Dr. Veli-Pekka Valkonen, a Finnish physician, asserted at a private Juice Plus marketing event that consuming the company's supplements renders smoking safe. The claim surfaced from a video recorded for internal affiliate training that was not intended for public distribution.
Valkonen, who has promoted Juice Plus for over a decade, presented the supplements as superior to synthetic alternatives. He stated that synthetic formulas eventually increase cancer and mortality risks. Juice Plus, he argued, offers a tangible internal benefit within a month, which he described as "the body being born again."
The physician then addressed the effects of smoking. Valkonen explained that smoking damages DNA, with breakdown products measurable in urine. He claimed that while vegetable consumption can reduce these measurable damages, Juice Plus products have demonstrated a similar effect. "Specifically smokers have been able to show that they can continue smoking and take Juice Plus, so you're safe," Valkonen stated, according to the recording.
Scientific consensus does not support Valkonen's claims. DNA damage from smoking is not reliably measurable in urine in the manner described, and Juice Plus supplements do not negate the health risks associated with smoking. Valkonen also claimed personal experience with Juice Plus, stating it caused gum tissue to regenerate.
The video featuring Valkonen's statements was reportedly shown at weekly training sessions for hundreds of Juice Plus affiliates. One affiliate told Seura magazine that while they were instructed not to use Valkonen's name because he is a doctor, they were encouraged to use his health claims for sales purposes.
Valkonen is currently employed by The Mehiläinen Group, a private healthcare provider in Finland. The Mehiläinen Group issued a statement distancing themselves from Valkonen's views on Juice Plus, saying they neither share nor endorse them. It remains unclear if Valkonen has promoted Juice Plus to his patients in his capacity as a physician with Mehiläinen.
Juice Plus also disavowed Valkonen's remarks. Mattias Mildenborn, Juice Plus' Regional Director for Northern Europe, confirmed that the lecture material seen by Seura was not produced or approved by the company. He added that Juice Plus' internal guidelines prohibit medical marketing.