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?
I am a coach – I will say that right off the bat.
A friend who wanted to know what TurboFire was sent me to this website after I showed her an introductory video to my challenge group.
I am more interested in BeachBody’s fitness products, like workouts, than their supplements.
I was drinking Equate’s brand of Slim Fast before transitioning to Shakeology when I bought my challenge pack. I have big goals for my life, like becoming a personal trainer and opening my own gym. I feel like while I am still in school, BeachBody is a great step off point for those who need the motivation to get off their bums and workout.
I however, am always a skeptic about weight loss products. I researched for months before I decided to dive in.
After a couple days of being on Shakeology, I noticed that my bowel movements were a lot different than they were before. Like back to the old me before I lost 40 pounds. I hate it. On the Equate Shakes, I don’t know what the ingredients were, but they were really helping. I didn’t have the same problem.
Now, I don’t know why, but this is not fun.
I have more energy and I love the way I feel, but I can’t help but wonder if that’s all in my head from reading thousands of good testimonies. I haven’t lost any weight on them because I actually added calories to my breakfast since I am mixing stuff with the shakes to make them taste better.
However, one of the girls I am coaching through this has lost 8 inches in 2 weeks. She’s over 400 pounds, so it makes since because she replaced a whole meal with it.
I am for sure staying a coach because I believe in the workout programs, but I am definitely not going to be one of those pushy coaches who want all my people on shakeology. It is really expensive and I am skeptical about the results even as a coach.
I’m glad it works for some, but this is a fitness journey for all, and I have learned in helping many of my friends to lose over 200 lbs that, there is no one magic thing. Not everything works the same for everyone. That’s why it’s a process.
Hi mandy since you said you wanted to be a personal trainer, you may also enjoy my personal website Joe-Cannon.com
I totally appreciate your review too! I drink the shakes for breakfast and the biggest thing it does for me is to get healthy calories in instead of skipping breakfast, so I don’t get hungry late at night.
I am technically a coach, but really because I like the workouts and want the discount. I have only sold to myself, and will probably not sell to anyone. I think it tastes good, and, although this is not scientific, my cholesterol levels went drastically in the right direction. (I am a size six who’s genetically bad cholesterol was, gulp, 290 last summer).
My initial diet changes dropped me fifty points, drinking shakeology and exercising dropped me another 60, with no meds…..
Rachael, thanks for the feedback and Im happy your cholesterol levels went down. was there any change in LDL or HDL? Just curious.
OK, so, Shakeology claims to have a boatload of veggies. Is it a good shake to drink if we are wanting to eat healthy without actually eating the actual veggies? i know its horrible, but my family and I do NOT eat vegetables at all. They are expensive to buy, and i cant get anyone to eat them.
I have tasted the greenberry shakeology and like it a lot. I know there are a lot of meal replacement shakes out there, but do they all have the same health benefits as shakeology?
Also, would it be safe for kids to drink? My kiddos actually liked the flavor and ask if they can have some as a snack. I am hesitant though.
Lisa, Have you tried making your own smoothies in a blender? Recipes can taste very good. For example, here is my smoothie recipe
Shakeology doesn’t contain vegetables or fruits but extracts of various foods. that’s fine but its not the same as food. You’ll get more bang for the buck with food than powered extracts of food. That said, I don’t think there is a problem for kids who take shakeology esp if they are only having 1 a day at most.
I agree fruits and veggies can be expensive (esp in inner city neighborhoods) and that really annoys me about the state of the food industry. I think they can all do a lot better at marketing their products to kids (like putting Spiderman on a bag of broccoli for instance! But, that’s another story…).
Here’s what I suggest. If you want to try Shakeology, go ahead and use it with your family. But make it a point to combine shakeology with messages that emphasize how food helps us stay healthy and what else can your kids do to help them stay healthy. My hope is eventually they will start to think about this and that it will help them ease into veggies and fruits. I think if Shakelogy leads your kids to eating better in the long run, then that’s a good thing.
Joe, I just happened across this review today, and feel that it is a fairly unbiased opinion, which is good to see. Could you share where you found the details that Shakeology doesn’t contain vegetables or fruits, but instead extracts? From the things I have read about the sourcing of food and how it is produced into the bag would seem to contradict that statement. I’m always looking for as much detail about anything that I consume, and Shakeology is no different.
For transparency purposes, I am a TBB coach so I can get discounts on my products.
Jared, thanks. I copied the ingredients from a pack of Shakeology. it says “grape seed extract” on the nutrition facts label. I checked my review and it does not contain the word “food” and I only used the word “extract” as it pertains to green tea and grape seed extract.
Finally! A straight up review of Shakeology! A friend sent me this link as I gave up after the first page of Google search items only had the bogus ones that say they’re unbiased, but in reality are just the opposite…complete with happy link to a place to buy it.
I have a Beachbody coach and she’s great! I am working my way through P90X and am always on the lookout for decent supplements and scrutinize labels religiously which is why I noticed all the ones I looked at said “formulated and distributed” by Beachbody…okay we have recipe and store, but who manufactures it? Especially with the price it commands.
My coach was game and emailed her contact at Beachbody with “where are Beachbody products manufactured?”. The first reply said the answer couldn’t be found in the Knowledgebase and she was referred to a “Subject Matter Expert”. The next reply said her question was being looked into and expect a reply in 3 business days.
After the next inquiry, we were referred to another “Subject Matter Expert” who replied within 24 hours that the information was “proprietary”. At this point, serious red flags were going up for me and it all screamed “offshore manufacturing”.
When she insisted to this last reply that I had a right to know as a Beachbody customer where it was being made, we got the reply “Most of Beachbody’s products are manufactured in the United States for example: Shakeology, E&E and Derm Exclusive. There are also items that were made in China like the Pull-Up Bar and Medicine Balls. But most manufacturing takes place in the United States.” Well then, WHY NOT JUST SAY SO to the first email???
Whether or not a person cares where their supplements are manufactured is a matter of personal choice. I prefer to try and support most domestic manufacturers over offshore/overseas. The subterfuge over a simple question has pretty much resulted in my opting not to purchase Shakeology…yeah it’s great to say how meticulously and impeccably sourced and formulated your product is and how quickly it can be on your doorstep after ordering, but not who’s stirring the pot, so to speak, that’s a deal breaker for me.
Oh, I have actually tried a sample of the updated Chocolate flavor prior to asking my manufacturing question and found it…interesting, maybe unusual. Not totally unpleasant although I found that the viscous consistency was a little funky – maybe I read to much Stephen King. I simply blended the powder with filtered water and ice to make it a “shake”. I have to agree with a previous comment that mentioned the Syntha-6 products…they are way better tasting and more affordable…next up will be scrutinizing that label.
Thanks for the great review and answering a lot of my questions!
Sue, thanks for writing and Im just glad you eventually were able to find me! That is an interesting point about where Shakeology is made. cant believe they said it was “proprietary” – Id be curious of the exact address. Ill have to try to do some digging on this. Please share me with your friends 🙂
Always good to read thorough reviews as it’s interesting to see how different people view a product. That said, I’m 38, in pretty decent shape, and watch my diet. After working almost 12 years of midnights as a police officer, I noticed a lot of different effects due to the shift. Some of these effects were fatigue, low energy, and more frequent sick days most likely due to my increasing age and inadequate nutrition.
After all that time, I finally woke up and realized I needed a meal replacement shake to basically give me the option of a quick meal while getting good nutrition. I researched shakes for 2 months and came across the Shakeology which didn’t contain any synthetic sugars (of which I will never touch). It was amazing how many other shakes contained that stuff.
I started drinking Shakeology and after a couple of weeks I noticed subtle changes as I had a little bit more energy and felt better overall. With the new found energy I started to work out and play basketball, slowly at first. As the weeks turned into months, I started to notice bigger changes.
Long story short, I’ve now been drinking Shakeology for almost a year and I can honestly say my overall health has reached a level I didn’t think I would see again. I haven’t been sick one day in a year….that being surrounded by sick people I come in contact with at work as well as a wife and 2 kids who have been through the flu and all the other nagging colds. On top of that I have increased my workouts/basketball nights and feel I could do even more if I had time.
While the above are pretty big changes I’ve seen, I have to say the most interesting things I’ve noticed are my hair/nail growth and skin quality. Being a guy, I can definitely say I never really paid attention to this kind of stuff but was made aware of it by my barber after I started going for a haircut every week instead of every two. I didn’t even realize it at first as I just always went when I needed to. Soon after I noticed my skin was unbelievably smooth during the winter months which never happened before. It definitely needs to be noted that my changes came over time and things didn’t happen overnight.
Wrapping this up, I want to make it known I’m not a “coach” or even remotely involved with beachbody other than buying shakeology. I couldn’t care less who drinks it and I’m not here to say this shake will give anyone the above results. People have asked me what I’ve been doing and I’m sometimes reluctant to tell them fearing I’ll sound like an infomercial. Basically, what I’ve learned is that we all need something along the lines of a good meal replacement or some other form of nutrition (different shake/vitamins/supplements/ect). It just so happened that I found Shakeology and it has worked for me so far.
Well good luck to everyone looking for a good shake. There are definitely a few others out there. Do yourselves a favor and avoid the brands that use synthetic sugars.
Awesome review DJ thanks for your HONEST REVIEW good to see one here 🙂 Glad it is helping you… did miracles for me too.
I read your article and most of the comments. I appreciate what you wrote as I am trying to decide about starting Shakeology. I do not like Stevia, so that alone will probably keep me from using it. However, I was curious if you had any information on the safety of using Shakeology while nursing? (Which I am currently doing for my baby) I just feel nervous about drinking it while giving my baby breast milk. Any thoughts? Thanks.
Hi Melissa, There isn’t a lot of good research when it comes to breastfeeding and taking a lot of supplements. Its possible that some of the ingredients may make it into the breast-milk. I covered this and other information on my FAQ Page. So I think you should not use shakeology while nursing. I’m sure there are some women who used shakeology while breastfeeding but I would not recommend it.
Good review. The “science” behind Shakeology amounts to nothing more than buzz-words and a premium price for a product undeserving of it. It tastes good, yes and has some nutritional value but I wouldn’t pay the price just like I don’t pay 40 dollars for 2 pounds of whey protein.
Another “point” I see many people bring up in regards to Shakeology is that its 4 dollars a shake which is cheaper than a fast-food burger meal and healthier. This annoys me because it makes the assumption that you either have the shake or you have the crap lunch. People could buy a healthy lunch for 4 dollars or they could bring their own healthy food from home and not spend any money at all.
What gets me the most, as stated in your review, is no-one has a SINGLE PIECE of scientific evidence to back up any of the claims made. Not Beachbody, not all the coaches, no one. Its all anecdotal and personal experiences.
Check out reviews on Amazon. Post a bad review and Beachbody people turn vicious in a second calling names and using insults. I get people that use, like it and end with “in my experience” or “in my opinion” endorse the product. That’s fine. But what I’m looking for is NOT your opinion, or anyone’s opinion. Its the facts and no-one seems able to show any.
Glad i stumbled upon your review of a product i’ve been considering for a few weeks..I appreciate your time and effort..great job!
Thanks Jen!
I have been a personal trainer and yoga teacher for 16 years. I have tried numerous shakes, but found the perfect combination for me is the Shakeology (vegan) and the Garden of Life Raw Meal Replacement. I use a scoop of each in 2 cups of coconut milk and add a banana. I stay full from 7:00-12:00 and can get by with just a salad for lunch. (Now if I could just stay away from Burger King for dinner…)
Because Shakeology is so expensive, I have tried to combine my Raw Meal with various other shakes and meal replacements. They are either too thick to drink (and taste disgusting) or I am starving two hours later. For me, Shakeology is worth the price, especially when I mix it with Raw.
Rani, thanks for your words. As a personal trainer you may be interested in my personal website Joe-cannon.com
first off im not a beach body coach or anything related, i actually sourced my shakeology through ebay as im in Australia but what i have noticed is that it is almost impossible to get a review of shakeology that doesn’t seem like its written by a beachbody coach or carl daikeler himself and when i came across this i thought i should give my experience with it.
i was a relatively healthy/fit person and decided to do p90x to take it to the next level, after about 2 months i felt i was really hitting a wall and i put it down to my diet as i really thought i was bringing it and was seeing results but not what i was expecting and i knew i was not doing the right thing diet wise mostly because of lack of time, so i thought i would give shakeology a try and ordered chocolate.
first off ive noticed everyone complains about the taste, i mix it with light milk and ice and i don’t mind the taste, certainly however after 1 month of it i was loving the stuff a lot more than the first time i tried it, but i really think the taste is the last thing you should be concerning yourself with its like saying doing push ups is no good because it hurts after a while.
anyway what Ive noticed after 2 months of shakeology,
1. my performance in my p90x sessions has increased drastically since i started taking it.
2.i didn’t really lose weight but i definitely gained muscle at the same time and certainly there was a huge improvement in my stomach mid section.
3. my libido went crazy im 30 and i have the sex drive of a 17 year old now, this has only come about in the recent months of drinking shakeology.
4. i used to have white spots on my finger nails they all went away after about 2 weeks of shakeology.
5. i used to have trouble getting out of bed regardless of how much i slept, now i don’t have that problem, also my mood and energy levels throughout the day are 100 times better.
i realize that shakeology certainly seems gimmicky from the outside and there isn’t a lot of solid scientific proof backing the stuff up, but its certainly filled the nutritional gaps in my diet and i feel so much better for it and i plan on drinking the stuff forever.
sorry about the essay but there it is
thanks guys.
I agree with your concerns on the mlm side. I am a coach myself, primarily for the discount since I love the workout dvds and Shakeology really works for me. I do not like the pressure of trying to recruit people that aren’t looking to do what I do. I prefer that people ask me how I got in great shape and I simple tell them. If they would like to pursue the business, great…If not, that’s fine too.
I had to scroll through two pages of Beach Body Coach Shakeology endorsements via Google before I found your unbiased review. Thank you for the spending the time and effort to provide this information.
Blue, glad you found me. Some reviews I show up pretty fast in google results. In cases like this its tough to get to the top but Im happy you eventually found me. Do share me with your friends 🙂
Joe, I was very close to buying shakeolgy before I read your review. I have a very busy lifestyle between work, my kids, wife etc. I don’t have a lot of time to prepare foods. I’m looking to find a supplement to take that can give me vegetable servings at a reasonable price. Is there any that you can recommend?
Hi Dale, do you have the time to toss in some fruits/veggies in a blender? if so, check out my smoothie recipe
Thank you so much for this review. I actually really enjoy the taste of the chocolate, but I can see it would not be appealing to some. I’m able to get the product for $90 but that is still really expensive. Is there a similar, less expensive alternative that you would recommend? Thanks again!
Alexandra, thanks. try my smoothie recipe.
Finally … An unbiased review!!
Every review, I’ve seen on the web is done by a shakeolgy coach or someone in the Beach Body business.
I’ve become a skeptic of all supplements after watching the documentary, “Bigger, Faster, Stronger”.
It’s reviews like this that tell the truth more then then the over marketing of the distributors and manufacturer.
I like the taste of shakeolgy however, the price isn’t worth just the taste.
Whole foods are the way to go while supplemented with a good and inexpensive protein shake with protein isolates.
Depending on the individual of course.
Thank you for the detail and real review.
Sean, Im glad I was able to help you -and happy you found me too 🙂
Joe,
I too really appreciate your review. It’s nice to have an unbiased fact based review. Thank you for putting in the work for me.
Tari, thanks I apprecaite you saying that 🙂
Joe,
First off thank you for your non bias review and have booked marked your sites for future reading!!
I have been using Shakeology for some time now as a morning meal replacement prior to working-out (diluting the taste with some fruit).
I have tried to get answers before about nutritional values via Beachbody and coaches but only got the hype. Since I didn’t find any true harmful negatives or any sites discouraging me from it I continued to use it.
Your review of the product is very VERY helpful in answering some of my questions. As to whether or not I continue to use it, haven’t made that decision yet as I’ve picked up where I left off to research other possibilities.
NW Firefighter
PS. One posting on here sounds like a plant from Beachbody.com but that’s to be expected, don’t get discouraged by them.
Todd, thanks glad you found me!
Good information. Thank you for taking the time to do the research and provide to us.
Joe,
thank you very much from breaking down these two products I did read you other review on the Vi-Salus shake as well and I really needed to be informed and make an informed decision. You I purchased a workout program LESMILLS PUMP, and that’s because I don’t have the time to go the gym and they also tend to over charge and lock you into a contract anyways, they included a free-trial bag of Shakeology and to be honest the taste is great, but I can pass on that lol.
I think am better off by just making those swamp-like juices that I make on my Juicer whichever brand this one might be and just add some good Whey protein and I can easily replace a meal. After all I think that I will be getting all the values of the fruits and vegetables including their beloved fiber without having to break the bank. Thank you!
I have Shakeology and I have tried drinking it several different times. I keep it pretty simple, 1 scoop of shakeology, 1 cup skim milk, with some ice. Blend it all up in blender. I like the taste.
My problem with the product, is that it constipates me. I would continue to drink this if not for this problem. I wonder if anyone else has this problem and what kind of solution you would suggest?