Airborne



Airborne is a dietary supplement marketed in checkout lines everywhere with the totally unfounded claim that it wards off harmful bacteria and germs, and helps prevent the flu and colds. The "miracle" formula was created by Victoria Knight-McDowell, an elementary school teacher, and is said to contain a proprietary herbal blend including echinacea, a proprietary amino acid blend, Vitamin D, Vitamin E, large amounts of Vitamin C, and other ingredients. It can be purchased in a variety of different forms, including lozenges, gummies, and an effervescent tablet.

Claims
Research has confirmed that the key ingredients in Airborne support immune health, and those studies have appeared in a number of peer reviewed journals.

Amazingly, these 'studies' referenced are nowhere to be found on the Airborne website. In fact, the only clinical trial actually conducted on the product can no longer be found on the internet at all, after 'Good Morning America' exposed the company behind it as a two-man operation without a clinic, scientists, or doctors.

As for the ingredients themselves?

Vitamin C: No effect on incidence of colds, except for those under short periods of extreme physical stress. Regular supplementation may decrease duration, but taking Vitamin C at the onset of a cold has no effect.

Zinc: 'Given the variability in the dose, formulation and duration of zinc use in the included studies, more research is needed to address these before zinc use can be generally recommended for the common cold.'

Echinacea: 'Illness duration and severity were not statistically significant with echinacea compared with placebo.'

For added effect, the Quack Miranda Warning can be found at the bottom of every webpage.

Lawsuit
In 2008, Airborne Health Inc. agreed to pay $23.3 million to settle a class-action lawsuit brought against the company because there is no evidence that the supplement wards off harmful bacteria and germs. Customers were told that they could be refunded for any Airborne they ever bought.