Table of contents
- Latest Xtend BCAA Lawsuit Updates
- May 31, 2023: Court Approves $3 Million Xtend Settlement
- January 24, 2023: Court Preliminarily Approves Settlement
- June 17, 2021: Court Lets “0 Calories” Class Suit Proceed
- What Is Xtend BCAA?
- Who May Be Affected?
- Reported Injuries or Damages
- Evidence to Preserve
- Filing Deadlines
- Frequently Asked Questions
- What Is the Xtend BCAA Lawsuit About?
- Is There a Settlement for Xtend Products?
- Did the Xtend Settlement Admit Wrongdoing?
- What Does the Research Say About BCAAs and Muscle Growth?
- Who Makes Xtend BCAA?
A class action filed in September 2019 challenges how Xtend BCAA, a Scivation supplement from Woodbolt Distribution, LLC (Nutrabolt), was marketed for muscle growth, recovery and repair. It alleges the supplement cannot build muscle and negatively affects protein synthesis.
That case, Clausen, was transferred to federal court in the Western District of Texas in May 2020. No MDL has been formed for Xtend products, and no recall or FDA warning names Xtend BCAA.
A separate class action over “0 calories” labeling of XTEND workout powders, Metague, settled for $3 million in 2023, when a Maryland federal court gave final approval.
Latest Xtend BCAA Lawsuit Updates
May 31, 2023: Court Approves $3 Million Xtend Settlement
Judge Paula Xinis of the U.S. District Court for the District of Maryland gave final approval to the $3 million Metague v. Woodbolt Distribution settlement and ordered the case closed [1].
The case, 8:20-cv-02186, concerned “0 calories” labeling of XTEND workout powders. The order also approved $1,000,000 in attorneys’ fees and costs.
January 24, 2023: Court Preliminarily Approves Settlement
The court preliminarily approved the Metague settlement, certified a settlement class and ordered notice to class members. Consumer Action lists the claim deadline as April 24, 2023, so the claim period is closed [2].
The settlement agreement behind that order is dated January 20, 2023. It resolved only the “0 calories” claims against Woodbolt Distribution.
June 17, 2021: Court Lets “0 Calories” Class Suit Proceed
Bloomberg Law reported that a Maryland federal court let the proposed Metague class suit over the “0 calories” XTEND claim go forward [3]. The injunctive relief claims were dismissed.
The plaintiff said he bought XTEND for its “0 calories, 0 carb and 0 sugar” label. He alleged each serving has 42 calories, so the label was misleading.
What Is Xtend BCAA?
According to the International Society of Sports Nutrition, the three branched-chain amino acids (BCAAs) are leucine, isoleucine and valine. The society says they are unique among the essential amino acids for their roles in protein metabolism [4].
Xtend BCAA is one of the Scivation dietary supplements named in the Clausen class action. That case challenges how the product was marketed for muscle growth, recovery and repair.
Who May Be Affected?
People who bought Xtend BCAA supplements are the group the Clausen class action against Nutrabolt describes, according to Truth in Advertising [5].
The case was filed in the Southern District of New York as Case No. 19-cv-8837. In May 2020 it was transferred from state court to federal court as Case No. 20-cv-559 in Texas.
The separate calorie case covered people who bought XTEND products in the United States from July 28, 2014 to January 24, 2023. Whether your purchase fits any case depends on your own facts, so a lawyer must review them.
Reported Injuries or Damages
The losses alleged in both cases are financial. Truth in Advertising’s summary of the Clausen complaint says buyers paid for a product that does not work as marketed, leaving them “in a worse position.”
The Metague plaintiff alleged buyers were misled about calories. No physical injury, regulator incident report or medical finding involving Xtend BCAA has been reported. Until a court rules, the claims about Xtend BCAA remain allegations in a complaint.
The ISSN position stand on protein and exercise (Jager and colleagues, June 20, 2017) covers BCAAs in general. It does not study Xtend.
The stand says BCAAs “appear to exhibit individual and collective abilities to stimulate protein translation.” It adds that the effect on muscle protein synthesis “remains to be fully explored.”
Evidence to Preserve
Keep the records that show what you bought and what the marketing told you, and keep copies in more than one place:
- Proof of purchase, such as receipts, order confirmations, and bank or card statements
- The product container with its label, lot number and flavor
- Photos of the label and any claims printed on it
- Screenshots of ads, web pages and social posts
- Records of any health effects and medical visits
- Letters or messages with the seller or maker
Keep the container and the original files. Do not edit or crop photos or screenshots, so each one still shows its date and source.
Filing Deadlines
Filing deadlines for a claim come from state law. They vary with where you live and when the purchase or any harm happened. A late filing can end a claim, even if the facts behind it are strong.
Frequently Asked Questions
What Is the Xtend BCAA Lawsuit About?
The Xtend BCAA lawsuit is about marketing claims. The Clausen complaint says Nutrabolt sold the supplement on claims about muscle growth, recovery and repair. It says “scientific evidence shows that the supplements are not capable of building muscle.” They are allegations only.
Is There a Settlement for Xtend Products?
A settlement for Xtend products exists, but only in the Metague calorie case. Payments to eligible buyers were up to $25 or $50. The court also approved a $7,500 service payment.
Did the Xtend Settlement Admit Wrongdoing?
The Xtend settlement did not admit wrongdoing. The Final Approval Order says it is not “an admission or concession … of the validity of any claim or any actual or potential fault, wrongdoing, or liability.”
What Does the Research Say About BCAAs and Muscle Growth?
The research on BCAAs and muscle growth in the ISSN position stand points to total dose. A higher total dose of all essential amino acids “seems to be most suited for sustaining the increased rates of MPS.” The stand does not study Xtend.
Who Makes Xtend BCAA?
Woodbolt Distribution, LLC, which does business as Nutrabolt, makes Xtend BCAA. Scivation is the brand named for the supplement in the Clausen complaint, and Woodbolt is the defendant in both the Clausen and Metague cases.