Which supplement companies have used ben carson in marketing or advertising?
Executive summary
Multiple fact‑checks and reporting show that Ben Carson’s name and image have been used in social‑media and web advertising for a range of supplements and “natural cure” products — but Carson and his representatives have denied endorsing these products, and major outlets and fact‑checkers have called many of the ads fraudulent (see AFP, Reuters, Science Feedback) [1] [2] [3] [4]. Examples called out in reporting include ads tied to products named or described like SynaTide, Glyco Renew, “blood vessel‑cleaning” gummies, BioHeal Blood CBD and other hypertension or dementia “cures,” which independent checks say used doctored images, fake magazine covers or spoofed articles to imply Carson’s endorsement [5] [6] [7] [3].
1. Fake‑endorsement scams: a recurring pattern
Investigations by AFP, Reuters and Science Feedback document a repeating scam pattern: social‑media ads and lookalike webpages claim Ben Carson discovered or endorsed “natural” cures for dementia, high blood pressure, erectile dysfunction and prostate issues; Carson’s team says he made no such endorsements and many ads use doctored photos or fake article layouts to mislead consumers [1] [2] [3] [4]. Science Feedback describes specific instances where pages mimicked reputable outlets (e.g., Time or Nature lookalikes) to promote products such as BioHeal Blood CBD and similar blood‑pressure treatments [3].
2. Product names recurring in coverage
Reporting and consumer‑advice posts identify several product names and advertising campaigns that paired with false Carson endorsements. Examples in the file of sources include SynaTide‑style ads promoting an “Alzheimer’s supplement,” Glyco Renew ads claiming blood‑vessel cleansing and memory cures, and social posts touting blood‑vessel‑cleaning gummies; fact‑checkers flagged those uses as false or doctored and quote Carson’s representatives denying involvement [5] [6] [7].
3. Who is disputing the endorsements?
Carson’s nonprofit, the American Cornerstone Institute, and spokespeople such as Brad Bishop are repeatedly cited telling newsrooms that Ben Carson has not endorsed the products in question. AFP and Reuters directly report those denials while describing the ad techniques [1] [4] [2]. Science Feedback similarly notes a representative denied involvement and labeled the promotional claims factually inaccurate [3].
4. How the advertising deceives: doctored images and lookalikes
Multiple sources document the tactics: altered photos (for example, taken from public appearances and retouched), fake magazine covers, and webpages built to look like established outlets. AFP and Science Feedback show the same photo and layout were reused across different bogus claims, and Lead Stories’ work — cited by a university media‑forensics lab — found a video and posts purporting Carson endorsed gummies were falsified [2] [3] [7].
5. Companies named in coverage vs. companies not named
Available sources explicitly mention or connect ads to product names such as SynaTide (or “SynaTide‑style” campaigns), Glyco Renew and BioHeal Blood CBD, and generic “blood‑vessel‑cleaning gummies.” The reporting does not present a comprehensive list of all supplement companies that ever used Carson’s likeness — nor does it show any reputable supplement maker with documented, authorized Carson endorsements; sources emphasize the endorsements were denied [5] [6] [3] [7].
6. Legal and consumer‑protection implications mentioned in reporting
News and consumer posts raise the point that unauthorized use of a public figure’s name and image is a legal and consumer‑fraud concern; AFP and other fact‑checks characterize the posts as scams and note they mimic trusted outlets to sell products, implying regulatory and civil exposure for perpetrators [1] [3] [2]. Specific lawsuits or enforcement actions are not described in the provided sources (available sources do not mention specific legal actions).
7. What this means for consumers and journalists
Reporters and consumers should treat any online ad that pairs Carson (or other celebrities) with miraculous medical claims as suspect; fact‑checkers repeatedly find the endorsements were fabricated and redirect to commercial sales funnels rather than credible science [1] [4] [3]. Trustworthy coverage cites independent medical evidence; the fact‑checks note there is no credible proof oral supplements reverse Alzheimer’s or “clean” blood vessels as claimed [5] [3].
Limitations and next steps: my summary relies only on the provided sources. Those sources identify specific product names and recurring fraudulent ad campaigns and document denials from Carson’s representatives, but they do not provide a definitive, exhaustive list of every supplement company that has ever run such ads using Carson’s likeness; they also do not show any verified, authorized endorsements by Carson [1] [5] [2] [3] [4]. If you want, I can compile the exact language and images cited in each fact‑check or search additional reporting to expand the list of named companies.