(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
If the product is so great, why is it sold mainly through a MLM source and not through a health food store? This alone makes me skeptical. I appreciated your outlining the clinical “studies”. You are right to ask where the human studies are. The ingredients themselves may be good, but is there certification as to the PURITY of them? There is a supplement for joints put out through a major agri company. I don’t trust that either.
It was at the gnc stores etc.Just nobody knew of it’s atributes to a persons health and it sat on the shelf like a lot of really good healthy things until it is represented in this way ppl get weary and start asking ? because now it is a business and made some ppl a ton of money so look at it like this spend 120.00 on it do your own synopsis and leave it at that.
OR……Lifevantage could put together a properly designed human study before asking consumers to spend $1.50 a pill for a few pennies worth of herbs.
Using the “just try it” reasoning, you might as well try ALL the supplements at GNC for a few months each…..and be sure to get before and after blood tests for each one.
Joe you have provided a lot of facts and distributors and users have provided a lot of insight about the supplement protandim with that said blog advertising makes a decent dollar to and most bloggers grab a controversial topic wtg thanks for the info fill in the left side of the site or have the advertising follow the reading and you will get more clicks.
Thanks Rick!
I don’t see my question I asked earlier so I am asking again. Do the comments show up at the end of the other comments according to date order?
I just started taking 1/2 a pill four days ago & the only effect I see is that I am sleepy as heck. I am sure it is too soon to see anything else. So far, I am not impressed and not sure that I want to continue taking it. Please let me know if this is normal? By the way, I do sleep well, but way too much. It is almost depressing.
Kim, I just posted your comment 5 min ago. It should be posted now.
I just started taking a half pill four days ago and I feel like a bear. I should be hibernating. I have tried taking it in the morning & in the evening. I am just sleepy as heck and I do sleep well because of it, but way too much. Is this normal? Do you get over it? I am tired of sleeping all the time.
Joe,
I want to start out by saying, I am in no form connected or associated with LV! I came across your sight because a friend was debating buying the product protandim! You seem to have done an excellent job researching the product and raised some legitimate questions regarding LV doing case studies to validate their claims.
However the only question I have is WHY NOT TRY THE PRODUCT FOR YOURSELF? What if? A lot of people are looking for answers to reduce symptoms or have a better quality of life! I was compelled by the positive, negative, and neutral reviews. I felt like I was researching the product for myself (maybe I am in the long run). I havent seen one person suggest there is harmful side effects.
I guess what I am trying to say is If protandim worked for a person, who cares if research confirms it- who cares if its cheaper to buy the ingredients yourself-who cares if the distributor(s) has terms- who cares who benefits financially. IF YOU KNOW IT WORKS based on how you feel and the quality of life, its worth it. Just a thought, no disrespect intended.
Hi David,
first off, I don’t think protandim will hurt anybody. Also, Im glad when people say that its made them feel better. I have nothing against those who say protandim helped them and I really don’t have a dog in this fight. I really wanted to present the studies so you can decide for yourself. I understand people get frustrated when I did not try Protandim. It was really never not my intention to try it . That said I think the focus should be on the science and now what i say or dont say about a product. Lack of evidence doesn’t mean something doesn’t work but I alone (testing something on myself) can’t provide the evidence that decides whether protandim is worth it or not.
Let me first say that I am not a distributor nor a customer of Life Vantage. I am in the investigatory stage and have stumbled on this web site. I would recommend that all who read this be very cautionary of its information presented.
Joe, you appear to have laid out a nice body of personal opinion here but failed to do the two “critical” things that may have made all this time you have spent relevant and pertinent to somebody looking for the real truth. I might be only be speaking for myself but your review has left me no further ahead than when I started.
The two CRITICAL things you failed to do:
1) Use the products
2) Get the before and after test done
How can you sit here and claim to do a full unbiased review when you left out two of the most critical steps while conducting your due diligence on a product that warrants it?!
In my opinion anybodies due diligence should include this test. If you can’t believe what the company is saying or doing get the facts yourself. In most cases these sort of tests are far too costly but as we have seen and heard it can be done without breaking the bank.
You can sit here and cover up this blatant oversight on your part and chalk it up to having lost interest but in my opinion you simply were afraid to put your money where your mouth is.
I am wondering what your agenda is? Where do you make your money Joe? A little of your background would be of much interest to me and I am willing to bet there are a few skeletons in your closet as well.
I will continue my investigation and as a brand new person looking at the company and the product but I will get the T-Bars before and after test done and report my findings that i will provide a link to here. I will not give that benefit of information to a site and a person who wasn’t prepared to do it for himself first.
Joe, I think you should think long and hard about what you do here on this site and whether you really believe you are doing people a service here. For me this was a colossal waste of time but felt I needed to give my two cents.
Chester I appreciate your words -and criticism. My main goal was to lay out the research on Protandim in a way that I dont feel has been done on most other websites. If you feel that the testimonial of me – a person you don’t know – would trump the very studies published on the product, then I have to respectfully disagree. I really try to put the emphasis on the research so you can make sense of it so you can make a more informed decision. I feel Ive done that. Its not feasible to try everything I review but even if I did, that would be just a testimonial. I don’t feel a testimonial should overshadow the studies.
I do appreciate your words. Definitely more than 2 cents 🙂
Looking forward toward your findings your comment would have been better if it was written after your tbar test other then that it’s just smoke out the exhaust. i have had my tbar test done from my doctor it’s not what they say but it has been lowered i have another check up at 60day’s taking protandem i’ll fill ya in then.
I’m looking forward to seeing results if there not there i’m calling it quits for protandim i have not felt any better or worse from taking it. Maybe breathing a little easier this summer then last that is all.
Have you ever read a word on health that didn’t come with a disclosure or many side effects.Buy a piece of excercise equipment it will come with one.try it buy it decide for yourself go to your doctor see your tbars then go back this is what i reccomend <<<do it don't decide over some one who has not tried it.
Rick, Does a testimonial take away from the science that I listed? People can’t argue with the science I listed and so they say “he didn’t try it.” That’s a smoke screen.
If I am to be deprecated for not trying it/testing it, then I think other testimonials should also be depreciated if those people did not go through pre/post medical testing also. For the record, I doubt if protandim has any bad side effects in healthy people.
Me thinks Joe is doing a good service to people who are looking for answers – especially on the “hard” data basis. My son, who I call my skeptic, thrives on this type of data, and also refuses to try Protandim.
Most probably, everyone who is a distributor is using Protandim and has good results, or they would not be pushing the product. Those who did not have good results just walked away and don’t take it anymore.
Joe’s criticism of the product is not so much the product itself, but more about the lack of human research that is more reliable than testimonials. He is the kind of guy that wants scientific based and measurable results.
I am the opposite type. I want to hear testimonials – first party testimonials, “soft” data.
If LifeVantage did take the time and resources to do studies and produce real data based on the parameters that Joe is asking about, wouldn’t that be an additional benefit to distributors, even to soft data people like me?
Rat testing, the old report of Primetime (who asked that the company STOP using the video for LifeVantage marketing), and testimonials do seem to be working for this company. Being a publicly traded stock also puts pressure on the company to show profit, profit, profit and more “proof” could be costly.
From a bigger point of view, it would be better to allay criticism of science based thinkers and actually run a study of 500 random people. I would guess that only 50% would show good results – that is my own personal “soft” data of people that have tried the product from me.
The question that would come up though – if LifeVantage did do a controlled human trial of Protandim with tbar testing, and all the other variables that Joe is asking about, and they came up with a 50% rate of success, would that be something the company would publish and crow about?
Aunty, thanks for that 🙂 BTW, I didn’t know ABC asked LV to stop using their segment to promote protandim. Do you have a link to this where they discuss it?
Joe,
I don’t have a link to ABC asking LV to stop using their video for marketing. I was told this by someone in my upline – so this may come under heresay and not be fact.
However, prior to being told this, the LifeVantage landing page had the ABC Primetime video embedded with words and updates from Dr. McCord (who has just retired from LV.) After that, LV changed their landing page and the video is not shown, at all.
Too bad, because it was impressive. So, even though it isn’t on the website, we all still use it when we show people the product via a YouTube link. Their main point-to person is now Donny Osmond, who does look and act great for his age.
Aunty, thanks. I did a quick search but couldn’t find anything on it either. Ill keep an eye out for it. Interesting about Donny Osmond being the point person for Protandim now. Thanks!
Joe, If I remember correctly, ABC decided to not let LV use their Primetime Report for free. They were negotiating with LV for a price to keep the ABC video on LV main website page, but LV decided there were enuff copies on youtube and other locations, there was no need to pay to have it on their homepage.
Robert, that’s very interesting I never heard ABC Primetime wanted LV to cough up money in order to keep showing their segment. Appreciate the insights.
Thanks Joe, I’m waiting to hear from my doctor about stopping Protandim.
Palmer, ok keep me posted.
My doctor advised me to stop taking it because there is an ingredient that could cause liver damage. She wasn’t sure about the kidneys though. So I emailed them to stop shipping it. Unfortunately I just received a shipment.
Palmer, thanks for the update. Did your doctor say which ingredient in Protandim might cause liver damage? might it be green tea? I didn’t remember seeing anything about liver issues with protandim ingredients so Im curious.
Really ? What ingredient and what scientific research backs up that assertion ? The simple fact is that M.D.s are brainwashed into drug therapy and are closed minded towards natural methods. They will steer you away from natural means and then turn around and write you a prescription for a pharmaceutical with lots of dangerous side effects.
BTW, did you know that all pharmaceutical over the counter pain meds have damaging side effects ? Some damage your liver and others damage your kidneys.
None of your business. If you dont tell me the assertion I made, I cant answer your question.
Really? “All” OTC and prescription pain meds have damaging side effects when taken properly? Wow…..there must be MILLIONS of us walking around with damaged livers and kidneys.
BTW….do you know that many natural substances can cause harmful side effects and even kill you?
Thanks so much for doing this. It’s an excellent review of the the publications, and you point out the major pitfalls around the claims for this supplement
Paula, happy I was able help 🙂
I have been on protandim for thirty five day’s i believe it has helped a little in my knees and now my eyesight i couldn’t have read half the post on here with out clicking off not a distributor introduced through a coworker the science is not there but do i think personally it helped me !!yes!!
i been sleeping better ive never been prescribed a prescription from a doctor in my adult life i’m 48 i figured i better take something so i went all natural after reading through the post i came to my own conclusion if it works for you buy it if it don’t work for you then don’t buy it made my mind a little sharper started forgetting numbers in my business that wasn’t good back on track.
to me why the company doesn’t do the right thing and go ahead with these trials is beyond me . I’m thinking greed but at 40 dollars a month i’m in with my personal results. Don’t think i would buy the stock if i did would short it every chance.
Well, having read Joe’s analysis and a raft of commentary, the only thing certain is that Protandim definitely inflames passions. Most impressive is LisaRob’s unflagging dedication to challenging anecdotal evidence and along with Joe, insisting on questioning the lack of solid scientific research involving humans in published double blind studies.
I am Canadian, a virgin market as it were, and attended a presentation recently with my wife. Of note was the hotel room, packed to the rafters with people comprising a generally older demographic and reeking, dare I say, of desperation. You could almost smell it; that and an almost palpable eagerness to inhale every whiff of hope and promise being doled out by a very accomplished presenter.
Driving home I had a very sobering realization: I am one of those people; desperate to change my lifestyle and all too eager to overlook the lack of empirical evidence by pointing to the reams of personal testimonials from so many people, virtually all of whom have been so wowed by their results that they simply had to enroll to share their good fortune with friends and family.
It is easy to dismiss the positive commentary as biased, given that so many become distributors, but that doesn’t diminish its veracity. Perhaps this blog is a reflection of an audacious, sophisticated and highly effective marketing strategy: controversy sells!
Pud, thanks for your words. I can assure you I have no affiliation with Protandim /Life Vantage or its marketing (nor do I work for any pharmaceutical company). That said, you are right, controversy does sell.
Didn’t intend to suggest that you have a vested interest, Joe. Not at all. What fascinates me is the possibility that LifeVantage is astute enough to realize that by refraining from sponsoring human studies they fan the flames of controversy, setting up an emotionally charged debate between yay and nay sayers, thereby generating infinitely more attention than if this were simply another ho hum herbal supplement.
Pud, oh ok thanks for letting me know. 🙂
I’m a physician and just checked my two lab company books and can’t find a lipid peroxidase anywhere. Does it go by another name?
David that’s interesting. How about just peroxidation?
I have just started researching Protandim. Thank you for the research and the comments. I have waded through all of them, good and bad….
I am a skeptic when it comes to this type of “miracle cure”, but also very disenchanted with the medical profession as well and their tendency to just throw the latest and greatest medication at you, then you deal with the side effects.
That being said, I would like to tell you of an experience in our office today.I work in an optometrist’s office and one of our patients with glaucoma came in today to have the pressure in her eyes checked. She comes in every six months for this test. She has been a glaucoma patient for a number of years and even with the medications she takes, her pressures remain elevated.
Today after being on Protandim for a month her pressures were the lowest our doctor has ever seen in the years he has been treating her. We have the documentation to prove it…
Her husband has also been on Protandim and he has been able to eliminate his use of hydrocodone for back pain.
Have I become a believer? Not sure, that’s why I’m researching
Am I going to run out and become a distributor? No
Hate this type of marketing…
Am I willing to give it a try? Sure
I have a few issues that will definitely tell me if it works or not and being the skeptic I am the placebo effect will not come into play at all…
Gayle, thanks for sharing your thoughts and the experience of your patient. I do hope it helps you.
Gayle:
Being a “skeptic” will not make you immune from the placebo effect. You clearly have hopes that Protandim will help you, and you believe there is reason enough that it might help you, otherwise, you wouldn’t be trying it.
It has been shown in a study on epilepsy that even dogs can experience the placebo effect……and surely they didn’t have expectations about a treatment they were given. Thus dogs, and people without expectations, are still subject to the placebo effect.
Did you realize the ingredients are sourced overseas with two of them from China? Also, there are many excipients in this product, including magnesium stearate. I would not take this personally.
Thanks for all your hard work looking into this supplement. I have had this product /business opportunity pushed on me for almost 3 years now. At first I was cordial about not getting involved, not wanting to hurt the feelings of the friends who pushed it. I very much agree that supplements can increase a person’s health and well being. That being said, the public comments and more so, the outrageous testimonials given in more private settings, are ridiculous.
The comments posted on your blog by both sides of this issue are very telling. I think it’s totally obvious that distributors of LV products are not truly concerned about the health of their customers. The whole reason for the MLM platform is to sell distributorship. Go online and search some of this company’s top distributors. They have countless hours of audio and video showing you what it takes to leverage your friends and family into buying the product and in turn begin to leverage their own contacts.
One of the top distributors of the company tried to explain the beauty of selling $50 a bottle pills. I asked how much of that goes to paying the distributor network? He said “That’s the beauty of it $45!”. Even if this is a decent supplement, I refuse to fleece my contacts and reputation to profit from such a scheme.
If you like the product and don’t mind horribly overpaying, then take it. Just don’t sell out your friends and family!
I just think comments like these are so funny! This is EXACTLY what pharmaceutical reps do with their company “drugs” and Dr and pts alike just trip over themselves to swallow any pill handed to them simply because it has an FDA approval on it, and these reps make a heck of a lot more money doing it than the average LV distributor!!
Synthetic drugs and their side effects will do more harm than any supplement on the market yet I don’t see you guys or any other blogs going after the big pharmas and all their false advertising and outright deception on the harm their meds will do to all your beloved “friends and family”. crazy!
tadct, Im sure there are blogs out there about the dangers of pharmaceutical drugs and even the tactics of pharm companies to get drugs used by medical professionals.
Hi Joe! Thanks for researching.. Good to see that there is some healthy debate here although I don’t care for some of the nastiness. I too came here because I was approached about taking it. And honestly I am going into this with a much better idea of what I would like to do. I do think I will start to take it.. not sure if I want to be part of the company yet. I am not fond of the backdoor politics.
But I know that I have tried several things to help and rather than cramming a bottles worth of supplements and or meds down my throat, finding 1 to help is a convenience and I’m not a fan of pills as it is. Good luck to those taking it. If it helps you I’m so happy to hear you have found something. Those who it hasn’t worked for I’m sorry to hear that and hopefully you will find some relief soon in other ways..
And to distributors, I’d like to think you are doing this because you truly believe in your product and much luck to you. To the nastiness, offering the truth and opinion is one thing, attacking someone FOR their opinions is just ignorant. If you don’t like any of this then go, no one is forcing you to be here. You make yourself sound more like an idiot every time you respond.
Again Joe, thank you, I’m sure I’ll be visiting you site more for other research.
Thanks Heather 🙂
I too have been approached to take/sell this product by a very old friend of mine. I notice this thread began in March, and has been so passionately argued on both sides, yet no one has bothered to take it themselves and get some tests done and report back on it. Considering it took me ages to read all of the comments/studies/links, I was highly disappointed when I got to the bottom and still no one had tested it for themselves. I don’t know what else to do other than start taking it for myself?
I sincerely hope that this product DOES work as I cannot stand doctors and do everything in my power to use natural remedies as opposed to prescription drugs. I guess I will get some for myself and see how I feel before I make my final decision, as all of this data is awfully inconclusive. And again, highly disappointing.
Aloha Curious,
Getting some for yourself before making your decision is wise, but it doesn’t have to be a final decision if you ask your very old friend if you can try it first. LifeVantage does not have a money back guarantee, which is unfortunate, imo, because it would be less of a risk to potential customers if they knew they could try it for a month and know if they want to keep ordering, or return it within 30 days and get their money back if they had no results.
Many of us on these comments do take it. Highly disappointed because no one tested it for themselves? I believe LisaRob, one of Protandim’s opposition did take it, but believes in the placebo effect.
Also, the title of this article is “Protandim, does it work? Critical review of RESEARCH”, specifically human research.
As a distributor, my observations as a ordinary non scientist is that some people love it and have good results from the 2nd day and become customers, some try it and say they felt no difference. None of them, except myself had before and after lab tests, but it would be curious to know how their annual lab results compared to the pre-Protandim lab results. Of my friends who have tried it, I would say 50% love it, and 50% don’t, or think that it is too expensive.
I believe what Joe is wanting is that LifeVantage collects this type of data, or better yet, have a third party without any influence of affiliation conduct a gathering of results from a broad random sample of participants as a valid research measurement, because he is that kind of guy – fact vs. testimonials.
All of the inconclusive data that you are disappointed in can be attributed to LifeVantage, who has a lot of studies to point to, but not good enough for people like Joe, who is doing a service to people that are looking for answers.
I started taking it just because I had bottles of it as a distributor after joining under a friend. Is my approach or Joe’s approach the right one? Depends on your own point of view, personality type, etc.
I do hope you get great results from Protandim, a natural supplement that works for me.
LisaRob,
Is is absurd that the AMA considers selling health related products for profit as unethical. The pharma shills are indeed quite industrious when they wine and dine doctors and convince them to prescribe their newest miracle prescription that although may relieve restless leg syndrome it also can instigage heart attacks and all manner of other indisious new maladies. And it really dosent take much to motivate doctors these days – they are an unbiased group with a sworn alligence to the AMA.
For the most part, MDs just keep throwing another new medication at every symptom.
My Mom is a serious asthmatic who has weaned herself of the bronchial inalers. What is she using NAC. And although her doctor was completely please with the clarity of her lungs he nevertheless poo pooed and disproved and frowned the nutritional supplement that SHE knows has been the cause for the significant improvement.
AND THERE ARE NUMEROUS STUDIES ON NATURAL SUPPLEMENTS that cause no side effects which MD’s intentionally choose to ignore in favor of the RX product.
I really don’t know which is worse. Studies that show an RX works but may cause harsh, serious life threatening side effects, even death; or a natural supplement that even though it has not been shown to cause side effects of any concern, it lacks satisfactory studies.
not enough studies
Why is that? Its a rhetorical question.
Ariel:
Is it also absurd that the AMA has ethics rules and guidelines regarding gifts from pharmaceutical companies?
http://www.ama-assn.org/ama/pub/physician-resources/medical-ethics/code-medical-ethics/opinion8061.page?
If you have reason to believe a doctor is acting unethically, file a complaint. I could be completely wrong on this, but I suspect the type of behavior you describe isn’t as prevalent as you think.
You say: “THERE ARE NUMEROUS STUDIES ON NATURAL SUPPLEMENTS that cause no side effects which MD’s intentionally choose to ignore in favor of the RX product.” The reason the doctors don’t choose the natural supplement is because there most likely isn’t any scientific evidence that the supplement would help the patient.
I don’t know what doctors you go to, but the ones I have gone to are reluctant to use prescription medications unless it is truly necessary. Yes, there can be side effects from drugs, but that’s because they actually DO something. Most people don’t experience the side effects, and the benefit of the medication is weighed against the risk of possible side effects.
Why do you seem to try to discredit out all the ‘peer reviewed’ studies that are non-human, even though they are published in medical journals, like the American Heart Association? Especially when they have produced the greatest results we have seen with anything? Who would volunteer? Would you volunteer for a heart study – knowing 100% fail without Protandim when they artificially created the conditions for failure – even though 100% didn’t fail on Protandim under the same artificial conditions?
Do you know of any other study published by the American Heart Association producing such powerful results? The bio-chemical processes are the same, so why discredit it? The American Heart Association is fairly credible and it’s the #1 killer of men and women – without any warning – no phone call – no tap on the shoulder, no letter in the mail.
Steven, I do not discount non-human studies (or even testimonials) but they are just the beginning of the study process. non human studies should be followed up by better – human trials. mice are not the same as people and people are much more complicated than isolated cells in test tubes.
Protandim is being sold on the merits of its studies appearing in medical journals, but as Ive pointed out, all but 2 studies are non-human studies. Of those human studies, only 1 study noted it worked. That is a fact nobody wants to talk about.
Steven, through your protandim website, you are are trying to get people to sell a product based on research that – is mostly – not conducted on humans. You cant have it both ways. Protandim sellers cant say “look at the research” but, then when the weakness of that research is shown, you cant say “but it works for me.” At the end of the day, the bulk of the “proof” for protandim is non human research and testimonials from people we don’t know. I need more than that.
Why isn’t LV – or anybody else – publishing a good a human trial of at least 50 people to see if Protandim really does stuff? With all respect – and I mean it- this isn’t rocket science. Its not hard to do the kind of research I have proposed doing on Protandim.
Stephen:
Distributors like to use that study to sell Protandim.
There are a few things you need to know about it.
1. The study was not on Protandim. Protandim is not even mentioned in the topic of the study, or the conclusion. The study was on “Right Heart Failure and Chronic Pulmonary Artery Pressure Elevation”.
2. Joe McCord is one of the authors of the study, so Protandim was used in the study. Another substance could have been used with the same results, but who can say, since no other substances were tried.
3. The study was done on rats.
4. An ethanol extract of Protandim was injected intraperitoneally. The rat did not swallow/digest a Protandim pill.
5. The dose the rats received was 13x higher than what a human would take…..and that doesn’t even take into consideration the fact that an ethanol extract was used, which would be more potent than taking it in non-extracted form, and that it was directly injected into the abdomen rather than ingested.
If this study “produced the greatest results we have seen with anything”, why isn’t the AHA recommending that everyone (or anyone, for that matter) take this supplement? I don’t see them recommending it anywhere. Again, the study was not about Protandim preventing heart failure.
You are a over exaggerated to say that one human study found it didn’t work on humans. You should clarify what didn’t work and that it’s an ongoing study on Alcoholism that did show great positive effects – even though it’s the only study that the scientists arbitrarily decided to use a double dose (not recommended by the company). And that the first human ‘peer-reviewed’ study was done by more than one top tiered university proving the same results. Have you seen the presentation on the Ingenuity database?
Another thing, Dr Royal didn’t publish any ‘peer-reviewed’ papers – just did some before and after blood tests on himself first, because he was initially skeptical. Since he found the most amazing results he’d ever seen, he decided to do some before and after blood tests on about 20 patients, including Donny and Marie Osmond, and he found the same results in them as he saw in himself. These people fall more in the category of ‘success stories’ – not published ‘peer-reviews’ in medical journals (the gold standard of all health science).
I only quickly scanned over your site – feel free to contact me to further discuss it as I may be the best person in the world for you to talk about the science with.
With Clarity & Charity
Hi Stephen,
may I respectfully ask what makes you the “best person in the world to talk about the science” with? Do you have a science background? I looked at your protandim website whose which gives the impression – from the URl and key words in the website name – that its about building wealth – yet its all about protandim, with the ABC Primetime Video featured predominately.
Please do more than scan my website. Your website says promiately displays the words that Protandim is “now featured in medical journals.” Well, I linked directly to all protandim studies in those medical journals and broke it down to their essence – rat study vs. people study etc.
Stephen:
What “great positive effects” were shown by the study on alcoholics?
The “scientists arbitrarily decided to use a double dose (not recommended by the company).” Arbitrarily….and not recommended by the company? Joe McCord was an author on that study.
You say: “the first human ‘peer-reviewed’ study was done by more than one top tiered university proving the same results.” Please provide references for that.
I just spent hrs going thru this entire forum and must say I am impressed with the passion on both sides! Joe i must say i don’t agree with everything you say by i am impressed with your character, demeanor and passion to provide neutral information. I do have a few comments however:
1. There is no drug/supplement that works 100% of the time on 100% of the people. so for those that call protandim a scam based solely on the fact that it didn’t work for them or someone they know is insane. I know people that can’t take Tylenol or certain types of antibiotics so does that put those products in the “scam” category too?
2. I’m amazed at the depth and vigor that some of the “anti’s” on this blog put on the inconsistency of the origin of the protandim and/or the company as if that proves the validity of the product. Who cares who made it, produces it or markets it?? how many of you know or care where your over the counter or prescription meds come from? do you really know or care what scientist discovered it or what big pharma packages and sells it?? there is no way anyone of you can convince me that you buy a specific med or supplement based on the scientist or the company that sales it! You by it because either it works or it doesn’t! so why the big hype of trying to discredit the product (ie protandim) by arguing the who and what of the company? you don’t give a flying hoot about that with any other drug or supplement so why do you about protandim?
3. Unlike any other supplement I have NEVER seen so many medical people support, endorse, promote, recommend and/or sell like I have seen with Protandim. I know a local independent lab where almost the entire staff take protandim and they also sell it all because they have witnessed the incredible results from 100’s of T-Bar tests over several yrs! You don’t fool professional people like this – either the supplement works or it doesn’t and apparently it does according to these professionals or they wouldn’t be risking their reputations (or their money!!) I might add they started taking and selling it AFTER they witnessed the results not before!!
4. I hear people demanding human proof that protandim works but every time someone shares a personal testimony they get eatin’ up and spit out before the ink dries! Fact is those very testimonies are the human proof. I am in the medical field for over 20 yrs and have only been involved with protandim for the last 3-4 months and what I see is undisputable evidence on pt charts of the product working. when someone’s blood pressure drops after taking protandim and it is documented in their chart that is proof, when their blood sugar, cholesterol is charted by medical professionals as improving that is proof, when MS pts are getting sensation back and muscle strength and it is clinically charted THAT IS PROOF! Witnessing these first hand is more impressive to me than any study from a university! and no its not a plecebic effect because they have been on other meds that they believed would work and didn’t get these results.
5. another observation I made reading these responses, why is it that ABC, PBS, NBC and all the universities mentioned by these LifeVantage people have never publically and legally said STOP using our name in conjunction with this product? if they do not endorse or agree with how LifeVantage is using them to “sell” the product then why aren’t they mandating they stop associating themselves? I think it odd that for as long and as obvious that LifeVantage is about throwing these names around that one of them would surely say stop it or we are taking you to court if they disagreed with what LifeVantage is doing with their name and reputation! but to my knowledge none of the universities, non of the media companies are denying the fact that they are involved, or disagree, or remotely try to distance themselves from the fact that they are being mentioned as playing a role in endorsing or researching Protandim. Their silence to me is positive proof!!
6. and as for needing endorsement from physicians on Protandim I think that is a little comical. most physicians do not have a clue about the research, testing, history, long and short-term effects, and actual side effects of majority of the drugs they prescribe. what little info they have is from an article here or there, a 5 min discussion with a peer physician at a seminar or over a cup of coffee, but mostly from the cute little pharmaceutical rep that provided a free lunch and some literature and a few free samples. it is amazing the scrutiny and in-depth knowledge that some people on this blog expect to be known about Protandim but will gladly choke down a toxic drug with a list of side effects longer than their arm (which ironically one of the side effects is always what they are taking the drug for!), simply because their Dr said it will work and it is FDA approved – like that automatically makes it safe and effective! in all my yrs in medicine and as a pt myself, I have never witnessed anyone every question the hx about any drug before taking it if their Dr prescribed it yet reading this blog I am getting the distinct impression that is what is expected of everyone taking Protandim – amazing.
most people don’t know this, but in order for the FDA to actually approve a drug the pharmaceutical company has to prove that it is toxic enough to kill a certain number of animals and create a deadly enough list of side-effects for humans that the FDA has to step in and regulate it. The FDA doesn’t say the drug is safe or harmless, the FDA endorsement admits that the drug is known to be toxic and they are forcing the big pharma to regulate its dosage to “minimize” the deadly side-effects! EVERY FDA approved drug (over-the-counter, or prescription) will have a warning label and dosage chart, that is to cover the big pharma’s butts when the side effects begin to take effect. but don’t fear, they have other FDA approved drugs to take care of those side effects!!
Knowing this I think it is a joke seeing all the discussion about whether Protandim works or not. it is an herbal supplement for God sake – either it works as advertised or it does nothing!!!! we don’t need all this free advise from people who have no medical, scientific, or chemical background telling us their un-qualified medical opinion on supplements! do you go to a computer programmer, a realtor, a loan shark, insurance salesman, etc to get advice on your health??
Tadct, Thanks for writing and I appreciate your words
Can I first address my background. I think your final statement, pertained to me personally : ” we don’t need all this free advice from people who have no medical, scientific, or chemical background telling us their un-qualified medical opinion on supplements!” I DO have a science background. I have a BS in chemistry and biology and a MS in exercise science – and if people want to disparage me because I don’t have a PhD that’s fine; It does not take a PhD to tell a rat study from a human study. More than my degrees, I have been researching and writing about supplements for well over 10 years. I don’t pretend to know everything and that is why I don’t just give my opinions. I try where possible to back up my conclusions with scientific studies – and I link directly to those studies so you know I’m not just making stuff up. I Just wanted to mention that.
Yes there are definitely passionate people on both sides of this issue – and I have been on the receiving end of a lot of that “passion” since writing my Protandim review. I do not discount personal experiences with protandim or any other product. But protandim is being marketed based on the “science” – you said yourself that you have not seen another supplement with more doctors selling it than protandim. That is a subtle endorsement of the science of protandim.
None of those doctors who sell protandim can debate that the vast majority of published peer reviewed science to support Protandim is non-human research.
You mentioned that Protandim has more doctors who support it than any other supplement. Take a look at Juice Plus. It also has many health care professionals who endorse it – and juice plus has more human research than Protandim. I don’t say this to tout juice plus over Protandim but to point out that it’s not only Protandim that has its believers in the medical community.
You say physicians don’t have a clue about research but yet you said above that you’ve seen more doctors etc endorsing Protandim than any other supplement. So what are you saying? Doctors endorsing Protaidm is “proof its good” or doctors don’t know what they are talking about?
Where are the results of the hundreds of TBar tests published? I hear talk about TBars but why has neither LV – or ANY university published TBar results from hundreds of people who took protandim?
Since you have read all the comments, you know I’ve said many times I’m totally open to Protandim reducing TBars – but I need more than your words and the Prime Time video to prove to me says it occurs.
Testimonies are not proof. I’m sorry but they are not. Testimonies can be the starting point of real research, but they – alone – are not the same thing as studies published in medical journals. Protandim is sold to people based on the pubmed proof – but that all falls apart when we see what that proof really is. That is when people get angry at me and fall back on testimonies.
I feel you and everybody else needs more proof than testimonies from people we don’t know. Don’t you feel the same?
ABC, NBC, universities etc. CANT say “stop using our names” in your Protandim marketing if it can be proven they were involved with Protandim at some time. If ABC Prime Time never did a story on Protandim and LV started using ABC Prime Time in their marketing, THEN ABC could say “stop it.” If a relaion
Tadct, Im not trying to twist your words and I’m not trying to argue with you. I am about the research. Protadim is marketed as different and special because of the research. It’s why everybody who sells protandim says “go to pubmed” to see the proof. Yet, when I show people the limitations of that proof, distributors only have testimonials to fall back on. Again, that doesn’t mean Protandim doesn’t work, but that the proof isn’t as strong and that somebody really needs to do better research.
Believe me, I’m not about arguing and I’m not about tearing people down. I’m about evidence. I go where the evidence takes me.
Tadct:
The reason the subject of who invented Protandim is even a topic of debate is because LifeVantage used McCord’s reputation to convince people to buy it. You don’t see pharmaceutical companies doing that because…..well, they don’t need to. They have real science to back up their claims. When you trot out a respected scientist and claim that he invented your product, and then that turns out to be a lie….there goes not only your credibility, but also that of your scientist’s.
As for the FDA requiring toxicology testing for drugs….why would you see that as a bad thing? Even drinking water can kill you if you drink too much. The difference I see here is that at least we know what is a toxic dose of a given drug……we don’t know how toxic most supplements are if someone unwisely decides to swallow a whole bottle full at once. What is a toxic dose of Protandim? Who knows, but just because the testing wasn’t done, don’t assume that at some dosage, it isn’t toxic.
You say: “we don’t need all this free advise from people who have no medical, scientific, or chemical background”. Isn’t that exactly what Protandim distributors are doing? The VAST majority of distributors have no scientific background, yet they are making all kinds of medical claims about this product….even calling it a “medical breakthrough”.
We have Dr. Oz and Benny Hinn. Two Gurus who many people equate with being Saviors and now we have Protindim. A friend just “gifted” me 4 bottles to try so I became curious about the product and was actually shocked to see how costly the product that she was just “giving” to me. No, she is not a distributor but ordered them from one of her students. She feels she cannot take them at this time because of a very very restrictive diet.
Anyway, I have read all the comments and am starting to wonder where the real argument lies, whether those that seem to be skeptical is because of the lack of quantifiable studies or the MLM structure of the sale. I found myself being swayed this way, then that way. Then it occurred to me, this is a simple non complicated herbal product! I mean, seriously, the ingredients are for the most part harmless, when compared to TV propaganda that bombards us daily via the big Phama drug cartels.
Those individuals posting here are obviously savvy, do their research and have inquiring minds. How many would not question the horrendous, proven side effects resulting from these pharma “approved drugs”?
Yet, many will still take them due to lack of viable alternatives. Being unique carbon units there are no two identical and what works for one marvelously may be only marginal for another. And thats a fact, Jack.
My opinion is that I am going to personally take advantage of the gifts given to me for one month because for the most part, I am in good health and might not actually see and discernible difference. After one month I will decide whether to suggest that my son, who has Hep C take these supplements. Why? Because I do believe they will be better and less destructive than anything allopathic medicine has to offer. Yes, they are rather expensive, but nothing, actually a paltry sum when compared to the cost of more prohibitive prescriptions with more proven devastating consequences.
Basically, the ingredients have not been shown to cause debilitating side effects even by those individuals suffering from more serious diseases, which in fact should be more susceptible due to already compromised immune systems.
To those of you who are well, i wish you continued health, to those of you who are not, beware. Modern medicine via their pharma ambassadors and savvy wall street merchants have society more hood winked and bamboozled than any MLM program could ever wish to attain.
Ariel, yes you are correct that the ingredients in the Protandim formula are simple. I think one of the things that I feel makes people scratch their heads is when the company that makes Protandim says you can’t get the same effects by taking the simple ingredients separately – but they show now proof that this is true. The formula is simple and if it works, why cant you just save a little money by taking individual ingredients?
I hope it helps you for what its worth.
Well said Ariel! I hope it works for you and mahalo for not bashing MLMs – some of them are great, some of them are not.
Personally and distributorally (made that word up), I don’t like the LifeVantage company, but I like their Protandim product. I believe I would have been better off by just being a customer.
I hope that you see good results – I joined just to help a friend and was also in good health, but I did feel a discernible difference right away.
I also hope that if your son takes it, he has good results.
God bless, Namaste, and Shalom