Supplement company to pay $200,000 amid claims of false advertising

San Diego-based Organifi promised a bevy of unproven health benefits, according to prosecurtors

Authorities expect a Southern California supplement company to pay $200,000 to settle claims that it misled consumers by claiming its products could balance hormones and even replace “bad” bacteria with “good” bacteria.

Organifi and its founder, Andrew Canole, agreed to the settlement after the California Food, Drug, and Medical Device Task Force filed a consumer protection lawsuit against them. Prosecutors from Alameda, Marin, Napa, Solano, Sonoma, Santa Clara, Santa Cruz, and San Francisco counties are among those in the group.

Authorities said the company, based in San Diego, agreed to pay $150,000 in civil penalties and another $50,000 in investigative costs and restitution.

“Nutritional supplements aren’t cheap,” said Santa Clara County District Attorney Jeff Rosen in a statement announcing the settlement. “Customers have a right to expect that the products they buy work as advertised.”

According to the news release, Organifi misled consumers by claiming that its products, known as Gold, Pure, Green Juice, and Red Juice, could provide a plethora of health benefits, such as balancing hormone and cortisol levels. According to authorities, the company also falsely claimed that its products, which are made from fruits and vegetables, could regulate users’ parasympathetic nervous system.

Organifi officials did not respond immediately to this news organization’s request for comment.