My wife is really into Beachbody workouts, particularly now Focus T25. The science behind high-intensity interval training is fairly sound, and I encourage physical activity of any type. Thus, I have no problem with this. It helps that it also makes her super fit and even more hot, which I didn’t think was possible when I met her. I am so impressed with her results from the workout, that when I am done my marathon at the end of August, I plan to take a break from running and do it myself.
However, Beachbody is not just about selling workouts. They also have an elaborate system of “coaching” whereby individuals sign up to be Beachbody coaches and then promote the workouts and nutrition products to others. Again, I have no problem with this, aside from it being a multi-level marketing system. Then she bought Shakeology, dubbed “The Healthiest Meal of the Day” by Beachbody.
If you have not come across Shakeology, it is a powdered protein supplement, replete with myriad “superfoods” (aside: there is no such thing as a superfood. Get over it.) You make a smoothie from it, either straight up or mixed with other foods, and use it as a meal replacement. Aside from the fact that processed desiccated “food” is not even close to the same thing as the real deal, taste is always of utmost concern to me. And I find it repulsive. But others, including her, find it delicious.
She says it gives her energy and satiates her for long periods of time so she would like to continue buying it. This surprised me on two fronts. First, not only is she incredibly fit and at a remarkably healthy body weight, she also eats with an eye to both taste and nutrition. She eats probably one of the most balanced, whole foods diet of anyone I know. To replace some of that with processed powder in a bag is out of character. Second, the price. My goodness. Two pounds costs you $120. $120!!!!!!! TWO POUNDS!!!! They recommend one scoop per day. Doing this, one bag would last you 30 days. Is $4/day all that bad for one meal? I guess not. But the greater question is why? Why use this instead of whole foods?
I’ll admit I don’t have a massive moral pedestal on which to make this argument, given that I cannot for the life of me forego my daily breakfast cereal. And not the healthiest kind. Raisin Bran, Honey Nut Cheerios, etc. However, she always had incredibly healthy breakfasts, so I asked her why she wants to switch to this. This led to a challenge to me to research the “science” behind Shakeology and the health claims made on the package. She should know me better by now. Such a challenge always results in a lengthy diatribe about the inherent lack of real science in such claims. And I am not one to walk away from such a gauntlet throw down.
What follows is not short. It is anything but. Mostly because the claims and ingredient list on the package are so detailed and expansive. Besides, I don’t do brevity. If you want the Cole’s Notes, here they are.
Bottom Line: The health claims made on the package have no scientific evidence base to support them. There are insignificant amounts of multiple plant products mixed in with the protein, none of which come anywhere close to duplicating the health benefits of whole plants. The manufacturing process to make plant powders is a laboratory procedure. Beachbody does not go out into the field with a mortar and pestle, grind up some plants, hang them in the sun to dry and call it a day.
Thus, this is protein powder with filler. If you are happy paying $120 for protein powder, which you can get elsewhere for a quarter of the price, go for it.
The claims from the package
Claim #1: Proprietary Super-Protein Blend: Whey, Sacha Inchi, Chia, Flax, Quinoa, Amaranth, Pea: Helps build lean muscles, improve skin and hair, support mental clarity, and reduce cravings.
The only part of this that is true is the protein part. There is nothing “super” about any of them. Protein is protein. And in North America, we get enough protein already. More than enough. In fact, from meat alone, Americans consume twice the daily amount of recommended protein. Thus, if protein were truly going to help build lean muscles, we’d all be a bunch of lean, mean, muscle machines by now. We most certainly are not. How about better hair and skin, sharper wits, and less desire to eat junk? For these sorts of claims, I search the ultimate authority on evidence-based natural therapies, the Natural Medicines Comprehensive Database (NMCD). You need a subscription to access it, so you will have to take my word that what I report is straight from that source. You can access the National Centre for Complementary and Alternative Medicine, but it is not as complete.
If you doubt anything I write, I’d be more than happy to take a screen shot and send it your way. I will also do a quick search of Pubmed to see if any new research exists in case NMCD missed anything. I will look at all the above ingredients, and then determine whether there is any scientific evidence to support that they lead to any of the stated outcomes.
Of note, you will notice on the bag and the website, a little asterisk next to each claim. When you find it far below, you read this: “These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration”. Meaning that they could just be pulled out of thin air for all it’s worth. But nonetheless, I will give them their day in court.
For every single ingredient listed above in claim #1, there is not a single drop of scientific evidence to support any of the statements made. I could just as easily say “These whiz-bang superfoods will give you giant muscles, make you more sexually attractive to potential mates, increase your chances of winning the lottery, and exponentially increase your financial net worth!!!!!” and it would have exactly the same amount of scientific credibility.
I’m not too excited about what I’ll find with the remaining claims, but on I march.
Claim #2: Proprietary Super-Fruit/Antioxidant Blend: (Superfruit. Sigh.): Camu-camu, acai, acerola cherry, bilberry, goji berry, grape seed, green tea, luo han guo, pomegranate, rose hips: Provides antioxidant support and helps promote a healthy heart and optimal blood pressure.
First off, the antioxidant=health notion is a complete myth. In fact, it may even be dangerous. Now, to the others.
Very preliminary research suggests cardiovascular effects from consumption of grape, grape juice, and red wine (the research did not look at grape seed extract; the differences are substantial; same reason research on omega-3 supplements has not shown the same benefits as those found in populations eating diets high in fish).
However, these studies only showed improvements in vasodilation and suppression of thrombosis. Extrapolating this to say that it promotes a healthy heart is disingenuous. We call these “surrogate markers”. The best example I have to show the risk of using surrogate markers as evidence of hard outcomes is a drug called torcetrapib. This drug MASSIVELY increased levels of good cholesterol and substantially reduced levels of bad cholesterol, leading many early commentators to suggest that it would be a game changer in preventing heart attacks and death due to cardiovascular disease. Too bad the studies had to be terminated early because the drug caused a 60% INCREASE in DEATH. Not just an increase in disease. An increase in death. So, that WHOLE grape products “might improve endothelium-dependent vasodilation” is clinically meaningless. And one study found that it has no clinically significant impact on blood pressure.
There is, of course, some epidemiological evidence suggesting a benefit of green tea consumption for cardiovascular disease prevention. However, this just states that people who drink lots of green tea seem to have lower rates of heart disease than others. It doesn’t account for all the confounders (ie. people who drink green tea may be more health conscious overall, the rest of their diet might be healthier, they may exercise more, etc. etc.) No sound evidence exists showing the same effect from consuming green tea extract.
For pomegranate, there are just as many studies supporting a benefit in cardiovascular disease as there are ones that refute it. The evidence base to date is insufficient to draw any reliable conclusions. And again, none whatsoever on pomegranate extract.
For all the other products, there is no evidence whatsoever to support the claims made.
Claim #3: Proprietary Super-Green/Phytonutrient Blend: Moringa, chlorella, spirulina, spinach, barley grass, kamut grss, wheat grass, oat grass: Helps alkalize the body and promotes detoxification of the liver, kidneys, and blood to restore health and vitality.
Ugh. Where do I even start with this one? It is hard to find evidence for a statement when it refers to physiologic processes that don’t exist and when it uses subjective measurements like “health and vitality”.
Toxins first. Suffice it to say, your body does an outstanding job of keeping you free of toxins. We are not, despite popular belief, awash in harmful toxins. Other science-based writers have covered this better than I can here and here.
Alkalization next. The biochemical pathways charged with maintaining your internal pH are incredibly complex and they do a remarkable job of keeping it there. So much so, that clinically significant pH excursions typically only occur in the acutely ill, particularly those with kidney disease. This is called metabolic acidosis or alkalosis and is a serious medical condition. You wouldn’t be walking around asking for pH strips for your urine if you had it. Long story short, no one drinking Shakeology has any clinical need to “alkalize” their body. In case you don’t believe me, read this. An excellent quote from Quackwatch sums up nicely this cockamamie notion:
“If you hear someone say that your body is too acidic and you should use their product to make it more alkaline, you would be wise not to believe anything else the person tells you.”
But what about the magical superfoods in this “proprietary” SUPER-green phytonutrient blend? Don’t they do anything? Let’s see.
Moringa: Nada. Unless you’re a goat.
Chlorella: Nothing.
Spirulina: Zilch.
Spinach: Negatory.
Barley grass: Ohhh....ohhhh.....wait for it.....oral consumption of barley just might lower bad cholesterol significantly. Sadly though, as NMCD says, this does not hold out for all studies: “This lack of effect seems to be the result of processing the barley into a highly enriched beta glucan product.” And we thought we were so smart we could identify the responsible component of a whole food, isolate it, feed it to people, and get the same outcomes. Curse you nature. Wouldn’t matter much anyways as 1 serving of Shakeology contains only 4.75mg of beta-glucan, roughly 0.6% the required amount the Food & Drug Administration requires to allow companies to make claims about its health benefits.
Kamut grass: That’s a big tall glass of nope.
Wheat grass: Zippo.
Oat grass: Same situation as barley grass. Possibly effective for cholesterol, but only with whole consumption.
Claim #4: Proprietary Adaptogen Blend: Ashwagandha, astragalus, cordyceps, ginkgo, maca, maitake, reishi, schisandra, tulsi: Helps protect the body from stress, support the immune system, and balance the endocrine system.
Typically, anything claiming to reduce stress, boost the immune system, or balance your hormones, is a complete crock. But just for fun, let’s evaluate the ingredients one by one to see if they can achieve any of those three remarkable goals.
The evidence base is so lacking for these, I don’t even know from where they fabricated these claims. So I ran a Pubmed search for all the ingredients against the search terms “stress”, “anxiety”, “endocrine”, or “immune”. I got nothing useful.
Claim #5: Proprietary Pre- and Probiotic/Digestive Enzyme Blend: Yacon root, Lactobacillus sporogenes, Amylase, Cellulase, Lactase, Lipase, Protease, Bromelain, Papain: Helps increase nutrient absorption, promotes regularity, and improves digestion.
NMCD doesn’t have much on these as most are simply digestive enzymes (most of which our bodies make naturally, by the way) and the body is notoriously unfriendly to large proteins. But I will search nonetheless. I ran a search in Pubmed with all the ingredients against the claims of nutrient absorption, regularity, and improved digestion. I’ve limited the search to randomized controlled HUMAN trials, as all other research is potentially interesting, but clinically meaningless. Nothing.
There you have it. With very few insignificant exceptions, all the claims on the Shakeology packaging are completely unsupported by scientific evidence. That does not mean they are not true. It merely means that based on currently available scientific research, we cannot confidently conclude that the claims are true.
After all this I found myself wondering how much of each of the ingredients is within this product. Thankfully, Beachbody has licensed some of its Shakeology products with Health Canada’s Natural Products Directorate. Thus, I have a full ingredient listing at my disposal.
The chocolate product, per serving, weighs 42 g. Here’s a breakdown.
Total protein: 16.8 g
Whey protein isolate: 7.9 g
Pea protein: 5.3 g
Rice protein: 3.6 g
ALL the other medicinal ingredients:
8.27 g
I’m confused, given that the label says the “Proprietary Superfoods” weigh 33g. What this means is that 7.93 g of these “superfoods” are unaccounted for. Too bad. Likely it is the weight of the “superfoods” listed as non-medicinal ingredients (barley grass, spinach, lycium fruit, and wheatgrass) and the other stuff not included in the health claims that you only see when you look in the small print (oat grass, Himalayan salt, some enzymes, luo han guo, cocoa, and lactobacillus)
This still leaves 9 g unaccounted for, which can only be the weight of the non-”superfood” non-medicinal ingredients listed. They are blueberry flavor, chocolate flavor, cinnamon flavor, D-fructose, guar gum, pectin, stevia rebaudiana leaf, and xanthan gum.
Might I point out how sad it is that they had to add blueberry flavor even though one of the listed “superfoods” contained in it is blueberry? Just proves how insignificant are the quantities of the products in this stuff and how far removed these extracts are from the real deal.
So, you are paying for 17 g of protein, which you could get anywhere for SUBSTANTIALLY cheaper, and an insignificant quantity of dried plant powders. Just to give an example of the insignificance of these quantities, I have some quinoa kicking around the house. The ingredient listing states there is 617 mg of quinoa in Shakeology. I couldn’t even weigh this at home as my kitchen scale is not sensitive enough to detect anything under 2 g. So I had to use my chemistry scale at work. The resulting mass of quinoa seeds, in a single layer, was about the size of a loonie.
127 seeds, if anyone’s counting.
103 comments:
I guess I'm getting old (well, I know I am), but I cannot imagine my husband publicly stating that I am "hot". I would feel very objectified if he did. I'm happy that although I have always been fit and told I was (am?) "pretty", my husband tells people that I am smart and accomplished (and don't fall for marketing scams)--AND fit and health-oriented. Frankly, your description of your wife sounds shallow and makes her sound rather empty-headed; but never mind, she's HOT after all.
That aside, thanks for exposing yet another MLM scam.
Wow. Really? You don't even know me or my wife. If you did, would you say this to my face? It is easy to say insensitive things behind a screen. Not so much in person. My wife is the smartest person I know. Her energy and ability to raise three beautiful children, teach, volunteer, and stay fit is mind boggling and incredible. On top of that she supports me in everything I do. She is pretty, beautiful, gorgeous, intelligent, sexy, amazing, wonderful, hilarious, kind, empathetic, generous, selfless, and, yes, hot. And if calling her hot in private, public, or otherwise, makes me shallow, then watch out for that sandbar.
Oh well, even super intelligent people decide that maybe it's easier to drink a shake than to make a proper breakfast. Especially with raising kids, working and everything else.
The claims made by the producers of these products are overblown but I would think by and large they are not harmful and possibly even harmless.
My concern lies mostly with the green tea promotion. People who are super health conscious go to extremes by drinking non-fluoridated water but this green tea stuff contains on average at least 45 ppm fluoride. Not only that but the acid (tannic?) in this tea when not buffered by adding milk causes staining of the teeth in people who are not producing copious saliva. As a dentist I encourage the 'health conscious green tea drinkers' to moderate their intake to 1 cup per day.
cheers,
dr.g
Hello! I've consumed shake the hebalife the almost ten years ago, and even then I already thought the shake was something dishonest.
Thank you for the post! Your text was very enlightening!
I need to say something about the comments of Janet ... I cant see any problem in you call your wife "hot", for several reasons. I do not think that you declare your wife "hot" is objectifies her. In fact I found very romantic. I also have three children and I know how special it is, the world we live in, look at your partner and think he is "hot" after years of marriage and children.
Needless to say, objectify someone is not to find this person "hot" but only see the person in this way and as a tool, which clearly is not what you do.
Thank you once again!
So is your wife still drinking it?
Thanks for all this info - I have slowly been reading about this product and also had some samples. Like your wife I eat really healthy - so like you said why do you want to have a shake. For me a few reasons. i have to make every meal from scratch - five kids one husband and three meals and snacks. Urg dishes. Also I love a boast for me and the kids for a protein if I am short on a meal. Or for me because I started waitressing and can not eat during meal hours. So I take a shake, but now wondering if I should just be mixing my own mix and into a green shake. Learnt lots thank you for doing all the research. And for the lady that put you down on your discription of your wife, shame on her. My husband would have described me the same way as you were talking about this product - and not writing a book about why you love your wife. YOu certainly did not make her sound shallow - and in the end described how much you are in love with her is what I got from it. So thanks for the info. Like her not sure if I will ever stop the shakes. I use the vega one more often. Cheaper for sure.
Hi Joline. Yes, she is still drinking it. She is going to try just a regular protein powder and see if she likes that just as much. But for now she is sticking with this.
Since I AM Pharmadaddy's wife, I thought I'd weigh in. Not on Shakeology, because I think my husband pretty much covered that. But on being called hot. I know very few mothers who, after being pregnant three times, gaining 40+lbs with each, and raising three kids without the help of a nanny or babysitter all while cooking foods from scratch every day, canning and preserving foods grown in our own yard, still finds the time to exercise and be fit who would OBJECT to their husbands calling them hot.
Yes, I am smart, yes I am accomplished, that has never changed.
But when women go through the entire spectrum of body changes as delivering three babies and raising them herself, it truly IS an accomplishment to be able to lose the baby weight three times, find time to exercise and shower and look presentable every morning. And having my husband say that I am hot is a nice reward.
I enjoyed your post on Shakeology, given that I have been regularly taunted to buy the product whenever I go through the P90X workouts. And while I have enjoyed noticeable improvements with the workouts whenever I do them--I will have to remind my wife to call me hot!--I have been able to do so while still eating "normal" foods, if there still is such a thing.
One issue that almost never comes up with these artificial products is really how there is no evidence whatsoever on how our GI systems can absorb these processed, concentrated nutrients. Whenever things are mechanically rendered into a powdered form, metabolic and absrptive changes must be inevitable, but just what are they?
My anecdotal experience with a similar product years ago was repeatedly feeling unwell, and then going into an altered heart rhythm within hours of trying one of these products. Although I have no idea why, I suspected that the high load of phytates in the largely plant-based product possibly triggered an interference in magnesium absorption (and possibly other minerals as well). There is no obligation to formally test these crazy mixtures it seems, much less do an analysis of the scale and degree of anti-nutrient content. Like alot of things, when a product goes out of its way to trumpet the positives, without any mention of possible negatives, you have to know the whole marketing venture has only one purpose: to dupe as many people as possible into buying an expensive, untested product.
I am with Gabriella, it is easier at times just to make a shake in the morning. And if it holds you until lunch, all the better. I take the Shakeology container info with a grain of salt...but must admit, since starting it in December, I have not been sick. No sniffles, no cold, no nothing, whereas everyone around me has caught something. No other protein powder I have tried accomplished that. Hence, I will stick with it.
Re the study Antioxidant supplements for prevention of mortality in healthy participants and patients with various diseases:-
1) There is evidence* linking increased vitamin D intake with decreased RR for cancer mortality. Therefore, supplementing with Vitamin A absent Vitamin D may exacerbate vitamin D insufficiency/deficiency and thus increase the RR for cancer mortality.
2) The vast majority of commercial Vitamin E supplements contain d-α-tocopherol only. There is evidence** linking increased serum d-γ-tocopherol (but not increased serum d-α-tocopherol) with reduced CHD mortality. Therefore, supplementing with d-α-tocopherol absent d-γ-tocopherol may increase the RR for CHD mortality.
∴ Evidence from supplement trials may not apply to food extracts.
*e.g. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/pmid/19861511/ , http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/pmid/19258546/ & http://ajcn.nutrition.org/content/85/6/1586.long
**http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2126116/
You're an absolute MORON if you think this
"Moringa: Nada. Unless you’re a goat.
Chlorella: Nothing.
Spirulina: Zilch.
Spinach: Negatory."
Your site is less than popular and from my research doesn't get many returning visitors. I take this stuff with a grain of salt. Just know that before I took this I was in the doctors office once a month every month since I can remember. After drinking this daily haven't been once in over 3 years with nothing changed in diet except shakeology. Yea like a "protein powder" is gonna do that to me. And it's a MEAL REPLACEMENT. Not a protein powder. I'm in college for holistic nutrition and half the claims you are making about these amazing ingredients are completely false and there is PLENTY of info and studies in my textbooks to back up lots of them.
@Anonymous, moron comment... congratulations you win the Internet!
It's funny that you use an anonymous ID and provide zero evidence aside from your N=1 anecdote, to refute the tidal wave of evidence presented herein. But hey, all humans are obstinate.
It's also rather amusing that 3 years at $4 a day amounts to over $4k you've spent on this product. With that kind of money you could have afforded to go to college and study a real subject instead of "holistic nutrition".
If I was a gambling person, I'd bet your IP address logged in the comments matches up to Santa Monica CA, where the company is headquartered.
First off, Shakeology was never marketed as a protein powder. Why do you insist on comparing it to protein powders I don't understand. Beachbody markets a few brands of protein powders. Don't think they're gonna let Shakeology cut into those profits... Its a bad comparison and sets you up as someone who doesn't know what they are talking about.
The other so called research shouldn't be enough to convince anyone I would hope.. I can find a study that will prove just about any damn thing I want. Especially if I'm trying to discredit someone... Ya sure, you can read the study, but you need a subscription... I'll give you a screenshot of just the info I want you to see... Ohh boy.... And you call them out on bad evidence...
And yes, calling your wife "hot" even though she claims to like it is still just a little too "high school" for me.. It just puts a juvenile slant on the whole thing.. Its too much money, you have no proof, its mlm so it must be a scam, I don't like it and neither should you wa wa f'n waaaa!!!
What the hell do you get out of raining on others parades anyway... You trying to save us all or something?? Or is it that no one reads your stupid blog so lets write about something that will get the people talking...
Oh, and yes I would say this to your face... sounds like the school yard thing the same guy who calls his wife hot would say.. Hey, I'm cool... see, I got a hot wife... bleh... -- And yes, I am anonymous because I don't ever want to hear of your stupid blog again... posting a real name or email will give me notifications of your stupidity... don't need that in my life.
Open up your mind a little... read more, write less.. much less... maybe have a little shakeology, maybe you need the nutrients for your brain.
PS... take this all with a grain of salt.. I mean it all in a humorous way... don't be getting all butt hurt...
Yes. Thank you!! How does hot objectify a woman in the first place? What a harsh and completely off topic statement to make. One line and your entire article was disregarded. Wow. I think this Woman needs to be told she's hot more often and she wouldn't be such a prune. Prude. Prune. Same different. That's what I call mean. Not hot. Your wife should feel great that you care enough to enlighten her, as I'm sure you had her best interest in mind, as well as the interests of us all buying shakeology. Thank you for your article. All non biased views and scientific data should be given to everyone involved with shakeology, coaches and consumers. I mean those two go hand in hand with shakeology. Try it. Like it. Coach. I thought this was an article about the MERCURY claims! I have tried finding significant studies but I have yet to uncover an article that makes any scientifically proven data come to light on the mercury front. I am still baffled by the first commentator lol but that's the internet for you. Thanks again for the article that had nothing to do with objectifying your wife or women. It was extremely insighful!!
Thanks for taking the time to do this.
Now I can pass it along and hope to save my friends lots of $$$.
Coincidentally my daughter phoned me the other night and informed me that she is drinking the Chocolate Vegan version of this Shakeology. It causes her to have 3 nicely formed fluffy bowel movements per day. In her case, because she does get periodic constipation, this Shakeology stuff seems to help. She gets a deal from 'her dealer' $80 for the two pound container. But as to helping with weight loss, the last time I clapped eyes on her, to me it seems she's put on a few pounds since the wedding.
Wow. Pharmadaddy, thanks for all of the research/info you did here. Real enlightening, very happy to only need to buy a moderately priced protein shake, make a veggie/fruit smoothie and take some quality vitamins. And save about $90 in the process, while eating whole/raw foods.
Definitely looks as though you have awoken the cult of beachbody "coaches" and they are onto your post. You are messing with that irate college student's upline in their MLM selling of shakeology. Hence "raining on their parade" of making an average of maybe 5k a year (when they are promised that in a month if they work hard at 'their business')
Stay Healthy!
Thank you thank you thank you for shedding some light onto the reams of speculation, anecdotal evidence and scammery out there on the internet. You just saved me $150 and helped me improve my health!
Your article is AMAZING! I was actually in the process myself of writing something similar to this but it would have lacked some of the more "empirical" evidence that you point out (such as the amounts of protein vs the "plant powders".
I was a Beachbody coach and promoted his because it helped me but I really felt dishonest. I have a very scientific mind and KNEW that other factors played a role in my weight loss success. I was invited to go to summit ($250 for a ticket) and was told that it would be life changing. It kind of was... I found the company to be rather "cultish" and speaking bad about the product was simply frowned upon. You can tell who the Beachbody coaches are because they defend the product without using reason and rely on anecdotal evidence. I have a scientifically moral obligation to keep people informed and will lead them to this blog for info so they can make an informed decision. Thanks again for your lengthy research.
Your article is AMAZING! I was actually in the process myself of writing something similar to this but it would have lacked some of the more "empirical" evidence that you point out (such as the amounts of protein vs the "plant powders".
I was a Beachbody coach and promoted his because it helped me but I really felt dishonest. I have a very scientific mind and KNEW that other factors played a role in my weight loss success. I was invited to go to summit ($250 for a ticket) and was told that it would be life changing. It kind of was... I found the company to be rather "cultish" and speaking bad about the product was simply frowned upon. You can tell who the Beachbody coaches are because they defend the product without using reason and rely on anecdotal evidence. I have a scientifically moral obligation to keep people informed and will lead them to this blog for info so they can make an informed decision. Thanks again for your lengthy research.
Thanks for this article. I am a medical researcher and I found the Shakeology claims that "after 90 days of using Shakeology people lost weight" very misleading. Yes, the people in the study may have lost weight but the reason may have been because they ate well and exercised and may have not had anything to do with the product itself. In order to do a proper study, there would need to be 2 groups, one who used the shake and one who didn't. The group assignment would have to be done in some sort of randomized way. Ideally, the group who didn't use Shakeology would need to use a similar looking/tasting product as a control and participants in both groups as well as those collecting and analyzing data would need to be blinded (i.e. not know which group each participants were in). Participants in the study would need to keep a log of their caloric intake and their daily energy expenditure as well. to make sure that the two groups were similar in terms of their intake and energy expenditure.
I also looked at the ingredient list and it looks to me like this is a highly processed product. As a fellow health conscious person, I tend to stay away from processed foods of any kind, instead prefer fresh, whole foods.
@Anonymous.... "Butt hurt" = less juvenile than "hot"?
But seriously, thanks for taking the time to sift through tonnes of reading material to sum it up here :)
I hope once I have 3 kids, my husband still calls me hot, or sexy, or any number of terms to let me know he still looks at me.
@Anonymous: So what is the name of your Beach Body team? I hope it isn't "Butt Hurt", but something tells me that might be apropos. Clearly you are one of myriad vendors of this product who blindly adhere to it's purported superfood claims without a single thought to the processing methodology (mentioned absolutely nowhere on their website) or to the fact that their 90-day study can be found absolutely nowhere in any peer review or journal or otherwise verifiable scientific source. I'm not for or against Shakeology, just researching it because a friend wants me to buy it. The red flags for me were that I had to go FIFTEEN PAGES into a google search just to find ANYTHING that wasn't a team/coach blog or fitness page that promotes the product. If that doesn't make you stand up and take notice, nothing will. But hey, at least you appear to believe you are multilingual...KUDOS to you for your vast knowledge and education!
Just FYI: Shakeology failed a recent test by ConsumerLabs.com because it contained unacceptable levels of lead per serving. Your wife may want to switch to something else.
Glad to come across this! I will cross-reference it with other information, but my question would be, since you have a more medicinal background than I, is this better for me than NO breakfast? Because that is my current trend. I hate dealing with breakfast. I have recently transitioned to gluten free living, and feel great, but by the time I plan food for my whole day, I am over it and can't handle breakfast. And I am SO sick of eggs I can't stand them any more. I was hoping this would make for a good breakfast option that is quick, easy, mindless, and still gave me some nutritional benefits... maybe??? Thanks for doing the research!!
Glad to come across this! I will cross-reference it with other information, but my question would be, since you have a more medicinal background than I, is this better for me than NO breakfast? Because that is my current trend. I hate dealing with breakfast. I have recently transitioned to gluten free living, and feel great, but by the time I plan food for my whole day, I am over it and can't handle breakfast. And I am SO sick of eggs I can't stand them any more. I was hoping this would make for a good breakfast option that is quick, easy, mindless, and still gave me some nutritional benefits... maybe??? Thanks for doing the research!!
Hi Jen. This is the one situation where I think it is fine. If it is this or no breakfast, I'd take this in a heartbeat. Otherwise it makes your food decisions later in the day much more stomach based and less brain based :-)
Now according to the Beachbody website itself...and you can look for yourself, there was NO Study done on Shakeology? But every "coach" insists that studies show. They did a test group...MEANINGLESS and we cannot see the results! Was Carl Daikler one of the subjects? We will NEVER KNOW. By the way the Blog Edwards refers to is gone.
http://www.teambeachbody.com/connect/message-boards/-/message_boards/message/132310105
Bad reply to JenB. You spent a great deal of time researching the "claims" of Shakeology and determined that buying a much cheaper protein powder would be better. So why not tell JenB to buy a cheaper protein powder and just take a multi-vitamin?
Other than that....thanks for writing this. Like many others I could find scant info on what's really in Shakeology. When I see the word "proprietary blend" I know something isn't right. It's supplement code for undetermined amounts of "something".
It's a damn expensive product and there should be far more info on what exactly you're paying for!
Well, people everyone has a different perspective according to me the best shakeology is unundoubtedly the best option.Yes the are not harmful at all & the contains some healthy nutrients. Above all the come in different flavors as well. :)
Here is my struggle with this - yes, I am a Beachbody coach. This guy is a pharmacist, when was the last time we looked that in depth into the pills people pop every day. From what I can is that most of the medicines we take have more side effects than benefits. Now I am not opposed to medicine, but to knock a company and it's product that has a mission to End of Obesity...oh that's right because if they do, we don't need all that medicine anymore.
This was an amazing article and I thank you for posting this. I have been against Shakeology for such a long time and am so glad to see that people are finally doing the research to "debunk" it's claim. I love the Beachbody workout programs, but refuse to buy into the whole Shakeology cult. A) It tastes horrible and B) WHERE in nature can these ingredients be found? I have seen incredible results just by staying active and living a whole foods lifestyle. Eat as clean as you can and you will be good to go.
@Jen G.: I totally understand not having time for breakfasts, but have you considered making a fruit and veggie smoothie for breakfast? It's just as easy and SOOOO much better for you. There are a lot of websites out there that offer some great recipes.
As for calling your wife "hot"...you just keep on telling her that. In fact, most men need to tell their wives that more often. I have had three children and my husband makes me feel like the sexiest woman he has ever seen. Yes, he also uses the term "hot" when describing me. He also describes me as intelligent, funny, and classy. You are in no way objectifying your wife. :-)
Once again, thank you for the research!!
Do you realize that your research based from the company (Pubmed) is backed by not only pharmaceutical companies but was introduced and demonstrated by the environmental activist and "creator of the world wide web" Al Gore? If you are going to do true research, maybe acually do some research. Not sit at your computer looking up answers on a type of google search. This is exactly the kind of post I would expect from a drug dealer.
I would like to thank you for for the information you provided, and I see where you are coming from. I'd like to share my thoughts on the issue if I may.
When I look at a product of a company, I also must look at the company as a whole. Beachbody is, as far as I can tell, a very genuine company. They really do want to see people succeed in the fitness and nutrition. Are they still looking for profit? Of course they are. I think often people think companies are ALL about profit. I do not think that is the case at all. While companies of course want to make money, there are those that genuinely want to help their consumers as well. I am confident that Beachbody is one of those companies.
With that mindset, let's take a look at Shakeology. I personally love the stuff, and I have experienced the results that it claims for myself as well as noticed its results working in those I know that also use it. The stuff works. While my case study and even the case studies of those I know may not be enough evidence, there are literally tens of thousands of more who have done the workouts, used Shakeology, and produce reaults. Results is what Beachbody sells, and results is what Beaxhbody gives. Shakeology is part of that for people, maybe not everyone, but enough.
About the price. Yes it is pricey at a little more than $4 a serving. This bugged me at first, but then I realized that I spent more than that eating out at fast food. I decided to cut my bad habits and reallocate my finances into good habits, including Shakeology. So is it pricey? Yes. Is it really that unreasonable though? That is up to each individual and their priorities. Could you spend less using other equally effective products? I am sure you could. Shakeology is just an option that Beachbody puts off there. A heavily marketed option, but still an option the less. The choice is up to the consumer.
Thank you for saving me a trip to PubMed. I suspected as much. It's a bummer their entire coaching system is built around this product. Their exercise DVDs are the best around.
I completely agree. Their exercise DVDs are absolutely outstanding. The concept of selling them and promoting active lifestyles is one I can get behind 100%. But selling a overly processed natural health supplement gussied up with unproven health claims just sullies the whole endeavour. I'll still buy their DVDs because I don't think anything out their compares, but the Shakeology, the cleanses, the vitamin regimens. It is all just overpriced versions of stuff that doesn't work that you could buy at a grocery, drug, or supplement store for much less. It still wouldn't work, but you'd have a bit more money to your name.
OMG you're an idiot.
I love it when people, who obviously sell the product, use marketing jargon like "it's a meal replacement" as a reason why it's any different than whey protein powder or soy protein powder.
What really makes a "meal replacement" a "meal replacement"? From what I understand, they mostly recommend that you mix it with other fruits, vegetables, ingredients, etc. So...what's a meal? I'm sure you can drink it with just water, but how many people actually do that? I'm guessing very few. On the flip-side, I actually drink whey protein powder with water generally 2-3 a day for my protein intake. It's not a easy habit to jump into.
I have a longstanding knowledge with bodybuilding, nutrition, and supplements. Most supplements are pointless, but are jacked up on price and marketing. That's how they sell. Protein is protein when it comes to nutrition, no matter if it comes from soy, whey, eggs, egg whites, milk, beef, chicken or broccoli. It's all the other ingredients that matter in those different foods.
I don't doubt there are some great nutritional benefits from all the added supplemental "proprietor-blend" fruits, herbs and plants they claim are dried, ground-up, and mixed into each bag of Shakeology; but not enough to justify the price tag. Many of these items can be purchased in the form of a multi-vitamin (which I've heard they still recommend as part of the program) or additional vitamins and supplements if you really wanted to try their benefits one by one. Although I have no knowledge of Shakeology's exact retail mark-up or cost structure, judging by my experience with several MLM/direct-selling products and by the vast abundance of seller testimonial videos I've come across on Google, I'm sure it is incredibly overpriced for the value received. For instance, I can purchase a 6 lb bag of clean whey protein at a big box store for about $50 ($.60 per serving) that gives me 27g of protein per serving. Compare that to Shakeology's $129 ($4 per serving) 2 lb bag that only gives you 17g of protein per serving. In bodybuilding, protein and carb intake is everything. I would have to supplement more protein in each intake of this product to make up for my loss of daily protein requirements.
Believe me when I say, the direct sales supplement game is usually rigged to earn quick profits for the company on the backs of users/suppliers before the fad runs dry. Diet/nutrition/exercise products generally do this well because people jump from product to product as the next big thing based on placebo-like premature testimonials from friends and family. They get you to buy it, then they get you to buy into the lifestyle, then they get you to hock it for them thinking you can supplement your income as well. It rarely pays much but it works every time for a short while. I mean even pet rocks sold for a while.
The simple answer is there is no magical drug (aside from caffeine) for energy, there is no magical cure for long-term cure for weight loss (except for a healthy diet and exercise) and no super workout plan to tone your body or increase strength (except weightlifting and cardio.)
I thank the writer of this excellent nutritional information blog entry. It's just more fuel to fire against bogus products like this. Stay naturally healthy on the cheap, don't buy into fad weight loss gimmicks!
I'm really glad I stumbled upon your review. I was thinking about trying Shakeology, in fact, I think about it about once a year. Every time I consider it, I talk myself out of it for all of the reasons you mentioned. My husband is a scientist and when I bring up the issue of Shakeology, he looks at me with his "are you kidding?" face.
I think we all want to believe that it works the way they say it does, and it sounds nice to have an easy breakfast option. But I know, and you confirmed, that I'm better off making my own smoothies with fruits / veggies / milk in my blender.
Thanks for saving me from the cult!
Thank you! I loved your blog post on this and was trying to find "something" with scientific backing to discuss everything you did. I just don't get buying into this type of product. Buy a vitamix blender (for just 2-3 months of what Shaekology costs) and blend raw, whole foods. Done and Done. Next, can you please post on Kyani? It's also another marketing program, but I can't seem to find a third part review on it. My interest isn't from a business stand point, but from a point of view of working with people who have a certain medical condition and need to "eat" mostly a liquid diet. Kyani is not a meal replacement or a protein shake, but offers a way to get good nutrients in liquid form, which in important if someone has digestive and absorption issues. Taking any kind of pill vitamin/supplement, in order to fill in the gaps of what is missing from someone's diet, is just not a valid option for the population of people that I'm referring to. Thank you again!
As of this date Shakeology has been clinically proven to reduce weight, cholesterol, and blood sugar. I have been using shakeology for six months and I can honestly say I have stopped using medications for triglycerides thyroid and cholesterol. My overall cholesterol is actually normal for the first time in over ten years, no medication has ever done that for me. My triglycerides are normal and my Thyroid is normal! Now with clinical proof, Dr. Pharmacy can relax and let his wife continue using Shakeology. Side note, obviously some out there have a story about MLM's, which explains the negative comments. I'd love to hear your stories. My wife and I are both Beach Body Coaches and the products we use work, they are not a scam! The beachbody trainers are online every day posting videos with extra training especially Shaun T! Put simply...It works!
Can you point me toward the clinical proof? I hope it's not the "study" Beachbody is promoting in their marketing materials. The study was meaningless and as of my research last week, unpublished. Saying that you or people you know take it and it works for them is also meaningless. The plural of anecdotes is not evidence. If people like the taste and feel it fills them up and don't mind the cost, power to them. But to market that it is clinically proven or that it causes any of the health benefits it claims is untrue until proven otherwise. One uncontrolled study in 50 people with no control group, funded by the maker, and performed by a clinical research organization whose marketing material on their website aims to gain clients by promising their research will increase product sales is not, no matter how many times you say it, proof.
If the clinical trials for Shakeology used the same protocol as the ones they used for the Ultimate Reset I can conclude that the results are irrelevant and, based on the evidence, bias. I can't find the clinical study for Shakeology but the one for a "detox" program sold by Beachbody states that the clinical study was a "pre-post intervention design without a control group" (http://www.scribd.com/doc/133648290/Beachbody-Ultimate-Reset-Clinical-Study). Did Shakeology clinical trial have a control group to prove that Shakeology, and Shakeology alone, was the reason people lost weight, lowered cholesterol levels, got healthier, etc? Too many variables exist to prove cause and effect. I personally don't think Shakeology is a "scam". Beachbody workout programs are great but Shakeology is way over priced for good reason. Giving coaches a 25% discount AND a 25% commission for sales requires the selling price to go up otherwise the company would go bankrupt. From what I can see they are doing very well. A few months ago I stopped P90X and I ate like crap BUT I kept drinking Shakeology (basically a conducting my own experiment with myself being the "test" and "control" group. My results? I went from 175pounds 12% body fat to 185pounds 25% body fat. Since then I changed my diet and workout routine and i'm "back on track" only this time without Shakeology. My results? I'm back in shape. While the company does an excellent job of providing people with great workout programs and an excellent support network one must remain skeptical and realize that Shakeology is really just another protein powder. I don't need to go into the science (or lack of) behind "superfoods" because the original author of this blog post did an excellent job of citing his sources. As for your personal results Coach Francis, congratulations! I bet your hard work during your workouts and the changes in your diet played a much more critical role in your results than a shake.
You pretty much rock. Well said :-)
Thanks for posting this. I first heard of Shakeology this morning and obviously started doing a bit of research. All the related comments and the post itself have convinced me not to try it. I'm glad you wrote this article. Thanks!
Pharmadaddy - for those who have used Shakeology and commented here, it looks like the majority have experienced delivery on its promises. So then what would you suggest, as far as naturally-occurring supplements, these folks should have taken instead? Just curious to see if they could get the same benefits NOT from a shake, at a lower price...
Anonymous (one of many). Re: what people could take instead. This is a very difficult question to answer. Knowing from research the power of the placebo effect, it is not surprising in the least that people experienced "delivery on its promises". Making unsubstantiated promises is so safe for marketers because, first of all, it's allowed by regulators and, second, if miraculous benefits are claimed, people will experience them. That doesn't mean it is what is in the product leading to these benefits. That has yet to be shown by quality, unbiased clinical research to date. As I said before, if people want a liquid meal supplement, but don't want to pay the premium price for Shakeology, I recommend they try a few run of the mill protein shakes and see how they feel. Keep doing the exercise programs or whatever physical activity it is you do. Keep it up with any positive changes you've made to your diet. Or, if you really truly enjoy Shakeology and feel the price premium is worth it, then go for it. But don't do it simply because you think there is sound scientific evidence for any of the claims made for the product. Because there isn't.
Firstly, and as has already been stated, you are a pharmacist, not a doctor, chemist, bio-chemist, physiologist, or scientist. Your profession is filling prescriptions from Pfizer. I have never wondered in to a pharmacy to speak to a pharmacist regarding food or anything going on internally with my body. I'd see a doctor and/or nutritionist for that, right? Secondly, by your own admission, you eat breakfast cereal....grains, which have been proven time and time again, that they provide no positive value to the human diet but plenty of negatives. Thirdly, every study you sited was primarily funded by pharmaceutical companies. Next, by Oxford's definition a superfood is "A nutrient-rich food considered to be especially beneficial for health and well-being". Your hyperlink redirects to a Los Angeles Times article referencing "superfruit" not "superfood" written by By Karen Ravn, Special to the Los Angeles Times...who it turns out isn't a doctor or health care professional, but HAS written such classics as "Friendship Saves the Day" and "Flaps, the Flying Squirrel". I would suggest that maybe you should try Shakeology before criticizing it based on your evidence...and putting up this blog as a shameful attempt for Google search results. You've also made me extremely glad I do not have Canadian healthcare as your absurd "knowledge" would do more harm than good. Oh, and no I'm not a coach nor do I currently or previously use Shakeology, but am more inclined to try it now after reading your blog (and more importantly the comments) as I can afford $120 a month.
Just for the record YES you could use other products to get the same results. Vitamins, protien powder, fiber, all the leafy greens, whole grains, fruit and veggies you can get your hands on.
Each with their own price tag!!
So 10 bucks here 20 there and 50 somewhere else and then the trip to the grocery store and how close does that come to 120?
All Shakeology does is take some of the guess work out of how much and where you get some of your nutrition from. Its not a miracle drug and you cannot sustain life on it alone. But you can add it to your healthy lifestyle and workout programs to see some amazing results. You said it yourself Beachbody products WORK so why would this be any diffrent?
Most people I know who drink it have nothing bad to say about it. Sure as with anything some have an allergy or dont like the taste but look at these opinions here not everyone agrees...
Modern day medicines only work because you keep taking them and then can hurt you in another way for which there is another medicine to fix.... Is that really better than Shakeology?
Not that Shakeology can replace all need for medicine but as part of your healthy lifestye it could reduce the need for some of it!
hmm as someone who is actually going to school to become a Registered Dietitian, I must have missed the lecture on grains having no"positive value to the human diet but plenty of negatives" /sarcasm
As much as I love BB workouts, the Shakeology is a scam. If anyone truly believes that you can take that many whole ingredients on the product labels, powder them down to a very small cap full and still have the same nutritional value as in their solid form, you are fooling yourself.
It is just IMPOSSIBLE to have that many ingredients processed to a powdered form and retain its full nutritional value. You are far better off eating real food, which most of you are doing anyway since you have to add so much into the shake to make it palatable.
When a product has to use so much catch phases and claims, it should send up red flags that something is amiss. Especially when they hide where it is manufactured, how it is processed and the supposed studies on it.
Your description of your wife told me that you appreciate her and desire her. That is wonderful! I'm sure you love your wife for the whole person that she is. It is healthy to take a sensual view of your wife. On to another topic.
I have Lyme Disease and I'm homebound. A friend of a friend reached out to me on FB. I don't know if she was actually concerned about me but she told about her friend that "had" (Lyme Disease never goes away) LD and how Shakeology helped her to get well. I'm like you, my motto is "if your mother says she loves you, check it out."
Shakeology reminds me of Juice Plus. JP touts science, but I have never seen a rigorous study. They give away vitamins to children and call that their study. They don't collect data other than credit card info and emails.
Thank you for breaking this down for us. You saved me hours of research.
Pharmadaddy - interesting write up. I do have a question that maybe you can answer. Prior to using shakeology, I had advanced periodontal disease. Chronic infection no matter how clean I kept my teeth. Always bleeding, red and inflamed. Pocket depths ranged from 4-6 mm. Since being diagnose in 2008, I literally tried every procedure my periodontist suggested (including very expensive surgeries) and nothing stabilized my condition. 3 months after drinking shakeology once a day, my gum disease has done a complete 180. Gum tissue is pink, no more bleeding and my pockets have shrunk significantly. Nothing else in my diet changed or home care changed, except using shakeology. What ingredients in shakeology do you think helped cure my condition?
I have NEVER used Shakeology and can honestly say that when I stopped eating like a cow my triglycerides evened out and my cholesterol became normal again too. Weird.
Just got talked into $158 of Shakeology by my daughter, who is a true believer. I am a PhD who thinks the whole thing is a crock, but daughter crying on the phone made me buy it just to make her happy. Ah, the things we do for our kids. Never fun dealing with someone who is sucked into evangelical fervor, even if it's your child...
I tried Shakeology and found it disgusting both in taste and in the exorbitant costs. I switched to Vega Protein Powder, pretty much has the same ingredients and less sugar than Shakelogy and ony $16 a bag, a price I can live with. Just a side note to Janet, your comment was completely uncalled for, and pretty classless.. it often shows a fine command of the english language to say nothing, especially when it's negative. You actually come across the way you described his wife, with a tad of envy thrown in. Oops now I'm doing what you did, doesn't feel very good now does it?? If you can't say something nice...yada, yada, yada!
I tried Shakeology and found it disgusting both in taste and in the exorbitant costs. I switched to Vega Protein Powder, pretty much has the same ingredients and less sugar than Shakelogy and ony $16 a bag, a price I can live with. Just a side note to Janet, your comment was completely uncalled for, and pretty classless.. it often shows a fine command of the english language to say nothing, especially when it's negative. You actually come across the way you described his wife, with a tad of envy thrown in. Oops now I'm doing what you did, doesn't feel very good now does it?? If you can't say something nice...yada, yada, yada!
Mary-Anne. You realize that whey protein is just 1 of the 72 ingredients in Shakeology?its anything but "pretty much the same ingredients" if that's al you're getting. $16 is a bargain for protein powder. I hope it's reputable. Honestly, you'd probably be better off buying whole food proteins like eggs or chicken if that's all you're looking for.
I personally drink Shakeology on a daily basis, with the knowledge that there is no way I can get a SUBSTANTIAL effect from EACH ingredient in there. obviously one scoop is NOT going to give me a full serving of EACH of the 72 ingredients. That being said, I know I AM getting some benefit to each of these ingredients, and combined, I am getting a MUCH healthier option than my previous a) no breakfast or b) fast food. For me, it's a matter of getting healthy ingredients in a convenient form, feeling full after, as it has always been hard for me to get ANY sort of greens into my diet. Yes, I could go buy protein powder, then buy fruits/vegetables and blend them up, then buy a greens powder to throw in, but for all the work, and the same price or more, I just choose to drink Shakeology. As for the article, it was very well written! However, I do feel the ingredients are beneficial to one's body, despite being in a smaller dose, much better than not having or having something less healthy! Lets be honest, days are busy and it's hard to fit in making healthy meals or juicing!
I will have to agree to disagree.
There are more clinical trials on Shakeology. I have taken the bag to my MD.. He and his staff are now drinking it daily.
Beachbody is not a diet program. It is a lifestyle change program.
My husband lost 35 pounds in 5 weeks just drinking the shake daily, following the healthy eating plan and has kept it off.
No increase in exercise.
Beachbody.. is safe for children and the elderly alike.
As far as taste.. my youngest said yuck.. until I showed her how to make it..
You do need a great blender.. I use the magic bullet..
It is great for people on the go.
My husband makes his and off he goes to work.
There will always be haters.
As far as the MLM part.. No one says that it is a make it rich program. You have got to want to help yourself and others learn a healthier way of eating and living.
There are no magic pills, powders, injections, packaged meals, wraps.. that will keep the weight off. You have to change the way you looks at food.
Thank you for listening.
https://www.facebook.com/fitatanyagewithdeb
Hey! I love this post, first of all. I have been approached by some beach body coaches, and while nutrition is my passion, I am passionately passionate about WHOLE FOODS. I do realize that bagged processed foods aren't the same as eating fresh foods, but at the same time, I had some hope for shakeology, and while I feel that quite possibly it IS one of the better, cleaner shakes, if I were to sell shakeology, I would be going against what my true goal is.. spreading awareness of how easy, inexpensive, and rewarding eating whole foods can be.
I think that the beach body company has good intentions, and I think a lot of people have been successful with their products, and that is great! But I also know that you don't have to buy products to stay fit and healthy.
I keep going back and forth with shakeology because I understand the importance of whole foods.. at the same time, if there are people out there struggling to eat more healthy so much that they'd rather buy a $120 bag of protein + superfood , then I feel as though it IS a good alternative. I would rather people buy shakeology and get coached on fitness and nutrition, than just eat a poor diet and pay for it later through medication and hospital stays.
I drank the chocolate shakeology for 2 weeks, and my blood pressure soared. Off for three days, and it is coming down nicely. Are any of those super ingedients linked to high blood pressure?
Oh boy. I am a sucker for supplement powders, I admit. Shakeology is one I use lately, and I did get sucked into the coach thing, I also admit. First off, I really appreciate your comments of overconsumption of protein. As a vegan who has really not paid attention to getting a certain amount of protein every day (most aren't aware there is protein in plants too), my blood test results have since being vegan been right down the middle, in everything. I am experimenting with other ones, I use Vega as well and will be trying another one your wife may be interested in called Aloha. My frustration with Beachbody is just that, the cultishness and unwillingness to question. Also Beachbody very cleverly uses us coaches to saturate the Internet with positive experiences so it's very difficult to find an unbiased opinion. Now, here's where I disagree with your analysis, with full disclosure that I use Beachbody, and other supplements. You are evualuating ingredients that will always come to zip, nada, nothing in govt. studies because many of these ingredients are considered alternative medicine. So as a pharmacist I think you have an inherent bias towards these drugs that have been studied and approved (we won't get into how these studies can not take into account unknown dangers). When I read the ingredient list, i was quite impressed. There are certain things ingredients that have been around long enough in the natural foods arena so that I don't need the U.S. govt to tell me it's healthy, i.e. Ginkgo biloba, maca, spinach, digestive enzymes, etc. Pretty much all those "alternative" supplements are required by law to have that disclaimer. Kava has the same disclaimer when it says it promotes relaxation, but have some kava tea and try to stay awake! No one seems to know that nettles helps itchiness and runny nose for hay fever, I take it though it has that same disclaimer, it works. I love alternative "medicines." I have maca root separately at home, I definitely feel an increase in energy from it. Shakeology has filled me up and kept me full for a long time, reduced my starch and sugar cravings, reduced muscle soreness, kept me regular. However they (Carl Daikler) responded very arrogantly to my question about getting a vegan vanilla product ("we don't discuss product development in this forum"). And he responded very arrogantly and misleading to the lead found in their Greenberry flavor. Vega had lead in some of their products and promised to comply with reducing levels. I love vanilla, so I will see how the Aloha product stacks up. I would love to make money off of encouraging others to be healthy and watching them succeed, that's capitalism at its best for me. But I can't in good conscience promote a product where there's a level of secretiveness and dishonesty (and REALLY BAD customer service from none other than the CEO). I do love their workout programs but am thinking of stepping back on recommending Shakeology until I see a little more transparency and concern on Beachbody's part. I will continue using it,I'm like it but doubt if I will recommend it until they change their tune and get more honest.
Also, just a suggestion for breakfast, perhaps steel cut oats and some fruit, or a whole food smoothie? Otherwise I say your wife has the better nutrition! :-)
I am below my goal weight for the first time in years. I feel like I have more energy, less cravings, and am also not catching the illnesses my colleagues and family members are. I read and study a lot on nutrition and am very conscious on what goes in my body, that all being said, I'm going to keep drinking Shakeology because I believe in the results. The proof is in the pudding. :)
Thank you for taking the time to do this! My gut always told me what you wrote, but didn't have the background to prove it. Kudos!
Flooded by fb crap by cousin's wife about shakeology and pitching her to be your coach, colored containers of food and all kinds of crap. She mixes it in coffee. Even her little kids drink it now which is scary. And sad thing is before and after pics look the same. I think she is desperate for cash for their new house and is a gullible sucker ingesting garbage while going on and on about clean eating. It's pathetic.
I would be interested your thoughts on Melaleuca's products from a science stand point
Just curious on your thoughts on this. I get bad stomach cramps after running. No doctor or health store has been able to give me anything that made it go away. I drink Shakeology after my runs and it has completely taken away my cramps! Now I can run a full marathon for the first time in my life. So what do you think is in it that has given me this outcome?
1. Eating healthy is no longer enough we all know that. The nutrients in soil has depleted by over 80% in the last 100 years. Not even with veggies you still do not get enough.
2. Have you heard of pharmaceutical grade nutrition. It does not need you to break down the label it takes it to the worlds best labs.
3. All supplements are not equal. Every major athlete supplements their "whole food" nutrition. Why because these athletes are paid 100 millions to be the best.
4. MLM or traditional commercial marketing... (Why is MLM considered a scam? But not traditional advertising? Who is more likely to scam you? A friend or a large corporation that sees you as "a consumer"? These companies add salt to water that is sold... WHY to make us "consume" more.
5. Real food is no longer what it us to be. Research has shown it takes 3 tomatoes to equal the nutrients of 1 tomato from 50 years ago (goggle it).So unless your wife is eating triple the servings of whole foods as a person would have 50 years ago, then she is likely not hitting her RDA's in reality.
P.s. I do not even use the products in question. I do believe in high quality nutrition supplementation.
Hello Pharmdaddy! I am a single mom who works and goes to college. I thought Shakeology was a great go to for those days I don't have time to make breakfast or pack lunch. After reading this, I am second guessing myself on whether to renew my shakes or just buy protein powder and add a few things too it. What are your suggestions on what to add to make a healthy shake that isn't just protein powder? Thank you!
Thank you so much for this article, I was considering said product and you have helped me decide. Thank you for also calling your wife "hot" because as a wife and mother of three that used to be a model and now looks like a truck ran over her abdomen knows, it means the world to her. My husband does the exact same and it makes me confident and feel more beautiful than ever!. And no he's not in high school either. You can always find any article especially on the Internet to prove or disprove anything you want. I'm a believer in western and eastern medicine being used together leaning more towards western. Yes the compounds in the shakes can have wonderful benefits but the problem is they are in such minute quantities that it would not measure. To the person that hasn't seen a Dr in three years? So the shakes boosted your self esteem which made you stop thinking every ache and pain was probably cancer..... Go ahead drink it till you are sick of it, it's got you healthy one way or another! I have friends who are coaches and they are intelligent women but Pharmacist they are not. And if a pharmacist is saying its crap then I'll take that cheque to the bank because they no more about body chemistry and compounds than your GP or Guru or that article you found on your special holistic website that you pay for....talk about MLM!
Protein Shakes are the best.
I find this very interesting that so many of the posts have very little to do with the actual article.. Shakeology. Did you know that one little word "hot" would get such feedback. I have been searching for hours on reviews of Shakelolgy as I was interested in becoming a coach, but I like your wife (although she is probably ahead of me) am working on a whole food nutrition system and am always saying that the less processed the better. My gut was telling me all that you were saying, but I had a moment of hope. I think this is the best article I have read. Thanks you.
P.S> I love it when my husband calls me hot. It makes me smile.
I have been drinking Shakeology for one year. I'm almost 64 and have been working out. BUT I had not lost any weight. In fact, I did not feel good. I had an increase in energy. Translated I felt a huge increase in anxiety! Insomnia! Oh and at first diarrhea. So I quite drinking it this week and I already my anxiety has gone away. I feel back to normal.
Earlier post asked about this product elevating blood pressure. The ginko and Maca can do this. Other possible side effects can be hot flashes/headache/fast heart rate/ poor sleeping.
Always better to Google each herb or ingredient before trying. These products need to stimulate you mentally to motivate you to exercise and to increase metabolism.
One of the ingredients can possibly cause women to miscarry.
People are giving to infants and children. If you notice the container does not say this is safe but their coaches encourage it.
The generation raised on Google are too tired and stressed to do the research.They just want to feel better. Sad really.
Maybe you should consider what all those boxed cereals have In them! I find it so funny people go out of their way to knock down one product spending hours researching it obviously because they have a problem with health and weight so are looking for some relief to this BUT won't even research the garbage they are pulling from the shelves of grocery stores and feeding their kids! I am a very healthy mother of five children and I am very cautious as to what I feed myself and family! That includes not buying from a can or a box and only fresh organic produce which I also wash very well! I've been in the medical field for almost 20 years! Nutrition is my forte .. I personally love and had great results with Shakeolgy! Plus the rockets and the positive atmosphere it brings is amazing! Try researching all the chemical filled garbage you are taking in on a daily from those yummy boxed cereals (mind you they don't have to list all the ingredients they are dumping in them only a few) ... I personally enjoy drinking the shakes they help me immensely!
Great Review! If you would like another product to investigate, I would love to hear what you think of Kyani
Madeline
I loved what you wrote, thank you for doing such an amazing research and sorry about the comments about your wife, people are missing the point. I agree completely what you wrote here and hoping you have changed your breakfast ;)
Just because there is a definition of "super food" in the dictionary does not mean that the use of that label is regulated. Anyone can call anything a super food and they don't have to say how much of the food made it to powder and how they got the superfood to the powder. Providing a definition of super food doesn't solve this issue.
And this guy's eating habits have nothing to do with the research claims. Just because he spent time researching this shake while eating cereal does not reduce the validity of his claims!
Also, pub med itself may be backed by pharm companies, the journal articles themselves are not reviewed by pharm companies. They are peer reviewed by doctors or professors. Pub Med is a search engine that provides access to these journals, rather than having to access each one individually and look up the same keywords over and over again. Sure some of the articles may have false alarm results (Type I errors) but overall the bulk of the evidence is there to at least use some caution and be open minded to the fact that it may not be doing everything it claims to be doing.
I find it really interesting how people commenting here think these above claims suddenly "disprove" what he is saying.
For those of you who have had results, that's great! If it works for you, that's great. The key here, however, is that even if you lose weight on it by drinking it and doing nothing else, we don't know if you would lose weight by doing that with something else (e.g., replacing one meal a day with an avocado). Calorie restriction is key here. Sure, maybe this is easier to stick to than eating an avo everyday and it's culture helps with keeping you on board, so that's great... but we don't know if the product itself is what is the magic. It will be interesting to see what the long-term results are of people using it.
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I find it hysterical that 90% of the critics posting here are anonymous cowards hiding in the shadows. In other words, Beach Body employees and coaches who don't want to be discovered. If you have any conviction at all, you spineless maggots, post with your real name like adults and debate Pharmadaddy openly. But you won't, because you're scared, sad, sanctimonious trolls greedily hoarding your Shakeology money in the darkness like Gollum protecting his ring.
Thank you, Pharmadaddy, for shining the light of greater truth into the stinking bog of lies that is the web. This was an incredible article. Very informative and well-researched. The Internet needs more folks like you, sir. Good luck to you and your hot wife.
I used shakeology for almost 2 years and just canceled my subscription. I am now making smoothie packs. I make them once a week and freeze. Processed foods are so last year. Time to get back to REAL WHOLE FOOD. It takes some time at first but then you get into a rhythm! The children love to help too. Teaching our youth that medicine is food IS SO IMPORTANT. My 4 year old and 1 year old have a smoothie everyday and fresh juices! Live foods make you really feel ALIVE!
Just used small zip lock bags. Each zip lock would be a meal replacement for 1 adult.
My favorite recipes are:
Cacao-Cherry Smoothie
Handful of spinach
2 bananas
2 dates
1/2 cup of frozen cherries
splash of coconut almond milk (optional)
tablespoon of cacao powder
Berry Cool Smoothie
Handful of spinach
2 bananas
2 dates
1/2 cup of frozen mixed berries
splash of coconut almond milk (optional)
teaspoon of hemp seeds
Thank you for your article.
You go, hot momma!!!!
I'm a fellow mom, so I would NEVER in the history of EVER have a problem with my husband calling me hot or hotter than I knew possible on the internet. In fact I would probably repost it on my own social media.
I've been researching beachbody because I've seen some locals with long lasting results and I'm happy to read all your hubbys research. If for no other reason but to have a fair objective opinion.
It’s horrible: Long story short. every month I had the worst PMS Mood swings, period cramps. Like I am dying on the floor seriously thought I had a miscarriage or something! I also gained 20lbs in 6 months. I only wanted a breakfast replacement and a way to workout indoors. I never needed to lose weight. I weighed 125 and gained like 10lbs in like 2 months. When I talked to my "coach" she said that I was not committed enough, exercising and eating properly. she totally shifted the blame on to me. When I had never had problems gaining weight since I learned to eat clean 5 years ago. it's pretty messed up bc they get inside your head and try to tell you you're not athletic or eat well enough. it didn't work on me because I was already active and athletic and a super clean eater! Who ever is selling this CRAP either A. doesn't give ahoot about people , or B. is completely blind. Although there are not ENOUGH bad reviews for this product and I can see why people MAY get confused and think its ok to sell. You all have been warned. Thanks for posting! I feel like i DESTROYED years worth of fitness to my body. It is no ones fault but mine. feel free to ask for more details. My ladies cycle is back to normal like magically instantly!
Thanks Pharmadaddy! My hubs had the same speculations as you when I started the Shakeology program..I was open minded to his speculations and did a little research myself on any peer reviewed studies that support the company'said claim of their product. I even used the database at my university...no such luck. Needless to say, I stopped using Shakeology and began making my morning shakes without the powder. I have noticed the same effects in my levels of energy and feeling full for longer periods.I also came across this article I think you will find extremely fascinating. Many references to peer reviewed journalstudies and research are made on the vitamins and supplementsee myths! Including Vitamin C!!
http://www.theatlantic.com/health/archive/2013/07/the-vitamin-myth-why-we-think-we-need-supplements/277947/
I hope my hubs continues to call me hot after popping out one or two babes, btw. I say you are a keeper! What a supportive loving husband you are to your wife. I am fortunate to have one too. (-:
Pharmadaddy, Thank you for answering so many questions! I myself have been very curious if not skeptical of the "shakeology" phenomenon. Most people don't even realize that anything in a Propriety Blend is not good for you! Companies want you to think that they have created a special blend of ingredients that magically work together to deliver unique results. All they really do is allow supplement companies to hide how little of each ingredient they've actually put in a product.
Im even more concerned about the system that is used to sell this stuff. Smells like a huge pyramid scheme. If I was getting paid on every bag of this stuff that my friends purchased through me then why would I have anything bad to say about a product. I totally agree there is no such thing as a super food. This is all advertising and a gimmick. So many people will defend this product to the death and I continue to ask "where is the science behind your product" Well the reason they fight for this product is because it is generating them income. I personally find so many problems with this. If you are using shakeology I garuntee that there is so kind of placebo effect, kind of the same way drinking an energy drink can " give you wings" but honestly your not flying anywhere! I love Jym Products because he makes all his products and they are all science based as he is a nutrionist and studied at Harvard and Yale.
A juicer works and it is cost effective:) I don't juice fruits. I do however will make a smoothie out of berries, a half of banana, mango, almond milk and a scoop of whey. Mmmm.. delicious and I know I am actually getting whole food nutrients not just a traces of it. Smh. Consumerism. It can be costly.
I agree with Kathleen's post you are a keeper for helping your wife with such a thorough investigation. I too have been curious and you have saved me time and effort with your report. Thank you! God bless you and your family!
Omg, after reading this WHOLE article, filled with good info on another scam diet....all you got is "you're shallow for calling your wife hot."
You are definitely missing the point here lady.
Kudos to you, pharmadaddy.
And your hot wife.
Omg, after reading this WHOLE article, filled with good info on another scam diet....all you got is "you're shallow for calling your wife hot."
You are definitely missing the point here lady.
Kudos to you, pharmadaddy.
And your hot wife.
Omg, seriously lady. That's all you got out of that entire article? If she's not offended, why are you? I think you might be missing the point.
Great article pharmadaddy!
Thanks to you & your hot wife!
Awesome post. Thanks for being part of the sensible group out there who recognizes the dubious value of Shakeo. Would you mind if I cross-linked this post from my own dissection and critical analysis of Shakeology on my site?
Keep fighting the good fight.
Wow, this post got a lot of comments. Good for you. Your gruff take on something that is controversial has created a popular post that gets people angry. My abusive father used to do that. He still tries to call me and leave voicemails trying to make me angry so I will call him back to yell at him and tell him he's wrong. A desperate cry for attention.
That being said, I am/was a skeptic of Shakeology. There is no evidence to support it other than a clinical trial that was done in 2012, I guess, but can't find it published anywhere. There isn't a whole lot of evidence either way to support or refute it, other than the people who use it really love it and have had great results and benefits. If it is just some fad crunchy granola thing, who cares that someone profits from it? So maybe it is a good protein source with some additional vitamins and minerals in it from overpriced fruits and vegetables? Oh well, people will spend their money on worse things that are potentially harmful to their bodies.
I don't agree with the health claims of superfoods at all and I agree that sometimes the health claims can be harmful. People will buy it, people will love it, and people will profit from it...that's the American Dream.
A little bit of advice to get more readers and have your posts seem more credible, don't sound so bitter when speaking scientifically. It kinda ruins it.
I drink it everyday and have noticed some positive things not listed on the package. I'm a migraine sufferer,they screw my system up pretty good. bloating, constipation, gas, cramps and nausea. in the past, a week of migraines would mean two weeks for my gut to recover, sometimes it would not recover fully before the next migraine attack. shakeology has cut my recovery time in half if not more. bloating is no longer a constant problem and the other issues go away very quickley. my migraines also are less recurrent. I get more days in between. scientific evidence or not I'm happy it helps me and others are too. to each his own is my philosophy. I won't begrudge anyone something that they feel helps them be it convenience or health wise.
Speaking as someone who recently quit The whole Beachbody coaching deal I find this to be one of the best articles I've found. Did I see results, yes, why? I drank a regular protein shake for breakfast for 7 days while doing one of their programs, I also refined my diet incredibly cutting out uneccessary pop, junk food, etc and loading up on whole foods and logging what I ate, this all before my shakeology arrived. Before and after photos didn't lie, I was stoked to keep going but with my shakeology. When it arrived I started drinking it and wasn't a fan of the taste except for the chocolate. I had the vanilla, chocolate, and strawberry pack. I added almond milk and water and I could drink it a LOT better, I actually enjoyed it. However reading the warning label on the package got me going. Especially about not consuming if you want to get pregnant are breast feeding etc, or have certain diseases, or if you are on meds for auto immune disease, and don't get me started on the list of known side effects. So I started looking for research, studies etc. Nothing comes up. The only thing I find are peppy reviews from people who are coaches or customers usually followed by a link to buy. Further to that anyone whose refutes this stuff to any extent is bashed incredibly. This post is no different the string of comments is almost comical but I appreciated the opinions and is one of the more level headed posts I've read. the thing is if you join this program and it works for you that's fantastic, and if you end up with the group I did they were amazing people. However if you are changing your diet to a healthier one and adding the shakes of course you are going to create an even larger calorie deficit especially when mixed with water you would see a change. As for the health claims... With or without shakeology if you are changing your lifestyle to include healthier whole foods, watching your portion control and exercising you will see results, that is the basis plus the fact there are tons of non product based groups out there for support.... There is no miracle solution and shakeology is no different, but the claims, and reviews I've read, added to the warning label make me never want to touch the stuff again, at least not until I see a few legitimate scientific studies completed.
Pharmadaddy, I have a hypothetical question that I hope you will answer. Lets say your wife was a beach body coach who sold these drinks and made commissions off of them. And at the same time, while you were at your pharmacy, you had a patient who told you they were interested in purchasing some of these drinks through your wife. Since your wife would get a commission would this be a conflict of interest for you also being this woman's pharmacist?
Thank you! I'd been trying to find the properly conducted studies on this and Juice+, but couldn't find any that had large groups, proper controls, were double blind, and that made allowances for all the other changes the participants made. I'm an analytical person, and weak research drives me crazy.
With this being said, I do love the mostly uplifting support network in BB and its exercise programs. I do zero supplementation. I still get great results.
As for the 'hot wife' comment -- I'm one too and I feel that my husband is a hot hubby. Neither of us feels objectified by the other. In fact, I feel supported and loved.
To Anonymous person asking the hypothetical question 2 up from this response: What an inane question.
To all the people saying they lost weight on Shakeology: Of course you did. The calorie count is extremely low to be a "meal."
I signed up as a "coach" to get the discount - liked Shakeology for its convenience and taste (although have stopped buying Shakeology since it's at $155CAD a bag). What I really cannot believe about BB is that signing up to sell Shaekeology gives you the ability to call yourself"coach." The label"coach" implies some level of expertise (fitness, nutrition); but the "coaches" might just as well be selling Amway or Pampered Chef or Tupperware, for all their expertise.
In the BB Facebook groups, one "coach" will post something like, "My client has diabetes and she says that Shakeology is giving her blood sugar issues. What should I tell her?" or, "My client says that he feels nauseous after drinking Shakeology. Is this normal?" and LITERALLY other "coaches" will offer advice! MEDICAL advice! And never the kind where they say the person should see their doctor. It's stuff like, "Oh, tell her to keep taking it for a few weeks. Things will normalize. It's just that she isn't used to such dense nutrition yet." etc. It is 100% alarming.
Hi pharmdaddy! I was given some sample packets my friend of mine down the street trying to get me onboard AZ part of her team. After reluctance I finally gave in and today I tried it. I found it to be gross! I did the chocolate one with almond milk unsweetened and some ice to make it colder. I barely could get half of it down. That was at 9:00 this this morning. It is now 1:30 p.m. and I have severe shakes and my heart is racing. I used to take Herbalife probably 15 years ago. I didn't like the shaky feeling it gave me so I gave it up. I replaced it with eating properly and just doing better for myself daily. I am physically fit, not overweight and active. My question is what in this powdered protein could possibly be giving me the shakes? I have tried looking up the answers on Google but of course all I get are great reviews of how awesome the product is. I think it tastes awful! My friend down the street is completely 100% on board with the product and has been for 2 years. She assures me that there is nothing processed, artificial or fake in it. But the reaction I'm having and the film left in my mouth leads me to believe otherwise. Any advice would be great.
As a pharmacist myself, your steps of reviewing this product is well done, I would have done the same.
Beach body coaches have no knowledge whatsoever about health, and since their goal is to make money, they will promote the brand as God. Those coaches who have knowledge would use their acquired skills and perform a search into medical studies (not company paid studies).
I did some beachbody workouts, p90x, x2, 22mhc, and they are really really awesome programs, especially p90x. Those workouts will help you burn calories and lose weight in combinaison with good diet.
I was able to reach the ultimate fitness level without shakology, but by eating well and doing p90x. Shakology will work, just like any protein shake, as long as it has low sugar and low fat. So yes people will see results out of it while combining with a workout, but the question is will they see a similar results if they use a protein shake? Absolutely!
I was interested into buying shakology, not because of all these natural stuffs they put in, but rather because of the taste which seems better than my own protein shake. Also, I don't have much time to make any famous shake.
I have achieved a great fitness level by eating pure protein bars along with p90x, but I do believe any protein bars would have done the job as well.
I will just say that I lost 25 lbs. in four months and most on my aches and pains are gone so does it work is it worth it. It is for me if you already are eating pretty clean and have the time to spend 2 to 3 hours a day prepping and cooking your meals everyday then great. Yes you can also make your own shakes that could be as healthy but would cost you the same or probably more from my experience to get the same nutritional value. So I like the convenience you cant expect to pay the same price for a Ferrari as a Camaro. If you want to try a shake that is even close to Shakeology for 2/3 the price try Vegan One it is the only one that I have found that is even close to Shakeology
I used to use Shakeology and it is a good meal replacer for a quick breakfast, it wasn't until recently that i realized that i was wasting my money for results i could get with a cheaper meal replacer shake. Its just the caloric deficit you get from subbing out breakfast for a shake that is causing the increased weight loss, and the fact that they throw in alot of unheard of supposed superfoods makes people think wow i got off my diabetes medication because i took shakeology o.o No you got off the medicine because of a combination of better eating and exercise, most people that defend it adamantly are beach body coaches who get payed for it like you said I too find this to be predominantly true as well. I use a meal replacement shake called ideal shape for breakfast now since i am hard pressed for time in the morning it is 50 $ for 30 servings versus 130 + for 30 servings its a no brainer unless you can get shakeology for 70 usd or lower its not worth your time or money people.
Hey
I thoroughly enjoyed your Shakeology research. I'm trying to find out if there is a possibility it could cause a rash on the neck and chest.
Have you heard of this happening? It's very reassuring that you are a pharmacist. I'm not certain who is behind all the "side effects from shakeology" I read online...
I subscribed to your blog today.
Thanks so much
Tissy
Pctisland@aol.com
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