TrimSpa was a

dietary supplement A dietary supplement is a manufactured product intended to supplement one'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 in order ...

designed for

weight loss Weight loss, in the context of medicine, health, or physical fitness, refers to a reduction of the total body mass, by a mean loss of fluid, body fat (adipose tissue), or lean mass (namely bone mineral deposits, muscle, tendon, and other conn ...

, marketed by the company Goen Technologies and headed by Alexander Szynalski. The

ephedra Ephedra may refer to: * Ephedra (medicine), a medicinal preparation from the plant ''Ephedra sinica'' * ''Ephedra'' (plant), genus of gymnosperm shrubs See also * Ephedrine Ephedrine is a central nervous system (CNS) stimulant that is of ...

-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.

Company

TrimSpa started sales in 2001. After hiring spokeswoman Anna Nicole Smith, sales jumped to $43 million by 2004. Sales fell to $19.5 million by 2006. In September 2008, it was decided by a judge to turn the case into Chapter 7 liquidation. At its peak, TrimSpa brought in $141 million in sales, with $17 million operating profits.

Composition

TrimSpa's key ingredient was

and

caffeine Caffeine is a central nervous system (CNS) stimulant of the methylxanthine class. It is mainly used recreationally as a cognitive enhancer, increasing alertness and attentional performance. Caffeine acts by blocking binding of adenosine t ...

. The government expressed health concerns, advising against the use of ephedra in 2003, causing the company to seek a new formula. The company changed its formula, making

hoodia gordonii ''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 ...

the prominent ingredient. The formula was rebranded as TrimSpa X32. In 2007, a class-action lawsuit came forward seeking an injunction against the company from advertising its formula as an effective weight loss product.

Federal Trade Commission fine for false claims

On January 4, 2007, the U.S.

Federal Trade Commission The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) is an independent agency of the United States government whose principal mission is the enforcement of civil (non-criminal) antitrust law and the promotion of consumer protection. The FTC shares jurisdiction ov ...

announced that the marketers of TrimSpa had agreed to pay a settlement of $1.5 million in response to an FTC complaint of making unsupported claims in advertisements and were prohibited "from making any claims about the health benefits, performance, efficacy, safety, or side effects of TrimSpa, ''Hoodia gordonii'', or any dietary supplement, food, drug, or health-related service or program, unless the claims are true, not misleading, and substantiated by competent and reliable scientific evidence." The FTC also announced similar settlements with the marketers of Xenadrine EFX, CortiSlim, and One-A-Day WeightSmart.

Over-the-counter disclaimer

The original TrimSpa and the new TrimSpa X32 are dietary supplements, regulated by the

U.S. Food and Drug Administration The United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA or US FDA) is a federal agency of the Department of Health and Human Services. The FDA is responsible for protecting and promoting public health through the control and supervision of food s ...

(FDA). The FDA regulates dietary supplements under different rules than those governing prescription medicines and other

over-the-counter Over-the-counter (OTC) drugs are medicines sold directly to a consumer without a requirement for a prescription from a healthcare professional, as opposed to prescription drugs, which may be supplied only to consumers possessing a valid prescr ...

products.United States Food & Drug Administration
"Dietary Supplements."
Last updated July 6, 2007. Last accessed July 13, 2007. Under these regulatory rules, TrimSpa products' safety and effectiveness are not reviewed by the FDA. Rather, TrimSpa's original parent company, Nutramerica Corp., and its original marketer and manufacturer, Goen Technologies Corp., were responsible for ensuring that their products were safe for public consumption. These same rules apply to the new owners.

Celebrity endorsements

Anna Nicole Smith Anna Nicole Smith (born Vickie Lynn Hogan; November 28, 1967 – February 8, 2007) was an American model, actress, and television personality. Smith started her career as a ''Playboy'' magazine centerfold in May 1992 and won the title of 1993 ...

and Melissa D. Gordon were

spokesmodel A promotional model is a model hired to drive consumer demand for a product, service, brand, or concept by directly interacting with potential customers. Most promotional models are conventionally attractive in physical appearance. They serve to m ...

s for the product.{{Citation needed, date=April 2022

References

External links

TrimSpa Official Website
Dietary supplements