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.
Summary of Council decision:
Three issues were investigated, all of which were Upheld.
Ad description
A paid-for ad seen on Facebook and Instagram and a website for Polybiotics, a food supplement brand, both seen in November 2025:
a. The paid-for ad seen on Facebook and Instagram featured an image of the Polybiotics founder, with the accompanying text, “I wanted real PCOS relief, so I made it. I’m Dr Amina Hersi. I’m a medical doctor and I live with PCOS. I created PolyBiotics – nutritional supplements that support PCOS symptoms and are trusted by 8000+ women”. Text below stated, “Manage Your PCOS”.
The caption featured text stating, “Over 8000 women trust this natural daily Inositol supplement to manage their PCOS! Regular Periods - Supports Ovulation & Regular Cycles […] Clearer Skin - Encourages Hormonal Balance To Reduce Acne Created By A Doctor Who Has PCOS Herself My cycle was a regular length for the first time in forever and my period was painless […]”.
b. The website www.polybiotics.co.uk, featured a product page for Inositol Infusion Plus. Text stated, “Hormonal Balance & Cycle Support. Expert hormonal support for women with PCOS […] Supports ovulation and more regular cycles. Helps manage cravings and blood sugar levels. Encourages clearer skin and hormonal balance. Boosts […] immune function. Created by a doctor with PCOS.
Further text next to a timeline graphic stated, “Noticeable Results From The First Week Week 1 –[…] -Fewer sugar crashes […] Week 2–3 -Less bloating or PMS-like discomfort -Calmer skin -Improved sleep Month 1 -More regular periods or signs of ovulation -Fewer cravings -Clearer skin By 90 Days -Noticeable improvements in cycle regularity -More predictable ovulation -Support for egg quality and insulin response”.
Further down the page, text stated: “Your Daily Dose of Hormone Support”; “Supports regular periods & fertility Helps stimulate ovulation and regulate cycles naturally”; “Improves skin & hair health With zinc and vitamin D to support clear skin and hair growth”; “Promotes hormonal harmony Based on real science, not trends – made for women with PCOS”; and ”Reduces sugar cravings Chromium and inositols to support balances blood sugar”.
Below, additional text stated, “What’s Inside — Backed by Science, Made for You Myo-Inositol & D-Chiro Inositol (111.5:1 Ratio) - reflects natural ratio found in women without PCOS. Supports ovarian function and hormone signalling. Vitamin D3 + K2 - Addresses common deficiencies and supports calcium metabolism […] and menstrual health. Zinc Picolinate - Enhances the effectiveness of Vitamin D and supports hormonal balance, cardiovascular health, and proper calcium utilisation. Chromium Picolinate - Promotes insulin sensitivity and helps manage appetite […]”.
At the bottom of the page, a video, which featured overlaid text stating, “The Perfect Supplement For PCOS” featured the brand’s founder who said to the camera “Stop scrolling if you have PCOS. I’m Doctor Amina Hersi and I’m a Doctor living with PCOS and the founder of Polybiotics. I founded Polybiotics as a way to support my PCOS symptoms and it’s been trusted by over 7000 women. The Inositol Infusion Supplement uses the latest research to create a formula that supports your PCOS symptoms, including things like acne, hair thinning, excess body hair and insulin resistance. Now it’s the time to take control of your hormones. Shop in the link below and see the transformation for yourselves.”
Issue
The ASA challenged whether:
- the claims in the ads stated or implied that the product, or substances within it, could help to prevent, treat or cure the symptoms of PCOS and therefore breached the Code;
- ad (b) included unauthorised health claims in relation to myo-inositol, D-chiro inositol, vitamin D3 and K2, zinc picolinate and chromium picolinate that breached the Code; and
- the ads included health claims which referred to the recommendation of an individual health professional, that were in breach of the Code.
Response
1. Polybiotics Ltd t/a Polybiotics said that the copy in the ads had been prepared by their external marketing agency, although they accepted responsibility for compliance with the CAP Code. They confirmed that they had paused the paid-for ad, undertaken a review of the website and removed the investigated claims after being contacted by the ASA. They accepted that references to PCOS, ovulation, fertility, cycle regulation, insulin resistance and related symptoms constituted disease treatment or symptom-management claims, which were not permitted for food supplements.
2. They also acknowledged that several ingredient-related claims went beyond authorised health claims listed on the Great Britain nutrition and health claims Register (the GB NHC Register). That included claims about hormonal balance and signalling, ovarian function, mood, menstrual health, immune function, insulin sensitivity, appetite and energy. They said those claims had been removed, that future marketing would be limited to authorised health claims in line with the conditions of use, and that they would not extrapolate or re-interpret authorised claims.
With regards to references to a myo-inositol to D-chiro-inositol ratio, they said that the ratio referenced was derived from published academic literature and provided a 2006 study on D-chiro-inositol metabolism and insulin resistance in women with PCOS and a 2016 book chapter on the myo-inositol to D-chiro-inositol ratio and its role in PCOS. However, they accepted that references to such ratios and any implied physiological significance constituted unauthorised health claims for the purposes of the CAP Code and confirmed that the claims had been removed and would not be used again in future.
3. They said that references to their founder, a medical doctor, in their advertising were intended to explain the brand’s origins, rather than to imply recommendation or endorsement. However, they acknowledged that consumers might nevertheless interpret such references to an individual health professional in advertising for food supplements as an endorsement, irrespective of their intent. They therefore accepted that such references were not permitted under the CAP Code. They confirmed that, going forward, any references to the founder’s background would be restricted to the website “About Us” page and non-claim, brand-awareness activities. They said that they had since implemented new internal compliance controls to ensure that all future copy was reviewed against the CAP Code prior to publication and reiterated their commitment to compliant advertising.
Assessment
1. 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 the claims “nutritional supplements that support PCOS symptoms”, “Manage Your PCOS”, as well as claims that the supplement “Supports Ovulation & Regular Cycles”, could “Crush Your Cravings” and “Reduce Acne”.
Ad (b) included the claims, “Hormonal Balance & Cycle Support”, “Expert hormonal support for women with PCOS” and “Supports ovulation and more regular cycles. Helps manage cravings and blood sugar levels. Encourages clearer skin and hormonal balance. Boosts […] immune function. Created by a doctor with PCOS”. It further stated, “-Fewer sugar crashes -Less bloating or PMS-like discomfort -Calmer skin -Improved sleep […] -More regular periods or signs of ovulation -Fewer cravings -Clearer skin […] -Noticeable improvements in cycle regularity -More predictable ovulation -Support for egg quality and insulin response”. In the video, which featured overlaid text that stated, “The Perfect Supplement For PCOS”, the founder was shown saying. “Stop scrolling if you have PCOS. […] I founded Polybiotics as a way to support my PCOS symptoms […] supports your PCOS symptoms, including things like acne, hair thinning, excess body hair and insulin resistance […] take control of your hormones […]”.
The ASA considered that those claims stated or implied that the supplement could treat or cure various hormonal symptoms associated with PCOS, which was a medical condition, such as irregular or no periods, irregular or no ovulation, cravings, acne, bloating, weight gain, hair thinning and excess body hair. Because of that, we considered that the claims that the supplement could treat or cure PCOS, 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.
On that point, the ads breached CAP Code (Edition 12) rules 15.6 and 15.6.2 (Food, food supplements and associated health or nutrition claims).
2. Upheld
The CAP Code required that only health claims authorised on the GB NHC Register were permitted in marketing communications for foods. The Code defined health claims as those that stated, suggested or implied a relationship between a food, drink or ingredient and health.
Ad (b) included the claims “Myo-Inositol & D-Chiro Inositol (111.5:1 Ratio) - reflects natural ratio found in women without PCOS. Supports ovarian function and hormone signalling. Vitamin D3 + K2 - Addresses common deficiencies and supports calcium metabolism […] and menstrual health. Zinc Picolinate - Enhances the effectiveness of Vitamin D and supports hormonal balance, cardiovascular health, and proper calcium utilisation. Chromium Picolinate - Promotes insulin sensitivity and helps manage appetite […].”
We considered that those were health claims for the purposes of the Code. However, we had not seen any evidence which demonstrated that those claims were authorised on the GB NHC Register. Because of that, we concluded that the above claims were unauthorised health claims and therefore breached the Code.
On that point, ad (b) breached CAP Code (Edition 12) rules 15.1 and 15.1.1 (Food, food supplements and associated health or nutrition claims).
3. Upheld
The CAP Code stated that health claims that referred to the recommendation of an individual health professional were not acceptable in marketing communications for food supplements.
Ad (a) featured an image of Polybiotics’ founder with the accompanying text, “I wanted real PCOS relief, so I made it. I’m Dr Amina Hersi. I’m a medical doctor and I live with PCOS. I created PolyBiotics – nutritional supplements that support PCOS symptoms and are trusted by 8000+ women”. Further text on the image stated, “Manage Your PCOS”.
Ad (b) also featured Dr Hersi who was shown stating, “Stop scrolling if you have PCOS. I’m Doctor Amina Hersi and I’m a Doctor living with PCOS and the founder of Polybiotics. I founded Polybiotics as a way to support my PCOS symptoms and it’s been trusted by over 7000 women. The Inositol Infusion Supplement uses the latest research to create a formula that supports your PCOS symptoms, including things like acne, hair thinning, excess body hair and insulin resistance. Now it’s the time to take control of your hormones. Shop in the link below and see the transformation for yourselves.”
We considered that consumers would interpret the ads to suggest that the advertised product would provide support for PCOS symptoms, and that it had been created by, and was therefore by extension recommended by, Dr Hersi. We also considered that given the references to “Dr”, “I’m a Doctor” and “I’m a medical doctor”, consumers were likely to understand from the ads that Dr Hersi was a health professional.
As set out under point 1, the ads made claims that the supplement could treat or cure various hormonal symptoms associated with PCOS, which was a health claim. Further, as referenced at point 2 above, ad (b) included specific health claims in relation to myo-inositol, D-chiro inositol, vitamin D3 and K2, zinc picolinate and chromium picolinate.
Because the ads featured health claims that referred to the recommendation of an individual health professional, we concluded they breached the Code.
On that point, the ads breached CAP Code (Edition 12) rules 15.6 and 15.6.3 (Food, food supplements and associated health or nutrition claims).
Action
The ads must not appear again in the forms investigated. We told Polybiotics Ltd t/a Polybiotics not to state or imply their food supplements could prevent, treat or cure human disease, including PCOS and to ensure that specific health claims were authorised on the GB NHC register. We also told them not to make health claims for food supplements that referred to the recommendation of an individual health professional in their marketing communications.
CAP Code (Edition 12)
15.1 15.1.1 15.6 15.6.2 15.6.3
