TruHeight Supplements Are Being Sued for False Growth Claims
Photo by Wayne Lee-Sing on Unsplash
Quick Take: A federal class action filed in March 2026 alleges that TruHeight's own clinical study shows children who took the supplement grew less than children who took nothing at all, a fact the company allegedly hid while continuing to market the products to kids as young as five.

TruHeight Supplements Face Class Action Over Height-Growth Claims

By Rachel Dapeer · Published March 25, 2026 · Updated March 25, 2026
Quick Take
  • A federal complaint filed March 24, 2026 alleges TruHeight supplements overstate their ability to make children taller.
  • Plaintiffs say the company’s own study showed slightly greater growth in an unsupplemented control group.
  • Damages are sought under New York consumer-protection statutes and common-law fraud on behalf of U.S. purchasers.

Key Facts

  • Case: Gonzalez v. Vanilla Chip LLC, No. 7:26-cv-02392 (S.D.N.Y.).
  • Filed: 24 March 2026.
  • Plaintiff: Mark Gonzalez of Warwick, N.Y.; purchased TruHeight Growth Protein Shake on Amazon in November 2025.
  • Defendant: Vanilla Chip LLC, a Nevada company doing business as TruHeight.
  • Products named: TruHeight Growth Protein Shake, Growth Gummies, and Growth Capsules.

Allegations and Evidence

Marketing Statements at Issue

The complaint points to label phrases such as “Supports Growth,” “Helps Kids Grow,” and “Supports Bone Growth and Development,” asserting these claims created a price premium for parents seeking height benefits for children aged five and older.

Company-Funded Study

  • Published: December 2024 in Clinical Nutrition Open Science; sponsored by Vanilla Chip LLC.
  • Advertised takeaway: “Kids who took TruHeight grew 32.63% more than those who didn’t.”
  • Plaintiffs’ interpretation: Control-group children under 10 grew 3.33 cm versus 3.14 cm for the supplement group; height SDS changes favored the control group.
  • The open-label design is said to allow expectation bias yet still showed no growth advantage, according to the filing.

Shift to Collagen Claim

After consumer-advocacy scrutiny, TruHeight reportedly replaced the height-growth representation with a statement that users had a “43.91% higher level of Collagen X.” Plaintiffs argue collagen levels are an indirect biomarker and that reported differences were statistically insignificant.

External Studies Referenced by TruHeight

Six additional studies cited on the company website are addressed in the complaint. According to plaintiffs, none:

  • Tested TruHeight or a substantially similar formulation, or
  • Showed height increases in healthy, well-nourished children.

Examples include a global height-trend review, a calcium-supplementation advisory, and an adult ashwagandha-stress study.

Legal Framework

  • New York General Business Law § 349 – Deceptive Acts and Practices
  • New York General Business Law § 350 – False Advertising
  • Common-law fraud

The lawsuit seeks statutory damages of $50–$500 per transaction, treble damages for alleged willful violations, punitive damages, and attorneys’ fees. The proposed class encompasses all U.S. purchasers, with a New York subclass.

Timeline

  • Dec 2024 – Company-funded study released.
  • Nov 2025 – Lead plaintiff purchases TruHeight shake.
  • Late 2025 / Early 2026 – Website wording switches from height-growth to collagen claim.
  •  Mar 2026 – Class action filed in S.D.N.Y.

What’s Next

The court has not yet assigned a judge or set briefing schedules. The defendant’s response, potential motions to dismiss, and class-certification briefing dates will be determined in forthcoming orders.

Official Court Information

  • Court: U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York
  • Judge: To be assigned
  • Plaintiffs’ counsel: Philip J. Furia, Furia Law LLC
  • Defendant headquarters: Las Vegas, Nevada

All allegations referenced in this article are drawn from the complaint and have not been proven in court.