Originally published February 15 2006
Canadian company markets tanning beds as sources of vitamin D
by Mike Adams, the Health Ranger, NaturalNews Editor
An agreement with the Competition Bureau will allow Fabutan Sun Tan Studios, Canada's largest indoor tanning bed company, to promote its tanning beds as good sources of vitamin D, although federal regulator say there is no scientific evidence to support such a claim.
The federal regulator asked Fabutan Sun Tan Studios last March to stop making what it said were false claims about the benefits of tanning beds.
At issue, were the chain's statements that tanning was a treatment for vitamin D deficiency and that indoor tanning helps seasonal affective disorder and weak metabolisms.
"It's a big win for us," McNabb said in a telephone interview.
"We can state that it has been shown and proven that vitamin D is produced as a result of a tanning session and then talk about the associative health benefits of vitamin D."
The company can continue to cite studies that link vitamin D with the prevention and treatment of several diseases but it must be clear to indicate that the studies are not conclusive or proven, McNabb said.
"We can communicate that vitamin D has been associated with the reduced risk of breast, prostate and ovarian cancer, multiple sclerosis and diabetes," said McNabb, whose firm has 150 franchises across Canada.
McNabb acknowledged the information turned out to be inaccurate but said it was buried on Fabutan's website and was never meant to be a promotional tool to lure people onto tanning beds.
Dr. Reinhold Vieth, a professor in the departments of nutritional sciences and laboratory medicine at the University of Toronto, studies vitamin D and was an expert witness for Fabutan.
"We think it's about time the Canadian government (said) what we've known for the last 20 years - a tanning bed will produce vitamin D," he said.
"The industry is finally able to talk about something that has existed for (decades)."
Health Canada has said UV exposure can be hazardous to a person's health and in the long term can contribute to premature aging and skin cancer.
All content posted on this site is commentary or opinion and is protected under Free Speech. Truth Publishing LLC takes sole responsibility for all content. Truth Publishing sells no hard products and earns no money from the recommendation of products. NaturalNews.com is presented for educational and commentary purposes only and should not be construed as professional advice from any licensed practitioner. Truth Publishing assumes no responsibility for the use or misuse of this material. For the full terms of usage of this material, visit www.NaturalNews.com/terms.shtml