0
SHARES
0
VIEWS
Share on FacebookShare on Twitter


Two out of three Australians regularly use complementary medicines, which constitute a domestic market of 3.5 billion Australian dollars. But the industry’s marketing strategies are a source of ongoing controversy and pose a significant challenge to regulators.

Products containing krill oil are a good example of the kinds of outlandish claims made by supplement manufacturers. The oil is derived from a tiny shrimp-like crustacean and, like fish oil, contains omega-3 fatty acids.

The company’s claims include krill oil’s ability to “relieve arthritic symptoms [of osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis] in a short period of 7 to 14 days”, as well as its “superior absorption” and the curiously ambiguous “9x [strength]» of the cheapest fish oil. These claims can be found on the manufacturers’ product packs and websites, as well as the websites of third-party retailers.

Few companies provide links to research supporting such claims. Existing research is not readily available to most consumers, who can rarely assess its validity anyway.

Claims and science

The widely held claim that krill oil relieves arthritis symptoms in 7-14 days appears to be based on a small study from 2007. The research focused on a specific formulation of krill oil, produced by a Canadian company. Possible conflicts of interestincluding the source of funding for the study, are notably absent from the document.

The study recruited 90 people with a confirmed diagnosis of at least one cardiovascular disease, rheumatoid arthritis (ten people) and osteoarthritis (30 people). They were compared to placebo groups of 12 and 26. Three patients withdrew from the trial before the end, and 12 had no diagnosis of osteoarthritis or rheumatoid arthritis.

While some results at seven and 14 days were found to be statistically significant, the small number of people involved raises questions about the clinical significance of his findings.

Regardless of this and other details in the report that suggest only people with very severe cases of illness were included, the results of this early and isolated study can at best be considered preliminary. And a search for a comprehensive research database found no evidence that the results had been independently reproduced.

The claim that krill oil has “superior absorption” is also dubious and unsupported by research evidence. A 2014 review of krill oil absorption in fact concluded that there was no evidence that krill oil is more easily absorbed by the human body.

Regulatory challenges

Companies that market complementary medicines in Australia are legally required to comply with standards set by the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA). These standards relate to both product quality and advertising claims.

But the manufacturers themselves certify their compliance with the TGA requirements. Limited and poorly targeted post-market surveillance of complementary products allows them to violate standards without fear of retaliation. Then there is the lack of effective penalties to deter companies from breaching TGA regulations.

In May 2013The Therapeutic Products Advertising Complaint Resolution Committee determined claims such as “9 times stronger” and “reduced[s] pain, stiffness and inflammation caused by arthritis, within a short period of 7-14 days” violated a number of sections of the 2007 Therapeutic Product Advertising Code.

He said such statements:

must be supported by a large body of scientific evidence involving a number of independent studies.

But claims continue to be made, even by companies asked to withdraw them.

Many reports over the past decade have recommended addressing the lack of effective sanctions for wrongdoing companies. But it seems unlikely that any changes will be implemented anytime soon, as both the industry and government support a program of deregulation.

Meanwhile, consumers continue to be ripped off by products that cannot deliver on the promises they make.

Related Posts

Peptide-Infused Skincare Products to Add to Your Routine
Health

Peptide-Infused Skincare Products to Add to Your Routine

February 6, 2023
The Science Behind Vitamin C's Anti-Aging Properties for the Skin
Health

The Science Behind Vitamin C’s Anti-Aging Properties for the Skin

February 3, 2023
Amazing benefits of eating kokum fruit
Health

Amazing benefits of eating kokum fruit

February 2, 2023
Bhujangasana benefits and steps
Health

Bhujangasana benefits and steps

February 2, 2023
Benefits of brahmi oil for hair
Hair & Body Care

Benefits of brahmi oil for hair

February 2, 2023
Vitamins and supplements: what you need to know before taking them
Health

Vitamins and supplements: what you need to know before taking them

February 2, 2023
Next Post
Fish oil or snake oil? Most capsules don't contain what they promise

Fish oil or snake oil? Most capsules don't contain what they promise

POPULAR NEWS

Learn the Ins and Outs of Pickleball from 2 of Its Best Players

Learn the Ins and Outs of Pickleball from 2 of Its Best Players

January 11, 2023
How many Australians are going hungry? We don't know for sure, and that's a big part of the problem

How many Australians are going hungry? We don’t know for sure, and that’s a big part of the problem

December 12, 2022
Migraine sufferers have treatment choices – a neurologist explains options beyond just pain medication

Migraine sufferers have treatment choices – a neurologist explains options beyond just pain medication

July 11, 2022
Tips & Tricks to Unleash Your Inner Grillmaster

Tips & Tricks to Unleash Your Inner Grillmaster

September 10, 2021
Causes and symptoms of thyroid hair loss

Causes and symptoms of thyroid hair loss

December 27, 2022

The Fitness Freak

Are you ready to change from within? Welcome to The Fitness Freak! The goal of The Fitness Freak is to provide you with the best info about exercise, fitness, health, nutrition and wellness to give you a healthy lifestyle. We hope that you get the most value from our website.

Categories

  • Cardio Training
  • Diet
  • Exercise
  • Fitness
  • Fitness Gadgets
  • Hair & Body Care
  • Health
  • Health Trackers
  • Lifestyle
  • Nutrition
  • Personal Care
  • Pilates
  • Protein
  • Skin Care
  • Strength Training
  • Vitamins
  • Yoga

Recent Posts

  • Gain Super Bowl Speed with These Sprint Drills
  • Find balance with Prana: A review of the mindful breathing & posture wearable
  • Best 7 Exercises To Do Everyday
  • Peptide-Infused Skincare Products to Add to Your Routine
  • Home
  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • Disclaimer
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms & Conditions

Copyright © 2022 Thefitnessfreak.co | All Rights Reserved.

No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • Exercise
    • Cardio Training
    • Strength Training
    • Pilates
    • Yoga
  • Fitness
    • Fitness Gadgets
    • Health Trackers
  • Health
    • Personal Care
    • Hair & Body Care
    • Skin Care
    • Vitamins
    • Protein
  • Nutrition
    • Diet
  • Lifestyle

Copyright © 2022 Thefitnessfreak.co | All Rights Reserved.

Welcome Back!

Login to your account below

Forgotten Password?

Retrieve your password

Please enter your username or email address to reset your password.

Log In