Honey Badger BCAA, AminoLean Supplements Are Mislabeled, Consumer Alleges

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A San Diego resident has sued the makers of the Honey Badger BCAA and AminoLean workout powders, alleging the supplements are mislabeled. 

In separate lawsuits against the products’ manufacturers, the plaintiff alleges Honey Badger BCAA powder is falsely advertised as “naturally flavored” and “zero-calorie,” and that the AminoLean supplement is mislabeled as “zero-calorie” even though it contains between 20 to 30 calories per serving. 

The plaintiff is described in each complaint as having achieved substantial weight loss in 2016, when he dropped 150 pounds (out of 300) through cardio-based fitness and careful caloric tracking. Once he reached 135 pounds, the plaintiff decided to add into his regimen pre- and post-workout supplements, including Honey Badger BCAA and AminoLean, according to the suits. The cases say the plaintiff’s weight loss and fitness journey has been accomplished in large part by researching supplements, carefully evaluating their label claims and measuring caloric intake. 

The plaintiff contends in the case against RSP Nutrition, the maker of AminoLean, that a 70-serving container of the supplement, when calculated according to relevant FDA methods, contains upward of 2,000 calories more than indicated on product labels and in advertising. According to the suit, the label of the pre-workout supplement prominently shares that it contains zero calories per serving:

Based on FDA guidance, the five-gram amino acid blend in AminoLean alone constitutes 20 to 25 calories per serving, and does not include the calories provided by the 1.5-gram “weight management blend” or the other roughly two grams of ingredients in the products, the lawsuit says. According to the complaint, RSP Nutrition’s zero-calorie claims directly violate FDA rules for labeling calories.

For Honey Badger BCAA (branch-chained amino acid) powder, the plaintiff alleges the product is not as “clean” as its label suggests. According to the suit, the “naturally flavored” supplement contains DL malic acid, an artificial flavoring agent and synthetic petrochemical.

The case says the DL malic acid in the supplement is used to “create, enhance, simulate, and/or reinforce the sweet and tart taste” that buyers associate with certain fruit flavors, such as peach, mango, lemon, lime and berry. The filing argues that the ingredients are declared on Honey Badger BCAA labels in a way that is “misleading and contrary to law” given the ingredient is listed by only its generic name, malic acid, and not its specific name, DL malic acid. 

“Defendant uses the artificial petrochemically derived DL malic acid in its Products to create this sweet and tart flavor but pretends otherwise, conflating natural and artificial flavorings, misbranding the Products and deceiving consumers,” the case alleges. 

Further, the lawsuit alleges that the Honey Badger supplement, like AminoLean, contains approximately 20 to 30 calories per serving, and is not “zero-calorie” as advertised. 

The case against RSP Nutrition looks to cover all consumers nationwide who bought AminoLean nutritional powders within the last four years. 

The suit against Honey Badger, LLC looks to cover all persons in the U.S. who bought Honey Badger BCAA powders within the last four years. 

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