Sensa is an American brand of diet aid created by Alan Hirsch, an American neurologist and psychiatrist. The product lacks scientific evidence of effect and has been the subject of controversy and lawsuits. Following a $26 million fine by the U.S. Federal Trade Commission in 2014, the company ceased operations. [1]
According to the advertisements promoting the Sensa diet, you can eat your favorite foods without counting calories, deprivation, or cravings. All that is needed is to sprinkle all the food one eats with flavor-enhancing Sensa crystals, and that will result in weight-loss. The product also claimed to cure testicular cancer. [2]
These "Sensa crystals" were developed by Alan Hirsch, MD, the founder and neurologic director of the Smell and Taste Treatment and Research Foundation in Chicago. The Sensa crystals (or "tastants") are said to promote feelings of fullness and, ultimately, weight loss. If a person sticks with Sensa, the website claims that a person could lose 30 pounds in six months. [2]
Hirsch says there was a peer-reviewed study by the Endocrine Society supporting the claim that subjects lost over thirty pounds using Sensa. However, the Endocrine Society says they did not review the study. On ABC's news magazine program 20/20 , the Endocrine Society stated they "were surprised and troubled by the promotional nature of his presentation." [3]
Senla was owned and marketed by Senla Products, LLC, its parent company, Senla, Inc., formerly Intelligent Beauty, Inc. The CEO of Senla Products, LLC was Adam Goldenberg. [4] Intelligent Beauty was renamed JustFab Inc and is now known as TechStyle. Adam is currently the co-CEO of TechStyle [5]
None of Sensa's internal studies have been confirmed by peer-reviewed medical journals. [6]
Critiques of Sensa-claimed research and Dr. Hirsch's research include: (1) the studies were not blinded in any directions (both researchers and subjects knew who was given Sensa and who was given a placebo, which is a conflict of interest and exposes the study to outcomes driven by the placebo effect), (2) the studies have not been open to peer review or verified by any independent medical or health organization, (3) the results have not been duplicated, (4) all studies have been conducted by organizations that are affiliated with Sensa and stand to gain financial compensation (conflicts of interests), (5) Sensa's statistical claims in their infomercials largely contradict information shown on product patents, and (6) experts from the fields of medicine that Sensa is derived from and medical experts which study and treat health-weight issues have consistently disagreed with the scientific reasoning behind Sensa, noting on numerous occasions that none of the ingredients in Sensa have shown any of the properties that the product is claimed to have. [7]
In 2013, the marketers of Sensa paid US$905,000(equivalent to $1,136,939 in 2022) to settle false advertising charges in California after an investigation by the Statewide Nutritional Supplement Task Force determined they were making unsubstantiated claims regarding the efficacy of their products and making unauthorized charges to customers. [8] [9] [10]
On January 7, 2014, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) assessed a $26.5 million fine against the company to settle charges of unfounded weight-loss claims. Under the order, the defendants are barred from making weight-loss claims about dietary supplements, foods, or drugs, unless they have two adequate and well-controlled human clinical studies supporting the claims; making any other health-related claim unless it is supported by competent and reliable scientific tests, analyses, research, or studies; and misrepresenting any scientific evidence. [11] In October 2014, Sensa declared insolvency and ceased operations, and entered into an assignment for the benefit of creditors. [1] In December 2014, the FTC announced that it was sending 477,083 refund checks totaling $26,023,329 to consumers who purchased the weight-loss supplement. [12] [1]
A dietary supplement is a manufactured product intended to supplement a person's diet by taking a pill, capsule, tablet, powder, or liquid. A supplement can provide nutrients either extracted from food sources, or that are synthetic. The classes of nutrient compounds in supplements include vitamins, minerals, fiber, fatty acids, and amino acids. Dietary supplements can also contain substances that have not been confirmed as being essential to life, and so are not nutrients per se, but are marketed as having a beneficial biological effect, such as plant pigments or polyphenols. Animals can also be a source of supplement ingredients, such as collagen from chickens or fish for example. These are also sold individually and in combination, and may be combined with nutrient ingredients. The European Commission has also established harmonized rules to help insure that food supplements are safe and appropriately labeled.
TrimSpa was a dietary supplement designed for weight loss, marketed by the company Goen Technologies and headed by Alexander Szynalski. The ephedra-based supplement was marketed by TrimSpa to help "stave off hunger", until ephedra was banned from the United States. TrimSpa's parent company, Goen Technologies, filed for bankruptcy protection in May 2008.
Kevin Trudeau is an American author, salesman, and television personality known for promotion of his books and resulting legal cases involving the US Federal Trade Commission. His ubiquitous late-night infomercials, which promoted unsubstantiated health, diet, and financial advice, earned him a fortune but resulted in civil and criminal penalties for fraud, larceny, and contempt of court.
HeightMax Concentrate and HeightMax Plus were purported height-enhancing pills for children and young adults marketed by Sunny Health Nutrition Technology & Products, Inc. The Federal Trade Commission filed a complaint against the company and its owner, leading to the product being discontinued and a fine paid.
Josef Weider was a Canadian bodybuilder and entrepreneur who co-founded the International Federation of BodyBuilders (IFBB) alongside his brother Ben Weider. He was also the creator of Mr. Olympia, Ms. Olympia, and the Masters Olympia bodybuilding contests. He was the publisher of various bodybuilding and fitness-related magazines, most notably Muscle & Fitness, Flex, Men's Fitness, and Shape, and the manufacturer of a line of fitness equipment and fitness supplements.
Glucomannan is a water-soluble polysaccharide that is considered a dietary fiber. It is a hemicellulose component in the cell walls of some plant species. Glucomannan is a food additive used as an emulsifier and thickener. It is a major source of mannan oligosaccharide (MOS) found in nature, the other being galactomannan, which is insoluble.
Coral calcium is a salt of calcium derived from fossilized coral reefs. It has been promoted as an alternative, but unsubstantiated, treatment or cure for a number of health conditions.
POM Wonderful, LLC is a private company which sells an eponymous brand of beverages and fruit extracts. It was founded in 2002 by the billionaire industrial agriculture couple Stewart and Lynda Rae Resnick. Through The Wonderful Company, their holding company, they are also affiliated with Teleflora, FIJI Water, pesticide manufacturer Suterra, and Paramount Agribusiness. In 2010, the company was warned by the FDA for making false health claims and for marketing statements that promoted their products as unauthorized drugs.
A laundry ball or washing ball is a product made of solid, insoluble material promoted as a substitute for laundry detergent. Producers of laundry balls often make pseudoscientific claims about their mechanisms of action and exaggerate the extent of their benefits.
Vinpocetine is a synthetic derivative of the vinca alkaloid vincamine, differing by the removal of a hydroxyl group and by being the ethyl rather than the methyl ester of the underlying carboxylic acid. Vincamine is extracted from either the seeds of Voacanga africana or the leaves of Vinca minor.
Donald W. Barrett is the founder and president of ITV Direct, a company which produces infomercials for broadcast in the United States. Almost all are related to health and nutrition.
The Weight Loss Cure "They" Don't Want You to Know About is a weight loss book written by salesman and convicted fraudster Kevin Trudeau. It was released in April 2007 by Alliance Publishing.
Hoodia gordonii, also known as Bushman’s hat, is a leafless spiny succulent plant supposed to have therapeutic properties in folk medicine. It grows naturally in Botswana, South Africa and Namibia. The species became internationally known and threatened by collectors, after a marketing campaign falsely claimed that it was an appetite suppressant for weight loss. The flowers smell like rotten meat and are pollinated mainly by flies. The indigenous San people of the Namib desert call this plant ǁhoba.
Liquid oxygen supplements are products that claim to add extra oxygen to the human body, most often through a chemical process in the digestive system, like the breakdown of hydrogen peroxide or magnesium peroxide. While the FDA describes these products as being inert, and has penalized some producers who made explicit medical claims, it has not prohibited their sale.
Seasilver is the trademarked name of a commercial dietary supplement produced and sold by the companies Seasilver USA, Inc. and Americaloe, Inc.
The use of açaí palm berries in supplements and the marketing of such supplements has led to enforcement efforts in the United States in 2010. Advertisements of açaí berry supplements have been referred to as scams, both for their deceptive offers as well as for a lack of efficacy. A Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre spokesman described the growing number of scams related to the sale of açaí berry supplements as "a major international problem."
Breast enlargement supplements are frequently portrayed as being a natural means to increase breast size, and with the suggestion that they are free from risk. The popularity of breast enlargement supplements stems from their heavy promotion toward women. Though there has been historical folklore about using herbs for breast enlargement, there is no scientific evidence to support the effectiveness of any breast enlargement supplement. At times, testimonials by companies have been faked. In the United States, both the Federal Trade Commission and the Food and Drug Administration have taken action against the manufacturers of these products for fraudulent practices. The Mayo Clinic advises that there may be serious drug interactions with their use.
Green coffee extract is an extract of unroasted, green coffee beans. It is used in the Swiss water process for decaffeinating coffee. It has also been used as a weight-loss supplement and as an ingredient in other weight-loss products, although there is insufficient clinical evidence that it is effective or safe for such uses. In 2014, one of the primary trials showing benefit was retracted and the company that sponsored the study, Applied Food Sciences, was fined by the Federal Trade Commission for making baseless weight-loss claims using the flawed study. Green coffee extract can also be prepared as an infusion from green coffee beans.
Jesse Willms is a Canadian entrepreneur and businessman who has founded several companies, including eDirect Software, Car History Group, and Just Think Media.
LearningRx is a franchise based in Colorado Springs, Colorado. The company claims to improve cognitive abilities.
