(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
Tom, Laura, Joe, and all well-meaning people who use this as a forum to discuss Protandim – you’re doing just what a normal person would do: trying to get opinions and learn and gain knowledge about the product and its company.
You are people who are teachable, knowledgeable, open-minded, and interested in something besides rhetoric. When I joined this forum four years ago, I started reading from the beginning.
Out of desire for someone to know what I experienced, I wrote about the positive affects I got from Protandim (before my husband made me quit it because of the cost and because he didn’t know what it was for/what it did).
In that four years, I have read literally hundreds of opinions from many, many people – opinions that were both positive and negative. Little by little, most of the antagonists fell by the wayside because, let’s face it, most people have better things to do than constantly monitor a forum for the sole purpose of degrading those who write in, or “educating by negativity.”
I say “most” – I haven’t seen a recent comment from LisaRob in some time, although she cited many studies and other research regarding Protandim. However, four years later, what I thought would happen has never happened – Vogel has never given up spewing vitriol about how gullible and stupid everyone is, except, of course, himself.
Still a naysayer to every point anyone ever makes, he sneers about everyone being a fool because they do or don’t claim effects. Even when a new forum entrant writes and offers their support for Vogel’s opinions, he addresses that focus and then turns on them.
I do not believe Vogel is or ever has been (or ever will be) a distributor of Protandim, not because he’s smarter than everyone (although he thinks he is) but because he doesn’t know the difference among pyramid scheme, multi-level marketing program, and direct sales.
While all of us can probably do without constant negativity, Vogel will not let his go. It’s his job, and he’s very good at it. A previous writer said something about waiting for the pitch from Joe, and was happy it never came. In my opinion (and Vogel, every single one of us is entitled to our own opinion) Joe has been the perfect mediator or whatever you want to call it.
He’s fair-minded, not heavy-handed, and calls a spade a spade. He lets people have their opinions, AND their experiences, good or bad, and allows people to write about them here. I believe that’s what a forum is for, isn’t it?
Through these years, I have been swayed toward Protandim, and then against Protandim, back and forth, due to the experiences people have written about (except I pay no attention to Vogel’s, because he states no facts, only his extreme bias): “I can tell you with great certainty that Protandim doesn’t work – for ANYTHING. Science and commonsense prove it many times over.”
Each person in a crowd of 100 could be given an aspirin to swallow, and someone in that crowd would have an ill effect. Others may have notably positive effects. The same can be said about garlic, Protandim, mouthwash, and IUDs. I hope Vogel’s crazed and incensed remarks do not affect those who look to this forum for opinions (that’s plural, Vogel) or knowledge that can help them form their own opinions. I’ve got my opinions. I am entitled to them. I’ve come to them by myself.
Because of Vogel’s incessant and unending negativity, and because I have better things to do than ‘listen’ to his vapid and narcissistic haranguing, I will not be following this forum anymore. In a way, that’s too bad because I am certain he will have some choice words for my submission because he can’t think of anything else to do to save face – like ignoring me.
Vogel, will you share your credentials? I am curious as to your background, source of knowledge, etc. Are you in the medical, holistic, alternative profession? I do not take Protandim but have long before Protandim came about been taking the ingredients in Protandim but in much higher dosages for various reasons to include reducing oxidative stress.
I read a lot about supplementation, gut health, T1 and T2 dominance, alternative health, etc. I have a friend that takes Protandim and I’ve asked him to do a quick absorbency test to see how long protandim takes to dissolve since it is a tablet.
Thanks for your response.
Jane O Lee said: “Vogel, will you share your credentials? I am curious as to your background, source of knowledge, etc.”
I might consider it if doing so advanced the discussion of Protandim in any remotely conceivable way, but not simply to assuage someone’s curiosity. I construct my commentary in a way that doesn’t rest on laurels of authority. It simply requires one to read and follow links. Settle for that.
Jane O Lee said: “I do not take Protandim but have long before Protandim came about been taking the ingredients in Protandim but in much higher dosages for various reasons to include reducing oxidative stress.”
Really? That seems like quite a coincidence that you happened to be consuming turmeric, ashwaganda, bacopa, milk thistle, and green tea extracts. You really shouldn’t be self-medicating in the vague hope of reducing oxidative stress. You are probably doing more harm than good; financially for sure.
Jane O Lee said: “I have a friend that takes Protandim and I’ve asked him to do a quick absorbency test to see how long protandim takes to dissolve since it is a tablet.”
That seems like a colossal waste of time. Is there any reason to expect that it wouldn’t dissolve?
Joe – I appreciate your work on this website, and the fair and unbiased statements that you make. thank you!
Hi Laura, you are very welcome. I truly appreciate you taking the time to stop by and say that 🙂
Nat,
As a distributor, you should be aware that you just made a bunch of illegal claims about Protandim. The FDA recently sent a warning letter to Lifevantage regarding illegal advertising. You can not make any claims for a supplement to treat, prevent, or cure any disease.
I’m a 50 year old male who was diagnosed with severe three vessel coronary artery disease in August of 2010, at which I had three stents placed. I’ve always been very healthy and active, and my cholesterol levels were great. So there was no explanation for my condition other than genetic predisposition of some kind. Although I will say I’m a practicing attorney, and my stress level was pretty high.
Over the next few years, I experienced additional coronary blockages almost bi-annually. By October of 2014, I had a total of nine stents. No doctor could explain my condition. I ate no meat and was taking statin drugs, which by the way caused excruciating pain, but still I had new blockages and six additional stents. I truly believed my life was over. I was willing to try anything, when a friend told me about Protandim.
I started taking Protandim in November of 2014, immediately after my ninth stent. I also began eating meat again in moderation. Since then, I haven’t had the first bit of angina and no further stents. And my work schedule is busier than it’s ever been.
Frankly, I was skeptical for quite some time, but it’s difficult for me to deny it any longer. I now firmly believe Protandim is the primary reason I haven’t had additional blockages.
Hi Ross, thanks for sharing. I’m glad your health has improved and I hope all continues to go well for you.
A whole Lotta chatter in here!
I have been detoxing people for years. The “side effects” of protandim are practically identical to the side effects of intense detoxing. The same things that happens when drug addicts quit cold turkey. When your body gets back in gear, the process of realizing and expelling toxins can be violent. The higher the dose of the corrective agent, the higher the likely hood of a violent reaction.
My mom followed the directions on a detox incorrectly one time, she accidentally drank more than the recommended amount. She was in her bed rocking back and forth, shaking, having cold sweats, using the bathroom and throwing up for 2 or 3 days straight. She told me she thought she was dying. My mom was an alcohol abuser and an unhealthy eater, there were many toxins in her body to be dealt with.
I have always had relatively healthy habits, so when I did my first intense detox, I just had a lot of gas, had to use the restroom a lot, and was slightly light headed. The body is a large test tube. If things don’t occur in the body the same way they do to isolated human cells, it can be blamed on external agents interfering with the process that was shown to occur in the test tube.
You have control, for the most part, of those external agents you introduce to your body. This stuff is going to work faster or slower depending on your current condition and your medical and dietary history.
I am a trained chef, nutritionist, and personal trainer. Scientific proof is great, but living proof is better. I know the power of putting good things in your body. If you want to see what this product will do for you, take it for a month or 2, and judge it then. If you have the “bad side effects” do not panic, drink plenty of water, and stay close to a bathroom! Keep something light to eat, like soup or light pasta.
I am not a distributor, I’m nowhere in the MLM scheme for this product, I don’t work for Protandim, any of that. I just don’t like to see these modern medical snobs come in forums speaking out so harshly against natural/holistic products. Living proof is the gold standard ladies and gentlemen, living proof!
Patrick said: “I have been detoxing people for years. The “side effects” of protandim are practically identical to the side effects of intense detoxing. The same things that happens when drug addicts quit cold turkey.”
They may superficially seem like similar effects, to a layperson who knows virtually nothing about medicine or toxicology/biochemistry, but in fact they are entirely different mechanistically. The physical manifestations of alcohol “detox” are due to alcohol withdrawal (i.e., the lowering of blood alcohol levels to zero). The side effects of Protandim are due to the inherent properties of the product, not withdrawal, and according to the latest published clinical trial on Protandim, the side effects occur very frequently (something that, shamefully, the company and its distributors completely ignore and never share with prospective customers).
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/27513339
Patrick said: “When your body gets back in gear, the process of realizing and expelling toxins can be violent.
Protandim doesn’t cause the body to expel toxins. In fact, it does nothing. Two RCT clinical trials have now proven that the product doesn’t even lower oxidative stress/TBARS – it is utterly worthless.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/27513339
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22268125
Patrick said: “My mom followed the directions on a detox incorrectly one time, she accidentally drank more than the recommended amount. She was in her bed rocking back and forth, shaking, having cold sweats, using the bathroom and throwing up for 2 or 3 days straight. She told me she thought she was dying.”
Your mom was unwise to take a “detox” product because there is no such thing.
Patrick said: “When I did my first intense detox, I just had a lot of gas, had to use the restroom a lot, and was slightly light headed. The body is a large test tube.”
Your self-experiments with so-called “detoxing” have nothing to do with Protandim.
Patrick said: “I am a trained chef, nutritionist, and personal trainer.”
Since anyone can make claims of authority without proof, your claim is pointless (i.e., the nutritionist part; being a chef or trainer has no bearing whatsoever). Judging by what you’ve written here, you know nothing even remotely relevant to the discussion of Protandim.
Patrick said: “Scientific proof is great, but living proof is better.”
No it’s not better; it’s much worse; it’s not even proof of anything. In this case, it’s just a gasbag expelling hot air. You seem to know nothing at all about science.
Patrick said: “If you want to see what this product will do for you, take it for a month or 2, and judge it then.”
Unbelievably bad advice given that we know for certain that the company breaks the law by marketing their BS product as a drug, and that two clinical trials have now proven it doesn’t work.
Patrick said: “If you have the “bad side effects” do not panic, drink plenty of water, and stay close to a bathroom! Keep something light to eat, like soup or light pasta.”
You have no basis for offering medical advice. Since we know this product causes adverse reactions some users, has been shown in clinical trials to have no other discernible effects whatsoever, and is illegally marketed by the company and its distributors, the only defensible advice would be to strenuously urge people to not take it.
Patrick said: “I am not a distributor, I’m nowhere in the MLM scheme for this product, I don’t work for Protandim, any of that. I just don’t like to see these modern medical snobs come in forums speaking out so harshly against natural/holistic products.”
Your denial about not being a distributor is worth about as little as your baseless claims of relevant expertise. The so-called “medical snobs” you sneeringly referred to (i.e., people who actually went to college for a decade so that they would be qualified) are the same people who twice over showed that Protandim is worthless. No one here is condemning “natural” or “holistic” products (whatever that’s supposed to mean). The criticism is very narrowly focused on this one product, which happens to have been proven worthless and noxious, and which, according to the FDA, is being illegally and fraudulently marketed.
Great post. I am a distributor for protandim. I have been taking it for 5 months and I must say my arthritis pain is almost gone and my endometriosis has improved greatly! My mood has improved and my energy levels are amazing! Before I could hardly make it thru the day without half falling asleep.
My customers have all told me that they are feeling happier and have more energy. That seems to be the first things people notice. My mother has multiple sclerosis. She has just started protandim so I cant wait to see the improvements. I am a firm believer in natural medicine. There are a lot of great products out there but so far nothing has made me feel the way protandim does.
If you are unsure just google protandim and whatever ailment you are wondering about. There are videos and testimonials. So much information!
And for those that claim it doesn’t or didn’t work for them please consider this: the body will try to heal what it thinks is the most important for it’s survival. Not always what we think is the most important. Give your body time to heal. A lifetime of free radical damage will not go away with one bottle.
Take care all 🙂
Hi Nat, thanks for sharing Im glad you are happy with Protandim. Do let us know how it goes with your moms MS.
I will thank you. I dont know if vogel is right or not. But i was never taking anything for my arthritis and for the first time in 5 years i can get out of bed and get thru the day. There must be something to protandim 🙂
Nat, I dont know either way. I can only go by the science I see. Either way, if its helping you, I’ll just be glad it is.
Nat said: “I am a distributor for protandim. I have been taking it for 5 months and I must say my arthritis pain is almost gone and my endometriosis has improved greatly! My mood has improved and my energy levels are amazing…”
As a distributor, it is illegal for you to make such claims, aside from the fact that what you are claiming is beyond implausible, given that the only well designed clinical trials on the product (2 in total) have proven that the product does nothing but cause side effects. For shame!
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/27513339
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22268125
Nat said: “If you are unsure just google protandim and whatever ailment you are wondering about. There are videos and testimonials. So much information!”
You mean “so much BS”! What you are saying is that, regardless of the medical condition, there will be some dolt distributor on the internet saying that Protandim can cure it. Sounds like quintessential BS snakeoil marketing.
Nat said: “And for those that claim it doesn’t or didn’t work for them please consider this…”
I can tell you with great certainty that Protandim doesn’t work – for ANYTHING. Science and commonsense prove it many times over.
Nat said: “A lifetime of free radical damage will not go away with one bottle.”
True, but it’s equally true that even 5 seconds of free radical damage won’t go away with an infinite number of bottles — because the product lacks antioxidant properties in humans. It is scientifically proven to NOT WORK.
Must really suck to be a distributor for this company given how it is failing miserably in every possible respect. First, the 6-million dollar metal shard contamination fiasco; then McCord quits; then the company became the subject of multiple lawsuits for securities violations (still in progress); then the stock tanked; and now the company has been cited by the FDA for deceptive and illegal medical claims. It’s a comedy of errors and the desperation is palpable. Going to be a bumpy ride to the bottom. Fasten your seat belt.
http://www.nutraingredients-usa.com/Manufacturers/LifeVantage-recalls-product-over-metal-contamination
https://www.fda.gov/iceci/enforcementactions/warningletters/2017/ucm554234.htm
I just starting taking this and it has helped with my joint pain it has not completely gone however it is at least 50 percent and one of the first things i was told was it is an All Natural supplement not a medication not intended to treat prevent or cure any disease. it also does warn that you may have some detox symptoms that usually last 7 to 10 days. So maybe you have been hearing from some distributor who does not know what they are doing but if it works for me great if not I can stop so far it has helped.
Hello All,
Jane,
The bottom line is that we live in a free country and, as such, have the right to make decisions for ourselves that we feel are in our best interests. When we engage in discourse with individuals who have polarizing views we enter the room that has no walls. There is never going to be a common ground or respect for individual views. This is also the current state of the political climate in the U.S. It is unfortunate but it is reality.
Humans have been engaged in the understanding of health and healing since there has been humans. Many of these understandings have efficacy even though they lack “scientific research”. As someone who has practiced healing through physical and supplemental applications, for 30 years, I have seen how people can take control of their health without the need for chemical intervention.
We suffer from the misconception that some know the definitive truth about a subject whether it be health, politics, religion, social values and the like. The real truth is we live in a world of diversity and what may be true for one, or some, is not the final determination.
Those who gain the most from life are those who are not afraid to try and, more importantly, to fail. There is not one truth, one supplement, one drug, one belief that is going to cure the world’s ills. It will be a consortium of individuals and groups experimenting with information to find what works for them.
Those who hold tightly to certain positions and beliefs will reap those rewards. You can find what works for you and reap your own rewards.
In China 90% of the hospitals dispense mostly herbs from their pharmacies. The Asian culture has understood that food is the best medicine and all plants have certain properties some of which can be used for healing. They have been employing these healing philosophies for centuries. I had an opportunity to be in an operating theater when a woman was having her gall bladder removed and acupuncture was used as the general anesthetic. She was awake during the entire procedure and sat up on the gurney and was waving to us with a big smile on her face as they wheeled her out.
The Herxheimer Reaction is a short-term (from days to a few weeks) detoxification reaction in the body. As the body detoxifies, it is not uncommon to experience flu-like symptoms including headache, joint and muscle pain, body aches, sore throat, general malaise, sweating, chills, nausea or other symptoms. It is very common for people who are taking supplements that facilitate the detoxification mechanisms of the body. Unfortunately the detoxifying substance is often times mis-identified as the offending party.
Do what feels right, trust your instincts, and commit to living a life filled with an abundance of good health and happiness. The rest will come relatively easy.
First time that I have encountered this site, great work Joe, kept waiting for the pitch and was pleasantly entertained when it did not happen.
Tom, thanks. Feel free to share with your friends. No pitch here. I prefer to present the facts and let people decide for themselves.
Tom said: “There is never going to be a common ground or respect for individual views. This is also the current state of the political climate in the U.S. It is unfortunate but it is reality.”
Respect for one’s “views” is earned based on the underlying facts, strength of the arguments, and validity of the conclusions. It’s disingenuous to portray it as an issue of politics.
Tom said: “Humans have been engaged in the understanding of health and healing since there has been humans.”
That throwaway sound bite sounds like it was plagiarized from the opening line of a 12-year old’s health class essay.
Tom said: “The real truth is we live in a world of diversity and what may be true for one, or some, is not the final determination.”
Again, we are talking about science here. Your argument is akin to saying that “2+3=5” is true for some but not the final determination.
Tom said: “In China 90% of the hospitals dispense mostly herbs from their pharmacies.”
Do you have a source to backup that factoid or is this simply an example of “true for one” as you put it? The primary reason herbal medicine gained traction in China is because of Chairman Mao, who implemented an herbal medicine movement because there was a lack of real medicine for the majority of the population. The senior cadres in the party continued to use Western medicine because they had access to it. And today China’s medical system is pretty much identical to the Western system, at least for those who can afford it. Poor people still have to rely on worthless salves and placebos. Would be nice if you cracked a book from time to time so as to have some substance to your arguments when you leap into discussions like this.
Tom said: “The Herxheimer Reaction is a short-term (from days to a few weeks) detoxification reaction in the body. As the body detoxifies, it is not uncommon to experience flu-like symptoms including headache, joint and muscle pain, body aches, sore throat, general malaise, sweating, chills, nausea or other symptoms. It is very common for people who are taking supplements that facilitate the detoxification mechanisms of the body.”
The Herxheimer Reaction refers specifically to the release of endotoxin from microorganisms subsequent to the use of antibiotics. Protandim doesn’t do that. Why you would bring this off-base obfuscation into the discussion is puzzling to say the least.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jarisch%E2%80%93Herxheimer_reaction
Tom said: “Do what feels right, trust your instincts, and commit to living a life filled with an abundance of good health and happiness.”
Instinct alone is not sufficient for guiding decision-making; it is just as often wrong as right — it is a mode of thinking predates the Age of Enlightenment and the advent of science. We flew to the moon not because of instinct but because of science.
Better for people to rely on their brains and reliable sources of scientific information when making choices about their health. Not vacuous rambling from disembodied voices on the internet. Certainly not the snakeoil charlatans who run moronic pyramid schemes.
The FDA finally caught up with the scammers at LifeVantage. Long overdue.
https://www.fda.gov/ICECI/EnforcementActions/WarningLetters/2017/ucm554234.htm
It appears to me the FDA complaint is for Protandim being advertised and mislabeled as a drug rather than a supplement. The FDA complaint mentions the word “drug” several times. It should be noted that the letter is a warning letter regarding medical claims used regarding marketing.
“Your product Protandim NRF2 Synergizer is intended for treatment of one or more diseases that are not amenable to self-diagnosis or treatment without the supervision of a licensed practitioner. Furthermore, your product is intended for prevention of one or more diseases that are not amenable to prevention by consumers without the supervision of a licensed practitioner. Therefore, it is impossible to write adequate directions for a layperson to use your product safely for its intended purposes. Accordingly, your product is misbranded under section 502(f)(1) of the Act [21 U.S.C. 352(f)(1)]. The introduction or delivery for introduction into interstate commerce of this misbranded drug violates section 301(a) of the Act [21 U.S.C. 331(a)]. ”
Protandim is not a drug, it is a supplement. It should be understood as a supplement and used as a supplement and not for the treatment of diseases. Unfortunately Life Vantage has used some questionable marketing tactics.
As for me, I use Protandim and it has provided health benefits for me. My blood pressure medication has been cut in half and I have been able to ween myself off of anti-depressant medication. As I have read on this site, it has also provided heath benefits for others who have used it and not provided benefits for others. This can be said of all supplements on the market.
By the way, I do not nor have I ever been a distributor for Protandim.
Some may say that those who are experiencing heath benefits from using this product are only experiencing a placebo effect. It would seem to me if a benefit from using a product is a placebo effect, then the product is working, even if it is only mental.
Roger said: “It appears to me the FDA complaint is for Protandim being advertised and mislabeled as a drug rather than a supplement.”
Seems? The first sentence of the warning letter states so explicitly:
Roger said: “This is to advise you that the FDA reviewed your websites…and has determined that the claims on your websites establish that your Protandim NRF2 Synergizer product is a drug…because it is intended for use in the diagnosis, cure, mitigation, treatment, or prevention of disease… claims found on your websites establish the intended use of your Protandim NRF2 Synergizer product as a drug”
Thanks Captain Obvious!
Roger said: “Protandim is not a drug, it is a supplement.”
Again, stating the stunningly obvious. The product is clearly a supplement but, as the FDA warning letter points out, it is a supplement that is being illegally marketed as a drug.
Roger said: “Unfortunately Life Vantage has used some questionable marketing tactics.”
Questionable? In fact, the entire history of the product has been predicated on misleading and illegal marketing. Unfortunate indeed.
Roger said: “It should be understood as a supplement and used as a supplement and not for the treatment of diseases…As for me, I use Protandim and it has provided health benefits for me. Blood pressure medication has been cut in half and I have been able to ween myself off of anti-depressant medication.”
Hypertension and depression are both diseases. You claim in one breath that the product is a supplement and shouldn’t be used to treat diseases, and then in the next, you contradict yourself with a claim about how the product relieves high blood pressure and depression.
Roger said: “As I have read on this site, it has also provided heath benefits for others who have used it and not provided benefits for others.”
Yes, Protandim distributors rely on poor advertising methods which don’t have an iota of credibility.
Roger said: “By the way, I do not nor have I ever been a distributor for Protandim.”
A throwaway statement since it can’t be verified one way or the other.
Roger said: “It would seem to me if a benefit from using a product is a placebo effect, then the product is working, even if it is only mental.”
This is like trying to discuss calculus with an empty soup can. If it were a placebo effect and entirely mental, then it means the product IS NOT working.
Thanks Vogel for the well researched and common sense filled counter argument. I suspected protandim to be slightly over stated in its efficacy by distributors but after reading your comments I agree that it is complete snake oil quackery that will only lead to an upset GI tract.
Vogel for President lol
I’m not arguing, in any way, whether Protandim is effective or not, however, the comments on the science are interesting. Mice are often used, instead of humans, for many reasons.
One, they have similar make-up to humans and have many of the same disease processes.
Second, mice are small and the environment can be controlled. You know what they’re estimating/drinking etc so you know that it’s not something affecting the outcomes.
Test tubes are often used for studies when you’re looking at how cells are affected, not to mention for same reason mentioned in last sentence. Also, when it comes to lifespan studies, mice are almost always used because otherwise, it would take 100 years to do study lol. They use mice due to shorter lifespan.
If that’s the criteria for approving studies, or not, you’d have to dismiss the majority of scientific studies. Now, as for the study results, I have no idea, that’s why I’m here checking out your article. I found this article, looking for info, after a friend recommended the product. I started taking it, for about 60 days now, and personally I’ve loved it, hence why I’ve started looking into it more.
I can’t comment on everyone else’s results, but for me, I’ve had significant reduction in pain (plantar fasciitis and thoracic outlet syndrome) as well as a reduction in sinus/allergy issues. Oh and fewer headaches. After starting the probiotic I’ve also started to lose weight.
I’m assuming like most medications/supplements, it probably affects everyone differently. As for me, so far so good.
I found the MS study interesting though. Looks like they tested 4 different Nrf2 activators, one which is BG12. BG12 is also known as Tecfidera, one of the leading prescribed MS drugs, which I understand has been shown to be affective. I have a family member who has MS (which is why that study caught my eye) and she is on Tecfidera, per MDs recommendation of course. It says in study that Protandim, interestingly enough, was highest Nrf2 regulator, by 2x.
I need to look into more of the studies myself, and right now can only go by my own experience, but so far I’ve been impressed. I see many people here also knocking distributors, however, I think that’s a little unfair. My friend, who became a distributor, became one due to a profound experience she had on the product, which I’m assuming is why most of them become distributors. My friend has Lymes Disease and doing well taking Protandim.
Like I said above, I’m sure this is like most things, it will really help some, while not helping others. I’ll update after 120 days and let you know if I still feel same way lol. Thank you for your post, I like to read the good and the bad about everything!
Hi Dsbell77, glad you took some value from the article and comments and I’m happy that you have been having good experiences with protandim.
Dsbell77 said: “I’m not arguing, in any way, whether Protandim is effective or not…”
In fact, you suggested that it relieved pain, cleared up sinus issues, got rid of headaches, and led to weight loss. Was that not an attempted argument for the product’s effectiveness? Or are you claiming that it’s mere coincidence that these professed miracles occurred after taking Protandim?
Dsbell77 said: “Mice are often used, instead of humans, for many reasons…test tubes are often used for studies when you’re looking at how cells are affected…”
Mice and test tubes are used for basic science discovery R&D, not for evaluating effectiveness. These models do not accurately predict outcomes in humans, nor is it permitted to use the results of such studies for product marketing claims – because they are completely unreliable. Well-designed clinical trials remain the only standard for determining effectiveness in humans. Two have been published on Protandim to date, and both showed the product to be utterly worthless; worse, it produced a myriad of noxious side effects in a substantial portion of the people who took it.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/27513339
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22268125
Dsbell77 said: “Now, as for the study results, I have no idea, that’s why I’m here checking out your article.”
I just re-posted links to the only well-designed clinical studies on the product to date, and we’ve talked about them here rather extensively in the past. Both showed that the product does nothing (except for causing adverse events). Now you know.
Dsbell77 said: “After a friend recommended the product. I started taking it, for about 60 days now, and personally I’ve loved it, hence why I’ve started looking into it more…I’ve had significant reduction in pain (plantar fasciitis and thoracic outlet syndrome) as well as a reduction in sinus/allergy issues. Oh and fewer headaches… also started to lose weight.”
Now that you know that the product does nothing you can rest assured that improvements in any of these conditions could not have anything to do with Protandim. It’s not even remotely plausible.
Dsbell77 said: “I found the MS study interesting though. Looks like they tested 4 different Nrf2 activators, one which is BG12. BG12 is also known as Tecfidera, one of the leading prescribed MS drugs, which I understand has been shown to be affective. I have a family member who has MS (which is why that study caught my eye) and she is on Tecfidera, per MDs recommendation of course. It says in study that Protandim, interestingly enough, was highest Nrf2 regulator, by 2x.”
Funny that, just like a Protandim distributor, you point to this obscure outdated abstract, while seemingly being entirely unaware of the published clinical trials showing that Protandim does nothing (but produce adverse events). I’ll reiterate that what you are describing is a non-reviewed research abstract; it is not a published study. Not only that but the abstract was released in 2011 and no actual study was ever published, indicating that it was of too low a quality to pass peer review or never really existed.
http://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?q=cache:BrEqHaA9x18J:www.inspireactiontoday.info/wp-content/uploads/2016/01/Nrf2-activators-a-novel-strategy-to-promote-oligodendrocyte-survival-in-multiple-sclerosis_-share.pdf+&cd=1&hl=en&ct=clnk&gl=us
Furthermore, NRF2 activators like Tecfidera are well known to cause a host of serious side effects; sometimes fatal. If Protandim had double the potency of BG-12, it would stand to reason that it would be even more noxious. But why let cold hard logic intrude on a good snakeoil pitch right?
https://www.drugs.com/pro/tecfidera.html
Dsbell77 said: “I see many people here also knocking distributors, however, I think that’s a little unfair.”
Could that be because you’re one of them and care more about your self-interest than facts and commonsense? Distributors routinely make ridiculous unfounded, illegal, and exploitative claims about the product and the business opportunity. No amount of criticism could be unwarranted or the least bit unfair.
Dsbell77 said: “My friend, who became a distributor, became one due to a profound experience she had on the product, which I’m assuming is why most of them become distributors. My friend has Lymes Disease and doing well taking Protandim.”
There is no conceivable reason why Protandim would have any therapeutic effect on Lyme disease. The only reason people become distributors is because of gullibility and greed. Your alleged “friend”, sad to say, would be no exception.
Dsbell77 said: “Like I said above, I’m sure this is like most things, it will really help some, while not helping others. I’ll update after 120 days and let you know if I still feel same way lol.”
Protandim doesn’t “help” to do anything — other than insult people’s intelligence and lighten their wallets.
I’ve been on protantim for 2.5 years. Since then I’ve gotten rid of some inflammation, I pee better, I’ve lost some joint pain, I get erections in the early morning hours like I was 17 years old, my sex life has improved and that’s it to my knowledge. We know a lady who’s autistic kid gets 3 gran maul seizures per week. After being on protandim, no seizures. It’s been one month. No seizures, she should have had a dozen. The effect was almost immediate.
In addition, her teachers and her mother report that she’s connecting with people in her surroundings where before she stared vacantly into space and rocked. We know another lady who was bed ridden with MS. On protandim, and I don’t know for how long, she gets around occasionally needing a cane. I’m not in a science field, I just witness what i witness. All of this is true.
@Vogel-
Vogel says “Well-designed clinical trials remain the only standard for determining effectiveness in humans. Two have been published on Protandim to date, and both showed the product to be utterly worthless; worse, it produced a myriad of noxious side effects in a substantial portion of the people who took it.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/27513339
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22268125 ”
You’re critique of this individual’s comments has all kinds of claims that you seemingly back up with research papers. Well, I read the two research studies that you cite as proof showing Protandim as “utterly worthless” and that it “produced a myriad of noxious side effects in a substantial portion of the people who took it” and I don’t see anything in these research studies to back up your claims.
My question to you is, which pharmaceutical company pays you to write worthless dribble here?
D.D. said: “You’re (sic) critique of this individual’s comments has all kinds of claims that you seemingly back up with research papers. Well, I read the two research studies that you cite as proof showing Protandim as “utterly worthless” and that it “produced a myriad of noxious side effects in a substantial portion of the people who took it” and I don’t see anything in these research studies to back up your claims.”
In both of the studies (i.e., Burnham et al 2011 and Ueberschlag et al 2016 — the only randomized, placebo-controlled, double-blinded studies ever conducted on Protandim), the product failed to meet the primary endpoint, and it did not lower oxidative stress (TBARS), significantly increase antioxidant enzyme levels/activity, or lower markers of inflammation. Hence, the product’s lack of efficacy is beyond doubt.
Side effects of Protandim have only been assessed in one study to date (Ueberschlag et al 2016, Table 4) and remarkably the product produced a myriad of adverse events (e.g., stomach ache, diarrhea, headache, constipation, nausea, dizziness, joint pain, low blood sugar) in up to a third of all subjects who took Protandim, and at rates at least double those of the placebo group.
That you would claim to have read the papers and yet somehow fail to reach these conclusions means that you either didn’t read them at all; failed to comprehend the contents; or are just straight up lying in a deceptive attempt to defend this worthless noxious product.
D.D. said: “My question to you is, which pharmaceutical company pays you to write worthless dribble (sic) here?”
What you mislabeled as “dribble” (the word you were reaching for is “drivel”) would more appropriately be referred to as “facts”, and it doesn’t surprise me in the least that a Protandim troll would come here and make a feeble attempt to dismiss them, given that they prove that Protandim is both ineffective and noxious, and that they negate every marketing claim ever made about the product to date.
There is no conceivable scenario in which a Pharma company would pay someone to knock Protandim on a blog like this. It’s like accusing Pepsi of trying to sabotage your child’s lemonade stand. Paranoid delusional accusations of this nature are emblematic of the shady MLM pyramid schemes that hype mundane snakeoil nutritional products as miracle cures. Your desperate attempt at whitewashing belies the dishonesty that lies at the core of these sordid enterprises.
You hit the proverbial nail on the head….MLM. This is yet another MLM scheme where those who got in early make a fortune while everyone else struggles to sell this crap and get more distributors. Just like Amway et al.
The best thing people could do is drastically reduce their carb intake and eat more natural fats.
Thorvald said: “You hit the proverbial nail on the head….MLM. This is yet another MLM scheme where those who got in early make a fortune while everyone else struggles to sell this crap and get more distributors. Just like Amway et al.”
True in a broad sense but in actuality, getting in early is not the ticket to making money. It’s actually all about the sweetheart deals that the company negotiates with certain kingpin distributors behind the scenes. Sometimes these deals are worked out at the inception of the scheme and sometimes they occur later in the company’s evolution, for instance when recruitment starts to sag and the pyramid is in danger of collapsing, and top distributors are poached from other MLMs because they have large networks of suckers. And even in those situations where secret sweetheart deals are struck, you can be sure that the earnings claims are grossly exaggerated.
The people who really make money from these schemes are those who run them, as well as the angel investors, who are typically unknown to the public — not those in the distributor network, regardless of how high their rank is.
To Vogel , So you would say this is not worth the money ? I already take Milk Thistle, Turmeric, & Green tea . I can look into the the ashwagandha & bacopa ! I have Triple -Negative breast cancer. i was just recently diagnosed . it is 1.8 cm. The doctor wants to do surgery ., and possibly radiation/chemo !It says not to take if you are taking chemo/radiation therapy ….
I am a cancer survivor and a scientist. People with cancer treatments in play are advised not to take antioxidants because many treatments work by creating reactive oxygen species to kill cancer cells. Anitoxidants can blunt the therapeutic responses that you and your physician are seeking for help in fighting your cancer. It’s especially true of radiation treatments.
I do know after taking protandim that my sinus/allergy issues have stopped and My aunts plantar fasciitis is gone. So I am sold on it and its cheaper and easier for me to take one pill than to try to get the individual products
Tonya, I see from facebook you are also a distributor. Nothing wrong with that and distributors are always welcome here to share their experiences. Just wanted to bring it up in full disclosure. I would agree taking 1 pill is more convenient and I’m happy to hear you and your aunt are doing well.
Tonya Etris said: “I do know after taking protandim that my sinus/allergy issues have stopped and My aunts plantar fasciitis is gone.”
It is inconceivable that Protandim would relieve either sinus/allergy issues or plantar fasciitis; all the more so in the absence of any evidence. It is, however, very conceivable that a distributor would make such a claim, no matter that, beyond being implausible, it’s illegal to do so.
Tonya Etris said: “So I am sold on it and its cheaper and easier for me to take one pill than to try to get the individual products.”
It’s certainly not cheaper. You could buy the raw ingredients from a reliable supplier and make a year’s supply for pennies on the dollar compared to Protandim, and as an added bonus, you wouldn’t have to support a ridiculous MLM.
I agree that most of the distributor claims are absolutely absurd… BUT, I got a free bottle after having a migraine for 3 years straight every day and over 150 doctors visits looking for cures and answers. I was sleeping between 10-14 hours per day, exhausted from pain.
I hate to admit it, but after taking it for about 2 weeks I find myself waking up at 7-8am without an alarm clock and I don’t feel the need to pull the covers over my head anymore. I’ve been using it for 2 months now and I still wake up right around that time. I haven’t slept in a single time since! I didn’t really know what the supplement was supposed to do but that’s what it did for me.
I still have migraines every day, I still get dizzy and have aura’s in my eyes but for some reason I wake up and i’m not wanting to sleep nearly as much.
I am a 24 year old male, I hate fake medicine and homeopathic medicine scams. But I got this for free and took it and that is what happened.
Bailey said: “I agree that most of the distributor claims are absolutely absurd… BUT, I got a free bottle after having a migraine for 3 years straight every day and over 150 doctors visits looking for cures and answers. I was sleeping between 10-14 hours per day, exhausted from pain. I hate to admit it, but after taking it for about 2 weeks I find myself waking up at 7-8am without an alarm clock and I don’t feel the need to pull the covers over my head anymore… I hate fake medicine and homeopathic medicine scams. But I got this for free and took it and that is what happened.”
If you hate fake medicine scams, and you know that the marketing claims are absurd, why would you accept it, even as a gift, or even worse, actually ingest it?
Knowing that the marketing claims are BS, how did you expect people to react to your tale other than with disbelief, given that it’s an anonymous and unverifiable claim that follows on the heels of hundreds of other claims by distributors that were obvious BS? Even if the claim were true, would it be a good thing if Protandim altered someone’s sleep pattern? It’s not advertised for that purpose and there is no scientific data indicating that it has such an effect. As such, this would have to be viewed, at best, as an unintended side effect, or a possibly due to spiking with some stimulant that’s not listed on the label. The micro-doses of ingredients in the product that are listed on the label certainly wouldn’t have any stimulant effect.
It’s also not relieving the migraine itself or the pain, so it could be doing more harm than good. In fact, we know that it does more harm than good based on the fact it was proven to lack antioxidant effects in clinical trials while producing a variety of adverse effects (including headache at 2-3 times the incidence rate in placebo-treated subjects).
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4981460/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22268125
Vogel says: It is inconceivable that Protandim would relieve either sinus/allergy issues or plantar fasciitis; all the more so in the absence of any evidence. It is, however, very conceivable that a distributor would make such a claim, no matter that, beyond being implausible, it’s illegal to do so.
If people are saying that after taking Protandim or any other supplement and they are having this effect or that effect, than it would be fair to say and “conceivable” that maybe it does work. More than one person said it has helped their sinuses and their plantar fasciitis. I can vouch that it has helped my husband’s sinuses, and he has done nothing else that would have changed his condition. He would be one big snot-ball twice a year, and now nothing. If that’s an illegal claim, then so be it. Just saying what I observed. He had sinus problems before, now he does not. Allegies don’t go way as you get older, they get worse.
The two studies that you keep posting are the studies about it not helping the runners or the people that drink alcohol. So it doesn’t help those two things, but that doesn’t negate all the other potential benefits.
Yes we are distributers, in name only. As I wasn’t interested in selling it, I just want to take it.
Laura said: “If people are saying that after taking Protandim or any other supplement and they are having this effect or that effect, than it would be fair to say and “conceivable” that maybe it does work.
No it wouldn’t be fair in the slightest. We know from randomized, blinded, controlled clinical trials that the product does not even do the most basic of things that it is advertised to do (i.e. lower oxidative stress). We also know that the company willfully markets their product as a remedy for diseases. Put two and two together: doesn’t lower oxidative stress + sold by lawbreakers = inconceivable that it cures anything.
Laura said: “More than one person said it has helped their sinuses and their plantar fasciitis.”
“More than one” isn’t very many, and it’s not anywhere near as many as say they have seen Bigfoot or been probed up the backside by curious aliens. People say lots of things that are blatantly untrue/silly, like Protandim curing sinusitis and fasciitis, for instance. Again, it’s an ineffective product illegally marketed as a disease remedy. Ergo, according to Occam’s razor, the simplest explanation is that the anonymous distributors who make these far fetched, unverifiable, overly simplistic claims are either mistaken about cause and effect or, as is typically the case with MLMs, blatantly lying.
Laura said: “I can vouch that it has helped my husband’s sinuses, and he has done nothing else that would have changed his condition. He would be one big snot-ball twice a year, and now nothing. If that’s an illegal claim, then so be it.”
Well, no you can’t actually. You can only make a temporal observation but you can’t make any inference about cause and effect. Again, given that the research has shown that the product does virtually nothing other than cause adverse events, your inference is completely without merit.
More importantly, it matters not what you think but what you are capable of proving with evidence. I have scientific data to show that it doesn’t “work”. You on the other hand have no verifiable evidence at all. Just an anonymous, implausible, unverifiable claim from a self-interested distributor. In fact, your wanton disregard for the law (e.g., “if that’s an illegal claim, then so be it”) makes you exactly the kind of source who should not be trusted.
Laura said: “He had sinus problems before, now he does not. Allegies (sic) don’t go way as you get older, they get worse.”
Allergies typically have a highly variable course and they do tend to wane with age. But again, your claim has no merit given that it’s an unverifiable and coming from an untrustworthy source about an untrustworthy company that sells an untrustworthy product.
Laura said: “The two studies that you keep posting are the studies about it not helping the runners or the people that drink alcohol. So it doesn’t help those two things, but that doesn’t negate all the other potential benefits.”
There have only been two randomized, blinded, placebo-controlled studies on the product to date. They showed that it was not only worthless (i.e., failed to lower oxidative stress) but, worse than “not helping”, caused a myriad of adverse events and at high rate of incidence. There are no potential benefits. At least no more than, say, rubbing a lucky rabbit’s foot can “potentially” cure cancer.
Laura said: “Yes we are distributers (sic), in name only.”
Not in name only. In law as well, which you are obligated to obey but have nonetheless recklessly broken, just like all the others who plug this product.
Interesting, Protandim is always getting tested. they have had a target on their back for years because no one else can reproduce its formula and you are talking about a billion dollar industry.
Question, Where s all the research on all the other supplements out there that are making so many claims.
Scott, Protandim does have some research but they are not alone. For example, Here is a review of Kyolic Aged Garlic Extract. They’ve got several studies and there might be an NFR2 connection too.
Juice Plus also has been pumping out studies for several years. Here’s the Juice Plus review
I read or heard somewhere that Protandim works better than taking each supplement but I think a distributor to get our money. It is much cheaper if you just buy each supplement than to pay $40 a month, wouldn’t you agree?
Hi Ruthie, I’ve heard it’s not the same too but am not aware of any proof either way.
It’s a marketing scam. Logically there should be zero difference between taking 1 pill with everything in it or taking the exact same things individually. Either way they all get into your system.
Of course LifeVantage will tell you otherwise because they wouldn’t be able to sell their product otherwise.
Cold hard logic Thor! While this is obvious to most everyone, MLMs try to us baffle with BS.
All I can say is I found out about Protandim from one of my passengers (I’m a flight attendant) and I tried it for 60 days. I didn’t notice anything earth-shattering so I stopped taking it. I am relatively fit and extremely active so I didn’t think I needed any help. A couple weeks later I was reminded of some serious localized arthritic pain I had forgotten about. Yikes. Back to the Protandim I went.
AMP said: “The man with ALS is real. I knew him from college and reconnected with him after 20+ years on FB. I have MS and knew nothing of his ALS story until he posted about hi 15th year diagnosis anniversary. I immediately messaged him and then we spoke several times. His story is miraculous.”
Really??? Sophia’s description of the “miraculous” ALS cure that the distributor told her about, illegally I might add, was pretty vague:
Sophia said: “According to the Doctor-Distributor, Protandim should be consumed for 1 year, in order to determine whether it helped me or not. He cited the case of a man with ALS, also known as Lou Gehrig disease, who in the 12th-13th month of taking Protandim, got out of his wheel chair and now has an active life – which includes playing tennis. I did not verify the story. However, it is story circulating in the network.
http://supplementclarity.com/protandim-research-review-lifevantage/comment-page-30/#comment-146211
And yet from this vague description, you are claiming that you know the person who allegedly experienced this medical miracle? Ha! I call BS! But regardless, whether or not you know that this person exists is irrelevant. Evidence and commonsense are what matter, and there is no evidence at all to support this and no logically conceivable scenario whereby Protandim – an insultingly overpriced mundane mix of inert curry spice and tea powder — can cure a case of chronic ALS, aside from the fact that making such claims is illegal and casts further doubt on the already thoroughly discredited Protandim pyramid scheme. The “story” is not “miraculous” as you claim. Rather it is unadulterated BS and an example of deceptive and illegal marketing at its worse.
AMP said: “I have been taking Protandim for 11 months now. I have not have the same results as my friend with ALS. As a matter of fact, my MS has progressed…”
There’s no reason why anyone with ALS or MS (or any other medical condition) should be taking Protandim for relief. The fact that your ALS allegedly progressed (i.e. got worse) surely won’t get the same (or any) traction as the BS miracle-cure ALS fairy tale that the Protandim distributors are so fond of sharing (illegally).
AMP said: “…but I have not had any negative side affects either. I cannot testify for Protandim right now, but I plan to keep taking it for awhile longer.”
Well, casting aside the fact that nothing you have written is remotely believable, let’s assume for the sake of argument that you actually did take the product. First, your alleged case of MS got worse; that’s an adverse event. Secondly, if you didn’t experience any “negative” side effects (in fact, all side effects are “negative”), then you defied the odds, because the 2016 clinical trial on Protandim showed very high rates of adverse events; something which, despite having hard evidence at hand, distributors will never share.
Here is a real human blood test of someone trying to see if Protandim would benefit their health https://youtu.be/16AWpj34U-U
Ann Tirrell said: “Here is a real human blood test of someone trying to see if Protandim would benefit their health”
A 5-year old video, featuring two Protandim distributors (Steve Drew and Becky Taylor), claiming that Protandim lowers TBARS. How laughably worthless!
Why would you post that Ann? You’re a distributor right? You know that videos like this aren’t approved marketing materials, not to mention that it’s deceptive and unreliable.
AMP said: “The NIH link provided goes to a 2010 study of Protandim on mice with muscular dystrphy not a recent human study. And this study has positive results for Protandim reducing oxidative stress. I have no idea why you would link this study with your comments about the adverse GI effects in humans.”
The short answer is that I didn’t. You seem to be confusing two parts from my post on December 8 (at the following link):
http://supplementclarity.com/protandim-research-review-lifevantage/comment-page-30/#comment-146226
In that post, I linked to the recent clinical study showing a high incidence of adverse effects in human subjects, in the following comment:
“That’s because the company and its distributors are equal parts incompetent. LifeVantage’s most recent clinical trial (Ueberschlag et al., 2016) showed that the product caused a variety of adverse effects in a quarter to a third of study subjects and at rates at least double of those in the placebo group.”
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4981460/pdf/pone.0160559.pdf
Clear as day right? Your confusion seems to be based on another statement I made in reply to a different comment by Sophia, where she said the following:
Sophia: “At a certain point, I stopped taking Protandim for a few days. When I started again, the same intense intestinal peristalsis occurred. I wanted an answer as to why this happened to me, thus, I put the question to a long time distributor. She responded by writing the following, ” You can go to PubMed.gov and search on Protandim bringing up the 22 published studies. There is one on Muscular Dystrophy and it will explain better than I why the smooth muscle of the bowel are improved when oxidative stress is lowered. There is also probably a detoxification process that takes place in the bowel when you improve gut health.”
http://supplementclarity.com/protandim-research-review-lifevantage/comment-page-30/#comment-146211
My reply was as follows:
“That’s completely ridiculous. Rather than refer you to the recent clinical trial in humans, which would have shown you data confirming that the product causes a variety of adverse GI effects, the distributor in question referred you to a 6-year old study in mice that doesn’t mention “smooth muscle” or “bowel” anywhere. This distributor, like the so-called “doctor-distributor”, deceived you in the worst possible way.”
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2926985/pdf/nihms226268.pdf
As you can see, the link above is to the mouse study that Sophia’s distributor was referring to, and as I pointed out, the study did not confirm any of the things that the distributor claimed. It was a misleading attempt to dismiss the adverse events that Sophia reported as being nothing more than a benign (and impossibly vague) “detox reaction”. There is no data whatsoever to support that claim, but there is good clinical data from the 2016 Ueberschlag study showing a high rate of adverse events in subjects that took Protandim, including a high incidence of GI side effects.
whoa Michael…….you must be a distributor…….
The current labeling doesn’t show actual dosages nor does it show if any of the standardized percentages of active ingredients. These are also the cheaper supplements known to help increase NRF2 but with the rather lacking studies and lacking active ingredients its a pass in my book. One of the most potent NRF2 activators Sulforaphane isn’t included either.
Personally I would get a standardized Sulforaphane (broccoli extract) and a standardized curcummin extract, preferably a phytosome version. These both have many studies showing not only activation of NRF2 but they both show inflammation reduction.
Thank you for the review. I was diagnosed with Grave’s Disease and about a year ago had the Radioactive Iodine treatment. I take Synthroid daily and per an extensive blood panel all my thyroid levels are good. Funny thing, I still feel tired and just not great. I was told about Protandim and willing to give it a try.
Do you have any other suggestions that might help?
Thank you!
Hi Nita, What does your doctor say about you still feeling tired? There is another medication that people sometimes use, called “Amour.” http://www.webmd.com/drugs/2/drug-3694/armour-thyroid-oral/details
I have read that some people feel better with Amour than synthroid but I’m not an expert on this and can’t really comment on it but I’m sure your doctor and pharmacist can give you the details on it.
Nita, I also was diagnosed wth Graves and had the RAI. I was on Synthroid for years. Was tired, fat and miserable. Finally my doctor tested T4, T3, reverse T3 and TSh, instead of the standard T4and TSH test.
The new test results showed that my body was not converting the T4 into T3, which is needed for energy. For years my T4 levels were good, but there was no conversion to T3 so I felt awful.
I began taking Naturethroid, which contains T3. I dropped 30 pounds with ease and my energy levels increased. Although I still felt sluggish. I was sleeping about ten hours a night and dragging through the day.
I did begin taking Protandim once a day. In about a month I began noticing an increase in my energy level. I’m still not like I was before, but I sleep better and I am getting up earlier. My sleep time is now about 8.5 hours a night. Protandim did help. It’s also helped with joint pain.
Best wishes in your treatment.
Nita, some individuals do not easily convert T4 to T3 in their bodies, so even though you are taking synthroid (synthetic T4), you may not be converting to T3. Mention your symptoms to your doctor and ask if he will run free T3 and free T4 blood tests. If your free T3 levels are running low, you might benefit from either cytomel (synthetic T3) or from Armour Thyroid (which is a natural source of thyroid from porcine thyroid glands and includes T1, T2, T3, T4, and calcitonin).
Some heart medications interfere with the body’s ability to transform T4 to T3, as do some other medications. Be sure to consult your doctor, but another source of information about thyroid health is a book called “Stop the Thyroid Madness”, which talks about Armour, cytomel, the relationship between ferratin and thyroid function, and the relationship between adrenal function and thyroid function. Good luck.
Nita, I’ve read the stop the thyroid madness book too. It’s a pretty interesting book.
I have ankylosing spondyloititis. It is not a cure, but over 1 year, it’s helped bring my sed rate and crp to a normal level and get me of my prednisone and metropolol… that’s worth it to me!
Nicole Galliano said: “I have ankylosing spondyloititis. It is not a cure, but over 1 year, it’s helped bring my sed rate and crp to a normal level and get me of my prednisone and metropolol… that’s worth it to me!”
Protandim doesn’t lower sedimentation rates or CRP levels; it is not a substitute for prednisone (an anti-inflammatory steroid) or metropolol (a beta-blocker used to treat high blood pressure); and it has no conceivable benefit for AS.
You are drawing a faulty association between these outcomes and taking Protandim.
Has anyone ever received a Refund from Life Vantage for Protandim? LV states on their website, they only accept unopened bottles for refund within 30 days. I feel I have a solid reason to request a refund! Misrepresentation of the product and the company. Only a week ago, I came across the website that shows the emails from Paul Myhill, the party who randomly chose the 5 ingredients in Protandim. In other words, it was NOT Dr. McCord who through his own research came upon this formula!
I agree most people have no idea what they are reading in clinical abstracts and with medical studies. It has to be written in the simplest of terms and showing double blind studies for me to follow to some degree. The company has managed to sell physicians on the “Nfr2 pathway,” as well. How can 5 herbs do that…… or as LV says “turn on the genes.” LV claims it is such a breakthrough that science and investors are trying to duplicate these 5 herbs and will charge at least several hundred per pill. Think about it….. I mean really think about it….doesn’t it sound OUTLANDISH? Well, Yes!
I admit coming to your website and disbelieving your conclusions on Protandim and its efficacy. I was feeling badly, many different things were going on. I concluded Dr. Joe McCord was a researcher with a distinguished background, a good man who invented this amazing product. I went ahead and purchased two bottles. Initially, it felt that my stamina was better. However, this was not long lasting and may well have been merely the result of my body’s cycles…..more stamina, then fatigue again.
According to one doctor who is a distributor, “EVERYONE should be taking Protandim.” I asked about a neighbor who takes anti-depressants and the same man claimed she could take it, but her Doctor won’t know that! Meanwhile, this neighbor stated she cannot take any turmeric while on an anti-depressant.
Thank you for your website and the same with those who have put the Myhill background story online.
At the time of purchase, I was told to take the 1 tablet per day. There was no mention of any possible side effects or “cleansing reactions.” From the first, the product caused strong intestinal peristalsis. It was painful and I had to go to the restroom immediately! This continued to the next five days, at least. I also experienced flu like symptoms and determined to cut the dosage in half.
I mentioned this matter to a Doctor-Distributor who does weekly conference calls. He said every distributor should tell the customer about the peristalsis and detox reactions. Originally, I planned on taking the product for 3 months , however, these reactions made me question the matter. According to the Doctor-Distributor, Protandim should be consumed for 1 year, in order to determine whether it helped me or not. He cited the case of a man with ALS, also known as Lou Gehrig disease, who in the 12th-13th month of taking Protandim, got out of his wheel chair and now has an active life – which includes playing tennis. I did not verify the story. However, it is story circulating in the network.
At a certain point, I stopped taking Protandim for a few days. When I started again, the same intense intestinal peristalsis occurred. I wanted an answer as to why this happened to me, thus, I put the question to a long time distributor. She responded by writing the following, ” You can go to PubMed.gov and search on Protandim bringing up the 22 published studies. There is one on Muscular Dystrophy and it will explain better than I why the smooth muscle of the bowel are improved when oxidative stress is lowered. There is also probably a detoxification process that takes place in the bowel when you improve gut health. Probiotics always recommended.”
Sophia said: “There was no mention of any possible side effects or “cleansing reactions”.
That’s because the company and its distributors are equal parts incompetent. LifeVantage’s most recent clinical trial (Ueberschlag et al., 2016) showed that the product caused a variety of adverse effects in a quarter to a third of study subjects and at rates at least double of those in the placebo group.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4981460/pdf/pone.0160559.pdf
It’s blatantly deceptive to not have disclosed this critical information. BTW, there is no biological phenomena known as a “cleaning reaction”. That’s marketing BS.
Sophia said: “From the first, the product caused strong intestinal peristalsis. It was painful and I had to go to the restroom immediately!”
Not surprising at all. Your results are consistent with the clinical trial data cited above. Stomach ache occurred in more than twice as many subjects in the Protandim group vs the placebo group, and there were 9 times as many reported incidents of stomach ache with Protandim vs. placebo. The number of subjects and number of incidents of constipation and nausea were also twice as high in the Protandim group vs the placebo group. Additionally, more than twice as many subjects experienced diarrhea in the Protandim vs placebo group.
Sophia said: “This continued to the next five days, at least. I also experienced flu like symptoms and determined to cut the dosage in half.”
Headache and dizziness were also twice as common in subjects taking Protandim vs placebo. There were also twice as many incidents of joint pain reported in Protandim users vs placebo. Together with the elevated rates of GI side effects in Protandim users, the product clearly does produce flu-like symptoms.
Sophia said: “I mentioned this matter to a Doctor-Distributor who does weekly conference calls. He said every distributor should tell the customer about the peristalsis and detox reactions.”
Distributors should not only warn consumers about adverse effects, they should discourage consumers from taking the product altogether, as it has been proven twice over in clinical trials to be entirely useless and ineffective in doing anything beneficial in subjects who take the product. Any “doctor” that promotes Protandim should be immediately discounted as a charlatan. Case in point is the claim about “detox reactions”. That term has no scientific meaning. Try asking a distributor which specific “toxins” the product removes (and why that would cause adverse events) and they’ll simply stare at you with a blank expression — because they know nothing. Protandim users are not experiencing “detox reactions” but rather just adverse events. These events could be directly due to one or more of the primary ingredients.
Sophia said: “According to the Doctor-Distributor, Protandim should be consumed for 1 year, in order to determine whether it helped me or not.”
Wow! What a colossal creep! The company has never done a trial anywhere close to one year in duration. This alleged doctor has no scientific basis for making such a claim. He merely wants to suck out a year worth of revenue from you.
Sophia said: “He cited the case of a man with ALS, also known as Lou Gehrig disease, who in the 12th-13th month of taking Protandim, got out of his wheel chair and now has an active life – which includes playing tennis. I did not verify the story. However, it is story circulating in the network.”
The doctor’s credibility was already blown based on what you described previously, but with that last claim the doctor’s transgression went from dishonest to illegal and dangerous. Protandim has never been studied in any clinical trial for ALS or any other disease. The claim that it got someone out of a wheelchair is insultingly stupid and blatantly illegal. What is the fool’s name who told you all of this?
Sophia said: “At a certain point, I stopped taking Protandim for a few days. When I started again, the same intense intestinal peristalsis occurred. I wanted an answer as to why this happened to me, thus, I put the question to a long time distributor. She responded by writing the following,” You can go to PubMed.gov and search on Protandim bringing up the 22 published studies. There is one on Muscular Dystrophy and it will explain better than I why the smooth muscle of the bowel are improved when oxidative stress is lowered. There is also probably a detoxification process that takes place in the bowel when you improve gut health.”
That’s completely ridiculous. Rather than refer you to the recent clinical trial in humans, which would have shown you data confirming that the product causes a variety of adverse GI effects, the distributor in question referred you to a 6-year old study in mice that doesn’t mention “smooth muscle” or “bowel” anywhere. This distributor, like the so-called “doctor-distributor”, deceived you in the worst possible way.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2926985/pdf/nihms226268.pdf
I urge you to file an adverse event report with the FDA, so as to help ensure that other consumers don’t suffer as you did, and request a full refund from the company for all of the product you purchased to date.
http://www.safetyreporting.hhs.gov/
Hello Vogel,
I had no idea you had responded to my original account so quickly. Thank you from the bottom of my heart. To be honest, I am so glad I discovered how bogus these claims about Protandim are. It is interesting that the study you shared was a very recent one, August 2016. Yet, not one distributor mentioned it. Why depend on old studies on mice and not on current ones on humans?! The results on humans paints a very different story. You have done an excellent job laying it out. Dr. Marv is a Level 8 in Life Vantage. He worked as a pharmacist for many years, and had a general practice. The thing is LV has doctors/distributors who swear it works. Dr. Perlmutter has done a promo for the product which is/was up on Youtube.
I want to take my time and go back over the 2016 clinical trial when time permits. From what I see there, what I experienced was not a “rare” or isolated incident. Yet, the distributors behaved as if the symptoms were uncommon and/or a sign that I was not in good health.
Well, easy out for them as those who come to try the product often have some ailment they want addressed. I received a refund for 1 bottle and still am waiting for the 2nd distributor to refund me. It is good to know that one can report such a matter to the FDA. As you say, by filing one, it can be a warning to others.
Vulnerable people seeking help are incline to believe these “healing stories.” I have no interest in taking one’s hope away, but I was unprepared for the side effects, and those who make money selling it should be qualified to sell nutraceuticals. As you pointed out, the distributors did a poor job of explaining what was happening. I trusted my instincts and did not allow myself to be talked into going further with the product, nor put myself at further risk physically, and, of course, investing more money in the process.
May you have the best New Year ever!
The NIH link provided goes to a 2010 study of Protandim on mice with muscular dystrphy not a recent human study. And this study has positive results for Protandim reducing oxidative stress. I have no idea why you would link this study with your comments about the adverse GI effects in humans.
The man with ALS is real. I knew him from college and reconnected with him after 20+ years on FB. I have MS and knew nothing of his ALS story until he posted about hi 15th year diagnosis anniversary. I immediately messaged him and then we spoke several times. His story is miraculous. I have been taking Protandim for 11 months now. I have not have the same results as my friend with ALS. As a matter of fact, my MS has progressed, but I have not had any negative side affects either. I cannot testify for Protandim right now, but I plan to keep taking it for awhile longer.
I took Protandim for at least 2 years. My mom had signed up for it and she is a sucker for just about everything. So I thought I’d help her out by buying the product monthly. I do think it is a good supplement, however, after my mom didn’t go anywhere in the business, I decided that $50 a month was just too much to keep it up.
Well, lo and behold, when I stopped taking Protandim, my blood sugar readings went up about 20 points average. (Type 2 diabetic). After some experimenting, I found that it must be the milk thistle in Protandim that was helping because taking that particular supplement brought my numbers back down.
While Protandim isn’t a miracle pill, I do think it made me feel better to where I could eventually make more improvements to my health and wellness. It was the starting point for me and if it wasn’t so darned expensive, I’d gladly continue it.
Teresa Phillips said: “I took Protandim for at least 2 years. I decided that $50 a month was just too much to keep it up…Well, lo and behold, when I stopped taking Protandim, my blood sugar readings went up about 20 points average. (Type 2 diabetic). After some experimenting, I found that it must be the milk thistle in Protandim that was helping because taking that particular supplement brought my numbers back down. While Protandim isn’t a miracle pill, I do think it made me feel better to where I could eventually make more improvements to my health and wellness. It was the starting point for me and if it wasn’t so darned expensive, I’d gladly continue it.”
Milk thistle doesn’t lower blood sugar; certainly not at the infinitesimally trivial amount contained in Protandim. If you want to experiment, you can buy milk thistle retail for pennies on the dollar compared with Protandim.
I believe that the Ashwaganda is what affected your blood sugar since that is what my naturopathic doctor had me take to lower mine. My husband is checking into this product now so I was seeing what I could find out about it. Thank you All for your input, it really helps to have an impartial opinion.
I have used Protandim for about a year. I use it along with essential oils for my allegies/sinus issues and infection. Have found it seems to help. My doctor of many years even asked what I was doing as my bouts with severe sinus infection requiring antibiotics has decreased by 2/3. I don’t believe it is a miracle drug but it is another tool some of us can use instead of using drugs and antbiotics. I have had to eat yogurt on a daily basis because of the antibiotics I was taking kept the good bugs in my stomach eliminated.
JD Payne said: “I have used Protandim for about a year. I use it along with essential oils for my alleges/sinus issues and infection.”
That’s odd indeed. It’s like saying you used Protandim as a fuel additive to increase gas mileage, or that you paint yourself with it to become invisible. In other words, there is no reason whatsoever to think that it would be effective for such purposes. Quite the contrary in fact. Considering everything we know about the company’s history, the product, and the unscrupulous people who sell it, it is obvious that such claims are baseless fantasy.
JD Payne said: “Have found it seems to help. My doctor of many years even asked what I was doing as my bouts with severe sinus infection requiring antibiotics has decreased by 2/3.”
That scenario sounds like it was whipped up by an unimaginative 8-year old. No doctor would say such a thing, and if they had, you would have mentioned the doctor’s name so that people could at least attempt to fact check the claim.
Again, there’s every reason to disbelieve anonymous testimonials about this useless product having medicinal effects. It’s been around for a decade and despite the myriad of wonder-cure claims made about it, like the one above, there’s not a stitch of evidence that it does anything beneficial. In fact, clinical trials have shown twice over now that it does nothing (other than cause various side effects); it doesn’t even lower oxidative stress. The suggestion that it would eliminate sinus infections is ridiculously farfetched.
JD Payne said: “I don’t believe it is a miracle drug but it is another tool some of us can use instead of using drugs and antibiotics.”
Antibiotics are “miracle drugs”, and Protandim would be too if it were a legitimate alternative to antibiotics. Obviously though it is neither a “miracle drug” nor an alternative to antibiotics.
Vogel …I would love to connect with you sometime soon… You have an amazing way of putting your vocabulary to use. It’s obvious that you are extremely intelligent and I can only assume you are a trusted professional in the Medical Field. My email is Smingo7767@yahoo.com I truly appreciate your help and would like your advice/experience on addressing my lack of energy. I wonder if the VA is not capable of diagnosing my issue. Please and Thank you.
Vogel – have you ever tried Protandim? Why don’t you give it a shot? You might be surprised. You can’t really knock it until you’ve tried it. Yes I’m a distributor, but I’m not after your money. Buy it from someone else. I told you about my husband’s sinuses above, and we’ve been taking for a couple years now, never any side affects.
Laura said: “Vogel – have you ever tried Protandim?“
No, most certainly not. Nor would I do so under any circumstances, given that I’m not a big fan of absurdly overpriced, metal-contaminated snakeoil. It’s a comedy of errors; well, a tragedy really.
https://www.rslsoapbox.com/2017/4/26/15436756/rsl-kit-sponsor-lifevantage-cancer-treatment-claims-fda-warning
https://wp0.vanderbilt.edu/irb/2012/12/07/fda-medwatch-protandim-by-lifevantage-corporation-recall-possible-metal-fragments-in-product/
Laura said: “Why don’t you give it a shot?”
The same reason I don’t jump off bridges to test gravity, or burn $50 bills with a blowtorch, or buy any of the other craptastic MLM products that make similar bogus claims about being a panacea. The absurd premise for trying the products is so blatantly moronic that it’s not merely a red flag; it is an insult to any cogent person’s intelligence.
Laura said: “You can’t really knock it until you’ve tried it.
Yes, I can – easily. I don’t know why you would think for an instant that any adult would be ignorant enough to swallow the premise that you can’t knock something until you’ve tried it. Have you tried drinking benzene…juggling burning chainsaws…etc…point made…use your head.
Laura said: “Yes I’m a distributor, but I’m not after your money. Buy it from someone else. I told you about my husband’s sinuses above, and we’ve been taking for a couple years now, never any side affects.”
There’s another red flag. As a distributor, you should know that promoting this product as a remedy for sinusitis (or plantar fascitis, as you stated previously) is a violation of federal law. When you make absurdly implausible claims about the product and break the law while at the same time admonishing people to try it, you are shooting yourself in the foot and setting (or reinforcing) a horrible example of what not to do as a distributor.
Regardless of what you say about not experiencing “side affects” (sic), data from a randomized, blinded, placebo-controlled clinical trial showed conclusively that the product causes a myriad of adverse events effects in at least a quarter of the people who took the product and at rates at least twice those of the placebo group. Your unverifiable anonymous claim most certainly does not outweigh the scientific data, and in light of that data, it’s irresponsible of you to try and trick people into believing that the product doesn’t cause side effects when it clearly does (at a high rate of incidence).
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/27513339