LifeVantage retracts misleading press release

SAN DIEGO LifeVantage Corp. on Friday retracted a March 24 press release that likened its Protandim dietary supplement to a “fountain of youth,” stating that the release was unauthorized and not approved by the company or any of its officers.

“We would like to emphasize to our customer and shareholder base that the information included in the news release dated March 24, 2009 distributed via PRWeb, was released by an unauthorized source and contained errors and misrepresentations that shareholders and others should not rely upon,” stated David Brown, LifeVantage president and CEO. “The company takes no responsibility for the contents, and LifeVantage felt it necessary to set the record straight.”

LifeVantage did not specify what the errors or misrepresentations were, however, the retracted press release stated that, “Protandim works differently than other antioxidant supplements. [It] actually signals the cells in your body to produce its own antioxidants enzymes, which provide thousands of times more antioxidant power than any food or conventional supplements. And the proof can be measured precisely through blood tests.”

Other claims in the original press release, which may have run afoul of structure-function language mandated by the Food and Drug Administration in marketing dietary supplements, included: “Protandim is the only clinically proven treatment to dramatically lower oxidative stress to the level of a very young person … If we can tip the balance we may be able to reduce the bad effects of aging like emphysema, heart disease, cancer, strokes, diabetes and hundreds of other diseases associated with aging.”

According to the company’s Web site, Protandim is distributed through GNC.