Update 3/12/20. Juice Plus is one of the most popular whole food supplements out there. It's been around many years. In the past, I have taken it and am familiar with it. I am not a Juice Plus distributor or associated with the company. In this review, I'll attempt to answer your questions. I'll also take a look at what's out there on Juice Plus side effects. If you have a question, post it below and I'll try to help you.
Does Juice Plus Have Side Effects?
For the vast majorly of people, Juice Plus is very safe. It's just-food. I've taken Juice Plus for over a year and did not notice any side effects. Most people also report no side effects either. That said, when you have a supplement that millions and millions of people take, from time to time, some may report side effects. Below is a list of those which have been reported in medical journals
In one report, a 51-year-old woman with endometrial cancer developed liver problems after starting Juice Plus. The liver problems got better 4 weeks after stopping the supplements. Did JP cause this? This is difficult to say since this was just a report of one person who had these symptoms. Also, the person did have cancer, and this may have played a role.
Here's a short list of things to think about when taking this supplement:
- start with less than recommended for the first week to see how you respond,
- taking it with food may help absorption and reduce any GI effects you may experience,
- if you take blood thinner medicine, talk to your doctor first. Juice Plus has vitamin K. Vitamin K plays a role in blood clotting. In theory, it may reduce how well blood thinners work.
- If you take any medications, talk to your doctor. There's a lack of research in drug interactions.
- Stop taking the supplement at least 2 weeks before surgery.
Does Juice Plus Sponsor Research?
Most of the research on the supplement is supported or sponsored by National Safety Associates (NSA), the company that makes this product. This is a legitimate company that's been around since 1993. It’s because of this that some people wonder if Juice Plus is a scam. Detractors say “they sponsor their own research.” To that, I say, “if they don't do it, who will?”
I appreciate it when a company puts in the time and effort to test its supplements. I can tell you most supplement companies do not do this.
The company has said they do not influence the outcomes of Juice Plus research. Some of the people who have done Juice Plus research have had ties to NSA. People might argue this opens up the possibility of bias on the part of the researchers. That said, I am not sure how strong this argument is because some of the studies seem to contradict each other. If there was a big conspiracy to hide the truth, then the research would be in more agreement.
Bottom line: I don't think the supplement is a scam. I'm OK with company-sponsored research as long as its quality. What I see in this case is quality research for the most part.
Is It FDA Approved?
No, it's not, and here's why. The food and drug association (FDA) does not approve dietary supplements. No supplement is FDA-approved. There is FDA regulation, however. FDA Approval and regulation are different. The regulation of dietary supplements is called DSHEA. You can learn more about DSHEA on my FAQ page.
Does Juice Plus Cure Disease
No study has ever shown the supplement has cured any disease. The company that makes JP does seem to be directing its research toward showing how it can reduce the risk of disease. As Ben Franklin once said, An ounce of prevention is better than a pound of cure.
Juice Plus vs. Vineyard Blend
The flagship JP supplement contains extracts of many different fruits and vegetables, while the Vineyard Blend has extracts from different berries and grapes.
Grapes and berries are healthy and contain healthy phytonutrients like resveratrol. That said, the majority of research is on the original Juice Plus – the stuff that's been around since 1993. Personally, I'd like to see more research on the Vineyard Blend.
I'd love to see a study comparing regular JP to the Vineyard Blend to see what their differences are.
The Juice Plus Enzymes
There do appear to be enzymes added to the supplement. I don't think the enzymes add anything to the benefits of the supplement. Enzymes are proteins. Just like other proteins, the enzymes would be destroyed in the stomach. For those with digestion problems, they may help. But for most people, I'm skeptical.
What About Weight Loss?
This is not a weight loss supplement. The supplement is not promoted to help people lose weight. I've taken this supplement for up to a year and did not notice any reduction in body weight. If the supplement gets you to start eating more fruits and vegetables, then I can see how it might help. But, that's because you'd be reducing calories more than anything else.
Is It The Same As Fruits And Vegetables?
They often call Juice Plus “the next best thing to fruits and vegetables,” but this is basically a marketing slogan. It's meant to drive home the message the supplement comes from real foods. To their credit, even the company website says it's not a substitute for eating real fruits and vegetables.
One difference is the JP supplement has practically no fiber. Fiber is very important for health. Also, research notes people who eat more fruits and vegetables get fewer diseases. If taking the supplement gets you to think about eating more fruits and vegetables, then that is a very good thing.
Since its inception, there have been many green foods and other supplements out there. Are they better or different? Here's a quick rundown of some of the popular competitors.
Does It Make You Poop?
The research does not show a change in bathroom frequency, but it's possible in some people this may occur. While the supplement has very little fiber, in theory, JP may alter gut health. By altering the microbiome, more frequent trips to the bathroom may occur. This is 
Does It Have Iron?
No. There is no iron added to the supplement. If its present, it's in very low amounts and due to naturally occurring mineral in the foods that make up the supplement.
Does It Contain Magnesium?
The magnesium present in the supplement comes from what is naturally found in foods. Generally, foods that contain fiber and/or are green will contain magnesium. The amount of magnesium will vary between bottles due to the supplement being a powder. Some bottles may have more or less magnesium than others.
Does It Contain Soy?
There is no soy in the flagship JP capsules or Orchard Blend. The protein powder, however (Juice Plus Complete) does contain soy. Each scoop of Complete has 13 grams of protein.
Does It Have Folic Acid?
Yes, it does. Folate – the natural form of the vitamin -is found in the supplement. The amount of folate will vary from bottle to bottle because the supplement is in powder. Juice Plus does not contain any synthetic folic acid. Folate is the natural form of this vitamin. Folic acid is the synthetic form.
Juice Plus vs. MonaVie
MonaVie is another popular food extract supplement. In my view, the biggest difference between Juice Plus and MonaVie is the research. Juice Plus has several human studies. There is less research on MonaVie. More than that, however, there seem to be no clinical studies comparing them to each other. For more insights, see:
Juice Plus vs. Juice Festive
Juice festive is another popular whole food supplement, often found at Cosco, Sames Club, etc. I'm not aware of any head-to-head comparisons between these two supplements.
See the review of Juice Festive for more information about that product.
Juice Plus vs. Texas SuperFood
Texas superfood is another whole food supplement people often ask about. Like Juice Festive, I'm not aware of any studies comparing these products to each other.
See the review of Texas SuperFood for more about that supplement.
Does Juice Plus Work?
To be honest, I like Juice Plus. It's just the extracts of several fruits and vegetables in powdered form. It doesn't have anything crazy in it, and there are various clinical studies showing it may have benefits. For me, it's the research that's most important. While it's not a substitute for eating a salad, my hope is if you take it, you'd eventually wonder what else you can do to improve your health. If this gets you to eat that salad, then it's a step in the right direction.
I’ve been on juice plus for 10 days and finding I am not sleeping well at all…is this going to change? I don’t cope well without sleep.
Judith, while I’ve never heard of this happening before, why don’t you try this, get off juice plus for a few days to see if your sleep improves. Do you take juice plus near bedtime? If yes, try taking it earlier in the day. Also, when you do start back up, don’t take the full amount right off the bat. Instead begin with only 1 capsule per day (fruit or veggie it doesn’t matter).
see if any of that helps and do let me know if it does or doesn’t.
I never take Juice Plus late in the day or I can’t go to sleep. It could also possibly be that your body is detoxing and causing you to have a harder time sleeping. Most people will eventually find they sleep better. Don’t give up on it, it’s the best thing you can do for your health. Just try some of the suggestions and go a little slower with it at first. And drink plenty of good water to help with any detoxing that’s happening.
For what it’s worth, I dont think the sleeping problem is due to detoxing.
I’m guessing detoxing is different from person to person. Juice Plus Day 4 for me and I’m a little tired and bloated. I’m normally constipated and just has movement with no problem. My 2 yo is better too! Constipation is a big issue with her and getting her to eat veggies. 🙂 Also her allergies are getting better. I stopped giving her allergy meds to test Juice Plus.
I found this interesting:
http://www.drmitraray.com/q-a/juice-plus-and-detoxification/
Theresa, I’m happy to hear about 2 year old 🙂 Dr. Mitra Ray has been associated with JP for a long time. If I remember, one of her mentors wrote the biochem book I used in college.
Just for information, my bone scans had been showing bone loss and a couple of years ago I was told I had osteoporosis. A friend told me that Juice Plus could maybe help so I started taking it and a year later went for a bone scan with the results coming back that significant change had occurred in my bone mass and was not in the advance osteoporosis stage anymore. My doctor said he would have me do another bone scan in two years, so am hoping by than it will be completely reversed.
Gunhild, did you do anything else other than take juice plus? did you also eat better? did you start exercising? just curious. Regardless, Im happy you are moving away from osteoporosis and wish you continued success.
CAN IT CAUSE CONSTIPATION::
Richard, Im not aware of juice plus causing constipation. Did that happen to you?
I had constipation yesterday (BAD) juice plus is all I have changed in my diet lately. I was just guessing, don’t know.
Juice plus is water soluble . Very important to increase water intake.
stacey P, I think water soluble only means water helps us absorb them. As a rule aim for about 0.67% of body weight in fluids per day. most people round this down to 50% of body weight to make the math easier.
Lol I know what water soluble means.
Most of my clients when experiencing constipation after taking juice plus . After increasing water intake . Relieved the symptoms of constipation.
😉
Juice Plus has done just the opposite for me Joe. Since I was a child I have suffered with severe constipation. The results were terrible bloating and often severe pain from it. About 6 months into taking Juice Plus I suddenly realized I was going to the bathroom everyday. No more bloating and excruciating pain! For me that was a great blessing.
I originally started on Juice Plus when I learned it is whole food and not a supplement. Like most people I struggle to eat right consistently and was especially stressed trying to get my family to eat healthy. Juice Plus just made sense to me and now I have peace of mind knowing that even on days that we don’t eat the best, we are still getting the 10’s of 1000’s of nutrients from so many quality fruits and vegetables in our body everyday.
Thanks Louise 🙂
Please refer to the website (sk4juiceplus.com) for up to date information. The review here is not current, for example, 2 studies were of cancer patients consuming Juice Plus, with positive results.
Amy, the website you liked to did not work. It said “forbidden” when I went to it today. Can you please provide me with the names of those 2 cancer studies and I will update my review with them.
How does it work with people who are diabetic?
Karen, Are you type I or type II diabetic? While I’m not aware of any juice plus/diabetes research, since it has no sugar (and very minimal carbs. anybody know many), I don’t think there would be any change in blood sugar levels. Any diabetes here who use juice plus who can weigh in on this?
I have a customer on juice plus who is diabetic and she says her sugar levels have been terrific since she started it. Completely safe for diabetics and highly recommended.
At almost 30g of carbs per shake, its not minimal carbs, considering a MacDonald’s cheeseburger contains the same amount. Most of the carbs in the shake come form sugar. And as for the blood sugar levels, well that’s because it’s a slow release carb due to the protein in the milk not because of the powder
Hi, I had Hashimotos and last I checked my levels were good and Hashimotos is gone! According to my Endo specialist and blood work.
All thanks to Juice Plus;)
Lisa this interesting. Just curious, We’re you actually diagnosed with hashimitos disorders or did the doctor just test TSH levels and put you on synthroid? How many mcg of synthroid were you taking?
Since bariatric patient’s have smaller stomach’s does JuicePlus expand in the stomach after it is taken?
Diana, other than juice plus bariatric research, Im not sure other than to say start taking less than is normally used to see what happens. I wonder if a pharmacist might be of help with this? Anybody else have ideas?
While there are no studies done on bariatric patients specifically, the numerous studies regarding bio-availability of Juice Plus (it nourishes the body at the cellular level) should be of great encouragement to anyone who has had such surgery. No supplement will be of benefit if it does not first get into the bloodstream and second cross the cellular membrane before being filtered out of the blood through the kidneys and liver.
Studies on cancer patients at MD Anderson Cancer institute show that Juice Plus improves the nutritional status and aids in the quality of life of cancer survivors. They have tested both the capsules and the Complete plant-based protein drink with excellent outcomes.
Other studies throughout the world confirm that Juice Plus aids in healing, reduces systemic inflammation and helps improve immune function. One of the newest studies done on adolescent boys shows that it helped improve their insulin resistance.
Considering all that we know about what Juice Plus does in the body, It seems like a no-brainer to me when it comes to ensuring good nutrition. (And this from a former skeptic)
Holly, thanks. Since bariatric patients may have reduced ability to absorb nutrients, I’m sure you will agree that we we can’t say for sure JP is always more bio-available until studies are done to confirm this.
Since you appear to know a lot about the JP studies, I’m wondering, if you can you look at my review of Juice Plus Research and let me know if I missed any published studies. Its possible there are additional studies since when I wrote my review. If you can list any new studies here that I did not include, I’d appreciate it and I’ll use that information to update my review if needed.
I tell any of my friends who have bariatric surgery about Juice Plus. It is raw fruit and vegetable nutrition and is far more bio-available than most supplements, especially the vitamins that they usually want patients to take after surgery. With 32 published clinical studies showing the multiple benefits of Juice Plus, it is a proven product that does great things in our bodies.
Holly, are there any juice plus/bariatric surgery studies out there yet?
Can a bariatric patient use this product?
Diana, I dont see why not as long as it doesn’t lead you to eat fewer calories than you need to, to stay healthy. On the flip side, since you may not be eating as many watery foods like fruits/veggies as you normally would, theoretically something like JP might be a good thing. If you try it, my opinion is to start with less than is recommended at first – like only 1 fruit or 1 veggie per day – for the first week – just to see how you respond.
Hi been on juice plus shakes for about a month now. Past few days I have been getting lower abdominal discomfort. I am on medication called tamoxifen for breast cancer which I had nearly six years ago. Is juice plus shakes safe for me to take? Thanks.
Deborah, other than what I listed in my review of Juice Plus and on this post I’m not aware of any but run it past your pharmacist and oncologist just to make sure.
Are you taking Juice Plus on an empty stomach or with food? Are you taking it at the same time you take tamoxifen? Why dont you try stopping JP for a few days and see if your abdominal pain gets better.
Please compare “It Works Greens Powder” to “Juice Plus Capsules” (Fruit and Vegetables).
Linda, thanks Ill try. “It works” is on my list and I WILL be looking at it in the very near future.
Judith again as someone stated above , anyone who can eat food can take juice plus, from womb to tomb. I apologize for not answering sooner , I just now got email alerts from this page
Because methotrexate is a heavy duty medication that can stress the liver and I showed a liver problem case report with Juice Plus in my review, and because she didn’t say why she was taking methotrexate – cancer, arthritis etc – this is why I feel talking to a doctor is the best plan of action.
Of course ALWAyS. Consult a physician , before taking anything ,
Re “Juice Plus or Toxicity Plus” mentioned above (“liver problems after starting Juice Plus”)
The doctor’s conclusion is: “Our patient had hepatotoxicity related to the use of complementary and alternative medicine. The injury was reversible after discontinuation of the drug [sic]. As clinicians, it is important for us to investigate our patients’ use of complementary and alternative medicine, as well as prescription drugs, in the event of an abnormal liver injury or otherwise deleterious clinical event.”
The authors also note that the patient’s regular medications included ramipril, calcium/vitamin D, ciprofloxacin, hydrocodone/acetaminophen, and ibuprofen.
Most drugs have side-effects and ciprofloxacin:is no exception: the information leaflet(website instructs the patient as follows: “… This list is not complete and there may be other drugs that can interact with Cipro. Tell your doctor about all the prescription and over-the-counter medications you use. This includes vitamins, minerals, herbal products, and drugs prescribed by other doctors. Do not start using a new medication without telling your doctor.”
In other words, the negative interaction between ciprofloxacin and “vitamins, minerals [and] herbal products” was known about and should have been taken into account by the doctor involved. As a patient, consulting the doctor before starting to use a supplement in conjunction with prescription drugs is sensible.
As a doctor, writing a criticism after the event is no substitute for checking the facts before prescribing a drug which is known to have interactions with “vitamins, minerals, herbal products, and drugs prescribed by other doctors”.
The cocktail of drugs the patient was given also included ibuprofen. The leaflet warns against the use of ciprofloxacin in conjunction with ibuprofen! Doctors may be busy people, but they should take the time to check such things.
Watchdog, for what its worth, other than that case report, I’m still not aware of any liver problems being associated with Juice Plus.
Lmao! I’ve never heard of people getting liver damage from fruits and vegetables haha. Prescription drugs and OTC cause liver damage! Smh!!! Thanks for your opinion though lol, aren’t you paid by big pharm to bash alternative medicine , and everything and anything that actually helps people with their health
Stacy, do you really think I’m paid by pharm companies and am part of some secret, big pharm industrial complex conspiracy against supplements? Really? If so, I’m sorry but you are 100% wrong. As my About page clearly says, no pharm company – and no supplement company – pays me to write my reviews.
My goal is that people have the most complete information I can provide so they can make a more informed decision, something that they are unlikely to get at most other so called “supplement review” websites which are set up by companies/people who sell the supplement in question and only provide one side of the story.
Anyone that can eat food can take juice plus since it is concentrated food. And comparing juice plus to multi vitamins is like comparing apples and oranges. In a multi vitamin you generally get about 32 different “man made” nutrients, where with juice plus you are getting the tens of thousands of antioxidants and phytonutrients that are in the different fruits, veggies, and berries that juice plus is made from.
Yes multivitamins are cheaper, but comparing 32 to 1000’s upon 1000’s is a no brainer why it would cost more. But tell me also, where can you go and buy 15 fruits, veggies, and 2 whole grains and pay only $1.39 a day?
Louise, while I do agree JP comes from whole food, it’s concentrated food extracts, since it does not contain the entire food. That said, the research on JP is very interesting and Im always on the look out for more JP research as it gets published.
What is the comparison with juice plus and ” it works” greens?
Stacey, Im not sure. I have not looked at It works yet. it is on my list though.
Ok I’m a rep for juice plus and “It Works”. I’ve researched both. Jp has more fruts and veggies then in “it works”
Stacy thanks. All I can say at this point is I know JP has research. I dont think It Works has any research. As I understand it It Works started out as body wraps for weight loss. It appears they are branching off into other things. I’ll know more when I take a closer look at it.
Joe, I knew that JP has 15 fruits and vegetables and It Works Greens has only 8, and yet It Works Greens also has the “38 herbs and nutrient-rich superfoods”, yet I am writing for YOUR EXPERT opinion comparing the two products.
Stacy just compared that JP had more fruits and vegetables. I have been on JP for 12 YEARS, and too was a Distributor for this excellent product, yet looking at the total ingredients, decided to try the Greens last summer, while trying other products, as well, and surprising myself, became an It Works Distributor, as well. (I had sworn I’d NEVER be a NWM Distributor again, and have gladly eaten my words!)
It wasn’t an easy decision to even try the Greens, YET I needed energy, and have battled “chronic fatigue” for YEARS, and my internist had advised me to purchase Spirulina from a Health Food Store, (one of the super-foods ingredients in Greens) 13 years ago, which DID help, yet was very costly.
My energy level was markedly increased with the Greens and is amazing now, YET, I WANTED TO GET AN UNBIASED OPINION ON THESE TWO PRODUCTS, FOR OVERALL HEALTH, considering the ingredients BOTH contain.
I am a BSN and have been a sales representative for 2 allergy products in my past, and by God’s grace, just happen to have the safest and best product research efficacy products in their category over-all. I could not, as a Christian nurse, make a living “pushing” a product that was not the BEST for the lives of children and adults, yet I didn’t realize that, until I had taken the job.
I totally respect both JP and It Works, and again, have customers using both products, as Stacey said she has. I have just had so many of my JP customers wanting to switch, and I want to give them the best, most unbiased advice, for THEIR BEST.
I do know that the Greens do have the added bonus of probiotic ingredients, yet again, this can be purchased separately, if JP is somehow a better product.
One thing as a JP Distributor that I NEEDED to KNOW and was confirmed, soon after joining It Works, when attending a conference, hearing It Works Chief Science Officer, Dr. Don VerHulst M.D. mention, as with JP processing, that the Green’s dehydration process is “cold process” and they are grown in select, organic conditions.
Thank you for your prompt attention in reviewing the It Works Greens product (Orange and Berry) and comparing with your detailed knowledge of JP.
I appreciate that you are here and willing to give unbiased information for the best health of others…..
Linda, thanks for the information on It Works Greens. Does It Works Greens have any published research on the product? That might be a question for the science office to field and that would be my first question. As a BSN you know how some herbs may interact with some medications people take and so that would be something Id consider for those considering trying them. If you are aware of any published research let me know as that will make any review I do, easier for me.
Hi Lou, I’m a distributor, the shakes are NOT a 4 month supply, you get 72 shakes if using for weight loss, (1 a day acting as a meal replacement) or use 2 a day, as snacks for 36 days, eat clean and train properly and you should be fine.
hi I am a bit confused I got my order of juiceplus complete
6 tins that should last 4 months. Do i use a whole scoop in 250ml as it says on tin twice a day, I f this is correct there is not way 1 tin will last a week never mind a month. Confused ….
Lou, Im not sure. Any JP people want to field this question?
Jonas
Hi Joe, I just started a few days ago taking JP. I am taking capsules two of the green veg and two of the red fruits. Although this are the recommended dosage, according to the labels this would in terms of vitamin E give me 400% of RDI (!) and for vitamin A 188% of RDI (!!). (Did you not say somewhere that already 140% was rather high?). I would get even more Es and As if I were to take the two pills also from berries. And I do get more from my regular intake of food etc.
Why do you think the recommended doses are so high above RDI? This does not sound so good to me. The reason for me to take JP is that I believe that it generally would be good to eat much more fruits and vegetables than I do and I hope this could in my case compensates for some of that.
Now I am thinking that it would probably be better to take half the dose, hence two capsules per day instead of four. Any thoughts on that?
Hi Jonas, I dont think half the amount would hurt esp to start. Ive never heard of the recommended 4 capsules a day being a problem for anybody (anybody know if JP really has the levels of vitamin E and vitamin A Jonas mentioned?).
Always when taking juice plus , start out taking 1 capsule red in morning , 1 purple in morning or at noon and 1 green in evening, for a week or two then 2 each there after,
The body digests foods differently
Fruits in morning and veggies at night
Hi Joe
I started taking the juice plus shakes twice a day then eating a healthy evening meal,im wanting to loose weight for my Sons wedding which is only 2 months away
But iv been on the shakes only 5 days been out walking and doing sit ups but iv put 5 pounds on how can that happen.
Iv been filling the scoop to the top am i putting too much in or will it not matter
I have read that people have lost weight but I don’t seem to be losing have you got any advice please ?
Ang, did you recently start exercising at the same time you started the juice plus shakes? If yes I’d guess you gained water weight. when we start working out, our muscles naturally store more glycogen -its the storage form of carbohydrates in the body. with that glycogen/carbs comes extra water. The usual estimation is that every 1 gram of glycogen has about 3 grams of water. So if you gained 1 pound of glycogen, you’d gain about 3 pounds of water = 4 pounds! That said, Id be surprised if you gained 5 pounds in 5 days. That would be a lot!
Are your clothes feeling tighter? Are you sure the scale you are using is correct?