TrimSpa

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

TrimSpa is a dietary supplement designed for weight loss, marketed by the company Goen Technologies, headed by Alexander Szynalski, a.k.a. Alex Goen.^[1] Celebrity Anna Nicole Smith was its spokesperson. Various products marketed by TrimSpa are claimed to help "stave off hunger".^[2] TrimSpa formerly contained ephedra until that ingredient was banned in the U.S.. The new TrimSpa formula X32 contains no ephedra. Its active ingredient is Hoodia gordonii, along with the stimulants caffeine and theobromine.

1 Composition
2 Federal Trade Commission fine for false claims
3 Over-the-counter disclaimer
4 Celebrity Endorsements
5 Bankruptcy
6 See also
7 References
8 External links

[edit] Composition

Hoodia is a succulent native to Africa which is currently under investigation for use as an appetite suppressant. However, it has not been conclusively demonstrated that Hoodia works as an appetite suppressant in humans. No published peer-reviewed double-blind clinical trials have been performed on humans to investigate the safety or effectiveness of Hoodia gordonii in pill form as a nutritional supplement.

In addition to Hoodia gordonii, TrimSpa X32 tablets contain ingredients that may help promote weight loss, including green tea, glucomannan, cocoa extract, vanadium, and glucosamine.^[3] According to the manufacturer's labeling, TrimSpa X32 pills are taken 3 times per day minimum, 6 maximum.^[3]

TrimSpa X32 also contains chromium.^[3] Chromium may be beneficial in glucose regulation.^[4] The stimulant components are hoodia gordonii and components containing caffeine (green tea and cocoa extracts).

TrimSpa expanded its weight-loss aids in 2006 to include a fruit-based bar, FROODIA, containing 400 mg of African Hoodia gordonii.

[edit] Federal Trade Commission fine for false claims

On January 4, 2007 the U.S. Federal Trade Commission 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 also 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.^[5]

[edit] Over-the-counter disclaimer

TrimSpa is considered a dietary supplement and, therefore, is regulated by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) under different rules than those governing prescription medicines and other over-the-counter products.^[6] Under these regulatory rules, TrimSpa products' safety and effectiveness are not reviewed by the FDA. Rather, TrimSpa's parent company, Nutramerica Corp., and its marketer and manufacturer, Goen Technologies Corp., are responsible for ensuring that their products are safe for public consumption.

[edit] Celebrity Endorsements

The model Anna Nicole Smith made TrimSpa famous in commercials with the phrase "TrimSpa, Baby!". Along with notable marketing, Anna Nicole Smith is said to have helped Trimspa skyrocket their sales from a near $2 million dollars in late 2002, to an astounding $48 million dollars in 2003. Sales continued to rise, but do to a shortage in ingredients, Trimspa's sales shrunk to $19 million.

[edit] Bankruptcy

The New Jersey based weight loss company filed for Chapter 11 Bankruptcy, claming that the death of their celebrity spokeperson, Anna Nicole Smith, helped drag the company down, along with other factors. Trimspa reported liabilities of around $30 million dollars, and assests of $1.43 million. Company employees say this does not come as a shock to them, they were all informed, and that Trimspa sales continue to skyrocket with their new products; the only reason the company has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy is because of unjust lawsuits filed by companies such as Fox Cable News. ^[7]