Health claims explained: What dietary supplements are allowed to promise – and what they aren't
Health claims explained simply: What dietary supplements may promise – and what they may not
"Vitamin C contributes to the normal function of the immune system."
"Magnesium contributes to normal muscle function."
We encounter such sentences again and again on packaging, in online shops, and in advertising for dietary supplements. And perhaps you have already wondered: Why do these statements actually sound so similar? And why does it say "contributes to" instead of simply "strengthens" or "helps"?
The answer to that is: Health claims.
Behind these sometimes rather dry-sounding formulations lies an important principle: Health-related claims about food products cannot simply be freely formulated. In Switzerland, there are clear legal requirements for this. This is intended, among other things, to help protect consumers from misleading health promises.
What is a health claim, anyway?
A health claim is a health-related statement. This refers to a statement that establishes or suggests a connection between a food, a component thereof, and health.
A typical example is:
Vitamin C contributes to the normal function of the immune system.
The crucial factor here is to whom the effect is attributed: Vitamin C. Not automatically to the entire product containing Vitamin C.
Exactly this distinction is important. An effect authorized for a specific nutrient may not simply be attributed to the entire product. It must be clear which nutrient or substance is meant.
Why does it say "contributes to..." everywhere?
At first glance, formulations like "contributes to normal function" might seem a bit cautious. But that is no coincidence.
Concrete rules apply to health claims in Switzerland. Permissible health-related claims are regulated in the FDHA Ordinance on Food Information. Claims not provided for therein may not simply be used freely.
That is why, for example, we encounter statements such as:
Vitamin D contributes to the maintenance of normal muscle function.
or
Vitamin C contributes to the protection of cells from oxidative stress.
This language is intended to communicate clearly and comprehensibly which health-related connection may be stated for a specific nutrient.
An authorized sentence alone is not enough
An important point is often overlooked: just because there is an authorized health claim for a nutrient does not mean it can be automatically used for every product containing that nutrient.
The respective requirements must also be met. This concerns, among other things, the amount of the corresponding nutrient or substance in the product. For dietary supplements, the recommended daily portion is the deciding factor.
A good example of this is EPA and DHA:
EPA and DHA contribute to normal heart function.
For this statement, a specific condition also applies: The positive effect is obtained with a daily intake of 250 mg of EPA and DHA.
This is precisely why it pays to pay attention not just to the sentence itself, but also to the associated conditions when it comes to health claims.
Health claim or medicinal promise – what is the difference?
This is probably the most important distinction of all.
Dietary supplements are food, not medicinal products.
They are intended to supplement the normal diet, for example with vitamins, minerals, or other substances with a nutritional or physiological effect. However, they are not intended to treat or cure diseases.
A health claim can therefore, for example, say:
Magnesium contributes to the reduction of tiredness and fatigue.
However, this may not simply be turned into a statement like:
This product treats chronic fatigue.
That would turn a health-related claim into something completely different. Statements that attribute properties to a food for the prevention, treatment, or cure of diseases, or that suggest such properties, are not permitted.
And what about Reishi, Hericium & Co.?
The topic becomes especially interesting with herbal substances and medicinal mushrooms.
Perhaps you encounter statements online about plants, plant extracts, or medicinal mushrooms that promise very concrete health effects. In Switzerland, it pays to take a closer look.
In the EU, there are so-called "on hold claims", especially for botanicals. Special transitional rules apply there to these claims, which have not yet been definitively evaluated.
In Switzerland, however, such "on hold claims" have no special status of their own.
A health-related claim must also comply with Swiss requirements here or have a corresponding authorization. This is why we are also deliberately careful with statements about health effects regarding medicinal mushrooms.
Not only words can be a health claim
Another special feature: Health claims are not exclusively about written sentences.
Images, symbols, or the entire presentation can also convey a health-related connection. Certain imagery can therefore also be understood as a health-related claim, depending on the context.
This shows: Responsible health communication does not start with the fine print. It also concerns product pages, packaging, advertising, and visual design.
Three things you can look out for with health promises
1. To whom is the effect attributed?
Does it say, for example, "Vitamin C contributes to..." – or is the effect attributed in general terms to the whole product?
2. Is a normal bodily function described or a disease addressed?
Statements about the prevention, treatment, or cure of diseases do not belong on food products.
3. Does a promise sound too good to be true?
Especially with very big or absolute health promises, it is worth taking a closer look.
Why this language is important to us
Health is a topic where big promises can quickly generate attention.
However, we believe: Good health communication does not have to be as spectacular as possible. It should be as comprehensible as possible.
That is why at Nutrexin, we want to be transparent about why certain statements are on our products and why others are deliberately not made.
Because a sentence like "contributes to normal function" may sound less spectacular than a big promise of efficacy.
But it says something else that is more important to us:
We want to communicate health in a way that is understandable – without promising more than we are allowed to promise.
More about our health claims
Would you like to know which health claims we use for Vitamin C, Magnesium, Zinc, Iron, and other nutrients?
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