Rainbow Investigations is now investigating another apparently

Toronto based weight loss promotion. This one, known as the

Algoxyll Campaign, can be accessed at www.algoxyll.com. While

not confirmed at this time, this promotion appears to have U.S.

roots.

This particular operation has some similiarities with previous

Toronto based promotions. The originating company is being

called Geneva Bioscience Ltd. , however there appears to be no

such company listed in Ontario.

The address of 1370 Don Mills Road, Suite #300, North York,

Ontario is a small shared office complex.

The phone numbers listed for the company are abit strange - the

U.S. advertisements list a phone number of 1-866-257-0877. This

number leads to an answering service in Maryland.

Upon questioning how to reach Geneva Bioscience Limited,

callers are led to a "Customer Service Number", 1-877-818-1637,

which just happens to lead to another answering service - this

one located in New Brunswick, Canada. This is the same location

that PhytoPharma uses for its answering services. We are

suspicious that the same answering service is involved again!

This promotion uses a combination of seaweeds to lose weight.

The theory behind this weight loss is that the seaweed fucus

vesiculosus contains iodine, which stimulates the thyroid gland to

make thyroid hormone, which may increase metabolism.

Increased metabolism then, as the theory goes, may lead to

some weight loss.

The scientific evidence on this is minimal and sketchy at best.

First of all, there is no way to know if the iodine levels in the fucus from this product do in fact alter thyroid activity. One study in the mid 1990's on hypertensive patients with obesity, using fucus in combination with diet, spiruline and gelatin had no weight loss

over a twelve week period (study by Monego et al 1996 - can be

referenced at the Health Psychology Home Page of Vanderbilt

University.

The advertisements have appeared in entertainment type

publications in the U.S. Rainbow Investigations would be

interested in hearing from consumers who've seen this product

advertised - let us know where you've seen it.