(Updated 7/17/20). Have you heard of the anti-aging supplement Protandim? Maybe you saw a YouTube video of when Protandim was featured on ABC's PrimeTime? Protandim called an “Nrf2 activator” has been said to be the “only supplement clinically proven to reduce oxidative stress in humans by an average of 40 percent in 30 days.” That’s fancy talk for Protandim is a type of antioxidant supplement. Unlike other products, Protandim is said to work by helping the body increase its own natural antioxidant enzymes. Sounds good, but does Protandim work, or is it a scam? These are some of the questions I will address in this review. The good news is there are clinical studies on Protandim. I will use that research in this review and help you understand it. By the end of this review, you'll have a better idea if Protandim is right for you.
Other Anti-Aging Supplement Reviews
What Is Protandim?
Protandim might sound like a drug but it's really a dietary supplement. It's said to combat free radical damage (oxidative stress) by stimulating the production of the body's own natural antioxidant enzymes such as catalase, superoxide dismutase (SOD), and glutathione.
The idea goes like this: instead of taking individual antioxidant supplements (like vitamins C, E, etc.) in the hopes they will battle free radicals and combat aging and disease, Protandim is supposed to augment or ramp up your own naturally occurring free radical defenses.
It's a novel concept to be sure.
The supplement website (LifeVantage.com) says the supplement is “clinically proven to reduce oxidative stress to levels of that of a 20-year-old.” Oxidative stress refers to the stress (cellular damage) caused by free radicals.
What Does The Name Mean?
My guess is the name was chosen because the ingredients are supposed to “pro-actively” work in “tandim” to help defend us against aging and disease.
Who Makes Protandim?
Protandim is a product of a company called LifeVantage Corporation. LifeVantage is actually a publicly traded stock on the NASDAQ. Its stock symbol is LFVN.
The company is located at 9785 S. Monroe Street, Suite 300 Sandy, UT 84070. If you google this address you will see a building with “LifeVantage” at the top. That is good. It tells us the company has a physical location.
Contact LifeVantage
Call the company at 866-460-7241.
The Better Business Bureau gave LifeVantage an A- rating when this review was updated. See the BBB file for updates and more information.
Protandim Ingredients
According to the product's website, there are 5 ingredients in each caplet of Protandim which add up to 625 mg:
| Amount Per Serving (1 caplet) | Percent Daily Value |
|---|---|
| Calcium (as dicalcum phosphate & calcium carbonate) 77 mg | 8% DV |
| Proprietary Blend Consisting of the following | 675 mg |
| Milk thistle extract (Silybum marianum) seed. | |
| Bacopa extract (Bacopa monnieri) whole herb | |
| Ashwagandha extract (Withania somnifera) root | |
| Green tea extract (Camellia sinensis) leaf | |
| Turmeric extract (Curcuma longa) rhizome |
Notice in the table above they tell us the source of each ingredient:
- The milk thistle extract is derived from the seeds of the plant
- The bacopa extract is derived from the whole plant
- The ashwagandha extract is derived from the root of the plant
- The green tea extract comes from the leaves of the plant
- The turmeric extract is derived from the underground stems (rhizome) of the plant
Other Ingredients
The supplement label also tells the supplement has these other ingredients:
- Microcrystalline Cellulose
- Croscarmellose Sodium Silica
- Modified Cellulose
- Stearic Acid
- Magnesium Stearate
- Maltodextrin
- Medium Chain Triglycerides
These other ingredients play no role in the effects or benefits of the product. They make up the caplets and/or help with the delivery of the ingredients into the body.
I want to commend the LifeVantage company for sponsoring much of the research below. It's rare to find a product with so many clinical studies.
Protandim Research
Protandim is different from a lot of supplements because there really is clinical research on this product. Below is a summary of the Protandim research with links to the studies for those who want to see them for themselves.
Because scientific studies can be wordy and complicated for most people, I will summarize the study and put the research in the proper context to make it easier to understand.
2016 Protandim Research
Study
The Effect of Protandim® Supplementation on Athletic Performance and Oxidative Blood Markers in Runners.
Study summary: In this investigation, researchers tested if taking Protandim (675 mg/day) for 90 days would improve 5K running performance and reduce TBARS. The study involved 38 runners who were randomly given either Protandim or a placebo.
Results: After 90 days, those taking Protandim (1x/day) showed no improvement in running performance compared to those taking the placebo. In addition, Protandim did not reduce TBARS or alter levels of antioxidant enzymes superoxide dismutase (SOD) or glutathione peroxidase (GPX) during resting periods. The researchers report however that in those over age 35, Protandim improved SOD twice as much as those taking the placebo.
See the full review of this study
Study
Longer lifespan in male mice treated with a weakly estrogenic agonist, an antioxidant, an α-glucosidase inhibitor or an Nrf2-inducer.
Study summary: Here, researchers sought to determine what effect various compounds had on extending the life of mice. Protandim was one of the compounds tested. The other compounds tested in the study were fish oil, ursodeoxycholic acid (a bile acid, used to dissolve gall stones), and the diabetes drug, metformin. Different mice received the different compounds for their entire lifespan.
Beginning at 10 months of age, mice received Protandim at a dosage of 600 parts per million (ppm) in their food. This amount was chosen because it was similar to the Protandim dosage used by people. When the mice were 17 months old, the dosage was increased to 1200 ppm because this was thought to be better.
Study results: researchers noted male mice getting Protandim had a 7% increase in average lifespan. The supplement did not lengthen the life span of female mice. The researchers also point out that while the average lifespan was increased, the maximum lifespan did not increase. Regardless, this was a mouse study.
2013 Protandim Research
Study
Study
Upregulation of phase II enzymes through phytochemical activation of Nrf2 protects cardiomyocytes against oxidant stress
Study results: Researchers noted that mouse heart cells treated with Protandim increased the production of an antioxidant/anti-inflammatory enzyme called Heme oxygenase 1 (HO-1) as well as Nrf2. This was a test-tube study using isolated mouse heart cells.
This investigation is derived from a Masters's Thesis in 2010. The title of the MS Thesis is “UPREGULATION OF HEME OXYGENASE-1 AND ACTIVATION OF NRF2 BY THE PHYTOCHEMICALS IN PROTANDIM .” It is not unusual for a quality MS thesis or other graduate work to go through the peer-review process and be published.
2012 Protandim Research
Study
Antioxidants for the Treatment of Patients with Severe Angioproliferative Pulmonary Hypertension? Published in the journal, Antioxidants in Redox Signaling.
Summary: This is a rat study. Protandim increased antioxidant enzymes in rats, protecting the hearts from damage.
Study
Phytochemical activation of Nrf2 protects human coronary artery endothelial cells against an oxidative challenge published in the journal, Oxidative Medicine and Cellular Longevity.
Summary: This is a test tube study. Human coronary (heart) artery cells were treated with Protandim (20 micrograms per milliliter) or placebo (ethanol). All cells were then treated with hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) to induce free radical damage. Cells treated with Protandim showed less cell death than those getting the placebo.
Study
Protandim does not influence alveolar epithelial permeability or intrapulmonary oxidative stress in human subjects with alcohol use disorders.
Summary: This investigation showed the supplement did not work. To be fair, this was a strange study. Researchers looked at 30 alcoholics . The researchers stuck tubes down the throats of the subjects to take fluid samples from their lungs. They randomly gave the people 1350 mg of Protandim per day or a placebo, for a week. They tested for various things to see if Protandim helped the people. It didn’t.
I don't know how relevant this study is to whether Protandim works or not. I mentioned it because it was a human study. For a much more in-depth review of this study—written by a doctor—see the review posted on ScienceBasedMedicine.org.
2011 Protandim Research
Study
Oxidative stress in health and disease: the therapeutic potential of Nrf2 activation.
Summary: This is a test tube study. Essentially, Protandim altered cellular pathways involved in antioxidant enzyme production and colon cancer, cardiovascular disease (heart disease), and Alzheimer's disease. This is encouraging, but, humans are more complicated than isolated cells. This study doesn’t prove the supplement reduces the risk of any of these diseases.
Study
The role of manganese superoxide dismutase in skin cancer.
Summary: This is a mouse study. Here, researchers reported the supplement reduced tumor growth in mice. For the most part, this appears to be a review of previous research relating free radical damage to the development of skin cancer.
Study
Protandim attenuates intimal hyperplasia in human saphenous veins cultured ex vivo via a catalase-dependent pathway.
Summary. This is a test tube study. Basically, a blood vessel was bathed in Protandim. Researchers noted the supplement reduced the thickening of vein cells.
2010 Protandim Research
Study
The Dietary Supplement Protandim Decreases Plasma Osteopontin and Improves Markers of Oxidative Stress in Muscular Dystrophy Mdx Mice.
Summary. This is a mouse study. Mice were genetically created to have muscular dystrophy. They were given Protandim at a dosage similar to what is recommended for humans. After 6 months, the mice given Protandim showed a 46%reduction in the free radical breakdown of fat (TBARS). TBARS stand for ThiobarBituric Acid Reactive Substances.
The greater the TBAR level, the greater free radical damage. Thus, reducing TBARS is taken to be a good thing. This doesn't prove Protandim helps muscular dystrophy. People with muscular dystrophy should discuss this with their doctor for greater insights.
Study
The chemopreventive effects of Protandim: modulation of p53 mitochondrial translocation and apoptosis during skin carcinogenesis.
Summary: This is a mouse study. Protandim reduced damage to the mitochondria of mouse cells. of this study. The mitochondria, often called the “powerhouse” of the cell, make energy —and makes free radicals in the process. The mitochondria are a major area of anti-aging research.
Study
Chronic pulmonary artery pressure elevation is insufficient to explain right heart failure.
Summary. This is a rat study. Researchers tested if the supplement helped pulmonary blood pressure. After 6 weeks, Protandim did not reduce pulmonary artery blood pressure or the number of lung lesions. These researchers did say “our data point to a cardioprotective effect of Protandim.” But, this is a vague statement.
2009 Protandim Research
Study
Protandim, a fundamentally new antioxidant approach in chemoprevention using mouse two-stage skin carcinogenesis as a model.
Summary: This is a mouse study.
Study
Synergistic induction of heme oxygenase-1 by the components of the antioxidant supplement Protandim.
Summary: This is a test tube study. Cells treated with supplements showed significant increases in glutathione, an antioxidant compound. This is the study LifeVantage lists as “proof” Protandim increases glutathione levels by 300%. It may raise glutathione 300% – in a test tube – but does the same effect occur in people?
2006 Protandim Research
Study
The induction of human superoxide dismutase and catalase in vivo: a fundamentally new approach to antioxidant therapy.
This is a human study. 39 healthy men and women, age 20-78 years were given Protandim (675 mg per day) between 30 and 120 days.
Study Summary:
1. Protandim caused a significant increase in the antioxidant superoxide dismutase (SOD) in red blood cells.
2. TBARS declined by 40% after 30 days
3. SOD in red blood cells increased by 30% after 120 days
4. Catalase decreased by 40% after 120 days
5. There was a non-significant rise (4.9%) in uric acid.
6. No change in CRP levels was seen.
7. No change in HDL, LDL or triglycerides were seen.
Protandim Research Summary
Here is a quick summary of the research:
| Study Year / Title | Study Type (Human, mouse, etc.) |
| 2016 Research | |
| The Effect of Protandim Supplementation on Athletic Performance and Oxidative Blood Markers in Runners | Humans |
| Longer lifespan in male mice treated with a weakly estrogenic agonist, an antioxidant, an α-glucosidase inhibitor or a Nrf2-inducer | mice |
| 2013 Research | |
| Upregulation of phase II enzymes through phytochemical activation of Nrf2 protects cardiomyocytes against oxidant stress | Mouse heart cells |
| 2012 Research | |
| Antioxidants for the treatment of patients with severe angioproliferative pulmonary hypertension? | Rats |
| Phytochemical Activation of Nrf2 Protects Human Coronary Artery Endothelial Cells against an Oxidative Challenge | Test tube study |
| Protandim does not influence alveolar epithelial permeability or intrapulmonary oxidative stress in human subjects with alcohol use disorders. | Humans |
| 2011 Research | |
| Oxidative stress in health and disease: the therapeutic potential of Nrf2 activation. | Test tube study |
| The Role of Manganese Superoxide Dismutase in Skin Cancer | Mice |
| Protandim attenuates intimal hyperplasia in human saphenous veins cultured ex vivo via a catalase-dependent pathway | Test tube study |
| 2010 Research | |
| The Dietary Supplement Protandim® Decreases Plasma Osteopontin and Improves Markers of Oxidative Stress in Muscular Dystrophy Mdx Mice | Mice |
| The Chemopreventive Effects of Protandim: Modulation of p53 Mitochondrial Translocation and Apoptosis during Skin Carcinogenesis | Mice |
| Chronic Pulmonary Artery Pressure Elevation Is Insufficient to Explain Right Heart Failure | Rats |
| 2009 Research | |
| Protandim, a Fundamentally New Antioxidant Approach in Chemoprevention Using Mouse Two-Stage Skin Carcinogenesis as a Model | Mice |
| Synergistic induction of heme oxygenase-1 by the components of the antioxidant supplement Protandim. | Test tube study |
| 2006 Research | |
| The induction of human superoxide dismutase and catalase in vivo: a fundamentally new approach to antioxidant therapy. | Humans |
To be fair, it's possible I may have missed some research. I'll update this table as I become aware of new research.
My Thoughts On The Research
While Protandim has been the subject of several clinical investigations, only 3 of them involved humans. They are:
- The 2006 study (click to see study)
- The 2012 study (click to see study)
- The 2016 study (click to see the study)
Protandim And Weight Loss
Can Protaindm help you lose weight? There is no good evidence for this. None of the above clinical investigations was about weight loss. To the credit of LifeVangage, they do not market this supplement for weight reduction.
Protandim And Multiple Sclerosis
Is this supplement worthwhile if you have Multiple sclerosis (MS)? Some have put forth the idea that disruption of free radical stress – via stabilizing Nrf2 (the stuff this supplement is supposed to improve) – might help MS. So, is there any proof? There was an investigation presented in 2011 at the 5th Joint triennial congress of the European and Americas Committees for Treatment and Research in Multiple Sclerosis Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
The title of the presentation was: Nrf2 activators: a novel strategy to promote oligodendrocyte survival in multiple sclerosis? Here, researchers treated rat and human oligodendrocytes with several compounds ― one of which was Protandim ― and then exposed the cells to a chemical to create free radical damage.
These researchers noted Protandim was seen as “the most potent inducer” of Nrf2 antioxidant enzymes defenses. In other words, Protandim helped the most.
This is intriguing, but it's not the same as giving it to people with MS to see if their symptoms improved.
There is also some evidence that stimulating Nrf2 might reduce cellular inflammation via inhibition of NFkb. Inhibition of NFkb is also something another supplement – called Anatabloc – was supposed to do. Currently, though there is little human proof for Protandim improving quality of life in those with MS.
See the Anatabloc review.
Protandim And ABC Primetime
In 2005, this supplement was featured on ABC's Primetime news show. In this segment, ABC correspondent John Quinones met with Dr. Joe McCord, a respected researcher whose name appears on many of the Protandim clinical studies. According to his Wikipedia page, as a grad student, Dr. McCord was involved with the discovery of Superoxide Dismutase, an important free radical savaging enzyme. Here is the ABC Primetime segment :
Basically, John Quinones gets a blood test to measure his TBAR level (an indicator of oxidative stress). He's given Protandim for 2 weeks and then returns to the lab where he has his blood tested again.
Dr. McCord tells John Quinones the supplement caused a “45% reduction” in oxidative stress and goes on to say this is the level seen in a “newborn baby”. The ABC Primetime segment is often used as proof the supplement really works. But, as I see it, one problem is John Quinones doesn't have is blood tested by an independent lab. This is bad science in my opinion.
Of course, the Primetime segment is interesting. But it's been over a decade since this segment aired. You'd think such an impressive result would warrant a follow-up. I wish Primetime and John Quinones would do a follow-up story.
Update. Dr. McCord is now involved with the PB125 supplement.
Protandim And The FDA
In 2017, the FDA reached out to LifeVantage to inform them they considered Protandim to be a drug and not a supplement based on claims made about it as an NRF2 Synergizer. Basically, the FDA was saying the claims being made at the time, made people think the supplement could treat disease. This is something not allowed under US supplement regulation. This may be the reason for the dramatic change in the LifeVantage website and marketing. There are no more claims about the effects of the supplement. Instead, the company now calls itself “a wellness and personal care company” and makes references to “bio-hacking.”
Do Doctors Endorse Protandim?
While the supplement is not endorsed by the American Medical Association (they don't endorse any supplement), I'm sure some physicians believe in it – and others who don't.
Does Protandim Have Caffeine?
According to the product website, each tablet has 1.8mg of caffeine. That's much less than in a cup of coffee and most energy drinks. I don't think this small amount would keep people up at night, but because we are all different it might be wise to not take it close to bedtime.
Is It Kosher?
No. this supplement is not kosher or organic. It is however made in the US. That is good.
Protandim Side Effects
Are there any Protandim dangers out there? I don't think so. I believe this supplement is pretty safe. I am not aware of any side effects. That said, here are a few general things you might want to think about if your not healthy. This list is not complete:
- Start with less than the recommended dosage for the first week to see how you respond
- Speak to your doctor/ pharmacist if you are pregnant or breastfeeding
- Stop taking the supplement at least 2 weeks before having surgery
- Speak to your doctor /pharmacist if you take any prescription drugs like blood thinners
One study noted the supplement might raise uric acid levels (by 4.9%). Would this be bad for those who suffer from gout? Currently, there is no direct proof gout pain is increased by Protandim. See the review of Tart Cherry Juice for more info.
While allergic reactions are likely uncommon, LifeVantage does mention this possibility in some people. Specific symptoms mentioned on the LifeVantage website include:
- gastrointestinal disturbances (i.e., stomach ache, diarrhea, vomiting)
- sometimes as a headache or rash on the hands or feet
Stop taking the supplement if you experience these symptoms.
The company website warns against using the supplement if you are undergoing chemotherapy or radiation therapy for cancer. This is likely because of the unknowns of combining antioxidants with some cancer therapies. If you have cancer or are getting treatment for it, ask your doctor. I'm glad the LifeVantage company informs people about this.
LifeVantage also stresses the importance of talking to a doctor if you have any autoimmune disease like arthritis or Type I diabetes. I'm not aware of any problems in anyone but I appreciated the company mentioning this.
How To Measure Your TBARS
Remember TBARS are a measure of free radical damage (oxidative stress) of cells. Protandim is said to reduce TBARS. The TBAR test is also called a Lipid Peroxidase test. Ask your physician about this test. For those who really want to know if Protandim is working, getting this test done first—and a month later— might be a good idea. I'm not sure if insurance covers the test or not. Talk to your doctor for more information on this.
Aged Garlic Extract also has some evidence it might reduce TBARS (click to see review)
TrueScience Brand
True Science is a brand name under which various beauty products made by the company can be identified. Products offered under the True Science brand include:
- Shampoo
- Scalp serum
- Facial cleanser
- Eye serum
What is PhysIQ?
PhysIQ is the brand name associated with various fitness-related products. This brand includes:
- Fat burn supplements
- Prebiotics
- Whey protein
- Appetite suppressants
Protandim For Dogs
Protandim Dogs (formally called Canine Health) is for pets. According to the LifeVantage website, this supplement contains 150 mg of the same ingredients as Protandim – as well as omega 3 fatty acids and collagen. The website goes on to say: “Reducing oxidative stress in dogs may reduce many of the disorders associated with aging in canine.” To support this, the organization states a 3rd party animal health company has found the supplement reduces oxidative stress in dogs.
Protandim vs. PB125
PB125, by Pathways Bioscience, is another supplement whose makers claim can reduce TBARS and activate NrF2. PB125 is the supplement by Dr. Joe McCord and associates. Recall Dr. McCord used to be associated with the LifeVantage company.
While PB125 is said to be the next generation of NrF2 activators, no studies have yet compared these supplements to each other to see which is better. The ingredients in both products are different for the most part.
See the PB125 Review for much more information.
Protandim vs. Tru Niagen
The Tru Niagen supplement boasts research showing it can raise NAD+ levels in humans. Tru Niagen is based on nicotniamide riboside a form of niacin (vitamin B3).
The idea of slowing aging by raising NAD+ is different than Protandim. So far no clinical studies have compared these supplements to each other. While the original Protandim does not contain nicotinamide riboside, the Life Vantage company does offer another version called the “NAD Synergizer” which contains niacin.
Protandim vs. Elysium Basis
Basis by Elysium is a popular anti-aging supplement that contains very different ingredients than Protandim. Like Tru Niagen, Elysium Basis also is an NAD+ booster supplement. So, which is better? Unfortunately, there are no head-to-head studies yet.
See the Elysuim Basis Review for more insights.
Protandim vs. SeroVital
You've probably seen TV ads for SeroVital. How does Protandim compare to SeroVital? Both supplements contain different ingredients and are touted to work differently.
While Protandim is said to help boost our bodies antioxidant enzymes, SeroVital is marketed to raise human growth hormone (HGH).
If we just look at the research, Protandim wins hands down. The makers of Serovital only have one study.
Where To Buy Protandim
This supplement is not sold in stores like Walmart, Target, Cosco, CVS, Walgreens, Kmart, or BJs. It's also not sold at GNC or Vitamin Shoppe. Rather, it's mostly purchased from LifeVantage independent distributors.
It is also available online as well although when using a distributor, you may get the individualized attention you might not get by buying it yourself.
Protandim Price
According to the LifeVantage website, a one-month supply (30 capsules) costs $59.99 retail. If you order it through a LifeVantage distributor, it costs $49.99 – and that is on a monthly basis. In other words, that means auto-shipments. If you want to purchase one month only to test drive it first, speak to your LifeVantgage independent distributor.
Protandim Yearly Cost
Let's round the price up to $50 a month. In one year, the supplement would cost you $600. Shipping and tax may be extra. If you only want to order 1 bottle to try yourself, you can get it on Amazon too.
My Suggestions
If you can afford it, go ahead and give it a try for a month or so and see if you feel any better. If you really want to know for sure, get your TBARS measured first.
Remember, exercise will also reduce TBARS too.
Protandim Pro & Con
Here's a quick summary of what I liked and didn't like. These are my opinions. Yours may be different.
| Pro | Con |
|---|---|
| There are clinical studies on Protandim | Not all the studies are on humans |
| Company has been around a long time | Not available in stores |
| Company sponsors research on Protandim | Expensive |
| Lots of hype about benefits |
Does Protandim Work?
While I'm intrigued at the prospect of slowing down aging, I'm can't say for sure if Protandim works or not. The research is intriguing but in my opinion three's not enough human research yet to draw conclusions. So, does Protandim really work? Let's just say I'm looking forward to more human clinical studies.
Here is it is on Amazon If you want to check it out/see what others are saying
Since you are clearly a layman blogger and not a scientist, I don’t expect that you know what a “P value” is. If you did, you wouldn’t make such ignorant comments about a supposed “need for more human studies”. The fact is that Protandim has an established P value of 0.01 .
Since you likely don’t know what that means, I will explain. That number means that this product has been validated by peer review to a point that it has been assigned a value that indicates that even if it were repeated 1,000 times, it is going to get the exact same result at least 999 times.
In the scientific community, that is considered PROVEN, CASE CLOSED. Since NO non- pharmaceutical is permitted by law to claim to be able to treat or cure any disease, their is no point in the company spending the time or money to do studies that they would be prohibited by law from publishing.
The study that they conducted, which has been peer reviewed and validated states that Protandim reduces oxidative stress by 40 to 70%. That is ALL the company claims it does. That being said, several major universities have conducted independent follow up studies of their own with their own funds to study how it affects various diseases.
Those are also published on http://www.pubmed.gov , the National Institute of Health website. Many more universities have other such studies underway and their results should be ready for release soon. What is dangerous about blogs like yours is that you presume to inform the public but you put forth misleading information and half truths.
It would be better for you to say nothing at all. But then, maybe facts and truth aren’t what you are interested in anyway. Perhaps you are another one of those parasites like “Lazyman” who makes money from pay per click ads for telling lies. He by the way is being sued and will lose. Good day sir.
“non of your business”, I have no idea who that “lazyman” is but he has clearly made a lot of protandim people mad! My goal is not to make people made but to present the science and let people decide for themselves what is right for them.
I actually am aware of P values. I did not discuss P values in my review as they only confuse the general public.
That said, if you had actually read my review you’d see that I already listed AND linked to ALL of the protandim studies and broke them down – not according to P values – but by the more user friendly metric – human vs. test tube vs. mouse/rat studies.
For me, I don’t care if protandim is statistically significant to do something in a test tube or a lab animal. I want at least 3 human studies showing statistical significance (I’ll settle for P < 0.5). Im sorry but right now, there is only one human study showing an effect. I'm guessing that you are a protandim distributor (which is fine by the way) because, in your comment, you pointed me to "pubmed" to do my own research (its my experience that protandim distributors like to point people to pub med. nothing wrong with that. Its just something I dont see too many other supplement sellers doing.) Instead of being angry, why don't you read my review, look at my breakdown of the protandim studies (human vs. test tube vs. animal) and let me know where you feel I went wrong. I'll be glad to discuss it with you.
“Non”
It is clear that you are not a scientist. Products are not assigned “P” values. Protandim has no “P” value. That’s “non”sense…..sorry, couldn’t resist.
As for the need for more human studies, let’s look at what Pubmed has to say about that. Distributors love to point people to Pubmed, right? So here you go:
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmedhealth/aboutcer/
“How do researchers get from an idea to proof of clinical effectiveness?
Ideas about what could work might come from laboratory tests. There might be animal testing. Studies observing patients also generate important knowledge and theories.
But all these types of research cannot provide definite proof that a particular treatment works. Many other factors could be having an impact at the same time as treatment. People often improve with or without treatment, too.
Putting ideas, theories, and beliefs to the test
Testing clinical effectiveness in people requires experiments that can single out the true effects of specific actions. That is why the possible effects of treatments and prevention methods need to be studied in clinical trials.
One trial is rarely enough to provide definite answers. Later trials sometimes confirm early results—and sometimes come up with conflicting results. So researchers search for, and then analyze, all the trials that have studied particular questions. This type of research is called a systematic review.”
Also on that page is a pyramid diagram showing how scientific studies start with test tubes and animal studies, but then are supposed to progress to studies on humans, and then to systematic reviews. The research/testing of Protandim is still at that lower level, very far from being proven to be clinically effective at doing anything.
As you must know, a placebo bested Protandim on the one claim that LV tries to make (not counting all the illegal claims distributors make)…..the lowering of TBARS. This was the only placebo controlled human study conducted on Protandim to date.
Lifevantage has been claiming for YEARS that other studies from universities are to be released soon. Still waiting…….
BTW…..nothing is stopping LV (or anyone else) from doing valid studies. True, they wouldn’t be able to directly use them for advertising, but they could continue to point to Pubmed and have potential customers see the studies…..just like they do now. How much better would it look for LV if they had some decent studies on http://www.clinicaltrials.gov (which is part of Pubmed)?
non of your business,
I invite you to read LifeVantage’s lawsuit against me. It is beyond laughable. I wish the courts would work quicker so I could publish the ridiculousness of it in detail.
Many of the complaints are of the structure of, “Lazy Man says that gravity exists and it doesn’t.” That is, LifeVantage disputes obviously known facts and gives no evidence to the contrary. For example, I went into extensive detail to show that LifeVantage is fraudulently attributing Protandim’s invention to McCord, including showing a signed letter by McCord himself admitting it and LifeVantage themselves not including him in the inventors in filing the patents. LifeVantage doesn’t address those and simply says that I am lying, which it is verifiable for any person who wishes to.
Joe, thanks for the great article. The one thing that I’d be careful with is that there is a lot wrong with supplement salespeople using PubMed, which is why you don’t see very often. There’s a warning letter from the FDA to Nature’s Pearl on it – http://www.fda.gov/ICECI/EnforcementActions/WarningLetters/2012/ucm301639.htm?goback=.gde_151361_member_111854439. “When scientific publications are used commercially by the seller of a product to promote the product to consumers, such publications may become evidence of the product’s intended use…”
LifeVantage (and Joe McCord) has coached distributors to do it anyway, even though it is a violation with the FDA.
LazyMan, thanks for the FDA link on that topic.
Hi!
I bought one bottle of Protandim few years ago, didn’t feel any changes, so I never order again. A month ago I went to my gynecologist, she started talking about a miracle supplement and it was protandim. I order a bottle again, I don’t take it regularly, so I don’t know is there any difference.
But my doctor called me already 5 times to remind me that I should order more and become a member or a distributor. I don’t know how can I say nicely that she should stop calling me and if I decide to order more, it will me only my decision, not hers. I don’t like then people are pushing me to make that kind of decision.
I want to get pregnant and I wasn’t sure if protandim might be not good for me, she didn’t have an answer, she said that she doesn’t know. I am happy that doctors are offering supplements, not medicine. Just in this case is a bit different. They are getting paid for that.
Appreciate the informative coverage of the various “studies” on Protandim. I am very concerned about the lack of human studies, as this has certainly been on the market long enough for Livevantage to run the research studies with humans. I will stick with a healthy diet, including a variety of possible antioxidant foods.
Not sure if this study was mentioned…funded by Biogen – Protandim was trialed against their new MS drug BG-12 (Tecfidera). Study investigator concluded that Protandim was more effective. Tecifedera cost +/- $50,000 a year — Protandim costs $600/yr. Link to the study registration.akm.ch/einsicht.php?XNABSTRACT_ID=137548&XNSPRACHE_ID=2&XNKONGRESS_ID=150&XNMASKEN_ID=900
Sharon, yep I covered that study in my review 🙂
It never ceases to amaze me that distributors don’t read the content on a website, but still leave comments.
Sharon, your comment is extremely misleading and inaccurate. The study you are illegally using to promote Protandim (I assume you are a distributor, because anyone else would actually read the article and the comments) did NOT show that Protandim was a more effective treatment for MS. It showed that Protandim was a stronger inducer of Nrf2 than BG-12 in A TEST TUBE. There are absolutely zero studies done on Protandim in regards to MS.
Here is a quote from the actual scientist who did that study (I already posted this once, but it is worth repeating). I found this on a MS chat board. A MS patient (or husband of a MS sufferer) contacted the researcher about the study:
“Dear Ramon,
Thank your for your mail. As you saw we work with Protandim in the lab and when we treat cells with this mixture we see positive results (cells are better protected against free radicals). However, we have not yet shown that Protandim is also beneficial in an animal model of MS.
Indeed, it seems that Protandim increases antioxidants more pronounced compared to BG12 (again in cell cultures, we don’t know whether that is the case in animals and humans), however you need to understand that BG12 works via other pathways as well (immunomodulatory) and we don’t have any evidence that Protandim affects the immune system. On the other hand as far as I know there are no real side effects using Protandim so I don’t have any claims to not recommend using Protandim as an daily oral supplement. Whether it is really effective is difficult to say as you need large clinical trials and to be honest I don’t think that there will be such trials in near future. I wish you and your wife all the best.
Regards, Jack”
Thanks so much for this very informative post. Was curious about the company @ the product. I found this to be exceedingly helpful an well researched.
Katie, you are most welcome 🙂
Thanks Joe for this. I really appreciate reading such reviews on dietary supplements considering my age. do you also have one for this product Gout Cure?
Nicasio, thanks! I tried to look up the supplement Gout Cure but didnt see anything for it listed. Ive heard gout flair ups are tied to types of foods we eat.
In May 2012 here were some of the results from my annual health screening:
Blood pressure: 115/91
Cholesterol: 209
HDL: 93
LDL: 106
C-reactive protein: 1.3
I just got the results from my July 2013 screening:
Blood pressure: 110/60
Cholesterol: 184
HDL: 95
LDL: 80
C-reactive protein: .2
The difference? I’ve been drinking two cups of green tea daily and supplementing with turmeric and ashwaganda. I bought them very cheap online.
I knew the benefits of green tea years ago while training for my first marathon. I stopped drinking it regularly until a friend recommended Protandim. Seeing that the ingredients were readily available herbs, I just bought those.
There’s no scientific evidence that the amount of herbs used in Protandim will yield better results than if the amounts were adjusted.
Until I see a quality, peer-reviewed study done on humans using a control group, I’ll keep drinking my tea.
Thanks for putting up this web page Joe. I’m incredibly grateful that you’ve done this. My in-laws are LifeVantage distributors and have been putting great pressure and strain on my wife and I about Protandim.
I agree that if LifeVantage really believed in their product they would have done some serious studies about it with human test subjects. What disturbs me more is that even if the clinical trials used human studies. I’m more disturbed by the fanatical following that this supplement has.
Long story short; this constant pill pushing by my in-laws has put a wedge in our extended family relationship that is more damaging. This website has given me some good knowledge based in fact and not the mystical ambiguous rhetoric that I keep getting harassed with weekly.
Ty, sorry you and your wife are going through all that. I do hope things get better soon and I’m happy if I was able to help in some small way.
This is a tremendous review. I was approached for a distributorship recently and during the presentation, my very question was… human trials. I am not a rat, I do not live in a test tube. All the studies they tell you to look at and to use “Google Scholar” so I can avoid the “naysayers” makes me question the whole thing.
I had already said no because I hate networking and selling crap that is “current”. And because of the upfront fee to obtain a supply? BS! You want me to sell it? Let me try it for free. I even asked why they didn’t use profit to do a large scale human trial. Apparently it isn’t necessary!?!?
Additionally, I actually knew one of the developers. However, I did not realize this until after my first meeting with a LifeVantage distributor. I did ask about the beginning after the fact and they gave the correct information, but why wasn’t it presented initially? Colorado is a small state, everyone knows someone here!
Anyway, you put everything in a great format. I appreciate the effort you put into it and making it easy to understand. I had already made my decision to not do it, but this reinforced that decision.
Jackie S. Thanks for your nice words. I’m happy you were able to find me 🙂
What a good and thorough article this is. I’m a bit of a supplement junkie so I will be exploring…thanks for your research and commentary.
Susan thanks I appreciate that! Those are some really neat pics on your website btw 🙂
There is no ingredient that causes liver damage. Infact milk thistle has long been used as a liver tonic. A human clinical study on liver problems is forthcoming: http://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT00977730?term=protandim&rank=1
Yelder, that’s great. I wasn’t aware of this. Has that study been published in a medical journal? If I remember right (and I could be wrong on this) the idea of milk thistle helping the liver stems from the effects of high doses of Tylenol on the liver. It might help in other instances as well but I am not ware of it.
We have a dog that was tested to be allergic to almost everything on the planet. We tried keeping her on an ingredient restricted diet as per our vets advice, but she would lick and scratch at herself until her skin looked like hamburger and when she was really uncomfortable, we would put her on a round of prednisone.
We have had her on the LifeVantage canine health for 3 months and that is the only variable from her daily routine. We had no expectations, but figured why not give it a shot?
She still gets itchy, but she is aprox 90% better and her skin looks great. This was a condition that she had for over 4 years, almost gone in a matter of months.
I am not a dealer, and have just started taking it myself for the past few days, so I have no horse in this race, but based on our experience, the product helped our dog dramatically.
As a matter of fact, she snagged a container of pudding from the fridge a couple weeks ago and ate the whole thing, which would normally set her off scratching until she would bleed, but this time, no change.
Again, we made no other changes in diet, exercise or anything in her daily routine but giving her 3 tablets a day as per the instructions.
I was able to find another video done by the University of Colorado and PBS’s Healing Quest segment on youtube (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l145vZQ3Rgg) here is the link. They supposedly did their own study with two human subjects having their blood tested before and after taking Protandim for two weeks and the results were the same as the ABC Primetime video.
Yes I am a distributor and I would be more than happy to let you have a free months supply of Protandim to do your own testing. I have just started as a distributor and have been taking Protandim for two months now and haven’t felt better. I believe in the product enough to have you test it if you would like and don’t care where you get your blood testing done but would like to see the results from an unbiased source.
I didn’t think about getting the testing done on myself prior to taking Protandim or I would have done it myself but my wife has been taking it the same as I have and she recently had her bloodwork done and it did lower her TBARS and even lowered her cholesterol down to normal levels.
Tom, thanks. where did your wife get her TBARS tested? Did her doctor do it or did she have to go to somewhere else? just curious.
My wife had her blood tested at her doctors and they sent it in to one of the testing sites.
Thanks Tom!
Tom,
The Healing Quest piece is fairly old (note, they are calling the company Lifeline Therapeutics, rather than Lifevantage).
The “study” was not on just those two people. Those participants were part of the first human trial done on Protandim…..curious how they managed to capture on video these participants receiving their results (reenactment?).
What isn’t revealed in the video is that Steve Ossello and Reed Madison (the two subjects) were top ranking distributors in LV, and in 2005, owned 100,000 shares of the company.. Not only that, but both were partners in Aspenwood Capital in Denver, which had millions invested in LV. These weren’t random participants in a study, not by a long shot.
Aside from the fact that this was a very weak and flawed study, you can alter your TBAR levels by diet and exercise. These people could have easily changed their diet and exercise habits before the test, or again, it could be the placebo effect.
Due to many health issues, my wife began to take Protandim and some issues cleared up. I remained skeptical. Our dog had a large tumor on his eye that was continuing to grow and obstruct his view and caused his eye to be completely bloodshot. After one month of giving him regular protandim, half a pill per day, the tumor was decreasing. Now, after 2 months it is gone and the eye is white again with no bloodshot and we have pictures demonstrating the before and after. I now take a full pill everyday.
I am in the military, 47 years old and I have seen two advantages. I have recognized a distinct issue with my muscle mass increasing without a change in my workout regimen. I also have a hiatel hernia which caused acid reflux. One month after starting protandim, I am off of my daily prilosec. Why, I have no idea, but I am feeling much better and healthier and while I eat fairly healthy, I have not changed my eating habits since beginning protandim so that I could see if there was a distinct change because of protandim. There have been these improvements.
On the 2012 Human study it did not work. It says Protandim or placebo was administered for a week. As I understand it, Lifevantage claims it take up to 30 days to saturate or begin to have effect at a cellular level. Is that a valid claim? Could it have failed for that reason or is that not studied?
PollPatriot, that’s an interesting point. I’d hope people who did the study might have known that since Joe McCord was one of the principle researchers in that study.
Ive got enough proof in my family alone to let go of protandim I myself have gotten lots of relief from Fibromyalgia. … I would pa y any price to feel better & I believe I have the answer……
I have a very close friend of many years who has been taking this for her severe arthritis and is so excited because she feels so great. I too have arthritis and debilitating fibromyalgia and she gave me a bottle because she wants me to feel better and have some relief. I started it yesterday. I am optimistic
Lori, I will keep my fingers crossed for you 🙂
I’ve been taking Protandim for about three or four months. My creatine had been steady at 1.5 but since taking Protandim it has jumped to 1.7 and has my primary doctor concerned. My diet hasn’t changed . Could Protandm have cause d the increase?
Palmer Ive never heard of Protandim effecting creatatine levels (I think you meant creatatine and not creatine). Has anybody else? Why dont you stop Protandim for a month or so and have your doctor retest your creatatine levels. that will give you some information on what may be happening.
Exercise can raise creatatine levels so if you workout before the test, that might be something else to consider.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/?term=ohio+state+protandim
Protandim is scouting me do hire right now and I raised a question about the lack of a comprehensive double blind study on humans. They sent me the link above to dispute your claim that there were no human studies done between 2006 and 2012. What does this study mean? Are they right or is this study a no real information study? Feel free to email me instead of responding in a comment.
Hi David, I covered this study in my review. This is not a study performed in humans but rather an investigation where sections of a human vein were cultured outside the body (ex-vivo). Basically Protaindim reduced thickening of the walls of the vein (which is good). So, while I’d guess you could say sure, they used human vein cells, it’s not a study conducted in the body (or as they say in science, “in vivo”). Since I define a human study as one that involved humans (and not isolated human cells grown outside the body) I believe I am still correct. I will concede that this an interesting study that may lead to helpful therapies in the future. I say, let’s see where it leads.
Well I read this article too and did some research the first thing I found out is that Lifevantage didn’t even exist when the ABC Primetime Investigative report was done. So there is no way that the blood test was done by Lifevantage Associates. Also Lifevantage does not make these claims but it’s all in the studies done by major universities.
Nevin
If Lifevantage didn’t exist when the Primetime piece aired…..then where did the pill that John Quiones swallowed come from? I’m pretty sure it wasn’t picked off of a tree somewhere.
Perhaps you are confused because Lifevantage was called Lifeline Therapeutics before Dec. 2006. Lifeline Therapeutics came about in 2004. The Primetime piece aired in 2005.
Lifevantage executives have been caught on video making all kinds of disease claims at various distributor conventions, which can be found on YouTube. They do not make the claims on their website or in any official printed materials because they know it is illegal. It’s not hard to find distributors making illegal claims though, and Lifevantage does little to discourage them.