What happened
The Advertising Standards Authority published an enforcement report on food supplement ads aimed at people with ADHD or autism and their parents. Using its AI-based Active Ad Monitoring system, it captured 72,400 unique paid ads on Meta and Google between February and July 2026 that appeared relevant to ADHD or autism. It flagged 1,595 of them for review and found that 1,383 ads from 17 advertisers broke the rules.
The main problems were claims that a supplement can treat, prevent or cure traits of ADHD or autism, with examples such as “fixes ADHD in 30 days” and “no more meltdowns”, plus health claims that are not allowed. The ASA told 14 advertisers still running ads to remove or change them (three had already stopped). By July the number of relevant ads had fallen to less than a quarter of the level before contact, but the regulator says compliance among the remaining ads is still low. A second report published the same day, on prostate supplements and home PSA test kits, found fewer ads but “extremely low” compliance.
What it means for you
- No food supplement may claim to treat, prevent or cure a condition in the UK or the EU. That covers ADHD and autism, and it covers wording that only implies it, such as testimonials from parents.
- Authorised claims are narrow. For example, omega-3 DHA may claim to contribute to the maintenance of normal brain function at 250 mg a day; that says nothing about ADHD symptoms.
- If you are considering supplements for a child, speak to your GP or the child’s specialist first, and tell them about anything you already give.
- You can report an ad to the ASA through its online complaint form.
Sources
Information only, not medical advice. No brand or shop paid for this item.