Airborne (dietary supplement)

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Airborne is a dietary supplement and health formula which is claimed to help ward off harmful bacteria and germs, and help prevent the flu and the common cold. The formula, created by a school teacher, contains herbal extracts, amino acids, antioxidants, electrolytes, synthetic vitamins, and other ingredients, and can be purchased in many U.S. retail stores over-the-counter in three different forms: a tablet which can be taken orally or dissolved in water, a chewable "Gummi" lozenge, or a concentrated powder.

On March 4, 2008, Airborne Health Inc. agreed to pay $23.3 million to settle a class-action lawsuit brought against the company claiming that there is no evidence that the supplement wards off harmful bacteria and germs. Customers will be refunded for any Airborne they have ever bought.

Contents

[edit] Invention and retail success

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The formula for Airborne was developed by Victoria Knight-McDowell, an elementary school teacher from Carmel, California. Although the company does not mention the true origins of the herbal component of the product -- simply listing the herbs, and claiming that it was "developed by a schoolteacher" -- the formula in fact closely mirrors a classical Chinese formula called yin chiao. In the early 1990s, she began brewing herbal and vitamin cocktails and began selling it in tablet form to local drug stores. Knight-McDowell contracted with cartoonist Lloyd Dangle to create Airborne's brand and packaging. In 1997 specialty grocery chain Trader Joe's ordered 300 cases of Airborne tablets to sell, and by 1999 other larger chains, such as Wal-Mart and Rite Aid, began stocking Airborne.

[edit] Testing, research, and controversy

Although the manufacturer recommends that Airborne be taken "at the first sign of a cold symptom, or before entering crowded environments, like airplanes and offices," Airborne has not undergone any testing by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

There are few scientific studies supporting Airborne's effectiveness. The study often referenced in favor of Airborne was sponsored by the Knight-McDowell Labs, manufacturers of Airborne.[1] "GNG Pharmaceutical Services Inc.", claims to have conducted this study with 120 people, and reported that 47% of Airborne recipients showed little or no cold or flu symptoms, whereas only 23% of the recipients of a placebo pill showed equal results.[2] However, in February of 2006, ABC News discovered that GNG Pharmaceutical Services has no official clinic, scientists, or even doctors. In fact the company comprises only two men, who started the company just to perform this study. Because of the bad publicity that this controversy has brought forth, Knight-McDowell Labs has removed all references to the study from their packaging and web site.[3]

However, considering the origins of the herbal component of the product in the classical Chinese formula, yin chiao, it could be expected to provide some benefit -- at least for those who put faith in traditional Chinese medicine. What remains to be seen is if the vitamins, minerals, and amino acids provide additional benefit, or if another, non-brand-name yin chiao wouldn't be just as effective.

A medical report on drugs and therapeutics regarding Airborne, along with its emphasis that the evidence of cold prevention or treatment of the formula is inconclusive, gives reason to believe that the supplement is unsafe as directed, specifically regarding its excess of vitamin C:

"There are some concerns. First, there is no conclusive evidence that this product or any of its ingredients prevents colds or shortens their duration. Second, the adult tablet contains 1 g of vitamin C, and the directions for use advise taking 1 tablet at the first sign of a cold and repeating the dose every 3 hours as necessary. Vitamin C in doses higher than 1 g increases oxalate and urate excretion and may cause kidney stones (EN Taylor et al, J Am Soc Nephrol 2004; 15:3225). Third, the safety of this herbal extraction combination has not been established. And with herbs and dietary supplements in general, we only have the manufacturers’ word on the label for what’s in them."[4]

Although it has been determined that extreme amounts of vitamin C can lead to death, in recent publications the link between excess doses of vitamin C and kidney stones has been disputed along with severe constipation and blood in stool.[5][6] Vitamin C exhibits remarkably low toxicity. The LD50 (the dose that will kill 50% of a population) in rats is generally accepted to be 11.9 grams per kilogram when taken orally. [7]

Pregnant women are advised to exercise caution regarding Airborne consumption. Excess preformed vitamin A during early pregnancy has been associated with a significant increase in life-threatening birth defects. Vitamin A is indeed necessary for fetal development, but most women already carry stores of it in their fat cells. Researchers recommend that pregnant women either restrict their supplemental consumption of vitamin A to 4,000 - 8,000 IUs daily, or they should instead consume beta carotene.[8]

[edit] Class action lawsuit and settlement

A class action lawsuit was filed that alleges that Airborne Health, Inc. (and other defendants) (“Airborne”) falsely advertised certain therapeutic properties, including the ability to cure or prevent the common cold, when marketing products under the Airborne brand name. Defendants denied any wrongdoing or illegal conduct but have agreed to settle the litigation.[1]

On March 4, 2008, Airborne Health Inc. agreed to pay $23.3 million to settle a class-action lawsuit brought against the company for false advertising.[2] Customers with proof of purchase will be refunded for any Airborne they have ever bought. Those without proof of purchases will be reimbursed for up to six packages.[3]

[edit] References

 The references in this article would be clearer with a different or consistent style of citation, footnoting, or external linking.
  1. ^ Airborne Settlement. Retrieved on 2008-03-06.
  2. ^ "Airborne settles lawsuit for $23.3 million", CNN, 2008-03-04. Retrieved on 2008-03-04. 
  3. ^ DAVID WILSON VS. AIRBORNE HEALTH, INC., ET AL.. Retrieved on 2008-03-06.
  1. ^  Rachel Konrad (Associated Press). LA Daily News. Out with the cold, Teacher serves up possible remedy. Retrieved on October 31, 2005.
  2. ^  Ben Leach. Unbound 2005: Going Airborne. The College of New Jersey. Retrieved on January 23, 2006.
  3. ^  The Medical Letter on Drugs and Therapeutics, Issue 1199. On the effects of Airborne. The Medical Letter. Retrieved on January 23, 2006.
  4. ^ Does Airborne Really Stave off Colds?. Retrieved on April 4, 2006.
  5. ^ Robert F. Cathcart, M.D.. Vitamin C, Titrating to Tolerance. Retrieved on January 28, 2007.
  6. ^ Stephen Lawson. What About Vitamin C and Kidney Stones?. The Linus Pauling Institute. Retrieved on September 21, 2006.
  7. ^ Vitamin C and its suspected harmfulness explained. Retrieved on September 21, 2006.
  8. ^ What are the health risks of too much vitamin A?. Office of Dietary Supplements. Retrieved on October 3, 2006.
  9. ^ Airborne Health FAQs?. Airborne's website. Retrieved on January 9, 2007.
  10. ^ Jack Challem. Caution Urged With Vitamin A in Pregnancy But Beta-Carotene is Safe. The Nutrition Reporter. Retrieved on January 28, 2007.
  11. ^ Safety (MSDS) data for ascorbic acid.. Oxford University. Retrieved on February 21, 2007.

[edit] External links