Update 3/10/20. Have you been asked to try Shakeology – or become a Shakeology Beachbody Coach? I have – several times. I've been asked to try this product so many times from so many different people that I decided to write this Shakeology review so you know the facts. Is Shakeology safe? Will Shakeology help weight loss? These are the questions I will address. As always, I'll link to the research so you know I'm not making stuff up. I don't have a dog in this fight. I only want you to have the best information available -free from testimonials, and internet hype – so that you can make the best decision for you. Also, see the review of Ultimate Power Greens as well.
Also see my review of vegan chocolate Shakeology.
Shakeology is one of the products sold by the company, BeachBody. Beachbody markets many health and fitness products, probably the most popular of which the P90X workout by Tony Horton. If you want to know how Shakeology tastes, check out my Shakeology Taste Test.
What Does Shakeology Mean?
The suffix ology means “the study of” so Shakeology literally means “the study of shakes“, In this case, it's a health and weight loss shake that contains various fruits, enzymes, vitamins, protein, etc.
It's a catchy name and gives the impression that there is some science behind Shakeology. But, when I entered “Shakeology” into the National Library of Medicine website, I found no published peer-reviewed studies on this product.
Most health and weight loss shakes don't have any research to back up what they are saying but I wanted to double check just in case because the name of this product stood out to me.
On the Shakeology website, I noticed a reference to a study that drinking Shakeology can lower cholesterol levels but there doesn't appear to be any published studies to back up this claim. At the bottom of the website (Shakeology.com) I see a reference that says :
“In a 90-day study, participants replaced one meal per day with Shakeology, ate a balanced diet, and exercised moderately three times per week. Total cholesterol was reduced on average by 30% and LDL cholesterol was reduced on average by 38%.”
But, this doesn't seem to be a published peer-reviewed study. Questions I asked myself included:
- Who were the people in this “study”?
- Were they men? Were they women?
- Did they have normal cholesterol or high cholesterol?
- What was their LDL levels before the study?
- Did exercise play any role in the outcomes?
They don't tell us any of this information – and this is important stuff to know if we are to analyze how effective shakeology really was.
Fruits contain soluble fiber and Shakeology has a lot of different fruits, so the study outcomes kind of make sense. But, would the same effect be seen if people just blended up some fruits themselves?
I don't know.
Losing weight can also reduce cholesterol. So, did cholesterol and LDL levels change simply because of weight loss, rather than because of Shakeology? I don't know because it doesn't look like the subjects were compared to those who did not use Shakeology.
Shakeology Ingredients
There are a LOT of ingredients in Shakeology. Below you will see that I copied the ingredients from the Shakeology.com website (I used the chocolate version) and separated them into different sections to make this review easier.
| Total Calories | 140 |
| Calories from fat | 10 |
| Total fat | 1 g (2% DV) |
| Cholesterol | 15 mg (5% DV) |
| Sodium | 100 mg (4% DV) |
| Total carbohydrates | 17 g (6% DV) |
| Dietary fiber | 3 g (12% DV) |
| Sugars | 9 g |
| Protein | 17 g (34% DV) |
The total calories are based on 1 scoop (48 grams) mixed with water.
This doesn't look too bad to me. In fact, the calories, protein, fat, etc. are similar to other popular protein mixes. A scoop also has 135 mg of the sweetener, stevia.
Super Fruit Blend
Shakeology also has several types of what they call Super Fruits. Here is the list:
| Acerola powder (fruit) | Cordyceps |
| Camu-Camu powder (fruit) | Maitake powder |
| Pomegranate powder (fruit) | Reishi powder |
| Bilberry powder (fruit) | Citrus bioflavonoids |
| Blueberry powder (fruit) | Rose Hips powder (fruit) |
| Lycium (Goji) powder (berry) | Schisandra |
| Açai powder (berry) | Suma powder (root) |
| Acerola powder (fruit) | Gingko powder (leaf) REMOVED |
Update. Here is my review of the camu camu fruit research.
We are not told how much of each fruit is in Shakeology, only that the total of everything equals 2075 mg (or about 2 grams). I'm OK with that given that small amounts of phytonutrients (plant nutrients) tend to pack a big punch when it comes to health.
In the list you will noticed citrus bioflavonoids. This is technically not a fruit but rather a plant-nutrient (phytonutrient).
A couple of ingredients in this list did stand out to me. One is ginkgo. I suppose they added ginkgo to Shakeology because it has some antioxidant properties. But ginkgo also has anti-blood clotting properties that in theory may interact with blood thinner medications. There is also evidence that – in mice – ginkgo causes liver cancer. I'm not aware of any human evidence of this.
Ginkgo may also interact with medications used to treat:
- seizures
- diabetes
- cholesterol
- depression
Ginkgo is listed as the last ingredient, so I'm guessing there is not a lot of ginkgo in Shakeology but I felt this was worth mentioning.
Given that Shakeology has probably not been clinically tested in people who take prescription medications, I personally would prefer they remove ginkgo from Shakeology just to be safe.
Update: Ginkgo has been removed Ginkgo from Shakeology according to this page of the BeachBody website.
Cordyceps also caught my eye. In some circles, cordyceps is touted to improve aerobic exercise performance. But there isn't much proof that cordyceps works and some research that cordyceps doesn't help exercise. See this video for more insights.
Shakeology also contains acai berry, which is one of the principal ingredients in MonaVie reviewed previously. For more information on acai also see Acai Berry A Review Based on The Facts and The Acai Berry Diet.
Nondairy Probiotic Blend
Shakeology also contains several probiotics. These are basically friendly bacteria. They are as follows:
| Bifodobacterium longum | Lactobacillus bulgaricus |
| Lactobacillus acidophilus | Lactobacillus casei |
| Lactobacillus acidophilus DDS-1 | Streptococcus thermophilus |
Probiotics appear to have a wide range of potential uses such as helping irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) and diarrhea.
People who have immune deficiencies like HIV should be cautious with probiotics and consult their doctor before using.
We are not told how much of each bacteria is in this blend but only that its total is 150 mg. Often the amount of probiotics in a supplement are reported as colony-forming units (CFU). People may want to ask how many CFUs are in this 150 mg.
Tip. ask “are the bacteria alive now?”. Sometimes the probiotic bacteria are alive when the product is made but die off the longer the product is not used. This can reduce their effectiveness.
Proprietary Enzyme Blend (135 mg)
| Amylase | Lipase |
| Papain | Protease |
| Cellulase | Bromelain |
| Lactase |
What is an enzyme? It's basically a protein. What happens when protein reaches the stomach? Its digested. Our bodies treat enzymes just like protein from whey, soy, chicken, etc. It breaks the protein up into amino acids, absorbs the amino acids and uses them to do whatever it needs – whether it be help to build muscle or repair a cell in your pinky finger.
While I can sort of see how enzymes might help those who have digestion problems, I never understood why healthy people needed enzyme supplements.
Other Ingredients in Shakeology
| Ashwagandha powder 100 mg | Grape seed extract (seed) 50 mg |
| Barley grass 100 mg | Green tea decaffeinated extract 50 mg |
| Kamut grass 100 mg | Holy basil powder (leaf) 50 mg |
| Oat grass 100 mg | Amaranth (Amaranthus hypochondriacus) 50 mg |
| Wheatgrass 100 mg |
Ashwagandha
Sometimes called “Indian ginseng” this herb appears to have several effects like helping the immune system. Most effects, however, have not been well studied. One warning that is sometimes mentioned (but hard to corroborate) concerns pregnant women: ashwagandha may cause premature birth of the unborn baby. For 
Ashwagandha for hypothyroidism
Barley Grass
A few studies suggest that barley may lower cholesterol and LDL. As such, this may be one of the ingredients responsible for the observations in the Shakeology study mentioned above. Shakeology is said to be gluten-free.
Grape Seed Extract
This is a popular antioxidant and is mostly studied in people who have heart disease. Shakeology only contains 50 mg of grape seed extract which is less than that used in grape seed extract research.
One study noted that taking grape seed extract (1000 mg/day) along with 500 mg of vitamin C increased blood pressure. Shakeology does not contain this much grape seed extract but I thought it was worth mentioning if any readers have high blood pressure.
Holy Basil
At least one study has noted that holy basil might lower blood sugar levels after eating. As such it may interact with diabetes medications. Holy basil may also interact with blood thinner medications.
Amaranth
I could not turn up much on this ingredient. Some research hints that amaranth can lower cholesterol levels.
The Shakeology Clinical Trial
Thanks to someone who left a comment, I became aware of a Shakeology clinical trial posted on YouTube (the video has since been removed). The study was commissioned by BeachBody and administered by Medicus Research.
Medicus is a Contract Research Organization (CRO), which means that they are contracted by various pharmaceutical, and supplement companies to do research on their products.
According to the YouTube video above, this was how the clinical trial was designed:
- The study contained 50 people and lasted 90 days.
- Medicus researchers measured people's weight, BMI, and various other health factors including cholesterol and AIC levels.
Tip. Hemoglobin A1C is a measure of how bad diabetes is getting. Having 6% or less is usually considered normal. The higher the number, the higher the average blood sugar level is – which basically means diabetes is getting worse.
- Everybody drank 2 Shakeology shakes per day ―one for breakfast and one for lunch each day for 90 days.
Tip. From the video, it appears that people used Shakeology in place of foods they might ordinarily eat. This is important. Keep reading.
- The people did not alter their diet or exercise program (except for drinking Shakeology in place of food at breakfast and lunch).
Study Results
According to the video, Dr. Udani, CEO of Medicus Research, notes that:
1. Statistically significant reductions in the desire to eat lunch were noted after drinking Shakeology for breakfast.
Since hunger, after lunch, was not mentioned in the video, I take this to mean that drinking Shakeology at lunch time had statistical significant effect on the desire to eat at dinner.
2. The video notes that the average weight loss was 9.3 pounds. The greatest weight loss in the study was 24 pounds after 3 months.
3. The average reduction in total cholesterol was 7% after 3 months. The greatest reduction was 50% in some of the participants.
4. Hemoglobin A1C (A1C) was reduced by an average of 5% after 3 months. Some of the people experienced as much as a 19% reduction in A1C levels.
What the video does not tell us:
Here are some things that I was unable to determine from the video:
- How many people in the study were men and women?
- What were the ages of the people in the study?
- Did the study participants have any health problems (high cholesterol, elevated A1C, etc.)?
- Were the average reductions in body weight, A1C, and cholesterol statistically significant?
- Did Shakeology have different effects on body weight, A1C, or cholesterol levels in men vs. women?
- Was there a placebo group? Having a group in the study that did not drink Shakeology would make these results more meaningful.
Toward the end of the video Dr. Udani says ” say:
“The results we are seeing are only due to Shakeology.”
That's a powerful statement. How do they know the results they saw were not simply due to weight loss?
By drinking 2 Shakeology shakes per day (in place of breakfast and lunch) people have reduced their total calorie intake for the day. Reducing calories also can also:
- Reduce body weight
- Reduce cholesterol
- Reduce A1C levels
Based on what was stated in the video, I don’t think we can tell if these values decreased because of Shakeology or simply because the people lost weight.
Dr Udani also states the in the video that the study is valuable because “it isolates the effect of shakeology,” In my opinion, the study, as depicted in the video, doesn’t do this because there is nothing to compare the effects of shakeology to.
For example, in my opinion, a better study would be:
- Take those same 50 people and randomly give them shakeology ―or nothing at all ―to see how they differ from each other after 90 days.
Or
- Randomly give the people either Shakeology or something that had similar calories to see what happens after 90 days.
Of course, I would have to see the actual study to know exactly what happened. My comments are based on watching YouTube video alone.
I hope BeachBody Coaches will let me know if this study ever becomes published in a clinical journal so I can make more informed comments. Until that happens, I'm of the opinion that the effects discussed in the Shakeology Clinical Trial video are simply the results Shakeology causing weight loss – and it's the weight loss that is causing reductions in cholesterol, body weight and A1C levels, rather than a direct effect of Shakeology itself.
I believe almost anything that causes people to lose weight can also cause reductions in cholesterol and A1C levels. See the “Shakeology and Weight Loss” section below for more about this.
Shakeology Side Effects
For healthy people yes, Shakeology is safe but for people who may not be healthy, here are some general things to think about. This list is not complete
- start with less than recommended for the first week
- stop taking at least 2 weeks before surgery
- if you take any medications such as blood thinners talk to your doctor
- Pregnant or nursing – ask your doctor first
In June 2013 the website, Consumerlab.com found lead contamination in Greenberry Shakeology. They found 12.7 micrograms of lead per serving of Shakeology. Beachbody, the maker of Shakeology, responded to this by stating:
“While they seek to inform consumers, they may be actually misleading consumers by not distinguishing between harmful heavy metals and those that are naturally occurring in plants, vegetables and minerals.”
Consumerlab, on their website, fired back stating:
“Lead contamination of plants generally occurs to do contamination of the environment in which they have grown – often caused by industrial pollution or proximity to roadways, where in the past, cars used leaded gasoline. “
So, it sounds like Beach Body is saying that lead is a natural occurrence while Consumerlab is saying, the lead is present because the plants used were contaminated by the environment in which they are grown.
Here is a link to the Dr. Oz Show website shows Beach Body response to the Consumerlab findings.
In 2015 Consumer Reports noted that Shakeology had been reformulated and they no longer detect lead. Shakeology is now in the “approved” category. For more on this, see my Vegan Chocolate Shakeology review.
Other Meal Replacement Shakes
Other meal replacement reviews worth looking at
Shakeology And Weight Loss?
In the Shakeology program, people are instructed to replace one meal a day with Shakology. They are also supposed to exercise 3x a week and eat a healthy diet. This is similar to the reasoning behind other weight loss plans you've probably already heard of. For example:
- SlimFast: drink 2 shakes and eat a sensible dinner
- Special K diet: eat 2 bowls of cereal and eat a sensible meal
If you read my review of Right Size Smoothies, you may remember that the Right Size Smoothie plan was to replace 2 meals with 2 smoothies.
So, the idea behind Shakeology for weight loss makes sense; just use the shake to reduce the calories you eat.
The same thing is also true for many of their competitors like the Isagenix Shake
So for people who don't have the time to eat well or make their meals, I can see how something like Shakeology (or similar weight loss shake) would be attractive. People are more likely to do things that are easy.
How Does Shakeology Taste?
Does Shakeology taste good? I had a chance to try Shakeology thanks to a friend who gave me some samples. Here are the results of my Shakeology taste test.
Also, see the Vegan Chocolate Shakeology review for how it tastes.
How Much Does It Cost?
When I wrote this review, the cost of Shakeology was $119.95 a month (30 servings). This comes to about $4 per shake. You may be able to get it cheaper than this if you are a Team Beachbody coach and have other Beachbody coaches selling products under you on the pyramid. As such, some people may become Beachbody coaches as a way to get Shakeology cheaper.
Who Makes Shakeology?
Shakeology is made by the company Beachbody also known as Beachbody LLC. Beachbody is not only is behind Shakeology but a wide range of other fitness-related products ranging from P90X to Insanity to name a few.
According to the Better Business Bureau, BeachBody LLC is located at 3301 Exposition Blvd., Santa Monica, CA 90404 .
Their contact number is (800) 998-1681.
What is a Team Beachbody Coach?
These are the people who often sell Shakeology and other Beach Body products. Team Beachbody Coaches may or may not have a background in fitness, health or wellness. On the TeamBeachBody.com website it says only that:
“You don’t need to be a fitness or weight-loss expert to become a Beachbody Coach. You just need to be ready to commit to changing your life.”
That's a little vague, so do ask about the credentials of a Beachbody Coach before you take any specific health advice from them.
The name Beachbody Coach is actually smart marketing. Instead of calling the people who sell Shakeology (and other Beachbody products) Beachbody distributors, they call them “Coaches”. It's like Walmart calling their sales staff “Associates”.
To be a Team Beachbody coach, people pay $39.99 to start. Beachbody coaches receive a commission for sales they make. Fortunately, Beachbody coaches do not have to buy Shakeology or other Beachbody products before they sell them. Team Beachbody coaches also are used to help people reach their fitness goals. The extent to which they can help would depend on how smart -fitness-wise they are.
Remember Beachbody coaches don't have to know anything about fitness, health or wellness.
Beachbody coaches also try to recruit others to become Beachbody coaches. They in turn, receive commissions on what their recruits sell.
So, Team Beachbody has a multi level marketing aspect. I'm not against MLM companies but it does by nature give incentives to coaches whose main goal is to recruit new people rather than selling the product. This ultimately might dilute the quality of the coaching service.
So Does It Work
Despite the hype, Shakeology is just a low-calorie meal replacement shake. If you follow the plan, you'll likely lose weight. But that's because of your eating fewer calories. Don't believe the hype. It's all about eating fewer calories.
Here are less expensive options
What do you think?
Great article, it is nice to see someone’s honest opinion.
Melva: Remember that there is a 30 day ‘Bottom of the bag’ guarantee. So, all you have to do is return the empty bag for a refund. Your coach should also tell you about the maximum discount, or at least I do as a coach…but that’s me. Coaches save huge on it, and several of my customers are coaches just for that reason.
Hi Joe–
Thanks for taking the time to write such a good article. I am about to start Shakeology, although I do still remain slightly on the fence about it. I have joined a beachbody challenge doing the Slim in 6 exercise program and of course Shakeology is optional in this challenge…I have been back and forth in my mind about it and decided to just try it. I guess we shall see how it works…thanks again for such a good unbiased article!
Good luck Melva and thanks!
To state up front, yes, I am a Coach with TBb (Coaches are with Team Beachbody, not Beachbody – what the difference is? I honestly couldn’t tell you). Just thought I would address a couple of things, starting with the “jittery” feeling after drinking the shakes. I have issues with my blood sugar levels in general, not diabetic, but hypoglycemic. I have had to play around with my meals in order to avoid that feeling my whole life because frankly blacking out isn’t my idea of fun. I added more carbs to my shakeology meal by having a yogurt as well as the shake, and that has fixed it for me because of the increased protein and sugar levels, you could always try adding something extra to counteract, whether it is a carb or protein, but you need to know you and what is going on. In the meantime, stop drinking it and check with a doctor.
The biggest difference I have noticed “personally” with drinking it (that I could “prove” if necessary) is hair and nail growth. My hair is growing faster (almost twice as fast) and my nails are healthier and stronger as well. I also in general feel better the days that I drink my shake than the days that I don’t. But I eat like a picky 4 year old (meaning hardly any veggies and even less fruits – like, less than 10 items when you add them all together) so I drink Shakeology to get the nutrients, along with taking a daily vitamin. I will say that before getting Shakeology, the daily vitamin didn’t seem to do anything for me.
To address the discussion of the push for Shakeology, as a Coach, I am willing to admit that THAT angers me (the coaches who push it, not the statement made above). The only way, it seems, to get to the big income is by having a lot of customers on home direct (so they get the shake every thirty days) and you get a commission every 30 days off of their purchase, because the programs are 60 to 90 days, and many people buy once and then never again, meaning no residual income. Those coaches that push are in this for the wrong reason – the money. The RIGHT reason is helping people to lose weight and get healthy through a “clean” diet and regular exercise which is what we as coaches really do, we inspire, we motivate, we encourage. Now, that being said, the high pressure to sell that you mentioned? That doesn’t come from the company. That comes from within, or from other coaches, but not TBb itself.
Another thing, you mentioned that it could possibly affect people who are medicated for depression. I am manic depressive / bi-polar and strictly medication (200 mg of lamotrigene every day) and have not noticed any issues regarding that particular area of my life, but, exercise makes a person mentally healthier, so who knows if that is offsetting it. That could be why I haven’t been affected.
There was a comment in your article about asking for our credentials before taking specific advice, and any time I have a customer request information about a specific issue, I tell them what little I do or don’t know and also to double check with their doctor, but that is me
As for the average income of a TBb coach, I am curious as to where that person got that amount from.
Anyway, that all being said – thanks for the great review! I have been looking into a lot of nutritional information lately (because of my hypoglycemia and my aversion to healthy food), and that includes researching as much as I can about Shakeology to see if it ACTUALLY is worth spending $95 a month on it (and I agree, there need to be clinical studies and there aren’t). Oh, and the Green Berry and the Tropical? ICK! The chocolate is yummy in my opinion, I mix it with 8 oz Almond Milk and 12 ounces of water in case you were wondering.
Have a wonderful day, and I look forward to reading more reviews by you!
Dawn, thanks for saying all that and I apprecaite your honesty! As for the average amount that a Teach Beach Body Coach makes, the $250/ month stat came from a guy who attended a class I was teaching. He was a TBC and said he was making “6 figures” selling shakeology. I took him at his word but cant confirm anything he said.
Thank you for your time spent reviewing the product, I greatly appreciate the review.
I am a Registered Dietitian (RD), aka the true nutrition professional. For those who have not heard the term RD before, it requires at least a 4-year degree, an internship and successful passing of an exam. It is much different from a “nutritionist” who often needs no education or special training for his or her title (at least within the state of CA).
As a clinical dietitian, I pretty much never recommend supplements to my patients, with the only exception being a medical condition diagnosed by a doctor that requires supplementation. That said, I am CONSTANTLY trying to educate people on supplements, and most of the time that means I am trying to explain to them why they do not need the product(s).
I recently had someone ask me a question specifically about Shakeology, so I decided to learn more about the product by searching the internet. Initially I was frustrated because everything I found linked back to a BB or Shakeology website. Of course, I see through their bogus claims, particularly pertaining to their “research.” {Or shall I say lack there of… any weight loss will correct or improve lipid panel results or improve blood glucose levels. For research novices, I would also like to note that an individual’s testament to how effective a product is does not constitute substitution of clinical trials, even though Laura E. tries to provide compelling reasons.}
Finally, I came across your post. I appreciate your breakdown of the product, especially the point that there are no clinical trials backing the statements made by Shakeology! I am very happy to be able to refer people back to your post so they too can read your review of the product. You take a lot of words out of my mouth throughout your post, and in the following comments. I especially love the remarks about eating whole fresh fruits and vegetables, as Shakeology contains only extracts. I think it would be better (and likely cheaper) for someone to throw fresh fruits and veggies into a blender, add some yogurt and make a shake the good old fashion way!
Thank you for sharing your knowledge, and for the entertainment (mainly in your interactions with Mike). ☺
I can’t remember if I mentioned this or not, and of course it’s anecdotal and could be caused by other things BUT I have noticed I do not get eye fatigue in my left eye like I used to.
It’s a marginal 20/20 eye but it used to actually hurt a little late at night often, and I had fatigue in it a lot.
I do not get this any more, and I think it is a combination of Shakeology’s antioxidants, and my workout program that leads to better blood flow and probably O2 in my blood.
Could be a combination of many factors, but it’s a data point.
That’s true to a point, but that is what makes a product stand up to greater scrutiny. Another point I wanted to make is that without independent credentials in medicine or nutrition, beachbody coaches or any other product representatives/distributors (Juice Plus included), should not consider themselves experts in nutrition. We all need to know our limitations, and sometimes, it seems like that line becomes blurred between basic knowledge of the product and medical expertise. Hope that made sense!
Hi Joe,
I continue to see people get really emotional over this product, which I can understand as we are emotional creatures, but what I don’t understand is why they get so angry about a shake? There is NO reasonable expectation that a nutrition shake will work or be perfect for EVERY person. Which is why the Beachbody company offers a “bottom of the bag” guarantee. You can use it all in a month, and if you are not satisfied with it for ANY reason, you can get your purchase price back. That is FAR more reasonable than anything you will get at a typical store.
I do cringe at how some coaches market the shake, I too sell it (I have posted on your page before about my health improvements confirmed by medical testing), but I do not involve myself in high pressure sales, only letting people know how I improved with it in my energy and my health (reduction of medication dosages and frequency of need to take them in some cases)(and NO it was not in response to weight loss, since I know you will ask that). 🙂
Honestly when it comes down to it, it is a personal choice that has far fewer issues than many of the medications prescribed by doctors. All you need to do is watch tv commercials for medications and listen to all the potential side effects to know that.
So in the end, I think if people would simply take a deep breath, calm down a bit, and get away from their “blame anyone but myself” mode of thought this country has regressed to, and eat better, exercise more; all the inflammatory commentary could subside. Seriously, if you compare what the typical American eats to this shake; I am truly wondering what they have to get so upset about.
Just my 2 cents. Thanks again!
Laura, I think you hit the nail on the head about the high pressure to sell. I think some people get emotional because they have invested a lot of time and energy into the product and have put pressure on themselves to produce. It may be sometimes hard to hear diverging ideas when you are passionate about a topic. Your 2 cents is more like a dollar 😉
Joe, thanks for the unbiased opinions, and for being polite to the folks who are shilling the Shakeology via your comments section. I have a friend who decided to become a Beachbody “Coach,” instead of selling Avon. (No, really – she had to make some extra cash, and her choices came down to selling makeup or shakes.) I helped her out by purchasing a months’ supply…big mistake.
First, both flavors I tried were nasty (this was before the new strawberry stuff). Second, I noticed absolutely no improvement in my health or sense of well-being. I’m about 20 pounds overweight, exercise 3x/week, and replaced my breakfast with the shakes. Aside from feeling jittery until almost lunchtime every day, nothing happened. No weight loss (except in my wallet!), no increase in energy, just those jitters and a strained friendship when I refused to waste more money on the powder. Incidentally, her money-making goals are failing, as most of her customers buy once and never again.
If it were really as good as the “coaches” want you to believe, the company make it available via a direct website ordering system, instead of making you go through one of the salespeople who aren’t required to have ANY qualifications in the fitness/health field whatsoever. As other posters have stated, let the company conduct some peer-reviewed, double-blind studies in an academic setting…then I’ll take them seriously.
Louise, thanks for your words and I think you are the first to mention feeling jittery after taking shakeology. I know a lot of people look at Shakeolody as a way to earn extra income (and get shakeology cheaper). Something to pass along to your friend, I was told once by a shakeology coach (who said me made 6 figures a year selling the stuff) that the average beach body coach only makes $250 a month. I can’t corroborate what he said (or how much me makes) but he was the first to answer my question about what the average beachbody coach makes per month.
As a guy, I can rationalize selling shakes over make up 😉
Thanks for the input, Joe.
The Optimum Nutrition Pro Complex breakdown is as follows:
Calories 270
Calories from Fat 10
Total Fat 1 g
Saturated Fat 0.5 g
Cholesterol 20 mg
Sodium 250 mg
Total Carbohydrate 5 g
Dietary Fiber 2 g
Sugars 1 g
Protein 60 g
Vitamin A 50%
Vitamin C 100%
Calcium 25%
Iron 6%
Vitamin E 100%
Thiamin 50%
Riboflavin 50%
Niacin 50%
Vitamin B6 50%
Folic Acid 50%
Vitamin B12 50%
Biotin 50%
Pantothenic Acid 50%
Chromium 100%
Aminogen 250 mg
Now all this is based upon 2 scoops, I go with just one because after I add it to milk I am close to 40 grams of protein anyway, so no need to waste an extra scoop (from my perspective, everything can be cut in half).
Ingredients are as follows:
Protein Blend (Whey Protein Isolate, Glutamine Peptides, L-Leucine, Egg Albumin, Whey Peptides, L-Isoleucine, L-Valine), Cocoa (Processed With Alkali), Natural And Artificial Flavors, Lecithin, Aminogen®, Vitamin/Mineral Blend (Ascorbic Acid, Maltodextrin, D-Alpha Tocopherol Succinate, Niacinamide, D-Calcium Pantothenate, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride, Chromium Polynicotinate, Riboflavin, Thiamin Mononitrate, Vitamin A Palmitate, Biotin, Folic Acid, Cyanocobalamin), Salt, Sucralose, Acesulfame Potassium, Lactase
Thanks again for all your insight and input.
Joe, overall it doesn’t look too bad. In 1 scoop its got 135 calories and 30 g of protein. The sodium caught my eye. Protein supplements sometimes have more sodium than I’d like. 1 scoop of yours has 125 mg which overall isn’t “too bad” but as a rule I like it to be as little as possible. I use Dymatize Elite Whey (chocolate) which has 24 g protein in a scoop and is 117 calories. It has 85 mg of sodium in a scoop.
Hey Joe! I told you about the Arbonne shake months ago but I know you get a lot of comments. Let me know if you want to try a sample which lists all the ingredients.
Janet, I’ll send you an email privately on this.
Joe,
Were you reviewing the improved version of Juice Plus Complete? I thought I read somewhere that you were. I hope I didn’t miss it!
Judy
Judy, you didn’t miss it. Juice Plus Complete is on my list. I do have a sample. I just need to write the review. I do hope to get to it soon.
Has someone sent you the new vegan version of Shakeology yet? I will if you will cover my cost on the packets. 🙂
As a minimum, I can say I tolerate it better than whey, and I like the flavor. It’s a little grainy due to the brown rice protein.
I have not seen very many vegan supplements, so at least it might be a new option for V’s of all sorts. It costs about 25 cents more a serving, but I think that’s pretty negligible.
Robert, not yet maybe soon I think, thanks.
Thanks for the review. It is good to finally see something that isn’t a “buy shakeology now ad” presented as some sort of honest review on it.
Do you have any opinion on Optimum Nutrition Pro Complex?
Joe, thanks I apprecaite that. no opinion yet about optimum nutrition pro complex. if you give me the main ingredients, calories fat etc I can give an educated guess.
Can you also do a review on Skinnyfiber? I did alot of research on it and found most people aren’t meeting half the daily requirements for fiber. I liked that the product has glucomannan as well as some other ingredients that suppress the appetite.
Michelle, the name skinny fiber immediately makes my “spidey sense” to tingle because I thought all fiber could help with weight loss. Glucomannan is in several other products Ive already reviewed (just put glucomannan in the search box and those reviews pop up). Ill see if I can turn up anything on skinny fiber.
Hey, Can you do a review on Arbonne’s Protein shake? I’ve been drinking a meal replacement shake for years. At first I was buying them at the health food store and it was made with soy protein. Then I switched to Arbonne’s (it’s very reasonable $$ with my 35% distributor’s discount and I don’t promote it or anything) and i like that it’s plant based protein and made with STEVIA. I tried the Visalus Shake (I was going to do the body-by-vi challenge) but I’m lactose intolerant and extremely sensitive to splenda and, well..it made me bloated and gassy (lol). It stopped as soon as I quit taking it.
Anyhoo, I went back to Arbonne’s and my digestive system is back to normal — I’m strictly wanting to look at it from a product perspective, not MLM.
Michelle, I’ll see if I can get a sample of Arbonne’s protein shake. I didn’t know they had one. Thanks for letting me know about it.
Joe,
That will never happen because studies like that require significant sums of money, and money for such studies is really tight. What would the NIH rather support, a study on a new cancer drug or one to test the relative merits of a voluntary supplement? As you probably know, large placebo controlled studies on vitamin supplements have been uniformly negative.
Michael, I understand. I would even like to see a study done by a grad student if it was well done and published. I think that type of study could be done rather cheaply. Yes I’ve seen the studies on vitamins and their lack of effect. That’s why I often recommend getting the nutrients from food when possible.
Joe,
I applaud you for a well-reasoned and thoughtful review. I’m a physician-scientist and personally believe that most if not all supplements are scams. This one is no different. They make it sound complex, which it is, as if complexity in and of itself makes it unique. Hunting down tropical ingredients, fake science plus glossy marketing reminds me eerily of the scam that was Airborne (invented by a school teacher!).
Based on my experience, I will bet my life savings that Beachbody will NEVER subject this or any other supplement to a clinical trial. Why pay the up front money to (likely) get a negative result in a true double blind placebo controlled stud when they can simply market the hell out of it. Supplements are essentially unregulated, so why kill the goose that laid the golden egg?
Michael, Thanks for your kind words. My hope is that a grad student or college professor takes up the task of designing a controlled study and publishing it.
Mike:
I am a physician who is now considerably more concerned about nutrition and wellness than most physicians. However, this was not always the case. After finishing medical school I finished a four year residency training program in Emergency Medicine (ie: I am an “ER Doc” for lay people). However, over the past two years I realize I am wired more to be a preventive medicine physician and think the WHOLE country would be better off if more physicians practiced preventive medicine.
Joe:
I was very favorably impressed with your review on Shakeology finding it both objective and scientifically disciplined. Additionally, I was impressed with your response to Mike’s Jan 25 response. No doubt your readers benefit from your commitment to objective unbiased reviews. Thank your for your professionalism and commitment to wellness.( I would enjoy speaking with you please give me a call)
Sean, thanks for your very kind words. Much appreciated. I just left you a voice mail and will look forward to talking to you.
I started out doing Insanity workout, currently doing P90X2.. I also have MS! I decided to try Shakeology after seeing all that was in each shake. I noticed a difference in how my body functions within the first 2 weeks.. I have a TON of energy now whereas before I was struggling to make it through the day.. Anyone who has MS or knows someone who has it will understand what I am talking about! Don’t know if i will ever stop using Shakeology, but each person is different, so it may work perfect for me and not for someone else, I encourage people to try it, give it a month then make the decision for yourself 🙂