Read your labels! This simple task could have saved a track athlete from being banned and from a courtroom loss.
Maryland-based track athlete Phillipe H. DeRosier, Jr.’s case against USPlabs, a popular supplement maker, was thrown out today. The federal judge in Maryland dismissed the $1.8 Million lawsuit filed by DeRosier who was blaming the company for his testing positive for a substance banned in competition.
DeRosier was banned by the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency (USADA) for his use of a substance called DMAA, found in the USPlabs product Jack3d. DMAA is a mild stimulant and the USADA bans stimulants for use in competition.
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Reebok, one of the premiere shoe companies on the planet, is getting a boot in their butt from the legal system for false fitness claims. The now-famous toning shoes on the market claim to tone your legs and behind while you walk. The Federal Trade Commission begs to differ, and now Reebok is paying $25 million in damages.
“The FTC wants national advertisers to understand that they must exercise some responsibility and ensure that their claims for fitness gear are supported by sound science,” said David Vladeck, director of the Federal Trade Commission’s bureau of consumer protection.
The FTC says that there isn’t enough scientific proof to support the claim that walking in the EasyTone shoes or running in RunTone shoes can shape your legs and butt.
Ads began in 2009 with very specific claims, claims that the FTC says don’t hold up:
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We should be able to trust the Food and Drug Administration to protect us against foods that might not be safe for our consumption, right? I never would have questioned this before, but after Del Monte Fresh Produce recently filed a lawsuit that could have long-term consequences against the regulatory organization, I am starting to have my doubts.
Let me explain: The FDA recently forced Del Monte to halt the importation of its Guatemalan cantaloupes because there was a possibility that the fruits could have been contaminated with salmonella. Then, Del Monte fired back against the FDA with a lawsuit. This all seems like standard operations, but the problem is that in the future, it is possible that the FDA will become more reluctant to issue warnings against possibly-contaminated foods for fear of being taken to court.
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The makers of Vita Coco, the 100 percent natural re-hydrating coconut water, were served with a 5 million dollar lawsuit August 11th. A recent study by Consumerlab.com, a product testing company, found that Vita Coco and other all-natural coconut water drinks were not as hydrating as clever marketing may have indicated.
Vita Coco and other coconut water drinks have become popular in the past few years, noting their superiority to sports drinks in replacing electrolytes after exercise. Vita Coco ad campaigns in particular claim that their drink has 15 times the electrolytes found in sports drinks, which according to the current law suit is false.
Many health experts believe that while coconut water is a good source of potassium it is not an adequate source of re-hydration, especially if participating in heavy exercise like marathon training. Experts also say that unless you’re exercising strenuously for over an hour, there is no need for electrolyte replacement afterwards and that water is enough to replenish your system.
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In an opinion piece that ran last week in the Journal of American Medicine, Harvard University child obesity expert Dr. David Ludwig set a fire when he called for parents to lose custody of their obese children.
“In severe instances of childhood obesity, removal from the home may be justifiable, from a legal standpoint, because of imminent health risks and the parents’ chronic failure to address medical problems,” Ludwig said. Ludwig goes as far as to compare obesity to extreme child abuse. The thought is not without precedent: More than 10 years ago, 3-year-old Anamarie Regino was taken from her parents and placed in foster care simply because she weighed 90 pounds. When questioned about this case, Ludwig admitted that “state intervention is no guarantee of a good outcome, but to do nothing is also not an answer.”
Ludwig has received heat for this point of view, and he’s since clarified his position. He said in later publication that in 99% of the most severe cases, he would not recommend that an obese child be removed from the home. He further explained that state intervention could include financial support to families, social services, access to safe recreation areas and even parenting courses to help manage a child’s uncontrolled eating habits. “The ultimate answer to the obesity epidemic is not to blame parents, it’s to create a more healthful and supportive society,” Ludwig said.
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