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 had a terrible experience with Shakeology. I ordered it because so many of my friends & clients were using the product and swearing by it!
I ordered the 24 pack with the Piyo Pack and almost immediately started in on drinking the Shakes as a replacement for either breakfast or lunch.
It’s important to note that I was doing everything correctly in regards to my diet and exercise, which included limiting my calories to 800-1000 calories per day, logging everything I ate, sticking to weight watchers snacks and veggies/fruits and lean protein.
After about a week I went to weigh myself in and found to my horror that I had GAINED 8 LBS!!!!
I immediately stopped drinking the Shakes and dropped the weight almost instantly. I thought it might have been a fluke and took up drinking it for a couple of days during a busy work weekend to hopefully give myself more energy and again over the two days drinking Shakeology I was bloated and had gained 3 lbs.
Again after cutting it out, I lost the weight and since NOT being on Shakeology have continued on to lose almost 30 lbs and still counting.
I think it’s very important that Shakeology acknowledges that just like with anything else, their product will NOT work for everyone. It’s very mis-leading to tell customers that Shakeology will work for weight loss indefinitely and I was extremely concerned and disappointed with my results, especially with being so mindful and careful with my regime on a daily basis.
I will never purchase Shakeology or any kind of meal replacement shake for that matter again. I have learned that I live in the real world and I need to learn to eat healthy no matter where I am or what I am doing. I do not want to be reliable on any sort of magic fix replacement and that is no way to live for the rest of my life.
Brigette, I know there are many recipes with Shakeology. Were you just drinking Shakeology – alone- or were you combining it with one or more of the recipes? Just curious.
I don’t know what your height and weight are but 800-1000 calories might be a bit too drastic a reduction in your calories. When you cut down too much your body goes into starvation mode and your metabolism slows. So, I don’t know that the weight gain had anythign to do with the meal replacement shake so much as it may have had to do with the fact taht you were eating too few calories.
Thank you for the in depth review. I have been using Shakeology for 3 months and have found that I am getting severe stomach cramps. The only change in my diet has been adding these shakes. Even after stopping them I am still suffering. I wake up every morning in pain and then I have to run to the bathroom. It is absolutely horrible.
I do not know what in the ingredients can be causing this, especially after stopping the use of them. My pains are not as frequent but I do still have them. Some days seem better then others.
I would advise people to be very cautious and at the first sign of stomach pain please stop before it gets severe.
Amy, you are very welcome and sorry to hear about your stomach pains. have you seen your doctor about this? if not, I’d recommend it. Being in pain is never a good thing.
Thanks Joe. I honestly thought it was from reflux as I have always suffered with it. It has been fine for years because I manage it with clean eating. I thought it was flaring up again until I started researching people having the same pain as I have. I plan on contacting my doctor soon.
Amy, good I am glad to hear that. Hopefully you feel better soon.
Amy,
I am a Beachbody Coach and am really trying to educate myself on every aspect of Shakeology. The good and the bad (Joe – this review is great, thank you for the time spent on it!).
Are you using one of the vegan options or one of the regular options? I spoke to a nutritionist a few weeks ago she did mention similar issues to what you are saying in regards to Shakeology, but after making a switch to a vegan option, the symptoms either went away or were much more mild.
Asking purely out of curiosity! 🙂
Gid, happy to help 🙂
Gid,
No I never made the switch to vegan, I do not think the issue was dairy. My stomach is finally better but it took a little over a month to get back to normal.
I did not like SHAKEOLOGY enough to go the vegan route and the pains were so intense I did not want to try it.
Hi, I am College student doing Engineering. I am looking for meal replacement shake (at least 2 meals a day). Something that is decently fast, cheap, and healthy as I do not have much time to eat, am on a budget and do not want to mess up my body. Would you guys recommend Shakeology? Or is there something else that I should look into? P.S. I also have a fairly fast metabolism as well which is also concerning for shakes that are touted for weight loss.
Hi Josh, Shakeology – the last time I checked was a pricey although I’m told you get a discount if you become a distributor. Even so, it doesn’t have many calories and Im not sure if using it alone would hold you over between meals. If you add things too it, then it would increase the calories but that would only add to the cost and time it takes to prepare. The isagenix shake has more calories and you might find that more satisfying. Here’s my review of the isagenix shake for more info.
Do you own a blender? Do you live near a produce junction or someplace you can get bulk fruits and veggies? Do you belong to Cosco, BJs or Sams Club? If yes you could make your own shake in about 5 minutes. For example, here is the shake I make in my blender.
I’m sorry if someone already posted this but I was wondering if Shakeology affects birth control in any way.
Crystalyn, honestly I don’t know if any of the ingredients do or not. I recommend you try this: Print up the ingredients and show them to your pharmacist. They may be able to shed light on if any of them interact with birth control pills. Please let me know what she/he says.
REALLY glad I found this. I’m a beachbody coach and I cannot STAND Shakeology, and I do believe that Beachbody is hiding things within the hype. It’s statements like “Shakeology is crucial to weight loss” that really irk me, because, no, it’s not. A calorie deficit is crucial to weight loss and proper macronutrient management is crucial to body composition changes.
Spent about 2 hours reading this and all the links provided, and really appreciate the work you put into this.
If people want it, then awesome, I’ll sell it to them, but you’ll never find me pushing it on people.
Joe, thanks so much for writing. I’m really happy my review was able to help. I didn’t know BB was saying “shakeology is crucial to weight loss” so thanks for that also.
Thank you very much for the detailed review on Shakeology – it was very informative and exactly what I was looking for. I have numerous friends who have used Shakeology and like it, however, myself and my kids have been using JuicePlus+ Orchard and Garden caps & chewables (for the kids) for a year and a half and am so impressed. Have you had a chance to review their Complete drink? If so, I would love to compare the two drinks.
Sarah, thanks I apprecate your nice words. Juice Plus Complete is on my list and I hope to have something out on it this year. Here is my review of Juice Plus research if you care to peek at it. Stay tuned I will have something on the Complete eventually 🙂
Thanks for your review. It was extremely helpful. There’s too many biased opinions regarding shakeology. I’m very skeptical of hype, but decided to give it a try and see if there were any miracles. I’m still not sure if it’s beneficial or not, but I’m not finished with my week’s supply yet. The lead in the green shake is scary, so I might skip trying it. I like making informed decisions. This is my feelings based on what I learned from your review. It’s good for the short term, but gold old fashioned food – whole grains, lean protein, fruit and veggies (but in smaller doses if dieting) is your best bet for the long term.
Cathy, thanks for stopping by and sharing. I’m really happy my review was able to help you.
I tried Shakeology from a friend for about 3-4 servings and decided I wanted to give it a try. I recently ordered in December of 2014. I was unable to start right away due to trip to NC to help my mother after a heart procedure. Fast forward. When I got back home and settled, I began it on a Monday morning.
Became ill almost three hours later. Vomiting and horrible “other stuff”. Thought, well, perhaps I picked up a virus with my travels. Tried it again yesterday morning and experienced the same thing only much more severe this time.
I am very frustrated because I cannot find what ingredient may be causing this to me. Obviously, I will not be consuming it again, but I’ve communicated with BeachBody twice to see if I can return the product.
I think if there could be a potential problem for people that it may be good to know that if you have IBS or an intolerance to a food and it’s in there that you may be at risk. I’ve read a lot of message boards and my symptoms are not solely unique to me by a long shot.
Monica, so sorry that happened to you! From what distributors tell me, BB has a very good return policy so you shouldn’t have a problem doing this. Did you get it from a BB coach? What do they say about what happened? Let me know what happens with returning it.
I hope your mom is doing well.
They were truly great and professional once the e-mails were going through (my original contact never made it through for some reason). I have also sent them lot numbers and other items per their request. They wanted their Quality Assurance on it before I sent it back. So if other use it and don’t have the same problems I do, they are definitely a reputable company and stand by their product.
Moncica, I’m glad they were good at communicating with you. While I’d think you should not have to wait for Quality Assurance before sending it back, hopefully that process goes smoothly. Keep me updated on what happens.
I started shakeology for the first time this past May when I began the 21 Day Fix program! While I had amazing results with weightless and muscle condition there were other things I noticed as well.
First let me say that I’ve always been able to losé weight with just exercise and/or healthy eating. Exercise alone has given me the results I wanted! However I noticed the amount of energy I had! Im 38 years old and have 5 children ranging from 18 to 1!! The last 4 years I’ve been pregnant, nursing and not sleeping well!! For me to say that I had so much energy is an understatement! I felt the best I’ve been in several years!! So, I assumed it was the shakeology because that was the only supplement different from all three vitamins I’ve been taking!
I used shakeology as an after workout drink rather than meal replacement! 4 months into my newly established workout regime, I began to feel pain in my lower back/right buttocks. This has lasted and still feel pain now. I’ve taken a break from working out and as a result stopped drinking the shakes. I no longer feel the energy I used to! I’m still eating healthy, have not gained body weight back but have lost muscle tone!
My husband recently started taking the shakes as his after bball recovery drink and noticed he wasn’t feeling as tired either. So to us, the energy boost from drinking the shakes was noticeable enough to know it was the shakeology drink. Lack of energy is the reason most people choose to not exercise!
Sorry for the typos, … Wanted to clarify that my husband noticed he WASN’T AS TIRED*
Carmen, no worries I cleaned it up 🙂
Carmen, thanks for sharing. I’m happy it’s working for you both. Try going to the Dr about that pain.
Hi Joe. There is one thing you didn’t comment on in this review, but I’m curious. The Shakeology label seems to list several of their vitamins as the synthetic form, yet it is touted all over the internet that Shakeology only contains vitamins from natural food sources. Some people may not care whether their vitamins are synthetic, but some people may have adverse reactions. So to me, this is important for people to know.
It does bother me that the “superfoods” listed don’t have amounts. There’s no way of knowing how much of these ingredients you are getting, and whether you are getting the amount necessary for the effects they are supposed to provide. There is also no way to tell whether they may interact with someone’s medication without giving specific amounts.
Also, I wouldn’t advise asking if the probiotics are alive, as anyone from Beachbody will tell you they are, haha.
Hi Heather, Thats an interesting observation. I didn’t know BB coaches were saying Shakeology was natural or all natural. My opinion on the synthetic vs natural debate is it depends. There are some vitamins that are better in their synthetic form. Folic acid for example is synthetic form of folate (found in food). Folic acid is better absorbed. As an aside, thats not always a good thing as there is evidence that too much folic acid may be linked to cancer. That in turn could be another feather in the natural vitamins camp.
Regardless of which is better I don’t see any proof that the vitamins in shakeology are better than vitamins in a less expensive multi vitamin.
That’s a nice website you have by the way 😉
Joe, I love shakeology and drink it daily but just found I’m 6 weeks pregnant. What do you know about the ashwagandah in it? Is it deemed safe because it’s such a low dose?
Rachel, first off, congratulations! I did some searching of ashwagandha during pregnancy for you today and while I didn’t find any specific human research, I did find websites saying it should not be used during pregnancy or breast feeeding because of concerns that the herb might cause abortions. The word they use on the websites below is “abortifacient” which is science-talk for anything that causes an abortion. Here are 2 websites that mention this:
http://www.drugs.com/npp/ashwagandha.html
http://altmedicine.about.com/od/herbsupplementguide/a/ashwagandha_benefits.htm
To be honest, I’m not sure at what level this might occur or how likely it is to occur in people. I don’t think anyone does. Shakeology only has about 100 mg per shake which isn’t a lot. That said, I given how serious this potentially might be, my opinion is to not use the product while pregnant or nursing.
As I mentioned in my review, the supplement site ConsumerLab.com has found lead in Shakeology. I have not heard much about this lately (BB Coaches, do you know if BB has conducted its own tests on lead levels?) but given the toxicity of lead, I think you should minimize your exposure during pregnancy. Here is a summary of lead from the CDC website: http://www.cdc.gov/biomonitoring/Lead_FactSheet.html
Here’s what I suggest, show the shakeology ingredients and the websites on ashwagandha that I linked to above to your doctor and get her/his impute. Mention the lead issue as well. For me, I would not take the chance but they may have a different opinion than I do.
If you do this, please let me know what they say.
I will review the articles you posted as I am also a new beachbody coach. I heard from my doctor today and even though the recommended doses I found were 100-600mg twice daily and shakeology is 100mg I am nervous taking it without approval from my OB. She said she couldn’t approve it but it was my personal decision.
For now I will forgo drinking it. ;( as a RN myself and with so little true research able to be tied to it I don’t want to take any chances with my baby.
Rachel, given the unknowns, I think that’s a wise choice.
I waited until I was no longer nursing to start Shakeology! Nothing but your baby is worth the sacrifice during pregnancy! Real, whole food and good quality whole food or raw prenatals are a better investment
Smart move Carmen 🙂
Hi I’m Crystal, I need to know before I start this what effects will Shakeology have on my Diabetes I take Humalog twice a day and also my depression which I take Effexor and Xanax for, I don’t want to throw away more money as I have already tried Nutrisystem/ Weight Watchers/ Jenny Craig Slim fast and I believe there was one that was almost all shakes puddings and something else I don’t remember what it was l belive it was called New You I have tried almost everything including L.A Weight Loss.
I really would love to try this but I am afraid of wasting more money and/or getting sick on top of that. So any information you could give me on these subjects.
Thanks,
Crystal
Chrystal, Im assuming you have type II diabetes. If shakeology helps you lose weight, it is because people drink it in place of eating more higher calorie foods. In this way, shakeology – and every other meal replacement shake – may help people lose weight. Not eating as many calories is crucial though for this to happen. Drinking shakeology while eating the way you normally do, will not work.
Shakeology has a LOT of ingredients so this is what I suggest. Get a package – or print up the ingredients I listed here – and show it to your pharmacist and ask him/her if any of the ingredients will interact with the medications you are taking.
Shakeology is made by Beach Body, a company that has a lot of exercise programs. My MS degree is in exercise science so I also want to add that exercise alone doesn’t do much for weight loss. Just wanted to mention this in case you started some of those other beach body DVDs. Any exercise will help you be healthy but there is nothing special about the exercise DVDs to make me think they are any better than what you can do on your own
Crystal, it sounds like you have spent a lot of money on different weight loss products. Have you ever consulted with a registered dietitian? your insurance may cover this. They can help you find a low calorie eating plan that will help you lose weight. The website to find an RD is EatRight.org and here is the part of their website that lets you find an RD in your area http://www.eatright.org/programs/rdnfinder/ (just click I agree at the disclaimer. I wish they wouldn’t have a disclaimer). Find an RD who specializes in diabetes and/or weight loss.
Here is a link to my personal site where I interviewed a woman who used to be a diabetic and how she got off all her medications. She didn’t use Shakeology : http://www.joe-cannon.com/interview-yolanda-bowles-diabetes-exercise-nutrition-cure-type-ii-diabetes/
I do hope some of this helps Crystal. I believe in you Crystal. I will say a prayer today that you get the help you need. If I can help more, just ask.
Hi Joe,
I stumbled upon your blog looking for unbiased opinions on different shakes. Over two years ago I looked at the ingredients of 6 different shakes trying to find something to recommend my clean eating clients. I had just got my nutrition certification and was making my own green smoothies with my awesome Vitamix! When I saw all that Shakeology had, I was pretty blown away because I was spending money on probiotics, digestive enzymes, protein powder and chinese mushrooms.
I signed up as a coach without even trying Shakeology. It was a no brainer that it didn’t matter to me what it tasted like because of the nutrition. I was only going to try it out to make sure I felt good about them. Didn’t need to lose weight because I was already fit and healthy from my own hard work.
After a week of making them, I got too lazy to make my own smoothies and happy to drink the shakes for convenience.
Since I didn’t need to really lose weight I would put 1/2 of banana and almond butter in mine for more calories. Then I was thinking how can I tell if this expensive stuff works. My cholesterol runs pretty high, due to family history. Even though I was healthy weight and cleaning eating my last reading it was 197.
After a couple months of drinking Shakeology I ordered a blood lipid on my own and was not really thinking anything would change. After all I was “healthy” and it was genetics. Well, I got proved VERY wrong and my cholesterol dropped to 162!!
For years I would do whatever possible to lower it. I think about 15 years ago, I had got it down to 178 but for many years and I have my blood work it went from 180’s up to 225.
At 31 a doctor told me that if I don’t keep my weight down and eat healthy I would probably need meds by the time I was in my 40’s. I’m now 46 and for two years have had my cholesterol checked and it varies from 162 – 165.
My ex was very cynical as well, but FINALLY started drinking it. After a month he wanted to get his blood work done. Triglycerides went down 500+, from 1100+ to 539 and cholesterol went down 30+. He’s now so excited that he’s cleaning up his diet to get his numbers under mine..haha
In regards to someone posting about getting sick, I do believe that is possible due to the large amount of ingredients. Just because it’s from a natural source doesn’t mean someone won’t react.
It’s not for everyone, but if someone is trying to get cholesterol down, I’m definitely endorsing Shakeology!! It has done other amazing things like one of my clients was going through chemo a second time and was drinking it for that round. Everyone kept telling her how much better she looked and she said she was losing less hair, so her family got on it!
Anyway, wanted to share my personal story of how it changed my life with no change to diet, but adding Shakology in place of my home made veggie and fruit smoothies.
Michelle
Michelle, thanks for writing and I appreciate that you had your blood lipid panel done. I wish more people would do what you did because that seems like the only way to learn more about Shakeology until better studies are done.
The fact that shakeology contains lead contamination completely throws me off and I will stay away and just go with a natural organic protein. Thanks for the research.
Paty, I’m glad to be of service.
My friend’s wife is a BeachBody “fitness” coach. She weighs nearly 300 pounds and clearly knows nothing about fitness or nutrition. It’s pretty embarrassing. So far the only people who have been browbeaten and guilt-tripped into buying BeachBody products from her are friends and family.
Personally I think Shakeology is the Scientology of the fitness world. And it (yes, I have tried all flavors) tastes like fried donkey ass, no matter how much pureed fruit you add to it. If I want protein powder, I can buy a tub for $30 at WalMart.
RP, while I don’t think we can judge your friends wife based on her weight, calling it The “scientology of fitness” is an interesting comparison.
I have been struggling with my weight for years after my 4 girls but I’m really tired of it. I have pcos, sleep apnea, asthma, I’m dangerously anemic at times, and at times struggle with depression (which I’m sure is due to the afore mentioned).
All that to say that I’ve been looking through websites for info on shakeology and Vi and these are the first non biased write ups I’ve seen. Thank you so much for that!!
Jasmin, you are very welcome and Im glad I was able to help you. Depression is common given all that you are going through. Have you ever considered consulting with a registered dietitian? Here is the page of the website where you can find an RD in your area http://www.eatright.org/programs/rdnfinder/ (just say ok to the disclaimer). It sounds to me like your weight may be the cause of your sleep apnea and asthma and there may also be a link to PCOS also. An RD can help make an eating program for you that will help you lose weight, which in turn may help your other issues.
if not that, then do take a look at Weight Watchers. I do like the social component that they offer. I think its the “secret sauce” in the program.
let me know if I can be of more help and do have a great 4th of July 🙂
Joe, I am not sure if you have reviewed Juice Plus Complete Shake Mix before. We are whole food based and actually have a nutrition label on our bag and not a supplement label because it is made from food! Because of it’s ingredients, Shakeology carries a supplement label. The Complete shake is 100% plant based, all non-GMO ingredients, gluten free, fat free, cholesterol free, and has no artificial flavors, colors or preservatives! It also only costs $30 a bag! We have been tested in over 30 independent studies. The taste is also amazing! Let me know if you would like to review! Thank you so much for your blog!
Happy, I have not yet had a chance to review Juice Plus Complete but I do have a couple of reviews on Juice Plus.
Here is my review of Juice Plus research to get you started. The JP complete is on my list though 🙂
I’m a new beachbody coach, on board because i believe in the program. I’d I can help people achieve their fitness goals as I am achieving mine then I’m satisfied.
Because I’m more focused on the helping part instead of the selling, I haven’t made much money from it. I do not drink shakeology although I have been interested in it because of the rave reviews that so many people I know personally have.
After reading your article though, I think I will stick with my post workout $18 precision shake! Thank you!
Misty, you are very welcome. I’m glad I was able to help.
Hello,
I just happened upon your post, and I think it is very well done. You provide facts, and let the reader decide. Thank you for that.
On a personal level, I did not have a good experience with Shakeology. It caused me to have immediate stomach aches, and bathroom issues (I won’t go into detail). I tried all the flavors. I only used vegan almond milk, ice, water, and blueberries to blend with the Shakeology.
Now, I should preface that I am an extremely clean eater already. Nothing I was doing before Shakeology would be considered “unhealthy” by fitness or medical standards. I cook ALL of my food at home, I eat only organic vegetables from a CSA, local meats, and eggs from my neighbors. I almost never eat dairy (I just don’t like it, and it causes some congestion issues for me as well). I never eat fast food, anything in a package–even juice–and rarely go out to dinner.
It’s just the way I like it, because I know what’s going in my body, and I never have stomach issues anymore. I have been eating like this for about four years. It’s also the way I ate when I initially lost 25 lbs in 2010. Just diet and exercise. Not rocket science. And it worked.
Fast forward to 2014, and I’ve gotten pretty comfortable at about +10 of those pounds. I still exercise, but I am no longer training for marathons/half-marathons, so I’ve definitely reduced the intensity of my workouts. I still eat healthily, though, and rarely (if ever) get sick.
I was introduced to P90X3 by a friend of mine (who’s also a BB coach), a yoga instructor, fitness instructor, etc. I was excited to try something new and in my home, because the gym has never been my favorite place.
I started the program, and within 30 days, saw about 4 lbs come off. I added some runs back into my routine, which I suspected would help me lose a little more, or at the very least, maintain what I had lost already. I was trying to anticipate hitting a plateau. Well, I hit it. At 34-years-old, it seems like every year is becoming a little more difficult to keep my body at that peak I had when I was 30.
Anyway, I completed 30 more days, and all the while had been using my own protein powder to replace one or two meals a day. I thought about just getting the Shakeology because everyone on the FB support group raved about it, and were having much more success than I was after two months (although, I must add, I was gaining muscle, so that was probably why the number on the scale wasn’t moving).
That’s when I got the individual packs from eBay (unopened, not out of date) to try before I spent $140 on the full bag of POWDER. (I am still not over that sticker shock.) I used the exact same ingredients I was using in my other shakes, and just felt awful after every one of them. I can tell when something is no good in my body right away, especially since I changed my diet so dramatically years ago. This just wasn’t working. I gave them all a shot, and it just wasn’t worth it.
Then I started to look for other people who had issues with Shakeology, and surprisingly found many on the boards on Beach Body.com. But, here’s the part that burns me: every time someone complained about cramps, bloating, diarrhea, vomiting (ALL NOT NORMAL), someone breezed in to finger wag at them! “Are you sure you’re mixing it right?” “Maybe you should try a 1/2 scoop, and work your way up to a full scoop.” “You might be having issues because it’s flushing out toxins.” Don’t patronize me. I’m not an addict. I’m not going through withdrawals! Has everyone been so brainwashed by this protein powder that they look down at the people who truly don’t like it, or whom it made sick?
If it makes you sick, it makes you sick. I’d rather eat some hardboiled eggs and some lean meat to get my 15 grams of protein. I’ve never had a problem with real food. To me, the logic of Shakeology just seems out of line with eating well and exercising.
Also, the time saving argument doesn’t work on me either. If you spend at least 30 mins watching TV, then you have time to make and eat real food.
And, one last thing, please don’t tell me to try it again. I’ll save my $100+ and use it on real food.
Thanks for your post.
Noelle, you are very welcome. My 2 cents, stick with food. Because of the lead issue, I recommend people stop using shakeology until they clear it up.
greenberry has been long since reformulated.
Nellebelle, thanks. can you tell me what the changes have been? Why did they reformulate it?
This article has been very useful to me at times. I am healthy, and I exercise and have a great diet. I was a BeachBody coach for some time, but stopped because Shakeology made me sick. It gave me stomach cramps that made me feel like I was going to vomit and I could not get off the couch at times.
The extra supplements in it scare me as some of that stuff we don’t normally have in our diets. I definitely think that people do need to do their research and I am glad that there is at least one unbiased article out there.
Mandy, thank you. I’m humbled by your words and happy Ive been able to be of some small help.