Protein Spiking Lawsuit Challenges Advertised Levels of Protein in Core 8 Products

By Ashley Milano | February 8, 2017

Category: Consumer News

A class action protein spiking lawsuit has been filed against the maker of Core 8 protein powder, claiming the amount of protein contained in the products is grossly overstated.

Core 8 is a dietary supplement designed to enhance athletic performance, improve strength and other purported health benefits to be gained by the consumption of the products, which are advertised as having a certain level of protein.

The products are sold online and in health and nutrition stores throughout California under the brand names Core Formulations / CF, Core 8, IsoCore, APEX, Biohealth Precisions ISO, and Rogue Nutrition – Rogue Whey. The products are sold in various flavors such as vanilla, chocolate, chocolate brownie, caramel cookie dough and cookies and cream.

Los Angeles plaintiff Bernardo DeLeon alleges in the protein spiking lawsuit that Core Formulation and other named individuals purposely misrepresent their line of protein powder products as having higher levels of protein that they actually do.

Allegations Raised in Protein Spiking Lawsuit

In fact, DeLeon claims that the defendants engage in a practice commonly known as “protein spiking,” whereby other additives such as amino acids, are added to the products, which falsely register as proteins.

According to the protein spiking lawsuit, the protein supplement industry has exploded in recent years with businesses jockeying for coveted shelf space in heath and nutrition stores throughout California.

This competition reportedly has certain manufacturers, like the makers of Core 8, trying to increase profit margins, including using deceptive tricks such as protein spiking or simply mislabeling their products so as to claim that the products have more protein than they actually do.

Additionally, the protein spiking lawsuit accuses the defendants of falsely emphasizing that they use only the “purest, high quality proteins available” and further claiming on their label: “NO PROTEIN SPIKING!! NO useless AMINO spikes like ‘Amino Acid Complex’ or ‘Taurine’. ONLY 100% WHEY PROTEIN.”

The protein spiking lawsuit indicates that protein test results authorized by DeLeon’s attorneys demonstrate that the level of protein actually contained in the products is far lower than the product’s respective label claims.

For example, the Biohealth Precision Blend – 2lb Milk Chocolate product advertises to have 31 grams of protein per serving when according to the analytical results sheet actually has only 24.5 grams of protein per serving.

DeLeon says that had he known the truth about the protein content, he would not have paid as much, if anything, for the protein products. He contends he is among thousands of consumers in California who purchased one or more of the Core 8 products and he is seeking to represent a class of other similarly situated purchasers of Core 8 protein powder products.

He is bringing this action for violations of California’s False Advertising Law, Consumers Legal Remedies Act as well as for unlawful, fraudulent, and unfair business practices, among other claims.

The Protein Spiking Lawsuit is Bernardo DeLeon et al. v. Michael Santana, an individual and doing business as Core Formulation et al., Case No. BC611621 in the Superior Court for the State of California, for the County of Los Angeles.