Tru Niagen’s Advertised Health Benefits Are Not ‘Clinically Proven,’ Class Action Lawsuit Alleges

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A proposed class action lawsuit alleges that Tru Niagen nicotinamide riboside (NR) dietary supplements are deceptively and misleadingly marketed as clinically proven to increase nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD+) levels in the body.

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The 44-page false advertising lawsuit asserts that Niagen Bioscience, Inc. and ChromaDex, Inc. have marketed and advertised that their Tru Niagen NR dietary supplements provide anti-aging, cellular repair, organ health and other health benefits by increasing the body’s production of the coenzyme NAD+.

However, the case conveys that the defendants have overstated and misrepresented clinical findings about their products to induce consumers to purchase the “snake oil” supplements at a significant price premium.

The complaint shares that NAD+, which is found in every cell of the body, is a critical coenzyme needed to convert food into energy, repair cellular damage and coordinate the body’s stress and immune responses. As people get older, their bodies stop producing the same amount of NAD+, which contributes to various age-related changes, such as muscle loss, fatigue, metabolic issues and cognitive decline, per the case.

Despite repeated representations in advertisements, social media campaigns, influencer testimonials and product pages that the Tru Niagen supplements are clinically proven to increase NAD+ production, the case says an independent review by the National Advertising Division of the Better Business Bureau concluded that clinical evidence did not support the “broadly disseminated” claims that the active ingredient in Tru Niagen, nicotinamide riboside, can provide anti-aging and health benefits. Specifically, the National Advertising Division found that the outcomes of studies referenced by the defendants varied significantly depending on factors such as study design, populations, duration, endpoints and conditions of use, and that nicotinamide riboside only increased NAD+ levels under “certain limited conditions,” the lawsuit says.

Additionally, the National Advertising Division found that the defendants improperly associated increases in NAD+ biomarkers in certain studies with “broad” functional health benefits that the studies do not support.

The lawsuit says the defendants have induced consumers to purchase the Tru Niagen supplements through misleading representations that “exploit” their health anxieties. Per the suit, reasonable consumers would interpret the “clinically proven” claim to mean the product underwent rigorous scientific testing regarding its efficacy and benefits, when, according to the suit, there is “a lack of scientific evidence” to support these claims.

The Tru Niagen class action lawsuit looks to cover all individuals nationwide who purchased the defendants’ Tru Niagen products during the applicable statutory period.

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