The printed labels of thousands of natural health products such as supplements may have to be changed after new rulings by the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA).
This week, it threw out almost 2,300 claims by manufacturers relating to how their products affect the body.
For instance, it was decided that the packaging of royal jelly can no longer say it boosts the immune system, while green tea was not found to be able to keep blood pressure healthy.
There is also no evidence that glucosamine helps the joints and black tea improves concentration, the EFSA said.
Executive director of Which? Richard Lloyd said: "It has been a long time coming, but consumers will soon be able to choose what products to buy based on fact, not fiction."
Last month, an editorial published in the Canadian Medical Association Journal said vitamins and supplements should be subject to the same regulations as clinical drugs, requiring pharma labels to list potential side-effects and safety data.
Denny Bros Ltd, 07 December 2011
