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?
FYI enzymes are catalysts that accelerate a reaction which allows a molecule to reach its equilibrium quicker. what that means is that if you have someone who is deficient in a particular enzyme or doesn’t produce it, well its beneficial to have it in a shake. just think of lying the center of a bat on a baseball, which you are trying to balance evenly, an enzyme would speed up that process to balance the bat on the ball. in return, it helps accelerate the metabolic pathways such as the catabolic and anabolic pathways. well i would say that most of the enzymes in shakeology are beneficial to breaking to certain molecule especially because we don’t produce some of those enzyme.
fyi if you look at 306 and six complaints out of how many coaches they have and how many customers there are, well I’m sure they are much better than any other company. if we say there is 5,000 customers and 306 complain or even 5,000 coaches and 306 complain, whats the math? 94% satisfied customers or coaches. well we both know they have much more coaches and customers than that.
FYI, the gingko in the peer reviewed study was determined by a dosage per body dimensions and that dosage was extremely high. its like aging advil can help a headache and can also kill you if you overdose.. duh. moderation is key. trying taking a full head of garlic and juice it and tell me you dont throw up. haha. but its amazing for immune system. herbs are wonderful forms of medicine trust me i am a testimony of it but should not be over consumed.
a lot of your views are extremely biased and seems like you are finding ways to trash something.
asdf, fyi, I’m very familiar with what enzymes do -reducing the energy of activation necessary for a chemical reaction to occur, if you want to be technical about things. That said, enzymes are protein machines. Can you show me documented proof that:
1. The protein enzymes in shakeology are not destroyed when they get to the stomach?
2. that most people are lacking in those enzymes?
3. can you show me proof that the enzymes in Shakeology help the absorption of nutrients – or do anything – better than shakeology without the enzymes?
I try to give people an unbiased-science based reviews that are grounded in rational thought and free from the hype that sellers of supplements often use. Just because I disagree with what you believe, does not mean I’m being biased.
I heard today on Dr Oz that there was high doses of lead found on shakeology greenberry Is there anything to this?
Brenda, I missed that on Dr. Oz. I did some digging and it appears that Dr Oz may be referring to a report from ConsumerLab.com a site that tests supplements. On 6/28/13 they found that 40 grams of greenberry shakeology had 12.7 micrograms of lead (Adults should not consume more than 70 micrograms of lead per day from all sources). The report said that because shakeology has so many ingredients, that it was not possible to know which ingredient/ingredients were responsible for the lead.
They went on to say that while the level of lead was not toxic level for adults, lead is stored in the body and should be avoided by pregnant women and kids.
Beachbody has responded to this and their response is listed on the Dr Oz site here is a link:
doctoroz.com/beachbody-statement-response-consumer-lab-report-shakeology
ConsumerLab has responded to the BB response by saying that lead is not safe and that lead in plants often comes from contamination from the environment in which the food was grown.
Question for BB coaches in California: Does Shakeology have a lead warning on the label? Consumer lab mentioned that in California, supplements that have more than 1 microgram per serving must have a warning label.
I hope some of this helps Brenda. If you find out anything more, I hope you will let me know.
I became a BB coach because I love their workouts. They made such an impact on me that I changed careers and became a personal trainer and group fitness instructor. That being said, I just can’t get on board with Shakeolgy, which makes one a leper in the BeachBody community.
I tried it for 4 months and just didn’t see or feel any noticeable difference in how I felt or in my performance during workouts. It’s crazy expensive and I just don’t feel comfortable promoting it. Just my .02
Chris, I completely understand and you shouldn’t be made to feel like a leper by anyone in the BB community because you dont like Shakeology.
If anything, your opinion about the product makes you a BETTER coach and a better personal trainer, because you’re willing to be honest and not just toss hype at your clients.
Loretta, thanks I appreciate that. if you are in the fitness field, my personal site Joe-Cannon.com is all about personal training.
I am a very healthy eater and I work out 6 days a week. A friend of mine is a Coach and had been asking me to try it for months. I used Shakeology for a week and I gained a tremendous amount of weight-to the point that I can not fit into some of my jeans. Needless to say I am NOT a fan of this product.
I’m sure it would be good for someone who currently doesn’t eat well and doesn’t work out, but for someone who already lives a very healthy lifestyle, I would not recommend it.
crdancer83, sorry that happened to you! I think you are one of the few who have ever said shakeology caused you to gain weight.
I too had a similar experience with shakeology. I replaced a meal with the product nearly everyday for 3 years, exercised for 30-60 mins 5/6 days a week & didn’t lose one pound actually gained 7 and my clothes didn’t fit well. I took a break from it and replaced the shake with leafy greens, & other veggies along with quality protein. I cut down on my workouts to 4/5 times a week and lost 15 pounds in 8-10 weeks.
It is a great product, considering it is packed with nutrients. But I cannot drink it daily without the fear of weight gain so now drink it occasionally-a few times a month. Since they have changed the product(s) like you mentioned, I struggle to add the right ingredients to enjoy it. So it now takes more than 10 seconds to prepare. So I typically opt for something else.
I didn’t have high cholesterol or BP before I started the product or the years I was using the product but cholesterol was lowered just due to weight loss, which is a fact of weight loss. And obviously my BMI went down with the weight loss, but it was under 25 before I started.
So, for me personally it didn’t do for me what I wanted it to do. It also wasn’t a energy booster for me, which I was really hoping for! I still believe that with your doctors approval it is ideal to jump start someone that needs get started on a healthy lifestyle.
Thank you for the unbiased article. I have been looking at trying the shakeology and have a few sample pack i have yet to try. I am recovering from an ED (eating disorder) and am having a hard time making sure that I eat three meals a day. I still sometimes fall back in to my old pattern of not eating all day. I find it difficult for me to consume more than 1 meal and maybe a snack consistently. I figured that trying a meal replacement or nutritional shake would help me slowly work up to eating more.
I had heard of this through word of mouth and decided to try it. I have tried a nutritional smoothie called vega smoothie and enjoyed it although there is a bit of an aftertaste. I just wanted to try out what else is out there. When i looked for reviews i found either reviews from coaches that sing praises or reviews that were negative about the taste or customer service. This is the first unbiased review i have read! so Thank You! 🙂
Maddy, it’s my pleasure to help and I am really glad you found my words useful. Please share my review with your friends as I’m told my review of Shakeology is somewhat hard to find, given all the other reviews that are out there 🙂
Joe- you mention on several posts to compare prices on Amazon. Just want to clarify that these may be outdated products or could be something different in the logo’d bag. They also won’t carry the manufacturers guarantee. So the cost comparison is a little skewed. But otherwise I find your posts very valuable and provide an unbiased and analytical review. Thanks!
Lisa, its possible and I want people to do their own research. While what you say is true about the guarantee, some products I review (not shakeology) have horrible return policies and in that respect I feel amazon is a better option. Im glad you found my review useful – and neat website you have by the way too 🙂
I looked through a lot of these comments and didn’t see anything that answered my question. If I missed it, I apologize. I am looking to supplement my diet with some form of shake/juice. In a perfect world I would buy a juicer and make my own from lot of different fruits and veggies, however, my schedule just does not allow for the time it would take to shop and prepare that. I saw Shakeology and I’m always cautious about supplements and health food claims so I thought I would do some research.
I’m an active 30 y/o. I’ve started exercising just about everyday, but I know my diet is greatly lacking in the raw foods department. I’d like to lose a little weight (10-15 lbs), but that’s not my main concern. My main concern is getting the “good stuff” that comes from a whole food diet. Would this be a good product, is there one that you would recommend more, or am I asking too much from a supplement?
I appreciate your help.
Hi Drew, I don’t think shakeology is harmful for healthy people like yourself and while it is convenient to rip open a pack and toss it into a blender, it is not the same thing as real food.
I personally like blending fruits and veggies together. Here is the smoothie recipe I like. Others are out there. It only takes about 5 minutes to make this (Ive timed myself!). Any blender will do also. This has an advantage over juicing too because its easier to clean a blender – and juicing removes the fiber from foods. That fiber will help keep you full and stabilize blood sugar.
I’m not a medical professional by any means and I’ve never tried shakeology but if you’re looking for something just to boost your health and supplement your diet with an easy shake, I’ve tried Aloha and really like it. To my knowledge they are not an MLM. You can check out the ingredient list on their website aloha.com. I think they recently also came out with a higher protein shake. Hope you find what you’re looking for!
Ellie, thanks. I’ve heard of Aloha supplements and do want to take a look at them. I’ll see what I can do. Glad you are enjoying them 🙂
I personally think any diet that forces you to choose a shake over real food is setting you up for failure. On that study they should make the people stop taking the shakes and see what they gain back. To me shakes should be taken if there is no time to eat that meal.
You should learn to make healthy food choices, drink a gallon of water and eat the right portions with the right combination of food. Also eating 6 meals a day 3 hrs apart will help with metabolism.
in the interest of transparency for Joe and everyone else, I am a Beachbody coach. I agree with Joe (and you, Drew) that going with a whole foods approach is probably the best thing you could do; however, I’ve also seen the time and cost associated with that to be a bit difficult to manage (it takes me about 5 seconds to shake my Shakeology, compared to 5 minutes for Joe’s blended shake).
All I can do is speak from my personal experience and research, and that would be that (again, for me) Shakeology has been a good supplement to my lifestyle. I think you have to look at it in the right way also. That’s as a supplement to your other health goals. The whole foods that are used in Shakeology are difficult to get for the general consumer.
The manufacturing process it goes through strives to protect the nutrients and benefits of those ingredients, and from what I have been able to find on the market today is unlike any other supplement.
Again, this is my opinion and based on my personal experience and results (of more than one taste test). One thing I would note, is that the review on this site is nearly 3 years old now and Shakeology has gone through some changes since then. I believe the general principal Joe presents still exists, but, the info might could use some updating.
If you think Shakeology fits for you, then I’d say give it a try and see if after the first month you think it’s worth it for you personally to keep drinking it. If it’s not for you, then you’ll know and not second guess.
Jared, true its been a little bit since I wrote my shakeology review (I have tweaked it a times though since then). Have any of the ingredients in Shakeology changed since I wrote my review? I know there are new flavors but have any ingredients been added/subtracted from the product?
A few things to add to the review. Beachbody coaches “make money” on the people they recruit only the first time if they sign up with a Challenge pack ( a workout program and a month of Shakeology) which is called a Fast Start Bonus. if they do that. The 39.99 sign up fee is waived. After that we get Personal Volume points which add up to a Cycle Bonus.
We only get commission on our retails sales from customers that choose us as their Coach ( Motivational support and we answer questions). Some Coaches are personal trainers. but MOST started off as a customer so we know the journey already and are on our own journey. Shakeology has a new Vanilla Flavor now. They spent years seeking a pure , flavorful and ethically sourced vanilla.
We always tell our customers to run the ingredient list by their Doctors. Most of them don’t see anything in it that would react to current medications. Some do and that’s OK. I personally have been drinking it for 2 yrs. I haven’t gotten sick when my kids bring the bug home. and my hair, skin and nails are much improved. I could go on. but I will stop here.
Nadine, thanks for writing and Im happy you like Shakeology. I have not had a chance to try the new vanilla flavor.
I just wanted to correct the misinformation about Coaching. I have a long story about it and if you want to know more about how Beachbody changed my life. You have my email.
Here is one recipe for Vanilla Nog:
1 serving Vanilla Shakeology
1 cup nonfat milk
1 tsp. rum extract
¼ tsp. ground nutmeg
For the best taste experience, use a blender and add ice. The more ice, the thicker it gets. Feel free to use any kind of milk or milk substitute (almond, rice, or coconut milk)—the more milk, the creamier it gets! Enjoy!
Calories: 229
Nadine, thanks. Since its been a bit since I reviewed Shakeology, can you tell me if Beach Body has published any studies on the product?
Hey Joe! We were just informed that Shakeology underwent an independent clinical trial and I believe the written report should be available soon. When it is, I will definitely leave the link here for you, but here is a video describing the results – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WJRIb7CYA0U – some of which can be underscored in your review above if you so choose (e.g. two shakes a day, the health measurements at baseline, the clinical effects of lowered blood sugar, cholesterol, and weight). I am both a scientist and a Beachbody coach (in full disclosure) and appreciate the clinical study and your thorough review of the product!
Elisabeth, thanks for making me aware of it. Its an interesting video and I did watch it. Is this study that the video describes going to be published in a peer reviewed publication anytime soon?
A few thoughts after watching the video:
1. was there a placebo group? they didn’t mention if there was a placebo group or not.
2. It appears from the video that the 50 people drank 2 shakeology drinks per day – in place of breakfast and lunch. If I am correct, then this could lead to weight loss and this weight loss could be responsible for the reduction in cholesterol.
3. Blood sugar lowering – and reduction in HBA1C – could also be due to weight loss, rather than a direct effect of shakeology itself.
Can you elaborate on this? Was there a placebo group and did people use shakeology in place of breakfast and lunch – as opposed to in addition to breakfast and lunch?
Jared, I challenge you to stop taking the shakes for 90 days. Let us know how much you gain back
Hi Charlene,
I know that the study had people drink two shakes a day…and obviously if you only drink two shakes a day plus one meal you will loose weight and will gain it all back immediately after you start eating normally again.
However in reality beachbody doesn’t actually encourage people to drink two shakes a day and only eat one meal. On the program I am doing (21 day fix) we eat real food (and lots of it, I’m actually having a hard time eating ALL of what is suggested) plus 30 minutes of intense workouts a day. The shakes are suggested either as a meal replacement or a snack (note that we are to eat 6 meals a day, so 1 shake + 5 small meals is a far cry from 2 shakes + 1 meal).
As a meal replacement I add spinach, blueberries almond butter and almond milk. It has saved my life a couple of times when I’m too busy or too lazy to cook, or am out and about at least I can drink a healthy smoothy instead of grabbing unhealthy junk. Also on the meal plan (as any healthy weight loss plan) we eat clean…therefore no sugar, so the shake does provide a little desert like satisfaction.
I have never been one to do diets, I know they are bs and that the weight will just come packing on…what I like about this program is they truly show people how to eat healthy and in the proper proportions. They are all about exercise and fitness. The shakes are only a small part of the whole plan and not even obligatory. I must eat 4 servings of protein a day, a shake can count as one…but it’s not a must.
All this to say that I am pretty confident that if Jared is eating healthy and working out there is no reason why he’d gain weight if he stopped drinking the shakes for 90 days.
Do you have a recent review of Shakeology? There are more flavors now (chocolate, vegan chocolate, greenberry, vanilla, and vegan tropical strawberry) and I think the formulas are tweaked a bit. Would love to see updated reviews. I really enjoy your sit and the unbiased approach you take with the ingredients.
Hi Missy, so far I have not looked at Shakeolgy again. I believe the ingredients are the same no matter what the flavor so I think my review still is valid. The taste may have changed as Ive heard people say they were working on that. I still hear people say they mix shakeology with other stuff, which makes me think the taste still may be an issue for some.
I don’t use the Shakeology but my mother does. She is extremely over weight. She has had the gastric by-pass done a couple years ago. And is still dealing with the right amount of fill. She did lose about 50 lbs. over a year ago but has gained that all back.
She uses the Shakes ever day and doesn’t want to give them up because it helps keep her blood thinned at the right spot. (She is on blood thinner). She does exercise but only riding a bike. She has a stationary bike that she rides. We have talked to her about doing other exercises but being the weight she is at other types bother her hips and feet.
I don’t think the Shakeology is something she should be using. Supposedly she uses it as her breakfast.
My question is on someone who is quite obese and can only work out like she is is Shakeology really a good way to go? I am just really concerned about her weight and nothing seems to be working. Oh she is also on weight watchers.
Melanie, if she uses the shakes in place of something that has more calories, it should help her lose weight. that is the same premise as with other shakes too. Maybe if she used it in conjunction with something like MyFitnessPal, it might help give her more solidify her goals?
If she is riding the stationary bike then that is good enough for right now. have her write down how far she rides each day. She should try to build up to at least 30 min per day. it does not have to be at the same time either.
This is a great review and site, thank you for sharing!
A little about me: I’m turning 36 (tomorrow!) and have two young kids. I work a lot, workout, and run around a lot with them. I need all the energy I can get. I went paleo last year and felt great after. Though I have no health problems, I did lose the weight I’d put on and felt clarity and energy I never had before.
I am currently in day 3 of a 10-day Shakeology trial. The past few months have been stressful and I have been eating junk and put the weight back on, etc. I decided to try it because I needed to kick start my routine again, and I thought a meal replacement would be great for those times when it’s a pizza or nothing, and it can’t hurt to add more vitamins to my diet (I try to eat veggies & drink green juice, but can’t daily due to time).
My first three days have honestly been mostly about carb withdrawal, which has nothing to do with Shakology. I don’t notice anything different otherwise regarding energy, nor do the 2 friends doing the challenge with me, but we’ll give it the 10 days.
I am also a little annoyed because we’re using it for breakfast and by 10:30 we’re starving. I asked the BB coach about this, and she said if we’re just making it with water, the calories might not be enough, especially after a workout. She’s right, so I made it with milk and eggs as a shake this morning, but then I’m not replacing my breakfast, am I?
I don’t see how this could work as a meal replacement daily for anyone that requires a decent amount of calories, who regularly works out, etc. At least not in the long term. I actually found it easier to do intermittent fasting than using this as a meal replacement.
Again we’re only on day 3, and I have the attitude that I’ll try it and see how I feel to make up my mind… but so far all I’m seeing are marketing videos (that don’t really have any substance in them) and the referrals to research you mention above, which have zero details and I think the same results can be achieved with a change in diet/exercise even without the shakeology drink… (to your point above)
I’d love to hear from someone who already eats well (preferably clean eating/no grains), works out, drinks a lot of green juice, and got something out of it by adding Shakeology…
I’ll reread the above comments and continue to check back. Thanks for this thread!
-Liz
Liz K, thanks I’m glad you found me! I think sometimes my shakeology review gets pushed down in search results due to so many other reviews out there on this product. With respect to the BB coaches, I personally still feel weight loss results with shakeology are due to the discipline that comes with the “challenge” as opposed to Shakeology itself. I still have not seen any published studies on Shakeology to justify it (I reserve the right to change my opinion if research gets published).
Since you mentioned intermittent fasting, did you see the book The Fast Diet. I just listened to the audio version which I thought was pretty interesting.
On my personal site Ive written my thoughts about weight loss supplements and other things that might have an effect. Here is the link http://www.joe-cannon.com/what-weight-loss-supplements-work/
My daughter used shakeology and dropped pounds to a certain point. Once she stopped using it she lost the remainder. Most of her weight was in the hips. She never exercised at all, not even walking. I figure it works for pear shaped individuals, I tried it as well and didn’t have the same success.
It on the other hand raises my blood pressure seriously high, and gives me a headache. I don’t have the same body shape, I’m more hour glass, and I exercise faithfully, with both weight training, walking, and classes at the gym.
I’m glad it works for some people but don’t assume it will work for everyone, as there are a multitude of ingredients that you could have an allergic reaction to.
Dora, how high does your blood pressure go with Shakeology? Did this happen more than once? Just curious.
Thanks for a very thorough, objective review.
Jenn, you are very welcome 🙂
Hi there. Allow me to toss myself into the review pot for Shakeology(R). My name is Maria & I am 40 years old. Yes, I am a BB coach- but primarily a Zumba Fitness(R) Instructor with a pretty demanding schedule. Prior to getting my start in Zumba(R) and losing 60 pounds over 3 years ago, I was always sick & overweight.
Since age 13 I have suffered from hypoglycemia, anemia, chronic fatigue syndrome, chronic migraines (almost daily, up to 14 hours at a time), major bowel issues, and major menstrual issues since about age 27. But although the weight loss & increased cardio activity were a major accomplishment, my schedule tossed me into over-training & all of my symptoms were compounded. Last October, a friend of mine, long-time in the fitness industry, suggested I try Shakeology(R) for just 5 days.
I immediately felt better in that one week than I had for most of my life. I lost about 3 pounds, was no longer waking up in the middle of the night with severe cramping, not taking naps during the day because I could sleep through the night, had more energy. But at the time I wasn’t financially in a place to continue taking Shakeology(r). But I just kept getting worse & worse and by early May of this year was looking at quitting all my classes & being bedridden again. (Spent 8 & 9th grade that way, and most of my college years).
I realized I could no longer afford NOT to be on Shakeology(R) anymore. So, with the help of my fiance, I jumped in w/both feet. I am now on day 45 of my 30 day supply bag (great investment). AND EVERYTHING I HAVE SUFFERED WITH ALL MY LIFE IS GONE!!!!! Not the first headache. No IBS. No crashing blood sugar. No dizzy spells. No weird food cravings. No muscle cramps. No fatigue. No depression. No pain whatsoever-NONE-from my menstrual cycle & it’s becoming regular now-instead of twice a month. I am now able to physically do more at age 40 than ever before in my life!!
And my life has quality now. I’m not miserable & suffering anymore. I swear by this stuff- it has saved my life. That’s just my bit. Thanks for letting me share!
Maria, thanks for sharing 🙂
Hey Joe,
Great article, thanks for the unbiased review of Shakeology, its hard to come by. I am a beachbody coach, mainly for the discounts. I joined a challenge group for the fitness aspect and drinking shakeology daily is a requirement during the challenge period. I’ve been on shakeology for a month now, i dont feel any energy improvement but i did see a dramatic improvement in my skin.
I have vitiligo (loss of pigment cells). I’ve been receiving treatment in the form of steroid injections for years and the progress of re-pigmentation has been slow. Since i started shakeology, the rate of re-pigmentation has just about tripled, which makes me happy. My body must be deficient in something even though i eat healthy and take a multivitamin. My digestive system has also felt better, i used to run into “issues” quite often and its stopped.
I don’t use shakeology as a meal replacement, its just a supplement to my diet. I do feel there are benefits to it, i wish your review was performed after using it for 30 days and i wish you kept the business aspect out of it and just focused on the product itself. However, i do like how you break down the ingredients and what they do etc/
Truth be told, this product is just like any other supplement out there, there’s no hard science backing the companies claims. Weight loss comes from adjustments in your diet and exercise, this product alone isnt a miracle doesn’t melt away fat.
For me, Its hard to justify 100 bucks a month for shakeology. I’m on the fence about it, i will do a review after my 90 day challenge is up. the only good thing is for those that are reading this article, dont be afraid to TRY IT, there really is nothing to lose. BB guarantees a full refund, even after a month and the bag is empty, so no harm and trying it. Everyone’s body is different and reacts to supplements differently, what might help one person, might not help the next.
Erin, thanks and that is interesting what you said about vitiligo.
Appreciate the review.
Its funny how everyone thinks there is this Breakthrough on weight loss..
Diet + exercise = healthy.
mystery solved right?
Marianne, that’s what I’d think too. 🙂
Hi Joe!
I just read your review and it’s great! I am in my first month of trying this and I’ll report back to you with any results. So far, I like putting it in my morning smoothies as I tend to be very rushed in the mornings. What I am hoping to get out of this is more energy and some weight loss would be great!!!!
Thanks Vanna, Ill look forward to hearing how Shakeology works for you.
Nice review Joe! I am an “Independent Team Beachbody Coach”, and have been using Shakeology for several months (started using it prior to deciding to become a coach). I had used a few other quality “nutrient” shakes prior to settling on Shakeology – Vega Sport and GenuineHealth were also a couple of my favourites. I wouldn’t touch anything with sucralose (which, I believe rules out ones like Body by Vi) – personal preference.
Though I eat clean 90% of the time anyway, I’ve always used a nutrient/protein shake as a “snack” (I eat 3 meals/3 snacks daily). I haven’t needed to lose weight in over 3 years, so I don’t drink it as a “weight loss” shake. Like so many on here, I’ve been trying to find more specific studies on Shakeology, but they are simply hard to find. This would be true though on most/all supplement products (from my own searches…I could be wrong?). You might find more behind Shakeology by visiting Darin Olien’s website – and links to some magazine articles written about him and Shakeology.
I just want to comment on a couple posts above…I don’t believe the ingredients are “extracts”, they are apparently whole-food sourced (at least the main ingredients). Also, I believe I did read it is processed in the US – but, not 100% sure (IIRC, it was mentioned in one of those articles). The ingredients are sourced from around the world as far as I know as well.
Anyway, it would be beneficial if formal tests could be conducted on these supplements – or a lot of foods in general. But, until that happens, I think eating as clean as possible, and educating yourself on supplements (and which ones you need – if any) is the best thing to do.
I look forward to reading through more of your reviews!
Andrea, thanks Im glad you were able to find my Shakeology review! I’d agree the ingredients in Shakeology come from foods. Only where it says “extract” is an extract used. Like Juice Plus, I think there is a little bit of a lot of things in Shakeology and Id also guess the composition of each ingredient might vary from packet to packet. I checked Darrons website and he doesn’t list any studies either. If you ever find any published peer reviewed studies on Shakeology do let me know and I will add them to my review 🙂
Hi Joe – I was referring to the articles on Shakeology under “Press” on Darin’s website. The one from Businessweek, and “O” magazine are probably the most informative – though, yes, lack peer-reviewed, clinical studies. But, I guess my point was that like most other products in the supplement/naturopath/herbal /diet world, we likely won’t see specific hard scientific evidence to its true effectiveness (in the diet space, how many are cutting out wheat products these days because of a certain non-peer-reviewed NY Times best seller?)
In North America, we typically hear of the next great “super-food” product and jump all over it – acai, goji, and quinoa are the first ones that come to mind over the past few years. Are these as great as they’ve been hyped up to be? From a pure scientific standpoint, we honestly don’t fully know. Can they be harmful? I doubt it. They – like most whole foods – likely do have some benefit, as well as all the other herbal/whole foods that are in products like Shakeology. It’s a bit of a leap of faith.
I wouldn’t personally make the claims that Shakeology (or any supplement) will be the one product to change your life. I use it along with the 10-12 servings of fruit/veggies (mostly raw) I get in a day – to compliment the usual array of apples, bananas, spinach, broccoli, carrots, etc. As some of those articles point out – and your review – there are specific “known” properties to the super-foods listed in Shakeology. The “Supplement Facts” panel I think lists the breakdown of vitamins, minerals in a serving – which is likely the most we can expect to find.
Anyway, I definitely appreciate seeing your non-coach review, and if any new information comes up, I’ll be sure to pass it along…hopefully we can see more testing of all these supplements in the future!
Andrea, Thanks! 🙂
Shakeology lowered my cholesterol 20 points, after I had lowered it 80 pts through diet and exercise..I’m a believer.
how did your LDL (bad cholesterol) change with shakeology? Did it change?
Any thoughts on Usana Nutrimeal? Including their 5 day jump start reset.
So far I have not looked at Usana but if you know the ingredients, put them in the search box and see if I covered them in other products.