MLM GLP-1 supplement for another day.
Life Vantage Mind Body GLP-1 System
LifeVantage is just one of the multi-level marketing companies that have launched GLP-1 “Systems” aka supplements to capitalize on the highly popular and successful GLP-1 agonists.
The problem with all these GLP-1 supplements is that they don’t work like actual GLP-1 drugs. It doesn’t have the same functionality or effectiveness.
Lifevantage makes some very bold claims about the Mindbody GLP-1 system.
The fact that some people say they’ve lost weight but no muscle is a big red flag. With the exception of liposuction, it is virtually impossible to reduce fat alone without using muscle.
Rather than a little asterisk at each point, it leads to the ever-present FDA disclaimer to shield LifeVantage from lawsuits for making these claims. Remember, the FDA only investigates supplements if someone is harmed by the supplement. Companies can make almost any claim as long as they have the following disclaimer:
GLP-1 agonists are very powerful in slowing digestion and suppressing appetite, but no supplements or foods have comparable effects.
The Lifevantage Mindbody GLP-1 system claims to have research behind it, and to the untrained eye, the research looks convincing. As for Lifevantage, unfortunately, my trained eye doesn’t impress me. Here’s why:
The 12-week study involved 60 people divided into three groups. One group received no supplements or education. They were the control group.
One group received the GLP-1 system and a commercially available protein powder.
The final group received the GLP-1 system, a commercially available protein powder, and dietary and exercise counseling.
Results show that both intervention groups lost weight. But wait a minute… Lifevantage didn’t report on the control group at all. How can we know how effective the system is without comparing it to a group that did not receive the intervention?
You can’t do that!
Another major flaw was that the study was not blinded. The study was at great risk of bias because the intervention group knew they were taking supplements. Presumably, those people also made changes to their diet or activity patterns (and one of the groups had been advised to do so), which could skew the results. It could also induce a placebo effect, with participants in these two groups saying the supplements made them “less hungry” and “less emotional eating.”
Lifevantage also conducted in vitro studies on the Mindbody GLP-1 system, which showed a 150% increase in GLP-1 production. Are you a cell? In vitro studies have not shown efficacy of the product in actual humans. Also, just because a cell study shows more GLP-1 production doesn’t mean it will happen in humans and produce the desired results in terms of weight.
Lifevantage Mindbody GLP-1 Blend contains a mixture of botanical ingredients (many of which are proprietary, of course) that are typically suspected in many of these types of GLP-1 supplements.
Literally, none of these ingredients have been proven to be as effective as GLP-1 agonists.
If that were the case, we wouldn’t need to invent Ozempic.
Fiber and protein increase GLP-1 production in the intestine. Your best bet is to stay away from expensive supplements from MLM companies. All MLM companies have a predatory sales model that takes advantage of vulnerable populations (mainly women). Don’t feed the monsters.
Please read: Here are my issues with MLMs and their coaches.
What is LifeVantage Protandim NRF2?
Protandim is a plant-based nutritional supplement containing milk thistle, bacopa, turmeric, ashwanganda, and green tea, a combination that is thought to increase the body’s antioxidant activity.
This sounds great, but I’m skeptical. How do these easily available basic plants do all the amazing things Protandim claims they can do?
In other words:
Genetic “detoxification”
Reducing oxidative and cellular stress
Control “survival genes”
Supports the body’s ability to “repair its own cells and rejuvenate”
These are serious allegations. Oxidative stress is known to accelerate aging and potentially lead to diseases such as cancer. But remember, these things are complex and multifactorial.
Protandim NRF2 Synergizer is clinically proven to reduce oxidative stress in humans by 40% over 30 days. It has been shown to increase superoxide dismutase levels by 30% and catalase levels by 54%. Supplementing individuals with Protandim Nrf2 Synergizer for 30 days resulted in an age-dependent increase in lipid peroxidation. decreased to the age level. ”
Sounds scientific! Dismutase THO.
Essentially, the company claims that the supplement’s effectiveness is to reduce the damage that life causes to cells. Lipid peroxidation is simply the process by which free radicals (of which you don’t want too many) are generated from fatty acids in your body. Superoxide dismutase is an enzyme that neutralizes free radicals. Catalase is yet another enzyme found in the body that neutralizes free radicals.
Yes, those things are good to have.
LifeVantage Protandim Research.
The research on Protandim looked great, so I looked it up.
What I found wasn’t all that surprising. Shocker.
There is one thing to remember about all MLM products. If something amazingly innovative and life-changing existed, the FDA would be selling it, not MLMs.
I promise you that.
The research is as follows.
Most of the research done on protandim has been done on rats and cells in laboratory dishes. I don’t think animal experiments are pointless, but they are preliminary. Because we are not genetically, socially, or physically rodents, we cannot extrapolate the results of animal studies to humans and have actual human studies to back them up.
In other words, companies like LifeVantage can and do claim that their products have been researched at Harvard University and other prestigious institutions, but that research has only been carried out on animals and in labs. If it’s something that’s been done, I’m not impressed. sorry. Using these studies to market products is a huge leap, not to mention dishonest and misleading, but so many companies are doing it.
The 2006 human study cited above by Protandim is only a half-truth. Yes, when using the TBARS test (which is not considered a reliable marker), oxidative stress was reduced by 40% in study subjects. The methodology is also messed up.
Another human study conducted in 2016 on Protandim supplementation in athletes found that the supplement had no effect on TBARS or performance. Additionally, the trial was neither randomized nor controlled, and had two significant drawbacks.
And when it comes to anti-aging, Protandim may have extended the lifespan of male rats by 7%, but why couldn’t this result be replicated in humans?
Maybe it’s because it can’t be done.
However, if you look at all the studies that have been done on Protandim, there are not many results showing that the supplement is beneficial for the aging process, disease prevention, mental acuity, or oxidative stress and problems caused by it. there is no. that. It’s all well and good to say that a supplement increases X or Y in the body, but what effect does that increase have?
Probably nothing, since we are all still old and Protandim has not published any convincing evidence to the contrary. And believe me, they had plenty of time.
Protandim’s other products aren’t any better.
LifeVantage Protandim NRF1.
The NRF1 Synergizer is the same old thing. It combines L-carnitine, quercitin, alpha lipoic acid, and Q10, and claims NRF1 gives you energy (“boost your ATP!”) and more mitochondria.
None of these claims have been proven in any research.
In fact, L-carnitine is readily available in food and our bodies produce it themselves. It has a reputation among weightlifters for improving endurance, but this is not backed up by science.
Lifevantage Protandim NAD Synthesizer.
Their NAD synthesizer capitalizes on the recent popularity of the sirtfood diet, which Adele used to lose significant weight (which I reviewed here).
Protandim claims that theacrine, a compound found in tea, combined with niacin, copper, wasabi, and olive leaf improves cell signaling pathways and increases sirtuin activity by 94%.
According to NAD synthesizer Protandim:
improve mood and motivation
Improves concentration and concentration
boost mental and physical energy
Supports healthy longevity and autophagy
Supports the body’s inflammatory response
Maintains cholesterol levels already in a healthy range
However, as you can probably imagine, there are absolutely no studies proving the effectiveness of this supplement for any of the above claims.
Wasabi? Try the spicy tuna roll!
In other words, Protandim is a total dumpster fire.
In 2017, LifeVantage was sent a warning letter by the FDA for claiming that Protandim could treat certain diseases. They were supposed to remove all of these claims, and they did. But the product’s survival depends on its supposed efficacy in improving health and reducing the risk of disease, and the company’s marketing still hints that Protandim will help them.
Because it’s multi-level marketing.
Conclusion:
Lifevantage and Protandim appear to be making a number of unsupportable claims. They seem to be using scientific terminology to trick potential customers into believing they know their stuff, but it seems like a complete scam…they are not backed up by human research. We do not sell supplements.
