Advertising rules for supplement and nutraceutical brands

Claim the function. Never the disease.

Supplement ads can make structure/function claims backed by competent and reliable scientific evidence, to adults 18 and older on Meta. They never claim to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent a disease.

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18+Meta, on every ad for dietary or health supplements
30days to notify FDA after first marketing a structure/function claim
RCTswhat the FTC says experts generally require to back a health benefit claim
  • 5.0 on Google, 11 reviews
  • Pelora Marketing does absolutely incredible work.Melissa B., Google review
  • $5M+ad spend managed
  • $15M+raised across his own companiesFounder Preston Durnford

For a supplement brand, a compliant ad makes structure/function claims backed by competent and reliable scientific evidence, targets adults 18 and older on Meta, and never claims to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent a disease. Google bans named products and anything implied to work like a prescription drug. TikTok's US ad rules do not restrict supplements by name and list weight loss supplements as may be allowed, which we read as allowed and confirm in the account; creator posts for weight management supplements are prohibited.

Supplements, FTC tier

Four rules on every supplement ad.

  • FunctionFunction, never disease.
  • ProofProof before the claim.
  • 18+18-plus on Meta for supplement ads; general food, including protein products, is exempt.
  • TikTok creatorsNo creator posts for weight management supplements on TikTok.
A drop of green light falling from a chrome leaf and stopped on a sheet of glass, which glows orange where it lands
Why supplement ads get rejected

Three lines that get flagged.

  • A disease word. FDA's January 21, 2026 letter quoted "Helps regulate blood sugar ..." and "Gymnema sylvestre supplement for regulating blood sugar levels" among claims that made the products drugs.
  • A disclaimer as a fix. The FTC says the DSHEA disclaimer "won't cure an otherwise deceptive ad," and "Results not typical" won't cure a dramatic testimonial.
  • A question about their body. Meta bans ads that imply knowledge of the viewer's health. "Do your joints ache?" is the shape. "Joint support formula with glucosamine" is not.
The rules, with dates

What FDA, the FTC and the platforms say.

LabelFDA's required line: "This statement has not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease."21 CFR 101.93
ProofFTC: "Randomized, controlled human clinical trials (RCTs) are the most reliable form of evidence."FTC Health Products Compliance Guidance
18+Meta: "Ads promoting or marketing dietary, health, or weight loss or weight gain products and services must be targeted to people at least 18 years or older."Meta Health and Wellness policy, change log Jul 22, 2026
Banned listGoogle bans "Herbal and dietary supplements with active pharmaceutical or dangerous ingredients" and products subject to "any government or regulatory action or warning."Google Ads, Unapproved substances

Function claim or disease claim: what changes

Read at the source, 26 September 2026
Your ad claims a function
Your ad claims to treat a condition
FDA
Allowed

Allowed with the label disclaimer and notice to FDA within 30 days of first marketing.

A drug

Makes the product a drug in FDA's eyes.

FTC
Evidence first

Backed by competent and reliable scientific evidence.

Disclaimer won't cure it

The DSHEA disclaimer does not cure it.

Meta
Can run, 18+

18-plus, and nothing that implies a condition.

Cure claims banned

Claims to cure, heal or eliminate the 11 diseases on Meta's list are banned, whoever makes them. Meta's ban stops there, but FDA counts a supplement claim about a disease's symptoms as a disease claim too.

Google
With limits

No named unapproved products, no ephedra, no hCG for weight control. DHEA only in US campaigns.

Not allowed

Products implied to work as well as prescription drugs or controlled substances are not allowed.

TikTok
18+ limits

Weight claims 18-plus, no "product alone" claims, no before-and-after results.

Not allowed

Claims of cures for incurable diseases are not allowed.

Platform, FDA and FTC lines read on each source's own page on 26 September 2026. Google's and TikTok's lists are examples, not complete, so we submit anything new and read the verdict.

Function or disease? We read the claim, the label and the page before anything spends.

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Same brand, two ads

Describe the formula, not the person.

Meta's ban on statements of inferiority about appearance covers weight loss supplements. "Hate your belly?" attacks the reader. "Fiber and protein to help you feel full between meals" describes what the formula does. Both ads are illustrations, not a client's account.

PELORA example ad · Sponsored
“Hate your belly?”
Rejected
It attacks the reader.
PELORA example ad · Sponsored
“Fiber and protein to help you feel full between meals”
Runs
It describes what the formula does.
What we do differently

Every supplement post, read by a person.

Every ad, label claim and creator post gets two rounds against the rules above before it runs.

PELORA reviewRound 2 of 2
  • ProofThe studies behind every claim, on file before the ad runs.
  • DisclosureEvery gifted, paid or affiliate creator discloses. The FTC counts free product as a material connection.
  • The pageThe landing page, the label and the ad make the same claims. No review bought for its rating.
Map of the United States with Newport Beach, California marked
Where we work

Newport Beach office. Clients anywhere.

Platform and federal rules are national. We work remote with brands across the United States.

CaliforniaFloridaTexasArizonaNevadaColoradoNew YorkAnywhere in the US
Related

Go deeper.

What supplement ads cannot sayEvery rule, quoted and datedSupplements marketingOur system for supplement brandsCreators for supplementsWho they are, what they can say
Questions

Asked by supplement brands.

What claims are safe in a supplement video ad?
Structure/function claims you can prove, with no disease words and no dramatic testimonial left unqualified. On Meta, target 18 and older; in TikTok ads, no before-and-after results.
Do you work with nutraceutical brands?
Yes. We run ads, creator programs and search for supplement and nutraceutical brands across the United States, from Newport Beach.
Do supplement ads on Facebook need 18-plus targeting?
Yes. Meta requires ads promoting dietary or health supplements to target people 18 or older, but products marketed as general food, including protein products, are exempt from that age rule.
Can supplement brands run Google Ads?
Yes. Google bans named unapproved products, ephedra, hCG for weight control, and anything implied to work as well as a prescription drug. DHEA is allowed only in campaigns targeting the United States.
Can creators promote our supplements on TikTok?
It depends on the supplement. TikTok's Branded Content Policy prohibits creator posts for weight loss and weight management supplements, and allows vitamin supplement posts in the US only for users over 18 and only with TikTok's explicit permission, through TikTok One. It counts gifted product and affiliate commissions as branded content.
Does the DSHEA disclaimer protect our ads?
No. The FTC says the DSHEA disclaimer or similar statements won't cure an otherwise deceptive ad. It is a label requirement for structure/function claims, not an advertising shield.
Do we have to notify FDA about our claims?
Yes, for structure/function claims. FDA's rule requires the manufacturer, packer or distributor to notify FDA no later than 30 days after first marketing a supplement that bears one.

Sources, all read on September 26, 2026: 21 CFR 101.93; FDA warning letter to Supersmart USA (January 21, 2026); FTC Health Products Compliance Guidance; Endorsement Guides, 16 CFR 255.5; Consumer Reviews and Testimonials rule, 16 CFR 465.4; Meta Transparency Center, Health and Wellness (change log Jul 22, 2026) and Privacy Violations and Personal Attributes; Google Ads, Unapproved substances; TikTok Healthcare and Pharmaceuticals (September 2026), Weight Management and Body Image (September 2026), Misleading and False Content (April 2026) and Branded Content Policy (effective August 31, 2026).

Before the next campaign

Get the account read first.

Fifteen minutes. Bring the claim or the rejected ad. We name what the evidence must show and what runs instead.

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