Update 3/12/20. Have you heard of Juice Plus? Juice Plus (also called Juice Plus +) is a whole food phytonutrient supplement. The supplement contains the extracts of 17 different fruits and vegetables in capsule form. Juice Plus is intriguing not only because it comes from food but also because there are several clinical studies on this supplement. Most of them show it has benefits. In this review, let's look at the Juice Plus research. So you know, I am not a juice plus distributor and have no connection to the company which makes it.
Juice Plus Research
There is clinical research on this supplement -human research. Many of the studies can be viewed from the companies website. The company does support research. Some people take that in a bad way but I don't. I like it when companies take the time – and spend the money -to publish research on their supplements. This is rare and I appreciate seeing it.
Here are summaries of the research conducted on this supplement. To make it easier, I'll try to make reading the research easier by dividing them into different sections.
Antioxidant Research
In one of the earlier studies, researchers in 1996 noted higher levels of various vitamins and antioxidants like folic acid, vitamin E and phytonutrients like B carotene and lutein when they gave Juice Plus to 15 healthy people for days. More specifically, they noted the following improvements
- beta-carotene 510%
- alpha-carotene, 119%
- lutein/zeaxanthin, 44%
- lycopene, 2046%
- alpha-tocopherol, 58%
There was no single ingredient said to be responsible for these effects. The improvements were considered the result of all the phytonutrients working in together.
Multiple studies in both healthy and unhealthy people have documented the supplement improves antioxidant levels. This is one of the most consistent findings in all of the research.
Heart Disease Research
In a separate investigation, researchers tested JP and the Vineyard Blend to see if it slowed the progression of heart disease. Specifically, they wanted to by measuring its effects on blood pressure and calcium in coronary arteries. Doctors sometimes measure the amount of calcium in coronary arteries as an indicator of heart disease progression.
The people in this study were 51 men and women with high blood pressure and pre-high blood pressure (prehypertension). They were given Juice Plus and followed for 2 years. Results showed those who received Juice Plus had:
- lower systolic and diastolic blood pressures
- reduced homocysteine
- slower increase in coronary calcium
In theory, this appears to show JP might slow down some aspects of heart disease. One problem, however, was the lack of a placebo group. Interestingly hemoglobin A1C –a sign of diabetes – also decreased. That is good.
Eating high-fat meals can cause vasoconstriction (closing up) of blood vessels. This is bad. In an attempt to see if Juice Plus might help reduce this from happening, researchers in 2003 devised a study where they took 38 healthy people and split them into the following 3 groups:
- Juice plus only group
- Juice Plus + vineyard blend (Vineyard Blend contains grape and berry extracts)
- Placebo group
After 4 weeks, those taking either JP alone or JP and the Vineyard Blend had less vasoconstriction after eating a high-fat meal, compared to people who took a placebo. In addition, the fruit/vegetable concentrate promoted a small (but significant) reduction in cholesterol levels after 4 weeks (cholesterol changed from 184 to 172).
In my own very unscientific “study” many years ago, I noticed Juice Plus alone (no Vineyard Blend) reduced cholesterol from 260 to 220 after one month. My test subject was in a friend with chronically high cholesterol levels.
One compound thought to contribute to heart disease is homocysteine, a substance that makes blood sticky and easier to clot inside blood vessels. Investigators recruited 32 men (smokers and non-smokers) and randomly gave them either a placebo or Juice Plus for 6 weeks each.
Juice Plus reduced homocysteine levels and raised levels of B vitamins and beta carotene. To be fair, other researchers have raised questions about this study.
Researchers in Tokyo saw that after 4 weeks, Juice Plus supplements reduced homocysteine levels as well as markers of free radical damage.
Reducing Inflammation Research
Chronic, long term inflammation is thought to contribute to a variety of health problems. Being overweight is one thing that can raise inflammation. To see if this supplement helped, researchers in Australia, recruited 56 overweight adults and gave them either juice plus or a placebo for 8 weeks.
The researchers wanted to see if the fruit and vegetable concentrate supplement would reduce inflammation caused by being overweight. The people took either 6 capsules of placebo or 6 capsules of fruit and vegetable supplements (4 JP and 2 orchard blend) per day.
Results showed those taking juice plus had lower markers of inflammation and reduce cholesterol and LDL.
The antioxidants in fruits and vegetables are well known to reduce free radicals. But what if you smoked? Researchers in Italy recruited 101 heavy smokers (more than 20 cigarettes per day) who smoked for more than 10 years. 75 people completed the study. The people were randomly given either:
- A placebo
- Juice Plus
- Juice Plus + Vineyard blend (berry blend)
Those who received JP, as well as the JP/Vineyard combination, saw significant reductions in total cholesterol, LDL cholesterol (bad cholesterol) and free radical damage.
Boosting Immunity Research
Some research suggests this fruit/vegetable supplement may improve the immune system. In one such study, 59 healthy law students (21-53 years of age) were given JP or placebo for 77 days. Blood tests revealed a 30% increase in T cells and a 40% reduction in DNA damage in white blood cells (lymphocytes) in those who took Juice Plus.
Another study has also noted less DNA damage in lymphocytes after taking the supplement after only 60 days of use.
Prior to this other researchers noted the supplement increased the activity of natural killer immune cells (NK cells) when it was given to 53 smokers and non-smokers for 80 days. Levels of an immune substance called Interleukin 2 also improved.
Other researchers have noted fewer sick days when JP or placebo was given to 41 police officers for 28 days. While the reduction was not significant from a science perspective, in real-world terms it came to 26 fewer sick days. (108 vs. 134 sick days). I call that significant.
To reinforce these findings, at least one study has found Juice Plus caused a 20% reduction in moderate to severe cold symptoms in health care workers. This study involved 529 people who took JP or a placebo for 8 months.
Juice Plus Cancer Research
There is at least one study of Juice Plus improving the levels of antioxidants in cancer patients. This investigation involved 51 women. Other than this, no further research on the effects of the supplement involving cancer patients could be located.
Juice Plus and Pregnancy Research
Preeclampsia refers to a dangerous elevation in blood pressure that can occur during pregnancy. Left untreated, pre-eclampsia can cause organ damage and can be deadly. Needless to say, pregnant women are routinely monitored for this condition.
Researchers in the US recruited 684 women and gave them either the supplement or a placebo before their 12th week of pregnancy until delivery. The women took either 4 capsules per day or a placebo.
These researchers saw no differences in the rates or severity of preeclampsia. But, babies of the women who took the supplement had fewer respiratory problems and lower rates of admissions to the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) of hospitals compared to babies born to women who took the placebo.
Can It Help Diabetes?
Insulin resistance is the term used when insulin doesn't work as well as it should. It is one of the signs of type II diabetes. To see if the supplement might help, researchers followed 30 boys (21 boys were overweight) for 6 months. They were randomly given the supplement or a placebo, along with nutritional counseling. Insulin resistance decreased in the overweight boys (that's good) and they lost body fat too. This was not seen in the normal weight boys.
Can It Help Gingervitis?
Dental health and heart health seem to be related. So, might this supplement help reduce heart disease by helping reduce gum disease? At least one study has noted JP improved gum disease compared to a placebo. The study involved 120 people who were given either the supplement or a placebo for two months. While more studies are needed, this investigation appears to show the supplement helps some aspects of gum disease fairly quickly.
Does It Improve Exercise?
Evidence suggests naturally occurring antioxidants are better for exercise than taking isolated nutrients (like vitamin C for example). Some JP research has looked into this. In one such investigation, researchers took 48 healthy men and women and split them up into the following groups:
- The control group (placebo)
- JP supplement group
- Vitamin group (400 IU vitamin E + 1000 mg vitamin C)
Those taking Juice Plus received 1 fruit capsule, 1 veggie capsule, and 1 Vineyard Blend capsule twice a day (total of 6 capsules per day).
Everybody performed 3 exercise treadmill tests at the following intervals:
- 1 test before supplementation
- 1 test after 2 weeks of supplementation
- 1 test after a week of no supplementation
Results:
1. Both the vitamin and JP resulted in “modest” suppression of protein breakdown during exercise after 2 weeks. This is good because we don't want our muscles to be broken down during exercise.
2. Neither JP or the vitamins seemed to reduce indicators of free radical damage. This is odd since both JP and vitamin E possess antioxidant activity.
3. Neither the vitamins or JP improved exercise performance.
In another exercise, study researchers gave 41 healthy people either JP or a placebo for 28 days before they performed an intense exercise program. Blood tests revealed Juice Plus reduced various markers of free radical stress but did not reduce pain damage caused by the exercise.
Who Makes Juice Plus
The company is National Safety Associates (NSA). The website is JuicePlus.com.
The company is located at 140 Crescent Drive Collierville, TN 38017-3374. They can be contacted at 901-850-3000 M-F 8 am to 5 PM central time.
According to the Better Business Bureau, they have been in business since 1970. They have an A+ BBB rating and are a BBB accredited business. See the BBB file for updates and more information.
Juice Plus Price
The cost is around $41 a month if you just purchased the original version. The cost would be extra if you also purchased their other supplements such as their Vineyard Blend, protein powder, etc.
Buy Juice Plus
You can purchase Juice Plus directly its website JuicePlus.com. The supplement can also be purchased from one of the many people who sell it. If you don't know anyone, a quick google search of “Juice Plus + your zip code” will likely reveal people in your area sell it.
Currently, this supplement is not sold in stores like Walmart, Costco, CVS, Target, Rite Aid, Walgreens, etc.
Juice Plus Side Effects
In healthy people, this supplement is safe. No published study has noted any significant side effects. While I have no connection to this supplement, I have taken it for extended periods and suffered no problems.
That said, if you have a serious health problem, it's always wise to discuss all supplements you take with your doctor. Here's a shortlist of general things to consider. This list is not complete:
- start with less than recommended for the first week.
- stop taking at least 2 weeks before having surgery
- if you take medications like blood thinners, talk to your doctor first
- As with all supplements, talk to your doctor first if have any health issues
See the Juice Plus Q and A review for more insights.
Juice Plus Alternatives
Because it was likely one of the first whole food supplements, there are now many other competitors out there.
Just a few include:
Of these, Juice Festiv appears to garner the most attention. 
Whether or not these other supplements work the same or better than JP is open speculative. No head-to-head comparison studies between supplement could be located.
Does Juice Plus Work?
Juice Plus has more clinical studies than pretty much any supplement I've looked seen. Overall, the research on Juice Plus is interesting. From that research, I am pretty sure the supplement will raise levels of antioxidants. It will probably also reduce inflammation also. These things may lead to better health. If you want to try it and see how you respond, why not get a full blood test first. Then try Juice Plus for several months and get another blood test. That's good advice no matter what fruit and vegetable supplements you try.
So true but nobody is going to do research for free. Funding your own research is mandatory. As you stated look who is doing such research, their findings and is it peer reviewed and published. No to mention is it gold standard primary research on humans. I am a JP distributor and my family is eating them everyday. Wish you the best is health and happiness
Hello. I was considering Juice Plus, but I am on Lipitor for high cholesterol and I am concerned about the possible increase in LDL. Is there any research update since you wrote this?
Also, would Juice Plus be any different from taking a vitamin like Alive?
Thank you.
Hi Denise, For me, I persoanly don’t think it raises LDL. I think the LDL finding was a fluke. In fact the 2011 study I mentioned, showed a reduction in LDL. since its based on fruits and vegetables – things that should not raise LDL – I dont see how JP does.
Ive seen Alive vitamins in TV commercials but have not yet looked at them. While Ill always say eat more fruits and veggie foods, if they are made well, I think they would be fine too.
So if juice plus is so wonderful why ain’t more gps putting people on it ….
Because doctors are trained to treat diseases with pharmaceutical drugs, most are not nutrition savvy. My gastroenterologist takes Juice a Plus and recommended that I continue to take it.
Your article says, “Ironically, bad cholesterol (LDL) raised slightly, but significantly.” I would need to look up my results to give you accurate readings.
Cameron, yes that’s right (I forgot that part). Thanks for mentioning it and yes Id be interested in seeing how your LDL changed.
Do you have any explanation why jp raises LDL? I had this experience in my own blood test ran after I was on juice plus for 6 months. I found it interesting why everything else would lower but my LDL would raise.
Cameron, Ive never heard of Juice Plus raising LDL (bad cholesterol) levels. Can you tell me how much your LDL went when you used Juice Plus? Did anything else change while you were taking juice plus? Did you gain any weight during that time? Just curious.
Did any of your other blood results change during this time, just wondered weather it effected your liver reading
Diet controls LDL. No one is talking about diet here. The opinions offered (by all) are irrelevant without a dietary nutrition component. It is ridiculous to consider any conclusion without what people are eating.
You can eat all the JP+ you want, but if you lunch at Burger King you will not see the same results as you will by eating salads and avoiding processed meats.
Full disclosure: I am a Nurse and have been for 21 yrs. I have been eating Juice Plus for two years. I have been led through including JP+ in my diet, to a healthier life style. I find myself taking the stairs more, I park waaaaayyyyy far away from the parking lot elevators, I grab an apple instead of the chips…etc.
My blood pressure has dropped down well into acceptable range, my sugar is down and I feel stronger with added energy. I must, however report that my LDL and triglycerides have not fallen. My HDL (the good cholesterol) has increased by a moderate amt.
I enjoyed that read! Have been taking Juice Plus for about a year now and my family has not gotten sick once! We also eat healthy though. Noticed your links to Amazon, I wanted to say that my Rep was able to get my daughter (age 4) free chews every month with my adult purchase. I guess only Reps can do that. Thought I would pass this along. It saves us $25 a month getting those.
very good review. I started taking Juice Plus in 2004 at the request of a friend since I was on Sinus Infection # 3 and usually have about 10 a year. I was a skeptic. He actually gave me Juice Plus for free for 1 year. I have had 2 sinus infections since 2004. My blood work is amazing, and we have no idea what internally it helps. I can tell the difference when I don’t take Juice Plus. The other thing that one should look at is the back of the bottle. all vitamins, drugs etc, have medicine and supplemental facts on them.
but if you look at the back of a Juice Plus bottle it says Nutritional facts, That’s basically food. I swear by it, and I have seen so many of my friends who also take it, blood pressure drops, IBS gone, regular(hey for that alone its worth it lol) so from someone who doesnt sell it but takes it it works.
Janet, really glad you are seeing positive benefits from juice plus 🙂
Hi everyone. I know several people here have been asking me for a review on JuiceFestiv. I know have a review posted. Here is the link: http://supplementclarity.com/juice-festiv-review/
I hope it helps and sorry it too so long to get this done.
Hello Chrystal. Here is a link to those journals. http://jpearo.juiceplus.com/content/JuicePlus/en/clinical-research/published-medical-and-scientific-journals.html#.Vk3ZcWY8LCQ
Hi Joe Cannon,
In the above article (well written) you mention that “There are currently there are over 10 studies on Juice Plus appearing in peer reviewed journals.”
Are you able to give a list of these peer reviewed journals? I cannot find them anywhere and I would be very interested in seeing them.
Thank You.
Hi Chrystal, I believe I linked to them in my review.
There are 38 completed studies as of today. There are a couple more in the works.
Bill, Thanks for that. I will be taking a look at the other studies in the near future.
Thanks for the research. I have read about some other things on here, and feel that you take the time to dive in and read. I really appreciate that! When was the last time you were able to update this page with the information? Just curious…
I have tried another “lose weight/feel great” supplement and I did lose weight. But, when I stopped using it (due to no real research on long term effects), it all came back and I have different issues now.
Supplements just don’t work. Real fruits and vegetables are the best, but I haven’t seen elderberry in the grocery store before, nor am I able to get 30 raw fruits/veg/berries/grapes from the store for $2.40/day or less.
As far as the person who discussed the research being funded by JP, well, it is 3rd party-peer reviewed, has NSF certification (don’t see that on most things) and Dr. Mitra Ray (biochemist) found it on her own, did her own research and now is a advocate for it.
Juice Plus is transforming my kids in beautiful ways. It is very difficult to get 7-13 servings of them into ourselves as adults, let alone into kids who can be picky eaters on their own. The chewables/capsules bridge that gap for our family – doesn’t replace the real food, but bridges that gap.
Christi, You are welcome. Is there new published JP research out there? Let me know and I’ll take a look at it. BTW, Whats up with the Juice Plus/ Preeclampsia study? Did they publish it yet? I remember hearing about it and Dr. Odom about 10 years ago. Just curious.
Hi, Sorry for the delayed response. I didn’t get notification that you replied, and I forgot about it! LOL
I’ll check into that preeclampsia article, as I had it with 3 of my 4 pregnancies. I didn’t start JP until the end of my last pregnancy and it drastically helped m with gestational diabetes (which I had never had before), so I’m curious about the study. I know Dr. Odom just came out with some new videos and info, so I’ll take a look and get back to you.
Thanks for your time!!
Christi, thanks, I’ll look forward to whether or not Odom has published his study.
Please note that while there is a lot of research on Juice Plus, that research is funded by Juice Plus. It doesn’t necessarily mean that it’s bad, but could be slightly biased. Source: http://blog.fooducate.com/2014/06/26/4-ways-juice-plus-is-scamming-americans/
Everyone who does research on their product funds the research. The important thing is to look at who is doing the research and who is reviewing it.
This blogger obviously did not do much research into Juice Plus. I read this and didn’t find it very credible.
Hi Susan, Please look at the studies I already referenced. do you see any research studies I missed? If yes, let me know and I’ll update my review.
just a note… I have been taking Juice Plus since 2004 given by a co worker because I had a massive sinus infection double ear infections and 104 temp. he gave to me for a year… I usually have 5 sinus infections a year. doctor wanted me to have the sinus surgery… since taking juice plus I have only had 2 since 2004… its fruits and veggies, no chemicals, no drugs… cant beat that…
it is the same as anything else. if you eat junk all day and expect juice plus to keep you healthy that is not going to happen. my kids and I are much more healthy with Juice Plus then we ever were, and our blood works testifies to that. my friend came off her blood pressure meds, and another off her iB meds… just my comments. but it really is a great product…
Janet, really happy to hear Juice Plus is helping you and your friend.
Good afternoon Joe. I hope you made out ok regarding that wicked storm. If you need any assistance with Juice Plus+, the Complete or any other jp product please don’t hesitate. Didn’t know if you knew or had any distributors near your location.
Jim, thanks I’ll reach out to you on facebook. If you have a sample /label of the shake mix you can spare Id be interested in getting it if its not too much trouble.
The storm was crazy last night!
Hello, i was recently introduced to Juice+ this morning by a close friend, who we both have been taking the Bliss Go Pack. Which, in our opinion, have worked great with energy, and food cravings, though my friend states it gives her a headache at work. (She is a CNA).
We both also take IdealShape Shakes, which from reviews we have viewed is amazing and #1. especially with the 1g of sugar.
However, upon hearing about Juice+ .. I am curious to see a comparison on the two shakes..
Any reviews on the Juice+ shake vs the IdealShakes? Thanks in advance!
Candice, I will have the Ideal Shake review up soon. I looked up the Bliss Pack. It looks like a lot of stimulants to me and that may explain why your friend got a headache from it. I’ll see if I can review that too. If you know the ingredients in the Bliss Pack, just enter them into the search box here and if I ever covered them, they will pop up as parts of other reviews. I have reviewed many of the ingredients in the Bliss Pack previously.
I need to get on the Juice Plus Shake review. I would like to get a sample to taste it too.
Thank you so much for the unbiased review! Everything about this article was perfect and exactly what I was looking for.
Bethany, you are very welcome! I’m happy I was able to be of service to you 🙂
I appreciate your unbiased reviews! Thank you! And I thought you might be interested to know that there are now over 20 published studies involving Juice Plus. Here is a link: http://evacasillas.juiceplus.com/content/JuicePlus/en/clinical-research/published-medical-and-scientific-journals.html#.VVORPmCCPCQ
Eva, you are very welcome and thanks for the link. I will take a look at it and update my review with the new studies.
Well, I believe in science. We human beings spend a lot of money buying medicine without looking for validation or substitute or excuse for not spending money to cure our illnesses. Here JP comes with scientific research and major medical journals have published about it. Most importantly this product is for prevention and not cure. So we do not see a substantial result just before our eyes by using JP.
My entire family is on JP and now I distribute the product because I saw the value in it. People who love healthy living believe in prevention, science and trust the reputed medical publications would prefer taking Juice Plus if they could afford but others will find excuses not to and save money at the cost of healthy living.
Hello I was intrigued by your blog. I just ordered Juice Plus for me, and I got my daughter on the children’s study. I do not sell the product. I am just a mom who can’t ever get enough fruits and veggies in a day and I have a picky lil one.
I am overweight, and I suffer from constant pain from a past back injury. I also get constant headaches so I am hoping that bot my daughter and I will be able to benefit from the added nutrients in our day. I have added this blog to my favs so I can update in about a month with non distributor review.
Karen, I’m happy you found me and I will look forward to reading what happened in a month or so. 🙂
@karen cundiff, have you noticed a difference now that you have been using it for several months?
nice thing about Juice Plus is they dont push you to sell it…like alot of companies do. I became a distributor so I could get my cheaper. I dont push it have parties etc. But people do order via me when they realize I am not sick anymore and the benefits of Juice Plus. great blog on Juice Plus. people should check stuff out before they take it always… 11 years on Juice Plus and I have had no issues with it and love it… so do my kids..
I have received Juice Plus (3 kinds) and have not started taking it yet. I am taking Coumadin, and
am concerned about the interaction. Could you please advise me?
Kay
Kay, show Juice Plus to your doctor and see what they say. There is some vitamin K in Juice Plus (how much I don’t know). Vitamin K plays a role in blood clotting, so it makes some sense that there might be an interaction with coumadin. I’ve never heard of any issues but that doesn’t mean there can’t be any.
Tell your doctor you’d like to take Juice Plus and ask what needs to be done -as far as your coumadin is concerned – for you to take it. Your doctor may want to know how much vitamin K is in Juice Plus. If that is the case, then you may want to contact Juice plus (before you see your doctor) and ask them. The company that makes Juice Plus is National Safety Associates and their phone # is 800-347-6350.
Here is the contact page of their website:http://www.juiceplus.com/content/JuicePlus/en/about-us/contact-us.html#.VGOTqckwCJA
Let me know what happens Kay.
Kay, there is also a great article relating to this subject by Dr. Carlos Maderos. But of course you’d also like to discuss it w/ your doctor first. 🙂