Background
This ruling forms part of a wider piece of work on ads for food supplements making claims about the treatment of symptoms of the menopause, Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS) and other women's hormonal issues.
The ad was identified for investigation following intelligence gathered by our Active Ad Monitoring system, which uses AI to proactively search for online ads that might break the rules.
See other rulings published on 25 March 2026.
Ad description
A paid-for ad seen on Facebook and Instagram and a website for 222 Balance Me, a food supplement brand, seen in November 2025:
a. The paid-for ad seen on Facebook and Instagram featured a video of the brand’s founder who said to the camera “If your hormones have been like all over the place lately, with your mood swings, anxiety, bloating, cramps, crying over nothing, I have literally been there and that is why I created 222 Balance Me […] So I created this for women who just wanted to feel calm again, who wanted their sleep back, their libido back, their patience back, to not snap at their children and I created this packed with 12 botanicals, vitamins, minerals, no nasties, no chemicals […] all to naturally balance out your hormones and the messages I’ve been getting back have literally been blowing me away. Women saying that it’s changed their lives, their periods are lighter, less rage, better sleep, cramps easier and just feeling like themselves again.”
The caption stated, “Meet 222 Balance Me — your daily hormonal support ritual. Formulated with 12 powerhouse botanicals and minerals, it’s designed to help you feel calm, balanced, and back in control — all month long. Mood swings? Softened. Sleep? Deeper. Bloating and cravings? Reduced. Periods? Lighter and less chaotic. Anxiety? Calmer. YOU? More like yourself again”.
(b) The website, www.222collective.co.uk, featured the headline “Balance, naturally. Feel calm within days, balanced within weeks, and transformed within months”.
Text below stated, “Find your rhythm with Balance me, a scientifically backed blend designed to support hormonal balance, ease stress, and enhance overall well-being. Your trusted partner for feeling centered, energised, and in tune with your body—naturally. Whether you're managing your cycle or perimenopause, our product helps bring balance and harmony”.
Further text stated, “Achieving balance - Week 1: Calming effects, better mood, potential reduction in PMS [Pre-Menstrual Syndrome] symptoms. - Weeks 2-3: Improved energy, digestive benefits, better stress resilience. - Weeks 4-6: Hormonal balance, improved skin, fewer mood swings. - Weeks 6-12: Enhanced immune function, more consistent mood, reduced menopausal or PMS symptoms” and “What’s inside? Reduce stress & anxiety Lemon Balm Extract Ashwagandha Saffron Extract”.
In a “Frequently Asked Questions” section at the bottom of the homepage, text stated, “How does Balance me work? Balance Me is formulated with adaptogens, superfoods, and botanicals that help regulate hormones, reduce stress, and support overall well-being.”
Issue
The ASA challenged whether the claims in the ads stated or implied that the 222 Balance Me food supplement, or substances within it, could help to prevent, treat or cure human disease and therefore breached the Code.
Response
222 Collective UK t/a 222collectiveuk said that they were a new, founder-run small business and they were still learning about the requirements under the CAP Code. They acknowledged that wording in the ads may have inadvertently implied that the product could treat or relieve symptoms such as PMS, menopause-related symptoms, anxiety, bloating, heavy bleeding, or mood disorders. They said that, since becoming aware of the complaint, they had been working with Trading Standards, who had provided guidance and they were reviewing their advertising materials to ensure they did not make explicit or implied disease or symptom treatment claims.
Assessment
Upheld
The CAP Code (which reflected legislation) prohibited claims that stated or implied a food or food supplement could prevent, treat or cure human disease.
Ad (a) included claims that the 222 Balance Me food supplement could balance hormones to make periods lighter, reduce mood swings and anxiety, and reduce cravings and bloating. For example, where it stated, “[…] naturally balance out your hormones […] periods are lighter […] cramps easier […] designed to help you feel calm, balanced, and back in control […] Mood swings? Softened. […] Bloating and cravings? Reduced. Periods? Lighter and less chaotic. Anxiety? Calmer”.
Ad (b) included claims that the supplement could reduce menopausal and PMS symptoms, including stress and anxiety and mood swings, and improve energy levels, skin, and immune function. For example, where it stated, “Feel calm within days […] support hormonal balance, ease stress […] Your trusted partner for feeling […] energised […] whether you're managing your cycle or perimenopause […] Calming effects, better mood, potential reduction in PMS symptoms […] digestive benefits, better stress resilience […] Hormonal balance, improved skin, fewer mood swings […] Enhanced immune function, more consistent mood, reduced menopausal or PMS symptoms […] Reduce stress & anxiety […] regulate hormones, reduce stress”.
The ASA considered that those claims stated or implied that the 222 Balance Me supplement could treat or cure various hormonal symptoms associated with PMS and the menopause. We further considered that the symptoms of PMS and the menopause were adverse medical conditions. Because of that, we considered that the claims that the supplement could treat or cure symptoms of PMS or the menopause, both in general terms and in relation to specifically described symptoms, were for the purposes of the legislation reflected in the Code, claims to treat disease.
For those reasons, we concluded that the ads made claims that a food supplement could prevent, treat or cure human disease and therefore breached the Code.
The ads breached CAP Code (Edition 12) rules 15.6 and 15.6.2 (Food, food supplements and associated health or nutrition claims).
Action
The ads must not appear again in the forms investigated. We told 222 Collective UK t/a 222collectiveuk not to state or imply their food supplements could prevent, treat or cure human disease, which for the purposes of the Code included claims to treat or cure the symptoms of the menopause and PMS.
