Why did Google disapprove my supplement for unapproved substances?
Direct answerGoogle disapproved the product, not the adjective. The unapproved-substances policy bans certain pharmaceuticals and supplements no matter what the ad claims about legality. Named cases include ephedra, hCG marketed for weight loss or with anabolic steroids, and DHEA except in campaigns targeting the United States. An ordinary vitamin that says it cures a disease is a different problem.
Ingredient ban versus claim ban
| What failed | Policy | What a rewrite can do |
|---|---|---|
| Ephedra, non-US DHEA, weight-loss hCG, lookalike drug name | Unapproved substances | Nothing, if the SKU stays. Remove it from the ad and the page. |
| “Cures diabetes” on a vitamin that is not on this list | Supplement and wellness claims | Change the claim. The bottle can stay if the ingredient is otherwise allowed. |
| Hemp flower or a dispensary | CBD and cannabis | That is the cannabis page, not a DHEA exception. |
What Google names
Google’s unapproved substances policy does not allow promotion of certain products, regardless of any claims of legality:
- Items on its non-exhaustive list of unapproved pharmaceuticals and supplements. Google points advertisers to LegitScript for the products it monitors. This article does not reprint a list Google did not publish on the policy page.
- Products that contain ephedra.
- hCG related to weight loss or weight control, or hCG promoted with anabolic steroids.
- Herbal and dietary supplements with active pharmaceutical or dangerous ingredients.
- Products that imply they are as effective as prescription drugs or controlled substances.
- Non-government-approved products marketed as safe or effective to prevent, cure, or treat a disease.
- Products subject to any government or regulatory warning or action.
- Names confusingly similar to an unapproved pharmaceutical, supplement, or controlled substance.
- DHEA, except in campaigns targeting the United States.
The dedicated page reviewed on September 24, 2026 does not name melatonin. Do not add a melatonin rule from an older summary. A US DHEA campaign is the published exception to the DHEA ban. It is not permission to claim DHEA treats a disease. Violations warn at least 7 days before suspension.
Weight-loss outcome lines on a product that is not hCG or ephedra can still be an unreliable claim. Gyms and fat-burn products are split on fitness ads.
The CBD paragraph on this page
The same policy says FDA-approved pharmaceutical CBD advertisers must apply for CBD Ads Certification. Location targeting is limited to California, Colorado, and Puerto Rico, and formats such as YouTube Masthead are not eligible. Non-pharmaceutical topical CBD, in a location that allows CBD ads, applies for LegitScript certification before the Google CBD application. Other hemp and cannabis products are the cannabis guide. Do not aim a dispensary ad at California because this paragraph mentions the state.
Setup workflow
- Read the ingredient, not the headline. Ephedra, weight-loss hCG, steroid-paired hCG, and non-US DHEA are named bans.
- If a regulator has warned on the product, or the name mimics an unapproved drug, treat that as this policy. A quieter claim does not rename the SKU.
- If the ingredient is ordinary and the sentence cures a disease, use the supplements guide. That is a claim problem, not this ingredient list.
- Pharmaceutical CBD stays on this page’s certification rules. Other CBD stays on the cannabis guide.
- A warning comes at least 7 days before suspension. Remove the product from the ad and the destination.
Frequently asked questions
Can I advertise DHEA?
Google’s unapproved-substances page says DHEA products are not allowed except in campaigns targeting the United States. A US target does not make a disease-treatment claim safe. That sentence is still a healthcare or unreliable-claims problem.
Is every hCG product banned?
The page bans hCG in relation to weight loss or weight control, or when it is promoted with anabolic steroids. It does not say “all hCG, in every context.” Do not widen the sentence, and do not assume a weight-loss hCG ad survives because the ingredient is sold legally somewhere.
Is this the same as a CBD disapproval?
Only if the ad is CBD. The same page sends FDA-approved pharmaceutical CBD through CBD Ads Certification, limited to California, Colorado, and Puerto Rico, and it says YouTube Masthead is not eligible. Non-pharmaceutical topical CBD uses LegitScript, then Google, in a location that allows CBD. Hemp and cannabis products that are not that pharmaceutical path are the CBD guide.
Sources
Google’s monitored list changes, and the policy says it is not exhaustive. This reading is as of September 24, 2026. It is not a formulation approval.
Check the ingredient before the headline
LaunchGuarding reads the creative and the destination, which is where an ephedra SKU often survives a “cleaner” ad.