This leaflet came through my door yesterday.
Like Arthroplex, Nu-Col is marketed mainly at older people, primarily as a treatment for arthritis and is available in the form of cream or tablets. Like Arthroplex, the products lack a marketing authorisation from the MHRA. Like Arthroplex, the company behind them (in this case Healthy for Life) operate from offshore using PO Box addresses.
And like Arthroplex, the health claims are so wild, so ludicrous and so numerous that I am only able to give a brief summary (see here and here for images of the whole leaflet).
It seems that Healthy for Life are under the unusual and mistaken impression that all health problems associated with ageing are caused by a lack of collagen. For some reason, they think collagen is the main constituent of the eyes, liver, skin, muscles, ‘brain lungs’ and more, and that we stop making it once we get past the age of about thirty.
But don’t despair…
Fortunately, there is now a treatment which allows you to rebuild your collagen stores and regain your youth!
Nu-Col is the easy solution to all our problems.
Here are just a few more of Healthy for Life’s astonishing claims:
Nu-Col will help heal skin from the first week and eczema, psoriasis, wrinkles and age spots will all disappear within 2 months.
A regular dose of collagen in your bloodstream will help to quickly rebuild and tone muscle while actively detoxifying your whole body. A more lean body helps to better burn calories and rejuvenate your internal organs for better waste elimination.
Eyes: Eyesight can improve in 4 days.
Heart: Pulse rate can normalise itself in 10 days
Liver: The liver can feel less congested in 24 hours
Prostate: Alleviate symptoms within 7 days.
Thankfully, I don’t need to go to the trouble of reporting any of these claims to the Advertising Standards Authority, who have already banned the Nu-Col leaflet after receiving complaints from four people earlier this year.
The complaints were upheld in full on August 22nd, when the ASA ruled that the ad must not appear again in its current form. Healthy for Life declined to comment on the specific complaints but said they would modify any future copy of the ad.
Since this is just the fourth out of five ASA rulings against Healthy for Life, I’m not convinced that future efforts will be any better.
The details of the other rulings suggest that the company sell a wide range of quack products and that they have been doing so for quite some time. Such products include shark cartilage, colloidal silver and Essiac – “For All Your Cancer Concerns“.
What you can do
Medicinal claims made about unauthorised quack products like these should be reported to the MHRA at Medicines.Borderline.advice@mhra.gsi.gov.uk.
Advertisements for cancer treatments should be reported to Trading Standards, quoting the Cancer Act 1939. Details for your local office may be found here.
And if the banned Nu-Col leaflets keep appearing, they should be reported to the ASA, as should any similar advertisement which makes misleading, unsubstantiated claims.
I would also love to hear from you if you spot a Nu-Col leaflet, anything like it, or indeed anything else from Healthy for Life.
Josephine Jones 
Hi i received one thorugh the post in my monthly caravan and camping club magazine October 2012.
Thanks for letting me know. Mine was from the C & CC too. I emailed them about it yesterday and will post another comment here if I get a meaningful response. I’ve so far just had an autoreply.
I have had a reply from the Camping & Caravanning Club. They apologised and said that their advertising agency, Ten Alps, has processes to check advertising that goes into their publications but that clearly, those processes need to be reviewed.
They said that they have raised the matter with Ten Alps, who are treating the matter seriously, and will also discuss the matter with the ASA, especially to avoid such a thing happening again in the future.
They will also no longer take advertisements from the company that booked this insert.
I received this leaflet in marketing material from “Easylife” on 24th November 2014. Went on line to find the address is a residential property which has been Sold Subject to contract. Offers on leaflet were not reflected on the web page given http://www.hfldirect.com. . Interesting wording where every statement was prefixed with the word “can”. Definitely would not proceed to purchase from this company
I am really glad I found this. My leaflet, too, came from the C&CC. I really fell for the claims and went to their website (hfldirect.com). Luckily it claimed to be under development, so I e-mailed them. They said the website was up and running, but it wasn’t. I was actually checking today when I found your site. I cant believe I have been so stupid.
Not stupid. Stupid people doesn’t realise or admit mistakes. Naïve, maybe. It can happen to anyone whose guard is temporarily down.
Still being advertised. One I saw has day 1 to day 68 pic’s which are of several different feet! The first is of foot with inflammatory arthropathy – the pills are presumably claiming to reverse dislocation and rid nodules. I love the fact that they even shorten the 2nd toe in day 61 from day 54!! (hint; it’s not the same foot) And on day 68 the lady stands on tip-toe even though the ends of her metarsal heads have probably eroded and the fibro-fat pad under the ball of her foot dissipated. I would laugh if it wasn’t for the fact that it is my vulnerable patients being ripped off by this crap and being sidelined away from medications that reduce their risk of a multitude of co-morbidities that come with chronic inflammation
H
declaration of interest – Specialist Podiatrist (Rheumatology)
I received the Nu col leaflet in a magazine and it made me want to buy this miracle stuff immediately! However, I decided to read up on collagen and came across your website so decided not to bother. I’m a bit disappointed actually as the thought of rejuvenating my joints and every organ in my body seemed an attractive proporition. Ah well.
Was it recently? I haven’t seen any of the leaflets since I wrote this post.
I received the leaflet in an easylife brochure 17/11/18 & was just about to order from website- couldn’t find anything on there – then I saw your post so thank you
received one last week but don’t know which paper it came out of, thanks for the info
I have had an e.mail selling it
…now spamming…. got this in my mailbox yesterday.
http://www.hfldirect.com/offers/nu-col/index.php?campaign=TIAEW&transid=102f0bdc8477258d0ce95d7c5789fa
Hi. I’ve just received an email from Healthy for Life advertising this product. Thought it sounded a bit ridiculous. It really shouldn’t be allowed as so many people will fall victim to it
Hi, looks like these leaflets are still doing the rounds, received mine with a Jean-Patrique professional cookware brochure today, along with a load of other far fetched product leaflets.
HI,I HAVE RECEIVED THIS LEAFLET TODAY.ALMOST FELL FOR IT.THIS MUST BE STOPPED
Kay Jones. Hi. I have just received this leaflet sent with a booklet from Home Shopping Selections today. I suffer from arthritis and have many joints fused and would love a wonder cure! This one sounded too good to be true though and it obviously was! Its terrible that vunerable people who are desperate could be taken in by this.
I received the Nu-Col advert with a Home Shopping Selections brochure today.
I googled for info on Nu-col and your website came up with your comments. I’m pleased I didn’t fall for the hype in the advert – Thanks.
Received this leaflet today in Jean Patrique professional cookware magazine
Hi Sheila,
Thanks for letting me know. Do you still have the leaflet? Was it exactly the same as the one above?
I recieved a copy with Jean-Patrigue professional cookware yesterday
I received it with Jean-Patrigue cookware magazine, but went to Holland- & Barratt and got Collagen tablets from them, hope they work
Barbara Matthews
Hi, received one of these leaflets today. Delivered with an Eckman catalogue! ? I’m in Fife. Photos available. But looks exactly the same as your version. Many thanks and regards Stewart
Hello: I have also recently received one of these leaflets along with an “Easy Living” catalogue. One does wonder what the point of the ASA really is if these snake oil salesmen continue to purvey their nostrums (nostra?) despite multiple rulings against them.My leaflet looked identical to yours as others have said.
Received leaflet today with Easylife brochure. They have a proper address now and not a PO Box Number. I too was excited as I have arthritis all over and am only 61. God I hate these people. It’s so cruel. So glad people like you are there as a warning. Kind regards, Liz Doman
Paul Howard-Jones December 2,2014.
Just received today, the Nu Col advertising, It must be stopped. Mine came with some other disgusting unsolicited mail. I have kept the Nu Col leaflet but the other filth has been binned.
Received one yesterday posted to me with a Personal Choice brochure. Leaflet hasn’t been modified at all, it is exactly as the one you have shown to be banned.
I got a nucol leaflet with easylife mag today 5 12 2014 along with one for sharene for joint fitness and one for corelean weight loss
Received the Nu Col leaflet today as well as a leaflet for Corelean (“an amazing weight loss discovery from Norway”)
with the Easylife brochure .
I received this leaflet last week along with personal Choice brochure and another leaflet advertising Celaritis. I was targetted, by name and address. I do have arthritis and was tempted but this site has helped to prevent me wasting my money. Does anyone know if Celaritis does what it says on the tin?
got one in the Harrogate house collection. same as the one shown
Received preciseley this leaflet last week inside an Easylife booklet along with one for Sharene for joint fitness and one for Corelean weight loss.
Thanks everyone for letting me know that the leaflets are currently in circulation. I have written to EasyLife pointing out that the leaflets have already been ruled misleading by the Advertising Standards Authority and asking that they confirm that they will stop sending them out.
Please do let me know if you spot them anywhere else.
Received a folded A4 sheet with a number 17 in the top right hand corner which was included with the December issue of the Saga Magazine. I thought it had to be a scam. But having been suffering with dermatological problems lumped together under the psoriasis label for several months I thought, ah well, might as well give it a try.
Now I have saved £ 39 .70 but I have lost my big hope.
I got one of these in a magazine just recently. I think it was in the Eckman Winter Edition. Like everyone else I wanted it to be the miracle cure. Having been fooled so many times before I Googled it, thank goodness. (What did we do before Google)
I received a leaflet in some other free advertisement only last week it’s for ” a healthy for life publication.
It sounds too good to be true
have had a leaflet for some time and I looked at it this morning. It is very tempting, but got on computer and read all the comments via Josesphine Jones. Like many other people commenting their questions and deciding not to follow the advertising, and like them I felt very sad about not trying the product as it read so marvellesly. My leaflet only wrote about Celaritis in the form of pills and cream. Now Josephine is it possible for you to advise about Celaritis, wheather it has some cure? Perhaps you can send anything, if there is anything of interest through Google.
Received one inside copy of Eckman Christmas 2015 brochure
Hi, I received a leaflet for Nu-Col today 30/12/2015 along with the Healthy Living catalogue,
I received the same leaflet on 4/1/2016 in Healthy Living catalogue, so obviously being banned doesn’t mean anything to them. Shame, I was hoping it would be something which may work…. oh well, back to good eating and exercise and ‘normal’ moisturising face creams,,,,
Leaflet arrived this morning, 7/01/16 thank goodness for the web, these scumbags are just preying on the aged and infirm, who are hoping for some help in any form.
I nearly ordered Nu Col, luckily read your website,I have been conned in the past regarding creams. My new motto is if it looks or says it is really good,bin it.
We received a pamphlet from health for Life regarding sharene with extracts of shark cartilage and squalene being the miracle breakthrough for arthritis sufferers, I have found your site and thought you might be interested.
We are in the year 2018. I received the leaflet in Easyliving or Easylife magazine yesterday
Thanks for letting me know. Did the leaflet look just like the 2012 one?
I received exact same leaflet in Easylife magazine today. So tempted to order, glad I didnt.
I received a copy of the exact same leaflet as shown above in a recent copy of Easy Life. I was also tempted but thought I would look for reviews before buying. Glad I did. I feel compelled to contact Easy Life about this. They obviously know about these false claims
the exact same leaflet came through my door today inside a healthy living book, so glad I looked for reviews before buying.
Yes I just received one. 11.9.18.
Good Evening. Just to let you know the nu-col leaflet is back in circulation. It arrived today with the easy life magazine and the same as2012.
The Nu-Col leaflet just came through my door inside the Easy life brochure. I thought it sounded too good to be true!
Received copy of nu-col a wealth of health today inside free copy of easy life magazine 15th September 2018
Very persuasive for an octogenarian!
Please continue with your campaign that this leaflet does not try to be respectable by associating itself with a trusted magazine
The Nu-col leaflet was with a dozen others inside a booklet called Positive Health (brought to you by Easylife). A miracle supplement I could do with but as always I look for genuine reviews and came across your site.
I received this flyer inside an unsolicited mailing booklet from ‘ Positive Health’ today, which was of products aimed at older people, which also contains the product for sale. Lots of products with amazing and dubious claims I think.
Daily mail, September 2018.
My grandmother received it.
She just corrwctes me, from easy life but packaged with.
Received the exact same leaflet yesterday ie NU-COL enclosed in the Bookpeople magazine,l will speak with Bookpeople.
Hi, thanks for your comment. I contacted The Book People on Twitter and they replied saying they need more information (https://twitter.com/TheBookPeople/status/1063916974558904320). They are asking which mailing it was sent with and could you send a photo of the leaflet?
Hi,
I know that this post is quite old, but just to let you know that an identical leaflet published by Healthy for Life dropped onto my doormat this morning. It was inserted in a free mailing magazine called Easylife which is aimed at elderly people (I made the mistake of ordering something from them for my mother and now can’t get off their mailing list although I have asked them 3 times to remove me).
I was so incensed by the ludicrous claims made in this leaflet that I immediately googled to see if there were any complaints from others. I came across your post.
Incidentally, there was also a leaflet from HFL slipped into the same magazine advertising Shark Cartilage capsules.
Best regards
Chris Norton