The lawsuit against Joe Rogan’s supplement company, Onnit, regarding its flagship product Alpha Brain, was recently resolved with a significant legal victory for the brand.

According to reports and legal filings, the primary class action lawsuit (Lotz v. Onnit Labs, Inc.) was voluntarily dismissed in April 2025. This followed a previous dismissal of a similar case (Martin v. Onnit Labs) in late 2023.

Here are the key takeaways from how they "beat" the lawsuit:

1. Failure to Disprove Efficacy

The core of the legal victory rested on the court's finding that the plaintiffs failed to provide evidence that Alpha Brain didn't work. The judges noted that the scientific studies cited by the plaintiffs were often irrelevant because they tested different ingredients or different dosages than what is actually found in Alpha Brain. Consequently, the plaintiffs couldn't prove the marketing claims were "demonstrably false."

2. "Lack of Substantiation" Defense

In the California case, the court agreed with Onnit’s defense that the plaintiff was using an impermissible "lack-of-substantiation" theory. In private consumer litigation, a plaintiff cannot simply sue because a company hasn't proven its claims to a scientific certainty; the plaintiff carries the burden of proving the claims are actually false. The court ruled the plaintiffs hadn't met this burden.

3. Voluntary Dismissal with Prejudice

In the New York federal court case (which gained significant attention in early 2024), the parties eventually reached a settlement in principle, leading to a voluntary dismissal in April 2025. Crucially, the plaintiff’s individual claims were dismissed with prejudice, meaning that specific plaintiff cannot bring the same lawsuit again.

4. The "Joe Rogan" Factor

While the lawsuits targeted Joe Rogan’s marketing on his podcast, the legal focus remained on Onnit Labs (owned by Unilever). By successfully defending the 2016 clinical study Onnit funded—which the company has long used to claim that Alpha Brain "supports memory and focus"—they were able to maintain their marketing stance.

In summary, the lawsuits were defeated primarily because the courts found that the "science" used to attack the supplement wasn't specific enough to Alpha Brain's unique formula, allowing Onnit to move forward without changing its core advertising claims.