Update 7/10/20. Plexus Slim is billed as an “affordable weight management product” that boasts “no ill side effects” based on “extensive clinical research.” Impressive, but does PlexusSlim work or is it a scam? And does it really have no side effects? I was tipped off to Plexus Slim by one of the readers of this website. After looking at its ingredients, I wanted to write a review of Plexus Slim because of the words used to describe the product and because Plexus Slim seemed to have ingredients that I have never heard of before. Let's see what we can discover about this weight loss drink. Also read my review of the Plexus Accelerator Plus (Accelerator +) and Plexus Boost, Plexus ProBio5 and Plexus Hunger Control after you read this, for additional information.
Update: The formula for Plexus Slim was changed a bit since this review was written so also read the review of the new plexus slim formula.
Who Makes Plexus Slim?
According to the Better Business Bureau, the company that makes Plexus Slim – Plexus Worldwide Inc. – was started in 2005 in Arizona. The address of the company is 7440 E. Karen Dr. #400, Scottsdale, AZ 85260.
Update. PlexusWorldWide.com, the company website, now lists this corporate address: 15649 N. Greenway Hayden Loop Scottsdale, AZ 85260. Googling this address shows a large building that says “Plexus Slim” on the outside. That's good.
Update. The Better Business Bureau now lists this address for the company: 9145 E Pima Center Pkwy Scottsdale, AZ 85258-4627
The BBB gives Plexus Slim a rating of “A+” See the BBB file for updates and other information.
To buy Plexus Slim it looks like you either have to buy it from the company or through a PlexusSlim distributor. They call Plexus Slim distributors “Ambassadors“. On the Plexus Slim website, they have a calendar of Plexus Slim events.
These events serve not only to sell Plexus Slim but also to recruit new Ambassadors. Plexus Slim has a multi-level marketing (MLM) aspect to it.
I have no problem with MLM. If the product is reputable, MLM allows people to make an income which can be significant.
Plexus Slim Nutrition Information
In an effort to keep this review up to date, here are the ingredients in Plexus Slim as they appeared in 2016. According to the label shown on the product website, each packet of Plexus Slim has the following nutrition information and ingredients:
| Ingredient | Amount Per Serving | Percent Daily Value |
|---|---|---|
| Calories | 10 calories | |
| Total Carbohydrdate | 3 grams | 1% DV |
| Chromium Polynicotinate | 200 micrograms | 167% DV |
| Plexus Slim Blend (composed of the following) | 530 mg | N/A |
| Garcinia Cambogia Fruit Extract | ||
| Green Coffee Bean Extract | ||
| Alpha Lipoic Acid |
In the table above, N/A means no daily value established.
Each of the ingredients will be summarized below. I will leave in the summaries of the ingredients present in the original plexus slim formula too to help others doing their own research.
See the review of the new plexus slim formula too.
Plexus Slim Ingredients
Polydextrose
This is a type of soluble fiber. In theory, this might help weight loss since it has no calories and is a type of fiber. Polydextrose might cause gas and bloating.
Citric Acid
In some products, citric acid is used as a preservative and to enhance flavor. While it naturally occurs in citrus fruits, its use in foods/ supplements may be from natural or synthetic means.
Beet Root
If Plexus Slim uses the entire beetroot, the fiber content of the beetroot might help foster some weight loss because it adds bulk to the stomach contents. That said, I can't locate any evidence that beetroot helps people lose weight. The product label states the beetroot is to give the product color. Beets do have a red color. Beetroot probably contributes to the pink color of the product.
Beets and beetroot juice have gotten attention from the scientific community because of their ability to raise nitric oxide, a compound that can relax blood vessels, allowing blood to more easily travel through the body. See my review of SuperBeets for more on this topic.
Grape Skin Extract
Grape skin contains phytonutrients such as proanthocyanidins and proanthocyanidins which act as antioxidants. While this is very good, does grape skin extract help people lose weight? Other than having some fiber (which might act as a laxative) I can't find any proof that it does.
Update. I'm told Plexus Slim no longer contains grape skin extract
Lo Han Extract
The scientific name for this ingredient is Siraitia grosvenorii. This is also called “lou han guo” and “monk fruit.” By either name, it's often used as a sweetener. This ingredient, like steveia below, is likely added for flavoring.
Stevia
This is a sweetener. Some supplement companies may call it by another name -“rebaudioside A.”
Stevia is added to many low-calorie foods. In theory, using low calorie (or no-calorie) sweeteners might help weight loss but I'm not sure if this is the answer. There are MANY low-calorie foods and beverages on the US market, yet Americans are not slimmer than they were, say, in the 1980s.
Natural Flavors
They don't tell us what these natural flavors are. To be fair, most companies don't. They don't have to under the law. Regardless, I doubt any of them play a role in weight loss.
Green Coffee Bean
This is also called Chlorogenic Acid. One study published in 2010 noted that chlorogenic acid helped weight loss and increased fat burning when in rats that were fed a high-fat diet (37% of calories from fat).
This is interesting even though it's a rat study. Another rat study also noted that mulberries (which also contain chlorogenic acid) helped the weight loss. But was it the chlorogenic acid – or all the other stuff mulberries?
In one small study 16 overweight people were given either a placebo or different amounts of green coffee extract (which contains chlorogenic acid) at either 700 mg or 1050 mg day for 6 weeks (each person was given each treatment for 6 weeks).
People getting the green coffee extract (both dosage amounts) were shown to have significant reductions in body weight, body mass and percent body fat compared to placebo. The type of green coffee extract used in this study was supplied by Applied Food Sciences Inc.
Retracted
It sounds great BUT, the study has been “retracted.” This means it should not be considered as evidence due to errors with how the study was performed. In the words of the authors, the study was retracted because the authors could not “assure the validity of the data.” Click here to read the retraction.
See the Green Bean Coffee Review for more information.
See the weight loss supplement scam review.
Rosmarinic Acid
This is a plant chemical found in many herbs, including rosemary. This is probably where Rosmarinic Acid gets its name from. Rosmarinic acid has antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. I was unable to find any studies showing that Rosmarinic Acid helps weight loss in humans or animals.
Hydroxycinnamic Acid
This compound is an antioxidant but whether or not it contributes to weight loss needs further study.
Garcinia Cambogia
This was originally called “Citrin K” when I first reviewed Plexus Slim. Garcinia cambogia is found in MANY weight loss supplements because of some research that it might reduce appetite and help weight loss. Right now, I think all anyone can say is maybe it works or maybe it doesn't work.
In this study, 500 mg of garcinia Cambogia did not help people lose weight. I mention this because if this study is correct, then it might take more than 500 mg of garcinia Cambogia if it's going to work. The entire proprietary blend in Plexus Slim adds up to 530 mg. While Garcinia Cambogia is the first ingredient listed – which presumably means it makes up the most of the blend – how much that equates to, I cannot say.
See the Garcinia Cambogia review
Also, read the review of supplements linked to liver failure.
Alpha-lipoic Acid
This is an antioxidant and it helps it turn carbs into energy. It can also help regenerate other antioxidants, which is pretty snazzy.
There are a few studies of alpha-lipoic acid and weight loss. In one study, alpha-lipoic acid was randomly given to 360 obese people for 20 weeks. Half got a placebo and half got alpha-lipoic acid (either 1200 mg/day or 1800 
In another study, 1127 overweight people were given 800 mg of alpha-lipoic acid a day for 4 months. This study noted that alpha-lipoic acid, at the dosage given, helped people lose about 8% of their body weight over 4 months.
So if you were 200 pounds, alpha lipoic acid might help you lose about 200 x .08 = 16 pounds. That is a significant amount in my book.
One possible problem with this study though was that it doesn't appear that there was a placebo group to compare the weight loss too. I was also unable to determine (because I only read the summary of the study) if people combined alpha-lipoic acid with eating fewer calories (I think they might have ).
Alpha-lipoic acid is the last ingredient listed in the proprietary blend. As such, it likely makes up the least of the 530 mg total.
Oxypregnane Steroidal Glycoside
This is a pretty fancy name but you have heard of this stuff before. Oxypregnane steroidal glycoside – is just a fancy way of saying Hoodia! Here is a study that proves that both names mean the same thing.
I think they call it Oxypregnane steroidal glycoside because they are trying to make the product sound different and special. In reality, it's just hoodia Gordonii.
The other fancy name for hoodia is P57AS3 – you have probably seen this listed in other supplements as “P57“.
I've already reviewed hoodia and weight loss. Other supplements that I've reviewed previously that contain hoodia include the
For at least 10 years, hoodia Gordonii has been in more weight loss supplements than you can shake a stick at – but there is no good proof that hoodia supplements help people lose weight.
Study. Researchers gave hoodia or a placebo to 50 overweight people for 2 weeks. The people in the study were allowed to eat as much as they wanted from a menu provided by the researchers. Results: hoodia did not cause any weight loss.
While no serious side effects were reported, researchers did note that people who got hoodia had higher blood pressures and heart rates compared to people who got the placebo. Hoodia also seems to cause elevations in bilirubin and alkaline phosphatase. What caused these changes I do not know.
Update. Plexus slim no longer contains hoodia. See my review on the New Plexus Slim Formula for more info on how it has changed.
Chromium Polynicotinate
Plexus slim contains a type of chromium they call “amino nicotinate”. This is fancy talk for “chromium nicotinate”. (it is now called “chromium polynicotinate on the label).
You may have heard Dr. Oz talk about chromium polynicotinate on TV. I reviewed what Dr Oz had to say about this form of chromium and I am guessing that this is why Plexus Slim includes chromium nicotinate over the sometimes more popular, chromium picolinate.
Chromium may help lower blood sugar levels but as for its effects on weight loss, I am highly skeptical. For more on chromium, see my reviews of chromium weight loss research and chromium polynicotinate.
Blood Sugar Lowering Ingredients
As a quick reference, the following ingredients might reduce blood sugar:
- Alpha-lipoic acid
- Chromium nicotinate (now called chromium polynicotinate)
Fiber Ingredients
As a quick reference, the following ingredients all might add fiber to Plexus Slim:
- Polydextrose
- Grape skin (no longer in plexus slim) See my review of the new PS formula.
- Hoodia (maybe. no longer in Plexus Slim)
How Much Does Plexus Slim Cost?
One of the slogans for Plexus Slim is “At last, an affordable weight management product.” I guess that depends on how you define “affordable”. On the Plexus Slim website, they have different prices depending on whether you want to buy it just once or be billed each month automatically.
If you want to buy Plexus Slim one time only, its $84.95. If you want to be billed automatically at the 15th of each month, Plexus Slim is $79.95/ month.
Is Plexus Slim OK When Breast-Feeding?
Some women have wondered if they can take Plexus Slim while they are breastfeeding? That's not something I would recommend because if any of the ingredients in Plexus Slim pass into breast milk, then their baby will be getting those ingredients too.
I don't know for sure if any of the ingredients do get absorbed into breast milk, so I do recommend that women take the ingredients in Plexus Slim to their doctor to see if they can get a better answer.
How Much Caffeine?
The Plexus Slim Nutrition label states that it has less than 2% of naturally occurring caffeine. My guess is that the caffeine comes from the green coffee bean extract because this statement is listed next to the green coffee bean ingredient on the label. I'm not sure how much 2% natural caffeine equals.
Plexus Slim and ADHD
Since writing this review I've heard that this product may be marketed to help Attention Deficient Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). A search on Google reveals several testimonials from people saying that it helps. I became curious and searched for “Plexus ADHD research.” I searched Google for this phrase and I also searched the National Library of Medicine too.
I saw no clinical studies on this topic. Therefore, whether it Plexus helps ADHD or not is unknown as far as I can tell. Nobody appears to have undertaken the chore of taking this stuff into the lab and actually tried to really see if it helps or not.
The same thing also seems to be true for bipolar disorder and depression. I cannot find any evidence Plexus Slim directly helps either of these conditions either.
Having said that, lack of evidence doesn't necessarily mean something does not work. Rather, it just means that it seems that, other than testimonials (from people most of us don't know), there doesn't seem to be any good proof for it yet.
How To Contact Plexus Slim
PlexusWorldWide lists this contact phone number: 480-998-3490 which people can call 6 AM-6 PM (PST) Monday -Friday and 9 AM-2 PM (PST) on Saturday.
How To Return Plexus Slim
Plexus Slim products come with a 60-day money-back guarantee. For those who purchased from Plexus Ambassadors, contact that person for details on how to return the product, or call the company itself at 480-998-3490.
Does Plexus Slim Have Any Side Effects?
On the Q and A page of the Plexus Slim website (question 7) where it's asked: “Will Plexus Slim interfere or react with any medications or other supplements?” the makers say: ” No. Extensive clinical research has demonstrated no ill side effects with any medications or other supplements.”
Where is all the “extensive clinical research” on Plexus Slim? As far as I can tell, Plexus Slim has NEVER been tested in published studies to see if it interacts with any medication or health condition.
The only study I've seen on Plexus Slim is a summary of a study they show on their website. This is a study from 2008 where they gave the product to 8 people with type II diabetes. Yes, improvements were seen in blood sugar, body weight and other things, but this is not a published, peer reviewed study. As such, there is a lot we are not told about how this study was conducted. It may be the best study in the world, but if we can't see how it was conducted, then it can't be duplicated by other scientists.
That said, in healthy people, I think Plexus Slim (the pink drink product) is safe. Below are some theoretical side effects based on its ingredients.
Grape skin. Some components of grape skin might interfere with medications such as Coumadin (a blood thinner). I'm not aware of any human evidence of this, but because blood thinners can intact with many things, its best to talk to a doctor about this. Update. grape skin is no longer in plexus slim
Chlorogenic acid. This compound might raise homocysteine levels in humans. Homocysteine is a somewhat controversial molecule because some feel it might be linked to heart disease.
See my review of chlorogenic acid for more info.
Citrin K/ Garcinia cambogia. There is some controversial evidence that Garcinia Cambogia may be linked to liver problems. Personally, I'm not yet convinced it does this. For more info on this see my review of garcinia Cambogia.
Alpha-lipoic acid. This ingredient appears to lower blood sugar. Because of this, alpha-lipoic acid might interfere with insulin and other diabetes medications. Alpha-lipoic acid seems to reduce thyroid hormone levels. This can be a problem for people who take Levothyroxin for hypothyroidism (low thyroid).
Hoodia. As I reported in my book on supplements hoodia Gordonii seems to share some chemical similarity to a class of heart drugs called cardiac glycosides. In fact, if you Google “Hoodia and cardiac glycosides.” I don’t know the clinical significance of this. That said, if you have heart or blood pressure issues please see your cardiologist before using any hoodia supplement, just to be safe.
Chromium may lower blood sugar levels. While this can be a good thing, it also means chromium might interact with blood-sugar-lowering medications. This might – in theory – make blood sugar levels to too low.
As a general, blanket statement, I would be cautious if you have any problems with your heart, blood pressure, kidneys, liver, mental disorders, diabetes or digestive problems. I would not recommend Plexus Slim if you had bariatric surgery either. To their credit, the makers of Plexus Slim do say to see your doctor first if you are pregnant. I agree with this.
The Plexus Slim Accelerator
Update: The Accelerator formula has changed significantly and the product is now called Plexus Accelerator Plus (Accelerator +). Do read my review of the Plexus Accelerator Plus for additional information on the new product.
This is another product sold on the Plexus Slim website. The word “accelerator” is a tip-off that this product is a stimulant.
The Plexus Slim Accelerator contains trace minerals, calcium, and magnesium from seaweed (both are useless for weight loss) and vitamin B6 (useless for weight loss). The accelerator also has a “proprietary blend” of:
- Dark Chocolate – won't help weight loss, unless it has caffeine
- Natural Caffeine – natural or not, it's caffeine!
- Green Tea Extract – probably has caffeine or EGCG
- Vanadium Chelate. This is the fancy name for Vanadium. It won't help weight loss.
- B-Phenylethylamine HCl – might act as a neuro-chemical. Avoid if you take antidepressants.
The Plexus Slim Accelerator also has an ingredient called GeranaX. GeranaX is a reference to geranium oil. Geranium oil is controversial in some circles because it is thought by some to be a natural source of a stimulant called Dimethylamylamineor “DMAA. ” It's scientific name is 1,3 Dimethylamylamine and its also called Methylhexaneamine.
The name “GeranaX” is a made-up word. In other words, the name GeranaX holds no scientific meaning.
Geranium has been the subject by scrutiny by the military, whose research finds that geranium does not contain DMAA. Oddly, the supplement 411 website still lists “geranium” as an alternative name for DMAA in its listings. Currently, it is controversial if geranium is a source of DMAA or not.
As of July 2013, the Australian government warned people about the Plexus Slim Accelerator because they say it had DMAA. This link goes to the Australian government website that discusses the Plexus Slim Accelerator and DMAA.
- In April of 2013, the FDA issued a warning letter about DMAA.
- Here is a New York Times article on DMAA for more information.
The ingredient DMAA seems to act like ephedra or bitter orange (synephrine) which are potent stimulants. As such, it may raise blood pressure and heart rate to dangerous levels. Here is a case report of a 21-year-old man who suffered a stroke after taking 2 DMAA pills.
This does not mean plexus slim will do this. It would depend on whether DMAA really is in geranium and also which part of the plant was used (root, stems ect).
Di methy amyl amine “looks” like amphetamines (“speed”). This may be why question 6 of the Plexus Slim Q and A page mentions that this ingredient may cause a positive result on a drug test for amphetamines. Here is a study showing that dimethylamylamine causes false positive drug tests for amphetamines.
Plexus Slim Bio-Cleanse
This is a laxative. Always remember, the word “cleanse” means laxative. The Plexus Slim Bio Cleanse supplement lives up to its laxative name because it contains magnesium, which is indeed a laxative. Remember “Milk of Magnesia.” Either way, laxatives don't cause any weight loss other than mostly water (and of course, poo). The Plexus Slim website lists 2 prices for this product – $29.95 or $39.95 -both of which are too pricey for me.
Plexus Boost
Here is my review of Plexus Boost. I cover a lot of information in this review and I also compare it to the ingredients in Accelerator Plus as well.
Plexus Slim Fast Relief
The Fast Relief product appears to be a pain relief formula that exists in both a cream
For more information, see the review of Omega XL.
Will Plexus Slim Work?
Honestly, I'm not if it works because Plexus Slim – itself- has no published proof. If you read the comments below, you'll see some people do say it's helped them lose weight. If it works, is it because of the unique blend of ingredients in Plexus Slim or is it because of just a few key ingredients alone?
Here are Plexus Supplements on Amazon
Yeah, J, PS not performing clinical testing on their products is a financial matter, but the main reason is that the FDA does not require it. Therefore, there is no safety or efficacy data available. A diet supplement is not classified as a drug by the FDA, and exempt from performing clinical trials. Where as a drug’s safety and efficacy profile has been clinically studied for sometimes up to 15-20yrs before brought to market. Just more money for the promoters to stash in their suitcases when things get bad.
Though consumers often think “natural” (PS claim) means pure and unprocessed, some supplements are anything but. Independent tests have found them contaminated with unwanted, potentially harmful ingredients such as heavy metals, pesticides, and bacteria; a few have even been found to contain prescription drugs.
While the FDA monitors drug manufacturing plants to make sure products are of a good and uniform quality, there’s currently no requirement that supplement makers follow these same so-called “good manufacturing practices.” The purity, potency, and identity of a supplement may vary from product to product, and you may not know if other ingredients have been added.
Consumer Reports tests have found that bottles don’t contain what their labels say they do or in the dosage they purport to have. And even in her rawest form, Mother Nature can pack a dangerous punch; many plants–think poison ivy and hemlock–are poisonous.
I believe I would rather put my trust in a product with proven safety, and efficacy even if it did cost billions of dollars, than the “snake oil” you promote. I’m sure your love ones would appreciate it also.
Let’s stop the personal attacks, and language. This is a first class site with people who know what they are talking about through their own experiences, or research. Use a little class.
J
3% pool! So, what? It still doesn’t take away the fact where this money comes from. If you paid attention you should know this money has to come from the 99% of amb that are losing money. You must not be aware that PS is nothing more than a “pyramid scheme” where monies are just transferred upward from the bottom of the pyramid to the top. People lose money to pay those 1% at the top. Why is this so hard to understand? j, you need to take some of that retirement time and study both sides of the issues. if not, you will continually be brainwashed.
J, the company boast on providing 50% of total profits to the amb. What they don’t tell you is 42.5% of those profits go to the top 1% of distributors. Doesn’t sound to good for those in the last 6 or 7%, does it? Not much more money to be spread around, is it?
And, I still say PS will be shut down. As soon as the people are no longer available, and saturation sets in, which is already happening, bye, bye PS. For a pyramid scheme like PS to survive you have to have a constant influx of people. To explain: For each person that quits, and 80% will quit within 2-3 years, another person has to be added. If not, the pyramid will collapse. PS will sooner or later collapse under it’s own weight like most MLM companies. It’s sort of like death, you know the end is coming, you just don’t know when.
J, to the contrary, I do know what I am talking about. I can not prove this, but I was an Amb at one time. Did okay, had 17 people under me and making 0 profit. Did research on MLM and realize after seeing through the “smoke and mirrors I no longer wanted to continue. Had 17 recruits, and lost money each month, but the real issue was knowingly deceiving my friends and love ones.
You said you are a Preferred customer. Then why do you call yourself an Amb. Two different animals. Anyone that gives a company their credit card, especially MLM, for billing and auto-shipping each month is an idiot in my book.
That’s for the personal attack on me in your last post. It always happens, sooner or later MLMers bring out their big guns in the form of personal attacks. lol
Pete writes:
“the company knows these false claims are being made in the field, and will tolerate as much as they can get away with. This has been proven of MLM for years.”
You better believe this. In fact, there is a picture on FB of an ambassador presenting in front of a group of potential lemmings, er… “underlines”. On the screen behind her is a mandatory disclaimer, most likely forced by Plexus onto their ambassadors in an attempt to shield themselves from liability. Things like how none of the statements made by ambassadors are approved by Plexus, not responsible for the content, etc. That’s a real glowing support of their ambassadors, huh? Makes one feel really secure about the products, right?
And “J” needs to review the Lexus lease issue. Only 1 vehicle in their lineup has deals for under $349/mo. for leasing. And I don’t see many of those ambassadors taking the CTh as their vehicle of choice.
Joe,
They tried giving me Ribose to help with it but it didn’t do much good and I was still popping Vicodin.
I am the most skeptical person you will meet in your life, so when I was told that Plexus may help the symptoms, I gave it a shot. At that point in my life I would have done cocaine to numb myself. So I said F it, gave it a try, took the Plexus and slowly weened myself off of Vicodin. Yes, I still get Fibro pain flare-ups, but it’s nothing that I can’t handle, nothing like the feeling of being on fire that I used to always experience.
Will I sit here and say it works for everyone, no, that’s a stupid statement to ever make, that would be like someone saying Ribose cured their stage 4 cancer. Because
A. I’m not a doctor
B. I’m not a nutritionist
C. I’m not a nerve specialist
I’m just an old retired guy that found something that works for me, nothing more, nothing less. Whether the other skeptics out there believe me is up to them, I don’t have the time or patience to force people to believe me.
J, thanks, Just thought I’d toss it out to you in case you had not heard of it.I know ribose has been touted in some fibro magazines.
Pete,
You really have no idea what you’re talking about when it comes to how Emerald’s are paid. Emerald’s are stuck in a pool where they split 3% of the company’s profit each month. The least these people make on their points is $3 per point. You have shit credit if you can’t lease your Lexus for less than $319 a month, and that is on you if you have shit credit, so yea, $500 should be enough for anyone to lease a Lexus, especially someone who is making on average 11k a month to begin with, again all off of her points.
People such as yourself have been saying Plexus is going to shut down since 2006, here it is 10 years later and they’re still going strong. Honestly, it sounds to me like you tried to become an Amb, failed at it because you assumed it wouldn’t take any work and now you’re angry because you didn’t succeed.
Jim,
I did say it did help and does help me, I can only go by my own results. I would never make a claim that it helps everybody or that it cures a specific disease. Because that would be a dumb statement to make.
Pete,
Please tell me where I have EVER made a claim like that? Stop making up stuff to fit your own agenda. I am not the owner or an executive with PS nor do I give two turds what the FEDS do, see above where I specifically SAY “IT HELPED ME WITH MY FIBRO” I know reading comprehension can be tough for people but damn, I should not have to put it in all caps so you can understand it.
Well jeez Pete lets ask all these supplement companies why they don’t do clinical studies for this or some other supplement, oh wait no, I can already tell you why, because clinical studies cost MILLIONS of dollars, no company in their right mind would want to spend MILLIONS of dollars on a clinical study, where some people may experience the desired results and others may not. That had to have been the most asinine thing that I have ever read oh and just in case you don’t know what the word means, it means foolish.
Also, since it is definitely clear your reading comprehension is below that of a third graders, no where in ANY of my posts have I ever said I was cured of Fibro, I have to live with this disease for the rest of my life. What I did say and have always said is taking Plexus helped me deal with the pain so much so, I no longer take Vicodin and that WAS the meds they prescribed me to deal with the pain.
J, just curious, have you ever tried ribose for your fibromyalgia? The research, while not perfect, is intriguing and I’ve met people who said it helped. Here’s my review of the ribose/fibromyalgia research.
J,
Whether a person wants to attend a rah-rah meeting or buy selling.materials is up to the individual. I understand you are in it for those tremendous savings as a preferred customer. lol Those Amb who are working the business are told by the company and sponsors that it is to their best interest to participate at the meeting, and how can you sell without selling brochures, etc.
These meetings and the materials etc. are a big money making scheme for PS, and other MLM companies.
I never got this, you are going for supposedly training to sell a company’s products, but YOU have to pay for that training. The company ought to be paying you.
J, let’s clear up the Lexus thing up. Your friend, the Emerald, gets paid $500 for her being at that level. Go and see if you can lease a Lexus for that amount. Going to be close depending on the model. Throw in all your up front fees, insurance, mileage, depreciation, etc., and all you’ve done is create debt. $500 is not going to work, my friend.
And, as you say Amb that have Lexuses keep them indefinitely. Not true, if an Amb falls below the level of Emerald, the money is gone, and you are stuck with the least payments. Remember, you leased the car in your name the company gives you $500 which can be taken from you at their discretion.
J,
The payment is not guaranteed, the ambassador must stay qualified which would prove difficult if the company is shut down. In addition, it is considered taxable income.
I just want to make sure you understand the facts, not hearsay.
Jim
Hey Pete…hope all is well my friend.
Here is J’s claims from another page;
“J L FLMatteys • a day ago
I am an ambassador after taking it for two years. I no longer take Vicodin, so you explain to me, why it is my pain is much more manageable. While Fibro cannot ever be cured, why is it that I no longer feel the need to take a Vicodin whenever my pain flares up? I’ll tell you why, because Plexus did help and does help.
The sad thing is you think this is a miracle drug, it’s not. It is a supplement, there are NO supplements out there that are FDA approved, non have gone through any legit clinical studies. All you can do is rely on the testimonials of those that do take it. Also, I became an Ambassador to get this stuff dirt cheap, not to make money. If I were in this to make money, I’d be way up there by now. I’m just an associate though.”
I may need to work on my reading comprehension, but it sounds a lot like J is saying ‘Plexus did help and does help.”
Jim
You state Amb that make false claims as to PS improving eye sight or ADHD should be reported to the company pronto. Very low tolerance. J, the company knows these false claims are being made in the field, and will tolerate as much as they can get away with. This has been proven of MLM for years.
You make statements about ADHD and eyesight, then you come back and make a false claim concerning your improvement with pain with PS. Whether it helps, or not, it is still considered a false claim by the FDA, and the FTC because their is no clinical scientific data supporting your claim. PS has been warned about this once, I would not mess with feds again. You can tell your friend that if she told you about pain relief with PS, she could be held liable, and be prosecuted for her actions.
J, you need to ask yourself if PS controls pain, how does it do it? In other words, this would be one of the biggest advancements in the history of modern medicine. Fibro has been studied for decades in clinical environments, and no cure has been found. Billions of dollars has been spent over those years. And, you going to tell us that product, which is really nothing but “snake oil” is going to do the trick. Wow!
Why does not PS take the money and find out if PS really controls Fibro or whatever, by having clinical studies performed. I’ll tell you why. PS would not do the studies required because they know they would prove to be baloney, and there goes the company.
Joe,
Here is the link to a very informative PBS video regarding supplements.
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/frontline/film/supplements-and-safety/
Very disturbing.
Jim
Jim, thanks I saw it when it came out.
Joe,
Just to correct you on this post. You don’t have to pay for meetings unless you want, so you don’t spend gas money going to these meetings unless you want. There also is no selling material to buy such as Mary Kay catalogs. I have attended exactly 0 meetings, have spent exactly 0 hours trying to promote the stuff. As for the expense on being in the hole, it is a necessary evil. Besides $67 a month is not going to hurt me in the long run of things.
J, Im glad to hear that. I as thinking more about renting space at hotels and conference centers and in some MLMs, there is the giving away of free samples and information packets. I know that’s not an expense everyone incurs.
Jim,
Anyone claiming that this stuff improves their eye sight and cures ADHD needs to be reported to Plexus pronto, that is one thing they do not tolerate. As for your other question, I was not hounded into becoming an Amb, while I was my upline’s first Amb, I advised her right away I wasn’t going to sell anything, the only reason I even bought it was that I was just sick of having to take Vicodin, two, three times a day to deal with this God Awful pain.
A lot will say oh it’s not the Plexus helping you but your mind telling you it’s the Plexus, that’s not true. I have absolutely no idea why it works, I just know that it does and I took Vicodin religiously for five or six years, it really affects you. Again, Jim, I’m not interested in making money. As for when she got into Plexus, she started a little over 26 months ago, as far as I know Plexus started in 2009 and I’m not into MLM marketing, I am however into saving money, which is why I became an Amb. So I’m not envious that she managed to get a Lexus, or that she makes 11k a month on average.
Yes, while she has to sign for the Lexus in her own name, Plexus strokes her a month check to pay the car payment on it, so yea, even though she had to do that, the car payment is guaranteed. Not that she needs to worry about it considering what she makes, but that is neither here nor there.
For your last question, since I again, do not have people or buyers under me, as far as I know, each Amb has to make at least $100 in sales to qualify for a commission.
I’m sure Joe could advise you on how bad Fibro pain can be, since I believe he has an MS that required studying this stuff.
J, yes I’ve studied and worked with people who have fibromyalgia.
Joe
This information comes from 25 years of research on MLM performed by Dr. John Taylor. This doesn’t represent PS since they do not have to disclose income, but will in the future. It represents one of the largest MLM company in the world.
Keep in mind that the top 1% of distributors get the bulk of the dollars. Now your average rep. makes on average $400 dollars a month. But, by the time they pay their expenses, meetings, products, gas, selling material, etc. most will be in the hole. Per Dr. Taylor this represents about 18% of the reps that are active. Amazingly, about 81% of the reps get 0 dollars, and definitely go in the hole. PS would be pretty close to this scenario since almost all use the same business strategies.
So, you can see from these numbers that the money travels upward to the top 1% of the pyramid. Keep in mind the 81% are still buying product, going to meeting, paying fees, etc. and nothing to show for it. How can people be so stupid?
Pete, thanks. That is a good point about considering funds spent on gas and other expenses when considering average monthly income.
Hi Joe,
Love your reviews and insight, thank you for for fact checking and your unbiased reviews.
Perhaps J can also advise what the monthly charge is to qualify for commissions. In addition, the Lexus is considered taxable income, must be financed in your own name using the ambassadors name, credit, etc.
I have been in corporate america for over 20 years and not once have I ever been asked to finance my ‘company car’. MLM is all about smoke and mirrors.
Jim
Jim, thanks much for that 🙂
Joe,
What do you mean by average? You have some ambassadors (myself) that signed up to get it at whole-sale pricing and don’t do it to make money. While you have others that go out and sell a lot and make lots of money. I can tell you what my Emerald friend makes, she brings in roughly 11k a month.
As for someone just starting out, who has 3 people under them, right around $300 extra month if I had to guess. I have no one under me, as previously stated, I signed up as an Amb for the whole-sale pricing.
J, thanks, yes I meant the average ambassador monthly income. That’s a question I’m always curious about when it comes to network marketing. I know there are some who make a lot and some who dont. knowing the average gives most people an idea of how much they might make. Thanks for the feedback 🙂
Jay
Your friend is very lucky. I bet they got into the scheme early. As I like to say, they were one of the few that were on the train that left the station first. Most others are stuck, because the train has already left the station. (saturation)
Jay, very few ever make it big in MLM. As a matter of fact , less than 1%. I have crunched the numbers and if you will add up all the ambassadors from Ruby up to Diamond, and divide that number by the total number of ambassadors, you will get actually less than 1/10 of 1%. Would you want to invest your time and money in a scheme like this knowing the odds are so great against you.
What you don’t understand about the LEXUS is that that are so many incidentals that go with this supposed perk that you are responsible for, and most of the time you end up spending more than the money PS pays for the lease. And, what if the company goes out of business. You’re stuck paying fully for the car.
Jay, I would imagine someone is hounding you to become an ambassador. Just remember, this is MLM, and people, even your best friend will tell you anything to get you to contribute to their lifestyles.
They will be going on trips, driving a Lexus, and making money while you are setting a home dreaming of what will most probably never come.
Good Luck!
J.
I appreciate your validating my point, it is all about the benjamins and ambassadors are snake oil salesman who prey on the weak with false promises of hope. Plexus Slim has not been proven effective because there are no published studies. Instead, Plexus Slim relies on people like you and testimonials which are worthless at best and taken at face value, laughable. I have seen ambassadors post that their eyesight has improved, ADHD been cured and more. Plexus Slim is a joke…just another MLM.
Jim
Pete,
I personally know an Emerald Ambassador and can assure you that not only did she get her Lexus, she also got a fully paid trip for two to Hawaii, first class. OH and she only makes 11k a month.
J, can you tell us what the average plexus slim ambassador makes per month? Can you find that information out for us?
Sarah,
No it doesn’t cure it, Fibro cannot be cured, however for some people such as myself it DOES help relieve the debilitating pain.