Structure/function claim

A structure/function claim describes the effect of an ingredient on the normal structure or function of the body without asserting that it addresses any disease.

The category comes from dietary supplement law, where statements such as supports healthy joints or promotes restful sleep are permitted if they are truthful, substantiated and accompanied by a disclaimer that the FDA has not evaluated them. The line between a permitted function claim and a prohibited disease claim depends on wording and context, and it is frequently argued over.

For CBD the framework is less settled, because the FDA has stated that CBD does not meet the definition of a dietary supplement ingredient. A structure/function claim on a hemp product is therefore not the safe harbor it would be on a vitamin, and companies rely on it at some risk. Regardless of category, any claim still needs evidence behind it, and evidence for CBD's effects on most bodily functions remains limited and early. Wording that mentions a condition, even indirectly, moves a claim into the disease category.