Planning on starting the Isagenix diet? Read this unbiased Isagenix review, in which I take a close look at the Isagenix diet, its side effects and ingredients, and learn whether it’s a safe way to lose weight or just another fad diet.
This Isagenix Review was UPDATED IN DECEMBER 2017 – and it’s even worse than I previously thought
After my post on Herbalife and how unhealthy their products are, I got a lot of questions about Isagenix and whether I could write an Isagenix review. So here we go.
Before it’s asked, this is the protein I use and recommend. I couldn’t find one good enough on the market, so I made my own. Grass-fed collagen with six organic superfoods: kale, spirulina, wheatgrass, broccoli, spinach and turmeric. I drink it in my daily smoothies and it gives me LIFE. Aka a healthy gut, glowing skin, strong digestion and energy for DAYS. Use code 10OFF for 10% off!
What is Isagenix and what does it promise?
The Isagenix diet is a popular weight loss program based on meal replacements. It’s used by dieters worldwide who are looking to drop pounds quickly.
Isagenix’s products promise to help you achieve a healthy weight, be able to train harder and recover faster, age more gracefully and boost overall wellness.
What are the ingredients of Isagenix?
Below are common ingredients found in Isagenix products:
- rancid vegetable oils
- gluten
- soy
- agave syrup
- isolated fructose
- additives
- corn
- synthetic vitamins linked to cancer
Below is the ingredient list for the Peanut butter FiberSnack:
Below is the ingredient list for the Slim Cake:
The ingredients in the Isalean chocolate bar:
The ingredients in the Isalean shake:
SYNTHETIC VITAMINS
There are numerous synthetic vitamins in these Isagenix products but the most disturbing is the use of folic acid. I reached out to Isagenix directly and was told,
“Isagenix uses folic acid when it is a supplement or fortified food. When it is a whole food, you will see it listed as folate. Both are derived from natural processes. Please note that we use folic acid, not methylfolate in our products.”
This is false. Folic acid is made in a lab while folate is naturally occurring and found in food. There is a significant and dangerous difference between the two.
Folic acid is incredibly dangerous, especially for those who carry the MTHFR gene mutation – which estimates have shown 50% of the popular carry. People who carry this mutation are entirely unable to convert folic acid to folate (whereas the rest of us are just mostly unable to make this conversion).
In the Journal of the American Medical Association — suggesting that all the extra folic acid might increase your odds of developing cancer. “The more we learn about folic acid, the more it’s clear that giving it to everyone has very real risks,” says folic acid researcher David Smith, Ph.D., a professor of pharmacology at the University of Oxford in England.
Another study out of Chile linked folic acid supplementation with an increased risk of colon cancer.
And yet another study out of Norway linked folic acid supplementation with a 21% increase in lung cancer.
Folic acid and B12 supplementation was associated with a 21% increased risk for cancer, a 38% increased risk for dying from the disease, and an 18% increase in deaths from all causes.
While folate is a necessary part of a balanced diet, folic acid has actually been linked to increased rates of cancer (another source for ya).
CANOLA OIL
Canola oil is one of the most damaging oils on the market today. It is found in most junk foods and is normally used as a frying oil due to its high smoke point. Not only is the majority of canola in the US genetically modified, it is extremely high in omega-6 fatty acids. This causes severe inflammation, especially if ingested regularly.
Here is a video about how this rancid oil is made. This video is ridiculous in so many ways. It starts out by saying that canola oil is the healthiest oil because it contains the lowest amount of saturated fat and has omega-3s, which is wildly untrue.
Then goes on to show how it’s processed – which is absolutely disgusting. I will never be able to understand how anyone thinks that a product (not a food) undergoes this amount of processing and is healthy.
To summarize the video:
The rapeseeds are firstly highly pressurized, forcing out the oil. To extract the remainder of the oil, the canola cakes undergo a 70-minute wash with a “chemical solvent.” This chemical solvent, my friends, is hexane. A neurotoxin.
Then the oil enters the refining phase, in which the oil is washed with sodium hydroxide, aka lye. After this, the oil is clearer but still contains waxes. Then the oil is cooled to 41 degrees to filter out the wax – which is used for vegetable shortening.
After this, the oil is bleached to remove the color, then “sue a steam injection heating process to remove the odor.” It’s heated to extremely high temperatures because the oil is literally rank and smells terrible.
This is a highly refined, rancid product that causes rampant inflammation in the body. You can read more about canola oil from my post on the subject HERE.
SOYBEAN OIL
This study from Harvard found that men consuming the equivalent of one cup of soy milk per day had 50% lower sperm count than men who did not consume soy (even accounting for other factors like age, caffeine and alcohol intake, etc.).
From the study,
There was an inverse association between soy food intake and sperm concentration that remained significant after accounting for age, abstinence time, body mass index, caffeine and alcohol intake and smoking. In the multivariate-adjusted analyses, men in the highest category of soy food intake had 41 million sperm/ml less than men who did not consume soy foods.
Several studies have also linked soy to cancer.
…this pilot study indicates that prolonged consumption of soy protein isolate has a stimulatory effect on the premenopausal female breast, characterized by increased secretion of breast fluid, the appearance of hyperplastic epithelial cells, and elevated levels of plasma estradiol. Source
as well as,
We have demonstrated that the isoflavone, genistein, stimulates growth of estrogen-dependent human breast cancer (MCF-7) cells in vivo…Here we present new information that soy protein isolates containing increasing concentrations of genistein stimulate the growth of estrogen-dependent breast cancer cells in vivo in a dose-dependent manner. Source
LOW HEAT NONFAT DRY MILK
From Butter Believer’s article on skim milk,
Before processing, skim milk has a very unappetizing blueish color, a chalky taste, and watery texture that doesn’t resemble natural milk at all. So, to whiten, thicken, and make it taste a little more normal, powdered milk solids are often mixed into the milk.
What’s so bad about powdered milk? Well, in the manufacturing process, liquid milk is forced through tiny holes at very high pressure, which causes the cholesterol in the milk to oxidize, and toxic nitrates to form.
Oxidized cholesterol contributes to the buildup of plaque in the arteries, while unoxidized cholesterol from unprocessed foods is actually an antioxidant to help fight inflammation in the body. The proteins found in powdered milk are so denatured that they are unrecognizable by the body and contribute to inflammation.
NATURAL FLAVORS
I take issue with anything listed as “natural flavors.” Because chances are, it’s not all that natural. Hell, even monosodium glutamate (MSG) can be masquerading as a natural flavor. The labelling is loosely regulated. In Food Rules: A Doctor’s Guide To Healthy Eating, Dr. Shanahan discusses a study in which 95% of ingredients listed as “natural flavor” contained MSG.
As for “natural” flavor, it could even be secretions from a beaver’s butt. Beavers secrete castoreum, which smells and tastes remarkably similar to vanilla.
Castoreum is a chemical compound that mostly comes from a beaver’s castor sacs, which are located between the pelvis and the base of the tail. Because of its close proximity to the anal glands, castoreum is often a combination of castor gland secretions, anal gland secretions, and urine…Still concerned you’re chowing down on beaver-bum goop? Because of its FDA label, in some cases, manufacturers don’t have to list castoreum on the ingredient list and may instead refer to it as “natural flavoring.” Yum. Source
FRUCTOSE
I am not a fan of fructose. I don’t eat or recommend eating an excess of fruit, and therefore fructose isn’t problematic. Only the liver metabolizes fructose.
Too much fructose is toxic to the liver, and there is generally an abundance of fructose in most diets (especially the Standard American Diet). An excess of fructose raises triglycerides and increases fat production.
From Dr. Mercola,
When you consume fructose, 100 percent of it goes directly to your liver to be metabolized; this is why it can be extremely hepatotoxic when it overloads your liver, just like alcohol.
SUNFLOWER OIL
Keeping a balanced omega-3 to omega-6 ratio is extremely important. An abundance of omega-6 fatty acids cause inflammation and wreak havoc on the body. Unfortunately, sunflower oil is extremely high in polyunsaturated fat and per one cup has 436 mg of omega-3 fatty acids and 86776 mg of omega-6 fatty acids. This is a highly inflammatory oil.
MALTODEXTRIN
Maltodextrin is a processed food additive, generally derived from corn. Isagenix will not say whether they do or do not use genetically modified corn.
In conclusion:
Let’s sum up my Isagenix review: While not as bad as Herbalife, Isagenix still uses several ingredients that I find highly questionable. Lasting health and healthy weight loss do not come from a shake, a bar, or a “SlimCake.”
Like Herbalife, Isagenix may be an effective weight loss tool. So is anorexia. Does that make Isagenix products healthy? Does that mean a person should use them to lose weight? No.
We need to stop looking for health in a pill, in a shake, or in any other quick fix. The only way to truly be healthy is to eat well, to eat real, whole, unprocessed food. I will teach you exactly how to do this in my 21 Day Lifestyle Transformation.
I wrote this Isagenix review because I do not want you to fall for meal replacement shakes, for protein bars, or otherwise gimmicky foods. These companies produce cheap, toxic products and push them off on people as healthy alternatives (to what exactly I’m not sure). Instead, watch my video on how to make a protein shake that is not only unprocessed but actually good for you.
As of November 2014, there are over 800 comments on this Isagenix review.
I will now automatically delete comments that include or are similar to the following:
- comments that are offensive in any way
- name calling (this tells me you have no better argument against me by the way)
- calling me a liar – scroll down, I linked to my sources as well as directly to the ingredients on the Isagenix website
- commenters that try to argue by providing “research” directly from Isagenix
- commenters that accuse me of downing an MLM company just for being MLM, I never did this
- and in general, uneducated comments that do not promote the discussion surrounding Isagenix and the ingredients found in Isagenix products
*It’s come to my attention that an external website that sells Isagenix says the whey they use is from grass-fed cows and that they do not use GMOs. I am suspicious of this for several reasons.
- The first being that this information is from a website whose intention is to sell this very product. They are no GMO-free verified and nowhere do they label their products as GMO-free.
- But even if all of the products in Isagenix were 100% organic, the ingredients are still toxic. Soybean oil, gluten, fructose, non-fat dry milk, corn bran, etc. are not healthy.
**While Isagenix is not verified GMO-free in the US, it is in Australia and New Zealand. They do say they do not use any GMO products. Though considering they do use soy, corn, and canola, which are over 90% genetically modified, I am suspicious. Consider that there isn’t even approval for GM wheat and it was found growing in Oregon, then consider that over 90% of these crops are GM and often cross-contaminated with non-GM crops.
Additional Sources
http://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/is-fructose-bad-for-you-201104262425
http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2012/09/09/ethanol-alcohol-and-fructose.aspx
http://nutritiondata.self.com/facts/fats-and-oils/512/2
https://www.epa.gov/sites/production/files/2016-09/documents/hexane.pdf
1,127 Comments
i am sorry – but this whole article is totally inaccurate. And what is your credentials as a nutritional specialist?
Fact: Food does not have the same nutritional value in it any more, and does not meed the needs of our society.
Fact: our bodies are not set up to remove the amount of toxins that are put into it from many different sources.
If you are going to set up a blog you better know what you are talking about and do ACCURATE research.
I will be ensuring that i circulate this blog to all of the health professionals i know to ensure that you are exposed for giving inaccurate information.
You are the one that is very dangerous.
What exactly is inaccurate about this article?
This information was pulled directly from the Isagenix website. How can you even try to dispute that?
I agree, our soil is depleted and therefore our food does not have the same nutritional content in general. This is why I buy local and organic food exclusively, and encourage others to do the same.
We do experience a higher toxic load than any generation in history, which is why I also encourage safe and effective detoxification methods.
I do know what I’m talking about and this information is accurate. Did you not clearly understand that this information is pulled directly from Isagenix.com?
Please do circulate this to all of the health professionals you know. Any health professional that has the slightest grasp of nutritional knowledge will look at these ingredients and know that these products are toxic.
Again, this information is not inaccurate, it’s directly from the Isagenix website and it’s what’s in their products, which most people neglect to read.
If encouraging people to eat whole, unprocessed, organic, local and sustainably raised food is dangerous, then yes, I’m extremely dangerous.
Wonderful reply Dani!
I have several friends on this crap and also Herbalife that I am trying to reform to eating real wholesome foods instead. So far their reason for “eating” this junk is that they are lazy and unmotivated to take the time to cook real wholesome food. Very sad but I will keep trying.
My one friend “sells” Isagenix and is very gung ho and ra ra about their products and keeps asking me to meet with him to just try it. My answer is always No thank you I do not consume those type of “food” supplements. I get all I need from the real food I eat.
But don’t you want more energy and be able to burn fat to lose weight? That is his typical question to me each time I say No. My response is I have more energy than I know what to do with and I am losing weight just fine on my work out routine and with the foods I choose to put in my body.
Thanks again, I shared this with all of them!
I agree with you wholeheartedly. I love making my own protein shakes with pure natural ingredients from my own raw milk and pastured eggs. Isagenix is awesome for people used to a McDonald’s diet and fast food. I consider Isagenix a stepping stone to health for these people, however I cannot promote it as I was raised by parents who taught me the pillars to health came from our foods. Most Americans did not have this foundation so I commend Isagenix as a starting point, it is much better than fast food.
Her response is below. I responded to her as you did with your friend tried with you. But this was not a friend I know in my own life. This was just someone that requested to be my friend on FB. She saw that we had a lot in common. She reached out back in November to have me call her and at least try to skype when I had some time. She had something to tell/talk to me about. I avoid it; because I knew/felt that wasn’t about being new friends…but to sell me on something. Shelah, I agree with you. Dani…you keep going with this. Just because Organic/GMO free is used on packaging/products…doesn’t mean it is any better for you. Will smoking organic cigarette be better for you? NOT!!!!
**************************************************
” Hi Hanh, Yes, I am with Isagenix. I understand how you feel that way about shakes also. I was glad I took the time to speak with the formulator. He’s an amazing person and he really understands how to put whole food nutrition into a shake. He explained to me how our body has to actually liquefy the food we eat and break it down into it’s most basic components. He decided to put together a shake that already had all the nutrients our body needs, broken down so our body does not have to do the arduous task of digestion. It tastes really good and I think that if you looked into it very closely you would find that like me, you would be very pleased. If you know anyone who would be interested in something like this and you referred them to me, I would truly be grateful. http://www.isagenixhealth.net
That link is the science with professional articles. It is not a diet but rather a whole body nutritional cleansing and replenishing program.
It is organic, non-GMO, very high quality, taking toxins out, rather than putting them in. Best to you!!”
“the arduous task of digestion” is something our bodies is meant to do. Digestion is part of your metabolism, which keeps your cells happy.
Why do we have molar teeth, maybe not to chew as a carnivore but when extremely needed is handy. And oh yes, that leaves grains and seeds to chew so that they naturally digest in our, oh yes, digestinal tract. If you want to be like an invalid old person and be on fluidized food for the rest of your life, ok then, and oh what are tastebuds for?
If you really must consume shakes to help your body digest it’s food then get a blender and make Green Smoothies.
You could buy a Vitamix and as many organic Fruit and Veggies you liked and it would still be cheaper than Isogenix.
Hi Hanh
Im looking into Isagenix & have a few friends enjoying it with what seems to be great results….. Is there any evidence Isagenix is Organic Non-GMO??
Kind Regards
Barbara
Yes…have several friends that swear by it…good info
You have listed the ‘common ingredients’ which you are objecting to but most of them aren’t even in the ingredient list of the products you pasted up… wow.. and like Tanya said, what are you credentials? You have said you know what you are talking about but you don’t back that with any credentials or evidence. Isagenix is very carefully formulated by scientists and doctors and careful research is conducted. It looks to me like you clearly have some info about eating whole foods which is great, but you are just against shakes… and I totally agree, I think shake diets are very bad as they lack nutrients and are filled with rubbish but personally and professionally, isagenix has been clinically proven and it works and the research shows this clearly if you look harder and people look into it themselves thoroughly, not just go off a comment that anyone can make. Whole foods are great, but why are we putting on weight on whole foods if they are so good for us and you said yourself the soil is depleted. I wish you well in your journey and hope you are able to look further into this with an open mind.
Please see my updated article. I further explain the issue with the ingredients.
Please explain how soybean oil, fructose, agave, maltodextrin, Isomaltooligosaccharide, corn, tricalcium phosphate, etc are nutritionally beneficial?
Also, my credentials are directly listed on my “About” page.
The ingredients I object to are directly on their ingredient list, so I’m not sure what you’re talking about.
I am guessing Tonya Hicks and Leisa are distributors. I am personally a fan of supplements but there are so few that are actually decent.
http://www.isagenixhealth.net/dont-let-these-5-ingredients-spook-you/
http://www.isagenixhealth.net/whats-in-my-top-5-ingredient-questions-explained/
http://www.isagenixhealth.net/what-are-natural-flavors/
http://www.isagenixhealth.net/7-ways-new-isalean-shakes-are-more-nutritious-than-ever/
Is THIS enough proof for you? I have researched for a year now the food I eat and the nutrients I was not getting that were leaving me feeling bloated all the time, fatigued, full of inflammation. Isagenix was a life saver to me!! Don’t bash anything you have not tried or experienced. Just sayin……..
I think this is about the 73rd time I’ve said this to an Isagenix supporter – using articles from Isagenix to back up your argument is illogical, biased and ridiculous. You know Monsanto has a ton of reading and studies on why GMOs are healthy. It’s in the best interest of the company to promote their products, not provide actual scientific information.
I highly doubt that you have researched food for a year, if this were true then you’d likely have even the slightest grasp on nutrition.
I don’t need to smoke crack to know it ain’t good for me.
Well done Dani. A great article. I love all the “where are your credentials” talk because that’s the goto for people who are underqualified to give people nutritional advice but are pushing shit products.
Dani doesn’t need credentials to read a label Leisa and if you weren’t so brainwashed by the whole “we’re a family that want to be free and healthy and live life crap” then you would realise this too. Recently my girlfriend who works as a physiotherapist at a top clinic in Melbourne and knows a fair bit about Nutrition was pushed samples of these products by one of probably 10,000 ‘unique’ sellers in Australia . She mentioned she had fructose intolerance as diagnosed through thorough testing and the seller said “oh you’ll be fine there’s no fructose in these” she didn’t even know what was in her own products. Stop being little passengers in a world where you can create your own path and get some thoughts of your own Leisha and crew. Its a shit product on the same lines as progenex and herbalife.
In regards to Lorraines comments, sorry Lorraine your obviously new to the internet as those websites are set up by isagenix. To combat people who’ve can think for themselves. Hence the website url addresses.
“oh look at me! Im a manager and my own boss!, yay I get additional income and I can work from home, selling shit products to people and feel like im helping them”
Get a life people, create your own products and businesses, and actually help people if that’s what you want to do
Dani, if you would take time to actually read the Isagenix articles you would discover that each article (I am not referring to the marketing material) is fully backed by highly acclaimed and respected scientific, medical and nutritional research and professional publications. Isagenix did not appear from nowhere based on a whim or fancy. It is proven, tested by third party, and has reputable, fully backed by respected doctors and others in all fields of medicine.
lol ok after reading your about page, this article all of a sudden became A BIASED review of Isagenix
Okay?
I’ve never tried isagenix, but this is ridiculous.
Would you eat something that included dihydrochalcone glycosides as an ingredient? Or cholorogenic acid? Or p-coumaric acid? How about phenylalanine?
If you’re eating apples or oranges, you’re eating those ingredients.
(And how are corn and agave NOT nutritionally beneficial? They’re both plants.)
Did you not read the article or were you not able to comprehend it?
The ingredients I have an issue with are not the scientific names for naturally occurring components – I have an issue with the synthetic ingredients. I made this abundantly clear.
I also think I pretty clearly outlined how corn and agave are not healthy. But using your logic – poison ivy is a plant too, it must be nutritionally beneficial!
Im new to Isagenix. Im 20 days into the 30 day cleanse.
Im away from home for 13 hours a day with work (on an island which I have to catch a ferry to and from), I have a dog who deserves some of my time daily, like to keep a clean house, have clean clothes every day, get some exercise daily if I can, and I don’t have a wife to cook for me like most of my work mates do. So far with the cleanse, I initially dropped 4kg and 3 belt sizes, (1st time under 110kg in 10 years), am sleeping better, given up coffee, thinking clearer, no more inflammation in my joints, and I now have the energy to: work out more often (I’ve put 1kg of lean muscle back on bringing weight loss back down to 3kg), give my dog more exercise, and most importantly, I now have the energy and the drive to plan my main meal for the day with the absolute focus on the very REAL and natural nutrition you imply from organic produce. I’ve known about good nutrition at least at a basic to intermediate level for some time because I care about my health and I realise that only I am the authority with which my life and health depend. Intimately. But that doesn’t mean that I am immune from the pressures of life, long hours at work, bills to pay, adventures to plan and pay for, etc. I am human. And so we all are. All so very different in our experiences and subsequent characters, yet so very much the same in our inherent nature.
I found myself about 25 days ago, being faced with the choice of trying Isagenix. I looked into it. I did some research. I was discerning. And given that those who introduced me to it were close family and I had been watching their results closely and was actually impressed, I decided to give it a go. But lets be clear about something: I owned that decision completely. It was not sold, because I will not be sold to. Now, 20 days in, so many of my hopes and dreams are back in gear and the adventures I’ve been hoping and praying to be part of are within my conscious control. Isagenix didn’t do that. I did. I saw Isagenix as a tool and I realised that my application of that tool would be paramount to the success or failure of the venture. Sure, I understand and appreciate that some of the ingredients are suspect. But so is the fluoride added to water supplies that is still mandatory in most provinces and states of New Zealand and Australia where I’ve spent the majority of my 39 years. And we know what that stuff does to our pineal gland… right? And what the pineal gland does for us and how important latest neurological studies are suggesting it is to our overall experience as “living systems?” I really hope thats a bandwagon those of you with “credentials” are on. I don’t mean that disrespectfully, I sincerely mean that.
We have so many toxins, processed food like products, chemicals for this, chemicals for that…
Heres a statement for you: We are NOT what we eat. We are what we ABSORB.
I am nobody. I have NO “credentials”. Simple as that. I am nobody. No degree, no diploma, no “reputation”.
But when I consciously choose to travel to far away countries, be accepted by the indigenous people and accept them in return, who hold ancient knowledge and wisdom for the future betterment and evolution of our species, do service to a community, to be part of a combined and soul felt movement for love, understanding, acceptance and peace, then I am SOMEBODY.
Isagenix plays no part in that previous paragraph, other than it has proven to be a useful tool which has directed my gaze back towards the sun and all its vibrance.
I am alive again. I feel it again.
I wont use this tool forever, but I may use it again on occasion.
Lets not forget, that we are talking about life here. Not just mine. Not just yours. Not just nutrition. We are what we ABSORB. Psychologically, emotionally, spiritually, AND nutritionally. And those things are all inherently interrelated. Our spirituality can dictate our emotion. Our emotion can dictate our brain chemistry. Our brain chemistry can dictate our body chemistry which in turn can dictate what nutrition we absorb. And ALL of those can dictate our psychology. And round and round we go…
This isn’t so much about “life” as it is about LIVING. And living is a movement. Not a set of static states dictated by those with “credentials”, or by a scientist who “specialises” in one of those static states that bares no awareness or observation to the whole living system.
If we are going to talk organic, why just nutrition? Why not address the organics (or lack of) of the most influential environmental variable there is: Our thoughts?
If I listen to him… believe her, am I not stepping away from the true organics of original thought? Do my thoughts not then become a merry-go-round of “what somebody else said?”
I am not evolved. You are not evolved. “WE” are not evolved. “WE” are nobody. I am nobody. And who I am is not important to YOUR experience. If you are curious about who I am, then its only a matter of interest isn’t it? Like if you are hungry and you go to a restaurant, standing at the window and watching me eat won’t ease your hunger. Will it? You must go “within” and partake.
So I wonder how long we carry on with all these kinds of “comparisons” of each other. I am this… you are that…
At the end of the day, does it really matter to the individual who is thinking organically in a morally inorganic world how many people signed up for Isagenix today???
Are there not more pressing issues in the world today that deserve our upmost attention??? Our organic thought and acceptance that there is only, has only ever been, and will only ever be ONE authority on these things? The authority that ONE has in regards to the ONLY relationship that ONE ever has? The ONE relationship with the entirety of the earth and every form of life upon it?
So, I am going to finish my 30 day Isagenix cleanse (with questionable ingredients), apply intent towards this “tool” being a useful ally towards the transition to a healthier, happier, and more heartfelt lifestyle. And this coming November when Im sitting on Mother Earths bare and natural surface in the Ecuadorian Amazon under the “Eyebrows of the Andes” with the Secoya Elders, learning and experiencing true rainforest medicine and ancient wisdom in a place where the word “organic” does not exist, while the smoke and destruction of industry that threatens the survival of our very race grows ever closer decimating all in its path, I will think. Organically.
And I guarantee you this: Not one iota of an “erg” will be energetically transferred towards wondering if signing up for a 30 day cleanse with Isagenix was a good move or not. I may make use of it again. In fact, I will likely continue with SOME of the products for a while. Might even sign a few people to get my adventure fund up. What do you know… Better health, better lifestyle, AND wealth creation…
All depends on how you look at it now doesn’t it?
Hmmm… The Elders are getting pretty old. I think they are having trouble rowing up river these days to fish for their dinner… I wonder if I can afford to buy them a small outboard motor? Maybe I can. Maybe.
With love and respect to BOTH sides of this debate,
Tim Edge
FB: Timothy Turtle (Edgey)
I dunno even know where you pulled the ingredients list from! It’s so inaccurate. So what if you are a holistic coach it doesn’t mean anything. First of, your source is not accurate. I am into supplements and truly believe in whole food and clean eating. However, Isagenix is by far the safest when comes to Herbalife, Shakeology, Nuskin, Usana and Unicity when comes to toxicity and percentage of chemical compounds. Like you mentioned, US soil is depleted so where else do you get the nutrients; plants, fruits? LOL
I linked directly to the website where I got the ingredients from. You really should at least be familiar with the ingredients in the products you’re peddling.
And yeah, it’s completely CRAZY to think you can get vitamins and minerals from actual food!
Dani,
For those of us who are open minded and have been through the ropes on the MLM world, and are willing to do the research it takes to understand how health is achieved, you don’t need to state your credentials. Irregardless of them, you are stating your opinion based on the ingredients listed on the label. So don’t you worry about telling me who you are.
You’ve done and beautiful job at breaking down the label in a way than nobody can dispute. They can argue. But never dispute because is in the label.
Again,
Thank you
A friend of mine forwarded me this article… and I have to say… Kudos to you for writing this ….many of my thoughts, exactly. I don’t care if you were an art teacher, writing in your spare time… Your information is very accurate.
Good luck to you, I appreciate your candid-ness…
Best,
Dr. Ashley
Thanks Doc!
A certified nutrition consultant that doesn’t understand that isomaltooligosaccharide is simply a complex carb that is a probiotic? If a probiotic is not beneficial…
Isomaltooligosaccharide (IMO) is a mixture of short-chain carbohydrates which has a digestion-resistant property. IMO is found naturally in some foods
Isomalto-Oligosaccharide is a naturally occurring plant-based dietary fiber. It is prebiotic, soluble, and low-glycemic.
References:
1. PDRNS. 2001. Prebiotics. in: PDR for Nutritional Supplements (1st Ed.). Physicians’ Desk Reference (PDR); Demoines, Iowa/Medical Economics Data Production Company; Montvale, New Jersey, pp. 372-375.
2. Tungland, B.C.; Meyer, D. 2002. Nondigestible oligo-and polysaccharides (dietary fiber): Their physiology and role in human health and food. Compr Rev Food Sci Food Safety 3:73-92.
3. Dietary Reference Intakes Proposed Definition of Dietary Fiber. A report of the panel of the Definitionn of Dietary Fiber and the Standing Committee of the Scientific Evaluation of Dietary Reference Intakes. Food and Nutrition Board. Institute of Medicinae. National Academy Press, Washington, D.C. 2001.
4. Chow J. Probiotics and Prebiotics. A brief overview. J. Ren. Nutrition. 2002; 12(2): 76-86.
Dani, if you want to claim that you have accurate knowledge, PLEASE have accurate knowledge 😉
Hey Leisa,
Just because scientists and doctors research and back a product, does this make that product safe for consumption? How does business effect their input and work on synthesizing and endorsing certain ingredients? Do you think it’s possible they could be PAID to create a COST EFFECTIVE product which may APPEAR to be healthy to the lay man? How does a magician perform a “trick?” It is likely they are “tricking” the audience into believing the “magic” they perform is real. The fact that it is a TRICK, as in not a real magical event, does not make the field any less marketable and profitable. Here is a great little read about a product likely created by scientists, and quite possibly endorsed by doctors at some point:
http://doubtfulnews.com/2013/03/gnc-and-jack3d-supplement-company-sued-for-mans-death/
This case is a highly unfortunate example of a person who believed in a supplement, and at no fault of his own, fell victim to the health detriments it caused. Do you think he would have been better off if he had an un-credentialed friend who recommended he stay away from the product, or maybe even recommend he eat whole foods and unprocessed foods instead? I think so.
Thanks,
Geoff
Oh yea,
Before I forget, I think Dani IS certified. By Blue Heron. Since 2012. Her about page can be a valuable resource in these trying times…
-Geoff
YES. Thanks G!
Exactly! Remember that doctors used to promote smoking cigarettes too.
I love when they say it’s backed by Dr.’s or Scientists. So neither have ever been paid off to make it appear different. Isagenix is now a multi-billion dollar business and can pay well. I believe Michael Jackson paid a Dr. to do things for him as well….how did that work out for him?
Very well said Tim Edge. Opinions and even some form of clinical information is fine, but at the end of the day what gives anyone the right to chastise others for choosing to walk a certain path in life? Oh and yes, medical practitioners can support, research, recommend and endorse all they like, that didn’t help the sufferers of thalidomide did it?
Do you people even listen to yourselves?? “This stuff is formulated by scientist and doctors”. ” Our bodies are made to get rid of the toxins put into the foods we eat”. There couldn’t be a more ignorant statement made. The doctors, government, and scientist are all in this together with the pharmaceutical companies and food industries. This is one way they control the population and make money in the process. Don’t y’all watch the drug commercials. All of the synthetic crap they make is what’s causing heart disease, diabetes, cancer and more. They all make money off the drugs that they sale. More people should listen to bloggers like this on eating healthy organic whole foods. You’d spend a lot less time at the doctor if you did. Our government does not care about “We The People”. The last 7 years should have proven that much. All they are out for is the all mighty dollar.
Carefully researched to discover that….what exactly? And for whom are these scientists and researchers working? Oh, and the FDA doesn’t support any studies done on supplements. At all. Completely unregulated industry.
Scientists who develop many of the drugs that are causing serious side effects, including death, are making claims of the safety of the drugs they develop…they even once claimed that cigarettes were “safe”. Point is, just because it’s stated by scientist doesn’t mean it’s true.
You sell Isagenix, don’t you? I believe that answer is YES!
Most people gain weight because they consume more calories than they burn. Change the ratio and you loose weight. Though I am over 66 with a lower speed of metabolism than ever, I continue to eat who le foods and simply increase my output to sustain my desired weight. I do not wait until I am overweight by 5 pounds. I adjust by burning of calories to balance out the previous day input. If I eat a brownie, I ride my bike longer the next day. This saves tons of money. Tons of time looking in the mirror wishing I could loose weight.
Fiber is really important. Shakes usually have little fiber. How about Isagenix. The bars probably have fiber.
I am just doing my research on this product for a friend.
Lucky we all have a choice how we spend our $ and time.
Dear Dani,
ALthough I appreciate a well written article with information about good and bad clean healthy eating, I have to disagree with your blog. I’m not too sure which isagenix website you visited but your information is inaccurate, and you do not have a referenace to and actual isagenix website in your resources. Isagenix is SOY FREE, and GLUTEN FREE. I just think if you are going to give people advice on health and wellness then you should do your true due diligence in your research. If you did get this information straight from isagenix.com i would like to know where? I just searched their website and could find nothing that said they use soy or gluten. I also read this on their website as a straight descritpion copy and pasted “Available in Creamy Dutch Chocolate, Creamy French Vanilla and Black Sesame, our shakes are also low in saturated fat, sodium and cholesterol with added enzymes that break down carbohydrates, proteins and fats to maximize the absorption of key nutrients. What’s more, IsaLean Shakes contain 24 grams of high-quality undenatured protein from New Zealand dairy cows that exceed USDA organic standards. Best of all, at only 240 calories, 6 grams of fat and less than $3 a meal, an IsaLean Shake is the perfect, well-balanced meal, no matter your lifestyle.
NEW IsaLean Shake in Black Sesame can be enjoyed hot or cold. This savory, flavorful shake is a terrific gluten-free complete meal in a glass (or cup).
Myo–IsaLean Complex is an undenatured protein blend sourced exclusively from grass-fed dairy cows not treated with hormones or antibiotics and raised on the pristine pastures of New Zealand. Minimally processed and the purest you can find, our proprietary, cheerful cow certified protein blend features:
A higher whey-to-milk-protein ratio comparable to the nutritional value of human breast milk and clinically shown to help you stay fuller longer, support muscle growth and maintenance and healthy blood sugar levels
A milk protein concentrate vs. calcium caseinate as a source of protein, which increases the concentration of branched-chain amino acids to fuel muscle growth and create lean body mass
Increased amounts of lactase make it easy to digest” (Source http://www.isagenix.com/us/en/isaleanshake_new.dhtml )
It also clearly states on their website that their products are SOY and GLUTEN FREE.
you can find more scientific research and ingredient breakdowns here http://www.isagenix.com/us/en/isagenix_science.html.
Although I do not believe everything I read online, I feel that if you have a large following of readers you should really be providing them with true facts. I did like the info your wrote about Fructose, and I understand you are trying to promote clean healthy eating of real food without the use of meal replacement. I myself am an organic, all natural food lover. I am an isagenix user also though. Their company provides me with the latest information of GMO labeling News, Organic food choices, and healthy alternatives to feed my family. It’s not just about the shakes I want to make that clear, we learn how to eat clean, think clean, and COOK clean. I am not a diet fad girl, this is truly the only thing I’ve ever tried for weight loose and it definitely works, but it’s been so much more than that for me.
As I said, your article was informative, but inaccurate and I would really encourage you to revisit your sources and revisit the ingredients your wrote about.
Have a great day,
M
I suggest doing more research on Isagenix products, that maybe doesn’t come directly from Isagenix themselves. Of course they’re going to promote their product to the fullest extent; therefore linking to Isagenix to prove your point, doesn’t really prove your point.
Furthermore, Isagenix DOES use gluten and soy, so you should definitely be more aware of these products.
The ingredients I listed in the article were pulled directly from the site. See here:
http://www.isagenix.com/us/en/fibersnacks.dhtml
*FYI – things like non-fat milk, which is contained in the above, IS a denatured protein. This also contains soy.
http://www.isagenix.com/us/en/slimcakes_berry.dhtml
*contains wheat and soy as well as rancid vegetable oils
http://www.isagenix.com/us/en/isaleanshake_new.dhtml
As I said, my article is 100% factual and you actually need to check the facts. These are the ingredients that are listed directly on the site.
You have a great day too,
Dani
PS- some other quick points:
It is literally a fact that fructose is toxic to the liver, it’s fine in small doses that are naturally occurring, like fruit.
Isagenix is not a certified GM-free product, definitely not in the US.
You are incorrect, Dani, in some of your conclusions regarding Isagenix. However you are entitled to your opinion, as long as you disqualify your statements as your opinion and not a statement of fact.
There is only one Isagenix product with gluten which is the SlimCakes. Gluten is not toxic and only a problem with people who have an allergy to gluten. SlimCakes are not really a part of any system, just offered as a healthy snack alternative.
There is absolutely no Soy protein. They use soy lecithin as an emulsifier…Lecithins are oily substances that are naturally found in plants (soybeans) and animals (egg yolks). It is extracted for use as an emulsifier in many prepackaged foods such as ice cream, milk shakes and chocolates. As an emulsifier, it helps keep fats and water from separating and produces smoothness in our IsaLean Shakes and IsaDelight Plus dark chocolates.
Far from being a “toxic sludge” as suggested around the internet, the phospholipid is an important part of all cell membranes. It plays a role as a component of bile in the small intestine and is a major source of choline in the diet, which is vital for proper metabolism of fats in the liver. It’s also a precursor for acetylcholine, a neurotransmitter in the brain. For these reasons, you may see lecithin available as a supplement in natural health stores.
The non-GMO soy lecithin found in IsaLean Shake is ultra-purified so it’s free of any proteins or contaminants. Soy lecithin doesn’t contribute any amount of soy protein (so it is hypoallergenic) and it doesn’t contribute any soy isoflavones (which are phytoestrogens). These are eliminated through purification and should not present a concern to those needing to avoid them.
I did get my info from Isagenix, but they do like to clarify why some ingredients are included. Here the complete article….
http://www.isagenixhealth.net/i-read-that-blank-was-bad-for-you-why-do-you-use-it-as-an-ingredient/
Gluten is toxic to all people, especially modern-day gluten. You need to do actual research on gluten.
I never said there was any soy protein, there is soy lecithin. Soy lecithin is still a processed ingredients, and soy is still processed using hexane, A NEUROTOXIN.
You’re right about fat, roughly half of cell membranes are made up of SATURATED FATS, not rancid polyunsaturated fats from vegetable oils.
I’m not sure who sold all of you guys on the “soy lecithin is purified not processed” BS, but it’s seriously ridiculous.
Like I’ve said before, using Isagenix articles to support Isagenix is not legit.
There is a difference between soy lecithin and soybean. I’d suggest you research, and not all soy is bad for you some of the time. I disagree with your fructose assumption, as you give no better alternative especially since the only alternatives on the market are much worse for you. I think you should do further checking beyond reading a label. The company holds regular universities in which you can personally meet the scientists and physicians leading the way in bringing better healthy choices to our world. Reading a website really only gives you a glimpse. There is much, much more. That’s why you need a coach, or someone who has taken time to further their understanding. The very things you mention, are exactly what Isagenix is not. It is too bad that you are keeping other people from experiencing something that could change their lifestyle from bad to good.
Did I say there wasn’t a difference between soy lecithin and soybean oil?
It’s not a fructose “assumption,” it’s a fact. I also clearly say that raw, local honey is a better alternative.
fyi – it is NOT ‘literally a fact’ that fructose is toxic to the liver – unless you mean in the same way that anything and everything is toxic to any tissue (in excess). So to single out fructose as a bad ingredient is quite misleading and inflammatory.
Fructose is metabolized in the liver (as is nearly everything you put in your body), but a multitude of metabolic enzymes modify the sugar (as in any metabolic pathway) to trioses identical to those found in the glycolytic pathway (see ‘glucose’).
Credentials: PhD Biochemist.
Yes it is literally a fact that fructose is toxic to the liver in excess, it can even be toxic in moderate to limited amounts for certain people.
Glucose and fructose are metabolized differently, anyone who argues otherwise clearly has no idea what they are talking about. Glucose is used by every cell in the body, while fructose is metabolized only by the liver; the process of which produces free radicals and triglycerides.
I somehow or another got sucked into the isagenix cult by some people that I know and trust. It worked for them and they looked great. I am now sending this garbage back. I don’t care what anyone says it is just that…garbage. There are 4 cleanse days where you drink all this stuff and pop pills and don’t eat. This left me sick to my stomach. This is not a lifestyle that anyone can maintain nor should they even try. I am on day 5 of stomach cramps, bowel problems, nausea, vomiting, headaches, joint pain, aches, etc. I don’t feel cleansed I feel sick. I am going back to my whole foods diet as that has never made me sick…ever! If you ask any isa supporter they’ll tell you that it’s just my body clearing toxins…well I was on an all organic whole food diet before..I can’t imagine I was chalked full of toxins. I have lost 10 pounds…but I don’t feel great. Good luck to anyone that gives it a try. It was not for me!
Hi Dani – I just stumbled across this. I am a Veterinarian who has done some Med School post-grad in human nutrition and disease, and I absolutely back your take on Isagenix.
I fail to see how the harm it will do to people could outweigh any modest, temporary (there is enough literature to show that these types of weight loss plans are invariably temporary) weight loss.
I see that NZ (where I live) dairy is being lauded as some sort of milky panacea. Unfortunately our marketing far outweighs our commitment to environmental stewardship. It is worth watching Dr Mike Joy’s “100% pure delusion” talk to learn more about this misconception. He is the senior lecturer in Ecology & Zoology at Massey University.
And even if NZ dairy were all it was cracked up to be – that wouldn’t be enough to redeem this junky product.
It has been two decades since we first began to learn of the potential harm from synthetic vitamins in the ATBC and CARET trials. I would recommend these as required reading for anyone considering Isagenix or similar supplements.
Cheers,
Anna
Very interesting. Thanks for your comment, Anna!
Keep going Dani! I love that people are trying to justify putting toxins in their bodies because our digestion system should remove those toxins!? WTF – maybe I should do a line of coke and hope my body can process that toxin out of my body. People want the quick fixes. I’m locking my arms with you and the people that understand nutrition are locking arms with you too. KEEP IT UP!!!
Thank you! Haha, solidarity sister!
Hi
Off the subject of Isagenix but asking a question about a statement you made…
I am not a fan of fructose. Yes, it is found in fruit and that’s okay. I don’t eat or recommend eating an excess of fruit, and therefore fructose isn’t problematic. While glucose is used by every cell in the body, fructose is only metabolized by the liver. Too much fructose is toxic to the liver, and there is generally an abundance of fructose in most diets (especially the Standard American Diet). An excess of fructose raises triglycerides and increases fat production.
If fructose is only metabolized in the liver does that include cancer? Would you say cancer does not metabolize and utilize fructose? Thanks for your reply.
Dani, I admire your passion and commitment! I’d like to share my passion for a company I love. We are a 62 year old company backed by 100 years of science. The philosophy begins with being Beyond Organic, and in harmony with nature. I’d love to talk. Karen
Dear Megan, Leisa, Dani and any other interest parties,
I have started isagenix and now at day 8 of a 30 day cleanse. I am doing to give it a try as a my personal trainer mentioned it to me. I can only concur with Dani about the ingredients list as I have all the products she has mentioned which are the ones you mention Megan too and they have the ingredients that Dani has published on her blog. THEREFORE isagenix does is gluten, contains fructose, maltodextrin etc. So someone really needs to read the back of the packaging! As I said I am giving it a go as a template to regulate eating habits and to see what are the benefits as was looking for more energy. Australian farmers are the most efficient producers of food we need to eat everyday. Lets just buy fresh food and then we would all be a lot healthier!
Regards,
G
ISAGENIX was not found gluten free.
I tried it and I am gluten intolerant and have anaphylactic reactions to any form of gluten, traces or anything small.
My life was at serious threat from consuming an isagenix shake. I would never do it again.
Wow that’s interesting I have my kids doing it ATM and they got it off their friend whom is selling it and she is a celiac ! Really thought I was right in that! I don’t think they even know any of this info ,but they don’t listen anyway!
Absolute lies Megan – go check out their ingredients and you’ll find they contain soy, wheat, and traces of nuts !! LIAR!!!! To prove this:
http://rejuvenation.isagenix.com/~/media/product/fiber-snacks/fiber-snacks-fact-panels/au-en-fact-panel-fiber-snacks-peanut-chocolate-chew.ashx
AND :
http://rejuvenation.isagenix.com/~/media/product/slimcakes/slimcakes-fact-panels/au-en-fact-panel-slimcakes.ashx
no get back on your high horse and leave this honest reviewer alone…
At the beginning of the Isagenix “Are you Toxic” Video on their home page, their is also a disclaimer saying none of their research is backed by official scientific evidence!!!! It comes up so fast and dissappears as quickly but i paused it and presto!!! So really Dani is right, do your research !!!!! You dont need to buy her 21 day plan to talk about products in a blog you fool!!! You are the one who is mistaken about ingredients…
Eli.. geeez! You need to calm down!
Interesting that you say this about the disclaimer.. It reads that it hasn’t been evaluated by the FDA, for those who know the FDA only reviews and controls products that could be harmful to health. No food products or supplements are monitored or approved by the FDA, it’s mainly for prescriptions and drugs. No where does the disclaimer say there is no scientific research, it states a study that was performed by a University. Where did you get this information?
2 things about this article – firstly this blog clearly states that Dani is paid by products to endorse their products which means she is a paid blogger, who gets paid to write about products or write against them. I know because I hire bloggers for a living, it’s a great way to make money but it doesn’t mean they know everything about the nutrition side.
Secondly, I find it interesting that it is mentioned several times about the gluten and soy – the shakes don’t have soy in them. There are a few products now that have gluten however the shakes don’t. I am gluten intolerant as well and have major reactions when even a bread crumb touches something i eat. I have been using the product for about 8 months after being on a completely organic diet where my body could only eat sweet potatoes, avocado and organic vegetable soup. I was anorexic, malnutritioned and exhausted all the time. I wanted to give up before I was introduced to the isagenix product line. I had done so much damage to my body that even my brain was affected. I had a hard time holding conversations and my focus was gone.
Isagenix saved my health, in my opinion. I have never felt this good, in my entire life. I finally have focus, mental clarity, I feel like I am getting the nutrients my body needs to function daily. I thank GOD EVERY DAY that I found this product, because before it i was extremely sick on an “organic”, “whole food” diet.
i respect your opinions in this article but no where in the links you listed for the shakes does it contain gluten or soy… There are a couple of products that do and they list those on their allergen list and clearly state it on the packaging, so those with allergies can stay away. I too have researched several products on the market, but I mainly go off of how healthy I feel. I used to have migraines 2 to 3 times a week.. they are gone now. Be careful what you read, this company has 2 published studies by Universities and more to come – these studies aren’t just put out by the company they are listed with the universities as well as in other well known and respected publications. I challenge you to research John Anderson the master formulator.. you’ll find his background in science is pretty impeccable.
It’s important to be well educated about products on the market. It’s also important to know the source. Dani I commend you for the way you have chosen to earn a living by writing a blog and reviewing products, and being compensated for it. I’m sure if Isagenix were into paying people to write blogs on them, the tone would change. Several other shakes on the market do not have research behind them, are soy based protein which is bad for you and isn’t even considered to be a full meal replacement due to the amount of protein in it.
There is plenty of information out there, I personally went through the ingredients and researched each ingredient and feel very comfortable that I am consuming good product, my body also tells me it is good. I also eat whole natural food when I’m not eating Isagenix, I believe the American food system is broken and needs a reform. Even organic crops sit next to regular crops and unfortunately get the mist of pesticides. It’s scary where our food system is when so many other countries like Mexico, New Zealand and Australia and several others have reformed not allowing companies like Monsanto to exist. If the product is not good then why would a scientist in retirement who has 2000 patents and plenty of money come out of retirement to help people feel better? It’s clearly not about the money – he was already rich, so why then would he come out of enjoying his life of retirement to work if it weren’t to make great products and help people feel healthy? that you can research too off of the isagenix website… Wishing everyone health across the world! It’s all we have!!!
“2 things about this article – firstly this blog clearly states that Dani is paid by products to endorse their products which means she is a paid blogger, who gets paid to write about products or write against them. I know because I hire bloggers for a living, it’s a great way to make money but it doesn’t mean they know everything about the nutrition side.”
I actually don’t get paid to write posts as I don’t accept sponsored posts. And if you actually “hire bloggers for a living” which I’m not even sure what that means, you would know that bloggers rarely, if ever (I’ve never known a blogger to get paid for this and I know a lot of bloggers) get paid to write against products. I’ve never been paid to write an article actually. The disclaimer is for my affiliation with companies like Amazon, doTERRA and Perfect Supplements.
I never said the shakes contain gluten – other products do. And containing soy lecithin means that the products contain soy.
This article doesn’t contain my opinions. It contains facts.
Please don’t assume to know how I earn a living. I’m not compensated for these reviews. I write them for people who are sucked into spending their hard earned money on a subpar product. It’s insulting to insinuate that the only reason I wrote this article is because I was paid to do so. I wasn’t. I write what I want and it’s important that people know the ingredients in these products. Health doesn’t come in a can.
Wow, you people really don’t know how to turn off the sale pitch, do you? Every discussion turns into an opportunity to SELL SELL SELL.
yes there are some products that have soy, nuts and gluten in them with the slim cakes being the only product in Isa AUS that contains gluten. The shakes are 99% dairy free and the why is produced by grass fed cows in NZ and they only use the most Undenatured produce.
The fact that Isagenix is actually helping people both financially and physically is a huge thing and the results don’t lie. The products are even endorsed as an Organic product. THis is one of the first terrible reviews I have read on the product and am slightly amused by this. THANKS FOR MAKING MY FRIDAY AMAZING!
Of course every discussion is an opurtunity to sell as they are obviously interested in the product and if they go ahead and share their success with the product they to can “sell sell sell” and earn some money back. Everyone is entitled to think what they want but I have never felt better and there is no better feeling than helping others achie
ve their goals!
You’re very welcome for making your Friday amazing. I aim to please.
They can’t turn it off because they go through sessions and sessions of training on how to pitch their sales and become millionaires. LOL
Pathetic!
Hi Megan,
I take Isagenix vitamins and it says that they DO CONTAIN SOY right on the box. I still like the product and am going to continue taking it, but just thought you may want to know since you said they do not contain soy. Thanks.
You wanted 3rd party research……Well here it is. This was posted in a NUTRITIONAL journal. From the University of Chicago. http://www.nutritionj.com/content/pdf/1475-2891-11-98.pdf
There are more then just that article. It pretty sad that your all for one product and not for another. Pick one and stick to it, right? They all have bad and they all have good. I would LOVE to see the thrid party research on your beloved product. Have universities (more then one) done research on your product? Did your product score higher the 46%+ on ALL categories tested, when compared to the heart healthy diet. Or what doctors around this hemisphere recommend to people. Guess what more and more are recommending Isa because it has the research to back it up.
I really dont care that your not FOR isa. Or that you prefer one product over another. Its sad you think that just eating organic is preventing you from taking in toxins. Evidence shows that even eating organic you are eating 1/2 a liter of pesticides every year! What about the stuff you drink or bath in……skin is the biggest organ we have. Its impossible to get away from them.
Sad also you have to bash a product when hundreds of thousands are getting GREAT results…..with a 96% success rate with people KEEPING IT OFF and feeling great its hard to deny its a good product. I would LOVE to see the results for your product. 96% I doubt its that much! thanks for coming out though. I also find it funny that you said you didn’t want to click on the page that EXPLAINS all the things you said were bad, JUST because it was from isa. SO you wont even let the company defend it self and SHOW YOU that really your dont know what your talking about. Like so many else have said……what are your credentials? This product was refereed to me by MY DOCTOR. who HAS done WAY more research on this stuff then EITHER of us has. She said she wouldn’t have put her name behind it if it wasn’t amazing stuff. So who am I going to believe…..someone that just looks at words and makes ASSUMPTIONS or my doctor who has all to loose if this product was a giant FLOP?
Perhaps you did not properly read my article or the subsequent hundreds of comments I’ve left reiterating what I’m about to say to you – or perhaps you were simply unable to properly comprehend the info.
Here goes again.
I readily acknowledge that Isagenix, especially combined with IF (which I’m a fan of and practice myself) can help people lose weight. OF COURSE eating a liquid diet for two meals out of the day and eating a 200-400 calorie dinner is going to help obese women lose weight. DUH.
Does this mean it’s a healthy product? NO. Smoking crack helps people lose weight too. A man recently went on a potato diet for four months and lost weight and improved his cholesterol. Does this mean we should all adhere to a potato diet? Does it mean he wasn’t doing his body damage in other ways?
I implore you to use your brain, think critically and employ some common sense.
Are all of you that ask for my credentials unable to read, or could you not come up with the genius idea to simply check out my About page and see where they are CLEARLY listed? I am a Certified Nutrition Consultant.
Also, majority of doctors know nothing about nutrition by the way – they’re not even required to study it in medical school. My doctor tells me I need to switch to vegetable oil and start eating gluten despite my amazing health status.
Laura, did you read right to the very end? In particular,
Competing interests: Krista Varady has a consulting relationship with the sponsor of the research,
lsagenix, LLC.
and
Funding source: This study was funded by Isagenix LLC., Chandler, AZ
… most definitely not third party, independent research.
Sorry Laura but Isagenix funded that study how is that 3 rd party? I am a Isagenix distributor.I say thanks for the article Dani. Trying to counter Dani’s articles with Isagenix articles is embarrassing. Right now you can go to Hight Fructose.com or whatever and they’ll tell you it’s great. If folks want to continue using and selling Isa then go ahead. Just don’t bash Dani’s work. It’s obvious she is bringing 100% facts to the table. The person earlier that called Dani a fool, once again embarrassing. I will most likely continue using Isa for now. Thanks Dani for some eye opening information.
Thanks Ken!
I’m very curious who all these people think should be paying to fund studies of these products? Pharmaceutical companies pay to have their drugs studied, and even then only a small percentage of the drugs they come up with make it to market.
This was a study actually performed by a third party which found positive results, and keep in mind that Isagenix may have payed for the study but the University of Illinois at Chicago has its name and reputation on it. It seems to have been a well carried out study and is thorough in both it’s criticisms and possible improvements as well as its conclusions.
Although as someone who has studied a great deal of chemistry and engineering I find the “Whole foods/Organic foods” movement to be completely absurd. Being anti GMO is even more ridiculous as we’ve been modifying organisms for as long as we’ve been farming ~10,000 years, and horizontal gene transfer has been occurring for a long time more than that! We can just do it more accurately and safely now.
I was genuinely curious about Isagenix and its ingredients when I discovered your website as my wife has been using it for a few years now, thanks for the reminder that people justify eating whole foods don’t actually use any science to back up that belief. Word to the wise, any vitamins your body doesn’t use are excreted which at worst gives you expensive urine.
Literally everything you said has been completely discredited.
People have been hybridizing, which is COMPLETELY different from genetically modifying. Genetically modifying involves altering plant genes using the genes of animals, viruses, bacteria, etc. This can only be done in a lab and has proven to be carcinogenic. Do you think that 10,000 years ago people had labs in which they figured out how to genetically combine fish genes and tomatoes?
Eating whole foods isn’t backed by science? IS THIS A JOKE? Like really, are you pullin’ my chain here?
You realize you’re bashing vitamins, and Isagenix uses synthetic vitamins, right? AKA the worst kind of vitamins that aren’t absorbed by the body?
Word to the wise: you need to do some reading on very basic nutrition. Seriously.
In all fairness, the Irish were the healthiest of all peasants in the 1800s, thanks to their diet of only potatoes. As a single source of nutrition; potatoes are close to as good as gets. As a nutritionist I’d think you’d know that.
As far as fructose goes, like someone else pointed out, a number of items start to become toxic after you consume too much. To act like this is news, much less horrible, is absurd. And since you keep asking for non-isa sources, here you go:
http://paleoleap.com/10-reasons-why-fructose-is-bad/
You need about 50 grams of fructose before it starts to become a real danger. If someone is following the diet, even at two shakes a day, they won’t consume anywhere near 50 grams of fructose a day.
I don’t care if you don’t like IsaGenix, I don’t sell it. I don’t care if no one on this board likes IsaGenix. My Mom doesn’t like IsaGenix and I care about her opinion a heck of a lot more than any of yours.
What I DO care about is the use of the word “unbiased” in your title. Just because you use facts does not make an opinion “unbiased.” Facts can easily be twisted to suit your needs, see the above paragraph about fructose…. So you don’t eat fruit, ever, right? Because of the horrid fructose? Or do you eat some, in reasonable doses? My guess is the latter. How horrible for all of those people who died from eating too much fruit. Except that you said you recommend honey as a viable sugar alternative, and honey contains fructose. You shouldn’t eat honey, it contains fructose and fructose is toxic.
Your article is nothing short of fear-mongering. You prey on uneducated people who fail to research information for themselves and instead want to rely on you because you are a Certified Nutrition Consultant. If you want to use your title to help people, then do it, but lose the fear-mongering. Some of us don’t believe people just because of the title on their articles, or even the credentials they carry. A bit of research that barely took 30 minutes and 1 visit to the isagenix website solely to see that there are 11 grams of sugar in the shake (only part of which is fructose.)
As a single source of nutrition potatoes are as good as it gets? Not quite. I’d go with eggs – protein, healthy fats and a multitude of vitamins and minerals. Ya know, most of which are lacking in a potato. Although I do like potatoes…
Re: fructose – 50 grams is very high. Not to mention PaleoLeap says “for healthy people.” Most people who resort to Isagenix aren’t the healthiest and do so because of health and weight problems. I eat less than 10 grams of fructose per day. Dr. Mercola recommends under 25 (http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2011/02/28/new-study-confirms-fructose-affects-your-brain-very-differently-than-glucose.aspx and http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2011/05/02/is-sugar-toxic.aspx)
Most of the shakes contain around 11 grams of sugar. If we assume half of that is fructose and people are consuming two shakes a day, plus one of the snack bars, like this one: http://www.isagenix.com/~/media/product/isalean-bar/isalean-bar-fact-panels/us-en-fact-panel-isalean-bar-chocolate-decadence.pdf which contains fructose and a whopping 16 grams of sugar – a person would be consuming at a minimum 20 grams of fructose per day – not even including any they’re consuming from actual food! And it’s worth mentioning that PaleoLeap is including naturally occurring fructose, ya know, from an unprocessed, whole food. Not from an overly processed shake or “IsaLean bar.” For someone who likely already has issues with blood sugar, insulin, liver function, etc – they should be consuming nowhere near this much fructose.
There’s a big difference between small amount of naturally occurring fructose in whole foods that I recommend. There’s also a big difference between “fear mongering” and educating people who are otherwise spending their hard earned money on overly processed food byproducts that are being peddled ad health. I find lately that using facts and science to evaluate things is labeled as fear mongering. It used to just be called critical thinking.
Yes, I just love how you copy and pasted information from Isagenix. This is an advertisement for exactly what is being exposed here as unhealthy! This isn’t research, this is marketing material.
The Chocolate Decadence Bar is a meal replacement bar, not a snack… Just saying.
New Zealand diary farming is anything but pristine!
New Zealand diary farms use huge amounts of nitrogen in order to grow more grass for the cows to eat. These cows eat this grass! Detrimental to both milk quality (definitely not organic) and huge negative implications for the environment.
Get your facts straight!
PS i’m from NZ.
Thanks for the info Mesh- yeah they make it sound so pristine with the dairy cows in NZ. Someone posted that the shakes are dairy free. Well the second ingredient is skim milk. Um how does that make it dairy free? Also whey comes from milk and I have friends who are allergic to dairy and react to whey.
Just silly.
How many different Isagenis websites are there Megan? Do they NEED more than one? What’s up with that?
Hi, I just copied this off the Isagenix site, clearly it does contain soy!!!:
IsaLean® Bar Chocolate Peanut Crunch
Ingredients: Protein blend [whey protein isolate,
calcium caseinate, whey protein crisps (whey
protein concentrate, rice flour)] evaporated cane
juice syrup, chocolate coating (sugar, chocolate
liquor, cocoa butter, milk fat, soy lecithin, natural
flavor), maltitol, peanut butter (peanuts, sea salt),
glycerin, peanut flour, sunflower oil, natural flavors,
vitamin and mineral blend [dipotassium phosphate,
dicalcium phosphate, magnesium oxide, ascorbic
acid, zinc oxide, niacinamide, d-alpha-tocopheryl
acetate, potassium iodide, vitamin A (palmitate),
manganese sulfate, biotin, copper gluconate,
electrolytic iron, riboflavin, sodium molybdate,
pantothenic acid, sodium selenite, thiamin
mononitrate, folic acid, pyridoxine hydrochloride,
cholecalciferol, cyanocobalamin, chromium amino
acid chelate]
Contains milk, peanut, and soy ingredients.
Processed on equipment that also processes eggs
and tree nuts.
And look at all those synthetic vitamins. They are not coming from food, otherwise the food would be listed not they vitamin.
I’m looking at an isagenix is a delight package right now, the 4th item on the ingredient list is … You guessed ! SOY LECITHIN !
Your paycheck must be like alcohol to a drunk, it cancels out any sense of mendacity?
Otherwise, you wouldn’t have lied in your obvious sales pitch
http://www.isagenixhealth.net/are-isagenix-products-free-of-gm-ingredients-answer-yes/
“In addition, Isagenix customers in Australia and New Zealand should be assured that all Isagenix products and their labels adhere to GM food labeling requirements and are in accordance with the Food Standards Code. All products can be claimed as “non-GM” or “GM free” in accordance with Australia and New Zealand regulations that prohibit representations about food that are false, misleading or deceptive.”
Not certified GM free in the US, which is where majority of genetically modified crops are grown.
I can’t believe the grief people are giving you Dani! This is your blog no one has to read it! I believe everything you have said is true. It is interesting that isogenix website does not list any ingredients. The only way to get more info is to buy the product! Total gimmick! Everyone who is using it that have commented on this say they feel great and feel better than they ever had! Talk to us in a few years let us know how good you are still feeling! I doubt anyone will still be taking the products! I agree that nothing is better for you than eating a balanced diet of whole foods and regular exercise that includes strength training, cardiovascular training and flex ability training! One more thing Dani never said all products contained gluten or that they did not contain ingredients that can be beneficial. She more pointed out that the overall idea of this consumer product is not the healthiest choice for weight loss or cleansing. Cleansing can also be dangerous to your health and should only be done with the advice of a physician! Another thing to ensure health is to eliminate name calling from your diets it definitely creates low energy! Good day!
Thank you for the great comment!
Dani,you need to remember Isagenix is just the new Amway. It`s Multi Level Marketing..just another cult scam like the numerous ones before it.
I’m not familiar with their business plan. I know not all MLMs are bad.
Hey dani, i just want to say everyone has an oppinion. there is always the bad and the good. i play defense in the nhl. i do not sell this product as i did it to lose a few pounds and cleanse my body in attempt to gain more energy and tone my body. isagenix did just that, i dont feel ill and i have been using for past year. this product has also been certified by the nsf which certifies that athletes in pro settings can eat or use without worrying about toxic ingredients that are banned from us using
Someone who plays defense in the NHL has commented on my website, I have officially made it in life!
I’m not being sarcastic (well, not really). I love hockey. Who are you? I watch hockey, I wanna know! Also if you’re lying about this I’m going to be so disappointed.
I don’t doubt that Isagenix helped you lose some weight and tone up, I’m just saying there are better ways to do that. Without synthetic ingredients.
Considering your course at Blue Heron Academy included herbal and chinese medicine you failed to review the high level of quality western herbal, chinese herbal and ayurvedic ingredients within the Isagenix products.
You also keep refering to it as a diet which it is not. Perhaps you could do some research into Nutritional Cleansing and it’s purpose in detoxifying the body and again report a “whole” view rather than a fractioned one which appears to serve no other purpose than to direct people to purchase your 21 day program.
What herbal and Ayurvedic ingredients?
And even if Isagenix’s goal is to cleanse – it’s impossible to cleanse via or while consuming ingredients like sunflower oil, soy, denatured proteins, vegetable oils, etc.
With your qualifications you should understand how things work in synergy in the correct balance. You are still picking out what you deem negatives and if you had reviewed the Isagenix products in full you would be able to cite the herbal/Ayurvedic ingredients for yourself. Evidently you haven’t so I’ll give you a few to get you going with some further research.
Flax Seed, alfalfa leaf, wild yam, cinnamon, milk thistle, tumeric, red raspberry, black tea, green tea, horny goat weed, wolfberry, pomegranate, cayenne, ginseng, hyssop and peppermint leaf.
Many naturopaths and dieticians highly recommend these products to their clients.
Your opion is extremely flawed and shows your unprofessionalism. You clearly only want to discredit as many products as possible to try and make money off your own. Integrity Dani, integrity.
Toxic ingredients that pollute the body do not work synergistically with detoxifying ingredients. Eating detoxifying foods does not somehow make it okay to eat complete garbage.
I am a health coach, it is literally my job to sell my services.
Common sense, Mary, common sense.
Thanks for your below response Dani, yes it common sense to sell ones own products however not professionaly ethical bad mouthing other products to do it hence it displays you lack intregrity.
You didn’t really address any of the direct questions I asked you in order for you to present a more intelligent whole view of the debate.
It is always easy to pick out negatives in things and life, it is being wise enough to determine if the positives outweigh the negatives.
You have taken that choice away from your readers by presenting on aspect which is more your personal opionion rather than an objective professional one.
Critisism is a great thing as it allows for change to occur, if it is not seen in this light then it is nothing more than judgment.
This is a review, it’s not bad mouthing, I didn’t make anything up. I highlighted toxic ingredients that are unhealthy. It’s a fact that some of the ingredients are unhealthy. I can’t change that. I also clearly stated that I received a significant amount of requests from readers to review Isagenix, so I did. Am I supposed to keep my mouth shut because people like you disagree with me? THAT would be a lack of integrity.
So let me get this straight, you acknowledge that Isagenix uses toxic ingredients, and that they also use healthy ingredients, so the positives outweigh the negatives? That’s not how nutrition works. You can’t be healthy by eating garbage, then taking supplements or detox products to expunge the effects of a poor diet. A poor diet is a poor diet.
I’m not presenting an opinion. I’m presenting facts. That’s what all of you Isagenix supporters seem to not understand. It is a fact that the shakes contain denatured proteins. It is a fact that they use inflammatory oils. It is a fact that they use processed ingredients. So what exactly is my opinion in this? That these ingredients are unhealthy? Yes, because science says they are, and science does not lie.
Oh Dani…Cleanse for Life absolutely does NOT contain any of the ingredients you have listed there. Check out the product brochure which lists the ingredients and why they are in there….
http://isagenix.com/~/media/product/cleanse-for-life/cfl-brochure/us-en-cfl-brochure.ashx
Did you read this article? I never once mentioned Cleanse For Life and it has absolutely nothing to do with what I wrote. I clearly listed which products’ ingredients I reviewed and I provided the links.
Integrity is remaining resolute in the face of adversity. Tell me Mary, do you have your own integrity, or do you just coast by on ‘tick of approval’ bandwagons. I mean, why bother questioning things when you can just keep believeing what you first thought. Idiosyncracy is the easy way i guess…just like shakes.
Oh, wait…that’s right. Criticism!! I hear it’s great for change! Something else you may not know, is that we’re free to criticise and change ourselves, after all, our belief paradigm is almost entirely from environmental influences.
As for Isagenix, do you believe they have no integrity after questioning the quality of farmed foods (whether it be soil nutrient deficiency, pesticides etc)? (Also just FYI, the question mark is rhetorical, but they are swell to use for asking actual questions).
But what i haven’t heard them say is that it is far more healthy than a balanced whole food diet. Good old marketing integrity, it’s all about lying without actually saying it.
I would also be interested to know your method of quantifying positive vs negative wisdom decisions. My guess is it looks something complex as such;
+ ÷ – x ?W
Please advise…
The calibre of many pro Isagenix in this feed are reminiscent of parrots. Once they have their wings clipped and learn some words, you won’t hear the end of it and they just won’t f**k off.
Although, there does seem to be a slight case of the ‘Chinese whispers’ through the promotion of Isagenix. Marketing interpretations lead to assumed implications and many false merits, which is then further propagated by an ignorant clientel, meanwhile Isagenix sit back and reap the profits of a misrepresented product without the accountability for product misinformation. Gullability is great for business. Get your positively, happy, youthful energetic lifestyle shake powder today! Purge your old lifestyle out your colon with out Creamy Dutch Rudder Chocolate shake!
As for the life changes some have experienced (Weight loss, drive, community etc), if you believe something will make your life better, it will. “Perception is reality”, and belief is so profoundly powerful, that it defines
ones attitude and behavior, regardless of the validity of the belief.
Ye of little faith of self, tend to put their faith in other peoples beliefs. Trusting people is a positive social construct, but many institutions take advantage of this. Now back to you Mary for the wisdom calculation. Should people keep trusting everything they hear first, or remain open to reason?
I love this.
Mary, there is nowhere that states the quality of their ingredients anywhere on there site, or proves where they are sourced from so top stating fact without proof! It is a meal replacement system meant to be taken with excercise and normal food!!! Dont pick words – look up the dictionary definition of diet before you split hairs you troll.
I saw no attempt from this lady to sell her program to you. utter rubbish ….
Thanks for the info. A friend has presented this product to me. Before I went ahead and tried it, I thought it would be a good idea to look for various views of this product.
First off, I’d like to thank everyone for their views. But, I don’t see the purpose in slamming a particular person or their educational back ground based on the fact that you may disagree with you. Commenting and or slamming Dani’s view based on her educational background then proceeding to share your thoughts, when you dont have any kimd of educational background in the matter is totally hypocritical. Second, one person mentioned that this IS… stuff is not a diet. I dont think you realize what diet means. A diet refers to the food choices you make through out the course of your life. Indivuals who eat a lot of chips and icecream can be said to have a diet of that which contains chips and icecream. So, yes this product is considered as part of a indivuals diet. And if this is all the person consumed, the IS… stuff would be their diet. It would be much more benifitial if people would stop slamming one another and actually just presented various facts. Maybe I didn’t read far enough down the list on these comments, but I didn’t see too much information solidly explaining the contraction of the product or how the ingredients that Dani listed from the toxic product list were of any kind of benefit for the IS… products.
Sorry for all spelling andon’t Grammer errors. typing on my cell phone is rather wonky on this site.
I agree with your comment. It is interesting how the very emotionally distraught supporters are unable to engage in educational banter. They are also either not skilled in providing the unbiased researched facts or there are none available. If I remember correctly, Communist countries are the ones who support a one way communication channel.
If you are supportive of anything, be honest and say you really don’t know. Then do your research.
Here is an example of what I have read in these feeds: As much as I would like to MAKE AN UNEDUCATED GUESS that the deniers are probably democrats or don’t vote, I have absolutely no data to support my crazy statement and could have also made an assumption based on the personal filter/belief that all or most democrats never or can’t back their decisions with facts. Presenting facts to support a concept or product is not an action influenced by a group you belong to. Presenting unbiased facts is honest research. Everyone should be supportive of honest research. Rather than getting upset, use your energy to seriously find research to support what you beleive. Dani has done so and continues to address ethically those who disagree with her. This entire feed is so educational and entertaining on many levels. Amazing how so many people resort to name calling when they interpret something as offensive. I am sharing this sight with my daughter and students to learn how to debate and how not to debate, good and bad research, the balanced and unbalanced person, Gorilla Marketing, and the list goes on! Keep this feed alive!
You mentioned many times in your blog and in responses to others that your objections were only to certain products, ingredients, or processes from Isagenix. I have been using it for about 6 months now. I do not sell or promote it and am not a fanatic or nut like some of the others posting here have been portrayed. I initially started as a serious skeptic, talked reluctantly into it by my wife and sister-in-law. I had a serious weight problem and my health was gradually getting worse. While I may or may not agree that certain Isagenix products are bad or good for me, I have had a significant improvement in my health and weight during this time. What I object to the most in your presentations is the blanket statement, “Isagenix is unhealthy,” while saying that it is certain products and their ingredients or processing you object to. I could find absolutely no reference to one of their flagship products, Product B, anywhere in your site and yet, it is probably the most important of all their offerings. This is probably what has helped me the most of all the Isagenix products, although I have received benefits from others as well.
I feel you need to publicly clarify your objections to just the ones your actually object to. Posting “Isagenix is unhealthy” as a global statement is misrepresenting and unfair to the company and product and misleading to those searching online for information like I did.
Do you also drink their shakes or eat their snacks?
Yes, but again you avoid my point. Unless you can prove that EVERY single product that Isagenix makes and sells is unhealthy, you should retract your global statement and apologize.
Yeah, I don’t mean that every product is unhealthy. Not sure what I would rename this article to though. Isagenix: Less Than Desirable Ingredients? I’ll just change it to “An Unbiased Review of Isagenix” like I did for Advocare.
This is the kind of information I was looking for. I found it very strange how few negative reviews were available for Isagenix system. I am from the “school” of where if something seems too good to be true, it is because it IS too good to be true. 400 dollars for a 30 day system sounds to me like a rotten pyramid scheme with a frantic dietary fad.
Whats a pyramid scheme Christie?
Exactly Cam.
From your lips!!! I cannot STAND all the skinny b*tches selling this sh*t all over the place where I live. “Oh you lost 20lbs, that’s great. Where did you lose it from, your soul?” Cause you’re already a size 6 lady.
They are relentless. One doesn’t even have the energy to work out yet she sucks down those shakes! It’s a SHAKE plan for crying out loud! $400 / month. I don’t get it. A bag of muscle milk is what, $35? How about eat some fruits and veggies. Eat some protein, eat more fruits and veggies and voila! Oh, and workout for 30 mins a day and you’ll lose weight!
I think you need to understand that some people cannot and don’t want to live in your lifestyle. no one of your weight and stature would need to do a program like this and it boggles me that thinner people always want to share their input within this scope of feeling.
Do you know what it feels like when you put a doughnut in your mouth and somehow it feels like it melts away all of the worries in the world? Do you know how it feels to try a ‘lifestyle change’ (because GOD FORBID we call it a diet) and fail miserably and want to run in the direction of food because that provides comfort?
If you don’t, you need to go take a seat far in the back of the classroom.
I haven’t read any fatalities from this and you won’t be on it forever. A lot of people don’t feel like they’re starving or depriving themselves when they’re on it (could be the chocolate shakes?) and I know someone who lost 30lbs in 30 days on this. She had so much energy and wanted to workout and wanted to eat that lighter meal.
Please, take a seat.
Maybe you missed the headline that clearly states “DANI STOUT – HOLISTIC HEALTH COACH.” Or maybe you’re unaware of what a health coach is? It’s literally my job to discuss these things and coach people. So using your logic, if someone isn’t overweight and doesn’t have issues with food, they shouldn’t talk about it. That’s asinine.
It’s also presumptuous to assume that I’ve never had issues with weight or food.
Thanks dani. You just saved me over $300. Healthy eating and exercise it is. Also have read that the only research done on isagenix was funded by isagenix. Hmmmmm…..
Always happy to save people money! On a side note, I can’t believe it’s that expensive. Even I charge way less than that!
The undenatured Reserveage whey protein Dani shows in the video is a poorer copy of ingredients as used in Isagenix Whey Protein and is more expensive. Isagenix use undenatured Whey and has lactase added for digestion. Reserveage has only started in 2008 using same natural supplements as what Isagenix have been producing. How is it ethical to knock the original and promote the newcomer?
Did you not read the article or were you not able to understand it? Reserveage is 100x better than Isagenix. Just because Isagenix is an older company does not mean it’s a better company. There is literally no logic in that argument.
Losing one pound per day is NOT healthy!!!
Not everyone loses 1 pound per day. If you are overweight or obese, losing any weight is healthier than where you are at.
Lots of people lose 5-7 pounds the first week, due to a complete change from the typical North American diet into flooding your system with superior protein, trace minerals and elite nutrition that it has been lacking. Then it regulates with cleansing, detoxifying and replenishing to 2-4 pounds a week.
Unhealthy is being obese. Too much pressure on the heart, organs and body systems. That’s unhealthy.
What you don’t seem to comprehend is that putting toxins into your body does not “regulate with cleansing, detoxifying and replenishing…”
That is complete nonsense.
Not only are 99% of Isagenix reps not qualified to sell supplements, apparently they have issues with basic math too according to Julie’s answer. she says they don’t lose 1 lb per day…just 5-7lbs in the first week. Pretty sure the math adds up to 1lbs, or close to 1lbs / day.
The scam here is that this “weight” loss is NOT fat. Eating only 1 small meal per day plus a couple shakes = low carb starvation, which simply depletes glycogen stores. Fighters do this all the time to make weight for a fight as a standard practice. Companies like Isagenix try to pass this off as actual weight loss, which is fraudulent.
I would lose my personal trainer’s license if I promoted this type of garbage to my clients. 1-2 lbs FAT loss / week from proper nutrition and exercise is the only healthy route.
True. Max, you shouldn’t lose more than 2 a week. Learned this the hard way
Holy Grass-Fed Cow!!! The ONLY reason I stumbled onto Dani’s blog is because a friend gave me a (unsolicited) packet/single serving of Isagenix IsaLean Shake, Natural Berry Harvest, to try.
Without even reading the individual ingredients my first reaction was, “Uh, I don’t think so”. I am familiar with most of the ingredients but not all and so in my research I found myself reading these comments.
Wake up folks! One of the reasons we have an obesity epidemic in the U.S. is because of the diet roller-coasters we ride as uninformed consumers. THERE IS NO MAGIC PILL!!
When the body begins a “detoxification” process of any kind (read: diet change) the initial weight loss is water, not fat. So when you read such wonderful product testimonies about diminished bloating, 5-10 lbs lost ‘first week’, etc. (just examples) you can chalk it up to water weight. This is the point where the roller-coaster comes in – as soon as we stop seeing the big weight loss numbers (number on the scale stops dropping) and we hit a plateau, more often than not, the average person goes back to their old habits.
Unfortunately, our society has been drawn to the world of “I want it now” which began with fast food and now it’s perpetuated itself into “fast weight loss”.
There is no healthy fast weight loss. You have to eat a well-balanced diet which includes carbohydrates (45-65% of daily calories), protein (10-20% of daily calories), and fat (20-35% of daily calories) AND you have to physically exercise. Skinny, size 6, people are not necessarily “healthy”.
I read Dani’s initial article and found it very informative. What I didn’t find was her personal opinion. I’ve also read many of the responses and for those who have blasted back that she is “dangerous” or “uninformed” or “not being factual”, relax. In the business world, especially marketing, bashing competitors is simply bad for business. Stick to the facts (which Dani did) and give others the opportunity to make an informed decision. It may be assumed Dani does not support Isagenix products but, based upon what I’ve read of her initial article and subsequent replies to responses, she isn’t stopping anyone else from their own personal choices. She stated her purpose and delivered information, nothing more and nothing less. That doesn’t mean we’re all going to agree and like it but we can all agree to disagree, if that’s what makes the most sense.
Lastly, someone mentioned a 30-day cleanse – and here’s where I get on my own soapbox – ARE YOU KIDDING???? That IS a dangerous prospect in and of itself. I’m not prepared to disclose a bunch of research that I don’t have at my fingertips but I will reiterate my earlier point that with good nutrition, the body will cleanse itself.
My credentials: I am a NASM (National Academy of Sports Medicine) certified personal trainer and a NPTI (National Personal Training Institute) certified personal trainer and nutrition consultant.
Healthy eating to All!!
Thank you Paulette!
Actually losing 1lb per day is unhealthy even if you are overweight. If you are losing any more than 3lb per week you are more than likely losing muscle mass and not fat. Healthy weight loss should be steady and maintainable. You shouldn’t be consuming less than your base metabolic rate unless advised to do so by a qualified health professional – and there are very few situations in which they will advise you to do so.
Beautifully said, Paulette. Love your blog, Dani.
Thank you!
http://www.isagenixhealth.net/battling-myths-and-misconceptions-circulated-on-the-internet/
CAUSE YOU ARE RIDICULOUS
But you got the attention you wanted lol
good marketing DANI!
First I would like to tell you that I am not a distributor nor have I ever sold any Isagenix products. I am however someone that has been using them for the last year.
Its easy to judge things then we either haven’t tried them or use them ourselves. If you really want to criticize a product you should then try them first then give your analysis.
I suffered from severe Gluten and Irritable Bowel disease for years, over 5 in fact. And although i was being seen by my family doctor, nutritionists, and had completed all sorts of tests for Intestinal diseases no one was ever to fix me. I couldn’t leave the house without plotting out my route of every bathroom from point A to B, carried around plastic bags in case I needed to go and there was no bathroom around to make a stop at; I was also exhausted all the time, never had any energy. I lived a miserable life.
Then a friend who had a similar problem on a milder version told me about Isagenix and how much it had helped her so I decided to give it a try.
Within a week I had more energy, felt like I could ran a marathon, I could eat without immediately running to the bathroom, by the end of the first month my Irritable bowl was gone and so was my gluten sensitivity. In addition I lost 25 pounds which was a bonus.
One year later I am enjoying life, just went on a work trip to China for 2 weeks, didn’t take any of the products with me was able to eat and try all sorts of new foods and didn’t have a single problem with my bowels.
I’m not a doctor, neither am I a nutritionist but any product that can improve someones daily life is deserves a bit of respect and a more depth look. These products helped me and maybe not everyone experiences the same results but I’m a believer.
Thank You
I stopped reading after:
“Its easy to judge things then we either haven’t tried them or use them ourselves. If you really want to criticize a product you should then try them first then give your analysis.”
I don’t need to try crack to know it’s not good for me.
I was sold Isagenix a couple of weeks ago. I was so excited to find a company that had the same way of thinking. Boy was I wrong. I
have multiple food allergies (including gluten & dairy) Crohn’s disease, and many health concerns involving inflammation along with many other conditions. I honestly don’t know why I made such a horrible mistake.
I’ve been eating clean whole foods and building a supplement regimen for 10 years. I’ve improved my health 100% each year for the last 11 years. What I have accomplished in 11 years Isagenix has demolished in 2.5 weeks.
My Crohn’s is flared up so bad I look 6 months pregnant. I haven’t gone in 3 days. I have upped my steroid to a double (short-term) and have been consuming unrefined coconut oil to try to keep from going to the hospital.
Everything you said it true! I moved here in May and since May (on my own) I have toned up and lost enough to get back into my size 10’s. I was doing well until I met them girls from Isagenix. Here I am 2 weeks later with a possible blockage and now spilling out of my 14’s again!
I am calling them tomorrow and demanding my money back! I will happily send what’s left (about half) of their products back. When I called the woman (she actually sold me something with dairy in it!) she sent me an article about IBD that recited what I already knew about nutrients and what’s good for my Crohn’s. I was insulted.
I will never trust what someone says again. I 6cannot believe what’s happened to me. ????
Promoting a fundamental misunderstanding of chemistry and nutrition is dangerous, yes. You are just appealing to a different nutriotion religion and draw uneccessary distinctions. There is nothing that indicates “organic” is better than GMO. In fact all the organic products you eat were just genetically modified over hundreds of years by humans through selective breeding.
So eating “natural” things that are easily pronounacable is better than chemicals? Well natural things are made of chemicals too and while we have common names for them they also have a chemical name.
Hemlock is a naturally occuring plant, should I eat it? Probably not it will kill me in rather short order.
Dihydrogen monoxide sounds pretty chemically, ya? Should I avoid it? Probably not, it’s water. Of course water is also toxic, as are most things at sufficient levels.
Your article is far from unbiased and it highlights distinctions that are not necessarily important for judging potential health risks.
Some chemicals should be avoided, some should be consumed in moderation. Whether they are produced in nature or synthesized in a lab is probably not the best line to draw. Plenty of chemicals produced by other plants and animals are harmful and plenty of man made ones are safe or even health promoting at moderate doses.
My post in no way pertains to the isagenix system and it’s potential health benefits or risks.
You just said that GMOs are not inherently healthier than organic food. You clearly do not understand the difference between genetic modification and natural hybridization. Nothing else you say is worth reading and you’ve lost all credibility (which you clearly did not have in the first place).
OMG
I am so bloody confused 🙁
Dani, bless your sanity. The Iso-maniacs are afraid their get-rich-quick bubble will burst and have sounded the alarm for their trolls to flood your site with ritualize testimonial after testimonial. There’s no magic here, no secret of science and no common sense. It’s water loss, temporary and an unhealthy way to live over extended periods. Nothing more than Stepford Wives pushing temporary weight loss plans. They are a tenacious bunch and some of them, downright clueless.
Thank you!
Agree, Bee Valentine!
There isnt any independent research I could find showing GMO’s lead to health problems. If you know of any blind studies showing otherwise, please share. I am all for Whole Foods and also making sure we can get them as toxin free as possible. However, I have yet to see any supporting research of people get sick or dying from GMO’s.
I’m not for or against this product, just came across your blog while doing some research to find out what it was. I do believe in healthy eating, and that natural, truly organic and seasonal food is best.
I don’t agree that what is essentially an opinion piece should be passed off as anything but that. This is especially the case when the list of sources does not contain one recognised, peer reviewed journal article, but instead copy and pasted web links.
There are many, many poor people out there desperately looking for a solution to their obesity, and many of these programs will work for different people. Presenting opinion as fact, and robbing these people of the opportunity to try something that may save their life, is immoral. Perhaps your way of life will suit some other people, but maybe others will need to try something different. They deserve to read truly unbiased reviews of products, and try at their own discretion.
You clearly need to learn the difference between opinion and fact. I provided facts supported by research (apparently PubMed and Harvard aren’t up to your standards?) and basic nutritional science. Just because you don’t know how to properly research or recognize research does not mean that I don’t either.
How do these products benefit the poor when they’re some of the most overpriced, expensive products on the market? I mean really, you make no sense.
I’m immoral for highlighting the fact that people who know nothing about nutrition are often duped into buying these products that are touted as healthy when they’re anything but? For giving people the tools to recognize unhealthy ingredients in their overpriced protein shakes? Mind you – I give away all of this information for free, and I’m immoral?
Your Harvard source is a blog, hardly peer reviewed, and there doesn’t appear to be any articles from pubmed in your source list. You’ve quoted from ‘Butter Believer’.
Also, yes, it is immoral to provide free advice, when you try to pass that advice off as fact, and pad out your blog entry with emotive phrases like rancid and gasoline-like.
You’ve compared these programs, that some people have had great results from, to anorexia…..
This is seriously the best factual article and comment thread I have read in awhile. I can’t work out why everyone is getting so fired up at you Dani when you have just presented the scientific facts. Actually, I can because these facts potentially are going to financially impact some Isa consultants who are clearly in defense mode.
You fit the nail on the head, Sal!
I LOVE this response! These Network Marketing people are so certain they are “right” that they have forgotten to do the research themselves. Ingredients cannot lie. Your article was so accurate I actually did a little SNAP right after I read it. YES. LOVE. IT. Carry on! There is good work to be done and Good real food to eat!
Oh SNAP! Thanks girl.
I notice you didn’t answer the question about your qualifications. You’re like a “life” coach. The glasses make you look smarter. You’re blog doesn’t.
I’ve answered this question million times. Like honestly, how can anyone even accuse me of not answering this question? Not to mention the fact that common sense would dictate simply looking at my about page to see that I am a CERTIFIED NUTRITION CONSULTANT.
Also, your improper use of “you’re” when telling me my blog is essentially stupid, is HILARIOUS.
You killed it once again Dani……lol.
Terry, when people get personal, it’s because they have no effective argument to put forward and thus, spent, resort to rudeness. You need to lie down and mind your p’s and q’s.
Dani, I love your response!
Thanks!
I love what you have written, it’s wonderful but it’s a shame that you advertised your own program on there, it just gives them a reason to say you are only putting down isagenix to sell your own product. Drives me nuts the shit they carry on with and I know your products are the best way to get healthy but they will use anything to support their argument!
True. But this is a business after all.
You say your review is unbiassed, however it clearly is not since you go on to promote your own system. An unbiassed review has nothing to gain from it’s review and you clearly do. You are treading on thin ice by making claims about soy and gluten being in the products, when the label on the front clearly states “Free of Gluten and Soy”. And like Tanya says, what ARE your credentials to be making such false claims. You make strong assumptions about natural flavours and what some do, but that doesn’t mean that Isagenix does the same thing.
Now, don’t even get me started on the whole organic movement. Everyone knows that no organic farm out there is 100% free of pollutants and pesticides. As much as the organic farmer tries to be free of pesticides there is no guarantee. You see, the farmer next to him might use pesticides and depending on environmental conditions i.e., wind, rain, those pesticides and pollutants can easily end up on an “organic crop”. And there are no governmental controls in place to govern the whole organic market.
1) The word unbiased does not have the word ASS in it. One s.
2) Were you unable to read the ingredients in the FiberSnack and SlimCake? Wheat and soy, homie.
3) Again, common sense would dictate my credentials are detailed in the “about” page.
4) The USDA governs organic and what can and cannot receive the organic seal. Organic food undergoes rigorous testing in which farmers, usually small scale, are required to pay fees and provide a ton of paperwork.
And lastly, I’m really tired of people saying I make false claims. The ingredient lists are pulled DIRECTLY from the Isagenix website. How is that a false claim? If you have an issue with the ingredients they use, take it up with them. Shouldn’t this be the obvious course of action instead of attacking me for reviewing the ingredients they use?
I feel sorry for you getting all this negative shit thrown at you. I read your creds and the isa website. I saw the ingredient lists. These isa people who get on their high horse over a review, need to take 10 chill pills and have a nap, not have a go at you. I looked into it after a presentation I went to last week. I stumbled onto your blog and man, am I glad I did. I was gonna sign up. But I didnt like the idea of being stuck in a year long contract. I live in New Zealand and it costs $702, delivered. For 1 month of shakes and pills galore. Frecking ridiculously priced . Not for the average joe blo. Far too expensive, even for me and my hubby earns over $2,600 a fortnight. So its not that we cant afford I just refuse to pay over $700 for shakes.Dont need to get personal either guys! Keep mean names and comments to yourself. I was taught, if you cant say anything nice, then dont say anything at all!! Eli, grow up. Your acting like a 5 year calling people names because you have no real idea about anything thats been said here. You go Dani!! I appreciate your honest review of ingredients. And I learnt some stuff too.
DAYUM that’s expensive. Thanks Helen!
The only people that would have valid arguments on this terrible product are the people involved with making money out of it.
There is absolutely nothing healthy about “meal replacement” period!
“Food doesnt meet our daily needs”
Youre clearly not eating the right foods or amounts of foods. Isagenix and the delusional people that back it all have dollar signs in the eyes for all the wrong reasons. Youre not “helping” youre “friends” simply misleading them.
First off, a little reference point as to who I am. I’m an organic vegetable farmer. I’ve owned and operated one of the most successful farms in the state of MN for the past 14 years. I was named “Outstanding Farmer of the Year” and Edible Twin Cities “Farm Hero of the Year” among other accolades.
Before Isagenix I ate VERY healthily (Organic vegetables from our farm, pasture raised meats, whole grains, etc). I also was very active physically (vegetable farming is very labor intensive and during the winter time I went to the gym three or four times a week to do intense cardio). Despite these efforts, I wasn’t just overweight, but I was in the obese category ( I was 60lbs overweight).
I was introduced to Isagenix by sister who is a massage therapist. She shed about 55 lbs in the course of 4 months and really kept off the weight. I was always very excited for her, but for a long while I wasn’t interested in having to do anything with Isagenix. I thought I could merely, “pull myself up from my bootstraps” and do it on my own, just by eating clean and exercising.
It took my wife and I a long time to get started. In the meantime we did look at the company and the ingredients and we were blown away by the quality— sourced organically, no GMO’s, no synthetic sweeteners or artificial flavors/preservatives. The whey we discovered was sourced from New Zealand, grass fed cows. We were blown away!!
I decided to give it a try for myself in January of 2013. In the first week I shed 10lbs. That was great, but what’s more is that I had energy and vitality that I hadn’t felt in, well…. I had never felt that clear and full of energy! I continued on the first month and shed 30lbs in my first 30 days. I went on to shed a total of 60lbs.
I look and feel 15 years younger. I’m in the best shape of my life. I can easily get up in the morning and run 10 miles (and am fast— I never even realized I had that kind of speed). I set out to put different goals in front of me including getting into weight lifting and Crossfit.
In addition to my journey, I started sharing my story with others and helping them do the same. I have now personally helped dozens of people shed 10, 20, 30, 40 and even (3 people) have shed over 70lbs! They’ve taken back control over their health and their lives. They feel good about themselves, they are happier than they have been for years and they are OPTIMISTIC about LIFE!
Isagenix is a real blessing for our world. It’s tool. It’s a solution of good science mixed with nature to assist people to better health when quite frankly right now people are needing something simple to help them get back on track.
Is it the end all and be all? It never claims to be. It’s a door opener though… it get’s people feeling better, putting better nutrition in their bodies and gets them active.
I’ve met the most wonderful people on the planet in this company. People setting out and doing the work of creating positive change in other’s lives. If you are doing the same thing in your own work… BRAVO to you! There’s no need to try to tear someone else down or a company down when there’s clearly (over 400 people have shed over a 100lbs!) tens of thousands of people who are benefitting.
I urge this of you…. stretch your mind a bit. Realize that sometimes we don’t know what we don’t know. Realize too that the best way to build yourself and what you are doing up is to not tear other people down.
Here’s my story in video form from last year. Know that my journey has gone on and developed even further after this and this video is due for an update soon. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ks_QvzYbHQk
Being an organic vegetable farmer does not automatically mean you eat well. You can eat 100% organic and still not be eating right. It doesn’t mean you know about nutritional science or how to properly fuel your body. Though as someone who’s an organic vegetable farmer, I’d expect more. These products source whey from across the globe, which then has to travel all the way to the US – they use canola, wheat and soy, none of which are specified as organic and all of which destroy topsoil.
The products are not organic, they’re not even certified GMO-free. They do contain preservatives. Did you not read the ingredient labels I very clearly displayed?
You lost weight on it. Duh. This does not make the product healthy. It does not make the product environmentally friendly.
You sell the stuff. This is why you support the product. Let’s just call it like it is, Gary. Because we both know it’s not “good science mixed with nature.”
Yay Dani!
“whole, unprocessed, organic, local and sustainably raised food” IS the way to go and sooooo many people still do not understand the full truth of this idea.
Thanks for your honest review. I support you!
So many do not understand the damage that synthetic vitamins, artificial sweeteners, preservatives, soy, gluten and processed sugar are doing to our health and the real danger involved in our constant consumption of these and other synthetics and even so-called “all natural” products we can barely pronounce the names of.
Thank you for your time and energy and for the still rare (but growing every day) perspective that choosing whole unprocessed foods over “quick-fix” weight loss programs and products is the MUCH better and safer way.
Thanks!
Amen, Stacy! You said it!
When you challenge a way people think and what they have been led to believe their entire life, it scares them to think they’ve been lied to (medical field, food manufacturers–I mean, really? If the food has been manufactured and made in a factory, how CAN that be REAL food?, people and corporations and chemical companies “out to feed the world and raise more food”–how is that working out for us, when we have people literally starving all over the world?). The whole concept of everything people have been told, taught, and have done their entire life isn’t necessarily the right or correct thing to be doing.
It is what someone SAYS we should be doing.
What people fail to realize is that for at least the past 60 years, corporations have taken over our food, our farming, our medical field. Basically, our life. THEY dictate what we should eat, what we should feel, what we should wear, what we should buy, basically, how we should live our lives. It’s called consumerism, and consumerism means dollars, which help keep the corporate board members happy and insanely rich.
It’s only been lately that the lies and deceits they’ve been telling us are finally being shown as just that–lies and deceits. And people don’t like to be told they’ve been lied to. So they resist and complain and fight to the nth degree, because they don’t want to admit that they can’t think for themselves.
Our human bodies were never meant to run on synthetics and manmade foodstuffs and chemicals and pesticides. Our bodies have no mechanisms in which to use those unnatural and unhealthy, toxic products. That is why more and more people are ending up with a laundry list of chronic dis-eases (usually more than one) and autoimmune diseases.
I am so happy to have found your blog.
Yes excellent reply and for my own personal reasons, Thank You for posting this! So many people do not understand these things especially with fructose overload on the liver.
Hi Dani,
I first came across your website when I was researching Isagenix and whether to do the program or not (the 30 day cleanse). To sum things up, I have tried EVERYTHING under the sun, eat organic to minimize toxins, have recovered from fibromyalgia through serious detoxing and naturopathic and homeopathic protocols. Many years. Changed my life for the better but pregnancies really make me pack on weight, despite eating low carb, eating “clean”, staying away from allergens (I need to avoid wheat as I am intolerant to it: I can gain 5 lbs of water-weight overnight from eating it). After my third pregnancy nothing worked to take off the weight. Paleo, eating a non-allergenic diet given to me by my naturopath, etc. Was desperate and tried intermittent fasting (too stressful for women on the adrenals: worked at first, then backfired) and Carb Nite (very, very low carb) as well as other ketogenic diets. I had major issues after a few months on those ketogenic diets with dumping minerals and becoming electrolyte imbalanced, despite supplementing very carefully with minerals, etc. So it was a tough decision when I decided to try Isagenix. I went off the ketogenic diets because I just couldn’t stay on them anymore and the electrolyte imbalance was causing me to have high blood pressure, heart palpitations, and slightly high cholesterol (just above normal) from releasing the fat rapidly in my system (I lost 20 lbs in a month). I had to stop. I got IVs at my naturopath’s to restore some of my electrolytes, cleansed my liver, and began to eat normally (still low-carb but some carbs, gluten-free: coconut and almond flour, brown rice, salads, omega 3s, grass-fed meats). Sadly, I gained most of the weight back (15 lbs) that I had lost in only 2 months. I still had 60 lbs to lose, so I decided to try Isagenix as I did not know what else to do. I saw your website and agreed with what you were saying, as I know a lot about holistic health, but I just HAD to try something. All the “after” pictures and testimonials from even people I knew on the program were too much to resist and I figured that I had to try it for myself. Let me begin by saying that I KNOW I am extremely carbohydrate sensitive, but I wanted to try this anyway since low carb was not working for me. So I initially lost 21 lbs in the first 5 weeks and then plateaued for the rest of the almost-4 months. I cleansed for 2 days at a time, 3 times a month. I did what they said. Ate what they said to eat (and it’s expensive!!!!!), when they said to eat it. I worked out. Nothing. The weight was no longer coming off my waist, hips, or thighs. Very frustrating. I know I have a tendency to be a bit low thyroid so wondered if it that was the culprit. Went for a blood test and was SHOCKED at the results: now I have high cholesterol, high triglycerides, slightly high ALT readings, slightly high hemoglobin readings. My mineral levels went back up to normal for potassium, magnesium, and calcium, but not for sodium or chloride. My blood pressure is normal, thankfully, but now all these other problems have come up!! At first, upon reading the results of my blood test, I was floored and scared. But now I feel mad. And I know I will fix this but it’s very maddening that Isagenix puts these things into their products in the first place! Let’s start with fructose. It’s toxic to the liver. Voila! Mine is reeling from all the fructose that I have since found on almost all their product labels. My blood sugar is perfect (4.7) but my triglycerides sure aren’t. The rancid fats messed with my previously perfect HDL and low LDL to a now low HDL and high LDL!!!!! The cleanse drinks did not deal with getting rid of my previously somewhat high cholesterol (from the fat released in my bloodstream last year by the rapid weight loss) and instead have made my ALT numbers go up, as well as triglycerides: on the cleanse days (which I stupidly did for 2 days, up to the day before my blood test) are very sweet and you only consume them 4 times a day, plus small amounts of dark chocolate and “Snacks” which are chewable tablets (sweet, again) to help curb hunger. I am MAD, MAD, MAD that I let myself be taken in by the Isagenix hype. I realize that it works for some people, but it sure did not work for me and has messed up my health. I am off these products as of today (got my blood test yesterday) and am back to eating low-carb but with REAL foods, taking my fish oil, etc. I will be also going to my doctor again and my naturopath to help me restore my liver and overall health. Be careful–this is what I would advise to ANYONE thinking about Isagenix. It’s expensive, full of sugar, and if you are a carbohydrate-sensitive person, no matter what the dieticians say on their website, you may have trouble with the constant (supposed “low-carb” and low-calorie) intake of sugar all day long. For people like me, small amounts all day keep my blood sugar up (even if it’s not considered “high” by diabetic standards) and don’t allow me to lose weight. The fructose is TOXIC to the liver, as you have stated here, Dani, and obviously this is why my liver is in a terrible state right now. OK, someone out there may be reading this and saying, hey! You haven’t been diagnosed with liver disease, cyrrhosis, etc. so why am I freaking out? Well, I’ll tell you. Other than slightly higher cholesterol from the rapid weight loss that was detected in my blood tests in August of 2014, I had NO issues. Triglycerides perfect, ALT levels perfect in the middle of normal range, HDL cholesterol higher than LDL and in a good range, low LDL cholesterol. In just over 5 months since starting in late September, now I have these abnormal readings coming up and my doctor calls me and tells me to come in as we need to discuss these readings. The only thing I did in those 5 months was do Isagenix! Lesson learned. Thanks, Dani, for the passion you demonstrate at getting the word out there. I wish everyone out there who does Isagenix luck: I hope it works for you. Perhaps just doing the one month 30-day cleanse would have been enough, but for people like me who have a lot of weight to lose, I was advised to stay on it for the long-term until the weight comes off. That did not happen for me. Thanks for reading this.
Thank you for this article. I tried the Isagenex thing and found it way over priced as well as plane not liking it. I put it in my head that I don’t need any new fad or shake that if I eat right and WORK for it I can lose weight in a much more healthy manner.
But one thing that you didn’t touch on that I was curious about is the way Isagenex encourages constant cleanses and basically starves people who are using it. Is there any insight you have on that?
I’m actually not familiar with the cleanses they do, can you send me a link or give me a bit more info?
I completely agree with everything you wrote in the article bec everything you wrote is the truth. I recently came across an article where isagenix claimed they could not verify if their ingredients were GMO free bec there isn’t accurate testing. I have a new product I bought sitting on my desk called vital proteins which is labeled GMO free. I also have a protein powder in my closet at home which is GMO free and labeled. Isagenix is another gimmick….ANYONE who calorie reduces will lose weight it’s a no brainer!! besides the fact that their ingredients are ok at best they are super effing expensive. and FYI to other readers our bodies are quite capable of removing free radicals on a daily basis if it weren’t we’d be all sick or dead. there are tons of other ways to detox free radicals and heavy metals out of your body; try juicing fresh vegetables and fruits. Dark green vegetables especially cilantro pull heavy metals from the body plus they are loaded with LIVE nutrients. lets be honest if it’s in a can and can sit on a shelf for years how loaded with nutrients can it be. Isagenix is a money making tool for primarily the people at the top! end of story.
btw I’ve been a personal trainer, avid bodybuilder and overall healthy person for 30 years. I’ve seen all kinds of “fads” come and go. Nothing beats good Hard training and live foods with healthy proteins and healthy fats!
Love it!
Dani, your reply is spot on! In my experience, all the Isagenix people try to scare us into thinking that there is no way our bodies can rid themselves of all the environmental toxins we are exposed to. I agree that the environment has become very polluted and that we are exposed to more toxins than ever before, but as long as you eat healthy, unprocessed and sustainable food, your liver can do a pretty good job of getting rid of things that are not not supposed to be there.
And Tanya Hicks, if you are questioning anyone’s credentials as a nutritionist, you should also question the folks selling Isagenix who claim to be experts because they watched a 30 minute video
Hail Dani, well done for exposing it for exactly what it is, agree with you whole heartedly!
Thanks!
Great work Dani!!!!!
Amazing article, VERY ACCURATE! Although some have been brainwashed by these MLM companies and may not like to hear it, others will certainly benefit from getting unbiased honest information. You are doing a wonderful thing. Keep up the good work and don’t let the naysayers get to you.
Be well!
MW
Thank you!
Amen. VERY well written piece. Applause from another WHOLE foodie!
Hello Dani,
Firstly, I would like to say thank-you for your article. It highlights some pertinent points and details some of the shortcoming of the ingredients in the Isagenix range. Personally, as a trained naturopath, nutritionist and BHSc, I find the inclusion of fructose the most shocking.
I would encourage you however to use less emotive language to support an unbiased view. Also, it would be great to see the use of peer reviewed, credible references (rather than the likes of WebMD) and to have the references cited on text. This would give more weight to the perspective you portray on your reviews.
Reviews and blogs such as yours can be a wonderful tool for consumers, patients and indeed other healthcare professionals. I hope you see my comment as a positive one, driven by a desire to encourage health reviews that support a whole food diet and are difficult to refute.
Thanks, Abbie
all the products are gmo soy and gluten free you are very inaccurate . seems to me like you are putting down a successful healthy way of living that has helped so many people to promote yourself and your shakes – you may want to look at the labels again and the ingredients i can send you a picture of a can if you would like but you are ruining a business that helps people become healthy and improves their lives. shame on you! you should check the website i posted out , maybe you will change to isagenix and rewrite your inaccurate report.
I find the Isagenix review accurate regarding ingredients of Isagenix. It seems in multiple blogs/article comments that those who sell products for profit become overly defensive/angry if you do not agree. Working in the health care field as an RN, I have met a multitude of people from different educational levels and cultural backgrounds. You acknowledge their beliefs and propose other options that have scientifically proven facts that actually prove what you tell them. There is no valid scientific studies on Isagenix. Truthful products do not necessitate rude, offensive, threatening, disparaging remarks, etc. be made at anyone who does not agree. The products speak for their self –just as natural healthy foods do. When I read angry and emotional comments made at someone who does not agree with a product reviewer, I know they would not be so upset if the product they sold or used was valid.
See: https://sciencebasedmedicine.org/isagenix-study-is-not-convincing/
Thank you so much for posting this article, Dani!!! This is not good stuff, it’s filled with all the things I’ve eliminated from my diet in the last few months because they created problems. Those who are defending it are ill-informed, in denial, or have invested money in this and don’t care about the truth.
The fact that you offer your own product on ancestral-nutrition, with “no refunds” (taken off your disclaimer) proves how unbiased you are. Isagenix offers 30 day money back guarantee. Nice try. Also, I’ll add the “we can work something out”. Sounds flaky
Thank you for this article. I just started this program and am not feeling right – I have 2 doctors concerned I am adding more sugar than I was consuming and that the corn products used are GMO. I am stopping and will not be pressured into something That will possibly help me lose weight but not goin health.
I am using the Iagenix Program. I joined because I met a friend, who has loss a ton of weight. I’ve been going to a Physical Trainer for 1 1/2 years and not firming up as I’d like. I have a hard time doing the PT’s meal plan because I no longer cook consistently, so I decide to try this weight plan of Iasgenix. I didn’t have a lot of weight to lose, but although I was getting stronger with my PT, I wasn’t toning up and losing the fat I wanted to lose.
Here’s what is happening with me on Isagenix! I constantly have diahrrea!!! and no it isn’t just when I cleanse. Cleansing, I didn’t get diarrhea until 2 days after.
I am a doctor of chiropractic and I agree with Dani!! I am sick of these mlms coming into my office and trying to educate me on nutrition. A whole food organic diet is the way to go! I do have An open mind and gave isagenix a try and sent it back after trying for 20 days because I know there are better products out there that are half the cost. Anyone who does not have a whole food diet will see effects of weight lose and detoxification with any product. Save your money and your life by not depending on these silly products. I will say that isagenix is better than some of the other products, body by vi, herbal ice etc but not by much. The reason why people get upset is because they are trying to make money promoting these products. Don’t fret over the person who called you evil dani!
Herba life correction
I agree – there are worse products out there, but there are also better, and a healthy diet is the best option.
Thank you!
Not true Riley…Most people associated with Isagenix share it because they feel awesome and their lives have been changed. Not all…most. I share it because it has truly changed my life. I am an RN and I would encourage you to do your due diligence and study the facts and ingredients and how they are processed. John Anderson is a genius. He extracts the nutrients from food sources. They are not chemical based. But as you know from chemistry even nutrients from food sources have chemical names…remember organic chemistry? The whey protein used is undenatured and 99% lactose free. That is a fact.
Don’t let all of the MLM companies out there narrow your field of vision. Be teachable…look at the stories. Look at the facts….do your own research. Isagenix will hold up to the test. I know it
I seriously encourage you to not lump Isagenix in with every other MLM company. (Yes there are a lot of bad ones.) You may miss out something INCREDIBLE because you put your walls up and let your hair raise on end just because a product in sold through direct sales.
“I am an RN and I would encourage you to do your due diligence and study the facts and ingredients and how they are processed.”
I would encourage you to do the same. Isagenix contains soy, gluten, denatured proteins (what do you think non-dat dry milk is?) and rancid vegetable oils. These are facts.
Where on earth is RANCID in any of this??
I love that in your add you are promoting a “miracle pill” GARCINIA CAMBOGIA
LETS BASH ISAGENIX SO I CAN PROMOTE MY OWN CRAP!!!
THERE IS NOTHING WRONG WITH USING WHEY PROTEIN. THERE IS EVERYTHING RIGHT WITH ISAGENIX WHEY. ISAGENIX USES UNDENATURED WHEY FROM NEW ZEALAND GRASS FED COWS. DO YOU KNOW WHY???? 3 MAJOR POINTS THAT NO OTHER COMPANY DOES…..
TO KEEP GLUTEN FEED OUT OF THE COWS. WE ARE WHAT THEY EAT.
TO ENSURE THE FARMING PRACTICES ARE OF THE HIGHEST GRADE… NEW ZEALAND.
TO NOT COOK ALL THE GOODNESS OUT OF THE WHEY.
TO USE ONLY HIGH QUALITY WHEY. LEVEL 7
THE SOY LECITHEN USED AS AN EMULSIFIER HAS BEEN REMOVED FROM THE ISAGENIX LINE. IT IS NOT TOXIC. HOWEVER THERE IS CONTRIVERSY SO THE PRODUCTS THAT CONTAIN THESE ARE BEING REVAMPED.
I WOULD SAY HORSEHIT DANI HORSEHIT
I’D SAY YOUR A FRAUD
Haha, this comment is great.
Why is is so funny?
What “IS” your credentials? an English teacher? what does “MEED” the needs of our society? You better “DO” some accurate research, or better yet, conduct some accurate research. I know a lot of people that are taking all of these supplements and it is terribly disgusting and not natural.
you are ridiculous. Do some research before you speak. The author is right, this product is not labelled as NON GMO because it does contain GMO ingredients. THINK before you speak.
and your credentials are what exactly? Troll.
All you stupid isagenix people are the SAME.
and you guys do have a habit of replacing your CHILDREN’S meals with these shakes and bars. For that my friends 4 yr old hasn’t grown a freaking inch since he was 2! That’s her poor decision due to brain washing by her own father who is an invester for the company. Rich man just trying to make money off of ya, doesn’t even give back to the community.
And is on a mission to brain wash all of you dumb people who is willing to believe this crap!
I see what it can do to people. I know someone who’s 26 yrs old and 80lbs because that’s all she eats and drinks, and a child that hadn’t really grown, when he should have…
It’s sad
I give the shakes to my kids and of course they also eat plenty of real food. My daughter who has always been small and had asthma and chest colds has stopped getting sick and shot up in the last few months. We were eating an organic, whole food diet before we started Isagenix. I took a very long time to sign on because of the fact that it IS a network marketing company and I am very well-versed in nutrition and supplementation. (Incidentally, I think it is INSANE to think that you can live in this toxic world and be able to effectively detox and fill your nutritional needs without SOME sort of vitamin or mineral supplementation, whether it be through soaking in salts or imbibing) We were using ALL of the holistic tricks and we were still getting sick on a regular basis. Since being on isagenix I have noticed that it has fixed a long-time hormonal balance that I was suffering from–which was making my periods really rough. I also feel as if sickness cannot get a hold in my body. In addition to that, I have had all of the other benefits you would expect taking high-quality supplements. I am happier, sleeping better, have more energy etc. In the interest of full-disclosure, I am “selling” the product. I have helped a number of people get better from-long term illness as well as lose weight with this line.
I would never feed this to my children.
The less understanding the stronger the opinions.
Hey Tanya – You are narrow minded and brain washed!!! I think toxic is already taken control of your brain…
You can’t just write “Fact:” and it be true, where are your resources and your qualifications?? This is the kind of uneducated response that makes false information continue to be spread. There is obviously no reason to argue with you as you are clearly one of those people who are always right even when smacked in the face with some contradicting evidence. I wonder if back in the day you would have been on the ‘world is flat’ commonsense bandwagon.
Great article and a lot to think about
You’re absolutely right. You can’t write “fact” and automatically make something true.
That’s why I provided studies and scientific analysis to back up my facts. And Jesus, if you want my qualifications, for the millionth time, common sense would dictate just looking on my “about” page. Certified Nutritional Consultant! So I also have a clinical knowledge of that facts I’ve provided.
Funny, my doctor advised me not to use any meal replacements or supplements of any kind!!!!! Get your facts straight!
It is a pyramid scheme!!!!!!!! My sister got hoodwinked into a couple of yrs ago and found out the hard way, I have tried them and could not stomach the taste of any of them. I would have rather ate dirt!!!!
halu tanya…but tanya – you are an advocate/supporter of the Isagenix. Of course you will have a subjective rebuttal. And if you was a past student of mine at JCU you would know that research can be undertaken without being a specialist. The research gives you the information for an informed opinion. Profiling you as you have profiled/judged this lady – a supporter of De Generes has their head in the sand…the audience are paid monkeys similar to Isagenix supporters…
Keep fighting the good fight Dani! Fun to read this battle of comments 🙂
It is kinda fun. Even for me.
I have been taking the isagenix essential vitamins and feel great on them. My libido is off the charts! I don’t sell the products at all but I’m wondering is there another multi vitamin you would recommend that’s much healthier? I’m open to suggestions. Thank you!
What really amazes me with isogenix has no actual legitimate proof that their products work when the suggest the meal replacement injunction with an exercise and calorie controlled diet WTF no wounder the weight stripes off. If you actually look into credible research databases isogenix is not listed but yet the hoax on google and through the isogenix has produce this “so called reseach” which I suggest is backed by isogenix. One thing I find bizarre they claim that isogenic detoxifies our bodies well WTF are our liver and kidneys for. These quick fixes are a money making scheme which is not even approved by the AGA therefore not creditable what so ever.
Dani,
I just wanted to thank you for your review of Isagenix. I have been doing some research because some close friends have been pushing this product on me. However, with both parents as personal trainers and a history of being in top shape, I know that this is not the right choice. I’m too nice to let my friends down without some real facts to back up my reasons why and your review gave me a lot to work with!
Shakes, fads, and quick fixes are temporary fixes to a bigger issue in my opinion. Yeah, I can detox, drink shakes and a few healthy meals a day but am I willing to do that for the rest of my life so I can lose weight? Hell no. I’ll stick to eating 6 times a day, eating my dozen egg whites and veggies, chicken and tilapia. I’d rather invest my money in real food.
-Patrice
Thanks for the comment Patrice! I will however suggest eating egg yolks and other healthy fats. The yolks are the most nutritious part of the egg: https://ancestral-nutrition.com/egg-white-or-whole-eggs-which-is-healthier/
Hey there,
I just happened upon this blog when researching if Isagenix can actually cause weight gain.
Yes, I said weight gain.
I have been an associate of Isagenix for the past 13 months and I dutifully get my autoships every 29 days and order the required amount of product to maintain my discount.
The ingredients listed are accurate. There is also stevia in this product, which is all natural.
I initially lost 13 lbs with an original weight of 148 lbs. I was 45 y/o, 5’8 and athletic.
I did not have much to lose, I just wanted to firm up.
I started this program with the 30 day cleanse and it was very easy. I still spend roughly $250.00/month in purchases to keep my shakes coming.
I am addicted to the ease of use with this product because it is much easier to mix a shake than plan and cook a healthy meal, especially at my place of business and with the hours I work. I felt good knowing that I was getting a nutritional meal replacement.
That being said, I now cannot lose any weight at all. I have blossomed from my usual 135lbs to almost 150lbs, and my abdomen is distended significantly. My medical checkup is clear except for 2 adhesions on my liver, perfectly round, which I never had before this year.
I do believe the Isalean shakes can cause bloating, because that is how I feel. Bloated. Constipated. I can no longer button jeans that fit me fine up until they reached my distended belly. This is in the wake of drinking adequate water and exercising and confirming ( on multiple occasions) that I am not pregnant (which would make me very happy if I were).
I am concerned now because all I am eating some days are the Isagenix shakes in the morning and at lunch with some healthy snacks in between. My calories are easy to control with Isagenix.
I believe this program is great as a kick-start to begin weight loss but for long term one must have another solution, i.e. a good clean eating program.
Dani, thank you for your blog. I’m glad I found you. Keep up the good work.
Marie
Thanks for the great comment and for sharing your story! I really appreciate it, hopefully it will help people.
The people touting the benefits of Isagenix are not nutritionists either. It’s formulated by chemists.
Agree, you should really educate yourself on the nutritional system and the science of the body!
You ask what credentials the blog poster has which is probably reasonable, but then fail to provide your own bonafides or credentials as you proceed to criticize this persons obvious fairly unbiased general information, which by the way does not require the need to have any particular certification to provide for it is available webwide as well as through professional health resources.
Any educated person with sufficient knowledge of health, nutrition or medicine can provide information like this blogger has and it is just as legitimate as any health or other professional could give.
Where is your data or information to refute what this person has so carefully provided?
The danger is NOT this blogger but people like you who doubt anyone who is willing and able to challenge the notion that big business and commercial enterprises in agriculture are not causing mahem and risks to the health of consumers by nefarious food processing and food additive practices. Consumers have been too used to just trusting manufacturers and not questioning what goes in to the food and other products we eat.
Instead of criticizing in an unqualified way you should compliment this person for taking the time and trouble to bring to light some very disturbing facts (that are supported by the references provided).
And in case you question my qualifications I am a retired military health care provider with training and experience in nutrition and exercise science and environmental health.
“The danger is NOT this blogger but people like you who doubt anyone who is willing and able to challenge the notion that big business and commercial enterprises in agriculture are not causing mahem and risks to the health of consumers by nefarious food processing and food additive practices. Consumers have been too used to just trusting manufacturers and not questioning what goes in to the food and other products we eat.”
YES!! Thank you for the amazing comment.
I find it interesting that the very people who accuse the author of giving inaccurate information do not bother to cite the source for their own. I found the author extremely unbiased, and also very helpful.
Thanks, Susie!
I’d like to know exactly where you get your research that verified that today’s foods are not as nutrient dense as they used to be. That might (MIGHT) be true of GMO and/or conventionally grown produce, but organic? No. If you disagree, show credible evidence. Just because someone’s story (ie sales pitch) is good, doesn’t mean it’s true.
I can tell you are part of the MLM cult mindset. Believe whatever they tell you so you can sell and make money. Sadly, most MLM sales people barely make enough to cover their own purchases.
I have actually taking Isagenix to a nutritionist and she told me how horrible it was. I even had it tested on me through Nutrition Response Testing ( NRT) and it was a fail, my body did not like it. So she is absolutely right. The stuff is pure crap. Do a standard process cleanse instead. The company is very reputable and only give accounts to nutritionist and nutrition student. That in it’s self tells you how good their products are. There is no pyramid scheme involved. Isagenix doesn’t care about your health they only want to make money that is why there products are crap. Synthetic vitamins are used and synthetic vitamins have been shown to cause disease ( ex. Synthetic vitamin E has been shown to increase your risk of heart disease where whole food vitamin E has been shown to decrease heart disease. See the difference. I have messed up my endocrine system from using things like herbal life and other “natural” weight loss supplements. I only take whole food supplements now.
Speaking of “credentials” …. Where might someone be able to review your own?
I tend to agree….just taking snapshots of ingredients list and saying what WebMD says about certain ingredients can be harmful when you post to be an ‘expert’. Any item in the wrong quantities (water incl.) can be harmful…
You need to take into account how long someone is using a product, how much, are they doing other exercise etc. If someone’s diet only consisted of Isagenix I don’t think that would be good, however, a few items a day to help with energy, lower caloric intake while still giving high protein and helping someone get the energy to have longer days and exercise is a healthy thing.
No, not everyone has time or money to buy all the ingredients and prep them to make their own shakes. Also, the protein bars are awesome and I know many people who eat them as a better alternative to eating fast food (these are often guys who are driving all day long and just don’t take time to make lunches so they do the fast food routine). These bars are a much better option.
so you say “unbiased” and while you are using info right from the web site, it’s how you presented it that turns it very biased indeed. Isagenix also has many programs and fitness support programs that you can join – all of which to support and encourage people to reach their fitness goals…so I think that dedication should be rewarded…not put down. Just saying.
Read the labels and do your own research moron. Labels tell you what’s there. Science tells you if it’s good or bad. You have been deceived and now you want attack the credibility of the author. Typical.
Appreciate you sharing this. Very helpful. I am not a fan of some of the ingredients you mentioned either. I will be doing research into this. I have bought isagenix products have not shared it with anyone yet. What I do find interesting is everyone who puts down other companies says don’t take shakes etc they always have there own agenda to make money. I see you are no different since you have the best way so buy something from you since you know the better way…. something to think about
Thank you for writing such an informative and well-researched article. I have been saying this for years about Isagenix and you put it in such a wonderful and easy to understand format. I used to rep for a company called Biopharma Scientific. They were a wonderful, ethical whole-food non-MLM supplement company until they were sold and started to also compromise their sourcing of ingredients. Prior to that however, for 10 years, they were producing amazing products. At the time I worked with them as the Hawaii distributor, I made several trips to their headquarters in San Diego and met with their head formulator to discuss and learn about the particulars of each product. Isagenix came up one day in our training session and he told me and I quote, “I was their head formulator and I had to leave because what they were putting in their products was so un-ethical that I could not sleep at night.” There is a huge concentration of canoe club paddlers here that push it as “great nutrition for athletes” and get very rich off of signing up all their fellow club members. It’s disgusting stuff. I bought a month supply once years ago because my best friend’s Mom was selling it. I am a elite level athlete and wellness coach who eats very clean and only uses the cleanest and highest quality supplements. I immediately felt the chemicals in my body and felt so awful, I returned everything and said look, I’d rather lose money that put this crap in my body. What people don’t understand and what you so perfectly pointed out is that we cannot trust labels and we don’t always understand what these ingredients are or what they do! Thank you thank you thank you. I am going to do a blog post on my site about your article and also share it on social media. Well done. Aloha, Alyssa
What a snotty know-it-all piece of shit person you are, just disgusted by reading your “responses”. All you do is brush people off with some invented crap. I have nothing to do with isagenix and was looking for info against it – NOT found in your article, by the way – yeah, the one you’ve “researched”(my ass), it’s just a bunch of voodoo crap with no rhyme or reason, I have no idea why you claim all their ingredients are “not naturally occurring” and your claim about folic acid is simply idiotic: folic acid actually absorbs better than folate and DOES occur naturally in plenty of foods, you are simply full of utter shit, lady, using the fact that none of the readers of your hot air balloon blog have any brains of their own and typing up utter baloney to aggrandize yourself with outlandish claims.
Tanya HIcks, I am aware of how old your comment is but I just had to respond to your allegations towards Dani.
You point out absolutely nothing specific in a factual manner. To dispute or debunk ones assessment is tolerated by most open minded human beings, however, you specified nothing that you took issue with, just an overall attack- that you will spread her blog around to medical professionals. Why don’t you list the medical professionals, and what they take issue with? THat would then make you a little more credible. The way you presented yourself, is one that makes money selling this garbage to people who take your bait.
agree, Garden of Life has a certified organic non gmo plant based protein, great for vegetarians like me to get much needed protein in. I also agree that Isagenix is excellent for McDonald’s KFC or any junkfood ppl lifestyles. Not only is Isagenix a step above an otherwise toxic lifestyle, but it offers them a guide on how often to eat, and a discipline that they most likely never have attempted. Furthermore there is hope that they will eventually take their health further by Educating themselves, and posing these exact questions above and study/research. There is nothing quite like ingesting organic whole non processed foods, to live a healthy prosperous lifestyle. Thank you for sharing your research. Food for thought.
Just wanted to compliment this blogger for being honest and having the strength to consistently defend her views! I’ve been reading tons of reviews on protein powders and am super grateful to finally find some truth on the web! Kudos and keep up the good work :).
My mother believes that this brand relieves mental illnesses, such as depression and anxiety, she also believes it can cure my eating disorders, that cause internal bleeding. I myself doubt that such a product can be made to relieve both mental and physical illnesses. She said that her friends that have been doing this program have recently got off of depression and anxiety medicines. Which I find kind of unlikely, at the very least. My mother thinks that I should take this product, and is technically forcing this on me. I told her about hundred times that I believe eating healthier would be a better fix, than this program. I also told her that maybe therapy for my anxiety and depression would be even better than this, but she thinks its just a waste. I really would wish that there was some more research in this product on how it helps the immune, digestive system and the brain itself. But I myself is not the best researcher.
Jayden, please see a professional therapist. These products do not cure depression or anxiety. Please, I beg of you, find a good doctor that you trust, one that will work with you to achieve your mental and physical goals in a healthy manner.
I dare you to try putting the 30 day system in your body in addition to what you currently consume OR replace 2 snacks/meals with shakes (not focused on the AMAZING weight balance, cherry on the top component) and tell me as you vlog about it and tell me that you dont FEEL. A difference. What have you got to lose? Besides body fat? You have everything to gain… including lean muscle, amazing skin that people will absolutely notice, and energy?? Unless your pride interferes with the potential for you to eat some tasty humble pie to balance out your life… oh and it’d balance that cortisol that is clearly out of whack. I can feel your angsty energy through each word. Let me know! I would bring popcorn to that show!
Y our a idiot all this info is accurate
Amazing, really! Way to put it all out there.
“Like Herbalife, Isagenix may be an effective weight loss tool. So is anorexia. Does that make it healthy? Does that mean a person should use it to lose weight? No.”
Thanks Carly!
I was nearly dead when I started Isagenix 3 years ago. Now I an healthy and in the best condition of my life. It is sad that you bash products that work so you can charge people $80 an hour to coach them. Shame on you. You are evil.
I understand that you know nothing about basic nutrition and how damaging the ingredients in Isagenix are to the humany body, but to call me evil a bit of a stretch, don’t ya think?
I find the fact that we have lost the ability to eat correctly astonishing. All these supplements,quick fixes,wonder drugs etc. They are all lies! We have allowed ourselves to be completely dumbed down! My basic philosophy is: Move regularly with intensity. Eat the most natural,whole foods you can and just monitor your portion sizes. It`s not rocket science..is it? Avoid the obvious foods like soft drinks,processed foods etc. Surely it can be THAT hard? I think the majority of the problem is that people have just become far too lazy and are too quick to blame everybody else for their own lack of discipline.
Please enlighten me Dani on how many people you have helped with being healthier and happy with yourself. Regardless of what you say is toxic etc I couldn’t two sh*ts about that at all. But the people that you have helped acheive their fitness goals compared to Isagenix. I am not sure as to whether it is comparable. The information you have given maybe true but think about the lives that this product is changing perhaps? You call that sly, another MLM scheme and complain that they dont sure everything. WHo cares it changes lives!
Wow Laurie calling someone evil because you disagree on nutrition?? Really?
You need to pull your head in get a life and some perspective. Plus so knowledge on nutrition. As clearly these products are loaded with unhealthy ingredients.
Wow, what do have against a good diet exactly? These products offer a legitimate quick fix for very sick, very lazy, very broke and very desperate and also very sales-orientated people (network marketing scheme) It works for them but for others who lead a normal life , earn an income and eat well and exercise, they can be unhealthy and unnecessary products. Only internet trolls (so many in this blog – named) would stoop to calling people evil, when they are presenting factual information. Who care if Dani charges for health advice? That doesn’t change the fact that she is correct about some of the ingredients you twirp. Just because you were nearly dead does not mean it’s good for everyone!!! Get some real scientific knowledge. You were nearly dead remember – gotta ask yourself why !!! Keep up the good honest approach Dani…..dont worry about the trolls on this blog. They all deserve a lot worse, given the problems they cause
Awesome Laurie!!
Some people don’t get it.
MOST people do!
I take it “nearly dead” means you know nothing about nutrition and were stuffing your face with crap. You are the only sort of person a ‘cleansing’ diet could possibly benefit. If you learned basic nutrition you would have found a cheaper and healthier way to lose weight. You don’t need to pay someone $80 an hour, you just have to read.
This may be one of the stupidest comments I’ve ever heard regarding the anorexia comment. I’m a physician of 18 years. I’ve been using this product in my practice for the past 3 years and have seen some amazing, Life changing results!! People who have lost over 100 pounds, people who are off ALL meds, people who no longer have type 2 Diabetes. You can break down most ingredients and find “something ” that’s conflicting. However, look at the big picture. Millions of people are getting healthy!!
Well that’s not nice, I wouldn’t call you stupid for recommend toxic products to your patients.
I acknowledged that people lost weight, and people likely go off meds that are associated with excess weight. Perhaps you didn’t read, or simply didn’t understand the part where I said weight loss is not synonymous with health. I used the anorexia analogy to emphasize this point.
I think any good doctor would agree that weight loss isn’t healthy if it’s not obtained in a healthy manner.
What about the doctors that administer HCG? Are they stupid?
Again, if you don’t know what it feels like to be overweight and have a problem with food, then you should either consult a friend who is or…
take a seat.
Everyone has to start somewhere and I know plenty of people that don’t like healthy food (or health critics).It’s a little more complex than you can imagine, I promise you.
They may not be stupid, but they’re at least bad doctors who don’t care about their patients’ health.
Again, it’s literally my job to talk about these things and coach people. I thought that was obvious.
Fantastic response Dani to thecso called DR Paul…
she is absolutely 100% right. What exactly do Doctors know about nutrients, nutritional ingredients, food chemistry, and weightloss?
Anorexia and Isagenix are synonymous methods of losing weight in a very unhealthy way. Just ask Nutrition Professionals to break it down for ya, you might learn something. Please stop giving your patients this crap, it’s abusive to the Digestive System.
Show us your credentials, Jeff. Where do you practice medicine? Refer me to the peer-reviewed scientific studies that show “millions of people are getting healthy”. Men of science don’t speak in broad, sweeping, unsubstantiated statements. At $300+ a month over years of use, this product will create broke diet-addicts. Sustained results can be achieved more successfully and safely with exercise, whole foods and relative portion size to weight ratio. Do you have a relative selling this product?
I posted this under the wrong reply? It was meant to address Jeff’s comment that lies 3 above mine. 🙂
Im surprised you would recommend such toxic products to your patients, if you really are a doctor. Of course you make money off it so that makes sense.
If I switch from crack cocaine to marijuana I will infact be healthier, it doesn’t mean it’s the best possible solution Dr. Most people have zero clue about nutrition so if they restrict caloric intake and do a cleanse it’s superior to eating fat food on a daily basis, but not the ticket to optimal health
This is also my favorite comment.
does this company teach people how to eat? how to choose a healthy eating plan and adopt it for a lifestyle change? or just drink their shakes and hope for the best?
Dani, I’d like to hear a response to Deborah R’s question. ISA do they teach their clients how to actually eat a healthy diet?
No, they do not teach people how to eat healthy. The food they do recommend is also largely low-fat, high-grain, processed stuff.
Yes it does actually. Teaches you all about organic healthy living and foods to eat and not to eat. I could go on , but you aren’t here to learn anything. Clearly you don’t have any knowledge of the company or products. It fascinates me how with no infotmation u still feel comfortable talking.
Oh really James? Looks like to me they’re still promoting low-fat, egg whites, wheat and yet again – rancid vegetable oils. This ain’t 1983. Someone needs to catch up with nutritional science.
It fascinates me how Isagenix supporters still feel comfortable coming at me WHEN THEY HAVE NO INFORMATION. Get a clue, bro.
http://www.isagenix.com/en-CA/products/recipes/low-cal-entrees/low-calorie-salmon-recipe
http://www.isagenix.com/en-CA/products/recipes/low-cal-entrees/protein-pancakes-recipe
http://www.isagenix.com/en-CA/products/recipes/low-cal-entrees/egg-white-oatmea-scramble-recipe
http://www.isagenix.com/en-CA/products/recipes/low-cal-entrees/low-calorie-golden-chicken-recipe
It teaches them to be dependent upon their products so they have repeat business every month. That’s what an MLM does. If these were miracle products whose ingredients could be proven healthy, Isagenix would make a hell of a lot more money selling in mainstream. If so great why aren’t they endorsed by the cancer society for patients needing a healthy diet through chemo… or as an alternative to life altering lap band or gastric bypass surgery? It is very unhealthy to drink 2 meals a day… our bodies were designed to chew and digest… and if you are going to drink meals for convenience a Nutri Bullet and fresh fruits and veggies will do the trick with more nutrition. Sorry – I’m a health coach too… food will always prevail with me as well.
I think most people would agree that whole, from nature, in season, organic, etc etc foods are always best. But unfortunately eating that way 100% of the time is not always realistic for many people (time, money, fitness goals, etc). I use a variety of shakes for that reason, not because I think they have magical powers or are better than whole foods. If I had all the time and money in the world there are certainly ways I would eat different, but for now I just have to do the best with the resources available and what works for me. In the Herbalife post, comparing to anorexia is a low blow.. especially to people who have struggled with it! JMO
If someone needs to take a protein shake, that’s fine. I recommend this one: http://amzn.to/1ayypJN one ingredients, grass-fed, raw. It’s such a healthier option.
I didn’t mean to be insensitive about the anorexia comment. It’s just that so many people were telling me, “well it’s a weight loss tool, it’s helps people lose weight.” And I thought that was such poor logic, which is why I drew the comparison to anorexia.
Great answer! Well done. Why eat “pretend food” when you can get the real thing by eating organic and wholesome food. Meal replacements are dangerous, especially with the toxins in this. The ingredient list is shocking! People are obviously uneducated about these things and are just desperate to lose weight without understanding the facts. I feel sorry for them that these things are marketed the way that are and people believe it! Crazy!
Great job though!! 🙂
Thanks Kirsten!
Well I would call it food !!! Being a gastric cancer survivor and not having a stomach I rely on liquid nutrition. I have tried what you call real food and get nothing from it, so my only option is food like Isagenix.
It has given me energy and wellness, I have tried the medical versions such as Ensure and Sustegen, which both contain Soy Whey as well as other ingredients that are intolerable to process.Also a variety of protein shakes that all left me feeling I’ll and gastric.
The Isagenix shakes have not had these effects and for anyone that cannot digest REAL food as you put it they are a godsend.
Congrats on being a gastric cancer survivor! That’s wonderful and I wish you the best.
This is completely non topic related but you should get a nutribullet! Those things are amazing 🙂 you can blitz anything into a smoothie
I have a Vitamix!
Have you tried shakes from standard process. So much better in nutrition and it’s a whole food source instead of a source of synthetic vitamins. Also the fact that you are cancer survivor and there is fructose in isagenix products is not good. Sugar feeds and breeds cancer even to much fructose.
I do enjoy your site Dani, have visited it numerous times. Am a little disappointed in this article however, instead of taking a researched approach it seems you are only looking topically at the system. The College of Applied Sciences and their clinically backed research holds more factual, referenced truth than a quick blog post based on biased reporting or personal opinion. You are also selling a service of $130 a month, clearly stating your monetary compensation disclaimer, who is to say that you aren’t paid to write harmful reviews, in order to attract more attention to your service? Increasing your overall orders, paid promotion of other products, or kickbacks. Seems like more of a case of “people who live in glass houses shouldn’t throw stones”.
https://media01.isagenix.com/corporate/ww/pdfs/Isagenix_Clinical_Research_Summary.pdf
I did take a researched approach. I researched the ingredients, which are clearly very toxic. This article highlights that and draws attention to it.
My opinion isn’t biased, I don’t use the product, I don’t sell the product, I don’t receive monetary compensation for writing this. Who the heck would even pay me for writing a review like this? But the link you provided is biased, clinical research backed and funded by Isagenix. This isn’t independent clinical research.
“UIC study finds subjects on Isagenix products lost more body fat, lost more visceral fat, showed greater adherence, and showed greater improvement across several cardiovascular biomarkers in comparison to a leading “heart-healthy” diet*”
But they do not disclose was that diet was. I would challenge them to compare a nutritional plan that I have personalized for a client versus a person simply drinking/eating their toxic food. Additionally, “heart-healthy” diets are often high in PUFAs and grains, and low in grass-fed/wild proteins and saturated fat. These “heart-healthy” diets are not heart healthy, and they do not help people lose weight, fat, or regulate blood sugar.
I do offer coaching, yes. Because I am a health coach. This is a health coaching website. I make that very clear. What it comes down to is facts, and not studies that can be skewed. The fact is, Isagenix products contains harmful, toxic ingredients. There’s no getting around that.
If I knew nothing more about Isagenix than that its proponents are exceedingly defensive, it would be sufficient basis for rejecting the product. However based on your common-sense analysis (I did not need to check your credentials) I know way more than I need to know. Indeed, the most damning evidence you presented was simply the ingredients lists! I remember Michael Pollan writing, if it has more than five ingredients, don’t eat it.
How can anyone call Isagenix ‘toxic food’, let alone ‘highly toxic’ ? Why not pick on a system that clearly is? Pick on Body Bi Vi where people are getting sick from the stuff…. instead of Isagenix that is changing people’s lives and health for the better.
I think I’ve made it clear why I called Isagenix a highly toxic food. Also, I wouldn’t even call it food.
And I just saw another post about your “recommended” shake, you know, it you’re going to shake it, might as well be the one I say you should.
Which, of course, is an affiliate link.
Double hypocrite.
I will never understand why Isagenix users care that I use affiliate links (or that I’m a coach, or that I sell essential oils). This website is my full-time job. Do you not understand that the whole point is to monetize while helping people?
And how in the world does that make me a hypocrite? I’m not sure you know the definition of a hypocrite.
you’d better inform the heart association about canola oil My husband just recently left the cardiac unit and was given information about what fats are healthy and Canola oil was the healthiest on their list
Seriously if I didnt use Isagenix before reading your article- I’d start . You are just a tiny bit over the top little girl.
You clearly have NOT done accurate research on Isagenix! Don’t bash another company to promote yourself! Pretty pathetic, and not very professional. Just ONE thing you’re wrong about…the protein is from grass fed cows who graze on the pristine land of New Zeland!
Okay, assuming this product contain grass-fed milk (which it says NOWHERE on their website) how do you explain soybean oil, fractionated palm oil, isolated fructose, additives, etc?
How is that healthy?
http://www.isagenixhealth.net/battling-myths-and-misconceptions-circulated-on-the-internet/
http://www.isagenixhealth.net/why-choose-whey-from-new-zealand-antibiotic-hormone-free-cows/
http://www.isagenixhealth.net/whey-protein-concentrate-a-brief-summary/
I suggest you do a little more research and homework before you bash a company’s reputation. Isagenix has a “NO COMPROMISE” policy and is changing the lives of thousands, both physically and financially. Does that threaten your ability to make a living with your “oils”? Not sure why you hate on so many companies, but it’s obvious you do.
I’ve been in this industry since you were still crawling around eating GMO food your mom certainly fed you, and I can tell you that if you think that “WHOLE” foods are something that the average person can afford to put in their body and get as much nutrition as in just 1 shake by Isagenix, then you are sorely mistaken. That’s a thing of the past my dear.
Maybe in 1950 you could eat a balanced diet and get all of your dietary requirements for a day, but those days are long gone.
I recommend you read: http://www.amazon.com/The-Silent-Scandal-Attack-Bodies/dp/1935723936
Good luck!
Hey girl. I see you couldn’t answer my questions on my Facebook so are resorting to commenting here (but still not answering my question about what information I falsified – which is highly offensive).
Let me give you a little advice, when you’re trying to prove your point, it’s not legitimate to do so by linking to the very company that I’m arguing against. Of course they’re going to say their ingredients aren’t toxic. And simply stating “myth versus fact” without any third party links or valid studies to verify their claims in hilarious.
Mind you – the very fact that you accused me of falsifying information and ingredients is you indirectly acknowledging that they use toxic ingredients.
As for your other links, they’re about the whey in the products. Can you comment on the gluten, canola oil, fructose, agave, soy or synthetic vitamins? Because no other Isagenix peddler has been able to give me a valid explanation as to why these toxic ingredients are in the products.
I “bash” so many companies because my readers have been duped by these companies and by distributors like yourself who have no nutritional knowledge and ask me to do reviews.
Lastly, length of time in this industry does not mean you know about nutrition (or maybe you do and still sell Isagenix for financial benefit). “if you think that “WHOLE” foods are something that the average person can afford to put in their body and get as much nutrition as in just 1 shake by Isagenix, then you are sorely mistaken.” So the average person can afford to spend hundreds of dollars a month on these products full of synthetic vitamins that can’t be absorbed? That doesn’t even make sense.
I know that companies like this try to promote this ridiculous idea that you can’t get your nutrition from food so instead you have to buy their products full of toxic ingredients and synthetic vitamins. That’s a joke. Between local, organic food and targeted, individualized and food-based supplements, people can get everything they need.
I suggest you do a little more research on the toxic products you’re selling to people who don’t know any better. They are who I wrote this for.
How can it save people financially? The shit is almost 400 a month for one person. You have to be rich to afford the products
I AGREE!! I DID THE RESEARCH AND THIS IS NOT AT ALL CONGRUENT!!! THEIR PRODUCTS ARE GMO FREE, MOSTLY ORGANIC, AND THE PROTEIN IS GRASS FED RAW UNDENTURED… SAD THING IS IS LIKE HER HER READERS PROBABLY WONT DO THE RESEARCH EITHER:(
How did I not do research?
The ingredients in these products are pulled directly from the Isagenix website.
Please explain to me how soybean oil, isolated fructose, synthetic vitamins, gluten, etc. are good for you?
You need to explain yourself better. You aren’t giving out researched information, You are giving out your opinion on the isagenix product.
If you want people to believe you, then back your information up with scientific based studies.
To help you here, first you state your theory “isagenix is bad” then you pull out the information that makes you believe that ” isagenix ingredients” lastly you cite a credible, peer-reviewed study. Preferably medical journals and stay away from .com websites as they aren’t always credible.
Then you can have a proper, educates discussion here and stop with the judgments and opinions.
Also you should know Isagenixs is not just a weight lose product. It is used by athletes of all sorts. If you want to have some more credibility, explain how body builders are to obtain there needed nutritional intake just on whole foods and organic foods? The amount of protein needed in one day is almost impossible to eat, thus the shakes are very helpful.
I am a very good eater. I am a clean eater but I also include the isagenix shakes. I have taken many different shakes – good ones- and I am getting the most from this shake product. The product does say GMO free, check your facts, so important!
I look forward to hearing about your proper researched opinion in the near future, as I like to learn and research everything I do. I am always open to knowing more about the products I consume But it needs to be researches, credible information.
But I caution you….. please don’t let your opinion and your credentials cloud the good intentions of people trying to get their lives back on track.
One more thing…. organic is kinda a joke, you know that right?? With the amount of pollution in our air, water and soil….. how can it be organic? Yes it can be free of pesticides, color, flavor and they have grown it to their best ability, but locally grown food is just as good. My opinion, organic is a money grab…. do I not buy organic? No! But I most certainly don’t buy only organic. I do buy 90% of my produce and meats from Canada though… keeping local 🙂 But that’s just my opinion…. and I don’t judge or recommend anyone do anything but what they want 🙂
Michele BScN, RN
Please see my updated article. I further explain the issue with the ingredients.
Please explain how soybean oil, fructose, agave, maltodextrin, Isomaltooligosaccharide, corn, tricalcium phosphate, etc are nutritionally beneficial?
I buy local and organic food from farms near me. No, organic is not a joke (but it can be).
What’s disconcerting to me is the culty behavior of all these Isagenix drones. “You must use Isagenix. Isagenix is like manna from the Gods. How dare you criticize it! It heals the world!” Blahblahblah. So annoying and anyone with half a thought in their brain could see through this rubbish. Dani, thanks for all you do and ignore the trolls. They are all brainwashed. I’m sure some people are “healed” and lost weight and cured of every disease under the sun but the fact of how they attack and defend and argue would make me run for the hills and never even consider their products. I know a few Isa-head drones in real life and every conversation is a ploy to get me to “just try the healthy lifestyle”, “just give it 30 days”, “don’t you want more energy?” blahblah and even one has gone so far as to say that my doctor who treats me via functional medicine and nutrition is robbing me of money and she wishes I could just try this program. Then she talks all about how much money she makes from the sales. I’m put off. I’m sticking with the ancestral nutrition route forever.
That’s awesome, thanks for the comment!
It’s funny that you should mention “Isa-head Drones” because the ones on here obviously don’t read their master’s literature thoroughly. It says in an article via their home page that when dealing with negativity against their life-blood product one should remember these 3 rules (and I’ve copied and pasted this);
Don’t click on it.
Don’t share it.
Don’t comment on it.
I guess the Isa-Drones commenting on here are failing Isa 101.
I am also sick of them. It’s a weird cult and I just don’t get it. They are skinny women selling to other skinny women who, apparently, have money to burn.
No one is asking about science based research. Dani is correct in everything she has said and my only critique would be to further back her current research by utilizing and citing additional sources backed by evidence based research. The critics on this site offer no back up of their opinions with anything more than what they have obviously bought into after some type of indoctrination into this program. As a RN and public health professional there is simply no research that supports this type of program as being ” good” for you. Any extreme reduction in calories, fasting, and eliminating real food will get you results if yyou’re looking to lose weight, however, over the long term because of the lack if research we really don’t know what type if long term effects this type of regimen may have on the body. The key here is to fully research not just the program but the ingredients and the claims any type of program makes. If you know a medical professional that you trust utilize their professional opinions. Lastly the mist credible information will be found in peer reviewed journals and publications. Be fully informed!!!!!!! One last thing…when you say that the protein is Ftom “grass fed cows grazing in the pristine lands in New Zealand” exactly HOW do you know this? Seriously. How in the world could you even verify this? HOW is that protein turned into the protein you consume in your shake? I’m sure that the process is not as “pristine” as you might think.
This article is actually ridiculous. I will continue to feed these products to not only myself, but also to my 1 year old son, and my husband. No one in my family needs to lose weight. We don’t need extra money, we eat organic local food, and I have plenty of time to cook, however, I have done my research and have taken these products to my doctor, and I know that Isagenix is one of the best things I could ever put into mine and my families bodies. I am sorry that you are missing out. Your loss.
Well, considering the ingredients, these are not products I would bring anywhere near my family.
wow, I hope for your sons sake that doesn’t come back to bite you..wow. I am no pediatrician however I do have three healthy children of my own and I would never, but that is just my personal opinion, feed them garbage from a can.
Really? What DO you feed them when you never open a can?
You are lucky indeed if you can feed them without opening a can, and I’m glad I have Isagenix to balance some of the stuff I do feed them in this busy life – at least I know they have had ONE healthy meal that day!
Agreed – this product is not FDA approved, nor is it recommended by a medical expert for children. You have no idea what the long term effects could be for your child 🙁 I have no pros or cons on using isagenix but I would be so careful about giving any supplements to a child unless on specific instruction from a paediatrician
Why the hell would you need a product like this for your one year old? That is scary.
Here is the facebook feed on this discussion…
Robbie Bianchi Pray I am curious… I read the ingredients and I am still confused. The last two protein products are made from exclusively grass fed undenatured protein from cows that are only milked 6 months of the year…
4 hours ago · Like
Robbie Bianchi Pray They have enzymes, probiotics, and no hydrogenated oil or agave or anything else on your list… I agree in a whole food diet and I encourage my clients to do that but I have found many of them need help taking baby steps and they can’t do it all right out the gate. Seems to me like this product is far better than what most people are putting into there body. It may give them an option as they develop new skills, habits, and learn how to manage their time. I have been on a whole food journey for the last 5 years and today I am much farther along than when I started. Am I perfect no but I keep on moving forward.
4 hours ago · Like
Robbie Bianchi Pray BTW the cows milk is also above our organic standards…
4 hours ago · Like
The Holistic Dude go get them tiger!!
4 hours ago · Like · 1
Ancestral Nutrition Robbie Bianchi Pray I have found nowhere on the Isagenix website that the whey they used is from grass-fed cows. I’ve found this on sites affiliated with Isagenix, but I think it’s highly suspicious that it’s not on their website. Plus, the milk is denatured, like non-fat dry milk powder, milk protein concentrate, etc. They also contain maltodextrin (often GMO derived, a food additive), they contain synthetic vitamins, isolated fructose (which is toxic to the liver), “natural” flavors, etc. I mean, technically MSG and aspartame can be labeled as natural flavors. I agree that protein shakes can be helpful for some people, which is why I recommend this one: http://amzn.to/1ayypJN (affiliate link).
4 hours ago · Like
Beverly Lancaster They will shut you down you are now a target.
4 hours ago · Like
Ancestral Nutrition Beverly Lancaster how would they do that?
4 hours ago · Like
Robbie Bianchi Pray I have their catalog right here in front of me…
Robbie Bianchi Pray’s photo.
3 hours ago · Like
Robbie Bianchi Pray
Robbie Bianchi Pray’s photo.
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Robbie Bianchi Pray
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3 hours ago · Like
Robbie Bianchi Pray
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3 hours ago · Like
Ancestral Nutrition Robbie Bianchi Pray so is your point that the catalog also doesn’t state that it’s grass-fed?
3 hours ago · Like
Robbie Bianchi Pray It does in two of the photos…
3 hours ago · Edited · Like
Ancestral Nutrition Robbie Bianchi Pray my bad, they hadn’t popped up yet. That’s great. But it doesn’t change the fact that the milk is not raw and IS denatured.
3 hours ago · Like
Robbie Bianchi Pray I have been researching this company for the last week so it is funny I stumbled across your post…
3 hours ago · Like
Ancestral Nutrition Robbie Bianchi Pray does their catalog address GMOs? It doesn’t on their website and they’re not verified GMO-free, but they do use GM dominated crops like soy and canola.
3 hours ago · Like
Robbie Bianchi Pray I looked… Here is what I found. First I contacted Isagenix directly
Robbie Bianchi Pray’s photo.
3 hours ago · Like
Robbie Bianchi Pray Next I went to Isagenixhealth.net to research…
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3 hours ago · Like
Robbie Bianchi Pray Here is the confirmation for countries who do not allow GMO
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Robbie Bianchi Pray Paragraph 2 explains low temp and filters as well as that it is a cold process. Other places I have found it said to be done at 104 degrees which is considered raw by all standards I have found…
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3 hours ago · Edited · Like
Robbie Bianchi Pray Jenna Dodge I am curious what you think?
3 hours ago · Like
Robbie Bianchi Pray and just one more pic about being organic and undenature out of the catalog
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3 hours ago · Edited · Like
Robbie Bianchi Pray In addition to “natural flavors”… I agree that there are a lot of things that may be included in this umbrella term and it just so happens that natural flavors can be one of them… I would not trust natural flavors in top ramen… But natural flavors is also a way for companies to not reveal everything so that their recipes will not be duplicated… I am not confident that you can confirm to your readers that this is not safe due to its “Natural Flavors.” You can find more on this exact topic by researching isagenixhealth.net. I am in no ways trying to convert you or trying to say this company is the golden goose. I just think that their protein is pretty great. It also tastes amazing:)
2 hours ago · Like
Ancestral Nutrition Robbie Bianchi Pray I didn’t even address the “natural flavors” in my post, which in hindsight I should have because it’s just another reason these products are not healthy. To each their own, it’s entirely up to you what you put in your body. Personally, I choose to avoid toxins and most likely GMOs, especially because I don’t want to support Monsanto. Also just as an FYI – it’s not legit to retrieve accurate, unbiased information from a website whose intention is to sell the very product you’re researching.
2 hours ago · Like
Robbie Bianchi Pray But we can trust you right? TOO FUNNY! The least you could do is say shit guess I was wrong… Your “research” from “THEIR” website is wrong! I am not here to fight but it is too bad that I no longer can trust you. I guess anybody can be a blogger:(
a few seconds ago · Like
Robbie Bianchi Pray
Crap SORRY you cannot see the pictures… You can find this discussion on her facebook page under her rant on ISAGENIX.
Let me help you out. Link is here, Robster: https://www.facebook.com/AncestralNutrition/posts/441269009315650?comment_id=2320486&offset=0&total_comments=45¬if_t=feed_comment
Get her Robbie! I dated a Bianchi years back…wonder if you’re related? I’m not certain who I can report her to for making false accusations, but I WILL find out. I think she’s messed with the wrong company! Thinking her best option is to retract her statement!
That’s what none of you Isagenix-pushers can answer, what false accusations am I making?!
These are the ingredients I pulled directly from their website, and I’m simply pointing them out. Not my fault if ya’ll didn’t do your due diligence before gobbling up this trash.
It is to bad Dani, for such an educated researcher you pinpointed a couple of ingredients which are in just about everything, and you used that to bash a company you obviously have no idea about…just some website information…there are 11 years of testimonials and scientific evidence backed by Isagenix…you should really further your research on solutions for getting people healthy and teaching them how to stay healthy…nothing is perfect we can only try and work together…if you have not tried something or know anyone who has tried it, how could you talk about it just by reading some information…You are missing out on the best solution in the world…If you really want to know what Isagenix has done for millions over the past 11 years , try it yourself and only then will you become a believer…results and stories do not lie my friend…i love that you are concerned and want to educate people, but make sure you know what you are talking about first…Proud Isagenix user for a long time, a health nut myself and have not found anything close to what this system has done, is doing and will continue to do for people…thank you:)
Please see my updated article. I further explain the issue with the ingredients.
Please explain how soybean oil, fructose, agave, maltodextrin, Isomaltooligosaccharide, corn, tricalcium phosphate, etc are nutritionally beneficial?
Posting the ingredients from the website and labeling them toxic without references is not due diligence. Name calling does not add to your reputation.
Please see my updated article. I further explain the issue with the ingredients.
Please explain how soybean oil, fructose, agave, maltodextrin, Isomaltooligosaccharide, corn, tricalcium phosphate, etc are nutritionally beneficial?
Funny how you’ve asked this question a dozen times and no one can answer it. I did the same thing on their Facebook page months ago and all anyone could say was that the multi vitamins were all whole food and Isagenix didn’t use anything synthetic. Lie. I was also told that they’re not certified organic because they get products from all over the world, some countries which do not certify. So if that’s the case, label the products with the ingredients that apparently ARE organic. The ingredients you’ve listed are not healthy, I’m sure some of the ingredients are… but seeing as the people consuming these products are most likely coming from a diet of McDonalds – they believe it’s healthy. They should get it right and say it’s healthIER than the crap they used to eat.
That’s what I think is strange, they say the products are organic and GM free, but they’re not certified. They should at least be certified GM free, I understand the organic certification is much more difficult to obtain.
And yeah, some of the ingredients are definitely healthy, but that doesn’t make the entire product healthy. Sometimes I add booze to my kombucha, that doesn’t make it a healthy drink! Just healthiER.
Thanks for the comment Blair!
Oh Boy, I am reading all this information about how ISAGENIX product is bad for you because of some ingredients and is wondering why is isagenix helping me. I am a cancel survivor and had developed allergies, joint pain, was tired and wipeout out. I am not an obese person and always eat healthy but yet have these problems. I used natural product to help my allergies and joint pain and it never work. Since I am using Isagenix, my allgeriies and joint pain are ALL GONE!!!. I am actually enjoying being outside again. I have so much energy and I feel my life is back. Fact is ISAGENIX WORKS FOR ME.
Definitely not a product I’d recommend for cancer survivors.
If they’re so great, you shouldn’t feel the need to ‘report’ anyone. People are welcome to make their own opinions on the subject and she wants people to be informed is all. We all own a brain and while most of us use it to make good choices, some make more informed choices. I personally would never put something from a can into my body, or my families body, but then I guess that’s because they’re my family and not yours. Not really sure why people are so passionate about a diet supplement…maybe because there is money involved. I know a large number of people in my town who have used it and only two have kept weight off and they are selling the product. Both have ‘fallen off the wagon’ as well. Another woman was over 400 pounds, took some weight off and put it all back on…most likely because of personal choices, of course. But healthy eating and exercise, again, in my opinion, are the best way…life style change, not change in a can. Also, what happens to all of the extra vitamins? They have to go somewhere right? kidneys? liver? I would be concerned
here is the link to her isagenix rant
https://www.facebook.com/AncestralNutrition/posts/441269009315650?comment_id=2320077&offset=0&total_comments=33¬if_t=feed_comment_reply
It is to bad Dani, for such an educated researcher you pinpointed a couple of ingredients which are in just about everything, and you used that to bash a company you obviously have no idea about…just some website information…there are 11 years of testimonials and scientific evidence backed by Isagenix…you should really further your research on solutions for getting people healthy and teaching them how to stay healthy…nothing is perfect we can only try and work together…if you have not tried something or know anyone who has tried it, how could you talk about it just by reading some information…You are missing out on the best solution in the world…If you really want to know what Isagenix has done for millions over the past 11 years , try it yourself and only then will you become a believer…results and stories do not lie my friend…i love that you are concerned and want to educate people, but make sure you know what you are talking about first…Proud Isagenix user for a long time, a health nut myself and have not found anything close to what this system has done, is doing and will continue to do for people…thank you:)
I guess I just don’t understand why people cannot just do what works for them! If eating pure and organic works for you… AWESOME!
If shakes are better and work for someone else (either due to lack of availability, time or taste)… GREAT!!
If you aren’t trying to sell them something, critic their choices! I know I wouldn’t put down someone’s choice of what type of vehicle they drive or what brand of running shoe they prefer!
What are your credentials? You criticize Isagenix while advertising Medifast on your page which I find totally amusing. Medifast has some of the worst ingredients of any shake out there!
I don’t advertise Medifast. It may have shown up on the sidebar, I don’t have control of those ads. Will look into.
Credentials clearly listed on about page.
If my students wrote a review like this they would get an F. The ingredients may come from Isagenix but your “facts” are not supported and are conflicting. Despite saying the use genetically modified ingredients you later state that you “doubt” that the products are non-GMO. That alone brings all other statements into question. You should back up your statements of the “toxic ingredients” with references, or are they specifically your opinion? Finally, you have neglected to reference your education/expertise.
Please see my updated article. I further explain the issue with the ingredients.
I will be honest, I rarely look at these types of articles let alone care to comment. But somebody wanted me to look at this. I for one am using isagenix. I have tried the Paleo diet. Although it is a great thing to use, the single biggest problem is you have no clue what is what. Even if you buy local or organic has no bearing if it is healthy or not. To slap an organic label while still using certain types of pesticides, herbicides and so forth still apply. My body personally can tell the difference.
Isagenix was the only thing that has helped me lose any weight at all. They try to base their products off the Paleo system. They strive for quality ingredients. While you may say some of those ingredients are bad or unhealthy, I personally will not argue that. They completely 100% are. However we are talking about the extract of a certain part that is healthy vs the whole part. That is a huge difference. The developer of the products is a master in the industry to know what is healthy and what isnt in most plants and other resources to get its products from.
Honestly, I could rant about this till im blue in the face. But no amount of ranting will mean anything because you do have some valid grounds but your missing the concepts of what Isagenix was based off of. The real quality of the stuff used (again my body can tell). But hey id be willing to even challenge you that if you worked with me directly, id probably gain 20-30 pounds no matter what you tried to do if I went Isagenix clean for a month. But at that point you would probably brush it off as a failure and I would be the one left to suffer the consequences .
I do encourage you to keep at what your doing tho. Despite im one of those rare exceptions where things have to be completely clean doesnt mean you shouldnt be at least attempting to educate people of how bad the toxicity and how bad food in general has become this generation. However I will say isagenix is not as bad as you think it is. Not by a long shot.
Hey Dani,
I’m an Isagenix user but am very new to the field of bodily health. Would you please point exactly which ingredients are related to your said rancid vegetable oils, oils from genetically modified crops, gluten, isolated fructose, additives and synthetic vitamins and minerals that are not bioavailable?
The soy they use is soy lecithen(sp?) which is used as an emulsifier and due to it’s trace amounts doesn’t worry me, and the agave syrup is pretty straight forward. I’d greatly appreciate it!
I’m going to do some research.
Cliff
Please see my updated article. I further explain the issue with the ingredients.
Canola oil, soy oil, fractionated palm kernel oil, sunflower oil are all rancid vegetable oils.
Gluten is in the SlimCake, possibly others.
They use soy oil.
Agave is extremely toxic.
Tequila is made from the agave plant, so it clearly has some good properties 🙂
Haha!
Do your own research people.
http://www.allaboutagave.com/
“The Aztecs prized the agave as a gift from the gods and used the liquid from its core to flavor foods and drinks. Now, due to increasing awareness of agave nectar’s many beneficial properties, it is becoming the preferred sweetener of health conscious consumers, doctors, and natural foods cooks alike.”
http://www.webmd.com/diet/healthy-kitchen-11/truth-about-gluten
“The market for gluten-free products is exploding. Why exactly we don’t know. Many people may just perceive that a gluten-free diet is healthier. In fact, it isn’t. For people with celiac disease, a gluten-free diet is essential. But for others, unless people are very careful, a gluten-free diet can lack vitamins, minerals, and fiber.”
http://www.fitday.com/fitness-articles/nutrition/healthy-eating/the-nutrition-of-soybean-oil.html#b
“Soybean oil contains no cholesterol, which makes it a perfect choice for individuals with heart disease or high cholesterol.
The fats in soybean oil are polyunsaturated which have shown to help reduce total cholesterol, lower LDL or bad cholesterol levels and increase HDL or good cholesterol levels.
Soybean oil has omega-3 fatty acids, which have shown to reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease, slow the growth of atherosclerotic plaque, slow the risk of arrhythmias or abnormal heartbeats and decrease triglyceride levels.
Soybeans naturally contain antioxidants, which remain in the oil even after it is pressed. These antioxidants help prevent the damage caused by free radicals, which may help prevent certain cancers.”
http://www.livestrong.com/article/458009-is-sunflower-oil-healthy/
“Choosing healthier sources of fat can lower your risk for heart disease, and sunflower oil may help. Most of the fat in sunflower oil is unsaturated, and this oil is a nutrient-dense food, according to the 2010 Dietary Guidelines from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. In moderation, sunflower oil may provide certain health benefits as part of an overall balanced diet.”
fractionated palm kernel oil is criticized for it’s slightly higher (but not necessarily unhealthy) fat content… what can you do?… not everything you eat can be 100% fat free and unless you’re consuming ridiculous amounts of it on a daily basis, it’s not going to harm you. A certain amount of fat is actually required by the body for sustenance.
http://health.howstuffworks.com/wellness/food-nutrition/facts/what-is-canola-oil.htm
“What can be said with confidence is that drizzling some cold-pressed organic canola oil on your salad won’t do you any harm. Notice the “cold-pressed” qualifier there: Old-fashioned heat-refined canola oil is pretty bland, but more recent cold-pressing methods have resulted in a nutty-tasting oil that makes a nice contribution to a vinaigrette.”
I have only just begun researching Isagenix today, I am neither a consumer nor an affiliate for their, or any other product. Your article was the first one I came across and you lost me at “unbiased”…
New health studies come out on different products every other day and your years old information means bugger all now. Please update your knowledge base, research more thoroughly, then form a genuinely unbiased report based on current studies and information.
At first I thought this comment was a joke, and am kind of stunned that it’s serious.
You’re telling people to do their own research, and your “research” is from links that actually promote and SELL agave, Livestrong and Fit Day? You do realize that these are not even close to credible sources, right? Of course allaboutagave.com is going to promote agave – they sell the junk! I mean, this is basic common sense.
I don’t even know why I’m responding to this as opposed to trashing this comment. It’s evident that you know nothing about nutrition – you just said soybean oil is high in omega-3s. Uh no, it’s high in omega-6 which causes inflammation and heart disease. This is literally a fact. Not to mention the fact that soy oil is extracted used hexane – a neurotoxin. I’ve provided several credible links about soy oil. Please look for them in the comments section, it’s incredibly frustrating to repeat myself almost daily to people who don’t have the slightest grasp on nutrition. And unlike you, my sources are from sources that are actually credible – i.e. PubMed.
Again, before you tell me to research more thoroughly, you might want to learn how to properly research at all. You clearly have no idea how to do so.
Dani Stout,
You do not mention your credentials as a certified health coach. Where did you get your training and certification as a “health coach” from, the University of ITIKWIATA (I think I know what I am talking about)?
You are correct to say you are not lying about the ingredients in Isagenix, for these are the ingredient labels from some of the Isagenix products. Clearly, putting these ingredient labels on the internet proves the company has nothing to hide. As I read through these labels, I see healthy ingredients and nothing that would worry me nor my doctors that have reviewed the labels too.
Now, your research leaves a little to be desired. I do not see your sources as to how or where any of your rancid or toxic claims come from. What scientific labs did you use to test these products? What independent University studies are you referring to in the statements you are making? Should we all believe your personal opinion as fact just because you said so? Well, I know a lot of people that will give you their word that bigfoot is real.
Lastly, unless you have more than your personal opinion to stand on, I suggest you look up the word SLANDER and while you are at it, find a good lawyer.
I very clearly mention my credentials as a health coach, right on the “About” page.
Please see my updated article. I further explain the issue with the ingredients.
Please explain how soybean oil, fructose, agave, maltodextrin, Isomaltooligosaccharide, corn, tricalcium phosphate, etc are nutritionally beneficial?
Soybean oil, fractionated palm kernel oil, canola oil, sunflower oil, etc are all rancid vegetable oils.
I’m not sure you understand the definition of slander. What false claims have I made?
I believe her use of “rancid” comes from the chemical domain, meaning an oil that has been oxidized, which will occur when it is exposed to high heat (which is the method of extraction/refining used for Canola and usually other oils). It is not from the vernacular domain, where “rancid” just means spoiled or rotted.
Oxidation from high heat is also why oils should not be heated to and beyond their smoke point — if it’s smoking, then it’s oxidizing, and becomes harmful.
I would encourage you to call the company and talk to the direct heads of departments before making such a false claim. Where is soybean oil listed in an of our ingredients? Lecithin yes but not oil. DO you know that New Zealand actually has higher milking standards than the USDA organic? just because YOU believe some of these ingredients are toxic means nothing..God created all sorts of food from the earth and it has only been the last few years we have decided foods that God created are “unhealthy.” ISagenix has saved many people’s lives and their health, whether they “sell” or not. So I just think it is very unprofessional to bash a company so rudely before knowing all the facts. You did yourself a blogging disservice.
Soybean oil is in the FiberSnacks.
Please see my updated article. I further explain the issue with the ingredients.
Please explain how soybean oil, fructose, agave, maltodextrin, Isomaltooligosaccharide, corn, tricalcium phosphate, etc are nutritionally beneficial?
I have been using isagenix products for over 12 months now. I do my research before letting anything enter my body. There are a number of incorrect assertions made by the author.
Firstly Isagenix has a strict no GMO ingredients policy. Details of this are found on their site http://www.isagenixhealth.net/are-isagenix-products-free-of-gm-ingredients-answer-yes/
There is only 1 product out of 47 that contains gluten it is the slimcakes which contain oats and wheat flour and therefore not suitable for gluten intolerant people. Their meal replacement shakes do not contain gluten, which is the main product people use to loose weight. Many gluten intolerant people use the products. You can find this on the allergen table http://media01.isagenix.com/corporate/ww/pdfs/Allergen-Table-2012.pdf
Soy protein is not in any of their products. Purified soy lecithin is in some of their products including the Black Sesame shake (but not the french vanilla or dutch chocolate or berry harvest shakes). However the lecithin is not the same as the protein as the author would know. It’s the protein that is the hormone disrupter. More details on why isagenix uses soy lecithin is found on their site http://www.isagenixhealth.net/why-is-soy-lecithin-used-in-isagenix-products/
Fructose from organic sugar beet is used in the shakes. Fructose is much better to be using than artificial sweetners and flavourings which you won’t find in isagenix products at all. Fructose is also low glycemic (32) and increases blood sugar control so is a better choice for diabetics. You won’t find high fructose corn syrup in any of the products. Details can be found in this referenced article http://www.isagenixhealth.net/fructose-is-not-toxic-and-can-help-control-blood-sugar/
Isagenix uses many organic ingredients, however finished products can not be certified organic as some ingredients are sourced from parts of the world where organic certification doesn’t exist. However the whey protein in the shakes is from milk from pasture fed cows without any antibiotics / growth hormones and only milked according to season. This protein is processed at low temperatures to ensure the immune boosting immunoglobulins are kept intact along with active peptides and digestive enzymes like lactase found naturally in milk (but destroyed from typical pasteurised milk you get from the shops) The cows are raised on NZ farms and exceeds USDA organic standards. More details found here http://www.isagenixhealth.net/top-25-questions-about-isagenix-and-nutritional-cleansing/ and here
http://www.isagenixhealth.net/why-use-new-zealand-whey-grain-fed-cows-are-sick/
Isagenix is very strict with their product testing. Testing raw ingredients and the finished product for heavy metals, pesticides herbicides etc etc They spend a lot of money each year on this http://www.isagenixhealth.net/what-it-means-to-have-no-compromise-quality/
http://www.isagenixhealth.net/isagenix-quality-assurance-doesnt-cut-corners/
The vitamins are designed for maximum absorbtion and bioavailability. More details on the process in designing the multivitamin for instance is found at http://www.isagenixhealth.net/are-you-getting-enough-from-your-multivitamin/
Isagenix also doesn’t use synthetically derived vitamins through coal tar, nicotein or petrochemicals. More details on the natural fat soluble and water fermented vitamins are at http://www.isagenixhealth.net/vitamins-natural-versus-synthetic/
Not sure what the author means by additives? There are no artificial chemicals, flavours or sweetners. More details on the natural flavours and what this term means can be found at http://www.isagenixhealth.net/what-are-natural-flavors/
There are some vegetable oils contained in products however these are non-hydrogenated. Meaning they do not have trans fatty acids like hydrogenated oils do. Palm Kernel Oil is a stable vegetable oil that is extracted from the seed of Elaeis guineensis, the oil palm. Thriving in tropical areas, oil palm is commonly found in Southeast Asia and central Africa. Palm kernel oil is solid at room temperature, which is something that is unique for a plant-based oil. The reason is because of its high content in the medium-chain triglyceride lauric acid (similar to coconut oil).
A cardio-friendly alternative to animal fat, palm kernel oil is free of dietary cholesterol, and there is no evidence that it increases production of cholesterol in the body. More details at http://www.isagenixhealth.net/whats-in-my-top-5-ingredient-questions-explained/
As far as isagenix using organic agave. I wouldn’t be concerned seems it’s a beat up by Dr Mercola and others all referencing a guy who runs an energy drink company. More details here http://betterworldcookies.blogspot.com.au/2010/06/why-i-use-agave-nectar-examination-of.html
http://www.globalhealingcenter.com/natural-health/agave-nectar/
If you have any more questions about product ingredients etc, you can send isagenix an email on the http://www.isagenixhealth.net site. I have found them most helpful in the past.
They also have a daily product call with Dr Ina a clinical nutritionist available to answer questions. Details of her calls are on http://www.isafyi.com
Basically a word of advice, before you go attacking a company next time, do more research, don’t jump to conclusions and don’t make assumptions.
To good health:)
Matt
Please see my updated article. I further explain the issue with the ingredients.
Please explain how soybean oil, fructose, agave, maltodextrin, Isomaltooligosaccharide, corn, tricalcium phosphate, etc are nutritionally beneficial?
Soybean oil is not the latest health food fad no. But it’s not toxic when from non GMO sources as isagenix states clearly on their website, they do not use GMO sources for any ingredients whether in US or Australia. All the australian products are made in the US by the way. Soybean oil is only dangerous when it’s hydrogenated. Soybean oil contains omega 6 fats. With omega 6 and omega 3 fats it’s the balance that’s important. This is why fish oil supplements are recommended by isagenix, and their produce an omega oil supplement.
Omega-6 fats are found in seeds, nuts, and the oils extracted from them—such as soybean oil, which is used to a greater degree in processed foods. Omega-6 fatty acids play an important role in the construction of eicosanoids (inflammatory signaling molecules); however, too much intake of them has been shown to be detrimental to health.
The fructose question was already discussed and covered in the articles in my previous post. The sugar amount in their shake for instance is like 11grams total which is about 1/4 of an apple. We aren’t talking large amounts of fructose!
Organic agave nectar is relatively mild, is not chemically processed, and is free from harmful additives. This is the kind that Isagenix uses. Agave has beneficial properties which support digestive health. Agave contains naturally occurring inulin, a form of fructan found in a number of vegetables including onions, green beans, asparagus, and artichokes. The fructans in agave have been demonstrated to support the growth of beneficial microbial flora in the digestive tract. M.G. López and J.E. Urías-Silvas, “Prebiotic Effect Of Fructans From Agave, Dasylirion And Nopal,” ISHS International Symposium on Human Health Effects of Fruits and Vegetables (Québec City, Canada) 2007 (http://www.actahort.org/books/744/744_45.htm).
Recent studies indicate the presence of fructans in the digestive tract also protects against osteoporosis by increasing the absorption of calcium and magnesium, and may protect against diabetes and colon cancer. “Ingredient in tequila plant may fight osteoporosis and other diseases,” The American Chemical Society News Release, March 23, 2010 (http://portal.acs.org/portal/acs/corg/content).
Agave plants are composed of fructans and contain no starch of any kind, so agave nectar is appropriate for those on a gluten-free diet. And like honey, agave nectar is composed of the unbound monosaccharides fructose and glucose, which can be directly absorbed without digestive hydrolysis. This makes agave an appropriate sweetener for those suffering from digestive disorders, whose ability to properly digest disaccharides such as sucrose and lactose is compromised. When complex sugars are not digested properly, they can feed harmful bacteria in the gastro-intestinal tract and perpetuate digestive disease.
Next maltodextrin… A derivative of starch, maltodextrin is more easily digestible than other complex carbs, but it does not cause the same blood sugar spike associated with simple sugars. Semi-sweet or flavorless, this polysaccharide (chain of sugar units) comes from corn, tapioca, potato, wheat, or rice. Department of Health and Human Services. Listing of Specific Substances Affirmed as GRAS. Part 184, Subpart B, Sec. 184.1444 Maltodextrin. 2011; 21:3. CITE: 21CFR184.1444. Online: http://www.accessdata.fda.gov/scripts/cdrh/cfdocs/cfcfr/CFRSearch.cfm?fr=184.1444
Used as a thickening agent or to round out sweetness, maltodextrin is a white powder that is native to both home-cooking and packaged foods.
There is some evidence that maltodextrin is ideal for a pre- or post-workout carbohydrate source due to readily available fuel without the digestive discomfort associated with simple sugars. The maltodextrin in FiberPro is resistant to digestion. It acts more like a soluble, prebiotic fiber that helps support normal gastrointestinal health.
When I asked isagenix directly some time ago about the maltodextrin isagenix uses for their products I was told they use non gmo tapioca maltodextrin in the meal replacement shakes and non gmo corn maltodextrin in the bars/other products.
Isomaltooligosaccharides are gluten-free fiber (often used in Japanese cuisine) is also “prebiotic,” meaning that it feeds healthy “probiotic” bacteria in the gut. These good microbes, fed well, help make up a healthy intestinal flora that can be important for gut health, the immune system, and more.
“Yen CH, Tseng YH, Kuo YW, Lee MC, Chen HL. Long-term supplementation of isomalto-oligosaccharides improved colonic microflora profile, bowel function, and blood cholesterol levels in constipated elderly people–a placebo-controlled, diet-controlled trial. Nutrition 2011;27:445-50.” If you can find a study that says this ingredient is dangerous happy to have a look. It’s been in use for decades in Japan and throughout Asia. There are no studies indicating side effects of moderate amounts only many published positive studies. It can be made from many different starch sources like wheat, barley, corn, pulses (peas, beans, lentils) oats, tapioca, rice and potato. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Isomaltooligosaccharide
Corn bran is a good source of fiber, protein and B-complex vitamins. It also contains iron, calcium, zinc and magnesium. http://www.fitday.com/fitness-articles/nutrition/healthy-eating/the-nutrition-of-corn-bran-cereal.html#b
Tricalcium Phosphate is an effective way to get calcium enrichment without adding saturated fat. Tricalcium Phosphate also helps to maximize calcium absorption in the body instead of it just flushing through the system.
http://www.livestrong.com/article/372175-what-is-tricalcium-phosphate/
The question of vitamins was already addressed in my previous post. Article linked here again:
http://www.isagenixhealth.net/vitamins-natural-versus-synthetic/#sthash.39AFH0S4.dpuf
The issue over natural flavours is also addressed here, there is no MSG in Isagenix products:
http://www.isagenixhealth.net/what-are-natural-flavors/#sthash.39AFH0S4.dpuf
The non fat milk powder is also non heat to preserve the benefits of this slowly digesting protein to complement the faster digesting undenatured whey protein.
Let’s mention some of the great ingredients in these shakes while we are examining.
undenatured whey protein, olive oil, flax seeds, medium chain triglycerides (from coconuts), cinnamon, digestive enzymes, alfalfa leaf, sea salt, pysllium seed, vitamin C, iron, iodine (from kelp), stevia, zinc, wild yam, prebiotics and pro biotics, calcium, vitamin B12, folic acid. You are getting 8 grams of fibre per serving, 24 grams of protein, only 11 grams of natural sugars, no gluten, no soy protein, 21 vitamins and minerals, low glycemic, amazing amino acid profile etc etc. This is their isalean shake their most popular product.
So many naturopaths, cardiologists, chiropractors, nutritionists, scientists, etc recommend the products. I suggest you do some more research, and contact Isagenix directly to have more questions answered.
Yes, soybean oil is toxic, even if it’s non GMO. It is extremely inflammatory, as are ALL vegetable oils. It is high in omega-6 fatty acids and low in omega-3 fatty acids.
No, we aren’t talking large amount of fructose. But if you’re drinking multiple shakes a day, everyday, it adds up. Same goes for the tricalcium phosphate. Which also would not be a huge issue but it’s isolated and not naturally occurring like it is in milk.
Agave is extremely high in fructose, it destroys the liver.
Maltodextrin is a processed food additive. Period.
Isomaltooligosaccharide is an artificial sweetener that is bleached and uses carcinogens in its processing. It is not a health food.
Corn is high in phytic acid and enzyme inhibitors. It is extremely irritating to the gut lining. The phytic acid in corn also binds to minerals like iron, magnsium, zinc, etc. and prevents them from being absorbed. This is true of all grains. This is why traditional cultures soaked and sprouted their grains, to reduce the phytic acid content. The bran is the worst part.
Non-fat anything is processed and not safe to consume.
You can try to argue your way around the fact that these are toxic, processed ingredients. But that’s what they are and there is no getting around that.
Any doctor, nutritioist, scientist, etc. recommending these ingredients needs to do research. The ingredients are toxic, unhealthy and processed.
I’ve been enjoying this discourse, its nice if we can stick to logic, but I feel that various people are getting emotional on this issue. Just curious where you have the idea that ALL vegetable oils are inflammatory? At what point? Due to what? There are practically centuries recorded use of olive oil…what part makes it unhealthy?? Is not moderation the key? What makes soybean oil rancid and bad?
1/4 an apples worth of fructose per shake is nothing, my family has grown apples locally for over 100 years and we are often eating over 6 per day ALL YEAR ROUND, that’s a dozen shakes worth 365 days a year, now obviously there are a lot of factors involved, but JUST that alone suggests that there is more going on, my family all live into their 90’s or older, I doubt that eating that amount of fructose is deleterious to our health. And yes an apple is different then fructose alone…I’m just talking about the sugar amount.
I think Agave is getting a bit of a bad rep, like ANY sugar, it should be moderately used. Organic, low-heat processed Agave syrup, has not been found to have any ill effects when used in careful moderation to my knowledge (can you point to any studies showing otherwise? ALL sweeteners whether natural or processed, should be used carefully, and we obviously have gotten onto a bad track with putting sugars into 90% of foods, when it should be almost entirely be limited to desserts. Check out this video on some of its effects: http://youtu.be/p9-aleeQ2ho
I think that we can all be driven crazy by paying too close attention to material details. There are thousands of issues worldwide which are effecting all our health. I know many many doctors and scientists that swear warfare radiation is going to kill us all, wireless technology is killing us all, that manufacturing particles that fill the air is killing us, that HAARP is killing us, and those are all massive environment factors which we can hardly dream of controlling. Yes we should be informed, yes we should eat ABSOLUTELY as close to our own vegetables, from our own garden AS WE POSSIBLY CAN, yes we should be halting the monoculture and commercially grown system which is poisoning so much, yes we need to monitor what we put into our bodies, BUT…We must become aware of that which has the greatest effect, the most detriment AND which is least attended to – That is the power of our thoughts and minds, and how they effect our health and others. This is a sacred power and it can more deeply influence our lives then you may know. I don’t just mean thoughts influencing water, happiness reducing illness or Qi creating incredible physical and mental abilities (all demonstrated by people I personally know)…But beyond that, there are forces which are utilized by the mind which are part of creation and cause people to be ill, that cause the best intentioned people to die and that create wellness in others which seems unbelievable (the chronic drinkers and emotionally terrible people etc.).
I hope that you continue to prosper on your journey and that you remember that you know very little in the broader sense and have have a lifetime of learning ahead. Don’t worry too much about people here or in real life that nay-say your efforts, keep that beautiful smile on your face and don’t worry, be happy. There is much still to know!
Thank you for your article 🙂
Just as a disclaimer: I have a Bsc (Nutrition) and postgrad dip. (Dietetics) and I know that Isagenix is complete crap.
I have a similar opinion to Mickhael. You need to be more considered with your use of buzz words like toxic. Moderation is absolutely the key. If you drink too much water it is toxic. Yes maltodextrin is a food additive, one that serves a useful purpose as a thickener in some processed foods. I agree that processed foods should be limited, cooking with unprocessed ingredients is definitely the way to go. But I still eat processed foods in moderation because I enjoy them, and they serve a useful purpose on many occasions. I think you need to improve your understanding of a few nutrition topics (there are many that I need to improve my understanding of also, nutrition is a relatively new science).
For example:
Saying that all vegetable oils are “inflammatory” is nonsense. It’s true that omega three fatty acids alter the pathway of eicosanoid production towards less inflammatory forms, and they can be very useful for people in states of chronic inflammation (RA, obesity). But n-6 fatty acids are also an important part of human nutrition. Inflammation is a normal and healthy response to injury and disease, you’re using the word as if it’s an unnatural, evil phenomenon.
I appreciate that you’re trying to expose this absolutely ridiculous excuse for a nutrition company, and in the scheme of things my position sits 99% towards your side of the scale compared to theirs. I just think you need to update your understanding of some of the nutritional terms you are using.
I don’t need to be careful with “buzz words” if they accurately describe something.
I think you either misunderstand this article, misunderstand nutrition or are just being semantic (but I’m leaning toward semantic).
Of course inflammation is a normal response, that’s kind of obvious. But you should know that with modern-day diets, stress and sleep, inflammation is rampant. You should also know that due to modern day diet, omega-6 is ubiquitous; in fact people eat way too much omega-6, which leads to inflammation. Inflammation is the basis of all disease. Vegetable oils are extremely high in omega-6, which makes them inflammatory. Which was my original point because these products contain vegetable oils like canola, fractionated palm kernel and sunflower, which are all inflammatory.
And, she doubles-down, even after someone “on her side” advises her to dial back the vitriol.
“Vegetable oils are extremely high in omega-6, which makes them inflammatory.”
Really? I guess that would be true, if we only ate vegetable oils all day long. Isn’t the point everything in moderation? Didn’t Matt say that Isagenix recommends an Omega-3 supplement to help balance out the vegetable oils?
I mean, what about a nice salmon steak dressed in olive oil and herbs? “Hmmm, me have Neanderthal brain — nasty plant oil bad!”
Seems to me, that the more COMPLETE diet, NOT analyzed in isolation and ingredient-by-ingredient, might actually be pretty darn healthy. And that’s exactly the way ANY diet should be analyzed…in totality, as a system — because that’s how your body is going to react to it.
Haha so wait, Isagenix recommends buying their omega-3 supplement to balance out the fact that they use rancid, omega-6 rich vegetable oils in their products?
GENIUS!
Now THAT’S marketing.
As a qualified Nutritionist and Dietitian, I resent being thrown in to the same category as a naturapath, and I have cardiologist colleagues that would feel the same way.
Well don’t you think that’s kind of rude to naturopaths?
Luke, Doctors of Naturopathy are registered practitioners and their recognized services are covered under group health insurance plans in Canada. In Europe, where they are even more highly esteemed, and specifically in Germany, they work alongside oncologists to help battle cancer by using multi-disciple approaches to saving lives. On the other hand, while my husband endured 6 months of chemotherapy for stage 3 cancer, the hospital dietitian provide a toxic list of antiquated notions of supposedly healthy foods. It was the 1950’s all over again. Thanks to our naturopathic doctor, who helped fortify and sustain my husband’s immune system and the elimination of inflammatory foods, he is, at the moment, cancer free. I think that if you have had the good fortune to be “thrown in to the same category as a naturopath”, your reputation will benefit.
That’s amazing! So happy for you and your husband.
I had to stop reading this at they don’t use synthetic vitamins…Really? What is Cyanocobalamin B12 then? So either your company just lies….or they just lie! It is the cheapest and worse form of B12. Come on take the emotion out of this. People buy into a company because they either want it to be their path to riches or they really believe the info being told to them. I get it! Once you think about it and remove yourself from their story you will find the truth. I wont promote the company I support in our clinic due to how crazy people get but I will suggest you DO YOUR OWN RESEARCH with an open mind!
Dani the post about Tricalcium prosphate on webMD, is for severe overdoses. You can die from drinking too much water, you can overdose on anything.
It talks about sources being from cosmetics and cement, so it may not even be referring to food grade level which is found naturally in cows milk and some isagenix products.
Dani, you mention you have an issue with the non GMO soybean oil which for the record is in 1 out of 47 products available by Isagenix. Yet elsewhere on your blog you mention that you have no problem with fermented soy to another poster as the phytic acid is reduced through fermentation. There is no soy protein in any of the isagenix products which contains the phytic acid. Obviously the form of ingredients plays a part, which you yourself have acknowledged in this post https://ancestral-nutrition.com/basics/
Not sure of your point. Fermented non-gmo soy is okay in limited quanitities, they way Asian cultures eat it (ie: as a condiment, not as a staple). Soybean oil is a rancid oil high in omega-6 fatty acids. They’re completely different.
The point is that you are scare mongering. Soybean oil is in one product, you make it sound like soy is a staple ingredient in the isagenix products from your initial post. It isn’t. There is no soybean protein which has the phytic acid.
You may like to post the nutrition panels along with the ingredients. For instance the “toxic agave” that’s “loaded with fructose” is in the slim cakes. This product has a total sugar amount of only 4 grams. This includes the sugar from the cranberries and sugar. So the amount from the organic agave is minuscule. You really have to put things in perspective. If you were drinking a bottle of organic agave everyday you might have problems:)
Right, but even in small amounts it is toxic. And when you consider that people may be eating at least 1 a day, it becomes dangerous. Especially combined with the fact that they are also eating extremely damaging cereal grains and vegetable oils.
http://perfecthealthdiet.com/category/toxins-and-toxicity/wheat-grains/
Dani, you like in your references above to Sunflower oil which is high in omega 6 fatty acids. Isagenix uses “high-oleic sunflower oil” along with cold processed olive oil and alpha-linolenic acid from flax seeds as the main sources of fats. Consumptions of which has been linked with better control of blood pressure and heart health. More details at:
http://www.isagenixhealth.net/seven-ways-to-love-your-heart-with-isagenix-products/
http://foodwatch.com.au/blog/fats-and-oils/item/q-what-is-hi-oleic-sunflower-oil-3.html
No, Isagenix uses sunflower oil, not high oleic sunflower oil.
This is clearly stated on the ingredient labels. If it were high oleic, it would say so on the ingredients. Please refer back to the SlimCake, vanilla shake and black sesame shake I posted. The article you linked to provided no relevant information.
Furthermore, if Isagenix is so healthy, please explain the following (toxic) oils in the ingredients:
fractionated palm kernel oil
soybean oil
canola oil
corn oil
And would you also comment on the use of MSG in the new soup products?
Dani, The article I linked to specifically stated the use of high oleic sunflower oil in the isalean shakes. As far as the slim cakes go, there is no sunflower oil in them, other NON Hydrogenated oils are used. The key word here being non-hydrogenated! There is no soy no canola no corn oil and no palm oil in the shakes it’s in a few of the snack products, and palm oil has very many health benefits similar to that found in coconut oil.
Stating there is MSG in the new soup product is misleading, false and opens you up to libel. There is no MSG in the product, it would state MSG or flavour enhancer 627 if there was MSG in the product.
It’s only libel if I’m lying about something.
It’s literally a fact that MSG is in the new soup product.
Check it out here: http://isagenix.com/us/en/isaleansoups.dhtml
What’s the ingredient right after maltodextrin and salt? Autolyzed yeast extract, also known as MSG.
Where is your source that small amount of minimally processed organic agave is toxic. This has been debunked. Dr Mercola and others jumped on this from one energy drink vendor Russ Bianchi. If agave nectar is really that harmful, where are the references to credible, peer-reviewed studies?
Problem is Dani autolyzed yeast extract isn’t MSG, even if it contains naturally occurring glutamates like tomatoes, mushrooms etc. http://www.wholefoodsmarket.com/blog/whole-story/myths-and-misconceptions-msg
Wrong again, Matty. Autolyzed yeast extract is MSG.
Autolyzed yeast extract is not naturally occurring, what IS naturally occurring in things like tomatoes and mushrooms is glutamic acid (the glutamates you referred to). They are completely different, one is developed in a lab, and is MSG.
http://www.naturalnews.com/033560_yeast_extract_MSG.html
Thank you for posting this. I agree with the questionable ingredients. It is interesting the way that the questions you posed were answered with the descriptive nature of the ingredients but not the nutritional benefits. There is nothing beneficial about fructose, seed oils (highly processed) or corn for sure.
I have acquaintances and friends who are either trying to sell it to me or have tried it. Some swear by it to which I say “do whatever works for you.” Others have had unpleasant experiences…and I am saying that kindly.
Bottom line for me: 1.) It is a processed product. This is not REAL WHOLE FOOD…it is created in a lab. 2.) I prefer to eat my food versus drink it. Why do I have teeth and a digestive system? You can’t live on just shakes. Well, I can’t.
Thank you!!!!
Yes, exactly! No one can give me a response as to how these questionable ingredients are actually beneficial.
Great comment, thanks Linda!
you noted in previous comments that people should not use Isagenix in there referrals. However reading above you yourself just used an Isagenix link.
Matt Wilson CLEARLY did exactly that! EXplanied your issues with each one of your ‘so called’ toxic ingredients causing you to label Isagenix as unhealthy and bad! : soybean oil, fructose, agave, maltodextrin, Isomaltooligosaccharide, corn, tricalcium phosphate
He mentions them in order and explains each one – very well – very well done. He ACTUALLY did the research – you obviously didn’t – just spouted off ingredients that you decided were unhealthy and wrote of the product and the company on that basis – doing many people who would other wise be helped by Isagenix a disservice – and therefore a disservice to others that might otherwise be helped gain their health and life back through Isagenix ….
Well laid out and the science documented by a link at the end of each ingredient showing the reason of why the choice in that particular ingredient. Isagenix obviously had all the answers to your “concerns” about these products if you had bothered to do proper research.
Dani you obviously got a clear answer, here, and no longer know what to reply! So you are mindlessly repeating the same thing and not acknowledging when you have been given a clear and informed answer.
Arguing a point does not make a point correct. Matt argued his points, and they were wrong. Factually, his points were not correct from a nutritional standpoint.
Soybean oil is extremely inflammatory and high in omega-6 fatty acids. It’s also one of the most genetically modified crops and is processed with hexane, a neurotoxin. Agave is extremely high in fructose, not to mention that fructose is also added to these products. Fructose is toxic to the liver. Corn bran is extremely hard on the digestive tract, any bran is. Majority of corn is genetically modified. And might I remind you that these products are not certified GM-free in the US.
Isagenix, nor any Isagenix supporter, can support these ingredients, claim they are health foods or justify why they are in the products. Because when it comes down to it, these are all cheap, toxic, processed ingredients.
Here’s what Isagenix says about their products being non-GMO, you will also note that they do not use synthetics, another false statement from your post:
Thank you for contacting Isagenix through our Health Blog, http://www.IsagenixHealth.net. Please note the information on our website and in the below e-mail response is intended as educational and to support, not replace, your relationship with a personal physician.
Our products are considered all-natural using only non-GMO ingredients. They also contain organic ingredients wherever possible, and some ingredients that even exceed USDA organic standards. However, some of our ingredients are sourced from parts of the world that do not have organic certification systems.
To be sure of bioavailability and potency, Isagenix provides ingredients either present in natural form or derived from natural food sources. We do not use any artificial or synthetic ingredients. In addition, Isagenix provides vitamins that are consistently tested for stability, purity, safety and efficacy. Each vitamin is evaluated using United States Pharmacopoeia standards or higher. They are sourced only from highly reputable suppliers with an excellent track record of meeting and exceeding cGMP guidelines.
For more information, please refer to the following articles posted on our health blog, http://www.IsagenixHealth.net:
Are Isagenix Products Free of GM Ingredients? Answer: Yes
What It Means to Have “No Compromise” Quality
We hope this information is helpful. Be sure to add http://www.IsagenixHealth.net to your Internet favorites and check back often for new articles. You can also follow Isagenix Health on Facebook and Twitter.
To your health,
Jose H.
Isagenix Health
Isagenix International, LLC
http://www.Isagenix.com
My point is that the products are not GMO-free certified.
They do use synthetics. What do you think isomaltooligosaccharide? Do you think that occurs in nature? No, it’s make in a lab.
If you are trying to endorse a whey only supplement as a substitute for a protein based MEAL REPLACEMENT as part of complete program including supplements then you have failed. Isagenix does, in fact, have a whey only NON GMO, UNdenatured product as well called isapro, however, the shakes you are reviewing are not this product (though they are also fabulous if you take the time to find out the source of the ingredients). You are clearly trying to stir the pot because you don’t like programs like this. I believe in real food, but I also find nothing wrong with this particular program. They are not all created equal. If you are going to say that even though the products are stated non GMO that they likely aren’t, then how can you not think the same for the things you eat? If it says non GMO then it should be assumed it is, as far as we know (unless there is a situation like the GMO wheat in which no one is aware, but it is unfair to assume this). In all honesty I think you are trying to use the big name of Isagenix to draw attention to your blog so you can get more sponsorship. Blogs are nothing but marketing tools for your own interest in the same way you are trying to say these programs are.
People have asked me to review the products. I did so because people who don’t know any better fall for these “healthy” meal replacements.
These products are not certified non-GMO.
“If you are going to say that even though the products are stated non GMO that they likely aren’t, then how can you not think the same for the things you eat?”
Great point! This is why I avoid the top 10 GMOs, which include soy, corn, canola, cottonseed. Even certified non-GMO products that are heavy in these crops have turned out to be contaminated with GMOs. So I just don’t go near any of it.
I don’t need more sponsorship. Blogs are marketing tools and mine is no different. But I wrote this because I had so many questions about it, and because it is marketed as a healthy product, and it’s not.
would “reviewing” a product also imply trying a product?
If Isagenix products were so unhealthy you wouldn’t have people lowering their cholesterol, lowering diabetes medications, coming off blood pressure, antidepressants etc etc Obviously all in consultation with their doctors, who are amazed at how healthy they are and what great work isagenix did in their body, allowing the body to heal itself, cleansing out the toxins. Speaking of toxins, the isagenix system is designed to do just that. A good video showing this at the blood level by Jim Rhoades is http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BesUttqdy2w
More on the very qualified Jim here http://dev.healthinyourlife.com/sites/default/files/7%20problems%201%20solution%20by%20Jim%20Rhoades.pdf
Matt, you misunderstand a huge component of detoxification. The body cannot be adequately detoxed it you’re putting toxins into your body.
That’s what fructose, agave, fractionated palm kernel oil, soybean oil, etc are.
They are food toxins.
The other things you mention are anecdotal. If someone switches from eating McDonald’s and Burger King to Isagenix and starts paying attention to their overall food intake, yes, they will improve their health markers all around. But that doesn’t make Isagenix ideal, it doesn’t even make Isagenix healthy. It just makes Isagenix healthier than the previor poor diet.
Sorry Dani what rubbish you can’t provide any studies that agave is toxic? Now fructose is a toxin found naturally in fruit!
You’re welcome.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18395287
http://wholehealthsource.blogspot.com/2012/05/how-bad-is-fructose-david-despain.html
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24114638
http://www.ucsf.edu/news/2013/01/13393/sugar-fights-still-simmer-new-brain-study-finds-fructose-might-stimulate-appetite
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dBnniua6-oM
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18825613
Mind you, agave is about 90% fructose.
The second link you provide by David Despain is the science and communications spokesperson for Isagenix, what irony. Now he would be a good person to contact to raise your concerns:): This link doesn’t support your argument at all. quoting the first paragraph “It was the most recent of several review papers to conclude that fructose is probably not inherently fattening in humans, but that it can be fattening if it’s consumed to excess, due to the added calories”
What’s ironic then is that the spokeperson for this product knows how toxic these ingredients and yet still supports it; I guess money really can buy anything.
So does that mean you only read one link? I know supporting these products requires a lot of oversight, but do you care to comment on the links to PubMed regarding how toxic fructose is?
Dani, I have provided a similar number of referenced studies newer science, that shows that it’s not the consumption of fructose that’s bad, it’s the excessive consumption due to excess calories that’s bad. http://www.isagenixhealth.net/fructose-is-not-toxic-and-can-help-control-blood-sugar/#sthash.EK9D3Zss.dpuf
No, it’s completely ironic. Because while the title has the words “bad” and “fructose” in them, the article in no way is demonizing fructose.
It is talking about the overconsumption of fructose, and especially when used in large amounts in beverages and sweets. Because when found in fruits, there is fibre and other nutrients/bulk to help balance out the sugar (and also slow its absorption), as well as reduce the likelihood of overconsumption — because you’ll feel full faster eating an apple than drinking a Coke.
Matt, through reading these comments, I’ve come to the conclusion that our blogger here is not so good at doing research, as she couldn’t even suss out the meaning from the relatively short article.
She also can’t concede a point when she’s lost, and instead just beats the drum harder. You and others have made it clear that the amount of fructose in these shakes is actually LESS than an apple serving, yet that isn’t enough for her. It is still “fructose”, and “fructose bad!”
It’s sad, really…
I think two things are sad here: that you’ve left over ten comments on this article in a very short span of time and that you and other Isagenix pushers apparently are unable to comprehend basic English. Let me reiterate, yet again.
I’ve clearly stated that fructose is fine in small amounts. Isagenix users have stated that the shakes are low in fructose. Then I point out that if you’re drinking several of these shakes a day, everyday, and still likely obtaining fructose from food, that’s when it become an issue.
The premise that fructose is harmful, full stop is wrong. At moderate levels like found in fruit (and the low levels found in isagenix products) researchers have concluded fructose is not harmful. All the referenced articles of newer research is at http://www.isagenixhealth.net/fructose-is-not-toxic-and-can-help-control-blood-sugar/
http://evolvinghealthscience.blogspot.com.au/2012/05/fate-of-fructose-interview-with-dr-john.html
Another excellent article by David with Dr John Sievenpiper. The one you linked to in your second link mentioned previously. Perhaps read a little deeper. You have just provide great information on the irrelevancy of the other animals studies!
So the opinion of one doctor makes all animal studies irrelevant? That’s ridiculous!
Your blatant rejection of fact and science is astounding to me. And kind of exhausting.
This from David’s excellent blog http://evolvinghealthscience.blogspot.com.au/2012/06/videos-of-eb2012-sugar-showdown.html
“After speaking with him, I gathered that Dr. Lustig and Dr. Sievenpieper actually do tend to agree more than disagree on the data. For example, Dr. Lustig told me that he understood full well that the animal data and ecological analyses shouldn’t be used for arguing his position that fructose is a unique metabolic danger. He also agreed that answers needed to come from randomized controlled feeding trials in humans, which is really what Dr. Sievenpiper’s research has been about.
So far, the meta-analyses and systematic reviews on randomized, placebo-controlled feeding trials comparing fructose to other carbohydrates have not revealed to have any quantitatively meaningful metabolic effects. That is, fructose has demonstrated no significant effect on body weight, blood pressure, or uric acid in calorie-controlled trials. On the other hand, fructose demonstrated improvement of glycemic control at levels comparable to that obtained in fruit.
What Dr. Lustig and Dr. Sievenpiper obviously do disagree on is in their choice of rhetoric. Dr. Lustig’s uses with words like “toxic,” “addictive,” and purposely compares the fruit sugar’s metabolism to that of alcohol. Dr. Sievenpiper is more reserved, suggesting that fructose (like anything else) can be beneficial at some levels, such as in amounts found in fruit, and harmful only at extremely high levels (even then, not any different than other sources of carbohydrate)”
More information on the ridiculous “fructose is evil” debate. http://embargowatch.wordpress.com/2012/05/15/sugar-makes-embargoes-stupid-and-doesnt-do-wonders-for-a-press-release-either/
Agave syrup can range anywhere from 55% – 90% fructose depending on it’s processing. The benefits of agave are found here
http://www.sheknows.com/health-and-wellness/articles/804491/the-health-benefits-of-agave-nectar
Research on the saponins is here.
http://www.raysahelian.com/saponin.html
I am not knocking organic honey, I enjoy it myself in moderation but you are looking at a much higher glycemic value for honey around 83, 27 for agave and 32 for fructose.
Linking to a random, poorly researched blog is also not legit. These figures are entirely fabricated.
The glycemic index of honey can range from in 30s to the 80s! http://www.glycemicindex.com/foodSearch.php?ak=list&food_name_search_type=cn&food_name=Honey&gi_search_type=lte&gi=&gl_search_type=lte&gl=&lop=AND&find=Find+Records&page=1
“Linking to a random, poorly researched blog is also not legit.”
But linking to “butterbeliever” blog is? The citations there are scant…at least the ones that are not self-referential.
You seem to want it both ways…Matt can’t link to blogs, but you can.
The difference is that Butter Believer isn’t random or poorly researched. She is someone I know and puts a great amount of research into every article.
I’d have no problem with Matt linking to a blog if it were relevant and researched.
Matt, I think I told you this earlier.
It not legit in a debate to link as a reference to the very company that is trying to sell the product you’re debating about. Isagenixhealth.net is NOT a legitimate resource, please stop linking to it.
here’s the references Sievenpiper JL, de Souza RJ, Mirrahimi A et al. Effect of Fructose on Body Weight in Controlled Feeding Trials: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis. Ann Intern Med 2012;156:291-304.
Sievenpiper JL, Chiavaroli L, de Souza RJ et al. ‘Catalytic’ doses of fructose may benefit glycaemic control without harming cardiometabolic risk factors: a small meta-analysis of randomised controlled feeding trials. Br J Nutr 2012;1-6. doi: 10.1017/S000711451200013X
Ha V, Sievenpiper JL, de Souza RJ et al. Effect of Fructose on Blood Pressure: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Controlled Feeding Trials. Hypertension 2012. doi: 10.1161/?HYPERTENSIONAHA.111.182311
Lustig RH, Schmidt LA, Brindis CD. “Public health: The toxic truth about sugar.” Nature 482, 27-29 (02 February 2012). doi: 10.1038/482027a
Sievenpiper JL, de Souza RJ, Jenkins DJA. “Sugar: fruit fructose is still healthy.” Correspondence. Nature 482, 470 (23 February 2012) doi: 10.1038/482470e
ALL of these are from Dr. Sievenpiper except the one from Dr. Lustig, who maintains that fructose is toxic.
Tip: when arguing a point, you need several, independent studies. Not different studies from one doctor.
PS – none of these address the main issue with fructose, which is that it’s toxic to the liver.
IF they lied they would get shut down. I could care less about what you think but, as a fitness competitor I do eat Really Clean! When I added these shakes into my program it only made my body respond so much better. I eat 6 times a day 2 of them being shakes. I am in the BEST shape of my life. I look and feel younger. Seriously, it enhanced the great nutrition I was already having. I love that you are all about whole foods, but wow. I know you will copy and paste your statement on answer me why they put those ingredients in. Matt already covered that. But I know someone will be contacting you from Isagenix soon. Its fine to have an opinion but full on disregard all the data that shows different about it being unhealthy is not right. The undeniable fact of so many people having results where health was turned around tremendously. With blood test work and everything . Not everyone is about weightloss and fat loss. Some are strictly for their last hope. And some is simply to supplement their already clean diet. Like me.
I look forward to being contacted by Isagenix.
You have linked to a google patent to outline a process by which Isomaltooligosaccharide CAN BE MADE. This is not necessarily the process that the Isomaltooligosaccharide has undergone in the Isagenix products. It can be made by enzymes or fungal means also, not just with Nickel. An example of fungal means from rice and cassava is http://resjournal.kku.ac.th/abstract/17_5_794.pdf
Yes, it is. Isagenix uses BioNeutra which is what I linked to.
Your own argument admits that Isagenix uses processed, toxic ingredients.
I don’t know that Isagenix uses BioNeutra, can you provide proof of this? Also I can’t find the word Nickel anywhere in that pdf you linked too?
More details that Isomaltooligosaccharide can be made through natural enzymatic means is found on one of the manufacturers websites here http://www.bioneutra.ca/faq.htm “BioNeutra produces VitaFiber™-IMO via highly controlled natural enzyme-catalyzed process transforming starch molecules into functional health molecules of IMO. Our natural manufacturing process … without any chemical modification involved… natural food ingredient”
BioNeutra’s process is what I linked to in the article:
http://www.accessdata.fda.gov/scripts/fcn/gras_notices/grn000172.pdf
The conclusion IMO once a day well tolerated, effective in increasing bowel frequency and mproving constipation, lowering total cholesteroal and increase HDL-C. Where are you getting the treatment with natural enzymes is carcinogenic? That may not even be the process that the IMO that isagenix uses. Perhaps ask them?
I just noticed you are plugging Honey with a link to Amazon. The same article from Dr Mercola you referenced on the toxicity of fructose specifically recommends to avoid honey due to the high amount of fructose. So honey is fine by not Agave. that’s contradictory!
I don’t even know which article you’re referring to. Dr. Mercola is a huge supporter of raw honey:
http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2006/12/19/the-healing-properties-of-honey.aspx
He even sells it on his website!
Honey is also much, much lower in fructose than agave.
The same article you pulled the table from up at the beginning. You neglected to include the table at the end of Dr Mercola’s article recommending avoiding honey due to fructose. http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2012/09/09/ethanol-alcohol-and-fructose.aspx. Organic Agave is fine, the amount of it is small. The supposed issue with fructose is in high amounts, all Isagnenix products are formulated low GI so they don’t cause a spike in insulin. That’s why diabetics do so well on the program.
The equivalent to the undenatured whey protein you are selling and making a commission from amazon would be the Isa Pro, http://www.isagenix.com/us/en/isapro.dhtml
It’s just the undenatured whey protein, added lactase enzyme to help body deal with remaining small amount of lactose, stevia, ionic alfafa (70 trace natural minerals), natural vanilla flavour. That’s it!
Dani,
You really have me confused. “Fructose” is on your toxic list. Honey contains fructose. So is honey toxic or not? Or are you saying that it is only toxic in large amounts in which then you would be agreeing with Matt. If that’s the case, then the fructose in Isagenix would be beneficial because of the low amounts.
Agave is around 90% fructose. Compare this to honey, which is about 30-40% fructose. Next, compare the fact that on Isagenix, you’re not only consuming regular amount of agave, but also isolated fructose. It’s a double whammy for the liver.
THEN, compare this to a well balanced diet of someone who is eating a minimal amount of honey (which has other beneficial properties) a few times a week.
By eating Isagenix, a person is consuming a LOT more fructose than someone sparingly eating raw, organic honey.
Not true Dani. Good pick up Emma! A person eating a mainly organic diet with lots of fresh fruit and veges could be eating just as much fructose through the fruit they eat, if not more. I have already explained the low sugar levels in the isagenix products, 11gs in the shake, The swiss study I linked to mention that it could be dangerous at high levels like more than 100grams per day!
But that is one product. If someone is drinking multiple shakes a day as well as eating the FiberSnacks, they are ingesting a lot more fructose.
For reference, a cup of raspberries contains 3 grams of fructose.
And furthermore, there are much more nutrient dense (whole, unprocessd) foods a person could be eating than these shakes/snacks.
Great study here also from switzerland on fructose. http://www.biomedcentral.com/1741-7007/10/42
So again, my question is… “Is fructose toxic?” Because originally, you claimed that there was no question about fructose being toxic. Now it seems you are addressing it as being “toxic” in certain amounts. Does quantity matter? Could that also be the case for some of the other “toxic” ingredients you mentioned? Could you agree that that fructose is beneficial and necessary?
I clearly stated that the miniscule amounts in fruit is fine, though I do not advocate high or even moderate fruit consumption. Quantity does matter, especially when we’re talking about a sweetener that is 90% fructose and isolated fructose.
Fructose is aboslutely not necessary. Glucose is necessary.
Organic agave -2 types tested both high in fructose very low. GI – 11.
http://www.glycemicindex.com/foodSearch.php?num=1846&ak=detail
Yes, and did you see this across the top of the page:
Organic Agave Cactus Nectar, light, 90% fructose
I am going to say goodbye Dani. I hope people reading this are encouraged to do their own research as I certainly would not like them to rely on yours. Goodbye.
I agree! People should absolutely do their own research and not rely on mine, or yours, or even the info that Isagenix provides.
Nice talkin’ to you!
Dani this is a statement you made.
“That’s what fructose, agave, fractionated palm kernel oil, soybean oil, etc are.
They are food toxins.
Matt said it best!
“So now fructose is a toxin found naturally in fruit.”
So Dani, is fruit toxic?
If your reply is yes, I may in some cases have to agree with you, but it is surely not the fructose in that little apple I’m worried about.
Yes, generally speaking fructose is toxic. Are you going to immediately develop fatty liver disease beacuse you ate an apple? No.
Plants do contain toxins (for example kale is high in oxalates, rice is high in phytic acid). Does this make them unhealthy? Definitely not.
The problem is when these things are consumed in large amounts. And the problem with Isagenix is the agave as well as the isolated fructose. It is not at all similar to eating the naturally occurring fructose in fruits.
This only concludes that i should stay clear from slurpees, not Isagenix shakes and other Isagenix products. I only wish I can be as confident in my “whole food” consumption from organic farms and grocery stores as I am with my consumption of Isagenix products. Their “No Compromise” quality policy is so extensive and thorough. I know that the products are pure, safe and beneficial. We are so unaware of what is in our food supply these days, it’s scary! I am so thankful that Isagenix goes above and beyond in testing all products.
That just doesn’t make sense to me. So you avoid eating whole, organic, unprocessed foods because you’re not confident in them?
But you’re confident in a product with rancid vegetable oils, toxic sweeteners and processed ingredients? I’d say that’s what’s scary.
Dani, please quote where I said I avoid whole foods.
“I only wish I can be as confident in my “whole food” consumption from organic farms and grocery stores as I am with my consumption of Isagenix products.”
This statement suggests you choose Isagenix over whole foods. Not all the time obviously, I doubt you consume Isagenix products for each meal.
Ok. Glad we cleared that up. However, I consume both equally and it’s not about choosing one over the other honestly. That is not what I was suggesting. I still love my veggies and fruits and meats and lentils. But yes, I am more confident in the quality, and purity and nutritional value in the Isagenix products because of the extensive testing and research that’s done. Isagenix’s vision is to impact world health. You and Isagenix are essentially on the same team really. Please bring your concerns directly to the company as you were not satisfied with any answers here. I was thankful for this blog as I learned so much. Cheers to great health!
Obviously the people who use this product are way more educated on it than Herbalife. Interesting read.
Hi everyone,
I know Dani keeps saying, “Please explain to me how soybean oil, isolated fructose, synthetic vitamins, gluten, etc. are good for you? – See more at: https://ancestral-nutrition.com/isagenix-is-unhealthy/#sthash.EG07tCXR.dpuf”
I think Dani is missing something here and she should be talking to Dr. Paul Anderson and the other scientists from Isagenix to get her answers instead of on a blog. Very tacky. If you are that sure you are right then go to the source of the products. Ask the hard questions. These people are very available and will speak to her. Once she has talked to them and she has the answers then put it on a blog. It makes me wonder about her motives are!
Gladys, you clearly misunderstood why I was asking people to explain to me how soybean oil, isolated fructose, synthetic vitamins, gluten, etc are healthy. My point is that they are not healthy, so this cannot be explained. My point is that Isagenix uses these toxic ingredients (most likely because they’re extremely cheap). I know why these products are unhealthy, but clearly Isagenix users have no knowledge of actual nutrition.
Wait…so writing a review on Isagenix on my blog is tacky? You realize I am a BLOGGER? That is literally my job. What a ridiculous comment.
I don’t need to contact Dr. Paul Andeson or any other scientists from Isagenix. Why would I waste my time? They use toxic ingredients, that is a fact. Soybean oil, isolated fructose, fractionated palm kernel oil, gluten, etc are all toxic ingredients. My “motives” are educating people on this fact.
I think the bottom line is that people are offended when people shed light on products that they love…..it’s almost like attacking the personality traits of a relative.
Facts are facts……if they list them on their ingredient list, then they’re in the damn products by their own admission! If you want to consume those things, have at it! If it works for you and you’re not afraid of the long-term consequences then wonderful; more power to you.
I have friends that are very devoted to Isagenix, and I don’t yet have an opinion on the actual products, other than I’m leery of the consuming the ingredients mentioned. However, what is irritating and turns me off to the company is that the “research” and the “formulas” and it’s supporters are all tied to the company!
Dani, you provided an unbiased approach and reveal of what is included in Isagenix. I appreciate that.
I’d be more inclined to use Isagenix if ANYONE could even respond to your question about the toxic ingredients. I addressed one person about it and their response, for example, was that Agave nectar is a healthy ingredient. That just tells me that they’ve also been “sold” into the Isagenix sales pitch without doing their own research, and I find that very disheartening.
Exactly!
“However, what is irritating and turns me off to the company is that the “research” and the “formulas” and it’s supporters are all tied to the company!”
I completely agree. It’s not independent research.
Thanks so much for the comment, I appreciate it!
I went through the ingredients in the Isagenix products and could not find one of the ones you mentioned. Please tell us which of the Isagenix products they are in.
I linked directly to the products that contain these ingredients, so I’m not sure what you mean. They’re literally on the ingredients list, maybe read through them again?
Dani, You are 100% correct about your research. I am an EX Isagenix cult member. I, thankfully, escaped only losing one body organ to this product (my gallbladder). Thank you for all the information you are providing. You have to know sweetie that Isagenix has watch dogs all over the internet to lash out at any naysayers and they even go as far as having negative comments and reviews removed/hidden.
I’m so sorry about your gallbladder! But thank you so much for the comment, I really appreciate it.
Wow I am kind of stunned after reading Cara’s post, as just in the past few weeks an acquaintance of mine who has been using Isagenix for almost 2 years revealed that she had her gallbladder removed this past spring. I just thought she had ongoing health issues from way before, but now I wonder…coincidence…? Scary.
It is scary!
Hi Dani,
Great post! Half of my facebook feed is inundated with people promoting this product, who are completely brainwashed (more apparent from the replies above).
I’m on a mission to do my own before and after pics – which will involve eating healthy foods and exercising to prove to people that you don’t need a ‘wonder product’ to look great, nor do you need to pay anything other than a normal grocery shop to achieve it. I’ve always been slim thanks to regular exercise and involvement in sport but I’m keen to prove to people that if I want to get great abs I can increase my exercise and reduce my carb intake.
Good luck with the rest of the haters 😉
Jade
That’s awesome, Jade! I wish more people realized they could accomplish their goals by eat whole, unprocessed foods and that you don’t need to spend money on this junk. You got this!!
PS – my middle name is Jade.
Dani– I appreciate your review and comments in the long debate. I have a friend selling this program and after my recent awakening to the power of food I felt this program is another fad diet. Multi-Level Marketing is also a huge turn-off. Because of this article I plan to follow your future reviews. Thank you for sharing your knowledge!!!!!
I have read all of the essays put out by Isagenix because someone close to me is involved with the company. I have written to its higher-level employees with questions and received replies. I have watched their videos, listened to their podcasts. My conclusion is that the folks who control this company are dishonest and so are their stated scientists. I do not believe that their products, if consumed on a short-term basis for the purpose of either losing weight or kick-starting one’s diet to a more disciplined daily regimen, place the consumer at any real risk. And I’m not sure if the Isagenix products place anyone at risk who eats a meal per day of real (actual) food. What is pathetic and sad about this company is the the untested claims it makes to sell its product. When I say “untested,” I mean not tested by an independent third party. Isagenix, and only Isagenix, says it tests its products (“really we do, I swear,” to quote a recent podcast narrated by an Isagenix “pro”). The company operates within the law — just.
Dani, thank you for posting such a well-researched article, and I’m sorry that the Isagenix lemmings jumped on you for exposing the truth. Posting ingredients right off their websites is not false information, unless the website is a liar itself. Isagenix is GMO free in SOME COUNTRIES but it has NOT been officially verified as GMO-free for the US. Also, they are not certified organic and by reading the ingredient list it is pretty obvious why. The ingredients don’t lie. For those that are arguing should take a REAL nutrition class. Did you know that Isagenix is calling their representatives “health and wellness coaches”? However, they don’t offer any nutritional coaching, just promote the Isagenix products. It’s absolutely despicable.
Good review. Watch out though- you’ll have all the Isagenix brainwashed loonies after you. It’s useless to present facts to them..they’re in serious denial. They defend this that they themselves don’t really fully understand or know..and they believe everything! wake up people- it’s processed food!
I’ve used the products before -never sold them as MLM are just tacky IMO- and I have to say there is a lot of very misinformed, fanatical weirdness going on with it. I think a lot of the people who are fanatical about it, are not very educated in general- that is what I noticed across the board with them. But that’s maybe also why, they’ve fallen into it so deeply.
What exactly is tacky about an MLM? It is the best business plan out there for the ordinary person to make money based on their performance.
This idiot Dani charges over $1000 a month for coaching. What other way to get hits to her page then to mention popular programs like isagenix or herbalife…. Great google organic search tactic…. Clever cookie… knows anything about health or nutrtion, not at all!!!!
I’m the idiot and yet you cannot even properly read a price list. Funny how that works. I don’t charge anywhere near $1000 a month for coaching.
Instead of name calling, why not provide an actual rebuttal? For example, maybe you could explain to me what NO other Isagenix supporter has EVER been able to:
How is soy good for you?
How is denatured protein good for you?
How are rancid vegetable oils good for you?
How is fractionated palm kernel oil good for you?
How is gluten good for you?
Wow.
Interesting reading.
I won’t ever use Isagenix and I don’t even have to do any research to figure that one out. It isn’t food. It is fake crap. Really – it’s that simple. To be healthy, eat real food. Saves a heap of time arguing about fructose/natural flavours/fractionated palm kernel oil etc.
Couldn’t agree more.
Dani not only are you a beatiful person outside but inside more I have a thyroid problem(hashi) and I read every day in the last 3 years+ and you are right . Soy ( Soy Alert) Weston Price.org The endocrine system is easily disrupted and your metabolism is afected(soy) . These people need to do the research in the right places to understand the real thing. They have the Fox in custody of the chickens. jijijijiji Not only that when I cut the Gluten(Eat gluten and your inmune system attack the Thyroid) My dermatitis is cured 98%(Jesus the dermatologist do not know that) I discover the connection in the book the Gluten Connection(Shari Lieberman) I so on continue whith mission put light in the places where dark is present(Is your mission in life and mine)
Thank you! I’m glad you’re managing your thyroid with diet!
You are sadly misinformed. Isagenix is 100% real food. There is nothing “fake” or “crap” about the system. The woman who posted this article has extreme views that are also supplied by misinformation.
If you are serious about your health, you would be aware of the issue of toxicity. The core Isagenix products targets toxicity to allow the body to function as it should. John Anderson, the formulator behind the product, has worked for several decades and for over 600 supplement companies. He knows what he is doing and what should be going into the human body. I’m sorry but I can’t argue with that sort of expertise.
To be honest no one actually cares that people like you and the writer of this blog criticise Isagenix because you are ultimately the ones who are missing out on having a body that feels and functions as it should.
Raw, vegan, organic or whatever other ridiculous diet people do these days simply won’t cut it in a toxic environment.
How is soy oil good for you?
How is gluten good for you?
How is an indentured protein good for you?
How are inflammatory, processed oils good for you?
And how do you get olive oil into powder form?!
I appreciate your articles on these 2 popular mlm’s. My sister just started selling one and a coworker another. I let them both know I would HV to do my research prior to having an opinion on either of them. But I find it funny that most of the people that commented didn’t take the easy route of clicking the hyperlinks that you posted prior to attacking you for not doing your research. Irony is clearly defined in the bulk of those comments. Don’t drink the koolaid kids.
Saw this post on your Facebook page, I can’t believe all the criticism you got for it! I just wrote a very similar ingredient-by-ingredient critique of Slim-Fast. The biggest problem with these products, I think, is that the high level of processing exposes them to high levels of heat and other oxidative stressors. Never mind that soybean, sunflower, and canola oils aren’t good to use for cooking due to their high omega-6 content – the processing techniques are likely to oxidize the fragile omega-3 fats contained in them. That’s probably the worst part about them.
Here’s more info about that for anyone interested: http://www.westonaprice.org/know-your-fats/precious-yet-perilous
My question is this – how do you turn oil into a powder? That sesame shake has “sunflower oil powder” and “olive oil powder” as two of its ingredients… can someone explain the processing that is used to turn an oil into a powder? Just sounds sketchy to me.
Don’t worry about the criticism, Dani. Anyone blogging about anything controversial is bound to get criticized. I’ve been told I look like a dead jellyfish… agh, the perks of blog ownership, eh? 🙂
-Laura from Ancestralize Me
PS – This is from Chris’s blog that I linked to:
“PUFAs (polyunsaturated fatty acids) are uniquely vulnerable to oxidation because they are the only fatty acids with two or more double bonds, and it is the carbon that lies directly between two double bonds that is vulnerable to oxidation at physiological temperatures.”
Hence why omega-6 PUFAs like canola, soybean, and sunflower oil exposed to high-temperature processing is not something we should be putting into our bodies. That alone would suggest the product is not ideal.
Exactly!
Just read your response to that US News report and love it. I was so furious when I found out they ranked paleo so poorly, especially compared to other diets!
I was wondering about the process of turning oil into a powder too, I can’t imagine. Super sketchy.
Thanks for you comment, I’m definitely learning to develop a thicker skin. A dead jellyfish though? People are nuts.
Dani,
These are all trolls from that company ganging up on you. I’m certain you got through to your real readers. Thanks for all the great info you provide FOR FREE via this blog!
Thank you for the sweet comment, Angie!
Wow – the ignorance level in these comments is absolutely astonishing. Thank you Dani for pointing out the obvious. Anything processed and put into your body can be unhealthy and dangerous! All of the cited research and development into packaged food is PAID FOR. That alone should make your skin crawl. That isnt food, its a food replacement. And the argument about not being able or having the time to prepare whole food… that is simply a choice. People will do what they feel is important, anything less and its just an excuse. Hold your head high Dani!
Thanks Heidi!
Hello,
Amid the negative comments on this article, I’d like to thank you for showing me the things I think some people should realize about this sort of products. Recently my mother purchased Isagenix products without telling me and I was skeptical (as I always am with supposedly ‘healthy’ shakes and snacks from MLM companies) of what the ingredients were. I hated soy and whey for starters, and I always consume them on the minimum. But the rest…wow. Not only have I never heard of them, despite studying advanced chemistry back in my college years, but the amount of it in one sachet…
One of things that worried me about these chemicals is the effects it’ll give to my organs, especially the liver because hell no are all those shit are going to be absorbed and either way, it’ll definitely stress out my liver.
I tried to tell my mother about the dangers of the things in Isagenix, and perhaps try to convince her to try my diet (Paleo) but she wouldn’t listen. So for now, I will have to pretend to be drinking all those disgusting shakes and hope the damage it might possess in the long term won’t stay too long in me.
I’m sorry, Isagenix lovers. But if one should lose weight and cleanse your body, it’s only to not overeat, eat healthy and exercise. Let your body do the rest. I believe that’s the very best way.
Hello Dani
I believe in open and honest exchanges without aggressiveness, abusive language, or cheap shots. With that in mind, I have crafted a response for you and your readers to review and consider.
You state that the ingredients below are common and you provide some screen shots of ingredient lists.
Note: I have reordered your list a little to provide continuity with the response below.
rancid vegetable oils
gluten
agave syrup
soy
isolated fructose
fractionated palm kernel oil
corn
additives
synthetic vitamins and minerals that are not bioavailable
Rancid Vegetable Oils
Not sure where this came from. There is no such listing in any Isagenix ingredient for Rancid Vegetable Oils. Non-Hydrogenated Vegetable Oil is used in one and only one product – The Isagenix Slim Cake (Cookie).
Gluten & Agave Syrup
It is true you will find gluten in a single product, the Isagenix SlimCake (Cookie) along with Certified Organic Agave Syrup, also in the same single product. Agave nectar is simply a naturally occurring sweetener that is used instead of sugar.
Not sure how you can say Gluten and Agave are common in Isagenix products when they are all found in only one product.
Feel free to check out the product catalog that, in the back lists all products, their nutritional information and their ingredients. https://media01.isagenix.com/corporate/ww/pdfs/Catalog_English.pdf
Soy
Saying that soy is in Isagenix products is inaccurate. If you do a basic search for “soy” in our product catalog, you will find several hits for soy. If you take the time to read a little further, you’ll understand that the products contain “Soy Lecithin”
Lecithin is found in many foods such as ice cream, milk shakes and chocolates. As a natural emulsifier, it helps to keep fats and water from separating to produce smoothness.
Lecithin is also found naturally in foods and is especially high in egg yolks. The phospholipid is an integral component of cell membranes and is also synthesized to accompany excretion of bile and enzymes in the small intestine.
Dietary lecithin is good for you because it’s completely metabolized and provides the main source of choline in the diet. Choline is a precursor for acetylcholine, a neurotransmitters in the brain, and is vital for proper metabolism of fats in the liver.
For these reasons, you may see lecithin available as a supplement in natural health stores.
Commercial lecithin is derived from soya and sunflower oils. Isagenix products use soy lecithin because of its ease of application. It is only used if ultra-purified to be free of proteins or contaminants.
Note: Although the lecithin is derived from soya oil, it does not contribute any amount of soy protein or soy isoflavones (phytoestrogens). These are eliminated through purification of the lecithin and should not present a concern to those needing to avoid them.
Lecithin is used in place of other emulsifiers—such as chemical emulsifiers—for its healthful nature in IsaLean Shake, IsaDelight and IsaFruits. Isagenix uses only lecithin derived from non-GMOsoybeans.
Isolated Fructose
The concept that fructose is toxic or unhealthy is inaccurate. There is a lot of hysteria surrounding fructose — a simple fruit sugar found in almost every natural food on the planet that has been unfairly targeted as the scapegoat for all of the extra pounds on America’s waistlines.
According to the nutrition science experts, there is no evidence that overconsumption of a single nutrient, such as fructose from high-fructose corn syrup, has led people to gain more weight than other foods (1,2)
Additionally, in 2009, a supplement in the Journal of Nutritionin 2009 called for a stop to the demonization of fructose and high-fructose corn syrup (HFCS) (1). They wrote, “Evidence is presented that HFCS does not pose a unique dietary risk in healthy individuals or diabetics.”
http://jn.nutrition.org/cgi/content/full/139/6/1219S
In fact, in the same paper, the author seeks to dispel other myths about fructose by pointing out the following facts:
Fructose coexists with glucose in all common nutritive sweeteners including honey, fruits and vegetables, agave nectar, and regular table sugar (50 percent fructose, 50 percent glucose)
The human body is well adapted to handling sugars in normal ranges
Replacing all the fructose in manufactured foods with other nutritive sweeteners would not improve health or solve the obesity crisis
There is also a list of good reasons for why people should continue to have fructose in their diets.
Fructose is sweeter than glucose, so a balance of both helps food manufacturers use less sugar overall in foods.
Since fructose is absorbed differently than glucose, it blunts a glycemic response, leading to lower insulin levels.
Fructose makes things with naturally unpleasant flavors (like vitamins and minerals) taste better.
Unlike non-caloric, artificial sweeteners, fructose helps to fuel the body with energy.
As long as you’re not getting too much fructose, or any other added sugar, or using added sugars to replace nutrient-dense foods (2, 3), then there’s nothing to fear.
The truth is that fructose is metabolized in the liver and is first used to replenish liver glycogen stores, which are in turn used to fuel the body during fasting. The average human liver has the capacity to store around 85 to 100 grams or more of liver glycogen.
When fructose is consumed in a normal range as our hunter-gatherer ancestors did when they ate fruits and vegetables all year round – and as part of a reduced-calorie diet for building muscle and losing weight – it and its cousin sweeteners such as sucrose, glucose, honey, agave nectar, fruit juice concentrates, and sugar alcohols really aren’t so freaky after all.
White JS. Supplement: The State of the Science on Dietary Sweeteners Containing Fructose. J Nutr, 139(6), 1219S-1227S, June 2009, http://jn.nutrition.org/cgi/content/full/139/6/1219S .
Fulgoni V. Supplement: High-Fructose Corn Syrup (HFCS): Everything You Wanted to Know, but Were Afraid to Ask. Am J of Clin Nutr, 88(6), 1715S, December 2008, http://www.ajcn.org/cgi/content/full/88/6/1715S
Thompson FE, McNeel TS, Dowling EC, Midthune D, Morrissette M, Zeruto CA. Interrelationships of added sugars intake, socioeconomic status, and race/ethnicity in adults in the United States: National Health Interview Survey, 2005. J Am Diet Assoc 2009;109:1376
Drewnowski A, Specter SE. Poverty and obesity: the role of energy density and energy costs. Am J of Clin Nutr, 79(1), 6-16, January 2004.
Fractionated Plam Kernel Oil
Not sure why you consider Palm Kernel Oil unhealthy. Palm kernel oil is an edible plant oil derived from the kernel of the oil palm Elaeis guineensis, and is comparable to coconut oil. A cardio-friendly alternative to animal fat, palm kernel oil is free of dietary cholesterol, and there is no evidence that it increases production of cholesterol in the body (1). Palm kernel oil is stable at room temperature, does not require hydrogenation (the process behind trans-fat formation), and has a long shelf life.
Fractionation is the process of dividing a substance into smaller components, usually to improve purity.
Again, to say that this ingredient is common in Isagenix products is inaccurate. This ingredient is only found in the Fiber Snack bars and the IsaLean Bars.
Agriculture and Consumer Protection. Small-scale palm oil processing in Africa. FAO Corporate Document Repository. Online: http://www.fao.org/DOCREP/005/y4355e/y4355e03.htm
Corn
Saying that Isagenix products contain corn is inaccurate. Again, a quick search for corn produces several hits, but if you take the time to read, you find it’s NOT CORN, the ingredient is CORN BRAN. Corn bran is a food product made from the tough outer layer of corn. Like the brans derived from other grain crops, it is very high in fiber, and it can be used in a wide variety of ways. Many commercial food producers use this substance as filler in their foods, and to reduce the caloric value of snack foods. It can also be used in home cooking to increase the fiber content of various foods and to add texture.
Additives
You list additives, but provide no specific additives or any explanation about why it is bad.
Synthetic vitamins and minerals, not bioavailable
You speak specifically about Calcium D Pantothenate. This is also referred to as vitamin B-5 or pantothenic acid, is an essential nutrient your body uses to generate energy by breaking down carbohydrates and fats. Adults should consume at least 5 mg of calcium D-pantothenate each day to maintain a healthy body, according to the University of Maryland Medical Center. If you have trouble getting enough of this B-5 vitamin from your diet, your doctor may recommend treatment with a calcium D-pantothenate supplement.
Low Heat Non Fat Dry Milk
The statement in your article suggesting that Nonfat dry milk (NFDM) is a denatured protein is inaccurate. The term denatured refers to the process of breaking down the branch chain amino acids and the structure of the protein is damaged or destroyed. This is not at all what Buttler Believer’s article is talking about.
Natural Flavours
Contrary to what some people may think, use of the term “natural flavors” on nutrition labels is not a deceitful tactic by food manufacturers to hide harmful or unappealing flavoring agents.
The Code of Federal Regulations defines a natural flavor as “the essential oil, oleoresin, essence or extractive, protein hydrolysate, distillate, or any product of roasting, heating or enzymolysis, which contains the flavoring constituents derived from a spice, fruit or fruit juice, vegetable or vegetable juice, edible yeast, herb, bark, bud, root, leaf or similar plant material, meat, seafood, poultry, eggs, dairy products, or fermentation products thereof, whose significant function in food is flavoring rather than nutritional (1).” Artificial flavors are defined as those that do not meet these particular standards.
So what does all of this actually mean? The Cliff’s Notes explanation is that natural flavors are found in nature (plant or animal material), while artificial flavors are not. Artificial flavors are chemicals not found in plant or animal material that are created in a lab.
Thousands of natural volatile compounds make up the flavors and aromas of the things we eat. Even simple natural flavors like vanilla can be made up of hundreds of compounds, most of which have very strange sounding chemical names. For example, d-limonene is one of many natural volatile compounds that make citrus taste like citrus (2), and 3-methylbutanal, 3-methyl-l-butanol, and geranial are compounds that help make tomato taste like tomato (3). Listing all of these natural flavor compounds as their official names on a label would not only lead to more confusion, but also look a little scary.
To be included in the ingredient list under the term natural flavors, the flavoring compound must not only give the item its specific taste and be found in nature, but its main purpose should be to give a food flavor rather than to contribute to the food’s nutritional value. Because sweeteners are considered primarily nutritional, they must be disclosed in the ingredient list and cannot be listed as natural flavors. In addition, colors and chemical preservatives (used to enhance the appearance of food and keep it from spoiling) cannot be listed as natural flavors.
The federal regulations that define the term natural flavors and enforce its correct use ensure that it’s used appropriately by manufacturing companies, and not as a way to hide ingredients that might be considered unhealthy. By listing flavoring compounds as natural flavors, consumers are being told what they do (impart flavor), while also making labels appear simpler and less cluttered. In addition, using natural flavors on labels helps to prevent competing manufacturers from creating copy-cat versions of products.
Isagenix always avoids artificial chemicals, flavors, and sweeteners in all of their products. Where the term “natural flavors” occurs, the purpose is to prevent consumers from being confused by a variety of complex sounding natural compounds.
FDA Code of Federal Regulations Title 21:http://www.accessdata.fda.gov/scripts/cdrh/cfdocs/cfcfr/cfrsearch.cfm?fr=501.22. Accessed Sept 30, 2013.
Davidowski et al. The Extraction and Quantification of Limonene from Citrus Rinds. Perkin Elmer, 2009.
Markovic et al. Aroma volatiles of tomatoes and tomato products. Flavour Fragr, 2007;22:395-400.
Sunflower Oil
Fats often get a bad rap. Although there are some types of fat you want to avoid or consume sparingly, such as trans fats, our bodies do require fat for survival. Fats are necessary for providing an important cushion around organs, they are essential for building hormones and cell membranes, and they supply the body with an efficient source of energy. In addition, fats assist in the absorption of fat-soluble vitamins (vitamins K, E, A, and D). For these reasons, it’s important to have a healthy amount of fat with every meal.
The key is to choose moderate amounts of healthy fats. Extra virgin olive oil is the star of the Mediterranean diet and one of the main sources of fat in Isagenix IsaLean Shakes (other sources of healthy fats include sunflower oil, flax seed, and medium-chain triglycerides from coconut oil). Olive oil is associated with several health benefits; in fact, observational studies have found that those who live in the Mediterranean region and follow the native diet that includes high amounts of olive oil live longer and healthier lives
IsaLean® Shake features high-oleic olive and sunflower oils along with alpha-linolenic acid from flax seed as its main sources of fats. Consumption of these sources of fats, as supported by studies on the Mediterranean diet, has been linked to better control of blood pressure and heart health.
Isomaltooligosaccharide Powder
While frighteningly difficult to pronounce, this digestion-resistant carbohydrate source is quite natural and good for you. Oligosaccharides, in fact, are found in a variety of fruits and vegetables. The ingredient also acts as an important “prebiotic” that helps feed healthy intestinal microbes (1). That’s really about all that’s creepy crawly about it.
Yen CH, Tseng YH, Kuo YW, Lee MC, Chen HL. Long-term supplementation of isomalto-oligosaccharides improved colonic microflora profile, bowel function, and blood cholesterol levels in constipated elderly people–a placebo-controlled, diet-controlled trial. Nutrition2011;27:445-50.
Maltodextrin
A derivative of starch, maltodextrin is more easily digestible than other complex carbs, but it does not cause the same blood sugar spike associated with simple sugars. Semi-sweet or flavorless, this polysaccharide (chain of sugar units) comes from corn, tapioca, potato, wheat, or rice (1). Used as a thickening agent or to round out sweetness, maltodextrin is a white powder that is native to both home-cooking and packaged foods.
There is some evidence that maltodextrin is ideal for a pre- or post-workout carbohydrate source due to readily available fuel without the digestive discomfort associated with simple sugars. The maltodextrin in FiberPro is resistant to digestion. It acts more like a soluble, prebiotic fiber that helps support normal gastrointestinal health.
Finding your way through food labels is rapidly becoming an art-form. With new ingredient names, new discoveries, and new research unleashed every day, staying on top of your food is practically a full-time job. Isagenix is firmly committed to high quality foods and supplements to augment and sustain your efforts of attaining an ideal weight. Whether your goal is weight loss, body sculpting, or defying aging—Isagenix is here to help.
Department of Health and Human Services. Listing of Specific Substances Affirmed as GRAS. Part 184, Subpart B, Sec. 184.1444 Maltodextrin. 2011; 21:3. CITE: 21CFR184.1444. Online:http://www.accessdata.fda.gov/scripts/cdrh/cfdocs/cfcfr/CFRSearch.cfm?fr=184.1444
Tricalcium Phosphate
Whether this is healthy or not can be argued depending on your source. In your article you simply list side effects, but provide no context. The site you reference actually says most symptoms are seen with severe exposures and overdoses.
Your body needs calcium to maintain normal healthy function. You’re probably most familiar with calcium in terms of its role in the skeletal system — it helps maintain your bone health and density — but it’s also crucial to several other body functions. Your heart needs calcium to maintain its rhythm, and contractions of the skeletal muscles depend upon calcium.
Your body absorbs tricalcium phosphate quite effectively, just as most people absorb both calcium carbonate and calcium citrate without trouble.
You’re feedback and comments are welcome
Robin,
You do not know what a rancid vegetable oil is. I’m not saying Isagenix products label their vegetable oils as rancid, but all vegetable oils are rancid. Canola oil, fractionated palm kernel oil, modified palm oil, soy oil, these are all rancid vegetable oils.
You do not know what agave is or how it is made. Agave is NOT a naturally occurring sweetener, it’s a highly processed sweetener that is extremely high in fructose. Read more here: http://www.foodrenegade.com/agave-nectar-good-or-bad/
Just because soy, agave and gluten are only in some of the items I listed on my site, does not mean that they are not in more products that Isagenix sells. I do not have the time or energy to go through every single product Isagenix sells and highlight the garbage. For example, there is soy in this http://www.isagenix.com/us/en/isaleanbars.dhtml as well as this http://www.isagenix.com/us/en/isagenixsnacks.dhtml and I’m sure in several other products.
You do not know what lecithin is especially soy lecithin. Soy lecithin is a highly processed food additive that is processed with hexane, a neurotoxin.
This coupled with the fact that soy is highly toxic, hard on digestion and rich in phytoestrogens.
Choline is found in WHOLE foods, like egg yolks.
I’ve been through the fructose argument a million times with you guys. I’m not saying fructose in small amounts FROM FRUIT is harmful. Processed fructose in a meal replacement shake several times a day is most definitely toxic.
Did you really just try to argue that HFCS is good for you?? If for no other reason, you’ve just clearly demonstrated that you know next to nothing about nutrition. And I don’t mean that in a harsh way. I just mean it in a matter of fact way.
Wait, so you say Isagenix does not contain corn…what do you think the corn bran is derived from? Furthermore, corn bran is highly damaging to the GI tract.
Vitamins are synthetic when they are not naturally derived from food.
MSG can be listed as a natural flavor, so your argument there is invalid. Speaking of MSG, care to comment on why the new Isagenix soup contains MSG?
See here: http://www.isagenix.com/us/en/isaleansoups.dhtml
How exactly does Isagenix process that heart healthy olive oil into POWDER FORM? Olive oil is a healthy oil, until it’s overly processed. Also, sunflower oil is extremely high in omega-6 fatty acids.
Maltodextrin is a food additive derived from corn.
In conclusion, Isagenix is an extremely unhealthy product (not food) made up of extremely processed food byproducts, among other sketchy ingredients.
Thanks for commenting!
The non-GMO soy lecithin found in IsaLean Shake is ultra-purified so it’s free of any proteins or contaminants. Soy lecithin doesn’t contribute any amount of soy protein (so it is hypoallergenic) and it doesn’t contribute any soy isoflavones (which are phytoestrogens). These are eliminated through purification and should not present a concern to those needing to avoid them.
You should tell that to the people with severe soy allergies who have had reactions to the shakes that contain soy lecithin.
Also – still a highly processed food.
Certainly a soy allergy would be triggered by ANYTHING soy… we’re not talking about whether people with soy allergies should consume soy lecithin, we’re discussing whether the lecithin Isagenix uses poses any of the typical health issues associated with processed soy.
A very well written, referenced and professional response sharing a much deeper truth! Thanks for taking the time to shed more light on Dani’s limiting perspective.
It’s not my perspective, it’s fact. Soy oil is not good for you. Gluten is not good for you. Processed ingredients are not good for you. Agave is high in fructose. These are facts.
Thank you for doing all this work! very informative. I have a friend who has just begun distributing this and I was curious (NOT Curious enough to try any of it! I was sure it was NOT a good idea) but when I went to the website and could not find an ingredient list (except for hype) I KNEW for certain it was not a good idea! if they don’t want to tell me what’s in something its not going in my body! good job!
Hello, I am hoping someone to help me sort through this. I was ‘prescribed” Isagenix from my doctor. Not the whole product line, but the shakes as a meal alternative- she feels the amino acids product are unique and may help with my symptoms. Please don’t bash me, I am just a confused patient.
It’s difficult to comment without knowing the specifics of what you’re experiencing. But personally, I would not take or recommend these products. Feel free to let me know if you have any more questions! I’m happy to help.
Hello. I use the Isagenix protein occasionally mostly because I am on an autoship and it keep arriving at my door. I will have to take a closer look at the ingredients. I am not an Isagenix rep, but have only used this product. Actually my favorite type of protein powder is Primal Fuel but it is very costly to ship to Canada. I would love to find a clean-sourced, grass fed whey powder that tastes great and leaves out the other nasty stuff. Suggestions?
I buy this one for my fiancé: http://amzn.to/13p8Ruu
(Aff link)
I thought it might be prudent to offer up WHY companies use UNdenatured protein. When you heat up a protein, you kill off the natural enzymes contained within rendering the protein less bio-available (you’ll pee out more than you absorb). By processing without heat (or very low heat), you leave the enzymes active within the folds of the protein. The result is a protein that remains as natural as possible and as bio-available as possible.
Thanks all.
Hi Dani,
I read your article and most of the comments. I have this to say:
I have been trying to drop unwanted weight for a few years, I went vegetarian for a year, I did the low carb thing, I went Raw for a while, I did the P90X, Insane Home Fat Loss and many more trials and tribulations along my road in search for the elusive holy grail of weight loss.
Anyway I finally tried isAgenix. Wow. In 30 days I did lose the belly I had been trying to lose for years. I also met other isAgenix users. I met one fellow who lost over 100 lbs.! In my humble opinion isAgenix is an excellent product line. I also do a bit of kinesiology and all the isAgenix products appear to be of excellent quality and are very healthy. (for me anyway)
I lost my weight over a year ago and I have maintained my “new body” ever since. I still replace at least one meal a day with the shakes and I do extra ISA-Pro protein (the absolute best whey protein available anywhere) I am 53 years old but I look younger than I did when I was 43.
Whatever you found or didn’t find in isAgenix product works very well for me and everyone else I ever met who gave isAgenix a chance. They also have some of the best supplements I have found. Cutting edge and effective.
I hope you haven’t turned people away who would greatly benefit from isAgenix.
Thanks for writing your article though…. It’s always good to hear others opinions.
Nate
Thank you for posting this. I find it deeply disturbing how Isagenix consultants try to tell you how no other food on the planet has as many nutrients. The whey made my skin have terrible and painful acne flareups and the Isagenix Natural Accelerator made me unable to sleep for days. Neither my Isagenix consultant or the company representative I spoke with were honest about their products giving people such side effects. Instead they tried to tell me I had acne before and must be under stress for my job so that’s why I can’t sleep. This is all a pyramid scheme, where they want to make you a lifer while screwing up your digestive system by not giving people the opportunity to let their bodies digest real foods and not processed powder.
I’m sorry you had to experience that!
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Hey Dani
Firstly you are gorgeous so obviously you are doing something right.
(c’mon guys we all thought it right ?)
Secondly, there were a few good points in the previous posts touting pro’s and cons, (and some amusingly irrational ones, but we all mean well, right…right? ).
I have physically seen positive results from using Isagenix and as a result I’m going to commence a “cleanse” program and whilst I agree with the benefits of “natural” options I also need to approach this with a degree of practicality. My lifestyle choices determine my longevity, (genetics aside), and the Isagenix option seems to provide me the ease at accomplishing my goal.
Yes I said ease, so if you want to call me lazy then by all means do so, we are all entitled to our opinions.
I’ll keep you peeps informed as to how I go but keep in mind that my situation and results may differ greatly from anyone elses.
I’m male (The name Brad gives it away), 43 years old, gym active, & work 12.5 hour days.
I’ll give it approx. 30 days.
ciao
Brad, flattery will get you everywhere.
Just kidding, but thanks for not attacking me even though we disagree. Definitely keep us posted on how it goes.
Dani,
Where do you see Autolyzed Yeast Extract in either soup?
They dropped the “autolyzed” so now it’s just yeast extract and brewer’s yeast. “Natural flavors” could also be MSG and most likely is.
Why do companies use the term “Natural Flavors”?
Natural flavors can disguise less than desirable ingredients.
Actually, allow me to offer clarification on this. The law is quite clear on the use of “Natural Flavors”.
The Code of Federal Regulations defines a natural flavor as “the essential oil, oleoresin, essence or extractive, protein hydrolysate, distillate, or any product of roasting, heating or enzymolysis, which contains the flavoring constituents derived from a spice, fruit or fruit juice, vegetable or vegetable juice, edible yeast, herb, bark, bud, root, leaf or similar plant material, meat, seafood, poultry, eggs, dairy products, or fermentation products thereof, whose significant function in food is flavoring rather than nutritional”. Artificial flavors are defined as those that do not meet these particular standards.
Thousands of natural volatile compounds make up the flavors and aromas of the things we eat. Even simple natural flavors like vanilla can be made up of hundreds of compounds, most of which have very strange sounding chemical names. For example, d-limonene is one of many natural volatile compounds that make citrus taste like citrus (2), and 3-methylbutanal, 3-methyl-l-butanol, and geranial are compounds that help make tomato taste like tomato (3). Listing all of these natural flavor compounds as their official names on a label would not only lead to more confusion, but also look a little scary… (see Nutritional label of banana which I posted in response to another post down the page a ways)
Castoreum, otherwise known as beaver butt, can be labeled as a “natural flavor.”
From my understanding, castoreum is a very rarely used flavoring agent and is mostly used as a fragrance but you raise a great point. There comes a point in life when you can take one of two paths…
Trust nobody, be wary of everything, seek out the conspiracies that engulf all corporations and grow to be a cynical and bitter, “grumpy old man” (that was almost me) or….
You can remain cautious yet open to ALL new experiences. You can take the time to learn about the people behind a corporation. Their philosophies, their beliefs, their culture. Take a leap of faith on occasion and you may be surprised at what you find.
Understandably, we have become quite untrusting of food manufacturers. It seems as though their only concern is to deceive us and manipulate information to feed their bottom line. However, as easy as it is to make a blanket judgment, it’s important that we take the time to watch for the ones that may wow us.
My point is, when it comes to something like “Natural Flavors”, it’s easy to just think the worst. Or, you can understand that for some companies, it’s simply a tool to protect proprietary formulas that make their products unique.
If you see a company whose products intrigue you, remain cautious, investigate the company ON YOUR OWN and learn who the people are behind the scenes… not the people who are paid to endorse the product, but the people who create it and put their name on the line.
That’s what I did and I’m happy I did because I once was that grumpy old man. Thought I knew it all. Then I went back to school and learned more… and I took a leap of faith.
I found this blog looking for information on Isagenix. I received a voicemail from what I am assuming was one of their sales people. I get a lot of people wanting me to sell “health” products. I don’t sell anything, but before I have to get into a heated debate about why I won’t sell their product, I do some research. The only flaw I found from you in this thread is wasting your time responding to the Isagenix sycophants. You can’t argue with crazy.
I understand how finding real food can sometimes be very difficult, but the more of us who demand higher standards, the more available it becomes. These kind of products are another short cut. Learn how to eat correctly, break the cycle of poor choices, and your health will not just improve now, but forever.
Dani, if you’re pissing this many people off, you are obviously doing something right. Mazel Tov!
Haha! Thanks Susan!
I would just like to point out that even if you’re eating the healthiest fruits you’re still consuming toxic entities like pesticides, fungicides, insecticides, and herbicides. Even if the food is organic, nothing is truly organic, so you could still be eating healthy as a horse but you’d bed eating nutritionally bankrupt food.
Well then wouldn’t they same apply to the products in Isagenix? Which aren’t even organic?
So using your logic, wouldn’t eating organic foods still be better than inorganic, processed “foods” like those found in Isagenix?
Hi dani! I enjoyed reading this article. I am a Isagenix user myself and i feel great using the products. I don’t want to dispute the points you make but you don’t interpret the data correctly. I encourage you to take the opportunity to tour the head quarters in chandler Arizona sometime to learn the actual facts or simply call the customer service #1-480-889-5777 with an open mind.
Sometimes when we hunt for the dirt in our pursuit of truth our personal biases being short-sighted, lead our hypothesis, (and our readers) to an incomplete picture of how best to find health for themselves.
Very sketchy. I would not eat it.
and who is paying you to do this?
I’ve made it abundantly clear that no one has paid me to write this review.
Dani, I came across this blog post in a very random way but after reading through all the comments on here I felt strongly I needed to reply to this post. First, I appreciate your passion as a fellow person on the health crusade of trying to educate people about toxicity and nutrition. I myself am a published Author, nutritional researcher, Certified Health Coach, along with being an activist educating people on the effects of GMO’s, toxicty, and poor diet. I have personally been using the Isagenix products for over 6 years and here is what I have to say based on all that has been discussed above. I have been a vegetarian/vegan/organic eater all my life! Before I started on Isagenix I was eating a high raw, all organic, nutritionally balanced diet, with lots of whole food, juicing, etc. I started on the shakes during my first pregnancy because although I was eating the “healthiest diet” on the planet of real whole foods, my blood work showed differently. My body was deficient in many key nutrients and I was feeling sick. After just 3 weeks on just one Isagenix shake a day my blood work came back perfect! My doctor had never seen anything like it before. I had changed nothing else in my diet except I had added in Isagenix. That for me was a reality check as to what I was really not receiving and absorbing in my body from the regular food sources I was eating. ( all organic, locally grown, non-gmo, all of it!) Mind you I have a solid background in nutrition so I knew what I was doing diet wise.. but NOTHING worked the way Isagenix did in my body. I have eaten this food through both my pregnancies, nursed my babies each for a year, and I have 2 of the healthiest children ever.. who have grown up eating this superfood!! With that being said I want to address these key points.
1. The products you chose to high light are a small, insignificant portion of what Isagenix is all about. The main purpose of Isagenix and the flagship products are things like the Cleanse For Life formula which helps to assist the body in detoxifying at a cellular level while being flooded with high grade nutrients, as well as products like Ionix Supreme and the Isa Lean Shakes both the dairy and dairy free versions which are in fact.. LIVE Super FOODS. The slim cakes and fiber bars are not my personal favorite products and I myself do not order them. Some of the products are made for individuals that are used to eating quick foods that are very very toxic so for them to switch from eating 100 calorie pack oreo cookies, etc to having a slim cake is a profound health change. But those are NOT the key products or purpose of Isagenix.
I find it interesting that you did not fully research or discuss the actual cleansing aspect of Isagenix and the profound blend of botanicals, herbs, minerals, and nutrients in some of the other staple products like I mentioned above.
2. Isagenix does not use GMO’s period. Isagenix is an International company and the Non-GMO verified process is mostly US based as other countries have already outlawed or banned GMO’s. They use the purest sources on the planet and I know some of the formulators personally and I know the process of what they go through getting the highest quality ingredients in their products. All the products are 3rd party tested for safety, and purity and Isagenix spends millions of dollars a year making sure this happens. Take the Isagenix Greens for example. The formulator of this product is Dr. Tony O’Donnell and he is an nutritional genius, N.D. and a good friend of mine. He has written over 8 books on natural healing, etc and would never be aligned with a company that had toxic or bad products. That is just one example of literally thousands of holistic doctors, nutritionists, scientists, etc that have aligned themselves with Isagenix.
3. I have personally coached thousands of people on these products and I have only seen positive results. Improved blood work, lowered medications, total BMI transformations, strengthened immune systems, children being able to focus and transform their brain chemistry, and on and on and on.. too much to even type here, but literally LIFE changing results.
4. Isagenix has a full time staff of the best nutritional researchers, Doctors, and scientists on the globe. I would say that their knowledge of bio chemistry, human nutrition, and product safety far out ways your Certification from Blue Heron ( which is not an accredited organization by the way) or my own nutritional education for that matter. These people know what they are doing and they understand the importance of nutrition/cleansing for humans.
5. You are looking at Isagenix in the wrong way. It is a tool to assist people in transforming their health, and if you really looked at what they are doing all over the world you would see that. It does not mean you don’t eat regular whole foods anymore.. of course people still need to do that!!
I am saying all this to you in a loving and caring way as I do not want to bash you on your blog as I think your heart is in the right place and you really do want to help others.
I would hope that people reading this would find their own truth and not be afraid to try something that could impact their life in such a positive way by just reading this blog and making an over all assumption about what Isagenix is or isn’t.
As a whole Isagenix is not even close to being unhealthy has you have stated in your post and that is what upsets me! Is it the end all be all to all things?…no but it is an extraordinary tool for improved health and life.
I would hope you do some further research and maybe rethink how you worded things in this article.
Blessings,
Brittney
Since there’s no intonation over the internet, please know that the way this sounds in my head is nice. I appreciate you articulating your points without bashing or name calling.
You said,
“I have been a vegetarian/vegan/organic eater all my life! Before I started on Isagenix I was eating a high raw, all organic, nutritionally balanced diet, with lots of whole food, juicing, etc. I started on the shakes during my first pregnancy because although I was eating the “healthiest diet” on the planet of real whole foods, my blood work showed differently.”
A vegetarian/vegan/raw diet is one of the most nutrient deficient diets on earth, not “the healthiest.” It’s not surprising that your blood work improved after introducing Isagenix. Going from an extremely nutrient deficient diet to Isagenix does not mean Isagenix is healthy, it means that it is a step above your previous diet. Is it ideal though? No.
1. It’s not that I didn’t do my research, most people do not use Isagenix’s cleansing products. Most people use the shakes and eat the food, this is a weight loss company first and foremost. Additionally, if you are eating a healthy, organic, local diet full of veggies, wild fish and pastured meat, eggs and butter, you don’t need any cleansing products. So it makes these products obsolete.
2. My point is that they are not verified GM-free in the US, where GMOs are rampant. Consider that GMOs have been found in food that is certified GM-free.
3. That’s great, but the reality of the situation is that going from one really poor diet, to another less poor diet will definitely have results. It doesn’t make the diet ideal.
4. Is that why they use refined vegetable oils, gluten, soy, fractionated palm kernel oil and denatured proteins in their products and call it health?
5. I think we just have different perspectives, and I completely appreciate your comment and taking the time to write it in a way that doesn’t attack me. I’m not saying Isagenix is the worst product out there, I’m just saying most of the products are not healthy. There are better options. Some of their products are fine, like you pointed out earlier. But most people resort to the shakes, and I personally support different methods of detox.
Again, thanks for your comment.
Please expand on your statement… “A vegetarian/vegan/raw diet is one of the most nutrient deficient diets on earth…”
Please show your math… 😉
Since you seem to have in depth knowledge of the Isogenix organization and personally know high ranking employees there, would it be safe to assume you are also an Isogenix dealer? Exactly how high on the food chain are you sitting on the pyramid?
Very interesting article, I’m with you 100% Dani, I’ve been fructose free ( apart from eating no more than 2 pieces of whole fruit per day) for a year now and doing the 5×2 ( don’t like to call it a diet but a plan). I’ve never felt and looked better in my 46 yrs. My gym is plugging Isagenix and it saddens me to see the amount of people sucked in. When they tried to sell it to me the first thing I did was check the ingredients and as soon as I saw fructose listed I said there is no way am I putting that into my body.
I met a usually fit bubbly friend from the gym today for a green tea (it’s my fast day so coffee tomorrow) and she is really un well after 6 weeks on Isagenix. She has stopped taking it for a few days and is slowly starting to feel better. Hence why I decided to do some research on this poison. This is not natural it’s in a jar for Christ sake, if you want natural buy whole fruits, vegetables and fresh fish and meats. Take an hour out of your day and prepare and cook beautiful food, sit down with your family and enjoy healthy good food and they weight will drop and you will feel great in no time…and guess what along with the bargain you save money as you aren’t lining other peoples pockets in a pyramid scheme. Wake up!
And Dani I look forward to reading more from you.
Exactly! There is nothing that will do for you what eating real, unprocessed, wholesome food will do. It IS unfortunate that your gym is plugging Isagenix. I would ban these products if I owned a gym.
Thanks for the comment, Lisa!
Hi Dani,
Great blog, and reading all the comments just certified a few things for me.
I’m a CrossFit coach and as well as training lots of people on a daily basis, I often get alot of questions about nutrition. At our gym we encourage people not to eat any processed foods almost a paleo diet but never push it on them. When we get a few ladies that want to lose weight they seem to want to jump on the Isagenix wagon, for what seems a quick fix, rather than eating clean and training hard, so I decided to look into it a bit and asked a few reps a few questions.
Question 1 – ‘ can you guys tell me any of the names of toxins that Isagenix apparantly gets rid of?’ – No one could answer.
Question 2 – ‘ can you explain why your product has a ridiculously above RDA level of vitamin A in it, therefore potentially putting pregnant women at risk?’ No on could answer.
Question 3 – ‘ ‘ can you tell me why you advertise your products as caffeine free, yet they have green tea in which actually contains some caffeine? – no one could answer
I also stated: They repeat the tired old myth that our food isn’t as nutritious as in the “good old days.” They put digestive enzymes in their products to help you assimilate them, not realizing that orally ingested digestive enzymes are themselves digested in the stomach before they can do anything. They say that their electrolytes “ignite the body’s electrical system” – I have no idea what this means, and it certainly is not scientific terminology. – Again none of them could comment.
This tells me a few things.
– these idiots only have $ signs in their eyes
– these idiots have no nutritional background what so ever and only know what they’ve been belt fed by Isagenix
– i’ve not met one who offers daily support to their client or tell them what to eat on the 1 MEAL THEY HAVE A DAY! or offer proper exercise advice!
– the only scientific research done on the product has been done by the company itself.
– The minute I mentioned the above points on a friends facebook feed when she said about thinking about doing it I got a barrage of shitty messages from Isagenix reps saying I knew ‘F’ All about nutrition and even CrossFit ( which really made me laugh) but couldn’t answer any of my questions I asked in the first place, thus cementing the fact that these idiots just have $ signs in their eyes and they missed out on some money.
Eating clean is for winners and full of plenty of good foods that will ‘cleanse’ you naturally!
–
Keep up the good work Dani
Yes! They make a lot of really bizarre health claims, most of which don’t make sense.
My favorite it “Isagenix products detox the body at a cellular level.” Uhh, how? It is not possible for the body to detox through foods and protein shakes that contain toxins.
Thanks for the comment, Andy!
Hi there… I would love to answer your questions and I’m sorry you were unable to get your answers from the person you approached.
1. Isagenix doesn’t “get rid” of any toxins nor do they claim to. If you’ve seen such a claim, please link me to it as it needs to be addressed.
There are two main types of toxins, water-soluble and fat-soluble. Water-soluble toxins are easily metabolized by the body and excreted in your urine. However, in the instance of someone with an unhealthy digestive system, such as leaky gut, some of the toxins manage to find their way into your blood supply. This can lead to a number of symptoms such as headaches, flu-like symptoms and if not addressed, can lead to more serious issues over the long term.
Fat soluble toxins take a different path. They go through a two phase process… Phase 1
Special enzymes metabolize the toxin and make it more water-soluble, less toxic and less reactive to our vital components such as our DNA, proteins, etc. At this point, some of the toxins are able to be properly metabolized and excreted. However, phase I can sometimes make a molecule even more toxic than it was before and that’s where phase II comes in.
Phase 2
Some of the enzymes used in this phase are sulfates, amino acids, and glucuronic acid but the most important one is glutathion (GSH) transferase. Essentially, these enzymes further metabolize the intermediary molecule (toxin) and prepare it for transport out of your body.
In order for your body to detoxify itself, it requires certain key nutrients. Isagenix provides those key nutrients and allows your body to detoxify itself more efficiently.
2. Vitamin A
There are two types of Vitamin A… animal based and plant based. The animal based variety is fat soluble and can build up to toxic levels however the plant based variety is water soluble and safe. Isagenix uses the plant based variety (beta-carotene). Therefore, this is a non-issue.
3. Caffeine Free.
To my knowledge, Isagenix doesn’t advertise ALL their products as being caffeine free. In fact, they promote the healthy use of caffeine such as that found in Yerba Mate and green tea. Once again, please direct me to any links that make false claims.
Finally, in response to your final statements about those “idiots”…
The people involved in the manufacture of Isagenix products are of the highest pedigree. I won’t start listing names… I’ll leave it to you to research. The names you’ll find aren’t world class athletes.. in fact, unless you’re a scholar of nutrition or high level personal training, you’ve probably never heard of them… they’re the people that world class athletes look to.
The people you spoke with may not be qualified to coach people on their meal choices but many of us are and we’re the ones that our team turn to. Not everyone is going to get the same “one on one” meal planning as my clients but I assure you that the advice they are given is spot on.
If a cross-fitter needs meal advice based on his/her specific needs, then that cross-fitter has some responsibility to bear as well. Isagenix has never claimed to offer personalized meal planning though some associates are fully qualified to do so. Would it be fair for me to expect my personal trainer to live with me to ensure that my very specific issues are being addressed while on my own as well… no, at some point, I have to take what I learn from him/her police myself. Isagenix is excellent at providing advice on healthy meal choices.
Regarding exercise advice… should I expect to get QUALIFIED nutritional advice from my trainer? So then why would you expect QUALIFIED training advice from an Isagenix associate?
Finally, your closing statement about foods that will “cleanse you naturally”, food doesn’t cleanse the human body, it simply provides the tools to allow your body to cleanse itself.
Thanks Dani, I knew there was something creepy about those products. If I buy packaged or processed food, I better know what each ingredient is and it better not have more than three ingredients.
You are very welcome Hyatt!
Hi Dani,
I just wanted to also clarify the mention earlier of the clinical trials on Isagenix products. To my knowledge, there are only two clinical trials using Isagenix products and one is still ongoing.
The completed trial was performed by The University of Illinois at Chicago and was FUNDED BY ISAGENIX. This is the norm for the supplement industry. All clinical trials performed on supplements are done so at the expense of the supplement company unlike pharmaceutical trials which are subject to grants from NIH among many other institutions.
You’re absolutely correct that this can lead to a biased result but I ask you to look at the big picture… would the University of Illinois at Chicago, a very distinguished institution with a reputation in the medical field, put their reputation at risk for such an endeavor? What would they have to gain?
Also, if you find anyone who can read and understand a clinical study abstract, they will verify that the testing and all markers used were of the highest integrity… ie., no corners were cut, no compromises made.
I will tell you that the science behind the system is rock solid. Everything is based on clinically proven science. Clinically proven science is also NOT fixed… it is fluid and ever changing so adaptation is important. What we are taught now in schools is 15-20 years behind current research… it’s the nature of our educational system. It takes time for information to flow down to the classroom level… and not just in nutrition.
Your hypothesis that most systems of “this type”, meaning shakes, et al., are poorly contrived is bang on but I assure you in this case your assertions are way off. Most of these companies create their products and then find studies to support their “case”… often using obscure, one-off studies. Isagenix has clearly built their system around the proven science… not single, obscure studies.
They’ve supported every question I’ve ever asked them with a well written response, fully backed up by clinical evidence NOT FUNDED BY ISAGENIX. This is why you’ve been urged several times to call them for yourself… they are very transparent and will provide you with science-based answers.
Once again Dani, I thoroughly support your love of helping people and truly wish you the best of luck. It’s through helping others that we find meaning in our own lives. I hope you find the answers you seek should the answers you seek be the truth.
You know what Jeff – you’re right. I am genuinely curious about the GMO issue and why they’re not certified GM free in the US. The US has different standards than NZ or Australia because GMOs are much more prevalent here. It’s something that I should definitely contact them about.
A few points about GMO certification (and organic certification for that matter). You can’t certify that a product is non-GMO or organic if any of the ingredients come from countries/territories where there is no such certification program.
You can confirm to 100% certainty that the raw ingredients are in fact non-GMO and/or organic but you CAN’T certify it on your label because the certification would not be legitimate. You would be making a false claim.
Sorry… need to make a correction. Organic certification falls into my dialogue above. I am ASSUMING that the same would hold true of non-GMO certification. Sorry for the error.
Hi Dani… I hope all is well with you. I just wanted to know if you would be willing to post up the results of your call to Isagenix Corporate office?
Thanks.
Hi Dani,
I thought I should clarify the debate on fructose. Fructose is not bad… fructose in high concentrations is bad… hence HFCS. Also, fructose when paired with fibre is perfectly fine as the fibre acts to slow the release into your bloodstream… like in the case of an apple or carrots.
Fructose actually is bad. It is toxic to the liver, raises triglycerides and releases free fatty acids.
Fructose is fine in small amounts of fruit, but should be kept up 25 g per day, and should come from FOOD.
Dani,
This is the type of sensationalistic, fear-mongering that we need to be careful of. As someone in a leadership role (ie. people trust you for information), you need to understand how people react to that information. When you use language like, “It is toxic to the liver, raises triglycerides…”, it doesn’t matter what follows, people just remember that it is toxic to your liver.
You may have SOME people that understand that your intention is simply to illustrate the consequences of over-consuming fruit but unfortunately, your blog is public domain and you have no control over who reads it and how they “take” it.
So, to be clear. Fruit is a natural food for the human diet. When eaten in moderation, it has wonderful properties that serve to improve our health… just be responsible remember “moderation” is the key.
Thank you.
Jeff,
I think I have made that perfectly clear; that small amounts of fructose from whole foods are fine. It’s not sensationalistic to say that fructose, especially from processed food or food products is toxic to the liver and raises triglycerides. It’s a fact.
Jeff,
I need a job like yours… Why are all of the Isagenix people so defensive?
I wouldn’t say defensive. I believe that society is full of misinformation, deceptive marketing practices and corrupt companies that have no interest in our well being. I also believe that the internet, as wonderful as it is, can be a detriment to our health. I watch people everyday, making the wrong decisions because of something they read on the internet, saw on TV or heard from a friend “who’s really healthy”.
Not all “bad” information is malicious as I believe that many people/companies pass on misinformation with good intentions… they simply don’t know. Unfortunately, I think some of us fail to differentiate between those that are malicious and those that are well-intended and so will jump in without giving the benefit of the doubt.
Part of why many of us choose to involve ourselves with Isagenix is because of who we were. I don’t think schools should have vending machines. I don’t think companies such as McDonalds and Coca-Cola should be allowed to sponsor sporting events. I admire companies that don’t cut corners in the name of bottom line profits but most of all, I think people deserve to have facts when making decisions…especially regarding their health.
I understand that it’s normal for people to take in information, process it and then utilize it to suit their needs. I just wish that more people/companies would realize there is real value in being honest and not skewing information to enhance your agenda.
So, I’m not defensive, I’m simply ensuring that the information found online regarding nutrition is science-based and not “fad-based” or “gym talk”. That conclusions are fully researched and not based on “limited” evidence and most of all, that those in a position of leadership are held to a higher standard of accountability.
Thank you.
and because its such an awesome product you can exclusively buy it through a consultant who is part of a pyramid system. Sorry even if you don’t know anything about this product this should make you think! 600$ really?
Ohh yes I see these guys in my gym, they started using it and hey I have so much energy, suddenly I have improved my personal record by 40kg? Really? just that you have trained like shit for the last decade and suddenly you got a bit of motivation through a shake? Ahh and yes obviously you stopped eating junk food and drink lots of beer due to the isagenix program, which you should have done to start with.
Honestly real power comes from real food!!!
I think you miss the point. Isagenix is real food. Ironic, huh, that it has more nutrition in it than the GMO or overly pumped hormone and antibiotic foods you find in some grocery stores these days. I would believe your gym mates.
Again, you do not know what a whole food is. Let me help you out, a whole food is a food that is unprocessed and found in nature. Like an apple, an egg, a green bean, a fish. A whole food is NOT non-fat dry milk, zinc oxide, sunflower oil powder, sodium bicarbonate or majority of the ingredients found in these products.
I know somebody who has done so well with this product
No side effects she has energy lost weight and seems to be remarkable well
Although on the other side of the coin a Chinese soup and veggie diet does a cleanse with real food
I think eating real, organically grown food is the best way to go (the old fashioned way). Before the days of Mansanto. I agree with Dani. So many people argue with this way of eating and i think it’s because they don’t want to have to eat real food. It isn’t fast and easy.
I know you aren’t a fan of shakes and other products, but would like a comparison review of IDLife products, link above. I’ve seen the Advocare write up also. Thank you!
Could you provide a link to the product you’d like reviewed?
I appreciate healthy debate (pun intended). Anyway, just wanted to add my 2 cents. I started a strict Paleo diet in Jan. 2013 (90% of the time). While I found many benefits to it, I still had lots of struggles. That 10% when I wouldn’t eat paleo completely derailed me of any progress I had. It was disgustingly frustrating. Then I had bloodwork done in Nov. 2013, and my triglycerides and cholesterol were very high and my blood sugar was in the prediabetic level. I’ve been a life long athlete. I work out daily. I’ve done triathlons. I do yoga, strength, and cardio on a regular basis. I’m only 33.
Before you ask – yes I ate local and organic fruits, veggies, and meats (got it from a very nice mennonite family who changed their whole farming techniques to produce cleaner items.) I cut out all gluten, and the only dairy I had (part of the 10%) was raw, whole dairy. I read
I’m now using Isagenix, and have never seen the results I’ve experienced with anything else I’ve done. Did the ingredient list make me pause a bit? Absolutely. I get your problem with the ingredients. But you know what? My bloodwork has completely turned around, fat is burning off while lean muscle is building up, I have more energy, stamina, and drive than I’ve ever had before.
So while you and I disagree, I just wanted people to know that the lifestyle you promote wrecked my health. Thank goodness I stopped when I did.
The “I read” part was a typo. Just wanted to point that out before people bashed me for it.
If paleo is done correctly it’s a low sugar diet so it’s next to impossible to become pre diabetic, furthermore it only promotes eating healthy fats so it’s also next to impossible to have high triglycerides, unless the diet aspect of paleo was done completely wrong.
I’m not sure what you mean by “strict paleo” and I’m not sure how long (or short) you were eating this way. Paleo is about eating unprocessed, organic, local and sustainable food that is tailored to your own personal needs. So in short, I honestly do not believe your testimonial, or that you were properly tailoring a healthy diet to your individual needs.
So to say you’re so thankful you stopped eating healthy, organic, unrefined food (if that’s what you were actually doing) because it wrecked your health is kind of ridiculous.
“it only promotes eating healthy fats so it’s also next to impossible to have high triglycerides”
Here’s a link to your favorite “WebMD” site, talking about triglycerides. Eating “unhealthy” fats doesn’t increase your triglycerides. Eating carbs does…
http://www.healthcentral.com/heart-disease/c/1435/100849/increase/
Using one link to WebMD makes them my favorite?
I agree that eating carbs raises triglycerides, but so does eating unhealthy fat.
I’m so confused. I’ve been eating a paleo diet for 3 weeks. We’ll as close as I can follow. Not completely organic everything but I try. No dairy or grains, beans etc.. Lost 4 pds. Now I’m isagenix 2nd week. Feel awesome. Lost 3pds libido went up ( prob tmi lol!) energy is that of a 20 y.o. And I just had a baby. ( which was complicated pregnancy ). I really don’t want to consume grains gmos or gluten so now I’m not sure what I will do. But I love feeling good.
So confused…
So you’ve been paleo for 3 weeks, doing Isagenix for 2. So you were only paleo without Isagenix for 1 week? It often takes quite a while to determine how a diet will affect, use your intuition and do what is best for you.
Dear Dani!
thanks so much for your article about isagenix products. My husband has been using them since Nov. last year and just last week I decided it was about time to CUT IT OFF!. He has lost a lot of weight and his IBS got much better, but I think it was because he finally started eating a more cleaner diet and giving up things like, coffee, cold cereal in the morning, etc…
Isagenix is about money, not nutrition, period!.
And yes, I was also told about “Isagenix cleans you at a cellular level!” I was never satisfied with that empty answer!.
Thank you, thank you! for confirming my suspicion from the very beginning!.
Glad I could help. Intuition is so strong, especially in us women!
Hi Aida,
I thought I would clear up the “cellular cleansing” confusion. Your body cleanses at a cellular level and the process is called autophagy. It is your body’s ability to regenerate and become better.
You see, every day there are millions of cellular reactions occurring in your body. Some of this activity causes damage within your body. As with any equipment that is used a lot, the daily stress causes breakdown. Fortunately, your body is built for such circumstances and can naturally heal anything that isn’t working at an optimal level. This is autophagy.
When your body’s internal repair becomes slow and lethargic, it leads to an internal environment that is damaged with one of the most costly issues being damaged mitochondria (the powerplants of your body).
There are certain needs your body has in order to run the autophagic process efficiently and hormones play a key role… specifically, growth hormone. The best way to increase your growth hormone levels is through a process called Intermittent Fasting…. the core process behind the Isagenix System.
When someone talks about Isagenix and “cellular cleansing”, while they may not understand it, please don’t assume that they are trying to mislead you. They are simply telling you what they’ve been told and while that may seem a bit sheepish, please consider this…
Don’t we all do that? For instance, you’ll read Dani’s posts and then tell others what you “learned”. You don’t go out and perform your own research on the topic… you place some faith in her abilities.
In the case of Isagenix, the track record of science-based information is stellar.
Please don’t take my word for it though… I urge everyone to do their own due diligence.
I am a huge proponent of intermittent fasting and autophogy. However, autophogy is promoted by IF, not by Isagenix products. I understand that Isagenix may promote IF, but it’s actually unsafe to promote this for all people, particularly those with adrenal issues. And no one needs Isagenix products to promote autophogy.
That is what I was going to say–loved this article. I have a family member who is now part of the cult and has given up any sense of actual facts when discussing nutrition. They have gone to the point of trying to pressure through friends etc., and here is the thing. This person had no interest in me or my life until Isagenix.
Having said that IF is a great process to reduce oxidative stress, allow a reset period, kick up Human Growth Hormone, add mental clarity etc. NO ISAGENIX required. IsaLean–is whey and some crap non-fat chemically produced milk–I use whey all the time in my routines to get required proteins for muscle growth because of my busy schedule. Here’s one truth that has nothing to do with nutrition though: I don’t pay $600 a month for it.
Want to remove that bloaty feeling? Try to capfuls of Apple Cider Vinegar in a glass of water–I promise you will have the same effect and it costs about $1.
Go Dani go, I don’t know you but your well written article using THEIR information is perfect for anyone trying to get real info.
Wow! My heading is spinning. Soooo much information. It seems the more I try to research and learn about eating healthy, the more confused I get. You have to be scientist to figure out all the terms, what they really are, how they affect your body. Labels, ingredients, random words to hide or disguise real meanings…..so frustrated and just wish I understood all of this. The more I read, the more confused I get. Trying to eat healthier, natural(which now doesn’t seem like a safe term when read on a label) and real food. Have used the the Isagenix shake for protein and meal replacement but always had questions, especially after recently reading many shakes have hidden metal in them? So now I have looked again at Isagenix and feel if my goal is to add protein, I need to go to the shake link provided earlier or one I found recently from the Ton It up gals in California. I have read the label for their product and it seems very similar. I did learn quite a bit about fructose and realize even though fruit is good for me, I probably was overdoing it and now I understand the connection of fruit and the liver. Do you have any good books to recommend that break down some of the things mentioned in your posts that could help me learn more about foods and our bodies…….in non-scientific terms?
Thanks again for the help!
Cathy
*head….just shows how confused I am after reading all of these posts but bottom line, won’t be using the shakes anymore. Thanks!
Hi Cathy,
It seems complicated, I know. But once you just eliminate all of the food products, it’s easy. If you stick to the basics of real food, organic, found in nature, then you’re good. I tend to avoid most things with a label and make food from scratch; this really simplifies eating. I would recommend reading The Perfect Health Diet by Paul Jaminet, it is scientific but not difficult to understand.
http://rchadwick.tumblr.com/post/73346190672/response-to-isagenix-is-unhealthy-by-dani-stout
HAHA. This is great.
Wow, what a read!…l understand your problems with Isagenics Dani, however my daughter and a couple of her friends have recently completed their Isagenics 30 days, and tell me that they have never felt better!..l can see that they r so well…shining eyes, hair energy, clear skin, sleeping well etc …all the usual markers of good/improved health! I can also see that is not for everyone, and definitely do not feel that l could trust the company and just a smell of the “artificial smelling” products is a turn-off!…so lots of warning bells but personal experience so far, quite amazing!…
You’ve obviously never tried it. You can spout off all the random information you want, but Isagenix makes me FEEL better than anything I’ve ever eaten. Something unhealthy could never make me feel this good. I’ve eaten whole, unprocessed, healthy foods my whole life, but my health completely turned around when I started adding Isagenix into the mix. Haters gonna hate, but you will NEVER, EVER convince me that Isagenix is unhealthy. It is the best thing I have ever done for myself. Cheers!
Haha. K.
The sugar pills that doctors regularly prescribe also make people feel better. its called a placebo effect.
Like George Costanza says, “Its not a lie, if you believe it”.
Our bodies arn’t really designed to thrive on ‘whey’ meal replacement shakes though. We are designed for natural foods, like whole fruits and vegetables. In nature, meal replacement shakes and protein bars don’t grow on trees. Imagine if there were no corporations, or big businesses trying to sell you things. What would you naturally eat then? Take away all the bullshit and see for yourself 🙂
Actually, they are. I definitely see your point and agree with you, but would expand it to say we are designed for natural foods like fruits and vegetables and animal products. Every culture in history has thrived on animal products, so much so that there has never, even been a culture that has only eaten fruits and veggies. Whey has been used for thousands of years, just not in protein powder form. That’s why I recommend this specific whey, it’s grass-fed and has undergone minimal processing.
It’s not realistic for everyone to eat whole foods after a workout, ideally it would be, but my protein powder rec is a great alternative.
I’m not a troll but I have been using Isagenix now for over a month and I haven’ thad any bad side effects, only possitive side effects and it’s kept me from eating fast food, drinking soda, and I stopped eating bread. I believe the only bad about gluten is if you are in fact allergic to it. when did soy become such a bad thing too? I had my gall bladder out fter pregnancy so haven’t had to deal with anything like this. I am evaluating what I used to eat which wasn’t bad but I didn’t get what I needed out of the ofod I was eating and now I have no cravings for the bad foods, I feel amazing, I lost 12 pounds in 45 days, and I’m sleeping better. I think everything should be taken with a grain of salt including this evaluation of their products.
Thanks for your input, Amy.
Blame your good feeling on eating right on not on the Isogenix. I think anyone who cuts fast food, soda and bread out of their diets is going to feel 100% better. Continue healthy eating without the Isogenix and you’ll prob feel the same.
Yes!
I’m just wondering why you have an advertisement for stomach lap bands on your healthy web site?
I do?!?! I don’t control the ads, I will have to make sure that one NEVER pops up again. Thanks for letting me know.
HI Dani,
Love your blog! I own an organic juice bar in my community. I only use 100% organic, locally sourced veggies and fruit. I use my veggie pulp to make soups and dehydrated wraps too. I’m up against a pro Isagenix pusher who bashes my products as nutritionally inferior…WTH do I say to my customers when they ask me about Isagenix, regarding weight loss, resetting hormones, blood levels, etc.. I’d appreciate any advice 🙂
Well, those claims are not true. The people that sell these products are not trained professionals. Maybe print this out and hand it out to people? 🙂
Hi Dani,
Can you please elaborate on “those claims are not true”? I would be happy to provide plenty of third party, clinical evidence supporting all three of those examples given…
Thanks
Hi Veronica,
I hope the Isagenix associate isn’t “bashing” your products… personally, that’s not my approach. I would hope that he/she would simply point out the benefits of Isagenix WITHOUT putting your products down.
That said, I think there should always be an open dialogue for learning and regarding the three examples you mentioned (weight loss, resetting hormones and blood levels), I would be happy to provide the evidence supporting those claims and I assume by “blood levels”, you mean sugar, HDL/LDL, etc..
Thanks
Unbelievably clever, Jeff. When you Isogenix dealers are unable to stump or provoke Dani with your exhausting cult babble, you decide to hijack her blog. Veronica was addressing Dani. Your transparent need to play defence will only scare away the very people you’re hoping to recruit. Scary, indeed.
Hey Dani
I just wanted to thank you for this article and for honestly speaking out in the face of so many die hard Isogenix supporters.
Isogenix is sweeping through my Facebook friends list at the moment and I’ve had numerous friends trying to tout the benefits of it to me. Unfortunately it seems like they aren’t interested in listening to the health benefits of a natural, balanced, organic, whole-food diet.
Anyway, just wanted to say thank you and don’t let these die-hards get to you.
This really couldn’t have come at a better time. It’s honestly not easy to see several comments a day bashing or attacking me. Thanks for the support!
Shame on them for “bashing” you. I hope you don’t feel that I’m one of them. I want you to know that I fully respect your efforts and that you truly believe in what you do. However, I also have a real soft spot for people who try their best but don’t have the knowledge to make an informed decision. I personally know people who have been taken advantage of and feel a personal responsibility to help.
I’m not suggesting that you’re trying to take advantage of people… absolutely not. I simply want to illustrate that I think you’ve been a little misguided in grouping Isagenix with companies like Herbalife, Visalus, etc., who’s products don’t come close to the quality and science behind Isagenix.
Keep pushing on!
Isagenix vs. ‘Heart-Healthy’ Diet Study
Isagenix users had an average of 56% greater reduction in body weight.
Isagenix users averaged a 47% greater reduction in body fat.
Isagenix users had more than twice the reduction of visceral fat than their “heart-healthy” counterparts.
Isagenix users had a 35% greater reduction in oxidative stress.
http://media01.isagenix.com/corporate/ww/pdfs/Heart-Healthy-Flyer.pdf?utm_source=facebook&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=isafyiyearlatervaradystudy?utm_source=facebook&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=isafyiyearlatervaradystudy
Just a year ago, a University of Illinois at Chicago College of Applied Sciences study comparing weight lost using Isagenix® versus a “heart-healthy” diet won a prestigious award from the American Society of Nutrition. The study was lead by Dr. Krista Varady, Ph.D., an Associate Professor and researcher at UIC. She’s contributed to more than 40 peer-reviewed publications and been featured on television, in print and in person as an authority on intermittent fasting for weight loss.
http://isafyi.com/one-year-later-isagenix-vs-heart-healthy-diet-study/
The “heart healthy” diet is ridiculous – it consists of grains, low-fat foods, minimal meat, and processed food byproducts. It’s the opposite of what people should eat for heart health. Like I said in my other comment, when you’re testing against horrible diets in the first place, it’s not surprising that the outcome is positive. But it doesn’t mean that the products are ideal.
Hi Dani,
first off, I’d like to thank you for your article. You have handled all criticism with much graciousness, which really speaks highly of you.
The reason I came on your site is because I am an isagenix user for 2 months now and sometimes just not sure is it works or if I am fooling myself to believe it does.
I started isagenix upon many harassing sales pitches of a friend who is no longer my friend because after i purchased the product I said leave me alone and let me see if it works for me. To which she harassed me even more to continue selling it. I HATE IT when I smell that a friend is so persistent only for the money because she is more interested in making money than to let me be and see how I feel. I am not going to promote something I am not convinced with.
I will tell you honestly I have seen and of course read with my own eyes that in face YES isagenix does contain those unhealthy ingredients you have listed and I am glad you brought it up, because noone else does.
My main reason for trying isa is because I let my weight spiral out of control.
I have a busy schedule and even though apples, homemade vegetable chicken soup, salads and an ocassional “bad” food worked for me in the past, now that I dont have time isa seemed like a great solution. Except, I think its to expensive and sometimes I just crave a good old meal…I am still giving it a try until my product runs out, but I am not sure if I will continue.
I wish some of the ISA_GURUS up there directly answered your question about unhealthy nutrients instead of vilifying and attacking you, which is sooo high-school.
I personally am glad you posed those questions and as a new isa-user i was intentionally looking for something on the web that will address those questions, since I no longer am friends with my so called friend aka isa coach aka money hungry person.
Thank you Dani
You’re very welcome and I definitely encourage you to listen to what your body is telling you. Weight loss does not equate health, pay attention to how you feel and do what you think is best.
Hi Violeta,
It’s unfortunate that your experience was under so much pressure… no matter what philosophy someone follows, they can’t be dragged into it… that’s a recipe for failure… no matter how good the program may be.
I just wanted to point out something to your final point. You seem frustrated that none of the “IsaGurus” have addressed the ingredient “issues” that Dani has. On the contrary, I think several of us have done a wonderful job. I have an idea…
How about you or Dani re-post an itemized list of the “issues” and I will personally address each one. I will back up all my statements with clinical research links. In the same manner, I think it would only be fair to expect the same level of transparency when the issues are posted…. clinical research links to support.
Thank you.
Did you not read the article? I literally provided an itemized list of ingredients that are unhealthy.
dani,
Hope this finds you well. You state things clearly and I find it easy to follow your line of thinking. In the face of personal assault you do not wither and do not respond in kind. The occasional sarcism and repetition, I would think helps keep you sane in the face of some obvious insanity. (maybe passion is a better word)
I have been pouring over the isagenix debate and am nothing short of amazed. I will be 55 yrs young in a week and am starting to feel the effects of aging. Your conversations with jeff were particularly enlightning. What an overwhelming amount of time and energy you have spent on these discussions. As have others.
I have a few questions but would prefer not to ask in this open air discussion. So, just thank you for now, and I will get back to you.
guil
Thanks for the comment and happy birthday in a week!
I like this article. I think it is always good to have multiple opinions about a product. It’s like a good cup of coffee, best when well-rounded. I’m currently using Isagenix. I had initially purchased the 30 day cleanse, having been sold on the idea. But after two days of the shake days I was dead to the world and knew I wouldn’t last through the 48 hour cleanse period. They even sent me home early from work on the second day because I was so out of it. I have no doubt that part of this was due to the fact that I workout for 12+ hours a week and I’m 5′ 11” so the calorie intake was far too low for me. An oversight both on my behalf and my sponsor’s. I quickly decided that maintaining my workout schedule was far more important to me than completing the 30 day cleanse so I decided to take the cleansing a little bit slower thus deviating from their suggested schedule. I just take the cleansing powder in the mornings after the Ionix Supreme, take one shake in the morning, the other either before bed or at work along with the accelerator at the appropriate times while maintaining a calorie deficit that I am comfortable with. I’ve noticed a few things:
1.) I’m never really hungry and I don’t get random cravings for Mint Chocolate Chip ice cream which is quite unusual for me (What? It’s ice cream, it was basically put on this earth with the sole purpose of being irresistible).
2.) My summer trim down went a lot faster this year than previous years
3.) I’m not going to lie, it is a little difficult for me to concentrate for extended periods of time (but that could be because I’m trying to get a hold on my coffee addiction, so who knows).
I just think the important thing to remember when using these products/systems is understanding that you need to use them in a way that fits your lifestyle and what you want out of their use. I think the two most important aspects of getting fit and maintaining a healthy lifestyle are exercise and eating right in a consistent manner. It’s important to plan out your meals and try to get the most you can out of natural foods and probably only supplement when it is necessary. I used to supplement with a ton of other, more sketchy products than Isagenix and I most definitely feel better after the switch. But I also think it’s really important to note that if your goal is to go all natural, or as natural as possible, that most supplements are going to compromise that goal in some form or another.
So, back to it, thank you Dani for your review. I always think it’s brave when people put their honest opinion out there.
P.S if you guys haven’t been to choosemyplate.gov and looked at their supertracker you neeeeeeeeed to. While not perfect, it most certainly is helpful when trying to meet most of your nutritional needs.
Thanks for the lovely comment, Chelsea!
I have been reading your back and forth and all I have to say is, Isagenix is great for weight loss so long as you are willing to pay the price. I was on Isagenix for 6 months and have been dealing with kidney stones for a year. I never had them before I used this product.
Here’s where some of the discrepancy lies… these people (and I was one) are spoon fed that the proteins come from grass fed cows and the whey protein is undenaturated, what they are failing to see is that your review questions the low heat non fat dry milk. Both of which can be true, the company may in fact use grass fed cows that produce the whey protein BUT it also adds low heat non fat dry milk 🙂
Also, for your further enjoyment you should look further into the lead levels of the shakes. They have been sited by California Prop 65 and have labeled all of their shakes accordingly. They have information on their website as to how they are still under the federal guidelines. They did in fact remove the soy lecithin from the shakes after what they described as “confusion” amongst people. Not stating that in fact soy lecithin contains trace amounts of soy proteins.
I stumbled on your site, looking for information about the lead, but did have fun reading the comments 🙂
Very interesting. Thanks Tonya!
Dani, can you clarify a few things for us…?
1. When you say rancid vegetable oils, are you referring to ALL vegetable oils or just the ones in Isagenix products? Also, can you expand on that to show what exactly a “rancid” oil is?
2. There are three methods used to fractionate oils… using petroleum products IS one and the use of detergents IS another. However, the third method is through pressing. Did you call Isagenix to ask which method their oil comes from or did you make an assumption?
3. When speaking of the balance of Omega-3 to Omega-6, you only talked about the sunflower oil and made no mention of the other sources of EFA in the products. Because Isagenix is a system of Intermittent Fasting combined with healthy food choices (whole foods), the typical person’s intake of Omega-6 will fall to acceptable levels. Did you take that into account or did you make the assumption that people used these products in conjunction with the Standard American Diet (high in Omega-6)?
4. Fructose… the information you posted on fructose was misleading though I’m sure it was inadvertent. You failed to mention that in the same article you sourced for the chart, it says the following…
“Dr. Lustig uses the term “liver toxin” to describe fructose, but he’s also CAREFUL to note that it’s not fructose per se that is toxic. There are instances when your body can use it, e.g. post-workout or fasting-induced glycogen depletion. The problem is that most people consume so much of it that it turns toxic by virtue of the fact that your body cannot use the excess. It simply gets shuttled into your cells and stored as fat. So it’s the massive doses you’re exposed to that make it dangerous.”
In other words, when taken in conjunction with the Standard American Diet, fructose IS bad. When taken within the confines of a healthy diet, fructose will be properly used by your body. The amount of fructose in the Isagenix system is actually less that most of your followers consume… maybe even yourself.
5. Tricalcium Phosphate… once again, an oversight on your part. You failed to include the statement made BEFORE webMD lists the symptoms and it reads like this….
“Most symptoms are seen with SEVERE EXPOSURES AND OVERDOSES”
By the same token, WebMD also lists the following SIDE EFFECTS for Vitamin A…
Abnormal softening of the skull bone (craniotabes — infants and children)
Blurred vision
Bone pain or swelling
Bulging fontanelle (infants)
Changes in consciousness
Decreased appetite
Dizziness
Double vision (young children)
Drowsiness
Headache
Increased intracranial pressure
Irritability
Liver damage
Nausea
Poor weight gain (infants and children)
Skin and hair changes
Cracking at corners of the mouth
Hair loss
Higher sensitivity to sunlight
Oily skin and hair (seborrhea)
Skin peeling, itching
Yellow discoloration of the skin
Vision changes
Vomiting
Does this mean that Vitamin A is toxic and we should avoid it? No, it means that excessive amounts of vitamin A can be toxic. Also depends on the source of Vitamin A but that’s a whole other story.
Once again, when you are in a position where people look to you for advice, you have to present ALL the information. I feel that you have an opinion about Shake-based supplements in general and have made an assumption that this one is no different. In your charge to prove your assumption right, the perception is that you select to share only the information that supports your position and ignore or suppress that which contradicts it.
Once again, have you called ISagenix corporate offices to get your answers from the source? I’m not saying that the answers you get will be the ones you want but at least make the call. If you got nothing from it, at least you can say you tried. As evidenced by my presence here, I am always at your disposal should you require any answers.
Thanks Dani
Hi Jeff,
I feel that I’ve clarified everything as clear as I can both within the article and the comments. I understand you support and sell Isagenix, but I have clearly presented my issues with the ingredients and that is not going to change.
I appreciate that you have “clearly presented your issues” and agree that you have. The problem is in the perception. You seem to be “selective” in the information you include. If it doesn’t support your position, it doesn’t make the article. They are small but key pieces of information as I cited above.
Sorry Dani, but while I fully support the paleo lifestyle and have many friends to live it…… using Isagenix products…. I can’t support HOW you choose to present your position on this matter. I’m not saying your “selective” information is intentional but one must ask the question.
I wish this was a live, “audio” chat so you might hear the inflection and tone in my message. By reading it, I know it can sound like an attack but I assure you it truly is one of support for your cause.
….also… I don’t SELL Isagenix.
Your intellectual honesty and integrity is much appreciated on your unbiased review. As a practitioner of integrative and functional medicine, as well as bioidentical hormone replacement, many patients come to my practice looking for effective weight loss solutions. Your approach in my view is the most optimal and your advice is clinically valid. Some patients are looking for faster weight loss solutions and do have very deranged lipids and metabolic parameters including hypertension and prediabetes and lipid disorders. For patients looking for some quicker weight loss and to promote self confidence I had used Medifast with their nutritional coaches for three years with many patients losing weight to their desired goal and then switching to maintence phase with most of your dietary recommendations. For the past six months I have been using Isagenix products on patients with better results than medifast for patients that have more than twenty pounds to lose. After they have achieved their weight loss goals most move to eating a whole, organic diet that is either paleo or a hybrid with the Mediterranean diet with good results. I hate the MLM aspect so am not affiliated as an associate but the products do work. Since 96% of patients with significant weight loss gain their weight back your idea of eating whole organic foods to detoxify is sound advice as is all the nutritional advice I have read on your site. The adaptogenic herbs in Ionix Supreme in my opinion is why people can stick to this diet for 30 days. Since high protein diets do produce quick weight loss I found this protein to be superior to the soy protein in medifast and more filling. I do not advocate eating this way for life and would refer patients to you for your sound advice that are interested in taking a slower more sustainable path. I have met many Isagenix associates who have personally lost and maintained their weight loss with Isagenix. Since there are no clinical trials comparing products all we have are testimonials. Some users are overly zealous just like religious fanatics who have had great results with their particular brand of religion. I use it as one clinical tool in my bag to help patients to a better way of eating and health like you promote. Keep up the great work you are doing! Most within Isagenix as well as Medifast are doing good things with great intentions but have not reached the higher path you are advocating.
Thanks for the comment, Dennis!
Well stated Dennis. I suspect that some of the more “vociferous” MLM people that Dani has heard from don’t help your opinion of the industry…lol. That is truly unfortunate and I apologize on behalf of them all…. to both you AND Dani. I think it’s regrettable that people can’t have a lively and intellectual debate without it becoming personal.
I would agree with most of your assessment though I believe there IS a place for the products in everyday life… to augment a healthy diet. BTW… you’re spot on regarding the efficacy of the Ionix Supreme.
Lots of different opinions here, if I had to choose between all the opinions posted here or the opinions of scientific community, I think the choice is obvious.
If I have to take the opinion of anyone, it would be the opinions of people like:
– Clinical Nutritionist Dr. Ina Nozek, DC, MS. Dr. Ina has a master’s degree in nutrition and specializes in stubborn weight loss at her 22-year-old private practice.
– Dr. Michael Colgan – biochemist and physiologist nutritionist. An internationally renowned research scientist and is acknowledged as one of the foremost experts on the inhibition of aging. Former professor at the University of Auckland, teaching Human Sciences and in the Medical School and conducted research on aging and physical performance, and Inducted into the Canadian Nutrition Hall of Fame in 2002
– Dr. Bill Andrews, Ph.D., an American molecular biologist and gerontologist whose career has centered on searching for a cure for human aging. He is the founder and president of the biotechnology company Sierra Sciences. In 1997, he led the team at Geron Corporation that was the first to successfully identify human telomerase.
– Dr. John Anderson – Dr. Anderson made extensive plant tissue studies in organic soil. He discovered ionic minerals. In 1980, he translated his knowledge to the nutritional field. He has worked as a private-label supplement manufacturer and formulator for more than 600 companies, including GNC, Nature’s Sunshine, MetRx; creating more than 2,300 nutritional and weight loss products. His products are internationally recognized.
– Dr. Suk Cho – Dr. Cho received his B.S. in Biochemistry at Juniata College, his M.S. in natural product chemistry at Miami University, and his Ph.D. in Organic Chemistry at Emory University. He has more than 30 patents and has authored or co-authored more than a dozen articles or abstracts in peer-reviewed scientific journals. Previously, Dr. Cho served on the Scientific Advisory Board or in upper-level management of R&D for a variety of nutrition-related companies. He was also R&D manager for global consumer product giant Unilever for nearly a decade.
This is the unbiased review of Isagenix as reflected by the scientific community.
Clinical Research Summary
UIC Study finds subjects on Isagenix products lost more body fat, lost more visceral fat, showed greater adherence, and showe greater improvement across several cardiovascular biomarkers in comparison to a leading “Heart Healthy Diet”
https://media01.isagenix.com/corporate/ww/pdfs/Isagenix_Clinical_Research_Summary.pdf
Clinical Research Study Results
http://media01.isagenix.com/corporate/ww/pdfs/Heart-Healthy-Flyer.pdf
The study was published in the high-profile journal Nutrition & Metabolism, which is regularly cited and one of the most widely read publications in the nutritional science community.
http://www.isagenixhealth.net/isagenix-clinical-study-published-in-peer-reviewed-journal/
Peer Review in “Nutrition & Metabolism” discusses the improvement in coronary heart disease risk factors during an intermittent fasting/calorie restriction regimen: Relationship to adipokine modulations
http://www.nutritionandmetabolism.com/content/9/1/98/abstract
Study also published in a second journal, “Nutrition Journal”
This article includes magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans of a subject before and after use of Isagenix products. The MRI scans serve to provide visual evidence of visceral fat reduction in the subject in the Isagenix group during the 30-day study. MRI scans use radio waves to scan the body and then produce cross-sectional pictures showing the internal structures of the body.
http://www.isagenixhealth.net/isagenix-clinical-study-now-published-in-second-journal-with-mri-scans/
Actual article published by the Nutrition Journal
Intermittent fasting combined with calorie restriction is effective for weight loss and cardio-protection in obese women
http://www.nutritionj.com/content/pdf/1475-2891-11-98.pdf
Listen in as Dr. Eric Gumpricht reviews the details of the clinical study using Isagenix products that was performed by researchers at UIC. This study has been published in two prestigious academic journals and recently earned recognition at a renowned scientific conference. The science supports what we have known all along–the Isagenix 30-Day Cleansing and Fat Burning System works!
http://www.isagenixhealth.net/faq-call-details-of-the-uic-study/
“This is the unbiased review of Isagenix as reflected by the scientific community.”
You’re linking directly to the Isagenix website and to studies performed by people who are involved with Isagenix, that is the definition of biased.
The only two studies you linked to without bias and NOT funded by Isagenix have nothing to do with Isagenix products; they both involve intermittent fasting, which is something I support for those without adrenal issues. I practice IF regularly, so we agree there.
I did not thoroughly read all the sites you linked to, but as I’ve stated before, I’m sure many people do experience improved health when switching to Isagenix from the Standard American Diet. I am sure tests and studies prove this. In my opinion, this doesn’t make Isagenix the ideal diet, it makes Isagenix better than the SAD.
I believe it had been clearly stated above but in case it was missed, I shall clarify… once again.
Clinical trials done using BRAND NAME products are ALWAYS FUNDED BY THE MANUFACTURER. The only brand name products that are not funded by manufacturers are pharmaceuticals because those multi-billion dollar corporations qualify for funding through NIH and other organizations.
This is why we consistently cite generic evidence to support the Isagenix systems. Isagenix is a system of Intermittent Fasting that also supports the body’s nutritional needs for an efficient detoxification process (ie. the nutrients our bodies require to properly detoxify).
By the way Dani… how did your call go with our corporate offices? I’m dying to hear what you found out.
Hi Jeff,
I know you told me to call a long time ago but literally just got around to it. I asked if the products were certified GMO free to which the customer service rep aid “No, they’re not certified GMO free.”
And that was the end of the conversation. It was also my point from the very beginning. The products are not certified GMO free.
Hi Dani,
Quite a stimulating thread you have here! I just found your site doing some other research and stumbled upon it. I use Isagenix products (among others…of course, there are other fine products out there) in my nutritional regimen. My mother has been taking their flagship product, Product B for a couple years now. During this time (after 1 1/2 yrs), she was able to get off virtually all her medications for pain from a spinal condition and a digestive condition. Product B was the only new thing she introduced in her daily regimen. She feels younger and has more energy than before. She is now 93. But, this is mainly what I wanted to clarify. Your call regarding your question about their products being certified as GMO free. I made a similar call myself early on asking if their ingredients are all organic. (At the time, I was inquiring just about Product B). I was given a more in depth answer than you were. I was told that some of their ingredients are sourced from outside of the U.S. where other countries don’t have the same organic certification process that we have here, so it would not be possible to declare them as “certified” organic. However, she gave me their very detailed site where it declared that the step-by-step process for PB met or surpassed organic standards. As an example, the co-founder and master formulator, master botanist and master herbalist, John Anderson, happens to own land in the Himalayas where his herbs that he uses for PB are very well protected at their pristine source. So, unfortunately, when getting answers from a customer service individual, sometimes they may be just the short answer, the one you might want to hear, but not the whole answer. Also, correct me if I’m wrong, but my understanding is that if something is organic, it is not allowed to be GMO.
Also, (to address some other points that came up from my observations), when I attended one of Isagenix’s conventions last year, the founders were clear to point out to the audience of 10,000 that their products were not intended to be a substitute for whole foods. With my own research into nutrition, I know very well, that as important and good advice as that is, with the severe mineral depletion of our soils through chemical contamination, a certain amount of supplementation is necessary, due to lack of complete nutrients from those whole foods. The other thing I was impressed with was Mr. Anderson pointing out how they spend one million $ a year on testing to ensure there are no contaminants in any of their products. Then, Dr. Andrews, pointing out how he was approached by numerous other MLMs (like them or not) and related how none of them had the integrity that Isagenix has and that’s why he chose them to help formulate Product B based on his scientific discoveries for anti-aging. Hope this is helpful.
I see your point and appreciate your comment, but it’s a bit of a cop out. Many companies source from around the world and can obtain the GMP-free certification. Or at the very least use non-GMO products, that can be labeled as non-GMO on the ingredient list. For example, one of doTERRA’sproducts contains corn. It is listed as non-GMO corn.
Re: their products are not intended to be a replacement for real food. Aren’t most people on Isagenix encouraged to consume a shake for two meals a day, and only one actual meal per day?
Dani,
Thank you for posting this information. I have been on quite a journey the past two years making many changes to my diet. The biggest change is eating a paleo lifestyle. I stopped eating most of the food offered through isagenix because I do believe it is too processed but I have still been consuming the shakes because I find it difficult to eat the amount of protein I need to eat everyday without supplementing somehow. I am an avid crossfit participant and would like to build some more lean muscle. In order to do this I need to eat at least 1g per lb of bodyweight, in my case, 160g of protein. I just ordered the protein you recommended above to give it a try. I am just starting a program to get my masters in human nutrtion and functional medicine. I am sure I will come across information about the ingredients you listed as I move through the program. It is a shame there is not better labeling requirements so people can really understand what they are getting. I truly believed Isagenix was organic, sourced from new zealand gras fed cows without artificial ingredients or preservatives, although I often wondered how it could have such a long shelf life without preservatives! My internal alarm bells have been ringing which led me to do a search that landed me at your post. So here I sit feeling overwhelmed and I feel sad because as educated as I am still believed what the company told us. I wanted you to know your blog has reached a current Isagenix user in a positive way. I started with Isagenix because of the science of what they tell us is behind their products. It is because of this science I got an appetite to know more and that led me to complete my health coaching training through IIN and now enter a masters program to further my studies. For that, I will be grateful to Isagenix. I believe the science they tell us is solid, but it appears their products do not fulfill the requirements to achieve the results the science warrants.
Thanks for the great comment!
You have an interesting perspective on my previous post about what the scientific community is saying about Isagenix. I can see how you might arrive at the opinion that all the experts are involved with Isagenix and therefore must be lying simply in order to promote the company and its products, thus putting their credentials and reputations in jeopardy if they are wrong.
OR
You could look at the fact that these EXPERTS have been experts for much longer than Isagenix has been around, and when they took a look at the formulation of the products, the source of the ingredients and the quality of the products, they formed an EXPERT opinion that Isagenix has produced a superior product to anything else on the market. After establishing their expert opinion, that Isagenix is the real deal, they decided to align themselves with Isagenix. After all, why wouldn’t you associate yourself with a company that produces superior nutritional products.
Well, as an Isagenix user, how do you feel about Herbalife products?
Because they have an equally as impressive amount of scientists and doctors backing their products.
Not quite as impressive… but one thing they lack is the science behind the claims.
Is that why they’re not certified GMO-free? Is that why they used denatured proteins? Is that why they use rancid vegetable oils? Because “experts” somehow assert that these cheap junk foods are acceptable to eat?
This article is well written and well informed. It’s actually a sad state of affairs that peoples diets are so bad that they have to turn to products like Isagenix for solutions and even worse that they get results, creating a vicious cycle of defending uninformed positions with confirmation bias. Isagenix is a prime example of how we can still avoid real nutritional science and capitalize off peoples desperation. It is clear that the ‘pro-Isagenix’ posts in this forum are either from people selling Isagenix products or those who feel they have to defend their position due to the great results they have had with isagenix fixing part of their nutrient deficiencies….. in the least efficient and unhealthiest way possible.
It is unfortunate that this banter only reinforces the lack of awareness and naivety still present in health community.
Keep up the good Dani.
Thank you for the comment!
ho hum, here we go another so called wellness blogger and self proclaimed health coach.
There is a lot of misinformation in article its hard to know where to start, i guess the title?
How does one conduct a “unbiased review” with out putting a single product into their mouth? Is it even a review if you just reference other peoples work….. it think not. An “unbiased review” should contain your personal experiences both positive and negative which is what i came to this blog for.
I don’t need to smoke crack to know it’s not good for me, and I’m sure as hell not going to give it a try. Know what I mean?
You may also want to learn the difference between self-proclaimed and an actual certification.
I feel I had to make a comment about this biased unbiased review.
Whether or not I use Isagenix is irrelevant. I read all of the comments and I’ve noticed a pattern here.
There have been a few experts chime in here and post answers to Dani’s questions.
Answers that address her question, “Please explain how soybean oil, fructose, agave, maltodextrin, Isomaltooligosaccharide, corn, tricalcium phosphate, etc are nutritionally beneficial?” with precise answers.
She has chosen the path of either ignoring them all together or repeating the same exact question without validating what they prove.
She also continues to say anyone will feel better after eating the SAD diet and then adding Isagenix. She never bothered to address the people who were already eating an excellent diet and STILL got great results. Athletes improving performance, etc.
As another poster said, a doctor who makes their living being a doctor is not going ruin their name and reputation for the sake of a few bucks on the side.
She may or may not have an agenda, but she seems inexperienced and closed off to new information.
I also remember reading that she puts alcohol in her kombucha. Really? That act alone is at least 10 times worse than any of the ingredients that she’s so “right” about.
Alcohol is very toxic.
I’d be willing to bet the farm that she has the occasional, what ever it is that isn’t 100% holy grail food.
And finally the main reason it’s biased is because she’s just hammering on a couple of products/ingredients. A full unbiased review would include a broad spectrum of the products if not all of them.
As far as the overzealous distributors go, a lot of them have had life changing experiences using the product line, why wouldn’t they want to share that and help change someone elses life for the better. They actually have a moral obligation to do so. Why is so wrong that they would compensated for sharing Isagenix.
Word of mouth has been THE best form of advertising, bar none since the beginning of time.
Lots of major companies have a similar type of reward system in place for sharing their products including the commission Dani will make from any of you who purchase the Amazon products she has linked to which is awesome.
Isagenix has a similar product that was never mentioned by Dani.
As others have said, she seems like a nice lady with great intentions, just a lot lacking in this biased review.
I’m not here to bash you Dani, just pointing out my observations.
Have a great week!
Just because people responded to my questions does’t mean they were correct. People can argue anything, but there is no way to make toxic ingredients somehow healthy.
Really? You’re going to try to call me out for adding organic red wine to my kombucha? Haha. I’ll take my organic red wine and booch over denatured proteins, synthetic vitamins and vegetable oils any day.
Hi Dani,
Upfront I will tell you I have been using the Isagenix 30 day cleanse for the last 2 weeks.
I want to thank you for pointing out those few ingredients which may or may not be the greatest or healthiest. I do not sell Isagenix, so I am not speaking with a motive here. I can say that, yes, I am sure finding the purest of pure whole foods would be absolutely without a doubt the best way to eat.
Unfortunately, here in the good old USA, you practically need to be a chemist, MD, nutritionist and scientist wrapped up in one who can determine what is or is not good to eat, what is whole and pure. Not only that, but you will need to take a few cooking courses to learn how to cook most of these wonderful whole foods which would be a replacement to the convenient packaged processed variety (Many American’s have long forgotten how to make anything from “scratch” with whole foods since the invention of the cardboard box and food processing). You know, make your own tea using only certified organic non-GMO herbs, weed out which foods have additives hidden in them but look to be good on the pretty packages taunting all natural, healthy, i.e. a simple can of tomato sauce with an ingredient list longer than my 7 year olds Christmas desires.
People who are involved in the nutrition field are far more knowledgeable, they have vast amounts of education on this subject, and a huge advantage over let’s say a car mechanic when it comes to figuring out the good from the bad at the local grocery store (which is where the majority of Americans shop for their food) Label reading is extremely hard, especially if you do not know all the bad things to look for as a trained professional would know like the back of their hand, such as yourself. A great portion of Americans know the simple pit falls in eating, like, do not eat at McDonalds, don’t eat donuts for breakfast lunch and dinner. I am not saying it is the total education of the individual, but nutritional education which not that many people have, is key here.
Ok I am rambling – but I think you may have my point. If I go into my pantry and look at the stuff that I was eating 3 weeks ago (foe food?), and compare what is in that, to what I am eating now…anyone who does not know the slightest bit about nutrition can see I have made vast improvements. I feel spectacular. So much so, that I am beginning to crave all the right foods – fresh organic veggies, whole foods, my body and my ability to read it is coming back to life. My taste is changing. I do not know how or why, but it is and has since being on this program. Maybe since this is only a 30 day program we are talking about here, there will be more people like me, who can benefit and be weaned off of the typical processed American diet, and it can be used as such. Not a “complete, lifelong way of eating”, but a tool to help regular people like me make improvements. I am not sure if these products have been removing all those toxins I was consuming 3 times per day my entire life, and that is why I feel so good and motivated to do and eat better? Who really knows? What I do know is I have not had any adverse effects from the handful of ingredients you have brought to attention, but on the contrary, I feel better than I have in a very long time.
I think sometimes people in your profession forget just how much most regular people do not know, and condemn products that may be a far better choice when compared to what they are currently eating, as in my case. What that does, is confuse people even more and they throw up their hands in defeat and return to their good old American Processed diet. An entire generation plus, has been born and raised into this over processed, convenience food country….Perhaps the all or nothing approach to better nutrition with them will not work? It does appear to be failing, as American’s keep getting heavier and heavier, and far less healthy than say 45 years ago. But wait, not true, we have pharmaceuticals to keep us alive in our unhealthy state even longer 🙂
Thanks for the comment, Maree. 🙂
Great points Maree!
Hi Dani,
I appreciate the information you have brought to the forefront. I have been a practicing healthcare provider for over 14 years now. I have used high quality supplements throughout my career in efforts to help people become more healthy. I have the ability to see health from the inside using objective data. We use blood, urine and other clinical testing to assess sickness and toxicity. I am someone that does their due diligence in order to put my name on that recommendation for my patients. This is precisely the reason I use the highest quality supplements from high quality companies, this one included. If I feel one company uses a superior product, I will use that particular supplement for that goal. I have always said I would not be married to any one company and feel that I have some of the best companies at my disposal for my patients. With regards to the deep cellular / molecular cleanse I have not seen anything work nearly as well as Isagenix, using objective data.
I also have to share with you that the regulations and protocols that Isagenix has in place to uphold high standards is very impressive. They are tested 3rd party to assure quality and efficacy. To me, 3rd party and independent involvement is very important.
I do enjoy different points of view as the world around us is mostly how we perceive it to be, however, the facts you have stated regarding the ingredients are just not accurate. Dani, I believe you may have seen it somewhere, but that information is not accurate. If you look on the labels on the actual Isagenix website, you will see their ingredient list.
I see patients with a wide variety of allergies and must have an accurate list of ingredients to protect those patients. If they used gluten in products that say are gluten free, my gluten patients would be quite sick.
Robin’s comment makes a very good point. When you find something that is superior, doesn’t it just make sense to align yourself with that very something? I previously used another company for cleansing. That company worked very well. I started using the Isagenix cleanse approximately 3 years ago with significantly better results. As I have said previously, based on my education, clinical expertise, science and the objective tests we use in the office, I have not seen any other program get the results we are getting. If this was not the case, I assure you we would not have over 400 healthcare practitioners using this very program.
Thank you,
Dr Joshua
Josh,
The ingredient lists I provided were pulled directly from the Isagenix website. Did you not see the links I provided? They are literally to the ingredient labels on the Isagenix website.
Consider this from my perspective: you’re telling me that the ingredients are not accurate, because there are harmful and toxic ingredients listed. But the ingredients are accurate, as I got them directly from the Isagenix website. So you’re basically acknowledging that the ingredients aren’t good.
Hey Dana, I have read your reviews on multiple products, and from what I’ve seen, you seem to do you best to take the worst parts of the entire product line and put them on blast, suggesting everything about the rest of the line is “toxic”, “harmful”, “rancid”…etc. Although you may have a world of knowledge, experience is the best education. I have been on Advocare and Isagenix, and although I don’t disagree with your opinion that Advocare isn’t good, just like your post about Isagenix, you have made it seem far worse that what it is. The fact of the matter is that Isagenix is making a difference in the health and wellbeing of many of the product users. I personally lost 43 pounds using Isagenix and the products were a large upgrade to Advocares ingredients (I think you will agree). A fair article doesn’t stand completely one sided on a subject, but looks at the good as well as the bad. Makes what you write appear to be completely bias.
I think I was extremely clear about only reviewing the protein powders. Both Advocare and Isagenix have hundreds of products, it would be impossible for me to review all of them.
Furthermore, if these products contain some really bad ingredients with some decent ingredients, it’s still an unhealthy product. And like I said, they may be effective for weight loss but these products are definitely not something I consider healthy.
When I first heard of Isagenix and saw a friend in her bikini photo post to Facebook, I kept listening because the photo was amazing and I knew it was her and not a product of photoshop. I was told it was all natural, no sugars, etc. I expected it to be a food delivery service from a local cook but then found out it was another meal replacement diet. Red Flags for me. I don’t drink my calories and I believe we need to stop believing a lab is going to produce anything better than what you can do with whole foods.
Food is not our enemy and we should enjoy our mealtimes. Take time out to eat. Take time out to prepare your meals. If you don’t have the time, you might want to evaluate your day and priorities.
I could not agree more!!
Hi Dani! First of all, thank you for taking the time to review Isagenix. Isagenix promotes what they call the 5 pillars of health:
1. Isalean Shake
2. Ionix Supreme
3. Cleanse for Life
4. Ageless Essentials
5. Product B
I just want to make sure those who are researching Isagenix and come across your review of the Isalean Shake do know that this is only 1 of the 5 pillars of health considered vital by Isagenix Scientists. 🙂
Would love for you to review the other 4 products!
I know that there is a lot of chatter about Omega 3’s versus Omega 6’s. I may be wrong, but I am assuming this is one of the reasons you stay away from Sunflower oil. Yes, this is one of the many ingredients in the Isalean Shake!
The idea that it’s important to have a healthy ratio of omega-6 to omega-3 originally stemmed from the knowledge that the two essential fats can compete for some of the same pathways, such as eicosanoid cascades that produce either pro- and anti-inflammatory molecules.
Since much of the vegetable oils we eat are high in linoleic acid (LA), a type of omega-6, it led to concerns that too much could potentially lead to reduced levels of the type of beneficial molecules produced through omega-3 pathways (4). This, in turn, could lead to greater risk to disease.
But more recent studies show that while increasing fish oil intake improves omega-3 index, reducing LA intake doesn’t have any effect. Nor does increasing LA in the diet lead to any increase in molecules produced through pro-inflammatory pathways (5). Those pathways appear to be tightly controlled and not influenced by LA intake. – I know you said that this oil can cause inflammation in our bodies….but the research (studies NOT done or funded by Isagenix…no worries) shows that this is not the case.
The bottom line is to focus on getting more omega-3 DHA and EPA from fish oil for nutritional benefits. (Isagenix has a great fish oil that is part of their Ageless Essentials pack – would love for you to review this!)
References for this 🙂
1. Harris WS, Von Schacky C. The Omega-3 Index: a new risk factor for death from coronary heart disease? Prev Med. 2004 Jul;39(1):212-20.
Barcelo-Coblijn G, Murphy EJ, Othman R, Moghadasian MH, Kashour T, Friel 2. JK. Flaxseed oil and fish-oil capsule consumption alters human red blood cell n-3 fatty acid composition: a multiple-dosing trial comparing 2 sources of n-3 fatty acid. Am J Clin Nutr 2008;88:801-9.
3. Arterburn LM, Hall EB, Oken H. Distribution, interconversion, and dose response of n-3 fatty acids in humans. Am J Clin Nutr 2006;83:1467S-76S.
4. Kris-Etherton PM, Taylor DS, Yu-Poth S et al. Polyunsaturated fatty acids in the food chain in the United States. Am J Clin Nutr 2000;71:179S-88S.
5. Johnson G, Fritsche K. Effect of Dietary Linoleic Acid on Markers of Inflammation in Healthy Persons: A Systematic Review of Randomized Controlled Trials. J Acad Diet and Nutr. 2012; 112:7:1029-1041.
Sunflower oil is also high in the essential vitamin E and low in saturated fat.
Also, above there were some comments about the low-heat nonfat dry milk. I have a shake canister right here in front of me. It mentions that the whey protein concentrate and the milk protein concentrate are undenatured…it does not say the low-heat nonfat dry milk is undenatured. Isagenix claims it’s whey protein is undenatured. Not the low-heat nonfat dry milk contained in the shake. Just for clarification of what Isagenix is claiming.
Also in regards to natural flavoring…I am glad you all brought this up!
The following statement is found on Isagenix’s website (I copied and pasted for quick reference)
“Rest assured that Isagenix always avoids artificial chemicals, flavors, and sweeteners in all of their products. Where the term “natural flavors” occurs, the purpose is to prevent consumers from being confused by a variety of complex sounding natural compounds.”
The Code of Federal Regulations defines a natural flavor as “the essential oil, oleoresin, essence or extractive, protein hydrolysate, distillate, or any product of roasting, heating or enzymolysis, which contains the flavoring constituents derived from a spice, fruit or fruit juice, vegetable or vegetable juice, edible yeast, herb, bark, bud, root, leaf or similar plant material, meat, seafood, poultry, eggs, dairy products, or fermentation products thereof, whose significant function in food is flavoring rather than nutritional (1).” Artificial flavors are defined as those that do not meet these particular standards.
Thousands of natural volatile compounds make up the flavors and aromas of the things we eat. Even simple natural flavors like vanilla can be made up of hundreds of compounds, most of which have very strange sounding chemical names. For example, d-limonene is one of many natural volatile compounds that make citrus taste like citrus (2), and 3-methylbutanal, 3-methyl-l-butanol, and geranial are compounds that help make tomato taste like tomato (3). Listing all of these natural flavor compounds as their official names on a label would not only lead to more confusion, but also look a little scary.
To be included in the ingredient list under the term natural flavors, the flavoring compound must not only give the item its specific taste and be found in nature, but its main purpose should be to give a food flavor rather than to contribute to the food’s nutritional value. Because sweeteners are considered primarily nutritional, they must be disclosed in the ingredient list and cannot be listed as natural flavors. In addition, colors and chemical preservatives (used to enhance the appearance of food and keep it from spoiling) cannot be listed as natural flavors.
Although both MSG and protein hydrolysates are additives that are primarily used as flavor enhancers, they are subject to specific labeling rules that requires their disclosure on ingredient labels. MSG is an isolated salt of the amino acid glutamate, which is used to enhance the savory flavor of foods. While glutamate is found naturally to some degree in nearly all foods (particularly high in cheese, mushrooms, and tomatoes), MSG is an extremely concentrated source. Protein hydrolysates also tend to be naturally higher in glutamate, although are presented with other amino acids and nutrients. Even though they are listed as natural flavors under the Code of Federal Regulations, it’s mandated that they be specifically listed along with their source on the ingredients label. Common types of hydrolysates often appear on labels under such names as “hydrolyzed wheat gluten,” “hydrolyzed soy protein,” and “autolyzed yeast extract.”
The federal regulations that define the term natural flavors and enforce its correct use ensure that it’s used appropriately by manufacturing companies, and not as a way to hide ingredients that might be considered unhealthy. By listing flavoring compounds as natural flavors, consumers are being told what they do (impart flavor), while also making labels appear simpler and less cluttered. In addition, using natural flavors on labels helps to prevent competing manufacturers from creating copy-cat versions of products.
References
FDA Code of Federal Regulations Title 21: http://www.accessdata.fda.gov/scripts/cdrh/cfdocs/cfcfr/cfrsearch.cfm?fr=501.22. Accessed Sept 30, 2013.
Davidowski et al. The Extraction and Quantification of Limonene from Citrus Rinds. Perkin Elmer, 2009.
Markovic et al. Aroma volatiles of tomatoes and tomato products. Flavour Fragr, 2007;22:395-400.
Isagenix does mention milk used comes from grass fed cows in New Zeland – this is copied and pasted from their site.
“Choosing healthy, environmentally friendly dairy products are those that come from sources supporting the natural diet and lifestyle of dairy cows. Isagenix uses only “Cheerful Cow” certified dairy protein including whey and milk protein concentrate from New Zealand where standards remain high.
Dairy cows on New Zealand farms are free to feed on spacious pasture in a temperate climate and the pristine environment that the country naturally provides. Research has shown that when cows are fed their natural diet of grasses in this way, it also keeps them healthier in comparison to grain-fed cows on feedlots. The farmers’ milking process is also more humane and natural where the cows are milked only according to season (rather than being artificially impregnated constantly to maximize profits).
What’s more, the dairy cows from New Zealand are not given any hormones or antibiotics like other industrialized counterparts to increase growth and milk production. To further increase the quality, Isagenix only uses undenatured whey and milk protein to protect the protein’s natural flavor, as well as its naturally occurring fragile, biologically active peptides.”
You also mentioned isomaltooligosaccharide powder. This is a digestion-resistant carbohydrate source and is quite natural and good for you. Oligosaccharides, in fact, are found in a variety of fruits and vegetables. The ingredient also acts as an important “prebiotic” that helps feed healthy intestinal microbes.
But, I am sure we will have to agree to disagree. 🙂 So happy that you are doing great things for your body by being super picky about what you put into it and doing a lot of research. I am sure you do WONDERS for your clients. Isagenix does wonders for it’s clients too. Consider how unhealthy our culture is and how even small improvements in the diet can assist in improving our health. Sometimes it is baby steps and being too picky can make people steer clear of healthy eating all together because it seems sooooo overwhelming!
I’d really love for you to review the other 4 pillars of health. Looking forward to seeing that review! Cheers to your health!
Regards,
A Physician
“The idea that it’s important to have a healthy ratio of omega-6 to omega-3 originally stemmed from the knowledge that the two essential fats can compete for some of the same pathways, such as eicosanoid cascades that produce either pro- and anti-inflammatory molecules.
Since much of the vegetable oils we eat are high in linoleic acid (LA), a type of omega-6, it led to concerns that too much could potentially lead to reduced levels of the type of beneficial molecules produced through omega-3 pathways (4). This, in turn, could lead to greater risk to disease.
But more recent studies show that while increasing fish oil intake improves omega-3 index, reducing LA intake doesn’t have any effect. Nor does increasing LA in the diet lead to any increase in molecules produced through pro-inflammatory pathways (5).”
I don’t know why I continue to debate with people who are determined to ignore basic nutritional science. We know that it’s necessary to keep omega 6:3 fatty acids in balance and that an abundance of omega-6 leads to inflammation. Therefore, reducing the intake of omega-6 while getting an adequate amount of omega-3 is ideal. To say that reducing omega-6 has no effect is ridiculous.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17401057
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12442909
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18296320
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18751910
Thanks for the comment.
It’s looking like the O-3 to O-6 argument is invalid. Here is a link for you Dani…
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22889633
Thanks for providing one link to a review of a small amount of studies. Here’s some actual evidence that omega-6 promotes inflammation (which might I remind you yet again, is a scientific fact):
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18296320
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18751910
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12442909
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20500789
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21658827
I friend is about to embark on the Isagenix programme. After reading the comments on here, I for one would not take this supplement. Too many unanswered questions. I fear for my friend’s health, she has depression, is obsessed with her weight, which is perfectly satisfactory for her height and age, so I will see just where her journey takes her.
I have and always have had a weight problem, but since Christmas have lost over 8 klms. just by healthy eating and exercise – No shakes or supplements, which I tried once before and regained the weight I lost immediately after going off them.
I have no idea how much the Isagenix programme costs, but it can surely never take the place of good wholesome food. We never started out in life eating supplements!!!!!!!
Actually, Isagenix is not a supplement. You are consuming whole food, all natural, highly effective and efficient. Did you know that Isagenix helped provide meals for both the disasters in Haiti and on the East Coast?
You clearly do not know what a “whole food” is.
I am completly baffled by the commet that the cows are only milked 6 months out of a year!!!! OMG Really!!! Cows have to be milked every frigging day of the week, 52 weeks a year!!
Cows are milked according to their natural cycles as opposed to hormone induced cycles such as the status quo on most of the worlds dairy farms. I honestly don’t know how often that equates to.
To further clarify… it is my understanding (and I may be wrong) that cows only produce milk after giving birth (similar to humans). To have a cow produce milk “every friggin day of the week, 52 weeks a year”, you would need to inject the cow with hormones to induce milk production. Those hormones are passed down through the chain to the end user… the calf or you.
Actually Jeff, you are partially correct, partially incorrect. . . while yes, cows produce milk to feed the calf (their udders actually kick into gear several days up to a couple of weeks prior to birth, with the initial substance being the colostrum rich milk) and continue to produce milk based on the needs/requirements of the calf until the calf gradually weans off milk and onto solid foods (graze/grass/hay).
The udder produces milk based on the “demand”. If the udder is “stripped” or milked out at least once or twice a day, the udder will continue to produce milk to the udder’s capacity. It is the reduction of demand that naturally occurs as the calf grows and begins nibbling on other things, establishing a cud, developing their rumen, reducing their intake of mom’s milk and increasing their graze/grass/hay (long & short fiber) that signals the udder to cut back on it’s production. A calf is usually weaned, at the very latest, by 5 – 6 months old.
If the udder isn’t emptied completely on a day or two it will simply produce less the next day and so the cycle of “drying off” a cow begins.
So, technically speaking, if a cow was continually milked out every day, (as long as the extra, heavy nutritional requirements are met) she would, theoretically, continue to produce as long as she is milked. Now, this does not speak to the production amount (volume) or the quality or (in my opinion the worst part) the physical drain and hardship on the cow.
Most responsible dairy owners do not continually milk their cows year round. Often, after the calf is born, the farmer waits 2 – 3 months before breeding the cow back, another 2 – 3 months, either weaning the calf off or sharing the milk with the calf, then during the last few months of the cows pregnancy, the farmer will dry her off and let her body concentrate on growing that new baby and prepare itself for the birth and milk for the new calf. Even small farmers sometimes have two cows and breed them for alternating winter/summer or spring/fall calves so that they will always have one freshened (in milk).
Of course, the CAFO (Confined Animal Feeding Operation) has no regard for the cow, their well being or the calf. The cows are disposable production units, the calves are treated as a waste by-product. These poor abused, over-drugged, steroid-stimulated cows only live about 3 – 4 years (average life expectancy for Holsteins is usually 12 – 15 yrs) before they are either so sick or so worn out or so crippled up from living – standing up on cement floors, in hoof deep excrement/urine, with no room to lie down – being fed GMO grains, growth hormones, steroids, antibiotics – shocked, kicked, beaten, burned, smashed with tire irons or shovels, herded with front-end loader tractors then scooped up, plowed over/under/out to the trash/waste pile. All so that YOU can have your diet products with whey, and non-fat dry milk.
I have a very small farm (less than 4 acres), I own a small, Heritage breed Jersey cow who produces over 4 gallons of butter-fat rich milk every day that I milk her, and that is WITH me sharing milk with the calf. MY cows live to be 17 years +/- old and pass away (usually) laying down in their barn on a soft bed of sweet hay/straw, closing their eyes and just not waking the next morning.
Dani, I’m so sorry to have hijacked your thread, but these processed food nazi’s REALLY irritate me. They have NO clue what constitutes “real food” and NO idea what all the processing, pasteurization, low-heat, high-heat, super-pasteurized, artificially “enriched”, high-fructose enhanced, packaged crap REALLY costs us. Well, take a look around, take a look in the mirror . . . because WHAT you see IS what you get! /sigh sorry, I’m better now LOL.
Hang in there and don’t relent, Dani, you are on the scientific AND moral high ground here!
Thank you!
Dani,
I cannot thank you enough for ALL of this. You are a hero in my eyes. I have been training my five children how to eat an organic, non-gmo, real, whole food diet (gluten free) and will be sharing this info with them as we are being bombarded at church (yes, church) and school by isagenix sellers. Real food and healthy moderate exercise are the key. xo
Wow, thank you so much! But you’re the mama who is actually taking the time to teach your children about real food and health on top of feeding them an awesome diet. I think you’re the hero!
Hi Tanya,
I just wanted to jump in and clarify something that I’ve noticed over the course of this thread. There seems to be a disconnect in how the Isagenix system is being perceived.
Isagenix is not meant to replace the consumption of whole foods. It is a supplement and should be treated as such… to SUPPLEMENT a healthy lifestyle.
With this system, you continue to eat whole foods to your heart’s content… so, please do!
Thank you.
They are literally called “meal replacement shakes.”
Yes… they do offer meal replacement shakes. I choose to use them as a 4th and 5th meal of each day in conjunction with the solid foods that I thoroughly enjoy.
There are many who have 2 shakes and 2 solid meals a day… or 1 shake and 2 meals or 2 shakes and 1 meal. The choice is really dependent on the goals.
So, to think that someone no longer gets to enjoy “chewing” their food is a complete misconception.
Dani, please fill us in on your call to our corporate office. In case you haven’t been able to find the time…
877-877-8111
They are open Saturdays 6am to 2:30pm… otherwise, you’ll have to wait until Monday but they open at 5am!!
Hi Jeff,
I answered this question in another comment. I asked if they were certified GMO-free and the customer service rep said, “No, we’re not certified GMO-free.”
So it solidified my point from the very beginning: they are not certified GMO-free.
Jeff, Tanya literally just said that she is not interested in using Isagenix products or joining the company. Why can’t you people respect that not everyone wants to join your cult of whackjobs?
Once again, lots of “opinions” here, but if I have to decide which opinoin I want to take, I will choose the side of science, clinical studies, and continued scientific study.
Over the years, Isagenix has partnered with a number of universities, colleges, and organizations to conduct research. Among these are the University of Illinois at Chicago (UIC), Arizona State University, Brigham Young University, Kansas State University, the Spanish National Cancer Research Centre, and New York Chiropractic College.
In 2012, as a recap, Isagenix reached a major milestone when a UIC-conducted clinical study comparing an Isagenix system to a top, physician-prescribed “heart healthy diet” was published in two high-profile, peer-reviewed journals, Nutrition & Metabolism and Nutrition Journal. The UIC study also won a prestigious award in obesity research at the American Society for Nutrition’s annual meeting at the Experimental Biology conference in 2013.
The UIC study evaluated body weight, body composition, cardiovascular risk factors, and oxidative stress biomarkers in 40 women. The subjects in the Isagenix group had superior results across all parameters. They lost weight more predictably week to week and 56 percent more weight and 47 percent more body fat overall. Notably, the subjects also lost twice as much visceral fat, which led to a greater reduction in oxidative stress and cardiovascular risk markers.
Moving Science Forward
Now Isagenix has just announced that it has developed a formal research partnership with Skidmore College, of Saratoga Springs, New York to advance the company’s commitment to provide independent clinical validation of its products. In addition, the collaboration will increase the scientific understanding of underlying factors related to healthy weight management.
The company selected Paul Arciero, Ph.D., Director of the Human Nutrition and Metabolism Lab and a professor in the Department of Health and Exercise Sciences at Skidmore College to head up the research.
“Dr. Paul,” as he prefers to be called, has authored more than 40 peer-reviewed publications and more than 70 published abstracts. He’s had grants from companies and organizations including Abbott Laboratories. In addition, he’s a frequently invited nutrition and exercise expert on television and radio, such as The Today Show and Doctor Radio on SIRIUS XM. He has also been quoted in several newspapers and magazines, such as The Wall Street Journal, Men’s Health, and Good Housekeeping. He was also an invited guest commentator on NBC’s Olympic Zone during the recent summer and winter Olympic Games.
At the company’s Top Achiever’s 2014 event, Isagenix Chief Science Officer Suk Cho, Ph.D., said Dr. Paul topped the selection process for a research partnership because of his “extensive background in researching and designing programs that optimize nutrition and athletic performance.” Although Skidmore College could be considered a “small school,” Dr. Cho said, their lab has invested in some of the most advanced equipment, including dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DEXA) machines, for measuring total body composition.
New Study on Isagenix Products
At the event, Dr. Cho and Dr. Arciero shared preliminary findings of a clinical study initiated in 2013 with analyses beyond those of the UIC study and other previous research. For example, the new study included 43 subjects and had several similarities to the UIC study; however, it also extended the UIC study by evaluating:
– Men as subjects (along with women)
– Physiological and metabolic markers including resting metabolic rate (RMR)
– Arterial status
– And, one of the study’s primary goals, the measurement of stored toxins (e.g. PCBs) that may be released during weight loss while on an Isagenix system as a result of performing Cleanse Days and Shake Days
The study’s results so far have been “very exciting,” Dr. Paul said, who shared that there were significant drops in total weight loss and visceral fat, major transformations in body fat percentage, instances where “weight went down yet metabolism went up,” and measurable improvements in factors relating to prediabetes such as insulin sensitivity.
In addition, Dr. Cho said, it was among the first studies to measure an increase in circulating toxins as a result of weight loss. What makes the Isagenix intervention unique is that it includes a regimen of nutritional support for the metabolic excretion of these stored toxins.
Study Extended
Because of the promising data, Dr. Cho said that the company plans on extending the study even further beyond its original timeframe. The news would mean the addition of a weight-maintenance period to study how well subjects keep their weight off over time. Additionally, it would mark the first clinical research to evaluate subjects on an Isagenix system long term.
“It’s in our interest to always take the next steps and keep up with the latest science in nutrition,” Dr. Cho said. “We look forward to continuing our collaboration with Dr. Paul, funding more clinical research for publication in peer-reviewed journals and providing further scientific validation of Isagenix products.”
A scientific abstract with the preliminary findings of the study was accepted for publication and presentation at the upcoming American Society for Nutrition (ASN) annual meeting at the Experimental Biology conference in late April. In addition, the study’s results will be submitted for at least two publications in peer-reviewed journals.
Stay tuned for an update in early May after the abstract has been presented at ASN’s annual meeting.
Robin,
I noticed that you chose to not answer my previous question so I will ask it again: what do you think about Herbalife products?
Because they have an equally as impressive amount of studies, scientists and doctors backing their products (despite the fact they use GMOs, denatured proteins, MSG, hydrogenated vegetable oils, etc).
When money is involved, you can manipulate anything to prove your point. But none of you can tell me why Isagenix products contain toxic ingredients and synthetic vitamins.
I can’t speak about Herbalife Dani because I don’t know about their products and do not know the credentials of the scientists behind their products. The people involved with Isagenix are not simply in the field, they are well known experts in their field and recognized around the world as such.
It is always interesting when people question specific ingredients in a product they know very little about, and don’t bother to determine quantity, purpose or what the body does with it if it doesn’t need it. At the same time they never bother to question what’s in their coveted organic whole foods.
For example: In a early post, you were provided a list of ingredients in a food that you said you would stay away from. That list was the ingredients found in a banana, which you said was perfectly fine.
Did you know that when bananas are harvested, they are sprayed with chlorinated water and then later treated with a “post harvest treatment” to preserve freshness? The worker applying the post harvest treatment has to wear a mask, goggles, rubber gloves and a protective apron when applying this treatment.
http://youtu.be/_l7sak6Vlq8
You said you called Isagenix and asked if they were certified Organic and when you were told “No” you didn’t bother to investigate further or get any other question answered, like your question about ingredients. It’s not that Isagenix choose not to certify their products, it’s that they can not even start the process because there is no organic certification available for some of the ingredients used in the products. That does not mean they are below organic standards. In fact, the Isagenix shakes, that contain Grade 7 Whey Protein (the highest grade possible), actually exceed US Organic Standards.
Did you know that our coveted organic produce is not as clean as you hoped?
“Organic” does not automatically mean “pesticide-free” or “chemical-free”. In fact, under the laws of most states, organic farmers are allowed to use a wide variety of chemical sprays and powders on their crops. Organic means that these pesticides, if used, must be derived from natural sources, not synthetically manufactured. Also, these pesticides must be applied using equipment that has not been used to apply any synthetic materials for the past three years, and the land being planted cannot have been treated with synthetic materials for that period either. When you look at lists of pesticides allowed in organic agriculture, you find warnings such as, “Use with caution. The toxicological effects of [organic pesticide X] are largely unknown,” or “Its persistence in the soil is unknown.” Again, researchers haven’t bothered to study the effects of organic pesticides because it is assumed that “natural” chemicals are automatically safe.
A CBC new report on January 9th, 2014 said “Nearly half the organic fresh fruits and vegetables tested across Canada in the past two years contained pesticide residue, according to a CBC News analysis of data supplied by the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA).”
If you’re thinking, well, that’s in Canada, so we’re OK in the U.S. think again. Most of the fresh produce sampled was imported, with only one-fifth of it grown in Canada.
http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/manitoba/pesticide-residue-found-on-nearly-half-of-organic-produce-1.2487712
It’s an interesting point about manipulating information to prove your point when money is involved. This point applies equally to people that might perceive a system like Isagenix as being in competition with their services as a Holistic Health Coach. When, instead it could be used as a complementary tool, that could be used in conjunction with eating whole organic foods, to help people change their lifestyle and get the results they are looking for.
I didn’t ask if they were organic, I asked if they were GMO-free. That’s a big difference and they aren’t either.
Here is a breakdown of the study referenced above.
http://www.sciencebasedmedicine.org/isagenix-study-is-not-convincing/
OMGoodness!! Clay! What an absolutely wonderful link – – a medical doctor, who had a legitimate practice, and who apparently didn’t try to manipulate the patients/clients into an MLM by “prescribing” the latest fad to them! AND she has a marvelous sense of humor and of the ridiculous. I think this second Isagenix column was referenced earlier in this thread, but if you didn’t see it before you simply MUST check this one out . . . it kept me laughing so hard I had to wipe the tears off my leg! (sorry, I’m an old woman, what can I say?!! 😛
http://www.sciencebasedmedicine.org/defending-isagenix-a-case-study-in-flawed-thinking/
My youngest daughter has recently joined this silliness. She has never been fat a day in her life (unlike her dear old mom!), is active, energetic, successful and (like her dear old mom) can “sell” pretty much anything to anyone . . . except her dear old mom. LOL I promised her I would look into it because she knows how adamant I am about whole, real, unprocessed, healthy, raw foods.
That promise led me to this article. Thank you Dani for doing so much of the “leg work” for me, although I still have to follow-up on a few other issues, it is what it is . . . fad, highly processed (over processed), artificial, lab-generated, synthetic “food like” substance. All neatly packaged with an incredible marketing/spin department to make it all shiny!
I thought I raised her better, or at least to think more critically, but then maybe her dad dropped her on her head (he swears he didn’t!) . . .
Tonight I did some Google-ing to find out if Isagenix products had any GMO products within. Why? Because I was at a Birthday party tonight, and another attendee (who happens to be a very successful Isagenix rep) in an unsolicited manner went on and on about how the world needs GMO foods and there’s nothing we can do about it.
Couldn’t help myself – so I came home and Googled!
I found your Blog — your honest approach (or should I say discernment) and read over and over the attacks from Isagenix “followers” — or so it would seem. I mean – such religious-like fervor – such zeal!!
Dani – I’m with you. Grow your food (or buy local and organic) and stay as close to the good healthy earth as possible.
I refer to the Isagenix ( and all other shake-based meal substitute based formulations and products) as “food like substances.” That term is usually reserved for use in the food processing industry – but that is exactly what we are talking about here: Substances that are produced industrially.
I’ve been in the organic food industry decades before it became “legalized” — I’ve been around and seen a lot of things. It is almost impossible these days to follow the trail of “substances” from their food source all the way through the laboratory processing then through to the “food-like substances” processing and packaging. Meaning — if the original source of the “food like substance” components were not originally qualified as “organic” — the chance of those substances being sources from non-GMO products is almost impossible to know for sure.
And I, for one, will do everything I can to avoid supporting the GMO food industry!
So, thank you for your blog. You held up well under the criticism from so many fervor-ish Isagenix “true believers.” Hopefully, they will find a way to procure a little, tiny patch of land, and grow their own food. Once they do – they will totally lose their taste for “food-like meal replacement substances.”
The argument that GMOs are necessary to feed the world is completely unfounded and false. I think it’s great that you did the research yourself and didn’t just accept what this person told you! Thanks for the great comment!
I for one, think that all the points that Dani has made have been successfully refuted and though I admit that there are some “excitable” individuals, I feel the conversation has remained diplomatic.
By the way, Dani… earlier, I mentioned that I wasn’t a fan of sensationalistic journalism and felt that your choice to “omit” key points of information seemed “convenient”. You had a different opinion.
You made a point VERY recently that you called Isagenix to ask if they were certified “non-GMO” and the answer you received was “no”. From an investigative standpoint, that is poor. I think that one of two things happened…
1. You CHOSE to simply live with that answer and move on since it fits your position quite nicely. Digging deeper might bring you answers you’re not ready for.
2. You probed deeper by asking why and received an answer that wouldn’t suit your position and so you decided to “omit” it from your post.
In either case, I have to question your motives. I would like to give you the benefit of the doubt but find it increasingly difficult.
Based on everything I’ve read, I have to conclude this…
You have a position on supplements and have built your empire upon this position. Your approach to “investigating” or “reviewing” products is nothing short of a witch hunt. While I agree with your views on a lot of things, I can’t condone the behavior you’ve displayed here.
You are clearly fighting to protect the “integrity” of your blog and feel that if you accept Isagenix as beneficial, your castle will crumble. I think you either already know we’re right or you’re starting to. In either case you feel that you can’t give in because it goes against EVERYTHING you stand for and you that if you do, your readers will abandon you.
Did you know that doctors once believed drilling holes in people’s heads was the answer to our woes? They were steadfast in that belief… for a very long time. Imagine if they too, refused to accept a new perspective.
Or maybe you really do believe this post. Either way, only you’ll know the truth… we can only guess. In any case, I though you might appreciate some good old fashioned, “fact-based” information for our health…
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-UiCSvQvVys
Have a wonderful day.
Jeff,
While you’ve left approximately seventeen thousand comments on this particular article, I find this one to be especially offensive. To say that I’m arguing my point simply because if I don’t “my castle will crumble” and not because I truly believe it not only questions my integrity, but directly implies that I am a liar.
Let me clarify something for you, I wrote this article and receive hate mail because of it every single day. If I didn’t have integrity, I would erase it. But I leave it up despite the hate mail, despite the ignorant comments, despite the people like you who continually comment with no actual argument against my very valid points, because people need to know the truth about products like this. People need to know that they’re being sold junk that’s packaged as health. People need to know that the people selling it know little to nothing about nutrition. I wrote this article because I wanted to help people, I wanted people to question what they’re told instead of believing it. That is why I do what I do, to help people.
Mind you, not a single one of the points I’ve made in this article has been successfully refuted. Arguing against me does not make you or anyone else correct, it just means that you disagree with me (and ya know, science). Soy oil, denatured proteins, synthetic vitamins and artificial sweetener will never be acceptable products (not food) to consume. I will always advocate eating locally, sustainably and organically raised food over pre-packaged garbage. You can disagree with me all you want, but never again question my integrity or motives.
Have a wonderful day.
Dani,
This is great information. I started this program on Monday, unfortunately without researching it properly. Like the other advocates who responded to your blog, the person who got me going on it is very gung ho. I don’t feel any different than I did before I started, except that I’m hungry all the time. I’ve decided that I can lose weight better on my own, without all the processed stuff. Keep up the good work!
Thanks!
I just have to say since I can not post the pictures I took of the IsaLean Shake container the issue can not put to rest. There are no DENATURED protein in Isagenix IsaLean Shake and is FREE of GLUTEN and SOY (reads on the front of the container). I take it and I looked the actual ingredients and all I read UNDENATURED and have not found anything that reads “artificial” There is FRUCTOSE, but I as looked up fructose I found this article: http://lowcarbdiets.about.com/od/nutrition/a/fructosedangers.htm
and this is from that article:
“A small amount of fructose, such as the amount found in most vegetables and fruits, is not a bad thing. In fact, there is evidence that a little bit may help your body process glucose properly. However, consuming too much fructose at once seems to overwhelm the body’s capacity to process it. The diets of our ancestors contained only very small amounts of fructose. These days, estimates are that about 10% of the modern diet comes from fructose.
I think you should research from what source the fructose come from. If fructose is as bad for you as you claim then lets no longer eat fruits and vegetables since they naturally contain fructose.
If you like me to post the actual ingredients as printed on the backside of the label I will happy to do that.
Non-fat dry milk is a denatured protein. I never said that the shakes contain gluten or soy, please make sure you clearly read and understand an article. It’s time consuming to refute points I did not even make. The other products that I clearly listed contain gluten and soy.
I also clearly stated that small amounts of fructose found in fruit are fine; not the regular consumption of added fructose.
Lastly, I linked directly to the Isagenix website where I got the ingredients lists from. Again, please read and try to understand the article.
My nutritionist is amazing. Thanks to her encouragement, I went from 206LBS to 157LBS. I smoked while losing the weight, but did learn to eat right, thanks to her. My goal weight is 130LBS-135LBS, and I have gained 15 LBS since quitting smoking, but will not lose sight of my goal. A few months ago, a nice lady, a friend of a facebook friend, approached me about buying these Isagenix products, and I put it on hold. After reading up on them, they are probably not bad, but the issue is this: How can one really keep the weight off buy drinking shakes, power bars, and all that other crap. It has to be a lifestyle change. It takes more will power and is less fun to do this Isagenix crap than to cook right. At first, it was an adjustment, buying salmon, vegetables, making salad, cutting out soda and snacks. Eventually; however, it became easier. It is on this path, I will continue, and eventually get to my goal weight. Now that I am no longer smoking, and using that as a crutch, I feel better and know that now I can continue my weight loss journey. Quick fixes are not the solution. We got fat because we love to eat. Now its time to amend one’s eating choices and portion sizes. That is the key, not these silly shakes, power bars, and all that other crap. Finding an amazing nutritionist is the key.
wow some great insights thank you – I consume isagenix because it changed me – my kids are never sick, my husband and i are now the right weight and healthy 🙂 and we simply make better choices with our nutrition.
Debate provides a platform informed choice – in the spirit of increased knowledge and insight – thank you for this blog. We are all doing the best we can – for our bodies for our future 🙂 This program works for me – I am not an evangelist – as it may not be for you – but it just might be a better option than what people choose now – with obesity as an epidemic – I would suggest its the mainstream consumption habits of the western world that require a sprinkling of this education contained within this blog.
we are all on a journey 🙂 knowledge sharing will enhance this. Thanks
Thanks for the comment!
Hi,
Here is my concern with Isagenix….
As a certified personal trainer, my “scope of practice” forbids me from selling or recommending supplements to client. This is to ensure client safety as I technically do not have the qualifications to understand interactions between supplements and health conditions / medications.
The Isagenix model is to turn as many customers as possible into supplement dealers armed with nothing but slick marketing materials and ZERO qualifications. I know multiple people who peddle this stuff, and not one of them has any kind of qualifications related to health, nutrition or fitness. The things I hear them tell people is not only beyond scary, I have had to intervene and stop multiple sales that would have had negative impacts on known health conditions (ie: sale of e-shots to someone with hypertension, and whey protein concentrate to someone who everyone knows is lactose intolerant….they didn’t even know that whey concentrate still has lactose, or that whey was dairy for that matter!!!!)
Thank you for standing by your principals despite a onslaught of attacks by Isagenix reps.
Clay
That is exactly my concern with people selling these products, they aren’t qualified to do so. What’s even more upsetting is that they refer to themselves as “health coaches.” It’s dangerous!
Thanks for the comment, Clay and keep up the good work!
Forgot to mention, I also find it hilarious that the novels they are “writing” you (and on other sites as well) are plagiarized directly from the isagenix web site….easy to pass themselves off as experts and waste your time with a simple copy/paste.
So another kudos for actually writing your own posts with your own thoughts…unlike them.
What! I didn’t know that!
It’s so frustrating and time consuming to respond to those!!
Yup. Just copy/paste some of the paragraphs that seem a bit too well written into google. The page it came from will usually come up first hit. They troll other message boards and do the same thing, its pretty sad.
Last I checked, plagiarizing without giving proper references would get you kicked out of school, or fired in the real world.
Thank you Clay! I very much enjoyed and appreciated reading your thought full comments highlighting the obvious. . with such refreshing integrity, wisdom and humour. Your clients, as are Dani’s.. lucky and fortunate to be coached so intelligently + with sincere enthusiasm and passion for the best life has to offer ~ from on human being to another!
Thanks Ann!
In the interests of plagiarizing, here are the lengths Isagenix goes to to ensure Isagenix products are safe and pure.
Science Behind: 8 Steps to Safe & Pure Isagenix Health Products
http://youtu.be/fqlVMTbwn44
Sorry, I don’t buy into any marketing BS put out by the company selling a product. This also goes for so called “Dr’s” who are profiting from it as well. I abide by this standard even for companies and products I use….I completely skip the marketing, and find unbiased reviews…like the 2 below
http://www.sciencebasedmedicine.org/defending-isagenix-a-case-study-in-flawed-thinking/
and its follow-up
http://www.sciencebasedmedicine.org/isagenix-study-is-not-convincing/
oops, this was supposed to be the first link, my mistake. That happens from time to time when you write it yourself.
http://healthfraudoz.blogspot.ca/2006/11/critique-of-isagenix.html
Wow… some interesting reading. However, I have to disagree with you Dani. There is a lot of information missing from your review and many of your sources are taken out of context.
When you looked at the products, did you look at them as part of a system or individually?
If you feel that information is missing, please provide it. If you feel like my sources were taken out of context, please expand on that.
Hello Dani! WOW! Truth is.. The BodyDoesn’t Lie! So you are right on the money when you mention listening to your “intuition”. Oh my holy goodness.. I have been taking the Isogenix Shakes etc for almost two weeks..because a ‘well meaning’ someone signed me up under her to sell, sell, sell and had a UPS package of products shipped to my home at no charge to me. I didn’t have a good feeling about them and immediately voiced my concerns about the high fruitcose and sodium content to a top representitive of the company who repeated a continuous looping of ‘these products are formulated by a Master Formulater and everything balances out.. He knows what he’s doing!” I just came across your site late this afternoon and read clear through to the end. So gratefull for your staying in the arena here with all these cultish holy rollers.. I drove to the small market in this small mostly one religion town and bought a Kombucha and took a swig in your honour…because I have felt so fuzzy headed, unclear and with an ache in my back in the area where my right kidney is since taking this “stuff “! There is so much more I could say.. Instead ~ I’ll just say how much I appreciate you and look forward to reading more of your other articles! It’s probably a ‘runaway train’ with the long winders. .. But keep your post up..for those who know the truth doesn’t lie!!!! My best to you!
I love that you bought kombucha in my honor!! Haha, that’s awesome!
Thanks so much for the comment!
Well done Dani on raising awareness to a very important issue! Another supplement company ripping people off because they are too lazy to eat healthy organic food and to cook real food but would prefer to munch on a bar in a wrapper or eat out of a container..
1. How is that healthy if it contains ingredients that are clearly NOT healthy. Science does not lie. It’s easy. Look to the ingredients list and then do a search of each and every ingredient. The problem is that would take work, the same sort of work it would take to cook a meal from scratch.
2. Has anyone discussed what DOES NOT happen when the whole cooking process is voided? There is a whole process to cooking that gets the gastrointestinal juices going and works with the body to get it ready when we consume “real” food? How does this happen when you are eating out of a wrapper or a plastic container?
3. With the significant amount of “real” organic food that exists, how does one find any available space to consume these products? If one is eating a wholesome organic diet, there would be no room for anything else.
It’s simple. Get back to basics. Eat real food.
The sad and tragic thing is that people are eating out of wrappers and plastic containers and this will be the gift that they pass onto their children. How will children ever be able to appreciate real food if their definition of food is eating out of wrappers and plastic containers.
I find it hard to believe the number of people that follow blindly without doing their own relevant research. It’s not hard, just look at the list on the container and research it yourself. The proof is in the ingredient list!
I love this entire comment so much.
Hey so I started Isagenix last week and the results? Frankly worrying.
I’ve been feeling very tired and have eaten very little. The shakes taste like twelve kinds of ass (I have to add decaf coffee just to make them palatable and I’m yet to be able to finish a whole one) and the snacks they give you with the presidential pack are, unfortunately, laden with chocolate. The bars have twice as much carbs/calories as the closest fruit containing equivalent I could find on the market, and the ‘cleanse day tea’ I have tastes like powerade. Exactly like powerade. I don’t think there’s a difference.
I’m not sure what to make of it, and my brother spent a lot of money on it (over 600 dollars wow) so I’m going to keep taking it until I run out of product, but I have noticed that my medication is working less effectively, and seeing as I need it to walk that’s frankly worrying.
It’s the psychological effects that are starting to worry me too. Not only do I feel guilty for eating real food, but so does the rest of my family who are /not/ on the diet, and while that’s a personal aspect of being on these shakes, I can say that watching me do this is kind of distressing for the rest of my family as well.
I’m not going to be buying these products again, and I heartily recommend that anyone seeking to take Isagenix talks to someone who isn’t being paid to sell their crap. I need to have a serious talk with my brother’s girlfriend and see how she really feels about this stuff. Telomere(?sp) support and cleanse days? Bullshit science.
I actually asked a biochemist friend of mine about the telomere(?sp) thing and they said that it’s twelve kinds of crap. So there we go.
I definitely understand wanting to see it through since it was so expensive, but if it is affecting you so negatively then I don’t think it’s worth it. Obviously, do what you think is best. But trust your intuition and how you’re feeling. No amount of money is worth hurting your health. Thanks for the comment and best of luck!
You should never be hungry. If you are hungry, then you need to eat. Isagenix is not about starving yourself. When you do eat, make healthy choices.
It’s good that you are going to see it through, it can, sometimes it can take a week or 2 to see results. However, if at the end of 3 weeks you are still not getting results, decide you still don’t like it or just don’t want to continue, you can return your products and get your money back.
If you decide you want to return your products and whomever you got them from is unable or unwilling to help you, feel free to contact me and I will help you get them returned.
REALLY???? Its good that she is going to see it through??? She clearly stated that she has noticed her medication not working effectively since starting Isagenix. This is EXACTLY why un-qualified people should not be dealing supplements.
Sorry for the delay in getting back to you… been busy. Regarding the information that I feel is misleading, incorrect, out of context, I’ve provided a list so you can easily respond to each.
1. MISSING/INCORRECT INFORMATION
The low-heat milk IS Undenatured. Denaturing takes place at 158 degrees – well above the temps used by Isagenix to low-heat pasteurize the milk. The proteins are left intact and UNDENATURED and you still get all those peptides with bioactivity that is present in raw milk.
2. OUT OF CONTEXT/INCORRECT INFORMATION
Fructose – 11g of sugars in a meal is exceptional. How does that constitute “High Fructose” levels?
You also failed to point out that the chart you included and the author responsible for it, Dr. Lustig (via Mercola) himself even says, “…it’s not fructose per se that is toxic…”. He also adds, “So it’s the massive doses you’re exposed to that make it dangerous”.
In other words, in standard amounts, fructose is fine and as he also adds, “There are instances when your body can use it, e.g. post-workout or fasting-induced glycogen depletion”.
3. INCORRECT INFORMATION
You mention the “correct balance” of EFA’s. From what I can see, the ratio of Omega-3 to Omega-6 (1:3) is perfectly in line… even for paleo standards. The standard american diet however – that’s a different story. Often at 1:30 or higher.
3. MISSING INFORMATION/ASSUMPTION
Palm kernel oil – From my understanding, there is more than one method to extract PKO (fractionation). The more expensive method is using the “pressing” method. I’m not sure if you’re assuming here but it’s been my experience to give the benefit of the doubt lest I find my foot in my mouth (as has often happened 😉 ).
4. MISSING INFORMATION/ASSUMPTION
Canola oil – I almost didn’t find this ingredient but aha, there it is… in the Slim Cake. You may have assumed on this as well as I know Canola oil is often extracted using pressing.
5. MISSING INFORMATION/ASSUMPTION
Natural flavors are often a means for a company to protect its own interests (formulas, etc). I believe you’ve made a HUGE leap here in assuming the worst.
6. MISSING/INCORRECT INFORMATION
You mention maltodextrin is “unhealthy” but have provided no further information or evidence. You have also assumed it is from corn (though I think you’re correct), but failed to note that the company has stated in writing that their products are non-GMO. The following is from Isagenix, available on the internet… (just “copy” text and google)
“This statement serves the interest of consumers in all markets (Australia, New Zealand, U.S., Canada, Hong Kong, and Taiwan) that Isagenix does not include any GM foods or ingredients in its products, nor does the company include any additives or processing aids in its products that contain any novel DNA or protein from a GM food”
7. OUT OF CONTEXT/MISSING INFORMATION
Your statement on tricalcium phosphate is out of context. Your statement is based on WebMd information but you presented it in a way that makes any intake of TCP seem dangerous. The “side effects” you listed are for extremely large doses.
As a couple of people mentioned earlier, large doses of Vitamin A and water can also cause some severe side effects.
I would like to know your thoughts on each of the above points. Also, as well as commenting on those points, can you expand on what makes nut oils rancid?
Thanks, J.
Jared,
Feel free to try to defend processed, refined and all-around crappy ingredients. I have made my stance on each of these things abundantly clear, and quite frankly i’m tired of repeating myself. If you have further questions, please refer to the approximate one million responses I’ve left to other people spouting the same false information and complete lack of logic, science and common sense that you just did. AND I MEAN THIS NICELY AND AS MOTIVATION.
The world and the people in it (including me) are doing you no favors by holding your hand and yet again reiterating information that has already been explained and is laid out for you in detail. Read the article, read the comments, do your research, employ common sense. Think critically.
You don’t need to publish – you are an amazing woman and have handled everyone of the misinformed Isagenix followers with credibility and truth .. keep up the great work.
Thanks!
I completley agree with Dani-
Do your research and make your own decisions. Recently, a peer reviewed jounral article was released which was also funded by industry,(Isagenix) so there couldn’t possibly be any bias (insert sarcasm). Results did show the groups lost a significant amount of weight, but if you look at the weight loss in relationship to total kcals taken in on a daily basis (1000-1200) of course they will lose weigth! DUH!!!! I would be surprised if Isagenix used this study to solidify the use of their products.
http://www.nutritionandmetabolism.com/content/9/1/98
Thank you Dani….for sticking to your guns! I find your stamina in this blog inspiring! Keep up the great work on informing!
I try!
Thank you so much for posting this. I have been concerned about the claims members of this corporation make. I have heard IBS is cured, weight loss (of course), off anxiety/depression meds, child off ADHD/behavior meds, sleeping better, lots of energy…basically this product saves lives! Of course, you can’t try a “sample…” you have to sign up and it’s very expensive. The biggest thing they “Share” (remember, they don’t “sell” they just “Share their stories of transformation”) is that this does cellular cleansing….so we won’t get heart attacks, etc. When you’re not feeling well and/or your child has autism, it’s very tempting. I do appreciate this balanced perspective! It is very hard to see studies done on how people are doing after 7-10 years. A lot of hype and disillusionment. The people on the top are making millions while those on the bottom are spending a lot of money for something whose long-term sustainability is dubious….thank you!
Welcome!
Thank you for this article. Very thorough. Donniel
Dani, first of all I wanted to congratulate you on this blog/article. You are 100% correct with everything that you have said so far….no ifs, ands or buts about it!!
The ingredients in the shakes are toxic and unhealthy for you. All these products are, are meal replacements which you can get at any corner store. Stop being gullible people!!!
Lately I have been watching lots of food documentaries on Netflix and Hulu and let me tell you, if you watch these documentaries then look at the ingredients in Isagenix…you will run for your life.
Another example I would like to share. My common-law partner takes an Isagenix shake every morning, why? heck I don’t know she just does. I on the other hand have dramatically reduced my sodium intake because of doctors orders, and the results are shocking. My other half has barely lost anything and I have lost over 30 lbs. By doing what? Two things; drastically reducing my sodium intake which automatically reduces fat and calories, and hitting the treadmill 3-4 times per week for 30/min per session. I’ve been getting looks that I haven’t seen in over 10 years, and it feels great!
Every diet out there is a scam and none of them work, and if they do it is only temporary. You only need to do TWO things people…it’s not rocket science!! Eat healthy and exercise – That is it folks, and the quicker everyone understands that concept and avoid the easy way out, the better we will all be. There is a reason why the diet industry is a multi-billion cash grab, because there is a sucker born every minute. The Weight Loss Market in the U.S. is up 1.7% to $61 Billion dollars — that’s just the US, are you kidding me?
Juicing is also another great alternative for a meal replacement and it’s the best thing for you. Instead of cramming garbage and refined/processed products into your body, why not blend/juice fruits and or vegetables. It will make you feel like a million bucks.
Thanks for the comment!
Dani
I believe everything you have said. I too fell for the lose the weight feel great marketing pitch. After I bought the product I realized that I had made a big mistake and promptly returned it. I am still on thier fb page for support. They need all the support they can get cause they are starving to death!!! One girl was having Niacin flush which is what I was experiencing and other people were encouraging to keep at it, one supporter told her that Niacin flushes were good for you, well I mentioned that this sort of thing leads to liver failure and they all pounced on me but telling a factual truth. It almost resemblies cult like behaviour. Scary. Well the truth will prevail in the end.
Yikes.
Thank you! VERY well written. I am extremely impressed and could not agree more – main point being no one has been able to respond with actual facts on how fructose & all the other ingredients you stated are healthy.
I was pushed (I say this loosely, obviously it was my choice in the end) into trying Isagenix by a friend as he wanted to “experiment” on a crossfitter. I’ve been active my whole life and choose to eat healthy even more now that I am a competitive athlete. I was told it would increase energy and improve muscle tone. My goal was never to have a “better” body but the idea of more energy was appealing. After a only a week on Isagenix I could not have been more turned off. Maybe it was because I was eating whole foods before I had ever tried Isagenix, I guess I am not 100% sure, but this did nothing but set me back – in fact, I lost energy. I was told it was because I was I didn’t need to lose weight but my body was trying to cleanse the excess toxins and fat out but to “push through the tough times – it gets easier”. In hind-site, this doesn’t make any sort of sense for me at all.
Also, I was extremely frustrated after I initially signed up. The person who had “sold” me on it immediately sent me links on how to branch out and get people to ask me about it. It was suggested that I post my success (there was not success) on my facebook page and to watch videos on how to talk to other people in order to sign up. The exact words were “you will be a great brand rep as you are already active and healthy, people will flock to you”. That was not my intent at all and I did not sell it to one person.
To sum it up, I am utterly disgusted by this product and the MLM idea that I was (not-so) sold on. Eat healthy, exercise, and listen to your body.
Thank you again for the extremely well written and informative blog. I look forward to reading more of your articles.
Thank you!
This has been a very interesting read – the article and the comments. I know that anyone who is an affiliate of Isagenix will defend the product because, well, their livelihood and reputation are on the line. Also they believe it is beneficial and wholesome,which is how they can sell it (I know some people are OK lying in order to get a sale, but I think deep down most people want to sell things that they truly think hold value).
Anyway, I saw someone that I knew was saying they had good results and had lost a lot of weight in a short amount of time, so I wanted to know what they were using. That person connected me with their rep/coach who sent me a link to watch a video, and the rep gave me a call (sorry I am using all kind of incorrect pronouns – just trying to respect their anonymity). The rep mentioned a food package and I immediately thought about nutri-system with the prepackaged meals, but I learned that basically the food is supplements, bars, wafers, etc.
Ok…I just want to say that HUMANS ARE NOT MADE TO EAT THAT STUFF AND LIVE I DONT CARE HOW “HEALTHY” OR “ORGANIC” IT IS! Yep I would agree that our soils and plants do not produce like they used to because of our overuse of pesticides and other crazy things to produce more food for a growing population. I guess we are closer to Soilent Green than we thought.
I am sure if I drank meal replacement shakes and ate protein bars all day every day I would totally lose 10 lbs a month if not more. That’s just a higher priced Slimfast diet. Additionally, the price is crazy. I was quoted $20 a day for ‘meals’ (medium package). Again, you can’t make meals out of shakes, wafers, and supplements! When I asked what was used to sweeten the bars I didn’t get an answer, but I did get a link to the website with the products. I didn’t bother to go, mainly because if someone wants me to buy into what they are selling, they better know their product backwards and forwards and not give me some anecdotal “oh go to the site for specifics I am here to testify that it works!” type response.
I think that people can go back and forth on this issue until each is blue in the face. All I know is if something seems too good to be true, then it probably is. I do not use, sell, or have an affiliation with any diet, supplement, nutritional program at this time, and as a person who would love to change some things about themself, I can see how people fall for this stuff all the time (I admit I used to be one of those people because of desperation).
The truth is you cannot circumvent intentionality with your eating. Buying as local as possible, eating non processed meals, and limiting animal proteins is definitely a better way to go. The body needs fuel! Eating supplements, bars, and shakes as actual meals is like trying to fill a car with water and expecting it to go somewhere.
Hi Dani,
I too agree with all that you have said. I have trialled both Herbalife and Isagenix for my own research as I am in the fitness industry. I have gotten more success from telling people to eat a balanced diet of whole foods and the occasional supplemental vitamins (relevant to the goal e.g.. weight loss or muscle gain etc). Whats even worse now is that Personal Trainers are the target to further promote it as the age old saying that ‘my trainer said it was what i should eat’. Shame shame shame to those trainers that do this. They do this to also get more financial benefits from the products as we all low with this multi-level marketing (pyramid scheme).
I got to say that the investigations into the Herbalife scheme will also carry some weight into Isagenix eventually being investigated as well. Just google Herbalife FDA Investigation and watch the ABC News video.
I know people that are right into this stuff and I just simply don’t like it and will never promote it.
Anyway, great blog. I’m fully here to support any push against these products and companies promoting toxic products as ‘healthy solutions’.
Keep up the good work
Thank you!
I’m confused what you mean by “pyramid scheme”. What do you define as a pyramid scheme?
Second best comment in the entire thread!!: “…Common sense, Mary, common sense.” (hahaha – LOL)
BEST comment: : “…you are an amazing woman and have handled everyone of the misinformed Isagenix followers with credibility and truth .. keep up the great work.” – By An Admirere
Dani, Thanks for your professionally written and respectful responses – mostly 🙂 (where humanly possible!). It’s abundantly clear who is educating and who is selling here. And it is the perfect link (the comment thread) to direct my friends to who are listening to ‘the sales pitch’ more than their own “common sense”.
-Great read
Thank you Nathan!
Hi Dani
Thanks for all of that information.
I was looking at this product as a passive income in my current health business. It seems that people are having the wool pulled over their eyes in regard to this product. I too am healthy eating and having read your information I wouldn’t touch this with a barge pole let alone recommend it to sick clients.
Thanks for putting the information up there, I know a lot of people aren’t happy but you informed me thoroughly.
Thanks
Thanks Lisa! My intention with this really wasn’t to hurt the company or people selling it, but just bring the ingredients and the facts surrounding them to light.
I promote essential oils as a passive income and that’s been working very well for me. I do this because I know that essential oils transform peoples’ health and have helped them get off of drugs and instead use safe, health promoting oils. If you’re interested, check out my essential oils page: https://ancestral-nutrition.com/essential-oils/
Interesting to see how defensive people get when their source of income is threatened…
Dani,
You are an inspiration. Thank you for your hard work.
It saddens me that there so many people choose wonder pills over good home grown natural food.
Gardens may be illegal in the near future anyway and we might have to eat this Isageturfix stuff.
Grow a garden people, make a compost and put seaweed on your garden!
Biggest, juiciest, healthiest and tastiest food you will ever eat.
All the best for your future efforts Dani.
“…I wish above all things that thou mayest prosper and be in health,
even as thy soul prospereth” – 3 John 1:2
Thank you!!
LOVE you sister for speaking truth! The ISAlabrat food junkies can’t handle someone threatening their cash cow! Keep speaking truth! You have my respect! Here’s to food….REAL food!
Thanks Ken!
Hi Dani
I just started the 30 day plan today and I have such a bad headache and mentioned it to a co-worker. She said that these types of plans are drastic and it can take a couple of days for your body to get used to it. I decided to read about it ( I know a little late for that) and everything seems so positve but when I saw the ingredients under the label (you need to peel it back to read it) I got a little nervous. I like the keep it real approach, buy whole and local food when I can, but I struggle with LIFE. A sit-at-the-computer all day job, low energy, high sugar intake and drinks on the weekends. I wanted something that would give me a boost and my girlfriend was selling this and I thought I would try it. I read all this back and forth and I realize that most of these people “FOR” Isa are worried about people not buying or stopping Isa and you are wanting people to make informed decisions, so coming from 2 totally different places. If I was selling it and making money I wouldn’t want people saying it not good for you but I am really glad that you choose not to worry about being popular with all these folks and wrote this article, because I am going to buy a salad and return my Isa products for a refund. I think I will buy your book too while I’m here!
Thank you so much for this. There is no quick fix and anything worth working for is worth having 🙂
So true! Let me know if you ever have any questions!
I come from a background of clean eating, working out, medical, etc. and someone who suffers from a huge list of medical issues and am on about 30 medications. I decided to try Isagenix because I want to have some energy so I can be a mom again to my two young children and maybe lose the 35 pounds I have gained since being diagnosed with psoriatic arthritis, fibro, heart problems, etc. etc. etc. I also just turned 40 and it was time for a change. I started Isagenix last week and I tell you that it is like I just woke up. My clarity is scary amazing, I smell the trees, I see the colors, I hear things, I am remembering stuff from years ago. I have chronic fatigue syndrome, could sleep all day and then sleep 12 to 14 hours a night. I now have a hard time going to bed and I am getting tons done around our house and I go out with my family. Thanks to Isagenix for giving me a life and getting off of meds hopefully and back to working out.
Honestly, I highly doubt your diet was very good before Isagenix.
Thank you, thank you, thank you for this review. It honestly shocks me that people do not ask more questions about the truth behind Isagenix. Having worked with many USDA Organic certified vendors at my past job they ALWAYS provided some kind of documentation about what goes on behind the scenes to create the product they are selling. And when I say provided, its part of their brand to show and be proud of where they are getting their ingredients from. I have a friend who is extremely successful with Isagenix (and I’m happy for her) but she never questioned as to why the only resourceful, amazing information on Isagenix came from the Isagenix website.
What I would like to know is do they ACTUALLY get the “unendentured protein” from cows in New Zealand like they claim? I can’t find any link between New Zealand farms and isagenix. My friend had sent me products to try and what I received with the product was a pamphlet on how to sell. The pamphlet had pictures of the owners of the company on it which struck me as very odd. Why were there no pictures of the farms? Why no pictures of where Isagenix outsources their ingredients from? No pictures of the behind the scenes people “formulating” the product? If they are indeed very proud of what goes into it, you think they would show it off. Why on earth there was pictures of 3 people who own it was super weird. I mean- What kind of branding is that?
Also, I heard that John Gray (the author of Men are from Mars, Women are from Venus) is apart of Isagenix. Not only do they refer to him as Dr. John Gray (because he has a PHD) but… his PHD is in philosphy I believe from a non-accredited college that is no longer in exsistance (I wikied him). Just because someone is a successful author does not mean they are to speak on what goes into your body. And he actually claims that Isagenix does all sorts of stuff to your brain chemistry. The twisting of facts is so off putting I would go as far as to say it was propaganda. AND ANOTHER QUESTION… if someone is putting a SYNTHETIC, NON ORGANIC substance into their body, HOW IS THIS CLEANSING IT OF SYNTHETIC, NON ORGANIC SUBSTANCES? I would say that a non pasturized juice cleanse would help you lose weight, be a LOT cheaper, and actually put real nutrients into your body from real veggies and fruits from the EARTH. Not vitamins made in a lab. (And Mayo clinic backs up the fact that most synthetic vitamins are not even absorbed). I will reiterate- If Isagenix worked for you, that is great. But explore your options- you may not have to spend that much money to be on a caloric defient diet (cleanse), and you can be putting real food into your body.
I recently had a friend ask me to ‘cleanse’ with them. I said I’d be interested and they sent me the price breakdown list for this Isagenix garbage. A simple google search for reviews of said product brought me to your blog. I sure am not going to go to the product’s website for reviews lol. Anyways, I am reading through some of the comments here and I find it mind blowing that people are calling you out on ‘what are your credentials?’ For those hater’s I would like to point them to a book called “The Paleo Solution” by Robb Wolf. He states the very same things you are stating about gluten being harmful, man made products, the influx of cancer, ADD, etc, all being caused by eating MAN Made food products. For the record, the author’s credentials are that of a Research Bio-chemist who uses his own blood markers to validate his research. Well worth perusing if one is in doubt.
Great review by the way! Definitely changed my mind about trying this man made junk. That’s just my opinion, as I’m not a research bio-chemist or an MD. I believe in unbiased research that doesn’t promote one thing over the other when it comes to products. Thanks again, and cheers!!
Wow! This is great! I was approached by someone during the week – trying to get me to rep this product for them, because I “have good energy” I knew nothing of it, and assumed it was something far natural and sincere. So I sit down to find myself watching the most ridiculous video ever, of all these weird cult like people, claiming that they no longer work but make MONEY MONEY MONEY.! This is so far removed from what I think a healthy person (body and soul) should be like. It appears just another brainwashing scheme, spend money to find health and happiness. There are many more ways than this stupid company! Sure people do this and lose weight, good for them, but I agree that there are many other HEALTHIER ways to do so. You don’t need to buy packaged, manufactured crap. People need to wake up. Spend time, not money on yourself. Way to go Dani! Loved the read, and will follow your blog now too! All the best to you. 🙂
Thank you for the sweet comment!
Awesome article – thank you for sharing. It’s certainly made me look a bit more closely at this product and will now be steering well clear. Clean diet and exercise will work for me.
I just wanted to say a big thank you for writing this article. It seems everywhere I look, there are Isagenix wolves trying to convince me of how amazing my life would be if I would only give in to non FDA approved, non scientifically proven formulas. Then, I too, could be a stunning size 6 glamazon strutting my stuff and going on holidays around the globe?!
The eternal nerd, I researched the ingredients, found this article and breathed a sigh of relief that I had found it prior to giving in and purchasing the system. Most of these sales reps have no nutritional training, and some of them haven’t studied past high school. One look at the ingredients puts me off. I also wish people would stop referring to my body as a car and regurgitating info from other idiots who have no clue.I can’t help but be highly irritated by their pushy sales tactics, poor spelling and “holier than thou” attitude. We get it – you’re skinny, have lots of energy and making some money. Back to whole foods and exercise for me! I’m not wasting my money!
??
Thanks for the comment, Jess!
Thank you Dani for the article. Isagenix seems like complete bullshit to me. A stupid pyramid scheme. Why not pay a whole lot less and eat rite? Lord.
Glad to see sisters that actually make sense such as yourself.
Thanks Peyton!
Many thanks for this article. So many people seem to be drinking shakes or eating a bar instead of grabbing a milk and eating an apple. We all want the quick fix solution to health, energy and weight loss. I’m 50, and have tried the lot! Why is it we can’t go back to the basics of food and why is it that we spend so much money on these wonderful solutions? We all know that weight loss products is a great money spinner for all business people. All I want is someone to tell me the best things to eat each meal, each week, for free. We need to start educating Australians on how easy it is to make a quick meal, that is healthy and help us lose weight. I struggle each day with this and don’t think buying an expensive packet of powder and putting it in a super blender to provide me with a healthy, weight loss, energy ‘meal’. I know Isagenix users/sellers are on the wagon about what a wonderful product this is – but I have been on the Amway wagon before as well, and it almost becomes like a product religion. I don’t want to bring doubt on your chosen lifestyles, but I promise, one day soon you will look back on this product and think to yourselves ‘Why?’. Enjoy it whilst it is your religion and belief, but I hope all of these manufactured products don’t cause higher numbers of cancer and heart disease to you, and other Australians. Our numbers of chronic disease are extremely high as it is, so what is it going to be like when our age groups of product meals/bars reach 50+ years of age. Is it going to cause a higher strain on our health system because of these decisions we made eating chemically manufactured products, not only Isagenix?
Very good point!
I loved your post. I was on Isagenix for quite a while but stopped because it was too expensive, was feeling pressured to sell the products and I would have violent (sorry) vomiting on the cleanse days (could NOT keep the cleanse drink down because it was vile).
Once I stopped, I put on some weight, then more, then even more than before I started. I was gaining weight in places that I never did before. I prided myself on my great metabolism. Not anymore. I can’t lose weight no matter how much I exercise (which was the way I could lose weight in the past). Isagenix destroyed my metabolism and I still have not been able to repair it.
Let me know if you’d like some help, your metabolism is damaged but it can be fixed!
Dani,
Great article!
Its simple..rather than giving into mass marketing, if people took the time to educate themselves, they would know nothing beats a whole food diet and being active. This Product may help people lose weight but honestly I could lose weight on a mcdonalds “diet” if I chose the right items off the menu!
The reason I feel this stuff is a scam is this. I did an experiment after I after heard all the hype on this stuff. I bought an herbal cleansing kit from the good food store and used protein shakes to replace breakfast everyday for a week. It cost me 39 dollars for the protein and 30 dollars for the cleanse. I lost 8lbs in 7 days. Was it the right way to go about it? No, I just wanted to prove that people are sheep and 280 dollars was a waste of money!
Thanks for the comment!
Dani,
Not sure if you are familiar with online marketing, but looking at all the comments in defense of the product, the number of urls they posted as reference and the professional language used to disprove your post; my gut tells me most come from the company themselves. They simply used your blog to their benefit; posting urls and mentioning the brand helps them improve their online scores with the search engines. This is why its so hard to find an honest or negative page talking about this and all other weightloss gimmicks. Next time don’t follow their lead.
Good Luck!
My darling made me watch the 30min hype clip about how you can do this and that with this new thing, I asked her to wake me up when they tell you how to do all that amazing stuff. I fell asleep but after a while she pats me on the shoulder. I said to her. “Did they tell you you can give and live and all that cool stuff?” She said. “Nah they just want me to buy their milkshake.” I love Isagenix
Hello,
I must say that this is a well-written article although, it is unfortunately not accurate. I have been using the products for almost 5 years now and being gluten, wheat and lactose intolerant, I’ve never felt any better. There is NO SOY and NO GUTEN in the products!!!!! Also, the whey used in the shakes are from New Zealand where are found “happy cows”. The cows don’t get injected with growth hormones, no pesticides, herbicides and other “ides” are used in New Zealand since it is ILLEGAL.
I don’t know where you got your information about canola oil but this oil is the healthiest oil on the market. It’s a rich source of vitamin E, it’s cholesterol-free, canola has high levels of mono-unsaturated fatty acids, which have been shown to reduce blood cholesterol levels and it’s polyunsaturated fats are essential omega-3s – which may help prevent heart attacks and strokes – and omega-6s – which are important for the brain and essential for the growth and development of infants.
The ingredient lists you have posted are FAKE. I have compared the lists you have posted to the product list itself and it is completely different.
These products are helping over 300,000 people in 12 different countries. Personally, my family are showing remarkable results in their health. My aunt has MS disease and has now been using the products for 8 years. After 3 months of feeding her body with these products and eating healthy meals, she no longer needed a wheelchair and to this day, she still does not need to take a single prescription pill. Her doctor his amazed by this, has looked over the ingredients himself and told her to NEVER STOP TAKING THE PRODUCTS!!!
If you haven’t tried the products yourself, don’t go writing inacurate “reviews”.
I’m not sure if your brain isn’t properly functioning due to taking Isagenix for almost five years, but the ingredient lists were pulled directly from the Isagenix website and I really don’t appreciate being called a liar. Anyone who has the basic ability to read can see the list of sources I used to provide the ingredient lists. So to say that the ingredient lists are fake (when I clearly provided links for them that go to the Isagenix website) is basically an admission that you know the ingredients are garbage.
I understand that you sell Isagenix and have no nutritional knowledge, but canola oil is one of the most toxic oils on the market. This is a fact, and anyone who disagrees with this literally knows nothing about nutrition. Not only is canola oil one of the most highly genetically modified crops, it undergoes a ton of processing to be made into an oil, including being extracted with hexane – a neurotoxin. You’re right about it being high in polyunsaturated fat – though I don’t know why you would tout this as a good thing when PUFAs are the exact fats that cause heart disease and inflammation.
You really should read up on basic nutrition before you convince people to buy complete garbage that you tout as health. And like I’ve said before, I don’t need to smoke crack to know it’s not good for me. I would never put these products in my body.
I’m sorry but i could not read any further than “canola oil is is the healthiest oil on the market!” What?! Please, educate yourself. This is a prime example of another ignorant person taking isagenix with NO health background whatsoever.
YUP.
Wow. Just wow. Dani, first of all – my hat is off to you for sticking to your guns. Secondly – I totally agree – eating healthy organic locally sourced food is your best bet for health – that and unlearning some serious misinformation about fat, cholesterol and sugar. Finally, it is an unfortunate reality that many things in life are corrupted by the profit motive – at times to such an extent that decent people are caught up in the craze to just make a quick buck or two. It is also unfortunate that so many people are caught in the trap of ignorance, poverty or both – it is not cheap to feed a family on really healthy food, especially meat, produce. I’ve researched these topics and also the history behind American industrialized agriculture (e.g. Food, Inc., King Corn, etc) and am appalled at the corruption and overall insanity that has engulfed this nation. You can go just about anywhere else in the world and get healthy food quite easily – a expat friend of mine lives in Uruguay and is very happy with the situation there. So, hang in there and keep up the good work on your blog and getting the truth out. Do you know of Chris Kresser and his work?
JR
Yes! Love Chris Kresser.
Thanks!
The bottom line is that Isagenix is a multilevel marketing program. They are trying to sell you products to ingest that will replace eating whole, real FOOD. That is never a good idea. Eat well and healthy and you won’t need all the other crap.
The reason why people feel “energetic” is because those bars are just blocks of sugar, and of course people will lose weight if two of their meals only add up to ~600 calories (recommended daily intake is 2000-2500). It’s possible to achieve a healthier body by healthy eating and portion control – hell…I trust Supersize vs Superskinny more as evidence than Isagenix.
In your protein shake you use whey protein that contains stevia extract – I am so confused about this product. It is my understanding that stevia extract goes through a sort of nasty process to become what it is – although “whole leaf stevia” (which some protein powders use) is a better option. Thoughts?
Only some brands of stevia are unhealthy and go through processing, like Truvia.
Wow that is a lot of information about all kinds of nutrition and Isagenix products. I wonder if there is a healthy balance in this somewhere. I personally prefer a diet of organic fresh food, locally grown, but yea it is time consuming every week to shop or find the right foods, then prepare everything in a manner that is fairly convenient each week, since I commute about an hour each day and work a normal day, plus I love to work out or just get some good exercise walking, playing golf, and general enjoyment. So why cant I use Isagenix moderately for those times when I may slightly rushed or am just craving a snack of some kind. I love ice cream, pizza, hamburgers, cheese, pasta, any kind of bread, milk, and I feel fairly normal in that sense. But of course most of this is not so good for you especially if you eat like that all the time. About five years ago I just started this organic nutritional program and lost 60lbs, I feel awesome. I will never go back to the old katdaddi who ate whatever he wanted. No more fast food, no sodas, prepared food etc. I love my new life. I generally have plenty of energy. I was introduced to Isagenix a few months ago and of course had been through the herbal life to lifevantage slew of products so the shake and cleanse was really not appealing to me at all. I was getting kind of bored though even though my daughters are so great about shopping with me and sharing all their cool organic recipes and even cooking for me sometimes. I thought ok I will try this Isagenix thing for 30 days. I hate shakes, sold my blender and 2 tubs of shake mix to one of the other guys at the gym, you know I just thought this ain’t for me. But since I had the product I decided to go ahead and use it instead of just throwing it out or hassle with sending it back. After about 3 weeks of consistent use, I started to notice a difference in my energy level but mainly I started seeing some gains at the gym. I like the crossfit thing and am 57, so its not like I am in this for the competition. I think we all know that is not going to happen. But not being super fatigued after a hard workout and actually being able to lift more weight and not be the last one to finish every time you do a work out was a win for me. The only thing I did different was adding the Isagenix to my routine. I don’t drink the vanilla shakes everyday but usually 2 times a week or like I said before if I am in a little time crunch. I thought some of the energy bars were good tasting and filling. Those little round snack things and the small little chocolate bites were great for killing a craving. The cleansing pills actually did seem to help me get rid of water weight and pass some toxins, nothing wrong with a little diuretic occasionally. Don’t be stupid and take it all the time ins not intended to be used in that manner. Of all the shake programs I have tried Isagenix is really the only one I have actually enjoyed and saw any evidence that something was different with my body. My wife has actually noticed a difference in my body as well. And believe me she is smart about this stuff. So maybe you can reach a balance, not every ones body is the same. Obviously not all people can tolerate whey, fructose, lactose, or other ingredients. I have seen vegans who tried to come off the vegan lifestyle and there body would totally reject healthy organic foods simply because they haven’t eaten them in 10 years not because they are bad for you. Sure there are some nutritional absolutes that hold true for 99% of the population. Anyway lighten up and recognize that what’s right for you may not work for someone else. All I can say is that I have a good combination of a very healthy diet eating locally grown organic foods (and I grow my own during summer, so I do know what is in my food) plus the Isagenix products. It seems to be working great for me with no side effects that I can identify. I am not a scientist, I have a BA in Marketing but I am not selling Isagenix just using it. I work in the IT industry but like we may sometimes, study long, study wrong.
Oh yea, I thought there was a lot of useful information in these post. I think just the sheer collaboration of all these ideas is very useful. Thanks for all the good ideas
Wow. This is the only review I’ve found which critically analyzes Isagenix – thank you Dani.
And clearly a ton of distributors, fans and cult members found it too.
I’m increasingly surrounded by the aforementioned members, as it’s tentacles reach my part of the world. There is a strange ‘cool aid’ vibe to the whole thing..
Omg I just told my husband yesterday that it seemed like cult kook aid. Lol
Processed foods of any kind are always bad for us! Processing “kills” the food! If the reason you choose to purchase Isogenics or other toxic processed foods (including organic) is because you dont have time to make your food. So buy a blender and throw organic baby spinach, carrots, kale, apples and frozen bananas together and let is blend. Drink that and see how great you feel. There are plenty of great recipes on the interent for the times you need fast “real” food. I have been eating organic “real” food for a very long time. My and family and I NEVER go to the doctor for any reason. I dont need to be some sciencetist or nutritionist to prove my point. My health speaks for itself! I also look 10-15 years younger than people my own age. Fresh organic fruits and vegetables are the only foods we should be eating. The rest should be taken off the market and those companies / restaurants producing toxic “processed” food should be forced to close their doors forever!
I left a message on here several weeks ago; I had said that I thought the biggest issue with your site/this post is that you claim this is an unbiased review and that it’s misleading to make that claim. While I don’t expect you to respond to every comment, can you explain why mine is not even posted? I made a valid point – is that why?
Because it wasn’t valid and didn’t contribute at all to the conversation.
Not valid?
You’ve titled this “An Unbaised Review of Isagenix” however present nothing but the negatives associated with it. Like I said in my original comment, I clicked on this link to get a better understanding of the pros and cons associated with Isagenix but that is not what this is. To truly present an unbiased review, both sides must be addressed.
Didn’t contribute to the conversation?
Is that the conversation where you’re perpetually defending yourself to the critics who are attacking you personally and professionally? Or where you’re basking in the praise of those who agree with you? You’re right, I wasn’t trying to contribute to either of those conversations; I was simply pointing out that had you worded things differently, you could have saved yourself a lot of grief since that’s where it seems a lot of the criticism stems from. It’s called constructive criticism.
Your initial response to ignore, then respond curtly, tells me that you can’t take even an ounce of criticism from anyone. I was not trying to be rude, but you were.
You’re the only one I care to read this comment so if you choose to ignore this one too, well, that’s your choice; this is, after all, your blog, and you should get to pick and choose which comments you think are valid enough to make it to the public.
She didn’t list any pro’s because there aren’t any. The lack of pro’s in and of it itself does not indicate bias. Nor does your finding this lack unpalatable.
On the other hand, Dani Stout referencing anything from Joseph Mercola takes away some of the legitimacy of this article. Especially given his preponderance for the same kind of diet shenanigans as Isagenix (and multiple run ins with the FDA).
Just like Mercola and his shills, Isagenix should be regarded as a tool for making money out of ignorant, lazy people.
Eat whole foods when you can, avoid processed foods when you can, exercise and be healthy.
I love Dr. Mercola, I don’t think the fact that he’s gotten in hot water with FDA takes away from his credibility. It happened in the first place because he doesn’t support vaccinations, and neither do I! That being said, he’s been a successfully practicing doctor for over 30 years.
Just because I provided the negatives doesn’t mean I’m biased. Granted – I think meal replacement shakes are stupid, but I have no vested interest in the outcome of Isagenix or those who use it.
Again, no, this does not contribute to the conversation. Now we’re arguing over whether or not I’m biased, which has nothing to do with the actual review of the ingredients. My review of the ingredients is unbiased. Because I didn’t find the products healthy does not make me biased.
“Basking in the praise of those who agree” with me? You mean saying thank you to those who agree and/or support my work? What would you suggest I say, “Thanks but go f*ck yourself?”
She is unbiased because she is not affiliated with the company.
Well, done! This is a fabulous article, and nice research! This is the kind of stuff I have to share every day in my office.
More people need to look at the ingredients of what they are taking and then research those ingredients!
It amazes me that because this is what you have done, people are demanding credentials!
Well, I completely agree with you. My credentials? I’m a naturopathic doctor trained in nutrition.
Thanks, Suzy!
THANK YOU! I have several friends who are currently on this and are trying to recruit me. I have hashimotos and have had three babies in five years. I am 60lbs heavier than I was five years ago and have tried everything. I eat clean, gluten free, soy free, refined sugar free, and try to be active (even though I want to sleep my life away) and don’t seem to be getting anywhere. I am at a point of desperation and was very close to caving and trying it been though it goes against everything I believe to be healthy. This article has reiterated the things I was already telling myself. So glad I found you before I caved 😉
I too believe that vegan/vegetarian diets are unhealthy and that fat is essential for health. In fact, since I have abandoned the low fat mentality and cut most grains from my diet, I have begun to (slowly) lose weight for the first time in a decade. Don’t worry abou the haters. People are brain washed. Xoxo
Thanks Jenna! And let me know if you have any questions about weight loss, I offer free consults!
I agree that all natural is the best way to go. Recently came across the Wahl’s Protocol reinforcing my belief. Have also reviewed studies and TV clips, including 60 Minutes coverage, about how any type of sugar is in fact toxic and increases the bad kind of LDL is our bloodstreams leading to more heart disease. Any company making money by selling a weight loss diet to and because we are a mostly uneducated public, while not illegal, is borderline unethical and most likely quite profitable at least for those who own the company or are high up in the ranks. The list of product ingredients provided above looks to be low quality/least cost similar to highly processed food items. This may lead to an increasing likelihood of negative health side effects as time goes on.
Hi Dani,
I really appreciate your information. I too had a hard time finding unbiased real information about Isagenix that did not come from their own website. I was always a skeptic about it, but got convinced after my friend lost a lot of weight and was really selling me on it. I argued with her about the ingredients, but still got convinced and ended up spending a small fortune I don’t have. It was too hard for me to stick to after a short time anyway….I am used to trying to eat healthy but by actually EATING real food and doing the shakes and all that just felt too restrictive to me.
Anyway, I wondered what your thoughts were about the effects on your metabolism from going on those cleanse days. You can do the cleanse days either one day a week through the month or they highly recommend doing two days back-to-back. When I had talked about what I was doing with a friend they were concerned about the possible effects on my metabolism. Even the super gung-ho supporters of Isagenix admit to gaining pounds back right after a cleanse despite losing weight during the cleanse. I know you mostly focused on the ingredients, but I wondered if you had any thoughts about how this might effect metabolism?
Sorry if I missed this somewhere along in the thread. It was dizzying reading through the comments and I had to skip to the bottom. I can see where it becomes so difficult for people to make good choices or know what to trust with so much different information out there and competing facts about ingredients. I just watched the documentary “Fed Up” this weekend and that also illustrates how people can become so misguided and it’s really sad. From now on, sticking to my gut and trying my best to eat clean, organic real foods!!
I definitely don’t recommend doing a two day “cleanse.” I assume this entails not eating and instead using Isagenix product. This can cause a whole host of issues and cleanses should real only be done under the supervision of a professional. Stick to ya gut!
This is a great article and reading all the nonsense from the proponents of Isagenix makes me chuckle.
I tried Isagenix because all over my facebook, people were posting about all this success that they were having etc. I was very reluctant to try it, but I finally gave in, because in March 2013, I had rotator cuff surgery and was not cleared for any exercise until almost a year later. I gained a lot of weight during that time and I was miserable. It was affecting my relationship with my boyfriend and I was desperate.
I was being harassed by a few people on FB that I was friends with, but I did not buy from them because they were too pushy with it. I purchased from a girl I went to college with, who was never “blowing up” FB feeds with posts. And the only reason I did actually try it, because the price is RIDICULOUS, was because I had some extra cash from a side job that I do.
Anyway…I was kinda excited to do it, but once I started I HATED every single day of it, especially the cleanse days. The “wafers” or whatever they called them, which was the only solid thing ingested on those days were absolutely HORRIBLE. I gagged just thinking that I had to eat them. The shakes were OK, but I had had better. I didn’t order anything extra, like soups or bars…just what came with the initial order. GROSS…everything else was so gross. I couldn’t eat the bars, the stuff they gave you to put in water was just awful.
So at the end of the 30 days, I did manage to lose some weight…only like 11 lbs. I was not thrilled with the results. I also NEVER got the “extra energy” and “feeling great”. I felt horrible and sluggish the entire time. After the 30 days, I did not continue and managed to put the weight plus some, right back on.
I would NEVER recommend anyone EVER waste the money on it. I think that anything where you supplement 2 meals a day with shakes and only eat 400-600 calories of food, you will see a weight loss.
Oh and When I tried to call to cancel the direct ship they set up for you when you sign up, they gave me such a hard time. I was basically like “if you f*cking send it to me…I’ll hunt you down”.
In March of this year, I joined a new fitness center near my house and just started eating clean, carb-cycling, and having 1 “treat” meal on the weekends. In 10 weeks at this place and actually eating food, I feel awesome and have lost more weight, eating more food then I did with Isagenix.
Also, a co-worker of mine, her sister was doing it for close to a year, lost weight, but started feeling sick all the time. So she went to her doctor and her doctor said to her that he was happy she had lost weight, etc. and asked what she was doing to lose it, Weight Watcher, working out, etc. She told him Isagenix and he told her to stop using it IMMEDIATELY! That was what was making her sick. They they claim to be all natural, but they are not and that she was poisoning herself with it! (this was after I tried doing it and was talking about how much I hated it – my coworker told me about her sister’s experience)
Wow! Thanks for sharing!
You are retarded.
What a thought provoking critique.
Wow, Dani, you stepped into a land mine with this one.
I am a Weight Loss Coach who teaches people how to eat mindfully, and end emotional eating. I have friends who swear by Isagenix. Since it’s all the rage and I have clients who use it, I decided to try it for one week so that I could have first hand experience. I have never been so thirsty in my life. I easily drank 2 gallons of water a day, and still could not satisfy my thirst. I woke in the morning with the worst dry mouth of my life. I quit after day 2 as I was concerned with how this product was affecting my liver and kidneys.
Most disconcerting to me, is the argument of others that Isagenix is NOT a diet. Of course it’s a diet! Call it a way of life if you want, but this way of life is making people at the top of the MLM extremely wealthy, and the health effects on long term use will not likely be evident for years.
The passion with which the users are arguing and insulting you indicates that you’ve struck a nerve. We are most defensive about things when we know there is a grain of truth and we just don’t want to hear it.
Great post. I will be following you from now on!
Thank you!
Dani,
I just found this article and I am SO happy someone finally put this out there in clear and simple context. As a holistic nutritionist, I have been asked many times by clients about this product, and now I can send them to this article for further reading as there is only so much detail I can go into during a consultation without going on a 2 hour rant 😉
I’m sure the company has good intentions, and a lot of people make great money doing this kind of business, but my gut and education believe that it is not the answer. If it was, then Ensure would be the new diet.
I am sorry you have had to endure all these attacks, but they wouldn’t have come if the product was as clean and amazing as it is marketed to be. Don’t let them get to you and keep your head high. I’ve added your blog to my list – so glad I found it!
Thank you!
Hi Dani,
I just stumbled on this article because a friend is planning to do Isagenix and was suggesting I might like to do it with her. I have to admit that it sounds terribly seductive, albeit expensive. However your article makes a lot of sense to me and I admire the way you have held your own against so much abuse…Isagenix loyalists sound like Scientologists! If anything, the way that they are attacking you so viciously makes me MORE cautious about their products.
Thanks for taking the time to write this piece and for leaving it up in the face of so much opposition.
Best wishes,
Julia
You’re welcome!
Wow, took about an hour, but went through all the reviews. I have tried all sorts of “fad-diets”, some successfully and some not so. Always ended up with same result, back to being unhealthy. I agree Dani, that the truest form of weight control is controlling what we put in our mouths. Putting chemicals in the body will give a short-term result, and if able to stick with on longer periods of time, one will achieve longer results. At what cost though, have we forgotten that in the 80’s chemicals that body builders were legally putting into their system was killing them? Yes steroids, but this is off topic. From what I am reading in the article is that the ingredients that are listed in their product is what Dani is trying to convey that are harmful to our bodies. For some unknown reason the people using these products are bashing her like she p**ped on their holy bible! Look, if you do not like her review ignore and go on. No sweat of her back, she is just trying to inform you of HER findings. I like Fords, but when Chevy guys criticize my vehicle I ignore them and move on, I don’t try to convince them that their choice of vehicle is worse or mine is better. Reading this article has informed me about their product and I will make my decision based on that choice. Which to me, is putting cleaner food into my system than chemicals. Thank you Dani for a well-informed review, one that isn’t sponsored or performed by the company. Look, I am not discrediting their scientists or doctors of Isagenix, just saying that if I work for a company that is paying me good money, I highly doubt I am going to put my name on a bad review, or give the whole-truth. I know people in marketing and this is a gimmick used by ALL companies, they give half-truths and have a little wiggle room with generalized statements. I am leary about a company that pushes a product so hard and only reviews and scientific studies are only found on their website. Especially one that has been around for years. Well, another point I would like to share is everyone is asking her of her credentials. I look at it like this, I can study up on the ingredients on my own, all she (Dani) did was inform me of what is in the products listed. I don’t have to be a mechanic to know that the knocking sound coming from my engine isn’t normal. Thank you, once again for the information Dani. Much appreciated.
Have you done on research on the Favao line of products? there seem to be the best that i have come across, i was type 2 diabetic but with a change in diet i am not any longer, if i consumed the products you have reviewed i would indeed be diabetic again 🙂
I think you are doing a great job, Keep it up. You have clearly invested yourself in the study of wellness. here is a link to their website. http://www.favao.com
thank you in advance
Unable to find ingredient lists.
I am in total shock! If you agree with Dani then great, if you don’t-thats your choice. Im disgusted that people have commented the way they have. This world of living infront of a screen & typing rude/nasty comments is disgraceful. You came to this blog for info, you read it! Move On!! you either obtained the information you wanted or you didnt. It really is that simple. If Isagenix works for you, then great. If it doesnt, oh well, life doesnt end there, do more research on something else & see if that works for you.
Thank you!
Hello, Dani
At one time, I agreed with everything you have said. That was two years ago when I was sick and becoming increasingly incapable of daily life. I decided to give Isagenix a try. Why not? Tried everything else including an entire year of prescriptive drugs and miracle vitamin powders. Am I glad I made that decision. Today, my life has completely changed. In spite of the skepticism on your part, you cannot negate the real experience for someone else. I am sorry for your negative post because I think you might be keeping someone else from a better life’s experience. On another note, the best products I have in my cupboards are those that come from MLMs. They are typically higher quality and guaranteed. The distribution method is simply a choice. There is no difference if you get a product from Proctor and Gamble, Costco, Walmart or an MLM. Not all MLM products are untested nor certified. Goodness, I’ve used some certifiable products that flat didn’t work or were extremely dangerous. Why not post labels of all the “food” on the Grocery shelves and I bet you can’t even begin to explain what’s in them. Thanks for bursting my joy.
I don’t think I said ANYTHING negative about MLMs – did I?
I don’t believe I said you did.
I would like to comment on all of this malarky……… I can offer an unbiased review of Isagenix. Why? Because I have tried it.
I bought the 30 day Presidents pack and was so excited to embark on my new journey of welllbeing, fitness and creating a new me. Not only did I stick to the programe, I also had the benefit of having had blood tests in the weeks before Isagenix (didnt show much, other than I was incredibly low in vitamin D). Out of curiosity, I had blood tests done again a few days ago.
So how did things go?
Weight loss: ZERO, nothing at all. I mean I am exactly the same weight as I was 6 weeks ago. (BTW, my GP advises that I am not overweight, but the correct weight for my height – my intention was only to drop one dress size, that is all).
Cm loss: 2cm…….. in my view, this is negliable.
Energy: Yes, I did experience and increase in energy.
Overall: A complete waste of money.
Where it went wrong (in my opinion):
Easy, majority of people involved with Isagenix are primarily interested in the business element, making money and receiving free product. The individual who hyped the system up so much to me, has no science or medical background. The support groups are endless, but you dare not question the actual performance of the product in relation to the hype. Everyone has an answer, its hormones, it can take a few months before you see real results…………
This is my concern. The majority of people fall for the hype (I know I did), with the promise of a life changing experience, both physically and financially. I did not try and get any of our friends on to this before I had completed the 30 days. Now that I have finished, morally I will not be advocating Isagenix. I could not push this onto someone, knowing that the results are unpredictable.
Furthermore…… to all the people out there who have been quite arrogant in some of these posts, but saying that Dani knows nothing…………. I do not know this lady, but I do know my family GP very well and i have no reason to doubt her. My recent blood results did show a change in the Vitamin D level, but that was purely down to the fact I had a Vitamin D injection to cover me for 6 months (rather than take daily supplements). Other than that…. NO Change anywhere. I can honestly say, this system did not work for me.
MLM’s are very savy in their approach to marketing. They suck you in and before you know it, you are actually believing this garbage and being parted for your hard earned money (and in addition, you are telling your friends the same garbage).
As it turns out…… my GP advised that not only are there better things out there, without the heavy cost, but that there were a few products that I should not have been taking anyway and before anyone asks, my sponser knew about my history and still signed me up.
This now raises another question………….. how many of you Isagenix supporters have signed others up to this program? I bet there are a few. Now, my next question is….. how many of you have enough medical knowledge to stand over what you are advising people to take? Remeber, you are now responsible for whatever happens to someone as a result of them taking the product you pushed. If they have certain allergies or ailments, some of these products CAN cause health problems in certain people.
Please remember people, it is a good idea to consult your own health professional first before embarking on one of these schemes. You have no idea how someone with an underlying condition can react to some of the synthetic vitamins pushed by Isagenix. Talk to your GP first. But be acutely aware that the person who sold you Isagenix, is likely to be just like you or me, with no medical background. The person who sold you the product will only be interested in making money from you initial order and autoship orders…….. thats how they get free product and make money.
Be aware of what you are actually taking. Like Dani, I have tried and tried to find the independant third party science reports behind this product. If there are any…….. they are well hidden.
One last thing……….. too many people are rude and arrogant to others that we do not even know. We sit at home and watch the news at night and are appalled at some of this things that happen in our time. Everyone says, I wish there was something we could do. Well, there is. Try not bagging others for their opinion, espcially those we do not know. It only shows how base some people can be. Keep in mind, that this lady is offering free advice, which I will be taking.
Rant over.
Thank you!
Just want to say THANK YOU for standing up for what is right and what is good for humanity. Thank you for defending the REAL FOODS MOVEMENT! I LOVE YOUR BLOG! I LOVE THE INFORMATION YOU SHARE! I hope you keep doing this because it surely brings LIGHT to those who are ready to accept the knowledge and truth. Please keep doing what you’re doing! And may I request you do one on Visalus. 🙂
Thank you! And yep, just send me a link to the ingredients you’d like reviewed.
Dani, If I were you I’d shut down the comments section. It is well known that companies like Isagenix pay people to scour the internet and falsify information to promote their products as if they are real people.
To those who are pulling information off the Isagenix site and saying that this is “not the marketing portion of the site” have to learn the hard way that ALL PORTIONS OF A COMPANIES website are marketing. It’s carefully reviewed to promote the product even while appearing to be honest. It’s a tactic that is used, basic psychology will teach you that.
I have a friend who lost a lot of weight on Isagenix, however now that she lost over 100lbs, she’s now the lucky winner of injecting herself with insulin 3x’s daily and taking diabetes pills.
Isagenix is a quick fix for those who do not want to do the work that humans were meant to do which is eat right and exercise.
Sorry that all those who love this product can not realize that Isagenix is only promoting more laziness and creating a dependence on the product because once you’re off it, you have no clue how to properly eat in the real world like a normal human.
Have fun being a science project, I will eat for my health, not for my looks.
Dani,
I stumbled across your blog and want to thank you for taking the time to post honest information about the inferior and toxic ingredients in Isagenix. I also admire your patient responses to the ones who take exception to your factual post. My digestive system was harmed by using this product back in 2008. (I won’t go into detail about the horrible GI issues it caused me, but in addition, it also caused headache, dizziness, and even a weird twitch in my right eye). I have always been in good health, (but also had a healthy appetite as well), and only wanted to lose 7 or 8 vanity pounds. It was not worth doing this diet, as I developed leaky gut and allergies, and it has taken me a few years to heal my gut and restore my health by seeing a doctor specializing in functional medicine.
The problem is that most of the people who sell this program are not qualified to address the issues and side effects that come up with their customers. When I told them that I had diarrhea, I was told that this was a sign that I was cleansing, and not to worry. I took a look at the ingredients, and researched each one, as you did Dani. This is when I thew the products away.
I am a hypnotherapist, and my business mentor (whom I admire) was the one selling this product, so that is how I got involved. I told him about all of the adverse effects I was having in a long email, which he forwarded to Dr. Williams, the head nutritionist at Isagenix. In my email I was questioning some of the specific ingredients, such as the maltodextrim and the calcium caseinate. To make a long story short, Dr. Williams wrote a long email back, defending the products, and not showing any concern at all that I had these reactions. This would have been an opportunity for him to take the high road. I wish I could find that email, but it would take some time because I have to go back into the history. What this clearly tells me is that the powers that be do not care about people, they only care about the money. Dr. Williams is very high up in their MLM organization, and he has to support the products no matter what. It is all about the money, and there is A LOT of money at stake. (This is no different than the presidential press secretary having to support and rationalize every mistake the president makes) I don’t know how these head people at Isagenix sleep at night. I know I am not the only one who was harmed by this experience, and as I said, I was in perfect health before. I have owned gym memberships all of my adult life, so I exercise regularly and now only eat CLEAN organic food.
Anyone can lose weight on diet products like these, but can they sustain the weight loss? It is a roller coaster for many people of losing and gaining. Weight loss is one of my most popular services for hypnosis. I find that until someone can get to the root cause of the problem (through the subconscious mind) and neutralize it, they are going to struggle indefinitely. It is the emotions that drive any habit, such as overeating, and the emotions originate in the subconscious mind. One poster said that you don’t understand the rush she gets from eating a donut. That is the kind of emotion I work to neutralize. My purpose in pointing this out is not to advertise my services, as I am not leaving any information on how to contact me. I am only pointing this out for informational purposes, to let people know that there is hope, and that they CAN see a permanent change if they can find a good hypnotist in their area who knows how to do regression work. The health coaching that you do Dani is also beneficial. I am also a certified health coach myself, by the way, and it is a good adjunct to the hypnosis.
To those overzealous MLM-er’s, there is nothing wrong with making a living this way, but please find a product that doesn’t harm people! Dr. Williams is setting a poor example for his huge down line, so please don’t be like him. Be honest and do the right thing!
I was searching around for another option other than isagenix and stumbled on this very well written article and all the crazy comments to go with it and felt I had to add my $0.02
I have used isagenix for the last 4 years. exactly one or 2 months of that year. I am healthy, run about 10 miles total a week but I eat and drink like I was on lifestyles of the rich and famous. I go from about 220 pounds to 245 pounds through out the year (I’m 6’3′ not fat). Once I hit 245 I go on a 30 isagenix cleanse. I only do the shakes and I do it for usually 22-25 days. In that time I completely cut out all toxins (coffee, booze everything). 2 shakes and a grilled meat and veggie for dinner. In that time I lose 20-25 pounds. Every time. I repeat every time. Then for the next 6 months it is nothing but the best bourbon and Prime steaks 😉
Anyone who did the cleans and did lose weight, I can’t even fathom. each shake has 240 calories add in a light dinner say 400 calories, thats 880 calories a day as an intake. I know calories are not always perfect and I don’t pretend to know what I am talking about but I think you would have to be 80 pounds to eat 840 calories a day and not lose weight. At my size I burn approx. 3400 calories a day, hence my weight loss. Add in about 3-500 burned at the gym and I am losing a pound a day in just calories (which I know id not a perfect science)
I was married to a Chiropractor who is brilliant and she did it but was not a fan and would not recommend it to her patients. We may be divorced but I could almost guarantee she know more than any of us. She said pretty much what Dani said. If it works for you, Great, it just isn’t the best stuff in it.
Why can’t everyone be right. It is a great product. It is not as all natural as they claim but it is better then most of the junk out there. Just not as good as real organic food. Who is crazy enough to think it is?
I am looking for a new cleanse just to mix it up. I have never made a dime off of being a distributor but I have signed up over 10 people, I never did it for a profit center, just for people that I knew that wanted to lose weight. If you follow the plan. I get crazy headaches and feel like crap for a 3-4 days when I start, could be the caffeine or the lack of calories, probably both but to me it is worth it.
I know this isn’t the healthiest way to live but I love life too much to limit myself. But as a single 34 year old I have to make sure I can still look good at the beach 😉
My suggestion is
1.) everyone be less offended you will be so much happier
2.) if you are looking to lose weight buy isagenix
3.) if you are looking for a true cleanse buy something different
Back to my search for a new easy weight loss/cleanse system before I will inevitably buy another 30 day supply of the chocolate shakes.
Long winded, not my intention.. Last thing, there is a cleanse part to the isagenix. I do not gain weight back right away. it takes a good moth for all the bad stuff to build up on a cellular level before I have any weight gain. <- thats probably nonsense but it is true and how I explain it.
Or if you are looking to lose weight, make a food diary and write down everything you eat for a week and the size of your portions and make changes to your diet based on those observations.
Well wow! This has been an interesting blog to read indeed; fun and informative. And I have never seen so much controversy over a product or so many spelling errors by its responders.
I guess what it all comes down to though after reading all of the comments here is if you still want to try this product go for it or for go it.
I have been thinking about this product for a while now and do need to lose weight. I admit I am lazy and just have never liked working out much. Well that has been me, but I say live and let live. However, recently, I broke my arm – well shattered my arm I should say and I am not not able to move much for the next 2 months and can feel the weight coming on so I may give this program the old college try and if I do I will post the results.
Thank you to everyone who has contributed and to Dani I have to say, ‘you go my dear!’ You have a lot of spunk and I impressed with your research and the way you stick to your guns!
Thank you!
Great article! Unfortunately I only got about half way through the comments before my brain to mush – as it usually does when I get dragged into an Isagenix conversation.
I think that the point has already been made in the comments that Isagenix is a great step up from the average diet. It’s strength is that it is easy to follow and there is a huge support group there to push you along. I have don’t really doubt or contest that most people would benefit from the system.
However for people who are more passionate about fitness and nutrition, for athletes, and for those who already maintain a balanced diet with the input of a nutritionist, Isagenix is likely a step backwards – and this is where there always seems to be a conflict. Isagenix salespeople (that I have spoken to) will not accept that a whole food diet with minimal supplements, tailored to the individual, which likely requires vastly more preparation time and persistence to stick with could possibly be better than Isagenix. And that is about the time I lose interest and am in turn labeled closed minded.
So as a replacement for an average low-quality diet? great. However I am not about to give up a meal of free-rage chicken, broccoli and sweet potato for a shake, and I doubt the army of trainers, nutritionists, athletes and body builders I have trained with will be doing so either.
PS:
Totally agree with Dani that posting Isagenix material to back up Isagenix health claims is not useful. As for the clinical study, the following article points out the fairly substantial flaws in the process: http://www.sciencebasedmedicine.org/isagenix-study-is-not-convincing/
brain turned to mush* Ironic haha.
Such an amazing comment.
Ok. I understand that your opinion was about the ingredients and I respect that, and don’t worry I won’t ask about credentials but I am gonna tell you my experience with Isagenix because I’ve been using them for a while on and off. I am now 41 years old and I’ve been involve in sports all my life. I am a black belt in taekwondo, but I practice other martial arts as well. I am 6’1″ and weight 170 pounds. Born in Cuba, and resident of Miami fl since 1995. first time I tried Isagenix was with the 30 day program. I made a personal trainer friend of mine to measure my body fat before and after the 30 days. I went from 17.9 to 14.3 of body fat in one month even cheating some how like eating my regular breakfast and using a banana and milk on the shakes. Let me say that I am a very skeptical person and I like to question everything. I have seen great results of people using the Isagenix products, including a few friends of mine, and no I am not a distributor. I’ve been a professional massage therapist for 10 years, and know many people from a very wide range of society. I believe must of the health problems in the US is not from the food out there but from life choices, lack of physical activities, and abuse of over the counter and prescription medications. Isagenix like any other products out there may have their flaws but if you combine it with a healthy diet you can achieve good results if you are trying to loose body fat. Based on my own experience I would use it at the beginning of your plan to boost the start and then stick to the healthiest eating habits that you can possible make according to your income level. If you wanna talk about gluten free diets well gluten is present on so many foods that it would be very difficult to avoid every single day. My Cuban grandfather ate white bread and butter everyday at breakfast for 90 years until he died, but he also walked several miles everyday at the same time, so how bad gluten may be compare to other hazards of the daily living, it’s all relative to lifestyle choices. A patient from the chiropractic office that I work for, lost 45 pounds in two months using Isagenix products combined with other diets changes. Tell her that it doesn’t work and you can guess what would be her answer. Again if you stick to the ingredients you may be right, based on the results I have seen I bet to differ 100% with you. Good luck everybody on your health quest!
Oh my god. What is with you guys? My credentials are clearly listed on my ABOUT page. There for the world to see. How can ya’ll not understand that if you’re curious about my credentials – look in the ABOUT section? This shit is BASIC.
OF COURSE people will lose weight when they replace food with liquid and eat a severely calorically low diet. I don’t dispute this. I dispute it being healthy – which it isn’t.
This is Literally the Stupidest bashing of Isagenix and Herbalife products, without even knowing a thing or two about them, let me guess Dani you have your own detoxification ritual or something, that is Completely Right and these other Companies with Millions of Happy Customers have it Wrong?
Go figure, the Stuff people write on Blogs with their own Preconceived opinions, and their “Own” evidence. I’m kicking back here laughing at this Blog. What a joke.
Why are you randomly capitalizing words in your sentences? Did you not pass first grade?
Maybe not, considering you clearly are unable to grasp basic facts.
What an interesting dialogue. I commend people trying to educate themselves and those who can engage in conversation without resorting to personal attacks.
I have just one tiny piece of information to add. I’m a medical librarian so I always like to find peer-reviewed studies to help illuminate an issue. There is still a lot of uncertainty about that whole fructose toxicity thing. Recent reviews of several studies found that there really isn’t enough evidence to show that fructose is causal for metabolic disease, clinical hepatic toxicity, etc. I don’t think the studies are saying we will never find a relationship, but that it’s too soon to make public health declarations or policy based on the science that exists. See:
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23493541
and
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22617566
Just my $0.02!
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16778579
and
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19064538
and
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20388133
Maybe do more research?
Dani – Thank you for your insight on this. This product was recommended to me by two people who said it helped in their recovery from Cipro poisoning. I am looking for something that will help my body detox the residuals of this antibiotic out of my system. I am on a ton of supplements, use magnesium oil for muscle pains, and take epsom salt baths. Is there anything you can recommend? These antibiotics are pure poison, and I encourage anyone who is given this or others to realize they should only be used when all else fails.
I recommend a healthy diet (truly healthy – not fad diets) as well doTERRA’s Cleanse & Restore Kit. It’s detoxifying and provides the body with antioxidants, omega-3s and necessary vitamins. It also comes with coaching from me so I think it’d be a great fit for you!
I googled Isagenix and came across this crazy conversation. I also noted that I am on a website for a HOLISTIC HEALTH COACH. Why is everyone attacking her?! A bunck of people asked her to give HER review of Isagenix, and she did. You don’t have to agree with her. You can think whatever you want, this is HER blog. Make your own and post you own opinions there!
So now, I am taking my health into my own hands for the first time in 43 years. I am slightly overweigh but the extra weight is fat and not muscle. I have joined a gym and am working out 4 times a week for the first time in my life. My trainer/nutritionist has recommended Isagenix as a quick and convenient meal replacement to supplement my diet. See, I work in an office all day and don’t have access to blenders, huge refrigerators, cooktops, kitchen utencils. I also have 2 kids and am extremely busy – I don’t want to spend what little free time I have in my kitchen. So when a product is available that isn’t bad for me, and that is easy for me to shake up in my little handheld smoothie maker, I will give it a try.
I don’t always eat the most organic, expensive, home grown foods. Sometimes I buy apples at the local supermarket. I even eat deli turkey from time to time. But I try my best to balance everything in life – work, family, health.
So for me, drinking one IsaLean shake right before I go to work out is okay. For others, like those who prefer to eat only all organic, non-modified, stuff – this might not be for you.
Hey – I color my hair, there are chemicals in that. I also wear non-organic lipstick, too. My sunglassess – they’re made with plastic that I’m sure is chemically altered and manufactured. And my wood floors in my house were stained with chemicals and man, did it smell bad. My sheets are not organic, either. I try and use natural soaps and shampoos whever possible but my 5 year old likes Suave watermelon kids soap. Oh well. My nailpolish probably has formaldehyde in it (I wish it wouldn’t). And every so often I let my kids eat Cheetos (but they have to eat a fruit right afterwards).
Thank you to Dani for providing her opinion after reviewing this product. And thank you to the other crazed supporters of Isagenix and the ones who hate it. That’s what makes this country great – we can do whatever we want!
My take from this whole thing is that this is not a totally natural holistic product. But that’s OK because it’s not what I am looking for. If you are looking for that, maybe you should take the time and make your own smoothies. And no, I’m not a member of Isagenix, and have onyl had a total of 10 shakes from them – no hating, please!
Good comment, thanks!
Hi there,
I know you wrote this article a year ago but my brother-in-law recently asked me to research Isagenix for him. Without even researching it I knew what I would find would be an awful product, but he does not eat a “clean” diet so I know I need proof for him. Anyway, I found your article very informative. What I found extremely sad is the comments. I don’t care if you have a degree in accounting, nutrition, or no degree at all, research is research! Any person with a brain and sometime to look up ingredients could find this information. I am short on the “time” so I appreciate your help. Most people want to review a product so they go to that products website and read all the awesome reviews about it and what it can do for you!!! That is NOT how you research products. These uneducated people commenting on your blog are part of the herd. Good for you on standing up and doing your homework!!
On a side note, I saw that you quoted Dr. Mercola. What are your thoughts on his protein powder? I personally like it and from my research, it remains a healthy alternative. I don’t use it often, but I’m one of those that just won’t eat if my only option is fast food and that is not good for my health either. Especially being a weight lifter.
Thanks!!!
Andrea
Thank you! And I like Mercola’s products, I find majority of them to be great quality.
Hey Dani,
Just want to start off by saying I am not a consultant or consumer of Isagenix as of yet. Considering not decided; some of the ingredients are questionable and the types nutrients in their products do not break down in the system. Tried a sample of the e+ and I felt heat in my head, physically shaking, and my chest felt weird.
I read your blog and I agree with you on a lot of what you stated. However, sometimes to prove your point it seems that you leave out info from both sides of the argument. For example, I am allergic to onions, uncooked onions!! Crazy I know but I won’t go around telling people that they should not eat it and that all of it is bad all of the time for everyone. Gluten has been around forever even before the environment became so polluted. If you study history and archaeology research shows that people who were suffering from simple allergies were mistreated or misdiagnosed; which ultimately lead to premature deaths.
There is something to be said about understand each individual’s needs in combination with the environment. True, the soil is depleted, pesticides, and pollutants have effected and affected the growth of whole foods to a point where it just isn’t realistic to get what we needs anymore. In cases like myself, people are starting to become allergic to things that they once were not. In my case onions, radishes, and green peppers for goodness sake. I can not eat them raw. I tried organic grown in the best of conditions and still I have to have them cooked.
The sad truth is, due to genetic circumstances SOME of us will have to rely upon products like Isagenix; choose the best from a questionable selection of chemically altered supplements to get what we need. I have PCOS and have found that I should not consume processed foods which only adds to my problems but there are also whole foods that also make it worst. I use to be just like Dani but I had to find a middle ground that worked more effectively for me.
This is not written to debunk what you have written only but to those super supporters of Isagenix who rely only upon research provided by Isagenix and “third party’ reviews. Sorry, when you look at the third party they also are affiliated with doctors and supporters of Isagenix. What you want to review are Medical Journal totally unaffiliated. Arbonne is another company similar to Isagenix but their ideas are more closely insync with what you are talking about Dani. They also have better third party research to support their products. They believe in 100% natural and organic ingredients combined with a whole food diet. Take a look at it Dani and tell me what you think. I can not take it because they use soy they say NON-GMO soy but soy period causes a reaction for me.
Some of you that support Isagenix don’t get what Dani is saying because she is on one end of the spectrum and you are on the other. But in our day and time you will have to find yourself somewhere in the middle and know when it counts and where it doesn’t; simply because of what we have done to our environment. But I disagree with consuming Isagenix for an extended period of time. Some people who are on it claim that the drink that shake everyday and have done so for the past 2-3 or more years. I think that this should only be a stepping stone but not something you do forever. Again, I believe that as you reach your health goal of breaking bad habits you should take on a holistic or whole food approach when ever possible.
Dani on 3/14 a blogger wrote that Isagenix does not list ingredients you thanked her for her support but as you very well know all their ingredients are listed although hard to find on their web page.
I haven’t finished reading the whole thing but this is what I think so far and I do appreciate the various views but clearly not all of this, on both sides or the argument, are factual too much personal opinions being presented as fact.
Wheat has not been around forever, it’s only been around for roughly 10,000 years – the blink of an eye. You may want to reevaluate your archaeology research.
The reason you are likely experiencing more food allergies is because you have gut issues, possibly leaky gut. Which Isagenix will only worsen.
Due to genetic circumstances? Isagenix negatively impacts genetic expression.
Just 10,000 that’s it. Wow, you are right that is not long at all. Really??? When considering the age of civilized man 10,000 years is still forever – sorry but anyway….How long have people consumed wheat or grains that has not been affect by man that contain gluten? Please do include actual references in your response on this. Also, gut issue? Had everything tested nothing wrong with my gut. For me when I eat certain veggies and NON-GLUTEN GRAINS I still have problems; allergic reactions it’s genetic. True my family eats horribly but I don’t. I have done the whole foods and holistic diet and life style for 12 years of MY LIFE, I share a lot of your beliefs however it seems to me that you are blinded by your own personal views and genetic disposition. I just met a couple who are 2nd generation vegans. They are also gluten free and yet their 6 year old child was diagnosed with Autism. I met the wife while on her way from CO to Chicago for cancer treatment. I listened to her to try and make some sense of her condition, considering her lifestyle and her child’s exposure. I can’t make sense of it. I am a long time advocate of home water purification system for the entire home, whole organic foods, clean air, non-synthetic supplements, and doing everything humanly possible to avoid conditions of my ancestor. I find it difficult to believe that you actually don’t take into consideration that other factors, being our control, could play a relevant role in one’s health. I have tried nature nutritionist/doctors who understand the whole food approach and commitment I have for myself. But I have not experienced the level of success that I want and need for myself. I have reached a place where I need to do more. The doctors have wanted to place me of meds for years but I REFUSE to go that direction. If I were to considered any system, for me it would be an alternative to what I have been recommended by traditional doctors. I frequently cleanse and detox naturally (4-6 times per year) and do everything that I can the right way but sometimes you have to do more. Now I’m open to your suggestions but I do work with many professional in your exact field; if you can recommend anything different that what I have already heard and done I will surely let you know; I would LOVE to be wrong as long as it works.
DO Respond.
I’m not entirely clear on what your question is. Are you looking for advice on how to lose weight? I don’t know your health, your history, age, weight, height, etc. so I’d need more information from you. If you’d like to send me an email with your detailed history we can go from there. [email protected]
Hi Dani
Thanks so much for standing your ground. I have just been introduced to Isagenix from a friend as my body weight had plateaued. In the last 12 months I have lost over 20kgs from eating organic and whole foods, no red meat and little dairy. We can still eat foods that our body will love and respond well to. Your blog supports all my thinking towards toxic eating, especially of GMO products.
Thank you so much for hanging in there. I continuously encourage GMO free, organic and little dairy. I have high energy, feel awesome and happy and have a clear conscious regarding animal cruelty. I encourage people to research well and that even though people may have credentials does that make them experts. Our learning’s from other people are created from opinions and perceptions, it doesn’t mean they are correct or right. Live well xxxx
Great comment!
Just get a Salad from McDonalds instead, it is better or better yet a whole grain breakfast sandwich 😉
I can find ingredients in every single product that could be classified as bad for you.
So what if some of the products listed there are not the best? Someone having something like this is doing it to lose weight. The actual product might not work as advertised but it puts the people taking it into the right frame of mind and helps them motivate themselves.
If you can with 100% certainty say that a McDonalds Breakfast sandwich is better than Isagenix then we can put this to rest. Until then it is a very valid meal replacement for people that are on the run and don’t have the luxury of making a nice organic meal. This is still better than 70% of the fast food available to us.
So the only options for people are McDonald’s and Isagenix?
What a ridiculous comment.
Ok give me a viable 3rd option that can be prepared in less than 5 mins and eaten on the go.
Out of my entire response you only had a reply to that one exaggeration I made? lol
If I had the time I would tear your article apart and show you infact biased you are. You have left out PLENTY of information while only providing those that prove your point.
I am not saying you are wrong, I agree with you that Isagenix isn’t the best thing to be having if you want a healthy life style. I am saying there is no need for you to be so single sighted.
Ill start of with “Tricalcium Phosphate
According to WebMD, tricalcium phosphate side effects include:….”
Tricalcium Phosphate DOES NOT cause these side effects. An OVERDOSE of Tricalcium Phosphate will cause these side effects. In that statement of yours, you are right away suppressing important and unfavourable information while leading your reader to believe something that is not true.
I beg of you – try to tear me apart. Let’s see it!
Okay, a viable third option that can beat eaten on the go and prepared in 5 minutes – eggs, a tin of smoked oysters, grass-fed beef jerky, a protein shake with grass-fed whey, kefir and spinach, homemade trail mix, smoked salmon wrapped in seaweed, THE LIST GOES ON. It ain’t hard. And the list gets longer if you take an hour or two out of your weekend to prepare some food it advance. It’s about not being lazy.
And don’t even try to come at me with “people can’t afford that.” Someone else just commented saying they’re glad they didn’t spend the $595 a month Isagenix costs. $595!
You misunderstood my point. I’m not saying tricalcium phosphate is inherently bad. It’s bad when it’s synthesized as it is here. Are people going to overdose on it? No, likely not. But the fact that it’s an ingredient in a product that is touted as all-natural, the best available and healthiest shake is something that needs to be identified. I was trying to highlight the fact that there are synthetic ingredients present.
Seriously don’t call people lazy. Also, I use Isagenix and do not spend $ 595 a month. I’m not quite sure where you got that. I prepare many clean meals in conjunction with enjoying Isagenix shakes. I eat clean, buy organic fruits and vegetables as well as hormone free yogurt, cottage cheese, etc. And when I’m busy (which most people are) I make a shake and go. I usually don’t respond to things like this, but you really struck a chord. You are very closed minded and wont even budge a bit, even though people have provided you with an array of information. You really need to open your mind to the idea that your way is just that, your way. It’s not necessarily right or wrong, but you can’t chastise people for having different opinions. And many different things for work different people for lots of different reasons.
Yeahhhh…I think I’ll stick to the facts on what is and is not healthy. And factually – majority of the ingredients ain’t healthy.
I could go for a whole mess of mcdonalds right now.
Absolutely amazing! .. I was trying to get to the end of the page to leave a comment! Took me ages!
I have been shown this by a friend, who looks great I must say, but at $595 I could not do it…
Now after reading all this I certainly won’t.
But what I will do is go and buy a Vitamix blender instead and make lots of healthy smoothies
OK, You and Rio when on a tangent about McDonald and taking Isagenix to lose weight. That’s not my issue or reason for writing. Also you said something about being lazy. Thanks for reminding me…played every sport, work out regularly, and eat right (organic whole foods) and yes I monitor my caloric intake. I haven’t gotten a response from my last entry from the 4th still waiting. Guess you need time to respond. I’ll wait because I know I have done it all right for the past 12 years. Waited this long I can wait to hear why you don’t count genetic or other factors beyond our control as having something to do with my issues and people like me.
Just responded. Been busy.
I would think an “unbiased review” wouldn’t include the link to purchase your own product at the end… wouldn’t that, by definition, make it biased?
“This product is horrible, but buy mine instead!!!”
Great article though, did exactly what was intended – generate about 2,000 comments and I’m sure numerous purchases of your own product.
Well, wouldn’t it be kind of financially irresponsible to not plug my own product? I didn’t at first but people kept asking what I recommended instead, so obviously I recommend myself.
Upon viewing a close friends 3month results using Isagenix, which a considerable weight loss was evident, I wanted to research the product further myself.
Personally, I found Dani Stout’s article and entries to be educated, informative, and unbiased. Really, what is with the insults? Dani is a professional in the industry who is giving us quality advice for free. If I didn’t understand something like a lot of people commenting here, rather than being a non believer screaming insults, I would certainly be picking her brain as to why things are fact, and educate yourselves. I find it comical, I really do. Why? I am educated in another field, yet Dani has given us so much educated advice about nutrition, that I feel I could formulate a healthy diet plan just on the information she has provided in this blog! Save your money, we are being educated for free if you care to have an open mind.
Come on people, we all know that we, as people, are totally individual. A doctor is not an expert in Nutrition, however a combination of a Nutritionist/Health coach such as Dani, in conjunction with a Doctor, is the best solution for an individual. You should already know that apart from a balanced nutritional diet and regular exercise, there is no miracle product, and I have an issue with people who assume weight loss is an indication of “health”.
To use myself as an example, in a period of four months at age 21, I lost 18kgs and had my body to less than 4% body fat, when eating McDonalds at least twice daily, while training intensely for Senior football. This is why I laugh so much, as am I to assume that consumption of McDonalds leads to weight loss and health? Absolutely not. I could leave it at that, but what I failed to mention is that my lack of a nutritional diet led me to become seriously ill and bed ridden for over two months which nearly cost me my life. True story. For $50 a person could exercise regulary and have a diet consisting of vitamin supplements and water which would result in immense weight loss, but it is not a legitimate healthy option either, and would almost definitely leave you seriously ill as well.
Not just Isagenix, but to all the health/weight loss fads out there, there will rarely ever be peer related articles fully concerning these individual products, as there are issues with funding the research. These products generally do not stay in the marketplace long, hence health agencies will not get involved. Isagenix will not provide research that will ultimately affect the sales of its own products. That is why Dani has brought to our attention some of the ingredients/components that are of concern, and its up to you, the consumer to make a decision based on these facts. Just because a product has passed the guidelines to enable it to be sold in a country, doesn’t mean it is good. Take caffeinated energy drinks for example.
The word “metabolism” comes to my mind most in relation to weight loss, the rate of differs in individuals. If you feel you are eating correctly and exercising yet not getting results, see a professional, there are ways to combat this.
There is a reason why “taken in conjunction with regular exercise” or a form of is written somewhere in every diet plan, as the exercise is the most important component if you have a healthy balanced diet.
So when asked of my opinions of Isagenix, I feel educated enough to have my opinion and say absolutely NOT. Im not about to take something that my best friend has become an expert on overnight, that may work, however could lead to a poorer health outcome in the future.
Instead I will save my $500, make some slight diet changes, go buy a pair of shorts and visit a park! Thanks Dani!
Thank you!
Hey not everyone has the ability to exercise (possibly due to any injury). So for some of us Isagenix has been a life-saver. It’s not just about the weight loss. I have never felt better in my life! And by the way, I don’t sell it, I use it for my own personal consumption. And it is gluten free!! I’m sorry everyone is entitled to their own opinion, but that’s just what it is “opinion.” Not everything is going to work for everyone, but that’s what makes the world go round! People need to make their own decisions based on their own personal needs. For me, Isagenix in conjunction with super clean eating has been the answer.
Actually, the information I provided isn’t “opinion” it’s fact, something Isagenix users have trouble grasping. Not ALL of the products are gluten-free, as I made very clear in the article. If you feel it works for you, great. But just because it helps you keep weight off doesn’t mean it’s keeping you healthy. Another thing I made very clear in the article.
The particular products I use are all gluten free and it is keeping me healthy. I had all kinds of aches and pains before I started drinking Isagenix shakes and my cholesterol was a little high. I just went for my annual doctors visit and I have never been healthier. My blood work all came back perfect and my cholesterol is lower than its ever been, and my good cholesterol is in a great place. Again, I’m not saying you’re right or wrong or that I’m right or wrong. I just want you to not be so closed minded. There are very healthy aspect and not so healthy aspects about all plans, which is why different plans and approaches work for different people and their particular needs. I’m not bashing your way and I’m just asking you not to bash mine. Any good professional will be able to argue both sides of any story. You have to be flexible in life. That’s how you learn new things and grow.
Do you know how many great, healthy meals you could make for the same price people are spending on this crap? Look for products with less than 5 ingredients, all that you can pronounce…It’s not that tough. Blows my mind. Or how about this…invest in a personal trainer and get your butt off the couch? Here’s another thought, higher a nutritionist or dietitian. It’s not that hard. Eat clean, exercise to the best of your ability, and stop looking for the magic pill.
I am not entirely against making money from your knowledge. I’ve been giving it away for free for years. My personal pleasure or pay has been seeing others lives change as a result. All I want in return is to see some of the same great results. I guess that is why the rep who told me about Isagenix offered to actually pay for my first months supply. Don’t mean to toot my own horn, but I can be pretty persuasive when I really believe in something:) But I personally believe that knowledge is healing. Been through a lot medically, have many witnesses and they know when I find something the works or helps, they too will benefit. That is why I am so anxious to learn more and apply a scientific approach to analyzing it.
I guess you are still research my info so I’m still waiting.
I literally have no idea what you’re talking about.
So now all of a sudden, you don’t know what I am talking about. In other words,you don’t have an answer. Let me refresh your memory. You said I probably have a leaky gut issue when I’m actually allergic to various veggies. You assumed that I eat horribly and I have been on a whole foods diet for 12 years with minimal success. I stated that based on other environmental issues and genetics that some people such as myself can not solely rely upon whole foods alone and will have to try scientific/medical intervention to help. If you read my previous post you will see I gave you plenty of background info to help you understand my stance on the issue. (post dated 8/4) You have stated what I have already considered along with specialist who share your same views, alternative holistic professionals who have taken this journey with me. Whole foods doesn’t work for everyone for every case. I stated to you that I have a severe genetic form of PCOS, which affects weight lose among other things. I am waiting to hear what evidence, backed up by medical journal research and not bloggers’ research, that support your view. I have lived it to prove my point I’m still waiting to here legitimate evidence to support yours. Some people may have to try a product such as Arbonne or Isagenix to reach their goal or to fill the gap.
When I get comments from people they’re not attached to their previous comments. I have NO idea who you are. I am unable to scroll through the multitude of comments to find yours detailing your history. Well, I could, but it would take a really long time and I’m not going to.
I have no obligation to give you nutrition advice. You leaving comments is still not enough information to give you advice, not that I would do that anyway. Normally my clients are required to fill out detailed medical histories, and might I remind you – you are not a client. Apparently you’re a really angry person (that’s unable to properly punctuate or insert paragraphs) seeking free advice.
Dani – how many people have you helped lose weight, gain energy and get their health back with your product?
Isagenix help thousands of people and is still helping thousands of people. So they must be doing something right?
I know that they help me get back my health. I am not obese but a cancer survivor.
I’ve helped one trillion people.
In that case if you did help trillion of people (which I doubt) you would not be bashing a company that is also trying to help people get back their health especially promoting your product in the process of doing the bashing.
Let’s not be naive. Isagenix isn’t interested in helping people, they’re interested in making money.
If you know the company you will not make that comment. They help me to get back the money I spent on my product, so basically I got back my health and money back.
Good job Dani. I don’t understand how canola oil can ever be touted as healthy. It reveals a lot about the lack of due diligence in one’s own health when people are willing to ingest an oil that might as well be motor oil. They might as well be drinking antifreeze. Ahh, but some of that is found in soft drinks….
Geez, That’s a lot of stuff. I figure if I go shopping like I normally do, and listed every ingredient in the fast food I do consume–that this stuff is probably way better for me.
No crap people want to make money. How else would the common person make money from food. Do you think your gonna get money from the market you shop at for telling them about the great pineapples.
I have not tried this yet but am considering it. Food aint what it use to be.
There is so much more criticism about this product then there is about regular modern food production. Which is really a global problem, since we will all melt or freeze in a relative close time frame.
Well–I will let ya know if I am still alive in 30 days after I start to perhaps try this stuff. Maybe I will be so inclined to list all the bad crap that I did not consume by doing so.
To much water can kill you dead too.
But I love you all and would never be the one to serve you the final glass of it.
I guess i will post an interesting link before I go. I don’t think you can get more unbiased then this guy–
Sorry to get off topic but I found this most interesting
http://oyc.yale.edu/psychology/psyc-123#sessions
Hi there, just reading through and checking some facts.
Your comment on nonfat dry milk confuses me as you’re saying it’s denatured protein. This product, as it states in your heading, says ‘Low heat nonfat dry milk’. What I know about ‘low heat’ dry milk is that is classified as ‘Grade A’ or ‘Extra Grade’ and is required to contain a minimum 6.00 mg of undenatured whey protein nitrogen. This not classed as denatured. In addition, the theoretical ‘oxidised cholesterol’ contained in nonfat dry milk is negligible, particularly as in this instance low heat nonfat dry milk is not the product’s main ingredient. You say are sceptical about the pasture-fed cows but there is no evidence to suggest it is sourced from anywhere else. If your grocer tells you their spinach is locally grown and organic, do you follow the delivery van back to farm to see if they’re telling the truth? Do you stand in the farms and factories and watch the process of each and every product you buy to make sure they are doing what they claim? Who does that? We are all at the mercy of whatever our food labels and sellers tell us, along with some government rules and regulations to keep them in check.
The jury is out on canola oil, but through research I am able to deduce that it is nowhere near to being the unhealthy, toxic, rancid, carcinogenic (and the rest) oil that some claim it to be. There are real, actual scientifically proven health benefits (whether there are negatives or not) in canola oil but you do not mention this, nor do you explain why it is bad. The argument that it can be used as motor oil is ignorant. So can many other plant-based oils. You should also do some more *unbiased* research on GM foods.
The comment on ‘natural flavors’ is misleading as, to start, there is no MSG in the shakes even though you say technically it can be classed as a natural flavour. Actually it can’t as USDA will not allow MSG on the ‘natural flavors’ list. It does, on the other hand, allow glutamic acid. Glutamic acid is an amino acid that occurs naturally in our bodies. Aside from this, you do not actually know which ‘natural flavors’ are in the product. Before making suggestions of what they might be and misleading people, actual research could involve you asking company, if you were genuinely doing an ‘unbiased’ review on the internet for literally everyone to read.
This is where I realised that this review is actually not biased. Were you being ironic? Although you have put a lot of work into sourcing articles and quotes on the internet to validate your review, I cannot help but notice the tone of the article is negative and there are no positive points – pros for all the cons. That is where the credibility of the review falls down. Surely something in the ingredients is actually good? Your stance on pretty much everything is pretty much all-or-nothing thinking (see ‘splitting’ in psychology terminology).
The only thing achieved here is polarization of your audience. The people who hate the product and the company, for whatever reason, will seek articles like this to validate them. The people that love it and are getting results are going to tell you you’re wrong and make an example of you in their online communities. People who are looking into this product because they are considering using it probably won’t see you as an unbiased or credible source of information. But good job on creating traffic to your page via Google.
Hi Linda,
Yes, you do seem to be a bit confused. Let me try to elaborate. Any milk product that has been heated, had the fat removed and been homogenized is denatured.
You don’t seem to be as confused on canola oil and GM as flat out uneducated on the topics. Canola oil, in addition to being a high GM crop is extremely high in inflammatory omega-6. It has also undergone a ton of processing and processing involving hexane – a neurotoxin. I’ve provided numerous links to peer-reviewed research regarding canola oil via these comments, please read them. It’s frustrating to have to repeat myself weekly.
I’d also suggest you actually read my linked article on GM foods – which are factually carcinogenic.
Actually, MSG can be listed as a natural flavor. As can animal by products and other chemicals.
You’re right about me not listing the positive ingredients, of which there are few. If I were reviewing an organic salad topped with Cheetos and McNuggets, would I point out that it’s healthy because it’s a salad? That makes no sense.
Next time you try to discredit me, try a little harder.
Although I know whatever I write will be the subject of another shirty reply, because you are highly defensive and obviously not going to budge on this, I will attempt to defend myself (which I am entitled to do and, despite this being your domain, you intentionally made this available for the public, including the world, to read and in turn comment on). It is not possible for me to discredit you, you are not in a position to be ‘discredited’. Coming from public health research ethics and governance, I do have some knowledge on credibility of sources and how ethical research is conducted (and scrutinized).
I find it perplexing that you are in this coaching business and complaining about having to repeat yourself. Do you get frustrated with your clients about having to repeat this extremely important, life changing information to them? You complain about having to defend your article and that it’s time consuming and you constantly have to refute claims. You did this. You posted it. You asked for it. I refer to a saying, you know that one about the heat and the kitchen and not staying in it if you can’t stand it.
You have helped “trillions” of people, so you must be doing really well. Before your above comment I was actually really looking into your programs. Because of my background in health research ethics and governance it is natural for me question credibility of information. Before say my background does not qualify me to know anything about anything, I never said or suggested it does. Just that it is the reason I question information and motivations. If you don’t like being questioned about your opinion, don’t publish it. You have baited people to read your blog and then ambushing them when they have something to say about it, unless is it complementary to you and your business. Not unbiased in the slightest. This brings me back to the biggest point (which seems to be the elephant in the room for you) that your product reviews are not unbiased. You should not claim that they are. They are reviews, quite right there, but not unbiased. In a public health setting, ethically you could not claim this. It doesn’t matter how many people say “well done” or “you’re so right”. Let’s try it in the language that you would use, it is literally fact that you are non unbiased. Next time you review something, try harder to be unbiased. Maybe by posting in a blog that is not selling your own products. You have the upper hand here because you are the business owner and you could actually have more integrity. If you are questioning my integrity, question away, but I’m actually not selling anything.
In regard to high oleic oils, I came across this in other countries’ Isagenix product content (by selecting a different country at the top of their website). The label does state in Australia, Canada and Malaysia and Taiwan (for example, on the IsaLean bars and the FiberSnacks) that it contains high oleic sunflower oil. As far as I am aware, the products distributed world wide are made from the same ingredients in the same place. So there seems to be a difference in labelling requirements in the USA. Incidentally, I am not from the USA.
At the risk of sending you completely over the edge with rage at my stupidity, sorry, cannot find the link to info on GMOs that you’re talking about. Just a link to FDA with a list of foods that are GRAS.
On MSG:
http://www.fsis.usda.gov/wps/portal/fsis/topics/food-safety-education/get-answers/food-safety-fact-sheets/food-labeling/natural-flavorings-on-meat-and-poultry-labels/
See the part about requirements of labelling for added MSG. Also, call me even stupider, but I cannot find MSG in the soups as you mentioned in another comment. It naturally occurs in mushrooms, if that’s what you mean.
Hi Dani,
I have just spent some time reading through many of the responses, both positive and negative, to your blog posting. You must laugh and also get frustrated that people are still leaving comments almost one year after your review!
I wanted to thank you for what you have written throughout. It has been extremely helpful! 🙂
Thank you!
This is my unbiased comment about Isagenix. First, let me give you a quick background. I have always eaten healthy and exercised than the past few months happened. 1) We had the worst winter I have ever experienced… hubby and I ate a lot of comfort food. 2) I broke one ankle and sprained another hiking in March. 3) blood clot formed in my leg broke of and went into my lungs causing a bi-lateral embolism which almost killed me. 4) I quit smoking. Between the terrible winter, in-mobility (two bad ankles), hospital and recovery time and letting go of my nasty habit… I was at the heaviest weight I have ever been at.
I started Isagenix 3 1/2 weeks ago. I have lost 12 pounds. I do have a lot of energy and am not drinking coffee. So that’s all good right? Well yes, but there are some negatives:
1) I am always hungry. Literally always hungry.
2) My “health coach” hasn’t checked in on me since I refused to sell for him.
3) The more exercise I add back in (now that my ankles are operating again) the more weak I feel.
4) My friend who got me on this is being encouraged not to eat snacks or exercise by this “wonderful” health coach. Why? Well muscle weighs more than fat and her results although really great are coming too fast and I worry about her health.
I did this program to jolt myself back to a healthy lifestyle and I will admit in some aspects it has worked. I am back to eating locally grown fruit and veggies with my dinner.., treating myself means fish and greens and not a cheeseburger and fries. I am paying attention to my body again.
I would love to eat like this 3x a day, but sometimes it is not being “lazy” as a commenter said above, but it is because people, like myself, travel for their jobs and don’t always have access to healthy foods.
I have one more 30 day supply on its way and I will stick with it for 30 more days, but then I think I am done. I got dizzy in yoga class last night (after 30 minutes on the elliptical trainer). So I think I may add another snack in as well (have only been doing an apple or pear a day) but I am really not sure what to do because my coach is MIA and given the path he has my friend on.. I don’t trust him anyway.
So there is my very confused and very unbiased comment.
PLEASE be careful. Your “health coach” is not a health coach. Isagenix distributors call themselves that but they actually have no training. None at all. They are not qualified to give advice and make it much more difficult for those of us that actually are trained health coaches.
Between your history, your hunger and your dizzy spells – I would really recommend you not continue. You’re likely not getting an adequate amount of nutrients, hence the hunger and dizzy spells. Please listen to your body, err on the side of caution and do what you intuitively feel is best.
Contact Dr Ina who can guide you for isagenix product. The coach are there to guide you but they always consult with the doctors at Isagenix.
Yeahh…I’m good.
And to add to this, as far as I know, there are tons of health professionals, nutritionist, doctors coaches who are there to help. All the information are very easy and available, so it is hard to believe that some people saying that they cannot find a coach or cannot get help.
The company is great at providing all the information needed to help anyone on any program they choose. I had a great coach who guide me to good health. I am a happy customer.
The problem with Isagenix “coaches” is that they just call themselves coaches. They’re not actually trained health coaches. In reality they have no idea what they’re talking about.
Agreed! I sold Isagenix, and I used the products and had amazing results. I even called myself a “coach”. (very dangerous, as I was “teaching” people about something I knew nothing about) I knew nothing then compared to what I know today. While SOME ingredients that are in Isagenix’s products are very healthy for you, there are SOME that are not. So why would I use a product that has only some good things in it? I am going to share my research on one of (what used to be) my favorite bars: Here is the link – http://www.isagenix.com/~/media/product/isalean-bar/isalean-bar-fact-panels/us-en-fact-panel-isalean-bar-chocolate-decadence.pdf
Ingredients:
Fractionated palm kernel and palm oil-
http://nutrition.answers.com/food-composition/fractionated-palm-oil-explained
http://www.shape.com/healthy-eating/diet-tips/9-ingredients-nutritionists-wont-touch/slide/5
Invert evaporated cane syrup –
http://caloriesproper.com/?p=1698
SUGAR & Invert Sugar – (I don’t even need to post a website for this; we all know sugar is BAD)
Fructose –
http://lowcarbdiets.about.com/od/nutrition/a/fructosedangers.htm
http://authoritynutrition.com/why-is-fructose-bad-for-you/
I could go on, but just to mention, these websites are just from GOOGLE. ANYONE can do their own research. But being that Dani has actual credentials, proves that she knows more than most of us. Thank you Dani for your unbiased article! I don’t know how you can deal with all the uneducated comments 🙂
BTW, my husband and I tried for 3 years to get pregnant (after our first) , and in this time, I spent some of it using Isagenix. After I couldn’t afford the products anymore and starting eating more healthy food, my husband and I are expecting our 2nd child! 😀 Also wanted to mention that I did gain some of the weight I had lost back, after I stopped using the products, so for those of you on Isagenix, just know that when you quit, you might gain some or most of your weight back. Severely cutting back calories and limiting what you eat is not the way to lose weight. Temporarily, yes, but not for life.
This is such a great and thought provoking comment. And congrats on the baby!!
A pejorative, sweeping statement about the qualifications of all Isagenix advisers? How can you possibly state with confidence about the knowledge, qualifications and experience of every Isagenix adviser. Do you know them all? It may well be that 50% of advisers have formal qualifications in nutrition and some may be dietitians. I don’t know, nor do you know I would suggest. This is a further indicator of your preconceived ideas about Isagenix in particular and dietary supplements of this type in general that underlay your bias in an alleged “unbiased” blog. BTW, I don’t use Isagenix or any other similar products. I tried isagenics for a few weeks but I don’t like like the shakes nor do I have the self discipline to adhere to a dietary program. I do like the cookies and the chocolates…yum.
You’re being semantic. I didn’t mean 100% of people who sell Isagenix have no training in nutrition, just most.
Wow, I came on here to research the product as a friend was doing a hard sell on me. She has lost about 10 kg. ( good on her I say ) But from what I have learnt from Isagenix supporters is you’re all a bunch of Nutters ! If you have any faith in your product then you should not be threatened by a review. But listening to you all, then listening to Dani’s replies, I would have have to trust her opinion in a heart beat. It also seems most of you are believing what you have been told by the company and have not done any independent reasearch yourself. ( And by independent I mean not from the lsagenix website ). So before I get sucked into this cult like diet culture, I am saying NO ! And BTW you are not doing yourself or the company any favours by defending it in this “obsessed like nature”. I’m of to make a banana smoothie ! Thanks Dani if anything you helped me stear clear of this product as the peolpe are ” A Special kind of Special”
Thanks Annie!
I tried Isagenix for 2 1/2 months and during this time I became unwell, my blood pressure increased to a dangerous zone, I found my moods started to swing which was very unlike me and I became tired and irritable.
Working with my GP we isolated anything new I had done, and we both noted Isagenix, so I went off this and straight away and after 4 days I dropped 5 points and after 9 days my blood pressure dropped into the safe zone – I started to feel normal again and breathed a huge relief. Not all programs are for all bodies and this was definitely not right for my body and caused me great alarm. Now I am taking a natural approach to health and walking most days for 30 mins, eating lots of raw foods, brown rice and making the changes using natural foods, and good old fashioned exercise. Many thanks for the opportunity to share my story on your blog site. Liz
Thanks for sharing!
I am done here, comments always seem to go one sided, since this article belongs to Dani, so its obvious. I can only say from my personnel experience that isagenix helped me. The same ground beef that Dani is promoting as safe is what got me get cancer in my thyroid. Entire thyroid was removed and no matter how healthy I eat, my immune system was weak and cause all kind of health issues, until I discover Isagenix. It boost my immune system, give me lots of energy, my allergies and joint pain are gone and I have never felt so healthy in years. I lost all the weight I gained since my surgery. Everybody has something that works for them and for me it is what it is. Do not deny that from me, because I am living proof it and loving everyday now. If I get my health back due to organic healthy eating alone, I would make the same comment, but the truth is it did not help me.
And too add to all this madness. I was born and rise in the carribean so I know what real cow milk, good cow, pig, goat, chicken, duck meat taste like as well as good fruits taste like. All from trees that grow naturally and animals that feed on natural grass, not hormone and antibiotic or pesticide nonsense that are used in farms etc… Only when I came to North America to live and eating the crap they call meat that got me sick….. I could go on and on but I will not..As stated before do not deny me my feeling from using super nutrient in my body that works for me. The end and
Amen!
WHEW! . . Could use an Energy Boost myself right about now! . . I’m absolutely Bushed after reading all of this!
(Love your spunk Dani)
Haha thanks!
I stumbled across this article because a friend gave me samples of Isagenix to try. I’m ever glad I read your article Dani! After approaching my friend with my new findings, she said to me “so what!” and that the health part is only the “side benefit” and that I can make a lot of money selling this to my family and promise that there’s no harm in her product!
I’m floored by her comments! Needless to say, I gave her back her samples and left. Thanks again Dani for your informative blog!
Dani,
Wow, I couldnt get though this whole thread. I found this doing research on Isagenix. I have a friend who is transforming himself with their program and that seems inspirational. But yeah, its rediculously overpriced to support their network marketing infastructure. I heed Mike Dolces advice: no pills no powders no potions! Eat clean and move!
http://www.isagenixhealth.net/battling-myths-and-misconceptions-circulated-on-the-internet/
Have you seen this? ^^ They make it sound good, but I’ve been researching food for years(always learning), and I still have my doubts!
It seems like you’ve researched a lot of companies. Have you looked into It Works? I have some questions on it, but you clearly know more than I do!
You’re against meal replacement-type drinks, what about supplements? Pure, quality supplements, designed to help maintain a healthy lifestyle. That’s my main interest with It Works, I don’t care about the skin care stuff.
Thanks!
For supplements I actually recommend doTERRA: https://ancestral-nutrition.com/essential-oils/
Thank you Dani.
I have been researching nutrition (and the food and big Pharma industries) for ten years and always come to the same conclusion:
YOU CAN’T TRUST THE BIG COMPANIES TO PROVIDE YOU WITH A HEALTHY DIET IN A SHAKE OR SUPPLEMENT!
Nothing beats organically grown fresh fruit and vegetables…Nothing!!!
Yep!
Thank you so much for this article!! I was thinking about trying Isagenix after a summer of over indulging in food and beer but I decided to do some online research first and came across this review. It’s articles like this that make me step back and say what am I doing? For me putting down the fork and beer and getting back to a routine of eating organic fruits and veggies will help me so much more than Isagenix or any other shake out there.
You’re welcome!
I am curious to find out if you apply the same amount of research and dedication to the issue of pharmaceuticals?
I will not disagree with you that a clean, whole foods organic diet is the best way to go. No argument there. Nor am I a user of Isagenix or a promoter of it. I live in an area with lots of people promoting the local sources only, organic only, and often vegan or cruelty-free lifestyles. And I always find it interesting that many will speak out vehemently against processed foods, products like Isagenix, Herbalife, etc. because of ingredients like the ones you have listed in your article, and they will defend the necessity to regulate the food you put in your body with an intense level of passion (which is good, what we put into our bodies is of the utmost importance). But then they will pump their bodies full of synthetic, often dangerous and sometimes even fatal, chemicals and hormones with a long history of horrendous side effects (such as birth control and vaccines), without a second thought.
I am not trying to be argumentative in any way, I am genuinely confused by this and I would be very interested in your stance on this issue?
Thanks for the reply, I’ll check out the articles you mentioned. I hope you didn’t think I was accusing you of being one of the people I was talking about, I was just curious what your take on the subject was 🙂
Nope, I’m with you on that.
Great article. More information needs to get out about these types of screwed up ways of eating. Bottom line, we need to learn to eat healthy in a sustainable fashion for our bodies, environments and children. Food is good for you, it is not the bad guy. Chemicals, over processed and fake food is….and anything that is made from a powder is food. I cannot believe how many people get so locked onto it, just like the diet pills in the 70’s. For some reason people have a hard time with moderation, organics, exercise and creating a spiritual space. I do not share my opinion with those in my circle as a lot of them truly believe in the product. I also see them struggle with YO YO behaviour with food still and this is not a lifestyle that is healthy or nurturing long term for the mind or body. KEEP SHARING!
Wow I can’t believe this thread has been running since October 2013. I couldn’t get through all the comments, understandably.
The simple fact is most people are too lazy to take a real interest in their health and do proper research – hence these companies succeed in conning them out of money. As the old saying goes “a fool and his money are soon parted”.
Real food, not “products”, is the way to perfect health.
Omigod, I tried to read all the comments I really did… got to about Jan 2014 and gave up! Interesting debates. I much prefer the moderate, reasoned and rational responses from both for and against parties!!
I’ve got the stuff here on my bench top. Time to do some research of my own!
Damn there are some crazed pro Isa folks out there aren’t there? Any calorically restrictive diet would produce weight loss if adhered to, right? So the 30 day thang is (in my mind) a kick start for lazy folk (me included) and then from then forward sort your life out and eat healthier! Its not that hard!
I’m glad I found this thread. Though I haven’t been able to read everything, it has helped give me some things to think about regardless of whether the products and ingredients are good or bad…
Thanks for creating the debate!
I love creating debate!
Great piece thank you for the information.
In my humble opinion… What I learned from reading the comments is that this ” Iso” thing is like some sort of scary pyramid sales cult. I was interested in trying it and found your page. Even after reading your review I was still interested because the packets and bars were easy for travel ( I am on the road a great deal) but after reading the nasty ignorant comments posted by the bully sales force who peddle the snake oil, Im gonna pass and stick with my no wheat, no soy, no preservatives, no refined sugar hand make all my shakes way of life. Keep up the good commentary!
If you need a good bar, I recommend Epic bars. They’re super healthy and travel well. And you can make individual packets of Reserveage Whey using plastic baggies.
Great article Dani and very sound advice, it still amazes me how many people who support ISA use the info from their website to validate and attack the issues you’ve raised. The ratio of Omega 6 to 3s in some of their products was enough to make my heart skip a beat just reading it.
Keep up the good work.
Gracias!
I have been reading most of what has been published here … not all because WOW is there a ton of comments … talk about advertising, this could be taken and taught as a Master Class in Marketing … Anyway, I just wanted to make ONE THING PERFECTLY CLEAR and I will be brief and not include links or anything of the like. Anyone who has a Professional Degree, Certification, a Doctor, Scientist etc. CANNOT make false claims … cannot report product ingredients that DONT exist. They simply cannot make reports, claims or put ANYTHING in WRITING that has not been validated or proven by a governing body – ESPECIALLY FOOD; and food that is allowed to be sold to the general public. They will stand to lose their careers, reputation, business, livelihood (and I’m sure most of these professionals do not want to lose their livelihood) … that said, it is profoundly irrelevant if Isagenix Sponsors a study or not … the Doctor or Scientist who puts his/her name to it will be held accountable if their reporting is inaccurate – this is not arguable. And for those of you who will say that they just get paid off to report whatever the Company in questions asks them to do – I’m sure I will also see you rallying at the next UFO pick-up point, or stocking your fallout shelter for the coming “End of Days” ushered forth by the “One World Government.” So, while I like some of the points you make Dani, you cannot deflate and set aside information because it came from the Isagenix website or further, you cannot discredit any information source because it comes from the producer of the product (let me be clear, I am speaking only for the the FOOD WORLD here – not Spiderman toys, or toothbrush makers) – do you really believe that the world, the government, will allow just any LARGE organization to produce whatever FOODS they want, however they want to, without any organized, highly educated Governing Body to be held accountable to? Just to make money? If so, then see you at the rally.
That is the most ridiculous statement I’ve ever heard. Doctors and scientists make false claims ALL THE TIME.
Hell, the last time I visited my doctor she recommended going vegan and avoiding whey – so who is right? My doctor or Isagenix doctors? Why do you think there is so much debate in scientific and doctoral fields? Because people disagree! Because people are paid to promote one thing over the other, people are paid to skew studies. There are doctors that say GMO’s are safe, even healthy!
The FDA allows additives, carcinogens, preservatives, pesticides, herbicides, even plastic in our food. All because at some point or another, a doctor or scientist has vouched for the safety of the ingredients. Does that make these ingredients safe?
So, to be blunt, you are completely, 100% wrong. And I think most Isagenix supporters would even agree that you’re wrong.
People make false claims all the time to support their own agendas. To think otherwise is completely naive…and kind of nuts.
Dani-
thorough and informative review- nothing but straight facts.. Thank you! As a Chiropractor (and a CNS) I had an Isagenix rep approach me a few months ago about selling the products to my patients in the practice. I researched the products and chose not to be a part of the Multi-level marketing scheme because of the ingredients (besides it not being very professional) and many of the same reasons stated here. Whole foods is the only sensible way to go and there are plenty of products out there that are made with whole foods (I use standard process in my practice). Isagenix and the ingredients artificially added during production defeat the whole purpose of a cleanse!
Thanks and be well!
Kait
Thanks Kait!
Isagenix works for me, I’ve used it for over one year. Thanks to Isagenix I no longer suffer from seasonal allergies, seasonal disorder, and cronic knee pain. Now I can have pets, and I don’t whine about my allergies anymore. Furthermore I don’t whine about taken allergy meds either. My story is not as fantastic as other people. But I encourage all of you out there, DO THE RESEARCH YOURSELF. Don’t just read someones opinion on the interweb, even if they call it unbiased. Its just a call for attention. These days food is not what it used to be, and everybody uses supplements. What supplements do you take?
There’s a difference between opinion and fact. You provided an opinion on Isagenix. I provided facts on Isagenix.
I do take supplements – fish oil, On Guard softgels to boost my immune system right now, I3C, turmeric. I plan on using doTERRA’s Terra Greens and I use their oils for a variety of things. They also have a great supplement for seasonal allergies that’s just made out of lemon, peppermint and essential oils.
I’m all about supplements – just the right ones.
Hello,
FYI – Since using Isagenix I feel healthier than ever before, I have much better sleep, I don’t rely on coffees anymore, I have much better mental focus and I’ve managed to break personal bests at the gym. I’m currently in the best/biggest/leanest shape I’ve ever been in my ENTIRE life.
It has also helped me create a residual income that has allowed me to work less hours at a job I really don’t like.
Not only has it changed my life and given me more time and health, it has given LIFE back to my best friend who was suffering from severe depression and was working at a job that consumed all his time. When I say it saved his life, I mean that literally in every sense of the term.
Not only is Isagenix a blessing in my life, it has changed the life of thousands of other people… So whether you like this comment or not, I want you to understand that there are people out there that are looking for Isagenix and people that NEED it too. Your blog post, which is all just your opinion with no credibility at all, can directly or indirectly be the reason someone doesn’t take this opportunity for what it really is, which is a gift and you can potentially be hurting a lot of people without even realising it.
It’s getting late where I’m from and I’m half asleep right now but I hope you understand where I’m coming from and the message I have for you is clear.
Thanks.
Yet another Isagenix rep who is unable to understand the basic difference between opinion and fact. You provided your opinion on Isagenix, I provided facts on Isagenix. I have a clinical knowledge of nutrition and am a Certified Nutrition Consultant. You are…someone that sells the very product you’re touting.
I don’t doubt you’re in better shape. I don’t doubt your friend is stoked he can make money off of Isagenix and is much happier doing so.
This does not make the product healthy.
It does not make it a good option for everyone.
It does not change the fact that the product contains synthetic vitamins, fructose, processed ingredients and inflammatory oils.
Her information is accurate, just because you lost a significant amount of weight and got a new part time does not mean that the product is healthy. She gave a nutritional review and at no point did she tell people that they need to stop using it. Just like you are arguing that it is a great product because it helped you I also know someone who used it for over a year that is now diabetic and has chronic liver inflammation due to increased consumption of fructose- a diagnosis made by a doctor, she is 26 years old and a type 2 diabetic and her doctors concluded that it was due to her diet in the previous year and a half of which 12 months was the isogenix shakes/diet, which she swore by until she ended up in the hospital. Proper diet and a work out schedule can make people healthier, sleep better, concentrate better etc. It’s wonderful and all that you feel good and that your friend is doing well but by no means does it mean that this product is healthy or for everyone. But you sound just like my friend that I mentioned before her diagnosis, unwilling to hear anything negative about your life choices…you can KNOW something is bad for you and continue to do it by all means its your life but dont try to tell Dani she has no credibility because she actually does and you dont. You’re a sales person and that’s it. The fact that you said you worked a job you didnt like and that it was hourly just gives off the vibe that you dont have the education to back up what you are saying.
Dani I appreciate your blog and factual information I ran across it while trying to figure out why these shakes led to my best friend ruining her health. Keep on doing what you do intelligent people will always appreciate you.
– I am a Biochemist and I love my life and my work and what I do, eating completely organic and working out, slowly but surely I am reaching my fitness goals.
What an awesome comment, thank you!
Kia ora Dani
A friend of mine has posted his recent weight loss on facebook and as a result of my curiousity has sent me all the information on Isagenix. Thank you for providing me with food for thought. I am not sure if any of the comments so far have shared this interesting link as I lost interest half way through the scroll bar (amazed I made it that far). There are only so many times you can read the words “due dilligence” and not notice the obvious religious overtones in the responses of the converted which generally leads to judgemental accusations “evil” brought about by ignorance and biase and strengthened by relationships and profit. At any length I have found the links below to support your claims and certainly define your struggle.
Hope it helps 🙂
http://www.sciencebasedmedicine.org/defending-isagenix-a-case-study-in-flawed-thinking/
http://www.sciencebasedmedicine.org/isagenix-study-is-not-convincing/
P.S I have to say Richards comments beginning with “Integrity is remaining resolute in the face of adversity” were half the reason I kept reading. Brilliant and entertaining!
Thanks for the great comment? Are you from NZ? I’d love to know more about the diet there. I studied Maori diets in school!
Dani just keep doing what you’re doing. These idiots think Isagenix and herbalife garbage is the be all end all of nutrition. Little do they know the supplements that are being manufactured are coming out of the same manufacturers as all the other supplements out in the market. I know this as fact. So keep thinking “scientists and doctors” are working on formulas.
Supplementing food for pills and shakes, that’s what they call nutrition. laughable.
As a gym owner I work with nutritionist, dieticians and naturopaths and not one of these professional would recommend these shitty products. Real professionals, not consultants flashing Isagenix facts and testimonials. ‘
I have tried Isagenix and herbalife before. $$$ and a lot of garbage in your body. If you want to lose weight properly, go to a professional with real knowledge about nutrition not people turning a quick buck
Thank you!
Well done to you! More information is required on the above products. Too much money is wasted on artificial rubbish instead of programs ensuring a healthy weight loss with raw, healthy choices.
Thanks Mel
First off people should know better by now to run as fast as they possibly can when they see any multi level marketing companies. They feed off the weak minded and its a somehow legal ponzi scheme based model. Second, Just because these products might help someone lose weight here and there doesn’t mean they are healthy. The nutrition industry is not regulated and we all know how corrupt the FDA is…. So to all these people who take these products, Body by Vi, Isagenix, etc just admit it that you bought into some sleezy sales pitch and sure the product might have worked a little bit but in reality you have no idea what you’re putting into your body.
You lost me at “Isagenix”…
Haha.
goodness the hornets nest has been stirred!
I went on Isagenixs for three months. Lost 4 kilos did not feel great and full of energy like everyone else did, in fact I felt constipated and on the days we had to fast…starving hungry. One would be better off eating healthy organic food and fasting for two days which is exactly what isagenixs does except you have to pay for the supposed benefits. What I hated is the multi marketing aspect as well and all the goody two shoes talk. “Oh it tastes soo good just like “Terries orange chocolate” OMG are they kidding! Its like insipid glug! Thank you Danni for being brave enough to critique this company!
Haha!
My brother is pushing this ISACRAP stuff and I am extremely concerned. I warned him about the mlm- pyramid scam and was attacked by all of his “cult” so called friends. I have tried looking for negative feedback and finally found some using bing rather than google as a search engine. Found website where folks had some major medical issues. Hope this helps anyone trying to research before trying. Bottom line..eat healthy and exercise
http://www.steadyhealth.com/Looking_for_NEGATIVE_reviews_of_Isagenix_t209159.html
Thanks for sharing!
Thank you Dani for all of your research. I am not a nutritionist or a health coach but as a Mother and a wife I want to be able to feed my family right and know what is going into our bodies.
It has been a passion of mine for many years now and I love information on nutrition. I catch a lot of flack from eating right and going all organic! Flack from the closest of my friends. :/ Who cares! I look great and feel great! I just had a biometric screening done and at age 43. I was told I am the picture of perfect health! I am not saying this to brag I am just giving some credibility. It is not an easy task to find this balance between what we hear and what is actually true. We believe people that we should trust but the reality is YOU HAVE TO DO YOUR OWN RESEARCH. We all know not everyone is perfect in their eating and it is not easy. Our world of FOOD is corrupt. What we call food is not food anymore. People don’t seem to understand that. With all the illnesses that we see..I don’t understand how?
I always keep an open mind when I am doing my research. So when I was approached about isagenix I started my reading and actually found ingredients online on some of their products. It was not hard to see that their products are not good for you. ALSO…some of their labels say it’s not for pregnant women or there are some warnings on their labels. What does that tell you? If it was apples, spinach, walnuts and coconut oil…it wouldn’t have a warning label. (just an example)
As we get older however, it is hard to eat ALL of the nutrition that our bodies need. So I do supplement and I have found a company that is AWESOME! I think this is one reason why my biometric screening was good. So I eat good, exercise and take a great supplement that gives my body what it needs and my results are awesome.
Again, thank you for your blog and research! I love reading this and I will continue to follow you! Do you have any other web sites that I can follow that will give me info?
Nope, this is my only website. I don’t think I could handle another one!
Dani I love the logic and common sense you bring to the table. I said earlier I’m am a Isa distributor and I’ve received tremendous results from the products. I also have a chronic disease and my Naturopathic doctor told me point blank to get off some of the Isagenix products. I see what you’re saying Dani and I’ve also had tremendous results with the products. I’ll research the ingredients on my own later but for now Dani I’m asking you do all the Isa products contain these ingredients you mention? This might sound kinda lame but no one is perfect. Isa has helped 1000s of people change their lives. That is a fact. Are all the ingredients the best? Apparently not but all I can say is I take what I can take and once again I experience tremendous results. Thanks again Dani for your work.
No, not all of the products do.
Dani stout please marry me 🙂
credentials: single & from the “luscious pastures of NZ”
I accept! Except I’m already married. 🙂
Admirable to all your replies there Dani. A lot of energy put back into many ignorant and opinionated people from all walks of life. Great you preach good health and warnings of damage to oneself. In the end people either want fast results with no knowledge of whats happening on the inside and live the “physical” rewards in life over internal happiness thru an “organic” lifestyle or as simple as a “spiritual” outlook in life. Hey sorry Im not a scientist or nutritionist with facts nor am I a crazy hipi spiritual person. Just find all debates against you very interesting and defensive. Lab food vs Earth food. Depends where in the world your harvesting too. I know NZ is awesome. Especially the seafood I get to go free diving for.Thats my 10c worth haha one love People!
love the infoLove the info you post on here. Keep up the good work. I agree with you totally and people should fully read what you put down before getting on their high horse and telling you your wrong which you are not. Also on a side note you are very beautiful and I love what you stand for. Keep up the good fight. Education is the only way we can get our country to change its bad eating habits. If it didn’t grow naturally from the ground it should be left alone. Be smart about what you put in your body and the portions that you’re putting on your plates. Fad diets like all the shake programs out there will always leave you looking for the next quick program and you will have wasted hundreds of dollars and put the pounds right back on when you get board or no longer can justify the outrageous cost of which ever get thin quick program you are on. If you want real nutrition, stop with all the pills and supplements. And quit eating in front of your TVs. Cook a meal, get educated and stop blaming everything.
My credentials are that i have been in the food and health industry for the last 13 years working for the federal government.
Thank you!
Dani, you mention fructose in high amounts can be toxic to the liver. Can you elaborate on that? There is no definition or explanation as to what is a high amount. While I agree that eating items with high fructose is bad, this is a result of poor diet where items with fructose have little to no fiber or protein content. That would allow the body (liver) to break down the “sugar” and process it similar to glucose. I’m not expert, just an interested reader.
Also, you mention Monsanto in your article and their statement that GMO’s are healthy. But there is nothing stating that behind their business finances are investors who profit from the use and sale of genetically engineered food. In fact, they actually spent millions opposing a bill that would require the mandatory labeling of GMO’s on food products. Is that not also biased? Their own scientists “who make claims” warned Monsanto executives about the harmfulness of using Monsanto created products such as DDT, Agent Orange, etc. on farming crops. It has a harmful effect on the people who not only eat it, but who are exposed to it when the harvest comes.
I’m just curious as to your thoughts on the above. Thanks.
1) I have elaborated on the amount of fructose already.
2) I literally have no idea what you’re talking about. I have made it clear that I oppose GMOs and Monsanto and I support GMO labeling efforts.
1. I may not have gotten through to that comment yet, just asking if there’s a way to improve the digestion of fructose, as it’s found in so many foods, naturally, GM’ed, etc.
2. I misread a June 13, 2014 comment. I thought you were backing Monsanto. Didn’t make sense with everything else in the article.
Ahh gotcha!
No, fructose is always metabolized by the liver and turned into triglycerides. It’s fine when found naturally in things like fruit, but not in large doses, and most certainly not okay when it’s synthetic/isolated fructose being taken on a daily basis.
I would never back Monsanto! I am vehemently against Monsanto and GMOs and strongly support organic, local farmers.
Hi Dani,
I actually read all of the comments and your responses to your review of Isagenix. Let me just state for all credential seekers out there, since that seems to be a recurring issue with them, I have M.D., NMD, and DC degrees. I am also board certified in Internal Medicine and triple board certified in clinical nutrition including the American Clinical Board of Nutrition and the Certification Board For Nutrition Specialists and btw I am a recovering MLMer.
I think you know that you will never convince the “true believers” of Isagenix that their product is seriously flawed with regard to real healthy nutrition value. As you can imagine in my 30+ years of practice in nutritional and functional medicine I have literally been approached hundreds of times with the newest, greatest, promise to cure all the ills of the world products both MLM and from nutrition companies. I always ask 3 questions of the promoters of any nutrition product:
1. What are the ingredients? I am amazed at the number of so called “natural, organic, healthy” products that literally have synthetic junk in them. As you mentioned how are they beneficial to human clinical nutrition?
2. Where is the independent research on the product and ingredients? The vast majority of “nutrition companies” do not do independent research on their products. Notice I said independent research. Just because a company hires a bunch of formulators with science backgrounds means nothing. What are they going to say, yes, our product sucks, but you should buy it anyway? No, the majority of companies do not do real research because it is incredibly expensive, time consuming and in reality many of them are afraid to do the research because quite frankly they are afraid of the results i.e. real independent research would not verify all the claims they are making. The vast majority of companies really do a literature search for products that are similar to theirs and claim “me too” results. In other words the research is not on THEIR products but on something similar and they just claim the same result.
3. Can the “results” be verified by clinical trials and not just anecdotal stories from enthusiastic but brainwashed distributors? Hey, I’ve been there, you get pumped up at conventions, everyone around you has a fantastic story to tell, they parade a bunch of docs or scientists up on stage and well… it goes on and on. I have nothing against the MLM industry per se. What concerns me and always has is that suddenly Mary Jones, a real estate agent or secretary goes to a few meetings, maybe a convention and suddenly is an ”expert” in nutrition, weight loss or whatever. I have been studying and practicing clinical nutrition for over 30 years. The one thing I know for certain is that the more I know and learn the more I know there is more to learn.
Some of the comments were upset about you saying that there is gluten, soy and rancid oils in the products. How can they argue with company ingredient labeling? Gluten sensitivity is a huge concern for many people. One of my problems with the product is the whey content. For people with nonceliac gluten sensitivity any dairy derived product can be a major issue due to cross reactivity. Don’t believe me? Investigate Cyrex labs and their test array panels for cross reactive foods to gluten. New Zealand raised cows are not really any healthier than US raised cows for a variety of reasons. That is a myth perpetuated by companies using NZ raised cows.
Anyway Dani, continue to do what you are doing.
Let me finish with this quote from H.L. Mencken:
“The truth, indeed, is something that mankind, for some mysterious reason instinctively dislikes. Every man who tries to tell it is unpopular, and even when, by the sheer strength of his case, he prevails, he is put down as a scoundrel”.
I love this comment. I agree so strongly with everything that you said and appreciate you taking the time to write this!
Wow that was a long comment list. Found your blog and love it. I don’t get why people get so angry! Lol I have one rule when it comes to my eating habits and that is to try and eat as many whole foods as possible. Make it a habit and you won’t need to look into these meal/supplement programs.
Thanks!
I am not for this stuff. Sorry but real food is what can grow on trees and in the ground or eat the grass in fields. Sorry to say though there are studies on BOTH sides that say agave is healthy agave is unhealthy, or different oils are fine and are not fine. There is research to prove both sides. Thats just how it goes! I am having crazy bad health problems, have 4 kids, and am only 26 years old! I have a friend trying to sell me this but gotta be honest I would rather attempt to rebuild health by taking out all fake crap and stuff that doesn’t belong. $400 dollar shakes made in a lab and sold by multi level marketing tactics DOES NOT sound good right out the gate. Its just another fad. It will fade just like the rest of them. Even if it made me feel better it just isn’t healthy. 20 to 30 pounds in a month??!?! Any good dr would tell you thats not healthy unless you have a severe heart problem that made you have to lose weight immediately. My Mother in law did that with the HCG diet. The difference very few people knew that you had to take all sorts supplements because the HCG diet is not good long term and you are missing a ton of nutrients. So she had a naturalpath giving her the other stuff she needed. She lost the weight, went off, and now eats only organic healthy stuff and she kept the weight off for years. The point is, we don’t know the long term effects. And you don’t know its healthy just because they say it is. Now I am rambling so I need to go.
Wow. I was going to meet with one of the sales reps for this product until I read through this site and many others. So here’s my take: it’s probably not for me. I lead a relatively healthy lifestyle and try to eat organic when I can…but I am also very busy and dont always drive 45 mins to the farmers market or make my own protein shakes with raw eggs.
However….I think that it is all about perspective. I would love to be as diligent as Dani but I’m just not there yet. Granted, I am a lot closer than most of the American population.
After doing the research (that is what I do for a living…so call me qualified) the product is not as good as whole, organic, picked from the vine, local food. BUT…if you are the type of person who still considers fast food not only an option but a staple in your diet….the product is a major step forward. If this is the catalyst to motivate a healthier lifestyle and you can drop 100 lbs of toxic fat, that is wonderful!! For some, that means the difference between life and death….getting off medications and injections.
However, if you healthy, eat clean (most of the time) and are highly aware of what processing, additives, and genetic modification can do to the food you put in your body….the product is pretty much like eating a twinky.
Don’t fault people for trying something to change their lives for the better, just be aware that you have a different level of understanding than they do.
Thanks for the comment and your input. And for expressing your opinion in a concise way without resorting to personal attacks.
So I’ve read most of this thread, I apologize if i’ve missed a previous and similar comment. But, Dani, well done!! All the others… do a search for a non-biased clinical trial on isagenix… ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed
If you find one let me know… you won’t because no sane (independent) researcher would waste their time to run a study on a product with these ingredients.
Appreciate the info Dani. Do you think all the isagenix products are bad? I do take some of their vitamin supplements which include vitamins B A magnesium adaptagens and many more vitamins that seem to help with energy. I am also taking the non dairy pea protein powder because I have a hard time getting enough calories every day because of the nature of my work and hours.
I eat very clean and mostly plant based but have taken protein powders for over ten years and am convinced I need them as an athletic person.
I don’t think all of their products are bad. I was told their vitamin supplements are not food based but synthetic so I wouldn’t personally recommend those.
Thank you for this article! I have been a very successful network marketer with both Beachbody and Visalus…I did help A LOT of people lose weight and “get healthy…-er” than they were. But through my OWN research and dissecting each ingredient in the products I consume as I became more interested in researching all of the supposed healthy ingredients, I have found that google does a body good! If you copy and paste the ingredients into google and ask “IS ______(insert ingredient)___ non-gmo/organic?” you will get ALL sorts of reliable info. I have YET to find an MLM that produces a truly NON-GMO and Certified Organic product. Now, some claim they do…but their ingredients say otherwise. And let’s be real…every website is going to vouch for their product. What kind of company would they be if they outed themselves? Think about it!
Soooo… as I was afraid of…it’s back to the whole foods for me. It’s hard and life does get in the way…I launched a private speech pathology practice in June and my husband works long hours so neither of us have the “time” but I manage to prioritize 3 trips to the grocery store a week to get organic non-gmo foods and have made it a routine. Making dinner is NEVER on my “I want to do this tonight” list…but I do it because we need to eat…and it needs to be healthy and SAFE!
We are not perfect but I can tell you that when I slip up my body takes a huge hit…this Cr*p that our country is trying to feed us is poison. Just take a vacation to Italy…we just returned a month ago…we spent weeks there drinking wine, eating tomatoes, pasta, fresh mozarella (at many meals throughout the day), etc…NO digestive issues like I have in the US (reflux from acid levels, lactose intolerance, headaches). If I did that here in the US I would be so sick (eating one meal at mama lucia’s, a chain, caused me to throw up! gross!!)
Listen to your bodies people. If you are using these products as a stepping stone from a fast-food lifestyle, great…but don’t let your journey stop there…keep making an effort to push forward. THere is a reason Kraft foods mac and cheese has a long list of ingredients (including ingredients used to make TIRES) in the US…but only has 5 ingredients on the box in Italy. Europe has protested Mansanto and these other companies for a long time. The sad truth is American’s are just unaware. I admit that was me just a few years ago even though I always ate “healthy”. Keep your eyes and ears open, be mindful of what you put in your body and LISTEN to your body…just don’t give up and stop with these network marketing products…I have been on both sides of it and will not put my name behind any of the products currently on the MLM market. I commend everyone who is trying to get healthy and do what works for them, I pass no judgment, but know that these articles are not trying to cr*p on your efforts, they are actually very necessary and USEFUL and I am so grateful for this information and further confirmation on all of the studies I have read about just by googling myself.
I follow Vani the food babe and she has a wealth of information on this, too. There’s a reason she was able to get fast food companies (chik fil a for ex) to agree to switch to certified organic chicken in the near future. It all comes down to awareness…you cannot trust a company backing their product, nor can you trust the FDA. It’s the sad truth!
Okay…off my soap box!
Thanks for the comment!
Dani,
What can you tell me about the products: Isafruits, Isagreens, Ionix, and Brain Boost? These look like good products made by Isagenix.
Please provide a link to the ingredient lists.
Thank you for not only NOT answering my comments/questions but for deleting them.
Just checked, I don’t have any deleted comments from someone named Kristyn.
I only delete comments if they’re offensive, if I’ve answered the questions before or if they’re really idiotic. Sometimes comments just don’t go through.
Hi Dani,
I have read pretty much each and every comment. There is no disagreeing with your main theme which if I am correct essentially there are a couple of ingredients which are not considered good for our body. i.e. soya lecithin, and fructose. Agree with you that its likely a bad idea to ingest both of those ingredients in in fact you want to eat healthy. Making your own protein shakes with all natural ingredients is preferable. NO DOUBT. Just one other point that I found kind of weird. Why do food manufacturers call “Salt” Sodium Chloride?
I’m not sure. Maybe because they’re using a processed form of salt. For example, table salt is 99% sodium chloride while unrefined salts like sea salt also contain sodium chloride but also contain beneficial minerals.
Thanks for the recommendation for Reserveage Whey Powder. It’s a fantastic replacement for Iasgenix shake mix and tastes 1000% better. Perhaps this is a silly questions, but why just the yolk in your smoothie recipe and not include the white?
You can use the white if you want, it will add more protein. I don’t because we don’t need the added protein, the yolks are the healthiest part of the egg, and because I like to use egg white face masks!
As a doctor practitioner who has invested long hours of study into nutrition and lifestyle, as well as current therapies, to help my chronically ill or compromised patients, I have watched the effects of Isagenics on many patients and close friends. In many, I see weight loss and an increase in confidence that they have control over their body, but in the majority of those cases it is just an acceptable form of Bulimia (which also gives the sufferer a sense of control). For many, the ‘cleanse’ is a socially acceptable form of purging, for others it is a way of stopping twice at the next stop sign, because you just ran through the first. What hurts me is to watch many of these ‘devotees’ trim fat, but also dramatically increase wrinkles, along with increasing body and emotional reactivity. It is very difficult to help some of them get their lives back on track, just as it was difficult, years ago, to help those who got deeply into cults. For a many, it starts as a healthier path than they were on, but instead of encouraging them to continue to the next healthier level, the culties try to keep them from leaving the fold. Certainly, there are many ingredients that are natural, superfood, or have some recent hype about a unique property, but they are not applied in an individualized manner, but more as a marketing ploy, and to help the ‘converts’ feel that their company is up on the latest so that they don’t get tempted to stray over to other products. We are regularly getting patients ‘off of’ supplements that are known to have beneficial properties, but are not currently appropriate for them. Lastly, I am concerned about the interdependence that the company fosters for the sake of profit, in the name of helping each other. How easily can an Isagenics member leave the fold to pursue the next higher level of physical, emotional, and spiritual health? Does the company encourage you to use their products to help you get out of the fast food rut, but then to graduate on to higher health with real food, no-strings-attached relationships, and selfless service? What is the company’s real mission? It is the image of that mission that you will find imprinted into the product you consume. I can feel the difference in our patients. Naturally grown, harvested, and consumed real food carries a different signature than corporate products.
A very thought provoking comment!
I will start by stating clearly that I am not a nutritionist.
I own a trampoline gym and was asked if I would consider selling the Isagenix products. Being curious I started to dig and found your blog.
As I scanned the conversation I wondered why people, who state that Isagenix is good and ask for your credentials, don’t provide theirs. That just sounds hypocritical to me.
I also tried to follow the link for the Slim Cakes Berry ingredients listed in the original blog only to find that there is nothing there anymore. It would appear to me that you struck a nerve.
Having something approved by doctors and those in the know are not always right. It takes time to have all the facts and many long term studies to find the whole truth. How many times has a drug or food been considered to be safe only to be proven wrong as the weight of new information comes to light.
I found an article by an MD who analyzed one of the Isagenix studies. The link is: http://www.sciencebasedmedicine.org/isagenix-study-is-not-convincing/ It does tend to shed a tainted light on the studies objectiveness.
Any research paper produced by a group, no matter how independent they appear, will be suspect if the research is funded by the producing company. No company would publish results that show their product to be bad. It just doesn’t fit with the bottom line. A company will only spend what is required to convince the people, who need to be convinced, that their product is good. Long term, expensive research projects are not in the best interest of the company.
We all know that most meats are produced with additives that makes the animal grow and mature faster. These additives have been declared safe by all who tested them. Most of us have seen a young girl who looks like she’s 18 but is only 12 or 13. It would be logical to assume that the additives used to grow the animals faster would have similar effects on the people who consume them. After all, humans are just animals too. Did the scientific papers covering the use of these additives fully test and research the affects they would have on people? One could argue that it’s not a bad thing for our kids to grow faster but is it a good thing?
I also looked at the discussion about the IsaLean shakes. In the companies current catalogue there are 2 types of IsaLean shakes. One claims to be soy-free (which comes in many flavours) and only one that claims to be soy- and gluten-free. The devil’s in the details.
I have to agree with some of the Isagenix supports in that it is very difficult to get natural foods that are free of chemicals or additives but one only needs to taste free range organically fed chicken to know it is better than the factory farm produced variety. I can’t believe that a meal replacement tastes as good as a free range chicken or home grown fruits & veggies.
The last thing I will touch is the weight loss component. My wife felt that she was overweight and wanted to do something about it. She tried several diet schemes (for lack of a better word) and settled in on Weight Watchers. The thing I liked about Weight Watchers is that they didn’t sell you on buying a product, they helped you adjust your caloric intake and bring in exercise to achieve your weight loss goals. The main thing that you were paying for was a support group of like minded individuals who were trying to achieve similar goals. It’s not as easy to change without support.
I am impressed that you didn’t allow yourself to get pulled into the emotion banter displayed by some of your “assailants”. Stick to the facts.
Will I sell Isagenix in my gym, probably not. Anything that uses a pyramid scheme for its sellers is very suspect. Also, the vast majority of athletes who come here are under 18 and I don’t feel that this type of product is appropriate. I do believe that natural is better. My grandmother lived to 93 without food supplements or replacements. It was good enough for her and it’s good enough for me.
Well said and researched. I completely 100% agree with you. Too many ingredients are unhealthy and for a company to be touting how healthy and beneficial the products are… well you need to walk the walk. Here in Australia the products include several NUMBERS ( chemicals) and thickeners. As my partner put it when he tried a shake – “it tastes fake!”
I rest my case!
Just wondering if you have any information or feedback on LifePlus. More so the vitamins/supplements but would like your opinion on the health and beauty products along with the weight loss system.
http://lifeplus.com/us-en/
Thanks,
Pam
You call this an “Unbiased review”??? I have never smelled a larger sack of s%^* before in my life… from so far away. Whether or not you are correct in your “assumptions” of this product, you are lying to people from the title of this article.
PS, as in all things, not just to ms dani, please weight the risks and benefits of any product. I have read some pretty abstract stuff written by highly accomplished people **research John Robbins-The Food Revolution** that stretches facts to the limit. Most things are completely unrealistic to accomplish without being in a proper mindset. Stress alone will take a toll on the digestive system on any organism, be it a plant, dog, rat, human (i.e. leaky gut).
What’s the worst that will happen?! Going to get cancer from this product full of ingredients absolutely necessary for life, and usually depleted in the average individual? no. THAT will not happen. Now flu vaccines… that’s a whole other bag of worms.
Dani, you sound like the type of person that would deny a starving individual Kellogs brand cereal because it doesn’t meet your standards. Ms Lady, You need to get over yourself and realize what kind of nation is out there.
I completely understand the benefit of organic, vegetarian, off the grid life styles. But there is an pressing reality when talking to the “obese” population
And I laugh again at the “unbiased” title. That is what dragged me to this site and after reading many of the other people reviews (and I’m not choosing to go with this produce), I choose to comment and tell you how disconnected you are with society. You can preach your lifestyle all you want in your blog and the importance of healthy eating, but when you start bashing products without proper citations of peer-reviewed articles… then I decide to voice my 1st amendment.
Have a good one.
I will never get over myself! Haha.
It’s also Mrs. Lady; I’m married.
Even if this article is not unbiased, it does not detract from the facts. How did I lie to anyone? It really irks me when people say that, because it’s hugely offensive and detrimental to my work as a health coach. And then you don’t even say what I lied about. Because I didn’t lie about anything. You need to decipher the difference between “assumption” and fact. I provided facts. If you don’t like them, take it up with Isagenix.
My apologies. After reading the blog for well over an hour I finally came to the fairly lengthy exchange between Dani and Matt Wilson. Very good.
Thanks. I DID delete your other comment because it’s irrelevant now.
G’day Dani,
Found your article by accident, a good read & is unbiased.
I researched Isagenix approx 3 years ago when approached at a health expo. When I heard that the product used ‘NZ sourced organic non-denatured whey protein’ the alarm bells started ringing… In NZ all milk for consumption is pasteurised. As in Australia it is illegal to sell unpasteurised milk for human consumption. At the time I had a friend who was a sales rep for Fonterra (essentially the NZ dairy industry) and asked her if she could look into organic dairy farms & the processing raw milk. Her search turned up a blank. The only source of non-denatured whey protein that I know of is from Wellwisdom based in San Diego.
Oh & by the way, I am an Exercise Physiologist by profession with postgrad qualifications in research methods; in addition to holding various nutrition certifications. One of my areas of interest is gut & digestive physiology…
Very interesting. Thanks for the comment!
So your solution is for people to believe that eating wholefoods is the best solution? Wholefoods that are grown from nutrient deficient soil? Organic or not, an apple is an apple there is no difference in the presence of nutrients in either, and both are shown to be nutrient deficient compared to an apple of the 1960’s. Many, many Americans like myself have eaten organic, wholefoods, (gluten, dairy, soy and peanut free diets) for a long time and it made no difference in my health. Why? Because it is the nutrients our wholefoods are lacking that is causing America’s health crisis. It wasn’t until I supplemented my wholefood diet with herbs, minerals and other items that were harvested from the earth but packaged for me that my body and health transformed. The average American is sitting on the couch eating a bag of Doritos not at Trader Joes picking out a head of organic lettuce, so I don’t see the problem with a company offering a better solution for them. My point, a wholefood diet is not enough anymore, maybe in the 1950’s but time and soil has changed.
Seriously, that’s such an unfounded argument. The soil isn’t as nutrient rich, but there are solutions. There are organic farms and growing your own. Many people don’won’t grow their own, but buying organic is no longer an issue for most of the country.
Your point is that a whole foods diet is not enough anymore? So your solution is to eat non-organic, synthetic vitamins that the body doesn’t even absorb? That literally makes no sense.
Good on you Dani.
But looks to me like you are flogging a dead horse. Some people just do not want to know the truth .Instead of trying to running you down they should be thanking you,
Good Luck.
And Thank You.
Alan.
Thanks Alan!
Dani,
I love you for this thread alone! I have had so many friends and family members drink the IsaGenix Kool-Aid (or Ionix Supreme, to be exact), and it makes me cringe every time I hear of someone else falling for it. This company preys on the insecurities of its minions. There is so much mis-information perpetuated throughout their circles that I want to slap them as a collective and to wake them up to reality. Yes, calorie restriction is going to make you lose weight. Yes, some of the Ayurvedic herbs and caffeine in their products may make you feel euphoric, especially when you ingest them all day long. But that ‘s about it. There is nothing magical about this, but for the gold that appears in the pockets of the executives at the top. It’s such a scam. Anyway…you already know that. It’s refreshing to see an educated voice lifting the veil off the crap they are selling. I’m so sick of hearing about how awesome it is. If everyone on it would just eat healthy, organic, whole foods and exercise regularly they might just be surprised at how good they feel for a fraction of the price.
That’s all.
Ann
Also, to all of you haters, I actually do have a PhD from a program in cross-disciplinary biochemistry and nutrition, so if you want to argue science, let’s do it!
Umm can we be best friends?
Thank you for writing this article & correctly informing people on why these fad “food” replacements are nothing more than marketing gimmicks. I have been consuming a mostly plant-based diet all my life & have recently (over the past year) switched to a strictly plant-based diet. I only consume whole, unprocessed, organic foods. The produce section at my local supermarket has become my second home. The reason why I came across your article is because I was recently told by my doctor that I should try Isagenix. I knew right away that I would not be consuming this filth but I just wanted to research exactly why it’s bad for you. I was SHOCKED that a doctor would recommend this. He told me that I would have more energy & that fasting is good because if you consume a high quantity of food then your body is too busy digesting it rather than repairing itself. This doctor clearly has no idea what he’s talking about & should be ashamed of himself for recommending this junk to his patients. I wish I could forward him this article. I will stick to eating REAL, whole food that is free of toxins and pesticides. Like you and Dr.Fuhrman say, there is no magic pill or shake for weight loss. Proper nutrition comes from real, wholesome food, not synthetic and toxic products that are packaged in a pretty bottle or can. Thank you for educating the masses. The people that are leaving insulting comments just don’t want to believe that there isn’t a “quick fix” for weight loss. They are clearly brain-washed by the company’s brilliant marketing scheme so don’t even bother trying to argue with them. People need to spend less time and money on fad diets and synthetic products and more on trips to the local farmer’s market. It’s stupid simple, proper health equals proper nutrition that comes from real food (i.e. fruits and vegetables). Thanks for writing this article!
My last doctor told me to switch to canola and soy oil. Go figure.
I did Isagenix…I lasted 10 days. I lost 6kg. I felt horrendous. I couldn’t stop shitting, and it was literally weeing out my butt (that can’t always be good), I was HUNGRY, after the two cleanse days I was so repulsed by the snack buttons and the cleanse drink that I would start dry reaching just looking at the bottle. And then when I stopped taking Isagenix, I was so hungry, I ate triple what a normal person would eat. When I was on the program, my blood sugar levels were tested at just below 2. I feel like dry reaching just writing this. I can also no longer eat blueberries…those damn shakes turned me off blueberries. AND I paid approximately $1500 dollars all up.
That is all so terrible.
Hi Dani,
I was on the 30 day Isagenix cleanse for a little over a month. On week four I started to experience severe abdominal pain. I would curl up in bed for 1-2hours, 1-2 hours after taking the shake. I am not lactose intolerant and I feel fine after eating regular meals.
I would also like to note, I don’t have any allergies or food intolerances (that I am aware of).
I am very curious to know what caused this and any insight and knowledge you have would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks
It could be anything. If it consistently happened after drinking the shake, it was likely the ingredients in it.
I have both enjoyed the extensive comments in this blog Dani and appreciate the opportunity to comment too. I very much appreciate the efforts you have gone to in order to reveal the contents of the Isagenix products along with the pros and the cons.
Isagenix was introduced to me by my sister who is a MLM fan and specialist. I am the antithesis of her when it comes to this but she’s my sister and I love her. She lost all her weight on Herbal-life and was a fan of that for many years. Now “Isa” is all I hear about. Suffice to say, Isagenix appeals to potential distributors for many different reasons – none of which need to be discussed here. The point is, MLM companies wouldn’t exist without distributors who are willing to follow the MLM doctrine. They are incredibly savvy at the “buy in to me” process and clearly there are millions who want to “buy in” and do.
I like to believe the “thinking” person prefers to make informed choices and decisions about what they put into their bodies, or not. So, I can’t comment on the reasons for the choices people make though I do question the validity and reliability of those reasons from a researcher’s perspective. I can share why I found Isagenix appealing (quick easy fix) and equally unappealing. I’m an early adopter of many things, however, when no (proven) independent clinical studies exist to support something, I tend to smell a rat. I know there is anecdotal evidence and millions of photos to support Isagenix. That’s called the perfect marketing strategy.
There is far more scientific evidence to support the placebo effect. There is far more evidence to suggest that the mind is the single most powerful organ that affects weight-loss and as for the power of positive thinking, the saying didn’t invent itself.
People are always in search of quick fixes and instant gratification. Here’s one truth. A healthy weight, mind, and body is largely the result of being or sound mind, having a positive attitude and acting in accordance with that philosophy in what you put into your body and what you put out – always.
Are there independent clinical studies to suggest people live longer and lose weight by eating organic food? Are happier? Less stressed? Less prone to disease? In the early 1900s there was plenty of organic food. Did people live longer and disease free because they ate it? No. Over time and with medical science advances, people live longer anyway. Do they live longer and remain healthy? No. They don’t. To live longer is no fun without being fit and healthy.
So, Dani, your world appears to be about being fit and healthy. You take a holistic approach to that. You advocate organic food – and that’s fine as long as we recognise that this food is subject to the toxins in the environment – like fumes for example on their way to market just as we are on our way to buy them. Does the organic farmer check the trucks they use to ensure the fumes from the vehicle itself isn’t polluting the carefully grown crops in organically optimised soil?
Back to basics. We live in a commercial world where money is the currency and “I want that now” is on the lips of many. Everyone lives by selling something and there’s no objection to that! The pathway to good health is the same as it’s always been. Keep bad stress to a minimum; eat a balanced diet, get 30 minutes of exercise a day, have consideration for yourself and your fellow human beings; find a way with integrity to make money and do unto others as you’d have them do unto you and make happiness a goal.
Sounds easy? It isn’t. Obviously. That’s because companies like Isagenix are thriving and that’s because there are many millions who want to believe in miracles more than they want to face the truth. I’d be lying if I said I didn’t want to believe in miracles. Problem is, I’m just one of those who needs to know the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth. I don’t think that’s an easy thing to find.
Ive read most of these comments. I’d like to add that this is America and everyone is entitled to their opinion. However, there should be more of a modicum of respect for the blogger. Dani has a job. If you don’t agree, at least be respectful in your responses. This country has gone downhill in values and morals. But on to the reason for my post: Isagenix does have certain components with whey, gluten, etc. But there are other components of the cleanse that are extremely natural with nothing added. I am NOT affiliated in any way with the product. I am doing research based on what a friend has recommended. I was just diagnosed as prediabetic and have to make some serious changes. So, for all of you, go tohttp://www.isagenix.com/~/media/product-misc/nutrition-and-supplemental-facts/anz-en-nutrition-and-supplemental-facts.pdf and read for yourself. A) Dani was right and B) others are right as well. It’s a win win. SO, in the end, don’t let someone else make the decision for you and definitely know that it’s not worth the horrible words used in these comments.
Thank you! I really appreciate kind commenters who can articulate why they don’t agree with everything I say. I appreciate you!
Hi Dani,
Never tried Isagenix – never will. If I can’t pronounce it – I’m not going to put it in my body. I don’t care how many people want to say it’s healthy – one look at the ingredient list will tell me it’s rubbish.
If it doesn’t occur naturally in nature where I can grab it with both hands, then it’s not meant to be eaten. And when I say that, I’m talking about FOOD. REAL FOOD. ( So I don’t want anyone saying I told them to eat dirt off the ground or something. )
The only thing I could possibly say negatively about this is that your replies to these Isagenix trolls can be condescending and a bit rude, but I also see how you could be getting frustrated. I’m frustrated just reading their uninformed ravings. We should be encouraging knowledge and learning in a non-judgmental and healthy way, but sometimes you just gotta realize you’re beating your head against a wall.
I’ve been eating a whole food plant based diet for 3 months – no pre-packaged stuff, no Gluten, no refined sugar, no dairy ( although I do allow myself the odd bit of seafood, as it sits very well with my stomach ) and I’ve never felt better. I’d eat dirt before I ever started eating some “meal-replacement” shake. Meals shouldn’t need to be replaced if you’re preparing them correctly.
Well-done to you Dani for trying to educate people on how to eat food – a task that really shouldn’t need to be done, but sadly…
I know! I’m imperfect (sometimes). It’s truly difficult to respond to a lot of the comments and I get frustrated. It’s just that between this review and the other meal replacement reviews, I’ve responded to over two thousand comments arguing with me. TWO THOUSAND. So I know I can come off as rude, I can do this in person as well because I’m just really passionate. I’m working on it though!
Thanks for the comment!
This is an excellent and informative blog about Isagenix. I have some friends who, sadly have fallen for the “get healthy, get wealthy” brainwashing that Isagenix promotes. People are, or seem to be taught to push push push selling. If Isagenix is so interested in helping people, why not sell it to health stores, grocery stores etc? They exclusively use a pyramid sales model.
Can you please do one on juice plus?! 🙂
Just did!
Great article Dani! Im with you all the way!
Can you please let me know your thoughts on this product thats in America
http://www.sevenpoint2.com
They have several products, I would need an ingredient list to a specific product you’d like reviewed.
I actually use Isagenix and I’ve lost 15 lbs so far. I absolutely agree that shakes and supplements are not the way to go. But I also am honest with myself: I work three jobs and have very little time for anything. When it’s time to eat, I’m usually in the car, going to the next job, and end up eating poorly because of it. Doing a shake for two meals helps me so much because I know I’m not going to make a bad food choice (like fast food) and I can also drink it in the car. HOWEVER, I don’t like how expensive Isagenix is. I work three jobs because I’m a musician and while I love what I do, we make next to nothing. I certainly can’t keep doing Isagenix. I can’t afford it. However, from Isagenix I have learned how to choose things that fill me up and are healthy (I’m speaking of the one meal a day here – I have a ton of veggies and usually put quinoa and black beans [I don’t really like meat very much] with it, along with a teensy bit of olive oil) So…
My question really is (after all of that) about your protein shake. My mom was a home economics teacher and so I was trained as a young girl in food safety. Therefore I’m totally freaked out by your use of eggs in the shake. It’s not cooked! Please help me understand why this is ok. I know lots of people put raw eggs in things, but I’ve always been uncomfortable with it because Mom was/is a food safety nut, therefore I am one too. I’m so anxious about it that I always order meat well done. Maybe that’s why I don’t like meat very much…
Ordering meat well done overcooks the amino acids and renders meat unhealthy. The chance of contracting salmonella from raw egg yolks that are pastured is next to impossible.
Hi dani, i put a post up asking if isagenix has conala oil in there product and do they have soya if so wherd can i find the ingredients on there products that state that. My sister has just joined with them. Me i have raw foods, think my post was deleted as i can’t find it. Not sure why that would be.
This information is in the ingredient lists I posted above.
I did the 30 day cleanse by the book and ended up in ER with server abdominal pain and server constipation. Needless to say I wont do it again.
Hi Nicole,
Do you know specifically (ingredient) what caused it? I was on the 30 day cleanse and on week three, I also started to get severe abdominal pains.
A friend of mine on Isagenix also wound up in the hospital with severe abdominal pain after her 30 day cleanse… it was diagnosed as an intestinal blockage… guess what… once released and feeling better she went right back on Isagenix… talk about brainwashing! Claims it had nothing to do with the products. My ex mother in law who is also on the products when I warned her of what happened to my friend stated “she must not be eating right on her daily meal”… it’s crazy!!!
Isagenix is a business, not a science based foundation that has any controlled animal studies or human clinical trials to back up any of their claims.
Also good to note, is there there is no warning label on my banana, however the Isagenix shake mix contains one………
Hi dani, i love what your doing and feel you are so right about everythind good going fight to the end, and you do have a lot that support you. Thank you for being there for use all. I believe totally in a good diet plan. Those who fight with you are just asleep and can’t figure it out for themselves all that isagenix do, a good diet plan dose… for those wno are not lazy. I am a very busy person to but there is time if people to have a good diet plan just stop being lazy. Good stuff dani keep going your a winner.
Thank you!
Sorry just notice typing mistakes, need to type slower on ipad and i did not check my post.
If these supplement replacements are SO GOOD for you….than WHY is it that most of these supplement replacement plans are NOT trying to help those of us who are diabetic. I have researched three of these and ALL state not to use if you are diabetic. I guess I’ll just keep walking 30 minutes each day and “trying” to eat from the Canadian Food guide.
I’m a little bitter about this. I agree, Isagenix is a terrible product. I have never taken it, nor will I, because any product that is made in a factory and has the storage life to be shipped across the country and sit in a person’s cupboard for weeks on end, must be terribly processed. Any wholesome food, such as a strawberry, dehydrated, ground, or whatever they do to turn it into a powder, seems suspect. It makes me think of Kool-aid or Ice Tea powder. My aunt sells Isagenix and tries to get everyone on board with the product as well. She thinks she’s gifted because she has helped “1000’s” of people lose weight and live a better lifestyle. My aunt considers herself to be a very knowledgeable health professional but likely has no inkling of what each ingredient is or what it does to you. She doesn’t have the nutrition courses, or the chemistry, biochemistry, or biology courses, in order to understand how the body works and what types of nutrients, and chemicals are harmful to a person. I haven’t read your credentials but you do have far more knowledge than the average person in regards to what is healthful and what is not. People don’t seem to understand that company’s are going to “find” that information they need to back up their products; there is a lot of manipulation of “facts” in order to get people to believe in the product. Also, how can any product be beneficial that forces you to starve yourself, and losing weight so rapidly….. from my understanding, 1lb a week of weight loss is best, and it’s healthful eating and exercise that get people functioning optimally.
Thanks for the great comment, Bri!
I am way late to this party but I wanted to get some feedback…. I have been doing isagenix now for 6 days, today is day one of a two day fast. I feel, well, I just feel awful. The initial 5 days with the shakes and one healthy homemade meal was fine but today, oh, today is not good. My wife wants me to give this the old college try but I am concerned. This feels like a starvation diet with suspect supplements. I may be wrong, I am NO expert. It is alarming that I cannot find any independent studies on isagenix. It is equally concerning that reading the responses to this review, there is a cult like vibe associated with this diet. I don’t want to give up coffee and beer forever and eat isagenix snack logs, isagenix nuggets and shakes the rest of my life! Not to mention it is expensive as… well, its really expensive!
Pay attention to your body and what it is telling you. That is so important. It’s not a die off reaction, it’s not normal. Feeling awful is your body’s way of telling you something.
Thank you for this post. It is unnerving that people are questioning your “professional background”. What credentials do these so called blog-blashers have? Now, I’m the first one to say that if it works for you, GREAT! If using whatever-shake-pound-reducing product has been a stepping stone in the right direction, than that too deserves applause. However, we all know there are many foods that even our beloved FDA trumpets as “healthy” even though they are chalked full of toxins. Nitrates in lunch meat comes to mind here. Nitrates that have long been (and ban from most European countries) known to cause cancer and other illnesses. Just because something has been “approved” by doctors, doesn’t necessarily mean it is safe! Phen-phen was also the wonder drug, and many many people lost weight, and now the use has been banned. This too was hailed as “safe”. Canned food is another example. It is now becoming widely known that approximately 10% of canned foods have high levels of BPA that is known cause various cancers, especially in children where many infant formulas contain high levels of BPA. These canned food were also toted as “safe”. So let’s stop with the “doctor’s research and doctor approved” jargon.
I have to question anyone’s credibility who makes an ignorant statement that wholefoods is causing obesity. Clearly, these individuals are misinformed. ANY food in excess may lead to obesity. However, health is not just about weight. There are many variables which determine good health. If one where to eat 8 cups of brown rice a day 8 bananas and 14 avocados a day, YES this could lead to weight gain. It is still important that when eating whole or raw foods that we are eating a balanced diet. Even eating too much of the same greens may have an adverse affect on the body.
One does not need to be in the medical profession to be a researcher. Anyone can research products, or look up toxins that are on labels (for those of you who are unaware of this wonderful invention called books). If your unfamiliar with them, one can also opt for the lazy man research and look up products on the internet (also a wonderful invention). Looking up ingredients and conducting research isn’t rocket science. Dani, don’t waste your breathe on these individuals trying to discredit you. Spend your time, sharing your recipes and ideas–time much better spent.
I actually wanted to try this product, but now that I’m listening to the distributors on this blog ranting, it has actually turned me off. Thank you guys for showing me that your product is being represented by individuals who truly have no knowledge of nutrition. I would have appreciated it more if you would have shown the research that has been conducted, and perhaps had shown the wonderful wonders of this product and the great health benefits your product promotes. You didn’t. All you were able to accomplish was to turn a would-be customer off. I’m glad I didn’t purchase the product now. Very sad that you are representing the product in such an unprofessional manner.
Thanks, Dani, for the information.
Thank you!
I apologize for the typos. You’re doing a GREAT job, Dani! You are an inspiration for many of us. I’m wanting to lose weight, balance my life, and trying to feel better. It’s so hard. I love eating healthy, however, I absolutely loathe food prepwork. I teach full-time, and I’m also in graduate school full-time. Prepwork is not just the only problem, but the dreaded grocery shopping–ugh! I’m so tired when I get home. I just want to pick-up the phone and call for Chinese takeout (and not the healthy options either). It’s so time consuming to eat raw or vegan.
I’m on the lookout for easy-keep salads that I can keep in the frig for a few days so I’m not having to cook every single day. Also looking for raw food salad dressing that actually tastes good. Is that an oxymoron? LOL
Question for you Dani,
You mentioned having used the banana, strawberry, etc, protein drinks before, and you also quote Mercola.
What is your opinion about Mercola’s protein shakes?
Any comments will be appreciated. You may have above but I haven’t read all the comments.
Thanks!
Mary
I actually haven’t used banana or strawberry protein shakes.
I’m happy to do a review, please provide a link to the ingredient list. thanks!
Dani,
After reading all these comments, all I can see is that people who sell Isagenix are merely brainwashed and are only able to regergetate that crap they’ve been taught at their “cult-like” conventions and information nights. Do they not realise that what they being taught may or may not be correct in the first place? Do they not realise that sometimes scientists are paid a lot of money to make knowingly faulse claims??? Also what makes them qualified to dish out nutrition advice to others on behalf of a company in the first place?
Unfortunately I struggle to focus on the product at hand, and more or less have a need to scream “conspiracy” to the sheep-like population that is our world.
It’s not about being a conspiracy theorist.. it’s just not that hard to do your OWN unbiased IN-DEPTH research. This day and age, information is in an abundance and avaiable ANYWHERE. You have no excuse in the western world to be uninformed.
So before spruking uninformed opinions, particularly those force fed into your brain aka. Isagenix, do some research for yourself and dissociate any ideals you may currently have.
Oh and don’t you think most of this drive to prove a point (that ISAGENIX is good) could stem from the money-making opportunity? Greed.
It looks like these clowns have done a hilarious parody of what Isagenix is more like: Methagenix
http://methagenix.com
Haha
I recommend SFH and Reserveage, what I used to make the protein shake in my video.
LOL. Your #1 mistake was reviewing an MLM supplement. The MLM junkies are out in force! They do this on every article that threatens the financial independence promised by their overlords. Good job stickin’ to your guns on this.
I know several people who are Isagenix reps. I stumbled across this video post while searching for Isagenix ingredients/reviews. I’ve got to say, it just makes sense to consume real, natural, unprocessed food – in a healthy manner, while steering clear of lab created manufactured products that promise miracles. Thank you immensely for highlighting the list of poor ingredients and bringing to light that, just like all the other miracle “lifestyle change” plans out there, Isagenix also has “junk” in it. Job well done on promoting healthy living and I will definitely be following your blog.
Thank you!
Finally…….someone showing some sense! It’s hard to help people with their health when they have been brainwashed to believe that these chemical laden products are the be all & end all.
I have studied for years to become a Nutritionist & yet people disbelieve my (science supported) facts & listen to those selling these products (who often have no nutritional or medical qualifications). I have had many clients come to me after having issues with these products due to the “experts’ who have sold them not even checking past medical history (eg. giving them to someone who is lactose intolerant or allergic to soy). There is no due diligence in these salespeople, they are only worried about making a quick buck.
It is also very hard to make people understand that you really only need “Real Food” to make a healthy change & not all these expensive ‘detox’ products. It’s hard being labelled as controversial when you only speak in proven facts, but I’ll continue to do so (& I’m hoping that you will too).
Awesome, keep up the good work!
Great article! We have changed our diets to (as much as possible) organic, unprocessed, chemical free foods. I am 52 and this is the best I have felt, I believe, ever! Eating this way and incorporating exercise has been a life changer for me. At my last two physicals my labs have come back wonderful. I also am in menopause and do not have to take anything. I appreciate this article, as this product was brought up during my exercise class today and I was somewhat leery of it. Thank you for advocating true healthy eating.
Good for you! That’s awesome.
Hey Dani, just finished reading your “unbiased” article which is, let’s be honest, not unbiased. It is, however, accurate. I have read the completely uninformed responses to this blog article and the begging for peer reviewed literature. While we cannot find peer-reviewed literature on Isagenix because no one would fund it, we do have a couple of studies on identical programs that use very low calorie diets with formulas that are meant to provide missing nutrients.
http://www.biomedcentral.com/content/pdf/1475-2891-11-34.pdf
In this article, use of the Optifast system which, for all intents in purposes, Isagenix is just a rehash of these same principles. In this study, they found that nutrient deficiencies were not corrected by Optifast and some deficiencies were made worse, despite the shakes containing the DRI of all essential nutrients.
http://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMoa1105816#t=articleMethods
This study is more interesting. After 10 weeks on the Optifast diet, people were followed for a year. 1 year later, their plasma leptin, ghrelin, PYY and a host of other hormones that regulate appetite were still messed up and daily energy expenditure was depressed.
The problem with programs like these is that people compare where they are in January to where they are in March/April of the same year. If you truly want to see how effective these programs are, compare yourself from December of 1 year to December of next. I don’t know about anyone else, but I don’t want to enter holiday season next year with a bigger appetite and lower metabolism.
Great points. And yes, I’m may not be unbiased – but I’m also not wrong.
It is a brave person who speaks against this cult. Thanks Dani.
Wow! This is really an ongoing conversation, isn’t it? I was recently asked to attend a “meeting” if I want to “Lose toxic weight , gain muscle, have more energy and create financial freedom”. What I wanted to do was run away very quickly. When I said I wouldn’t make it she told me it was isagenix and sent me a video.
All I needed was the ingredient list to know this didn’t fit into my clean eating lifestyle. What a bunch of crap!
Thanks for the informative article too, although the drink you made couldn’t have tasted very good. 😉
I had a chuckle at all the comments, as you are dealing with all the same types of zealots I’m dealing with after my Laminine review. You can view the article at the link below (and no, it’s not a spam site and there is nothing to buy).
Then scroll down to the comments and you will see the religious fervor.
The supplement itself doesn’t matter, but the marketing tactics used across the industry are all the same. It’s always a conspiracy to keep everyone sick, blah blah blah. Anyway, keep smiling!
Hi Dani – You clearly know your stuff! I have been involved with holistic health, body cleansing and clean diets since the last 70s. For most of my adult life, I had to travel, and look far and wide to find a “health” food store, and most family dinners and dinner parties included me bringing my own dish. I totally get it! Unfortunately, “big money” is capitalizing on Americans’ demand for “healthy” and/or gluten-free/sugar-free/fat-free/hfcs-free, etc. products by flooding the market with packaged products that are poisonous… in fact, even the packaging is often poisonous! Like yourself, I have been a regular on Mercola’s website, and have seen the power of food to both heal and destroy vibrant health.
As for Isagenix — I want to say that while you were extremely thorough in your approach, there are “x-factors” that I hope you take into account. The x-factors are based on my personal experience consuming the products….yes, as a person who has lived as Paleo and clean as one could imagine! The x-factors:
1. Millions of people on countries throughout the world have experienced profound reversals in the steady decline of their health due to the Isalean shakes. This is factual. There are, to date, no recorded cases of long-term users of the products experiencing a decline in their health. So, how can this be if the shakes contain toxic, rancid or other ingredients that are dangerous to one’s health? Here is the answer: Most people who reach for Isagenix as a system of overall health, weight loss, detoxification, etc., are people who have been addicted to simple carbohydrates, fast food, and the “typical” American diet, which as we know is way more toxic and carcinogenic than Isagenix. Most users of the product lose weight, and experience a dec rease in their CRPs, and other inflammation markers because the products are *replacing* frozen dinners, grab’n’go meals and snacks, vending machine “food,” and just about anything that can be purchased in a drive-through. While a micro- and macro-nutrient balanced, whole, organic food diet is by far a better option than any processed or fabricated meal replacement, the sad truth is that virtually every user of an Isagenix shake is incapable (for whatever reason, i.e., socioeconomic status, lack of understanding of food choices, peer pressure, lack of portability, etc.) of doing “better” than they have been — until they are told to simply consume 2 scoops of this powder twice a day. What I have seen, time and again, is constant improvement in health…and even the elimination of debilitating physical and emotional symptoms….when a person adhere’s to the Isagenix shakes, the cleanse liquid, and one meal per day of whole, preferably organic, macronutrient balanced foods. What I have seen, time and again, is that overweight people were consuming 1000s of empty calories of literally toxic food, yet were malnourished! Vitamin and mineral deficient, with leaky gut syndrome and the full gamut of dysbiosis-related syndromes and conditions.
So, again, while some of the ingredients do not hold up well to the “ideal” scenario, as your excellent research has shown. the ultimate issue is one of product demographics, and the end-result after continuous use. On each issue, I would contend that any person who is capable of affording, purchasing, preparing, cleaning, packing, and consuming a diet that is totally organic and whole-food based would never even consider Isagenix. That demographic (like yourself) would pass it by, especially because you don’t live on junk, and your cholesterol, triglycerides, CRP, TSH, and other markers of disease and inflammation are all stellar! For you, perhaps, the end-result would be less, rather than more, health and vitality. But for 90+% of the users of this product, they are experiencing a profound shift in lifestyle patterns that are decades old, while seeing their bodies change, and their list of Rx drugs diminish by the week. The x-factor is that the Isagenix purchasing population is incapable of eating a diet that is free of all the ingredients you listed above, and are “going in” to this program needing the simplest list of “do’s and don’ts” possible. Learning how to read ingredient labels and make wise-choices, for them, is not an option. And for many, having a personal coach as knowledegable as you isn’t either.
With all my knowledge, I have benefited enormously from the shakes, as my busy lifestyle does not always allow for a whole-food based, organic diet that is macronutrient balanced. As a result, I am often faced with the choice of either fasting/starving, or spending too much money for lousy food.
I suppose it all comes down to saying that, yeah, the Hyundai isn’t as good as the BMW,… but anyone who can afford a BMW wouldn’t buy a Hyundai. So, if the net result is a better, safer vehicle with a better warranty, and an emotionally happier driver, who is easier to be around, happier in her life, and thus less self-destructively addicted to comfort food, then I say “yay.”
In no way am I challenging any of the research you have done or your claims about the ingredients, etc. Your science is solid. What I am challenging is the “for whom” aspect of the article that was not considered. Is Isagenix much healthier, and a better food choice for 99% of the people who consume it? Yes, because most of them are overweight and undereducated about food. Is Isagenix better than a balanced, nutrient rich meal composed of whole foods that are free of any processed ingredients, chemicals, preservatives, additives, isolates, etc. Yes.
Thanks for your time and for reading this.
“Is Isagenix better than a balanced, nutrient rich meal composed of whole foods that are free of any processed ingredients, chemicals, preservatives, additives, isolates, etc. Yes”
Liked your post man, but I think you meant “No” typo?
Thanks for the article, Dani. I really appreciate the insight. I am always entertained by the constant back and forth. I tried Isagenix because a friend of mine has been using it and having a great deal of success. Since January, I have been trying to really get my health and weight under control. I had a real unhealthy lifestyle (eating like crap and very little exercise) and was bound and determined to get it under control. I started Isagenix in February (after a solid month of clean eating and exercising 6 days a week), and experienced a great deal of success in the first week and a half. I had more energy and my body was feeling great. However, after that first week and a half, I experienced serious hunger and harsh digestion reactions. It was really a struggle to follow the plan and all of the suggestions that my friend gave me. I felt like my body was holding onto everything I ate (or drank) – I was exhausted all of the time, dizzy, and constantly hungry.
I finally went to the doctor (primarily because I was having allergy issues) and talked to him about what I was experiencing with Isagenix. He said that since I was exercising regularly and eating better, my metabolism was really kicking back up (I had a really high metabolism in high school and activity has always helped me), and as a result, my body was burning through everything I was eating and drinking pretty rapidly. My body was not getting enough food and nutrients, and essentially, starting to go into starvation mode. He advised me to stop using Isagenix, because I would start to do damage to my body. I have since sent it back.
Now, please realize I am not criticizing Isagenix -millions of people use it and experience a ton of success – my friend being one of them. It did not work for me though. I realized that I can successfully cleanse my body and change my lifestyle by just eating right and exercising daily (as was evident in January before I started Isagenix). I would rather eat clean, take my vitamins, and exercise regularly than spend a ton of money each month on a program that really doesn’t help me in the long run.
It’s late, I’ve been up for hours reading this blog post and so many of the subsequent comments. I would like to say “Thank You” to Dani for your well written words, great presentation, and calm demeanor in the face of some pretty outlandish, and often rude comments.
I would also like to share that I’m new to Isagenix (a couple weeks) AND I agree with you on some of the product ingredients. I even wrote an email to their support about their use of Palm Kernal Oil, not because of the ingredient itself, but because there’s a lot of controversy surrounding the areas where it’s grown. I’m not here to defend Isagenix. As I mentioned earlier, I agree. I read one comment earlier in which the person eluded to ISA as a transition. I would have to say that though it’s a shame some of these ingredients appear on some of the products, I’m happy to help some people take a step in the right direction. My mother for instance, addicted to coffee and sweets, can’t stand the thought of veggies, let alone raw and just in general practices poor eating habits. Yet, she’s feeling better already with ISA. Is it perfect? I’m not saying it is. I do hope, however, that it inspires her and other family members to continue on a path toward greater health and understanding of nutrition. But then, that’s not what what your blog post was about. It wasn’t created to argue the transitions of those in poorer health. It was simply created as an en devour into questionable ingredients. I will continue using it personally even, but I do so as part or a larger plan of general healthy eating practices. Are those practices perfect? No, sadly they aren’t. Personally, I’m doing the best I can, and the feedback I’m getting from family is that they’re feeling better. Is it a perfect solution? Again, nope, but it is a stepping stone towards one in my opinion. I will still also to encourage my family and friends to eat as organic as possible.
Lastly, a word to other ISA users who feel the need to defend to product. I hear, ya. I’ve seen the testimonials and read the info and know many people have changed their lives. I hear ya, but hear me. If you’re going to dispute, debate, or otherwise comment, please at least do so in a respectful manner. No part of Dani’s original blog post was lashing at any of us personally, and frankly some of your responses are embarrassing by affiliation. Calm down and realize that knowledge is a great thing, and often times knowledge we initially disagree with can often be the most important kind.
Hi Dani!!
As a fellow Holistic Health coach, I am writing to express my support of your Isagenix review. The ignorant responses boggle my mind. Thank you for the accurate research and clear explanation. Please do not let any of the negative comments damper your spirits!! Keep up the good work and sharing the knowledge of the benefits of organic, clean eating!
-K
Thanks Kristina, I appreciate it!
I’m a little late to the party but I tried Isagenix about 5 years ago (before I became a Health Coach). I thought it was an over-priced program and pretty awful, especially the cleanse days with the little wafers (don’t know if they still do that). It’s basically over-priced Slim-fast. I’m absolutely stunned at how many “health coaches” there are out there that sell this stuff. There are a lot of good products on the market and I’m not anti-MLM but the person who sold me this stuff now markets for a company called Qivana and their shakes don’t look any better. Thanks for taking the time to write this!
Thanks so much for this. I was trying to tell my friend that there is NO way I could drink 2 shakes a day in place of my meal for the rest of my life. It’s just not practical. I have recently started taking Zijas Smart Mix with moringa oleifera. It’s been the first thing that made sense to me. Don’t stop eating real food. small amounts of lean proteins and complex carbs and the largest portion being LIVE FOODS. Real food. but adding in nutrition. I would love to hear your opinion on moringa…..not all are created equal. Dr. Plant who does the research for zija just did an article on how bad synthetic vitamins and proteins are for our bodies and how many people are capitalizing on that right now. Its so sad. Anyway, thanks again.
I was considering this product. Found the ingredient list here – too many gmos, artificial ingredients, etc. Your review confirmed what I read. I won’t be doing it. http://www.isagenix.com/~/media/product-misc/nutrition-and-supplemental-facts/anz-en-nutrition-and-supplemental-facts.pdf
Hi Dani, I absolutely love your article. You are extremely knowledgeable. I hate everything to do with GMOs and Monsanto. I avoid processed and non organic foods and only buy local organic foods. I am a health and fitness coach and I try to steer my clients towards organic products. Recently I have been asked about this product and I knew very little on it. The only thing I knew was they claimed to be “Non GMO and Organic” I now know they are not. Isn’t it a shame that we have to worry about what is in our food? I am so glad I stumbled upon your article!! Best wishes!!
Same to you!
Isagenix Nightmare,
I ordered the 9 day cleanse through a friend last week and lasted 3 days. Today would be my 2nd shake day or 4th day after the 2 Cleanse for life days.
I am 34, 6ft athletic and 225lbs for context – physical active 4 days a week. My weekend diet is the reason I am 225lbs. And the physical activity the reason I am not more.
When the box was delivered I asked myself after opening the box and reading the instructions why there weren’t weight and body type portions for Women or men or for big people or little people or for athletic people or sedentary people. 1 size fits all. That doesn’t sound right I thought.
I am compelled to speak about my experience and say I have never been more sick from a self induced decision in my life. Day 3 was complete agony. I could barely get out of bed and the list of symptoms were unlike any flu or sickness I have ever had. Nausea, Headache, dizziness, joint pain, muscle cramps, shooting pains in my legs, incredible stomach pain, fatigue, terrible chills. I have been a zombie for the last 2 days and barely on day 4 (today) at 50%. I stopped the madness last night.
My come to jesus from all of this is exactly what you are talking about Dani- quick fixes cant be good. A general lifestyle change and healthier choices are what I need.
I just want to warm anyone out there reading this that extreme caution should be taken with this product. The last 2 days have been a nightmare for me and my family as a result of this product. Honestly I have never been poisoned but this experience is how I would imagine that would feel like.
Take it for what its worth – I have nothing to gain or loose for telling my story but I needed to get this off my chest.
Tim
I am a certified holistic health coach. I do sell the products because I have done my research and have personally used them. I have coached dozens to reach their goals, in a healthy way. I believe in the products but know that they aren’t for everyone. I don’t even take offense to your opinion which is just that. I do however, take offense to your responses. I think you do not represent our profession well; in fact I am embarrassed. As you are entitled to your opinion based on what you have studied and believe, so should everyone be given the same respect. You have shown none to the pro isagenix people and tons to the people that agree with you. I do not think you are 100% correct with the information you have provided, but I am not going to try to change your mind. I wish you well and hope that you become a better “coach”. I would never want to utilize your services based on how you speak to others. It’s not very proactive nor helpful. Best!
The only thing you should be embarrassed about is that you’re a health coach manipulating people into buying an inferior product so you can profit off of them. It’s not me who doesn’t represent “our profession” well. We do two very different things. I coach people to become healthy via an unprocessed diet, whole foods and an overall healthy lifestyle; not relying on a quick fix, meal replacement product that causes people serious health issues.
I could never, in good conscience, recommend this product to someone I was coaching. My integrity would not allow that, I’d rather go broke. If you feel my information was incorrect, I invite you to discuss that with me. I too wish you well and hope that you become a better “coach.”
I too am a health coach and would NEVER use my credentials to further an MLM business. People trust us and come to us when they have no other place to turn. To drain their pocketbooks and push them to a lifestyle that does not give them any recourse but to stay on an unhealthy program or risk gaining all the weight back is unethical and cruel. You are no better than Jenny Craig or Nutri System… geared toward customers for life. Call yourself what you are… an Isagenix Rep, but please don’t confuse that with a HEALTH coach.
Preach, sister!
Wow, so much anger is these postings. I am using Isagenix for the first time. I am impressed! My husband and I are both losing weight at a healthy steady rate, we work out more because we feel better and our blood pressure is down. We have spent 54 and 70 years respectively searching for the “right way” to eat. I started with Harvey and Marilyn Diamonds Fit for life book. I liked it. Then I became the president of our local American Heart Association and followed their diet guidelines. I ballooned! Then we tried Atkins and had success but it was too hard on our bodies. After a while I felt toxic. After that it was yo-yo and out of control. The food in this country is a mess. We have always exercised, do not smoke and love to cook. We don’t own a deep-fryer and think that we have spent most of our lives searching for a way to lose weight…and eating clean (according to the 80’s 90’s 2000’s approach has left us both obese and hurting.) If you can find something that works for you. Then God Bless You. NOBODY here is a true authority. We all have our own reality. I will continue with Isagenix because it is working and I am sick of the search. There are no easy answers. And I think only people who have really and truly struggled understand. Also, my husband has metastatic prostate cancer thanks to the dioxin poison he had to drink from the streams when he was an unwilling participant in the Viet Nam war (drafted). Isagenix is making him feel good and he is already off of his high blood pressure medication. It is soothing to his upset stomach also. Again, if you haven’t really struggled….to feel good or even stay alive…you are not an authoritarian. This may mean nothing to you now, but it will someday. When you figure out you didn’t have all the answers after all. Good luck to all of you in the constant search for what should be a simple question: What should I eat?
Hi, so I found your page researching Isagenix, and must admit I do use the shakes products, I recently went to a meeting with a friend and thought I would give it a go. For about 5 years now, since I had kids, I have been a determined eater of healthy, whole foods, we hunt and fish our own meat, and purchase or swap for as much food as we can that’s organic and actually come out of someones back yard. I thought I would give Isagenix a go as for so long my body has felt like concrete, like I had absolutley no energy and felt like I was dragging myself around. Now while I have only been on this product for a wee while I must admit I do feel better, more energy and not so heavy feeling. But what I do no like about it is the cult like atmosphere that came with purchasing the product, the first day I posted a pic of a shake I made on my FB page, and within a few minutes I got a private message from the person I started from, saying that they do not like it when Isagenix is mentioned in comments as then people would do their own research and get misinformed
For me that was a big “oh hell no” and I said to her that I would encourage people to do their own research not, just take in what dribble your told by someone who is making a buck or two out of your purchase or by some who is just regurgitating the same stories they were told when they were in your position.
Then a few days later I also got another Private message that told me to copy the following paragraph and that I had to post as my status up date, it contained some crap about how “I know some one who lost so much weight blah blah blah and that they done it thanks to Isagenix etc etc”.
For me this is hugely off putting, and totally disgusting. I am not someone who just follows blindly, I did my research into in for almost a year and was very hesitant to try it, I spoke to alot of people read alot of articles, and also did as much ingredient research as possible, but the whole thing seems so filtered, that only certain things get through, as long as they approve.
I still have research to do, and have slowly started working my way through each listed ingredient, when I brought the product i must admit my eyes got stuck on glucose (ahhhh ewwwww)
I guess maybe I need to find a whole food diet that maybe benefits myself more so I can leave the product. My kids and hubby are still eating the whole foods we love and eat alot of. For some reason for myself it never gave my body the fuel it needed, where as my family thrive on it.
When ever I think of the shake powder the meme of the stevia leaf then its processed form of a white powder comes to mind, like how the heck did that happen, from beautiful whole food, to this white stuff.
Woops Fructose not Glucose.
So Dani,
Instead of using Isagenix products whether it is for weight loss or for muscle gain or energy & performance, what would you recommend to be a healthier option or diet to begin with, just say to feel more energised? I myself have gone to incredible lengths to gain more energy and still haven’t been able to find an answer. Whether its changing what foods i eat (carbs/fats) or keeping hydrated by drinking up to 1 gallon (3.785ltr) of high alkalised (9.5PH to be exact) water per day or getting more sleep. I am a pro. footballer from Australia and still being quite young, my aim and dream to play overseas has never been higher. I came across your blog as i am just about to get started on Isagenix and i wanted to add a little more research to gain a better understanding about the product because to be quite honest, i am unsure as to how all of their products will effect my body/health. I have spoken with plenty of health professionals about what foods i should be eating, when i should eat them, all the where’s and how’s and to be honest, I’m sick of wasting my time/money going around in circles not finding any results. I have also done a bit of research by myself (not a lot or else i would probably be as qualified as you are haha) and still no luck. How can i find what will work and be beneficial for me, with out “trialling” products for 30 days and “hoping” it will be right? To put it straight, i am sick of this trial and error BS and honestly would love to know something, anything that will help assist my performance playing football and feeling more energised. If there is any chance you are able to provide any websites that I can take a look at, that would be incredibly helpful not only to myself, but to everyone reading through your blog as it would give a number of different, healthier alternatives but very similar results.
P.S. These replies have been very funny to read haha
kind regards,
Stefan 🙂
I don’t necessarily recommend products, I recommend real food. No diets – just health, unprocessed foods. https://ancestral-nutrition.com/programs-2/
I can also incorporate supplements and essential oils if they would be helpful for you.
All I have to say is, I turned to Isagenix when I saw a horrendous photo of myself. It took me 3 years to do it. I am using Isagenix as a tool to move forward and get me out of a rut. It is working. My psyche is in a better place because I don’t feel like a fat cow anymore.
I understand what Dani is doing. She is reviewing the product and its ingredients and providing the readers with its information and with her review. Dani believes in attaining nutrition from whole foods, which is how we should. Dani has not said to “Not use it” she is giving us information and as adults, we are making our own decisions.
I truly believe in Isagenix because of MY results. If people ask how I did it, I tell them. It is up to them to use it or not.
Thank you Dani for the information
Yes! I’m not saying definitely don’t use it – I’m saying make an informed decision. Recognize the ingredients in the products. Do you research. I always encourage people to do their own research and make decisions that are best for them!
your article is awesome, thank you for sharing!
I think Isagenix prays on the weak and brain washes them into thinking they are doing something positive for their body by becoming thin.
People need to shift their thinking, in that it isn’t always about being thin, but being healthy.
Nothing about drinking your food can be healthy.
Come on people!
You are all smart enough to know this. Don’t make a huge corporation rich while you sacrifice your health to become thin.
Support your local farmers markets and buy fresh real food.
Hi Dani: thank you very much for being you and providing such great information. You have no idea how much I, personally, appreciated your no nonsense approach and just sticking to “facts.” I do have to say, however, that if you weren’t such a great holistic health coach and Certified Nutrition Consultant, you could be a great lawyer the way you dealt with so many and often time ridiculous replies – coming at you from all angles. I realize there were many positive and favorable replies too – I’m just impressed with how you handled yourself, especially against some of the personal attacks that were absolutely so uncalled for and showed no class whatsoever.
I’m embarrassed and somewhat ashamed to admit that I was an Isagenix Associate for 2 years. I became aware of Isagenix through a friend (at the time) that I respected in the local fitness industry. I took only the main products (“Pillars of Health”), enrolled others, and for a while made some decent money. Luckily, I met another Certified Nutrition Consultant purely by chance during a layover at an airport and when I brought up Isagenix to her, because she knew a good amount about it from some of her clients that had come to her, she filled me in on many of the same “facts” (and I mean “facts” in a real and positive way) that you have mentioned throughout your blog. Well, of course, after meeting her I was bummed because I had so wanted to believe in Isagenix, and when I got home I spent hours doing research on my own – I had even taken notes at the airport. What the woman that I had met at the airport had told me was backed up by the research I did. Truthfully, there was always a part of me that didn’t feel comfortable with the whole thing, especially the 9 day and 30 day cleanse “systems” Isagenix highly promoted. I, personally, only sold a couple of the cleanse systems and one was to a good friend and he felt like crap during the 9 day cleanse and couldn’t wait until it was over. He did lose 3 pounds but like you said so many times, just because something makes you lose weight doesn’t make it healthy.
As you note many, many times – you are not commenting on Isagenix as a MLM or as they are as a company. You are merely doing what was asked of you and that is to review Isagenix from a holistic health coach and Certified Nutrition Consultant perspective. You pointed out, using information that came from Isagenix, its crap ingredients in some of their main products and that you, personally, would not ingest any of those particular products because of the ingredients they contained – over and out!!!
I do want to say (and nowhere did you say or suggest otherwise), that I met MANY great people in Isagenix. Many were kind, caring, motivated, fun to be around, and truly wanting to live a healthy life-style. I could go on and on about how Isagenix does what it does and succeeds in the ways that it does but I don’t feel like that is right on your blog and quite frankly, would be quite an endeavor of writing – as I have given much thought to the subject having been an Isagenix Associate myself. I will say, however, in a nutshell that structure, convenience, eating better (“better”, as you clearly pointed out, doesn’t mean healthy), being told things from people representing themselves as “experts” and health professionals, seeing and reading testimonials, and feeling apart of something bigger than yourself that’s preaching health and wealth can be very powerful.
During the two years I was involved with Isagenix I did one Isalean shake a day about 5 to 7 days a week, Product B, and Ionix Supreme (mainly an antioxidant drink) – so I never was full on into a “system” – thank God! I was and am in decent to good shape (health) and still buy Product B from a friend (not the same friend that enrolled me – unfortunately she stopped being my friend when I had a sit down discussion with her and showed her all that I had found through my research) because it involves telomere support and I think the potential in that area could be great. I, personally, never felt “amazing” while taking the Isagenix products but didn’t feel bad either. Isagenix people will say I could have felt “amazing” if I took their products in the “system” they were created for but that was too expensive for something I didn’t whole-heartedly believe in anyway.
Personally, I would say to anyone that is thinking of spending $300, $400, or $500 etc… on an Isagenix “system” – take that money and hire the services of a good and reputable Certified Nutrition Consultant and learn how to eat properly and the many other healthy components a good CNC can help you with. This knowledge will be for the rest of your life and you won’t have to rely or be on “Autoship” from an MLM company when it comes to the food you eat!
Hey Jay,
My seventh grade debate teacher told me I’d make a good lawyer and I appreciate the compliment coming from you as well! I think it’s incredibly commendable that you stopped using/recommend Isagenix once you found out the truth about it. There are so many people who still recommend and sell it, fully knowing (and having read this review) that it’s not a healthy product. It takes a lot to walk away from something like that, especially when you’re making money from it.
Thank you so much for your comment and kind words. I really appreciate it. Don’t be a stranger!
I agree that Isagenix is unhealthy because it’s unhealthy to limit yourself to such a small amount of calories period. It’s also unhealthy to lose weight that quickly (weight loss is about portion control and eating healthy foods).
But anyways, you just completely lost me when you wrote “If something was developed in a lab… do not eat it.” So I suppose you don’t eat the majority of vegetables which, by this point in time, have been created through genetic modification of other vegetables, originally taking place in a lab?
I meant to say genetically engineered (I realize that saying genetic modification sounds like GMOs, which I’m not talking about)
That’s absurd. Vegetable have been naturally hybridized, which takes place in a field, not a lab. Genetic modification takes place in a lab. There’s a difference.
As I read the comments it becomes clear many of the excessively long comments from proponents are employees or partners of Isogenicx who are trying to secure their inventiments.
We all know healthy natural foods are the best for you. The magic pill of health has not been created yet.
KM
Thank you Dani,
Recently I was asked to study two new(?) so called NUTRITIONAL product companies. It Works and Isagenix’s.
Sadly, they are both just like I feared and found as did you, and many of your readers. I WANTED these companies to be great and their products viable, as these were friends who were getting involved with them that asked for my opinion. It was hard to tell them. Ugh
Lots of Bad research, worse ingredients….
I received my Fitness and Nutritionist certifications over 27 years ago. Unfortunately almost everything I learned in those classes has now proved to be WRONG!
I figured out very quickly, that I must educate myself and that I was responsible to find the best unbiased information. It is possible.
I have talked with MANY other Personal Trainers and Nutritionist whose education is recent and am glad to find out, their knowledge is more correct than mine was.
I study this everyday…Health and Wellness.
Anyone can…clear your mind, then reopen it and learn.
Thanks again,
Timothy
GMO food is NOT bad for you. There is NO scientific evidence to back it up. I’ve never tried isagenix and think it’s a huge scam, but I thought I’d comment on your GMO opinion which is so horribly wrong and just plain fear-mongering propaganda. Coming from a health coach, you should know better.
Let me guess, you’re anti-vaccines too?
Actually, there’s a significant amount of scientific evidence proving that GMOs are unsafe. You just have to be scientifically literate and not nutritionally ignorant.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20011136
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/10657055
http://www.salmone.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/seralini-2012.pdf
http://www.biosicherheit.de/pdf/aktuell/zentek_studie_2008.pdf
http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2013/04/09/argentina-gmo-crops.aspx
ZINGGGGGG haha
A very big eye opener to what these chemicals used in dietary supplements are and how they work indeed. With that being said, I do have a couple questions regarding the ingredients you’ve listed above:
1) Are there specific amounts of the bad ingredients listed anywhere for measure, and is there a certain amount that will cause the minimal side effects to what you are saying?
2) I use the products, and notice no visible side effects to what was listed; are the side effects partial to only some people or the masses?
3) Again, being an avid user of the products, are they really that bad in comparison to eating whole foods (Note** the system also endorses the consumption of 1-2 “actual” meals every day throughout the nutritional system as well as suggests other foods as healthy alternatives to snacks as well as meals)?
4) I understand your article is designed to review isagenix in comparison to your philosophy with whole foods (or at least that’s what I think you were getting at). Could you provide more information to your alternative?
A very interesting article and reading through the comments, there are a lot of isagenix users that react harshly to the facts you bring to the table. I am not expert in nutrition by any stretch of the imagination, so I take everything mentioned in the article wholeheartedly. However, a couple more things (some constructive criticism if you will):
1) Reacting the way you do in most of your response comments makes you sound condescending and arrogant. While I understand that you are extremely knowledgeable in the nutrition field, responding to comments in such a manner and basically insulting one’s intelligence of comprehension is very much uncalled for and unprofessional as the author of this article.
2) I would suggest taking a higher road and reiterating your facts in the comments and respecting (at least in the comment section) others’ opinions or correcting them without the added “you’re an idiot” phrasing, it’s just not needed.
The people on here responding in favor of isagenix need to understand where to obtain facts what can be seem as valid ways to promote their counterargument. Self-promoting their website doesn’t reinforce your argument; obtaining facts, like Dani did, does.
Thank you for the article, it was an eye-opening read and educational. I will still use Isagenix because despite what was said about some of the ingredients above, the program works just fine for me and my lifestyle. I haven’t seen any real effect on my body other than improvement and look to keep it that way until I am shown otherwise.
Thanks,
Trevor
Thanks for the feedback, Trevor. Though consider for a moment that I have moderated thousands of comments on this and the only time I’m anything less than incredibly respectful in my responses, it’s because someone left a rude comment, or even an outright offensive comment. I am working on making my responses less harsh, even to these commenters.
I did an analysis of one of their shakes (Creamy Dutch Chocolate IsaLean Shake). It contains chromium at 80% of the daily maximum dosage. So two shakes a day, and one gets 1.6 times the daily recommended dose. Day in and day out. Molybdenum dosage would be 1.2 times the daily maximum dose. Vitamin B12 would be 4 times the dosage.
I also looked at the amino acid distribution. Firstly, since the mixture is completely and totally fabricated why not get the amino acid distribution to reflect the optimal profile of the essential amino acids for humans? Secondly, when one looks at the branched chain amino acids (leucine, isoleucine, valine) it is clear that one shake provides the required daily dose. Of course, convincing people that they need to consume two shakes a day works wonders in enhancing their profit margin.
What’s with all the vitamins?
So the Isagenix system includes 2 shakes, Supreme and Cleanse for Life per day!
Let’s look first at B6:
Supreme: 6 mg (300% of recommended dose) (so they’re calculating the recommended daily dose to be 2 mg).
Cleanse for Life: 8 mg per serving
Creamy French Vanilla shake: 1.2 mg x 2
Total dose from Isagenix products alone (not including any other food consumed) = 6+8+2.4=16.4 mg or a whopping 820% of the 2 mg recommended dose (applicable for men and women 19-50).
For men and women over the age of 51: this is 1260% of the recommended daily dose.
Now let’s look at B12:
Supreme: 120 mcg (2000%)
Cleanse for Life: 15 mcg (250%)
Creamy French Vanilla shake: 1.2 mcg x 2
Total dose of B12: 127.4 mcg, which in actuality is 5300% of the recommended daily dose (2.4 mcg NOT the 6 mcg used in Isagenix calculations).
So what about niacin? Well let’s again look at the 30 day system:
Supreme: 13 mg
2 Shakes (Creamy French Vanilla): 18 mg
Natural Accelerator: 12 mg
Cleanse for Life (one per day, Isagenix recommends up to 2): 4 mg
Total: 47 mg or 336% of the recommended daily dose for women over the age of 14, and 143% of the maximum daily dose for adults.
More on vitamins….
So the person that buys the 30 day system and takes
Supreme (x1)
Cleanse for Life (x1, can take up to 2 according to Isagenix)
Creamy Dutch Choc Shake (x2)
Natural Accelerator (x1)
gets the following % RDA of vitamins (based on the RDA for adult women, source: WebMD)
B1 436%
B2 580%
Niacin (B3) 250%
B6 620%
Folic acid 235%
B12 6625%
This doesn’t include vitamins from any other food consumed. In addition, the following elements are consumed. The percentages of the RDA are from Isagenix and have not been confirmed (because masses are not given).
Chromium 180%
Copper 100%
Zinc 123%
Iodine 80%
Manganese 120%
Molybdenum 120%
Selenium 80%
Magnesium 100%
Phosphate 50%
Again, these do not include metals consumed in one’s regular diet. Not many of these are necessary metals. However, it is unclear if one needs the doses provided by the Isagenix system.
Herbalife, Isagenix… and all the rest. Those products are all terrible and marketed disingenuously, taking advantage of people’s ignorance on nutritional matters. However, this article is truly awful and just presents a different set of bad information also sourced from people profiting from people’s ignorance on nutritional matters. Mercola, specifically.
Great article (unbiased review) on Isagenix. I have tried the products myself and they are WAY overpriced for the quality of the products and to be honest didn’t notice any huge changes or results from using them.
I found this Isagenix Review video helpful as well regarding the business (which was exposed to me by a friend):
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PmPM0SXJFUo
Thanks again for the great article Dani! 🙂
Thank you! I’ll check out the YT video.
Isagenix is NOT good eats. It is full of allergens.
Ask for free samples to try before you obligate yourself to large setup costs and automatic shipments, and before you enter the MLS and start offering this product to others.
I could not, with a clean conciseness, offer or sell this product to anybody. I canceled my membership and auto-ship after spending a lot of money for something I could use and benefit.
It took me a week to recover from hives, excess mucus, stomach pain, bloating and other allergy symptoms.
I warned the people I know to pay attention to these symptoms.
Today just an hour ago my co-worker went to the urgent care after she developed severe allergic reaction to a chocolate meal replacement bar. She started coughing till she vomited, her throat got swollen to the point she could not talk, had an extreme chest tightness.
I am not advocating against isagenix or their business model. But this is not the formula for people with food sensitivities and allergies, and this is not a food to stay healthy, because apparently it isn’t healthy.
Thank you, Dani!! I think your argument is well conceived, and backed by factual information. I enjoyed it a lot.
Thanks, Keith!
I tried Isa a few months ago. All I can say is it was not for me. I found the Isa community almost cult like, with their blind faith in the products. I had problems with Isa, with in the first week or two (I didn’t last a month). Before I go any further I will mention, I have issues with some foods: brown rice, low-fat dairy, wheat and kiwi fruit. With Isa I was backed up, when I could FINALLY go, it was NASTY! With the Isa Flush my skin would come up in big red splotches and had heart palpitations. I had head aches and felt horrid. At what point should food do this? If your child ate something and they came up in big red splotches, you would probably avoid that food right? No, not on Isa, you are told by follower to stick to it. Now I’ve noticed some have questioned Dani’s nutritional qualifications, can you honestly tell me that every member of the Isa community is qualified to give nutritional advice? Reading something on the Isa website, a website that is designed to sell you the product, doesn’t make you an expert, of course they aren’t going to post anything negative about their products. Yet, advice is dolled out, yes give it to your young kids, yes you can have it while you are pregnant…it is a real food. I agree with Dani, food is grown, just like our bodies, not manufactured in a science lab (I for one am not a science experiment).
My mother is still using it, and she has had some great results. But that doesn’t mean it is healthy.
If you read this article because you are considering tryin Isagenix, I won’t tell you not to, just do your research, not just Isagenix.com, but other sites as well. And don’t go in with blinders on, sit back and look at things from afar.
Hi Dani!
Love your article.
I personally tried isagenix for over a year. It worked yes. It helped with cravings. But was so expensive and once i stopped all the weight came back. Not to mention i felt like pure crap on it. Since i started eating healthy, and as organic as I can, I feel much better. I have been using newzeland whey (DIESEL) for post workout, as well as taking supplements such as BCAA and creatine, and to be honest I feel great. Love this article as you expose the truth about isagenix.
*sigh* And just how am I supposed to afford all this ridiculously priced whole, unprocessed healthy food? I saw in the comments somebody saying their friends were too lazy to cook. It’s completely backwards when the processed crap is cheaper than what everybody says we’re “supposed to eat” to be healthy. It’s depressing. I don’t go in for the supplements either ’cause they’re also far too expensive to think about. So I guess my only option is to be fat and happy. Well. Fat, anyway.
Dani, ever heard the saying “don’t knock it until you try it” The research is backed by science wether you like it or not, and it has helped millions of overweight american’s… and it DOES support healthy and holistic eating habits. Excuse my language but you know what they say about opinions; everybody has one. I myself have spoken to nutritionists that don’t agree with eating animal products at ALL. Therefore you have to realize that your way is not the only way. Who says Isagenix cannot help overweight people? I think it’s a great platform.
One of the top sales person for Isagenix had his wife on it for 5 years and she did not lose any weight. She had a stomach operation to help her lose weight. Now at all of the Isegenixs conferences and shows they have people taking pictures and posting them on facebook on how they both lost weight from Isagenix. This is a false impression that the sales people under them get.
Dani,
After reading most of the question, comments and remarks I feel so sorry for you to have to keep telling these misguided people that they a wrong. I found your blog to see if there was a way to make the Isegenix product from scratch because it is so expensive.I’m so glad I found your site to tell me about the risks of that product. I totally believe the facts that you have given and can’t believe that other have such a problem with them. (Brainwashed I guess). I have already secured the raw milk, organic eggs and the whey protein. I still need the gelatin and fermented cod live gel.
On the video you do not say how much of the whey protein to use. And is there an alternative product that can be used for the cod live gel. It is very expensive. I am still looking for the recipe but if you could email me it I would appreciate it.
I do believe that if you did a new video that is better quality and you slow down and elaborate on the ingredients it would be more successful. May also speak on the video about what time of the day you should drink the protein shake and what other foods would be beneficial to go with the shakes. I’m new to this whole concept so the more you can elaborate other healthy eating will help me and others out.
Thank you for being out their and sharing your information and knowledge with others.
Jim Moore
It’s refreshing reading articles that are truthful and honest. From one Holistic Health Coach to another, thank you for spreading the word and educating people. I am trying to do the same thing and I always have people asking me me questions but when I give them the answer that they don’t want to hear, I get the rolling eyes and attitude and that includes family members. I don’t tell people what they want to hear, I give the facts and if they disagree, so be it. I really enjoyed your article. Keep spreading the word!
Hi Dani,
I really appreciated your reviews on the various health shake companies. I agree with eating whole foods, not worrying about calorie-counting or portioning, etc. However, in the recent past, with my career and busy lifestyle as a mom, I have resorted to slamming back meal replacement drinks such as Ensure so that I got something into me rather than literally skipping meals (unhealthy, but the reality at the time). Obviously, I’m not the only one who has to surrender their ideals, or else this industry wouldn’t be thriving. So, that being said: this article started by stating clearly that of course you don’t support meal replacement shakes! At least your central tenet was obvious. So why would I be surprised if you researched flaws with the companies? That was the intention. One question is: if it is an unbiased review, why aren’t the good things mentioned as well?
Ok, so moving on to the specific content.
a) I found it enlightening that even though I take Isagenix shakes, I never knew that nonfat dried milk is denatured. I followed your link, and one thing that stood out to me in your citation (as well as the context it was written in in the original article) does not delineate between all dried milk versus lowfat dried milk. So I took it upon myself to see if there was a difference. Apparently, there is: according to Monica Reinagel, MS, LD/N, CNS: ‘…nonfat dried milk is not going to be a significant source of oxidized cholesterol because nonfat milk contains almost no cholesterol to begin with. So, I don’t think that you need to go out of your way to avoid nonfat dry milk or products made with it. Whole milk is somewhat higher in cholesterol and powdered whole milk would therefore pose more of a concern. But perhaps the biggest concern with oxidized cholesterol is powdered eggs. Eggs, of course, contain a whole lot of cholesterol—and that means that powdered eggs are going to contain a whole lot of oxidized cholesterol. For that reason, I think it’s a good idea to avoid eating powdered eggs.”(http://www.quickanddirtytips.com/health-fitness/healthy-eating/is-powdered-milk-bad-for-you#sthash.KQHpctgM.dpuf). So yes, she does not deny what your source argued: dry milk is oxidized, which is not good, but nonfat dry milk is not a major concern. Instead, she lists other sources of oxidation that are more concerning.
2) I, too, do not agree with lots of sugar in one’s daily diet, so I wasn’t thrilled to know that fructose is metabolized by the liver, but needed to know it. However, when I followed your link, the study that Dr. Mercola was using to compare the severe effects of fructose and ethanol were with large doses (120 calories) of fructose. How would I found out how much fructose is in a shake to compare in ratio to the sample size Dr. Mercola used?
3) following your link on tricalcium phosphate, the side effects you mentioned were listed as evidenced with “severe exposures and overdoses.” Quantitatively, how much constitutes a severe exposure? How would I find this out?
4) I realize that you will never support the Isagenix company because it does not jive with your philosophy, but because the industry as a whole is not going away, I think it would be helpful to have you compare the nutritional value and concerns with each of the major companies you did reviews on. Or perhaps you could recommend someone who is willing to do a comparison if you aren’t interested? Perhaps a dangerous request! LOL
I’m sorry you had to endure such unclassy ad hominem attacks from Isagenix zealots. The truth is, you MUST have an open mind and be teachable in order to sincerely lead others, and I couldn’t, out of my own conscience, share a product with others if I didn’t do my research first.
Hi Dani,
Although I am very late coming to this post, I was very impressed with your review. I agree with everything you have written, yet I would love to ask you opinion about short term use of the Isagenix shakes. My history is that I have slow metabolism, and have tried for 20 years to lose 100 pounds. I am currently working with a personal trainer/nutritionist who follows your philosophy for the most part. Against her approval, I have started using isagenix to help get some of the weight off. I am adding in more calories than the program calls for in the form of whole eggs, coconut oil, even grass fed beef. It is working right now. The scale is finally moving. It is my intent to wean myself off of this and back to an “ancestral” type of diet slowly in two months. Do you feel that this is dangerous? I do have to say that I feel better on this program than I ever have in my life. However logic tells me that it can’t be healthy long term. I would love your opinion if you are still reading these comments. Thank you for being one of the only people to actually look at these products and give it an honest review.
Interesting read. Not unbiased, however, which is fine. How can any of us actually be unbiased? We can only use our best judgment to decide for ourselves what matter to us and we all have an opinion. I recently joined up with Isagenix after watching some very dear friends absolutely transform their bodies and lives over the last 18 months. One was in and out of the hospital, suffering from celiac and other ailments, and has found life-changing relief from Isagenix products. She has not only lost weight but has turned her health around completely. The turnaround has been amazing to see. Another has lost 150+ lbs and is able to be physically active in ways she never could be previously. Interestingly, her husband has struggled with Isagenix and following the plan.
My take on the idea of whole foods and avoiding excess fructose is actually right in line with yours. I do try to focus on whole foods for most of the meals I eat and I do not drink calories (soda) and try to minimize the sugar in my diet. Knowing that 50% of sucrose is fructose, I try to focus on the whole sugars. With Isagenix, my sugar intake overall has dropped, which is a good thing. It is a plan to aid me in achieving my goals. Could I achieve my goals with whole foods? I believe anyone could, but we have to be wise and strong. Sometimes we need a plan to help us, and that is was this is for me. I am intrigued by the energy increase I have felt, the weight loss I am starting to experience and the improved focus I have throughout my day. I don’t believe it is for everyone, but I do believe it is for some. My wife, for example, is hypoglycemic and has a dairy allergy. She struggles BIGTIME, and is trying Isagenix as an attempt to see if she can find some balance. Time will tell. Her best success has been on a ketogenic plan, so we’ll see how this goes.
In the meantime, keep up the crusade, Dani! We need greater awareness of our nutrition and we need to keep the conversation rolling forward. I appreciate your passion and what you are getting out there to the world.
Good article. I can’t stand seeing people selling this stuff all over the place along with the new thing, these wraps that magically make you lose weight. The only way to truly lose weight and be healthy is diet and exercise, not by drinking a chemical shake. You are losing weight with these things because you are starving yourself. A couple of years ago, a girl who worked at my gym started selling Isagenix. I decided to try it because I am so busy and was looking for a way to not have to cook and prep so much. Within a week, I had the worst headaches every day, I was so tired, I had no energy to workout, and I was starving. Luckily, I was able to get a full refund from Isagenix, the only plus about that company. Taking that crap made me want to eat a ton of junk food, which I never even had the urge to do before. I ended up finding a paleo meal prep and delivery place that delivered three meals a day so I didn’t have to cook, and it cost less than that chemical crap shake. I understand people think this is their goldmine and they’re preying on people that want a quick fix, but there is no quick fix. Eat right and workout and you will have much better permanent results. That’s my two cents 😉
I totally agree with you!!
I tried Isagenix and it literally put me in the hospital with low blood sugar and fainting spells. Granted, I am a decent sized guy (5’10 200 lbs) but these shakes messed with my system so badly that I would never recommend anyone doing it. I know plenty of these Isa-people who incessantly post on Facebook, and they have the audacity to claim their products are not “processed” and are “all natural.” Isagenix is space food for astronauts. Not real human food.
Wish I have read your blog before buying the Isagenix crap. I’m 155lb 5’5″ and healthy. I don’t eat junk food and cooked healthy meals. Isagenix weight watch shake did seem to control my appetite I still very hungry after each shake and the supplements that came along with it , increased my body temperature, I began to feel really hot when everyone else around me was feeling cold. I cannot not sleep at night I’m restless after taking the night pill. Now my morning breath is awful that my husband stays far away from me. My stomach cannot stop growling and I’m full of gas. So will I be returning this product. As I read in a previous comment, perhaps the chemicals will work in a system that it’s already polluted with toxins. My body is use to I eat organic fruits,vegetables and meats, this product is not for me. Perhaps it will work with someone who is used to fast food. After each sake I’m still craving for real food, and I have not lost a single pound in one week . PS. I spend $230.00 too expensive!. Rated 3/10
I personally tried Isagenix for 3 months, followed it to the dot and hated it, for myself personally I feel better on whole foods, I don’t regret trying Isagenix but it made me feel so much worse
Wow! What a ride! Reading through these comments had me laughing out loud at several points. It’s quite cringe-worthy to see people lashing out at you simply because they can’t comprehend the difference between opinion and fact, ESPECIALLY in the field of nutrition. Perhaps those people will eventually realize that an argument appears much more credible and relevant when combined with grammar, punctuation, and actual reasoning. Anyway, I just wanted to say thanks for all of the info, witty remarks, and hours of entertainment!
Right? I think people believe I’m personally attacking them with my “opinions.” No, I’m providing facts. It’s not personal!
Iasgenix!? If it were truly a revolutionary product that everyone could benefit from, then why MLM? Why have Isa Kids!? Children need to cleanse? WOW. That shows you right there what they are about…$$$. I have no stake in this game, just stumbled across the blog. I have friends on Isagenix. I dont get it? Starving themselves to be healthier? Cleansing? What happened to calories in calories out? Exercise? Site this, site that, but really ..come on pleople..it seems simple to me…eat food, real food, veggies, fruit, meat, not too much and exercise. I really hope no else asks me to meet for coffee because “they have something they want to discuss with me!” And no child should be cleaning! HOLY CRAP! LOL
Nice article…It’s refreshing reading articles that are truthful and honest. From one Holistic Health Coach to another, thank you for spreading the word and educating people.
Dani,
Thank you for your article. I found it very informative and full of useful and unbiased information. I am 47 and tried Isagenix for the first time last year. I will say that I did see great results as I lost 28 pounds and 20 inches overall of off my frame on their 30 day system. I have used the Isagenix shakes off and on since then as a meal replacement and have no adverse affects. I came across your blog and after reading it carefully I wanted to say thank you for the great information. I was truly unaware of just what exactly I was putting in my body and, while I did see results I do not think they are worth the potential risks to my health any longer. Thank you for helping me and so many others stay informed.
Patrick
I used the shakes twice a day for 6 days and developed headaches almost immediately. I didn’t relate them to the product until I talked to others who also had recently started and had headaches. the headaches were irritating, but not bad enough to treat with acetaminophen and ibuprofen. I then happened to take my blood pressure which was through the roof. That made me very concerned. The headaches went away and my blood pressure was down to normal when I went for my annual physical today.
When I attempted to post my concerns in a Isagenix facebook group, they refused to post it. Instead, I was called by a “coach” who told me how I could reach the Isagenix doctor. Complaints are handled through the back door without anyone knowing about them. Only the glamour and weight loss is advertised.
The marketing group for this company has made it almost impossible to see anything derogatory about this company.
Thanks for this site and somewhere were I could vent my frustration! I have to admit that I am embarrassed to admit that I got sucked into this ploy.
Hi Dani,
I came across your site because I wanted to read your reviews on Shakeology and Isagenix. I have a very good friend and a family member who use both, respectively and SWEAR by them and I am very concerned about what they really DONT KNOW about the products they’re consuming! And they are VERY intelligent individuals and super health conscious! If you’re supplements can’t help reverse your health issue…no matter what it is, i.e.: all auto-immune diseases, actually diseases of ANY kind, even cancer, then I’m not interested. I had Lupus for 5 years….I no longer have it because of what I’m doing and how I’ve changed WHAT I’m eating……especially GLUTEN….and the supplements I’m taking. I reversed my Lupus in less than 90 days and people don’t understand that you CAN reverse any health issue with REAL nutrition AND REAL supplementation.
I don’t use either or ANY of the products you’ve done reviews on. I’m with you, TOTALLY, about eating WHOLE, REAL food FROM THE EARTH! I cannot stress that part enough – FROM THE EARTH! That is what our bodies were made to absorb. Limiting good fats, limiting cholesterol (which our brain absolutely needs because it’s made of 100% cholesterol), not eating the WHOLE EGG, drinking skim milk or even “organic” milk….it’s STILL pasteurized, ultra-pasteurized and homogenized, which equals NOT REAL or ORGANIC, can def be detrimental. If it’s not “raw” or “whole” or not tampered with, then it’s NOT REAL, right?
I give you props girl lol….you definitely hold your ground and back up your research with A LOT of these comments – MY GOODNESS!
And by the way….just for the record…..I COMPLETELY understood what you meant about that whole Beachbody/Shakeology event that you had to go over a thousand times! People read what they want to read.
Keep up the good work and fighting the good fight! Stay healthy! And thank you 🙂
I totally agree on all these shakes and pills being total crap. I always make my own smoothies with real whole foods. Personally I’d never put raw eggs in them. I eat local organic eggs as well, but I always fully cook them.
I’m not too sure what happens to people when they become Isagenix Reps. It’s almost like a cult. Their sales reps become zealots. As soon as someone even says the word “Isagenix”, I run the other way. As just one example of my many experiences with people who are associated with this company……..I’ve recently had to dissociate with a very dear life-long friend because after she became an Isagenix Rep, she became unable to have a conversation about any life topic without using that topic to illustrate how an Isagenix product could be used to resolve all issues. I was invited to a “spring into wellness” education evening where educated experts in the field of health and wellness would be presenting. It turned out to be an Isagenix Pep Rally. VERY offensive. Any company that teaches those kinds of tactics to their sales reps, rather than providing transparent, factual information about their products, is not to be trusted.
That is a huge bummer.
I had a friend who sells Isagenix recommend this product and I was skeptical. Even more so after reading the label. Can you recommend a Whey protein powder that isn’t full of junk? I have gastroparesis and need to gain weight. Thank you for your honest article!
Naked Whey
Commending you on writing frankly about a product which has “sacred cow” status with so many who want any way to be healthy that allows them to avoid work and learning about real food. I have a friend who uses this (she hates to cook and wants to know nothing about the subject). I had to go through several google search screens to find an article that wasn’t either directly selling or touting the sale of the product. It’s brave of you are because people who are having their pet delusions questioned are not generally likely to respond with sane remarks. I learned the hard way that health doesn’t come off a factory manufacturing line.
I’ve been reading with interest your article and the comments. I would have to agree with you in general. I have always been suspicious of many of the ingredients of some of these so called health companies. However society does have a need for an easy to prepare and consume product . We cant all stock up our fridges with all the needed ingredients nor always find the time to make home produced snacks and shakes. I saw a mention by one of the comments regarding Unicity.
I researched this company and its products and felt this to be somewhat different . They claim everything is from organic natural sources. I got involved with the company for this reason which seems to have very ethical practices and I believe is a fully Philanthropic project that changes people lives and can allow people to come of pharmaceutical medications. I have seen with my own eyes some of the positive effects some products offer. But I perhaps have not studied or had a passion in the subject as long as yourself and hence would love your view on this particular company. It may be slightly different from the others mentioned as the focus is on health as an alternative to Pharmaceuticals not snack bars and shakes although there is a wide overlap.
Question remains though. Have you tried it??
Lots of love hope you are well!!
Great article!!! Thanks!
What is the brand name of the Whey product you use? Thanks. Your video was very helpful, I appreciate it, thank you.
I currently use Naked Whey.
I really enjoyed reading this article. I have been on isagenix now for nearly 2 months and let me tell you I was so excited to try this as I saw some amazing testimonials. The first two weeks were absolute hell, I was hungry ALL THE TIME! I was tired, had bad headaches, hardly slept and the list goes on. My first “cleanse” day I nearly fainted as sometimes my blood pressure drops dramatically if I don’t eat and I didn’t know how I would drive home. Its great for people who want a kick start in something however once I read all the ingredients in all the products I am kicking myself for falling for it. Theres so many horrible ingredients in these products. there is no magical cure as they claim helps with weight loss and energy, I actually have less energy. I lost 5 kilos the first 2 weeks, went away on a short weekend break and put it all back on straight away just by not having the shakes. I would recommend people really do your research, it is not cheap. I spend over 900 on this program for 2 MONTHS and I am really upset at myself for not reading more about it before signing up. they also make you sign up for auto ship so you get “discounted products” which is a load of cr**. I will not be continuing on this program.
Hi! Very interesting blog post and comments section. I was given Isagenix by my sister and am currently on Day 4 of a 2 week “cleanse”. Prior to her giving it to me, I told her that I was wary of the product because I could not find any research supporting Isagenix that was not influenced or purchased by the company itself. That’s odd, especially for such a large company with so many supporters and testimonies. Despite my hesitation, I agreed to try it. I am obese and have been having trouble with sleep apnea, shortness of breath, and heart palpitations. My typical weekly diet included regular doses of fast food, pizza and at least 2 liters of fit soda per day. Frankly, I believe that Isagenix DOES contain things that are unhealthy. However, it is likely that they are less unhealthy than the disgusting things I was already consuming everyday. My plan is not to use Isagenix for life. I can see why people do, though. It’s a matter of convenience (and for some, a matter of pride). I am using this period to move from being completely unhealthy to embracing real foods again. There’s something about two shakes a day and a 48 hour no-solid-food period that just makes you appreciate something simple and natural like a sweet potato. (Please please please don’t tell me sweet potatoes are bad for me. I just fell in love with them.) I fully intend to return to a life of real food, which I believe does have everything we need to be healthy and thrive. I just needed a way to “reset”, to start the change I know my life needs.
Thank you for posting this. I lost weight on the Isagenix system, however, I gained a fatty liver in return!!! (and no, I am not an alcoholic, which is usually why people get a fatty liver). I’m post pregnancy and not easily losing my baby weight so I contemplated returning to Isagenix for that quick fix…THANK YOU for reminding me that it’s just a bad idea all across the board!
I’ll just stick to my real food plan and get more active. It’s the only way to do it with your health and longevity in mind.
Anyone who openly promotes this garbage as a cure for type 2 diabetes should be named and shamed. A seller has sold this crap to my partner and told him to follow it to the letter and his diabetes will be gone in no time. Seriously? My response is if that was actually the case why dont the respective diabetes associations and the medical profession put their clients and patients on this crap? I guess the answer is that they know the detrimental effects this stuff can have on the body and they have most latest peer reviewed research at their disposal which states the most effective treatments and lifestyle choices. This crap is not part of it. Well done on speaking out !
People need to stop depending on a powder mix made in a lab for the solution. Skip the industry and return to REAL FOOD.
Every human body is made differently. Being thin is not a testament of a truly healthy body.
If you are dependent on something that is made in a lab/factory to keep you “healthy” then you are feeding your body toxins.
Change your diet. Remove Sugar. Focus on healthy eating and watch your body change naturally.
A few things based on my *personal experience*, ideas, and goals:
1. As far as I can tell (with my own eyes that still work) the ingredients talked about in this article are there and haven’t changed. I have a few of the products and have studied them as well.
2. Some people hate the taste, I like them.
3. After the first week I began to realize that an average person cannot keep the diet (lifestyle) up forever for a number of reasons. At this point, I’ve begun to do more research in solid food maintenance lifestyles (I’ve also tried a number of them prior to Isagenix and know some things that seem to work within reason).
4. I’ve lost 15 pounds so far, but after next month, I’ll be easing up on the Isagenix, and easing into healthy eating.
5. Shakes diets cause cravings for people who just enjoy solid foods. I’m not exception. The reason is because conditioning to a positive stimulus is pretty common to most people. Boring, comparatively tasteless diet shakes aren’t going to replace what the brains knows as the delicious sensory pleasing crunches, flavors, textures, smells, sights and sounds that come from eating solids. Food is art.
6. Isagenix encourages solid food snacking to over come this. It works… sometimes. For everything else, you’re to drink so much water that it takes the cravings away. This isn’t so bad, you’re supposed to be drinking a lot of water. It’s still tasteless though.
7. I experience hunger. Not appetite, but hunger. My stomach growls furiously between meals and suggested snacks and snack rates. I’ve had enough experience in the last 20 years of learning to know that hunger is your stomachs way of telling your brain that it needs energy. I don’t think starving yourself daily is healthy. And, by the way, when I say “suggested snacks” I mean snacks and snack rate recommendations directly from their website.
8. The product is unsustainable because of its cost. I know, I know, “you will save more than you spend in the long run because of what you don’t buy at the store.” Not true for me, and many others, who’ve learned to eat within a budget of less than 300 dollars a month per person. I spend 400 dollars a month on 5!!, that’s right, 5 people. Generally speaking, my family is healthy. All our tests, etc., come back scott free of problems. So, basically what I’m getting at is that I spend about 80 bucks per person per month. Now, I’m spending 300 (305.76 to be exact) a month on me, and 80 dollars for everyone else. That’s $620 a month! Many might be able to sustain that, but I’m poor! I can’t afford it. (And yes, I literally qualify in the poor range of yearly income.)
9. What’s my point?
– I’ll be doing this product for another month.
-It has helped me gain control of eating, and portion size.
-I’ve lost weight, as anyone should even with a metabolic rate of near 0, due to the nature of the program and the severe Caloric restriction.
-It is not financially sustainable.
-It may help with portion control, but it doesn’t help a person to learn to eat healthier.
-For me, it’s a great stepping stone. Maybe it is for you, maybe not.
-I experience regular cravings and hunger pangs, even between snacking. The cravings aren’t a problem anymore, but the hunger is.
-The nature of the program is such that if you quit the program you’ll gain the weight back, *UNLESS* you educate yourself otherwise and begin healthy habits before you get back into the old habits.
Here’s an account that might allow for the passage of some wisdom. I have a friend who has gone low carb. Uh oh, low carb?! OH NO! Oh yes. You might be surprised to find out what’s happened.
He’s gone low carb, by cutting out refined fructose and other sugars. He’s lost 60 pounds, and has kept it off. He eats carbs. It is just that they are natural carbs from fruits and vegetables. He doesn’t experience cravings. He gets plenty of fiber, and he can eat anything that doesn’t have a ton of sugar added to it. He doesn’t eat much bread. He allows himself to have a little piece of cake on a birthday, etc. He’s healthy, happy, energetic. He educated himself. This is just an example. What works for one, might not work for you.
My conclusion: Isagenix does work for many people. It’s worked for me so far, but from the diet alone, I’ve learned nothing (other than memorizing their schedule for eating) about healthy eating/living outside of shakes. Some people can sustain this as a lifestyle, but most can’t. Once you stop using it, you’ll gain the weight back unless you become educated and get into new healthy habits. This last fact, is of key importance!
I’m currently an associate for Isagenix. Could I sell you this product in my right mind? Under these conditions only:
1. You educate yourself on the product and its ingredients before going into it.
2. You realize it isn’t going to be a forever thing. It’s likely short term, rarely long term, but not forever.
3. You educate yourselves to prepare for the post Isagenix goals of weightloss and/or maintenance.
4. If you don’t like, or find that you otherwise can’t use the products, DO NOT FEEL obligated to keep going, either from peer pressure, or anything else!
5. You realize that Isagenix, no matter how it’s promoted, isn’t a magic weightloss bullet.
6. You realize that as with ALL diets (even those promoted as lifestyle changes) there will be challenges such as, cravings, periods of plateau (stay the same weight for a while as an example), and times when you just want to give up. Do what you can to prepare yourself to work through those.
7. Finally, You know your goal well, (IE, to become a bodybuilder, just to lose weight, general health). You aren’t going to become an IFBB bodybuilding pro from using Isagenix. It doesn’t have what you need to sustain that lifestyle. Want your pro card? This isn’t for you. Want help with a pesky 10 pounds, this might be for you. Want to lose 100 lbs? Isagenix can help. Yes.. help (refer to #4). Want help with changing eating habits, this could work for you.. if you educate yourself in the process. All this is going to do, is help you wipe the slate clean to begin new healthier habits. I can help you, but you have to first, be willing to help yourself, including learning.
If, you unable to fit within, unwilling to do your part, or disagree with any of the above, I couldn’t, in my right mind, sell it to you. I simply wouldn’t because I don’t think it’d work.
Well, I hope I contributed to this article in some way. I’d like to say I’m unbiased, but as I stated, I’m an associate currently. People wouldn’t believe I was unbiased if I did say it. What I’m hoping is that by stating some of the facts that I’ve noted personally, good and bad, for and against, people can make more educated personal choices for themselves. And no, I don’t want your business. My email address given for this post isn’t the one linked to my associates account. I’ll do business locally if I decide to pursue it. Best wishes to ANYONE who seeks to improve their own life!
I was recently sent this article/blog/discussion by a patient. I get hundreds of “Dr. Google” articles sent to me to evaluate and frankly, I evaluate products and supplement/diet systems for a living from a physician’s and nutrition and medicine perspective. Old companies (GNC, Vitamin Shoppe/ Hebalife/Shaklee/4Life/Usana/Nuskin, etc) and new companies/products (IDLife/SilverWolf, etc) and all the “new and improved products” each produce. They all have commonalities: Most products are not new, just recombined and renamed. No one can distinguish the sourcing of ingredients just by reading the label, and it is very difficult for the consumer, let alone the self described online blogger experts to distinguish and evaluate the science and science officers of each company and product.
I would like to point out here in this blog and comment thread: How many people commenting here are actual and active scientists, clinical practitioners, updated active nutritionists? Did you know just because it is natural does not mean it is good for you (sexually transmitted diseases are natural), and on the other side just because it is “manufactured” does not mean it is bad for you. I am in no way comprehensive in these quick comments. Please do not ask me what I recommend in these comments. I am biased because I am picky and I am science based as a practicing clinical nutrition and medicine expert. And those are the sources where you want to get information from on these subjects. There are a great deal of comments on this blog, most distracting and many dangerous in their information.
Again, PLEASE do not ask me what I recommend simply out of respect for this blog site. There are up coming UNBIASED webinars this month discussing the subject of metabolism, weight management, general supplement evaluation and use. With permission of the primary blogger on this site I can publish the links.
My point is: Please, know your source of information before you act.
I too am curious about the ingredients. 2/3 of the way through my Isagenix cleanse my heart began racing and I felt as if I’d consumed several espressos. Later that afternoon I felt dizzy and a little high. Plus I was absolutely starving. It was so not worth it for me!
In NZ the mens multivitamins (Essentials for Men) “Borax” is listed on the ingredients list. Borax is a banned food additive in the US.
If you compare the product ingredients with the US version you will see the US version doesn’t contain Borax.
If Isagenix have such a great formula for their “healthy” products why are they changing the formula in different regions? Why are they using a banned US food additive in a NZ product? Why the Borax when they have a formula without it?
NZ: http://www.isagenix.com/~/media/product/essentials-for-men-and-women/essentials-fact-panels/au-en-fact-panel-essentials-for-men.pdf
US: http://www.isagenix.com/~/media/product/essentials-for-men-and-women/essentials-fact-panels/us-en-fact-panel-essentials-for-men.pdf
I find this article interesting and the arguments even more interesting. Isagenix, like many other similar systems teaches portion control and an introduction to healthy food choices. The key term being “choices”. The outrageous price to do this program keeps people accountable. I have a close friend who tried this and stopped because she created free time in her life to have her own garden. She buys local- in season fruit, and pays attention to her portions and food choices. That’s all any lifestyle change and diet is. It’s a choice. Everything you need is truly available to everyone. It’s up to someone to make the choice to research what they need. I have food allergies and a disease in which certain foods make my symptoms worse. Guess what- healthy eating, food choices, my overall lifestyle, and exercise makes all my symptoms fade, I have more energy, and m body has what it needs and I’m really fit. Shakes and bars- unless they are raw- can’t be as healthy as raw food. Period. Thank you for posting this article. Thank you for challenging those that are too guilty for spending too much money on this to admit it isn’t this that can change their life, they can take responsibility for themselves and see the same results! I live in Maui and I can guarantee the 40-50 year olds with chiseled bodies don’t use any of these programs. They eat raw, healthy, realistic portions, and exercise. They are happy. They make time for their happiness.
So you certainly made me do more digging into the ingredients lists. I must ask, what are your thoughts on the Greens and Fruits products, as well as Ionix Supreme?
Also, have you looked into the Product B? I have looked into the telomere research independent of Isagenix, and looks really interesting, but its not a widely circulated bit of research or anything.
Would just be interested to get your thoughts on these….Cheers!
I have not looked into those products.
My daughters have tried to get me to take this stuff. My husband is pre-diabetic and needs to lose weight. People in his family are predisposed to carry fat on their stomachs, men and women. I have studied nutrition for 30 years, and practiced it in my life. When they presented me with this, I thought it was just a trial. They said I could return it in 30 days. I was not told that it would “auto ship”. I tried one of the IsaDelights that we were “gifted” with and I found it to be intensely sweet. When I looked at the ingredients (mind you, this is to be taken on “cleanse” days, imagine my surprise to find the number one ingredient was sugar. When I looked at the list of “vitamins” on the cans, I saw folic acid, which is a synthetic that is detrimental to the body instead of folate. All these things were glossed over. That much sugar in just one “snack” (two were recommended) was way too big a hit of sugar for someone fighting elevated blood sugars. Why couldn’t they have used Stevia? Stevia doesn’t raise glucose levels and is about 0 carbs/calories. Fructose is cheaper. Soy is cheaper. These guys are scientists, but not necessarily nutritionists. This may take the weight off, or it might not. I think it depends on how motivated the person is. If you are going spend a fortune on this product, and to help pay for it you become a seller; (Kind of like vampirism, you get infected and pass it on), you want to be able to show the next guy that it works. So you work harder to lose the weight. So making money becomes the motivation. Best motivation in the world, but I am leery of MLM’s and their pyramids, which cause people to force their loved ones to buy something that is inferior to what they are already doing. Just because these people claim to be scientists doesn’t impress me. I can claim to be a scientist too. I can claim to be a Martian if I want to. Maybe people will believe me, maybe they won’t. I do not know any truly reputable people who have researched this thoroughly, who would give it a thumbs up. As a last resort, maybe, but it’s full of synthetics and GMOs. That is my opinion. We’ve tried it and it’s probably too late to get our money back.
We will stick with our present regimen of almond milk, chia seed fresh organic fruit and stevia. I would use honey, but it has a higher glucose rating.
Not everyone has fresh raw milk at their fingertips and some of the other ingredients, like grass fed meat. But you can get a lot of protein from organic produce. The big thing about Isagenix is the amino acids. Amino acids are protein. But you can lose weight with organic bone broth too. There are a hundred ways to lose weight without eating synthetic concoctions.
Thanks Dani, for presenting the other side. You can find pages and pages about this company and hardly any detractors. They have been pushed to the bottom of the list. I’m glad I found yours.
Your husband sounds like mu husband! When we met he was prediabetic and had a horrible diet. He was thin from running so much, but he is also predisposed to carrying belly fat.
Food is so powerful and I’m so thankful you had the good sense to do some more digging instead of just accepting that this was a wonderful, healthy product.
Also – you can check out realmilk.com for raw milk, grass-fed beef, farms in your area. That’s how I found my buying club, where I purchase affordable local meat that are sustainably and ethically grown.
So should we also only take medicine that is natural from the earth as well? Should we leave it up to our bodies to cure itself without the aid of doctors? I am not understanding this post at all. Science with foods and nutrition is awesome. Our foods are tainted with all kinds of pesticides and poisons. Their are pollutants in the air that your breathing in daily. So you need products to help you get rid of the toxins in your body. The other option would be to just stop breathing as this post would suggest. This is just another nonsense post without any real facts to back it up. It’s all opinion and to my knowledge, people these days are too opinionated. You want to advise people, then spend the years needed and get well informed before you speak on such matters. Thanks for the comments, but no thanks!
“I am not understanding this post at all.” CLEARLY.
You may also want to look up the definition of facts, which is only what I’ve provided.
I love this review. EVERYTHING is true. Funny how brainwashed are people to believe the LIES of these crap companies who make people think that in order to detox you need x,y,z magic drink. Anyone who is not getting enough nutritional needs eating traditionally is because they are doing something wrong or they have medical issues metabolizing the food..
The company does not even have the GMO free or USDA certifications either, meaning as a consumer I would have to trust their word. Really? And as explained above, certified organic does not make it healthier by any means. Whole Food Markets sales organic canola oil which alone is an oxymoron of a word just like their “responsibly farmed salmon” which is fed with grains pellets (including GMO corn and soy). Funny how the wording make people all feel better. By I digress….I am very happy someone took the time to debunk another company that aims to people wallets and could care less about their health.
I am really glad that I found your website. I was sold this product by a “friend…”
I’ve had a lot of spinal surgeries which has rendered me “unemployable.” I survive thanks to income insurance.
My diet is horrible. I rarely eat breakfast, rarely eat lunch & sometimes have dinner. I don’t snack in between times. My exercise is minimal, but, I haven’t piled on any weight. Only time that I did increase weight was when I was chasing sugar hits. Stopped that now. I live on my own (I am 49) and support myself. I am 187cm & 109kg – ideal weight for my frame is 95-100kg, so, a bit to go with weight loss….
It was “sold” to me because my friend knows about my health issues – “Isagenix will help you recover from spinal surgery & provide you with the nutrients that you aren’t getting because you have no appetite.” I know for a fact that he has had no medical or nutritional education. He attended Isagenix University….
After reading through your comments and the various comments by “experts” I am glad to be returning this nonsense. Just like the $70 cactus juice being flogged by other MLM companies that was around a few years ago too. Probably have to wait months for the “guaranteed refund” though…..
If this stuff was so fantastic, why aren’t they setting up shops, like the Juice Lady did?
I’ll take my chances eating organic foods from local markets (when I feel like it) and the old dude up the road who grows tomatoes that are bigger (and juicer than ever) than my head…
When companies start making claims about “companies interfering in foods” then its time these “food” companies are licensed, just like the take-away hamburger joint is.
You lost me with your assertion that GMO’s have been proven harmful to human health. In fact new studies are showing the opposite, that there is no provable link between the two. I will not being buying Isa products, so thanks for that, but your reply to a scientist who stated this fact about new GMO research was to dismiss him with your own opinion, which makes this a very biased blog.
PS $400.00 per month is completely insane for these products, I was shocked when the price was revealed to me.
Your “unbiased” opinion is chock full of ads. What a great idea. I will talk smack about something that has changed many lives in positive ways and fan the flames with your own lack of knowledge and guess what…MORE people will flock to your website and accidentally click on your multiple ads MAKING YOU MONEY. If you were unbiased you would NOT be trolling with ads. If you really cared about people you would drop the ads. People can see right through you.
Your “unbiased” opinion is chock full of ads. What a great idea. I will talk smack about something that has changed many lives in positive ways and fan the flames with your own lack of knowledge and guess what…MORE people will flock to your website and accidentally click on your multiple ads MAKING YOU MONEY. If you were unbiased you would NOT be trolling with ads. If you really cared about people you would drop the ads. People can see right through you.
LOL @ “unbiased”
Regardless of article content, when someone attempts to discredit one company in order to sell their own products or services, that’s anything but unbiased.
Wow, I can’t believe the long life of this thread… congrats, Dani, and thank you for your very informative post! I have a couple of friends who have been raving about Isagenix on FB and I was curious to find out more, which is how I stumbled on your blog post. I have no intention of using Isagenix and from what I’ve read so far, I don’t think it’s a healthy option, but I just wondered if you could explain something: Is it correct that if you’re doing everything right with your diet & exercise regime, you should have loads of energy and just feel great in general? Or is there a scenario where you could be ingesting unhealthy ingredients and still feel fantastic? So many people (including people who I consider intelligent & trustworthy who have been on Isagenix for 2-3 years) insist that they’ve never felt better & have so much energy, they don’t know what to do with it. I can’t get my head around this. I totally believe the facts you’ve presented here, but at the same time, why do these people on Isagenix feel so great? Are the Isagenix products loaded with caffeine? What is it about these products that make people feel so great, to the point that they say it’s changed their lives? I thought the general rule was that if you filled your body with rubbish, your body would tell you by not feeling so great. But it seems that some people who have been on this for years are still swearing by it. Even a friend of mine who has never been severely overweight (just wanted to lose those last 10 lbs) and always exercised & ate organic whole foods, etc, says it’s transformed the way she feels as well as significantly increased her energy levels. I just don’t get it. I don’t know what to believe anymore & would be grateful for some insight from you Dani. Thanks in advance! 🙂
LOVE, LOVE, LOVE this post! You articulated exactly how I feel about the entire Isagenix cult. I have some friends that are into it and they keep pushing. It really makes me sad that so many people believe that “food-like products” created in a lab can be healthier than real, whole, organic non-GMO foods prepared in your own kitchen. Just truly sad…
Thank you for speaking some truth and spreading some knowledge! Keep it up!!
My wife started using Isagenix about 5 months ago & not long after I noticed massive mood swings, she has lost quite a bit of weight & looks great but she now seems obsessed with losing much more weight. The mood swings & her self obsessiveness have finally taken their toll & she has now decided that she has lost the love in our relationship & has decided to leave. She knows she has changed mentally but she doesn’t believe it is from using Isagenix. I asked her to stop taking Isagenix to see if her mental state changed but she seems drawn to it like a drug & has no intention of stopping.
So thankyou Isagenix you cost me my marriage.
Dani, Thank you for performing the due diligence in researching Isagenix. I was unaware of its existence before tonight when an acquaintance hit me up and invited me to the FB group. I began first by reading the ingredients of the Isagenix shakes, and then worked from there. My shakes typically consist of only a few ingerdients: Almond milk, kale, spinach or other leafy greens, dates, a few berries, sometimes I’ll add add a dash of maca powder, Hemp hearts and occasionally Chia seeds. So I’m naturally on my guard with any food source that contains so many ingredients that are synthetic.
I know there are heaps of individuals that have had amazing results using this product, and my purpose with my comment is not to cheapen those results and testimony. I found this while on my personal journey to understand the facts based on my definition of healthy eating.
So thank you Dani for this article. It confirmed my research and I will not be ingesting it.
You’re very welcome!
Is the ingredient list in your article up-to-date and accurate ?
I can not process sugars or starches at all. They make me very sick. Despite me trying to explain this to people selling this, I have continued to get flooded with people trying to tell me it will help me . I can’t have maltodextrin, brown rice syrup, agave sugar, beet sugar,canola oil, flour,and many other ingredients in the products. This company and other companies have people who are uneducated about the damage these ingredients can do over time or in a short time for people with serious health conditions. I have been reassured over and over that they have heard of people with the same condition being in a wheel chair and now they can walk. If I point out ingredients I literally can not have, they try to direct me towards other products they offer . They don’t care about me. They care about sales.
I will not become hostage to a company, any company. If I have to pay for supplements, shakes, wafers, etc., I am not learning how to eat properly – someone else is doing my thinking for me. No doubt I can lose weight with Isagenix, Jenny Craig, Nutrisystem (“Lose up to 10 lbs. in the first month or your money back” which means if you’ve only lost one pound, they’ve still met their obligation). Give me the Mediterranean Diet any day.
I’ve had about 10 of my friends use Isagenix. Admittedly, it didn’t work for everyone. Maybe 6 or 7 out of the 10 got results they were satisfied with. I was already pretty skinny so wasn’t using it for weight loss as such, but I did ‘feel’ healthier, and I did notice improvements in my energy levels. It’s not for everyone, but overall I would think most people would be happy.
Thanks for the honest review. Before for this I was on a website that was knocking Isagenix only to discover that the closing paragraph was a plug for a competitor, Leptigen with a link to their products (the “review” was written by a Leptigen strategist). Either way I wasn’t interested in either product at that point. It seems hard to argue with the logic that you should simply just eat real, unprocessed foods, but all the comments say otherwise.
Hi Dani
I posted before yesterday but am unsure if that post went through as I forgot to turn off some scripts off on my box. I’m aware that I’m responding to a 2013 thread but I did pick up quite a lot of useful critical information and feedback on updated food nutrition facts here which will be VERY useful in the nearby future for my food business.
I went through the entire thread up to 2016. Woh… I admire your knowledge, passion, integrity, honest, strength, commitment and courage especially when you received a daily barrage of hate mails for your reviews on Isagenix during that certain period. I love your spirit and determination. Yes, I do agree that some individuals have used you to drive more traffic to their sites but it may not necessary worked in their favor.
I never knew that there were such a product as powdered olive oil. Whose going to come up with powdered mineral water next…? Haha. I thank you for your work and sincerely hope that you will continue to provide critical food nutrition information and facts! (Yes!) to the public and readers. You are a beacon of light in a world of greys. Salute!
Thank you! I so appreciate the kind comment!
OK Dani,
Here we go I do not buy into all of Isagenix that being said I can tell you I have researched their shakes and here are the things I like
1) hi fiber reduces insulin spikes. ( Fructose has so many opinions on it you have to sort through the bs and understand the difference between fructose and fructose) Many confuse HFCS with fructose. Fructose is simple fruit based sugar if that is bad for you then so are grapes apples and so on. Also the Fiber helps reduce the insulin spikes which you are basically claiming Isagenix is main lining Fructose straight into your system. If you understand anything about osmotic process in the body you would null and void your argument on Fructose
2) The protein is really second to none I have witnessed what it has done for me and many athletes as far as gaining lean mass.
3) There is no soy in their shake period end of story
4) There is no gluten in their shake period end of story
5) MCT not many have this and should ( The good fat)
6) I personally do not endorse Isagenix have looked for better or equal too product and they do not exist.
If you like sucralose, aspertame then use the other stuff, yes many mrp shakes have lower calories less carbs but the net carbs are not that much different.
Now to tick of Isagenix pushers. Great product terrible structure they talk about helping people but they teach those who want to build their business to sign them up and if they are product users let them fend for themselves. That is a shame. I use the shakes daily Ionix most of the time and cleanse oz most of the time. I am not impressed with their vitamins and prod b at all I used and not used them can see no benefit from their use.NONE !!!! The one thing they have right are their shakes and more important to me is the ISAPRO shake. I use it daily and can tell a huge difference when I don’t. Btw I do crossfit I know when my body is lacking something. I have tried eating lean meats and all of the other stuff but honestly I can tell.
6) Now picking a choosing the stuff you did to pick and pull ingredients like you did is misleading. Who in their right mind is going to drink the Sesame Shake, and who would not think there are peanuts in the peanut bars???? Seriously Also Isagenix did a soy lecithin in their shakes in the beginning this is a stabilizer does not have the harmful negatives from soybeans that we all hear about and ignore. That being said Isagenix quit making their shakes with soy lecithin due to the stigma associated with soy. I guess you forgot to mention that?????
I do believe there are some products that still have soy lecithin in them mainly the bars.
I am sure someone will find something the bitch about in what I posted but atleast you can say I am definitely unbiased when it comes to Isagenix.
6)
2)
It looks like I’m WAY late to this party, but like many others stumbled onto this thread while searching for some info on this product. A friend of mine is regularly texting me the “latest offer”. Although my family and I are new in our endeavor to produce/grow more of our own food, it seemed like common sense to me that a powdered “meal replacement” is actually a very poor substitute for a “homemade meal”. I have no doubt I could shed a few pounds fasting, drinking the shake, and eating a very small meal. But then again, I could probably accomplish that making my OWN shake with my OWN whey and my OWN fruits/veggies, right? I found your article interesting, informative, entertaining, and maybe not-so-surprisingly aligned with my own opinion of this shake product. I’m going to continue with a hard pass on the sales pitch!
*And I appreciate you were sharing not so much your “opinion” but facts that lead you to draw the conclusion you did*
Nice
I started Isagenix about 5 months potpartum and today have stopped. It gives me stomach crams and I feel AWFUL. I have Hashimotos Thyroiditis and I have not been able to keep it under control since starting this program. I am actually really excited to going back to meal prepping! thank you for this article. I thought I was crazy the way I was feeling but now I get why!
Kind of ironic that the title of the article states that it is an “unbiased review” yet you delete all of the comments where people disagree with you.
You do know what “biased” means, right?
I tried Isagenix in a month. I never felt so miserable in my whole life. Energy less, bad mood, constipation, and totally dragged myself to work or to exercise. I lost 200 grs. I was letargic even at work my boss said I was acting weird and asked if he could help…!!!
While with a nutricionist diet I lost 8 kg, felt energetic, happy and optimistic. I could go back to my one and a half hour swimming routine I do think Isagenix is a big scam and not healthy
Only very overweight people loose weight tons of kilos. because from a very unhealthy lifestyle they switch to something less worst. I would not recommend it.
A sensible diet specially designed by a licensed nutricionist and an hour of any exercise do make a huge difference and do not compromise your health.
do you have a recipe book somewhere that my wife and I can find?
hello, you are wrong about Isagenix. perhaps check the medical study written by doctors and dieticians, not Nutritionists. Remember Isagenix is for the greater masses who have grown up on vending machines and fast food and want guaranteed results to assist with physical and mental health. This saves lives. You don’t need to be threatened, think like a Yogi, 1000’s year of practices attracts practitioner who support each other everywhere without judgement. No need to compare. good luck.
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While I cannot argue with some of the claims you are making in this article, you do not understand the MTHFR mutation. It may be true that 40% of people have some form of this mutation, this is not an either or situation. There are people who make no 5-MTHF and there are some who make enough for their body to function. Rather than demonizing Folic Acid you should tell your readers to have a blood test to determine the amount of homocysteine and SAM-e in their body. This will help your readers decide if they actually need intervention with 5-MTHF. Taking 5-MTHF can cause as many problems as it helps when taken by the wrong person or in the incorrect dosage.
It is true that FOLATE is the natural occurring version of this vitamin. Folic acid was introduced into the food supply to prevent neural tube birth defects. You are wrong in your assumptions that folic acid is completely toxic to the human body. You really need to cut back on the hyperbole and stick to the facts.
I also suggest anyone reading this blog to do their own research. Danielle has the right to express her opinion. It is just that an opinion that may or may not be educated.
it still surprise me how Dr ODIA did it all with the autism herbal cure he sent to me when my 5 years old daughter with autism who don’t play with friends, and doesn’t sleep, has also never cried ever since i gave birth to her of which i have gone to many hospitals for solution and i have uses so many medicines but still no hope not until i came across Dr ODIA email (odiaherbalcenter @ yahoo. com) here on line who sent me his herbal autism cure and asked me to use it for just three days morning night and evening on her and also a seed oil to rub on her body after bath. I did has he instructed me to and later on i started seeing so many changes, today my daughter can able to walk and talk she was completely healed i’m glad to come out here online and share my own testimony. you out there also having an autistic child suffering from autism hurry Dr ODIA will surely have a cure for you. contact him via email: odiaherbalcenter @ yahoo. com .
I found this article both shocking and very helpful. Thank you.
Can you please revisit this product, especially the shakes. They have been completely reformulated and I feel are worth another review.
I do not sell, I have only consumed and with all of my food allergies, this is one of the only shakes that works for me. I have energy (more than enough) with training for a half ironman. I add in extra snacks to help when needed on long workout days. I too read labels, and I have found that with their reformulation, this is one of the better options out there.
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I lost a friend to isagenix. His wife got all wrapped up in it and started pressuring everyone she knew (and didn’t know) to be a “coach”..to help her sell. They up and moved across country last month. Selling shakes is selling confidence..nothing more or less.
Very solid arguments Dani. I think there is a level of brain washing that goes on at Isagenix to help drive the marketing. I feel a bit sorry for those who have been sucked in. It’s clear they have lost their objectivity and most scarily they are potentially doing harm when I do believe many genuinely believe they are helping?
!
Hi Dani,
You do present some good points that people need to be aware of.
However, personally I have used the products myself for 3-4 years and had amazing results on them. I now only use them for weight maintenance (usually a shake in the morning). Coupled with real, whole food, it’s the way to go for me personally.
Can’t thank you enough for your research, opinions, and review. Super helpful. Thanks for shining light on this semi-cult that has been popping up on my FB lately.
Thank you for posting this! As a board certified physician with a bachelor’s degree in nutrition, I find Isagenix and all of the “science” that backs it up a joke. Thank you!
I really think you get off on all these comments….That’s what keeps you goin’ isn’t it…..HAAAAA, HaHaHAAA.
isagenix – vitamix- nutrisystem- let’s see how many people I can pull into this _____________!
Hey, whatever flips your trigger! I fell into it Too 🙂 🙂 Ha Ha!
I’ll be onto something much better in a minute… too much hair flyin’ here
Wow!! I’m late to the party and have only just heard about Isagenix through my friend who not only “drinks the kool-aid” but plans to make the pyramid a retirement plan. I have never heard of it because I don’t reach for quick fixes. I prefer to be held accountable for my choices, right down to where I buy my produce.
I just had a day with my isagenix loving friend and she is hooked to a point that the love for it sounds cult-like.
But not to lie, her results had me curious enough to research. Too good to be true is a real thing!!
I wish I could share this information with her because unfortunately, she feeds it to her children and I’m also concerned about the effects down the road for the whole family. Cancer was mentioned several times in your review.
However, to share this with her now will only cause an argument.
What is interesting is, these Isagenix coaches (dare they say “health” coach) only regurgitate what the company has marketed to them. How does a seminar qualify these people to give nutritional advice. It’s beyond scary.
The drive IS money. As I’ve heard it said by an Isa rep; tupperware pyramids never worked for the long run because eventually everyone has enough tupperware. But with Isagenix, the purchases are being consumed. People will always need Isagenix.
Sounds just like Big Tobacco marketing.
Isa-peanut butter has 27+ ingredients?!! Shouldn’t it just be one?!!
I cringe at the “it’s natural. It comes from vegetables and plants” defense – so does heroin.
Thank you for your thoughtfully educated review. It’s still reaching to people positively. And as others have agreed, the professionalism in your responses are nothing short of classy (and educated).
*Apologies. I think I needed to vent after being bombarded with sales pitches recently*
Dude I understand the need to vent! It’s incredibly frustrating.
“How does a seminar qualify these people to give nutritional advice. It’s beyond scary.”
Couldn’t agree more!
Dani thank you for your article. What is your opinion on Isagenix a Green powder? I pretty much eat wholesome food Mediterranean diet, have no health issues but I was told by the isogenic rep that she gives this to her three kids age 5 and up daily. Can you evaluate that? Thank you,
I disagree with a lot of your opinion. Too long to list and mention. But I will leave it at this, you do in fact pull some facts. Like the ingredients list you provide. Other than that, most of what you say is opinion and not back by a credible source, like peer-reviewed research. Appreciate your content and what you are trying to do but a lot of the ingredients you have issues with do not pose a threat to health. Just research on PubMed and you’ll find a wide body of evidence confirming that maltodextrin isn’t harmful, nor is fructose, and etc.
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THANK YOU for this article!!! after over a year of being on ISA products, I started to have SERIOUS gut and mental issues… Yes weight came off very fast but the medical things that developed from my quick weight loss I NOW realize I should of done more research before spending thousands on quick fix program that caused Cushing syndrome and other blood related issues for me. NEVER again will I fall for the chemically enriched crap I believed in . Money seems to be the motivation behind ISAGENIX and after calling them with concerns I was having and asking for more information about certain ingredients as it pertained to my new medical diagnosis I was basically shut out and pushed away. I have gained all my weight back, and now have medical issues I never had prior to using these products.. NATURAL is the best way to go and we truly are what we ABSORB!! I wish I knew then what I know now.