Herbex makes a range of products which claim to be either homeopathic or herbal preparations. These include:
- Herbex Slimmers a.k.a. Herbex Original
- Herbex Slimmers for Men
- Herbex Slimmers for Women
- HerbAqua
- Herbex Nerve Tonic
We intend deconstructing each of these illustrating common threads, including one or more of the following:
- No evidence based proof of efficacy for the individual ingredients, or the combination thereof.
- Even if there was proof of efficacy for the individual ingredients, the dosage used in the product are far less than that used in the original studies for the ingredient – imagine if evidence shows that you need 200 mg of aspirin to treat a headache, and you are sold a product containing 2mg and making the same claim
- Uses dosages greater than homeopathic range and much less than suggested by herbal texts
- Contains ingredients which according to references, are actually appetite stimulants
- Makes claims which requires it to be registered as a medicine
- Contains an ingredient which requires dispensing by a qualified medical professional
- The substantiator of these products, Dr RC Sandell, has very little experience in homeopathy, herbal medicine or pharmacology, and did not any use any evidence based proof to show that the product works, that is, he is unable to back up his arguments with any proof. In fact, Dr Sandell claims to be a homeopath but there is no evidence of having qualified as a homeopath (no diploma/qualification obtained by examination)
In conclusion, in spite of Herbex being able to convince the ASA that their products work based on the support of Dr RC Sandell, there is actually no proof of efficacy but simply the “belief” of this person. Based on science (or lack of scientific evidence), consumers need to consider that these products are nothing but scams.
Previous Herbex Rulings
Herb Aqua Slim / Dr H Steinman (3 May 2004)
Herbex Nerve Tonic / Dr W J Levin / 1439 (12 August 2004)
Herb Aqua Slim / Prof D Labadarios / 1556 (20 September 2004)
Herbex Slimmers / Prof D Labadarios / 1557 (14 October 2004)
Herb Aqua Slim / Prof D Labadarios / 1556 (18 October 2004)
Herb Aqua / Dr H A Steinman / 1757 (11 January 2005)
Herbex Slimmers / School for Health & Rehabilitation Sciences / 1197 (25 July 2005)
Herbex Nerve Tonic / MB Trutter / 940 (28 July 2005)
Herbex Nerve Tonic / MB Truter / 940 (19 August 2005)
Herbex Slimmers / School for Health & Rehabilitation Sciences / 1197 (19 August 2005)
Herbex / School of Health & Rehabilitation (25 August 2005)
Herbex Slimmers for Men / Dr H Steinman / 879 (26 August 2005)
Herbex Slimmers / School for Health & Rehabilitation Sciences / 1197 (5 September 2005)
Herbex Slimmers / MB Truter / 2233 (11 October 2005)
Herbex Slimmers for Men / Dr H Steinman / 879 (15 November 2005)
Herbex Slimmers for Men / Dr H Steinman / 879 (20 September 2006)
Slim Herb Aqua / Dr HA Steinman / 8020 (12 January 2007)
Herbex Slimmers / Prof D Labadarios / 1557 (14 February 2007)
Slim Herb Aqua / Dr HA Steinman / 8020 (25 April 2007)
Herbex / HA Steunman / 8020 (Appeal) – 5 February 2008
Herbex Website Erroneous / HA Steinman / 10733 (15 April 2008)
Herbex “No Side Effects” / HA Steinman / 10732 (15 April 2008)
Herbex Natural / HA Steinman / 13351 (1 July 2009)
Herbex Weight Loss / HA Steinman / 12944 (14 July 2009)
Herbex Natural / HA Steinman / 13351 (ASC) – 21 September 2009
Herbex Hlasela Amafutha / A Dormer / 16267 (15 October 2010)
Herbex Immune Defence Syrup / HA Steinman / 19483 (15 February 2012)
- New advertising authority takes firm stand against quackery 14 December, 2020
- Herbex weight loss claims cut down to size by advertising regulator – again 18 November, 2020
- Advertising Regulatory Board: Herbex Ultraslim Ruling 11 November, 2020
- Herbex vetoed by ad watchdog over slimming pills 11 November, 2020
- Science Has Shown These Five Weight Loss Supplements Are a Waste of Money 11 December, 2019
- Detoxing debunked 14 January, 2019
- How Flat Tummy Co gamed Instagram to sell women the unattainable ideal 3 September, 2018
- Quick Weight-Loss Fix? Fat Chance, As Yet Another Herbex Advert Gets Banned 13 June, 2018
- Herbex Fat Burn – Bad press 7 June, 2018
- Herbex Fat Burn For Men – ASA ruling 31 May, 2018
- Herbex Fat Burn for Men – paying for nothing 8 May, 2018
- Creator of Herbex products shares his thinking 25 April, 2018
- Herbex made unproven claims about weight loss products 11 April, 2018
- Herbex Health slated for ‘body shaming’ ad 10 April, 2018
- ASA not mandated to comment on ‘complementary medicine’: Herbex 8 April, 2018
- Herbex weight-loss claims are unsubstantiated 6 April, 2018
- ASA bans misrepresentative Herbex ad 4 April, 2018
- Herbex: Ad for a popular SA diet product has been banned 4 April, 2018
- Herbex Fat Attack – ASA ruling 4 April, 2018
- Herbex Fat Burn – Rip off? 28 March, 2018
- 5 supplements that claim to speed up weight loss – and what the science says 31 January, 2018
- Detoxing is the health ‘resolution’ you should avoid this year 8 January, 2018
- Top ten signs your detox may be a scam 29 December, 2017
- Herbex, MMS products detained in the USA 30 November, 2017
- Advertising that misleads, curbed 10 October, 2017
- Herbex misleads after legal setback 6 October, 2017
- Supreme Court of Appeal gives Advertising Authority (ASA) its fangs back 2 October, 2017
- Are diets just placebos? 14 July, 2017
- Garcinia Linked to Liver Damage 1 May, 2017
- “Detox”: Ritual purification masquerading as medicine and wellness – Detox is a Scam 3 February, 2017
- Dishing the dirt on detox 2 February, 2017
- In the UK Herbex removes its claims; in SA, Herbex takes the ASA to court 29 January, 2017
- ASA launches appeal against Herbex High Court ruling 3 June, 2016
- Court action: Herbex vs ASA 16 May, 2016
- The one thing you need to know before you detox 5 January, 2016
- Supplement manufacturers take advertising authority to court 15 November, 2015
- USN, Herbex, Antagolin, Solal and Vigro (Nativa) go to court to block ASA 6 October, 2015
- Herbex and HPA’s arguments ring hollow – ASA Final Appeal Committee Ruling 17 October, 2014
- Herbex “admits” to scam! 5 March, 2014
- Herbex Appetite Control: more Herbex nonsense? 20 January, 2014
- Herbex Attack the Fat – Scam? 18 January, 2014
- Herbex – “Take Down Notice” 9 January, 2014
- Herbex – “Schedule 0” claim 8 August, 2013
- Herbex Booster Eat Less- No proof that it works 14 May, 2013
- Herbex Attack The Fat (Hlasela Amafutha) – Does not work! 6 May, 2013
- Herbex Slimmers Drops & Tablets “Rene” advert 6 May, 2013
- Herbex Appetite Control Tablets – No proof! 12 April, 2013
- Proof – Herbex Slimmers For Men is a fat lie 7 March, 2013
- ASA Ruling: Herbex Immune Defence Syrup 17 February, 2012
- Slim HerbAqua 14 February, 2010
- Herbex – ASA rulings 1 March, 2009
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