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?
Joe, thanks for this review! I have a friend on a certain social media site who is constantly singing the praises of Shakeology, so I happened across this review when trying to independently research the product. Yours is a very well-written overview that really cut through all of the marketing and spin and gave me exactly the answers I was looking for.
Hi Craig, thanks much for saying that. I really appreciate it 🙂
Hi!
I really appreciate your efforts in finally making an unbiased review of this product. Thank you.
My friend recently became a Beachbody coach, so I signed up for a workout with her and it came with Shakeology. I figured I had nothing to lose since it was already in my hands! As I’ve used the product I realized that it didn’t make me feel amazing or horrible. Just neutral. Which is fine with me. I had been eating well and taking other probiotics prior, so I didn’t have to “clean out” much. I should also mention that I was using Shakeology as a supplement rather than a meal replacement, which, I believe is a better role for it. I’m simply not a fan of meal replacements. I’d rather get my nutrition from whole foods.
But you hit on some of my concerns about Shakeology in this article and I did a little more digging myself. I found this update from Shakeology regarding the Ginkgo: https://faq.beachbody.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/5598/kw/shakeology%20probiotics/~/shakeology%3a-packaging-%26-formula-update—spring-2016/lob/team
It states that they removed it this Spring (2016) and increased the Ashwaganda. The official reason for removing it was fears of not being able to source high quality ginkgo in the future, but I guess it’s unlikely that they’re going to admit it could be dangerous to your health lest you hire an attorney 🙂
I also called them regarding the amounts of live probiotic cultures AFTER manufacture and any information they have on how the know these probiotics actually survive to your intestines. I was just given a blanket statement that the probiotics are within the normal limits.
I’m pretty sure the girl I was talking to had no clue what I was actually asking because she gave me information about dosages, but I won’t hold that against her. This really is a question for corporate, not the general help line. I’ll see if I can find a way to email them and let you know if I get anything worthwhile out of them.
Anyways, keep up the good work and thanks again!
Hi Liz, you are very welcome and thank YOU so much for letting me know about the removal of ginkgo from Shakeology. I have updated both of my shakeology reviews with the link you provided me. Thanks for the assist! 🙂
I am almost 6o, I have been an athlete most of my life and still keep active. I also like taking a replacement shake especially for my evening meal. After reading many of your reviews what do you recommend.
Hi Diane, well, when it comes to meal replacement shakes I do understand the convenience of tossing a scoop of something in a blender. That said, I still feel you can make a better shake using real food. youll get more antioxidants and fiber, whcih some shakes lack. If you want to add some protein powder to that, fine. Here is an example of a shake I make
I have friend drink Shakeology,she has cancer.
Lourdes, My opinion is I’d rather she mix whole fruits and vegetables together and drink that. Tell her to read the book “How Not To Die
I agree 100 percent. Fresh organic fruits and vegetables blended , juiced , or eaten is far better that any man made product boasting inclusion of fruits and vegetables as their primary ingredients. The human body needs what it is designed to consume naturally in order to thrive.
Thanks Johnny5 🙂
Was that before or after drinking shakeology?
Thank you for your research on the product! I use Shakeology regularly and love it!
Wanted to just put a note on here to beware of buying Shakeology from other sites other than Beachbody. You run the risk of your Shakeology sold on Amazon.com or other sites being expired.
Hi Janelle, you are very welcome. Its been my experience that you can ask questions of sellers on Amazon about things so you could look into the expiration date. Amazon also has a good return policy as well if things are not to ones liking.
I really appreciated this review! I am a Coach and have been for over 3 years. And typically, you only see perfect reviews or terrible ones… And neither one usually dig into the details as you did. And for that, I highly respect you sir! You seemed to be totally unbiased either way and I respect that a lot.
As far as making nutritional recommendations, we aren’t supposed to. Coaches are meant to be accountability partners and that’s IT. We can offer suggestions but offering advice to treat any disease etc is against the law in most states unless you’re a dietician.
I do hate that there are some folks out there not doing this correctly, bringing a bad name to the rest of us who are doing it correctly and with honesty. Again, thank you!
Hi Whitney, thanks for saying that. I do appreciate it. I like your website by the way. Its very well done 🙂
Actually, Shakeology is *not* certified as gluten free.
Where did you find your information regarding how much:
Ashwagandha
Grape seed extract
Barley grass
Green tea decaffeinated extract
Kamut grass
Holy basil powder (leaf)
Oat grass
Amaranth (Amaranthus hypochondriacus)
and Wheat grass
Is in a serving? I couldn’t retrieve this information in my searches on the Shakeology/Beachbody site….
Rae, If I remember correctly, I took it right from the shakeology label. The package labeling information has changed a bit since then. That is why I write another review. Here is my review of Vegan Chocolate Shakeology. See that review for more information.
One thing I think is worth note: To those who complain about the potential side effects of having to use the bathroom a lot after drinking shakeology…Stomach pain is one thing, not a good side effect to have to deal with at all. But for the *ahem* poop end of things, people need to understand, an awful lot of our bloating and weight problems are due to not passing food through our digestive tract properly.
Our gut problems stem from not getting rid of waste properly. So for a product like Shakeology, it may make sense to have to poop a bit more than normal once you start drinking it. Perhaps your pooping habits weren’t healthy before, and now that your body is taking in some good nutrition, it is going to expel the waste that built up in your intestines more effectively.
After some time, logically that waste should be flushed out properly and the individual’s poops should get more regular. Part of weight loss is getting rid of all the gunk we get built up in our intestines that doesn’t get flushed out of the system properly over the years. I hope this makes sense.
So…if you can deal with taking regular bathroom breaks and heck, maybe pack some nice little baby wipes in your purse and stock em in your bathroom, this might not be such a big issue.
Emily, that’s an interesting point you make about increasing bathroom breaks being a good thing. While obviously too much much pooping can be just as bad as too little, can we agree that anything that adds fiber to the diet would be a good thing for healthy people to add to their diets?
In case you didn’t see it, here is my review of Vegan Chocolate Shakeology
Let’s say for instance then, that Shakeology is essentially the same taking other shakes or even natural smoothies. “Typically healthy” People then replacing their meals with a shake or smoothies are eating more healthy food and less of the normal greasy or fatty food they would normally eat. A noticeable detoxifying process (using the bathroom more) would not be an unusual occurrence I would think.
Joe, what of the fact that the whey protein isn’t organic or from grass-fed cows. It would seem to me that the gmo of the #1 ingredient is also a problem as whey protein procured from cows who aren’t grass fed and hormone free cannot be a superior product, especially when ingested daily.
Victoria, GMOs are controversial. I personally wish companies would tell us when they contained GMO ingredients. Unfortunately, in the US, they dont have to. Odds are most of us are eating GMO foods without even knowing it (again, unfortunately). Have you taken this up with BeachBody, the company that makes shakeology?
My wife tried this garbage the other day. She had extreme gastrointestinal problems for the following 4-6 hours. She told one of her good friends who is a nurse and her friend said that they very recently had to treat someone who had their liver shut down and almost lost their life to this product!!!
This is no B.S. people!! DO NOT TAKE THIS PRODUCT!!! Her friend went on to tell us that the gastrointestinal thing is a super common side effect people are having to this expensive bag of trash that people are getting tricked into taking.
If you want you body to look a certain way, do it with food and exercise!! You should not ever have to take anything. You’re body will do what it supposed to do in the time it’s supposed to do it in.
Different strokes for different folks. I too suffered from the gastrointestinal pains from Shakeology, however after a few weeks of consistently taking Shakeology once a day those issues were practically non existent.
You have to realize that you are feeding your body something that you probably have not fed it before. It’s similar to someone who has survived most of their lives eating fried, fatty and processed foods, as soon as they eat something as simple as raw greens or foods high in fiber they too will suffer intestinal discomfort.
This in no mean is intended to discount the complications that your wife and her friend went through with Shakeology. It is to make you aware that everything is not for everyone. Im sure that on one or two Friday nights out of the year you and your wife go to the movies and enjoy a nice bucket of fresh popped buttered popcorn, I on the other hand am allergic to corn and would practically die if I ingested it in it’s purest form does that make it a bad thing for you?
Just Food For Thought!!
Hi Joe, thank you for your honest and even-handed evaluations on Vegan Shakeology, here, and on Shakeology in general, in another post.
Have you seen the “100 Doctors Don’t Lie” video from Beachbody? I have put it on my YouTube video channel (https://youtu.be/szdy536ykIY), along with a direct link to the newest Shakeology information. I know you are interested in what is truthful and hopefully, although these are mostly general comments, you will learn other more specific facts as well.
As for your comments about Ashwaganda and Astragulus, I have found out that these are used in natural medicine as cancer fighters. Why this is important to me, is all about why I’m involved with Shakeology in the first place. I used to be a sugar and fast food junkie. I mean breakfast, noon and night. Then I got cancer, twice! It was suggested that my diet could have a lot to do with it. After only 10 weeks on Shakeology, the last cancer, prostate, disappeared. My doctor was totally flummoxed as my protocol should have lasted at least another 6 months if not twelve. Coincidence? Since this time (December of 2011), I have used Shakeology 1-2 times per day and have had no reoccurrence of cancer. Additionally, I have lost approximately 40 pounds.
There are a lot of other anecdotal testimonies about Shakeology on YouTube with respect to many diseases that it seems to help. While these are not scientific, certainly there is an indication here that Shakeology’s nutritional benefits may be just as important as its weight loss benefits.
One thing you have seemed to hint at, is that Shakeology could be addition by subtraction. That is, using Shakeology in place of harmful foods that could compromise our weight or immune system, may really be more about getting rid of the harmful foods. I have also thought that this could be true as well, certainly in part. I guess ultimately I am willing to pay a premium, especially having had cancer twice, to substitute Shakeology and all the healthful ingredients for the harmful ones.
Keep up the good work!
Ray, you are very welcome. Yes I have seen the video you linked to. Honestly I dont pay too much attention to doctors promoting or refuting dietary supplements. I like to look at the research for myself. I’ve read the stories online about what shakeology is supposed to do and it’s quite possible you nailed it when you said it might just be replacing bad stuff people might otherwise be eating.
If that is the case then anything would have the same effect. For those who like shakeology and can afford it, terrific. I think your message – that its about replacing bad foods – is something more people need to hear. I am glad shakeolgy is helping you and wish you continued success with it in the future.
its horrible: Long story short. every month I had the worst PMS Mood swings, period cramps. Like I am dying on the floor seriously thought I had a miscarriage or something! I also gained 20lbs in 6 months. I only wanted a breakfast replacement and a way to workout indoors. I never needed to lose weight. I weighed 125 and gained like 10lbs in like 2 months.
When I talked to my “coach” she said that I was not committed enough, exercising and eating properly. she totally shifted the blame on to me. When I had never had problems gaining weight since I learned to eat clean 5 years ago. it’s pretty messed up bc they get inside your head and try to tell you you’re not athletic or eat well enough.
it didn’t work on me because I was already active and athletic and a super clean eater! Who ever is selling this CRAP either A. doesn’t give a hoot about people , or B. is completely blind.
Although there are not ENOUGH bad reviews for this product and I can see why people MAY get confused and think its ok to sell. You all have been warned. Thanks for posting! I feel like i DESTROYED years worth of fitness to my body. It is no ones fault but mine.
Azu, so sorry you went through all of that. One problem with many network marketing companies is not screening who can be brand ambassador (or coach in the BB lingo). I’m sure not all BB coaches would do what your coach did. Regardless, the good news is that your body CAN rebound from this. Our bodies are very resilient. Don’t be down on your self. You can get past this. I have faith in you.
Please share my review with your friends.
Thanks for the response! I am overcoming this whole situation. I am mostly angry about being misled about this product! I thought it was simply a meal replacement not an herbal supplement. I am glad I opened my eyes before I Gained another 20 lbs while “adjusting to it the first year” I know it was all Me but in honesty, I only wanted better abs and a meal replacement. And Casually exercise for fun. I didn’t want to lose weight!
I had never had to work out obsessively or count every calorie before drinking this shake.Lol! Anywho, 4 months After shake, I am down 8lbs which isn’t a whole lot but, I am doing it the natural way. 🙂 all the symptoms are gone and it is so much easier to lose the weight now (((which unnecessarily Gained to begin with))
I am especially glad that I don’t have those crazy hormonal mood swings which I felt were making me feel insanely emotional and depressed. this really surprised me because I am a generally happy laid-back person. going to have to go to the doctor. I do wish there would be a class action lawsuit against this company I would totally give testimony about what happened to me.
Azu, Anytime and I’m happy to help. I’m really glad you are doing better now and losing weight.
I had a 7 day supply of Shakeology. I really do like it. I just don’t like the cost. I can’t justify paying over $100 for meal replacement shakes. I don’t care how good it is. Also, it doesn’t satisfy my hunger the way Raw Meal does. It sure as hell tastes better than Raw Meal. That stuff tastes like nature. But I do feel more satisfied and energized from Raw Meal than Shakeology.
Great review Joe, as always, very thorough and fact supported! My concern with any “meal replacement” shake is how long these people can keep off the weight they lose? We all know many people lose weight only to put it back on soon after they stop the program they are on.
Since this is not a program someone should be on for long term, what happens when they stop? This program isn’t teaching anyone how to eat healthier and I would be interested in a follow up study to see proof of what really matters…..long term weight loss!
April, thanks for the feedback! I’d also like to see more studies on Shakeology. In case any grad students are reading this, testing shakeology, would be a great thesis topic (hint hint).
The thing about Beachbody is that it’s not just about the shakes. It is about learning how to eat again and also incorporate work outs into your daily routine. Beachbody is about lifestyle change, not a quick fix.
What is the vitamin k content
Sheila, I checked in to this for you. I could not find how much vitamin K is in shakeology. A Beach Body website I located said that the vitamin K in the product is naturally occurring in the various ingredients and will fluctuate from pack to pack. They said that they do not specifically test for vitamin K levels.
Here is my review of vegan chocolate shakeology in case you missed it:
http://supplementclarity.com/shakeology-vegan-chocolate-review/
Having tried a ton of “protein supplements out there, I did try shakeology out a while back. Yes it is “expensive”. But the other protein supplements and meal replacements do not have anywhere near the dense nutrients that are found in shakeology. So its kind of like saying a Honda Accord is expensive. Compared to a Yugo? Anyways, thats just my two cents. You might think im a bit biased as I am myself a beachbody coach, and yes I am NASM certified so you can take a decent amount of coaching and nutrition advice from someone like me. Thanks for sharing this very in-depth post. Very informative.
Jane thanks. I appreciate that. I’m actually working on a new shakeology review now that I hope to have up soon.
Since you also mentioned that you are NASM certified, I hope you read my review of personal trainers recommending supplements.
This article is surprisingly biased and not very good science. The comment that probiotics might be harmful to people with HIV is a good example of this. I’ve never tried beachbody, but I came to this review to find ingredients. From the list of ingredients this looks like a decent nutritional shake. Overpriced certainly, but still a good product.
Things like acai berry are known by everyone in the health business as good anti-oxidents, good for detoxification. Just because people aren’t bothering with double-blind studies doesn’t mean these aren’t good products, the consensus is there from the product side and the user side.
Good science is as simple as, take this, it will help you! From people who use common sense and take good things into their bodies. As for barley grass, the grass is not the same as the grain regarding gluten. Better science and common sense would improve this review.
Margaret, that’s just not true and to prove my point
the university of Maryland also says people with compromised immune problems should speak to their doctor. Pepole with HIV may be just those people: https://umm.edu/health/medical/altmed/condition/hiv-and-aids
Because we are all different my hope is that people with health issues speak to their doctor. You cant make a blanket statement about the safety of something because we are all different. If you are healthy, probiotics are likely very safe. If you have some health issues, maybe not. My hope is that I give them something to think about and open up a dialog with their doctors about what might be best for them.
As for Acai berry, show me a study where it “detoxified” something from the human body.
You said, I’m sorry but that is not good science. Good science is “lets do several randomized placebo controlled studies in humans and see if it helps.”
Awesome site… I’ve always considered myself a supplement geek as well so I love reading all of your reviews.
I loved the P90x program that came out several years ago by Beachbody. Tony Horton was a great motivator… if you are ok with working out in your basement…. but his commercials for Shakeology were so annoying, I never wanted to try it. Haha
Fast forward 5 yrs, My wife started using it recently when she did the 21 Day Fix program and had a lot of success… got off Diet Coke, coffee , etc. I dug into the ingredients and was still left with a lot of questions regarding GMO, organic… In general, the quality control of the ingredients.
I have seen enough issues with counterfeit supplements sold on Amazon eBay and even at retail stores this year. I try to buy direct from the manufacturer when possible.
I came across Darin Olien, who is referred to as the Indiana Jones of ‘superfoods’. Superfoods is another one of those marketing terms. Darin is another supplement geek, and was formulating his own meal replacement when Beachbody approached him to formulate one for them with no limitations. This is a YouTube video Q&A he did and answered a lot of questions I had
http://youtu.be/hmL9VmE7YZw
He has several other videos and is making the rounds on a lot of podcasts (like Rich Roll and several other legit health podcasters) for a book he recently wrote.
I’m using it when I am on the road and have had a pattern of bad fast food choices. Check Darin out… pretty cool story.
Looking forward to checking out your book as well.
Rundiddy, yeah I’ve heard that “Indiana Jones” nickname from others too. It’s marketing, although he does kind of look the part.
I watched the video of Darin Olin and to me, his body language was telling when asked if shakeoogy was organic or not. For a billion dollar company to say that the ingredients that are organic are “just happen to not be certified” is unacceptable to me. BB is a billion dollar company. why aren’t they spending the the money and get them certified organic? As for the claim that doing so would place an undue burden on the farmers they deal with, they can afford to spend the money on that farmer they are dealing with to do it.
I’m glad you are enjoying my website!
Shakeology is a multi level marketing SCAM. Please do your research and due diligence on this company. The product is no better than anything you can buy in your local store. I signed up to try it for one month, as a favour to a friend, well that was a huge mistake.
When they demand your Social Insurance Number – that alone should let you know that something is wrong. When I tried to cancel after one month – they just kept sending me product and charging my visa.
I returned products and called and emailed and filled out cancellations forms online – but they would not cancel the orders. I finally had to cancel my credit card to stop them.
Be careful when reading reviews as there are thousands of people making money selling this highly overprices, over rated product – so they saturate the internet with false reviews and claims. It is an extremely deceitful and shameful way to do business.
Gigi, did they really ask for your social security number when you ordered shakeology? I never heard of that happening. Is that what happened?
They only do that if you enroll as a distributor. So shame on that coach for not explaining that to this person. I never have people enroll as a coach without their consent and their desire too!
I am a Beachbody coach and a doctoral student. I love Shakeology because of my experience with it and the things I’ve seen in the other coaches and customers on my team. But because of the reasons you discussed, I NEVER use the words “scientifically-proven” or reference the clinical trial when I discuss it with interested customers.
Ethically speaking, I’m not okay with doing so. My sole frustration with Shakeology at this point has been the fact that this clinical trial hasn’t been published for me to review, because, as you’ve said, the information that is available suggests that it is not an accurately assembled trial. It does not have the proper controls.
I agree with your discussion of the science behind it.
That being said, I use the product, I promote the product, and I love what it’s done for me and the people in my life. I’ve lost 25 pounds since starting as a coach. And it’s not because I’ve drastically cut back calories. In fact, I eat a LOT. 1600-1800 calories per day. But I eat good nutritious food, I workout, and I drink shakeology everyday. I’m currently in the process of assembly a literature review on nutrient deficiency on my website because in my experience, that seems to be where shakeology makes the biggest difference for me.
Like everyone here, I just wanted to put in my two cents. I support this product and drink this product and have seen great results with this product in combination with other lifestyle changes. There is no miracle supplement, and anyone that purchases a shake or other product of ANY brand and thinks that this is going to result in a 30 pound weight loss or a fitness model physique is delusional.
In ANY situation, it is ALL about nutrition, fitness, and having good mental health. That is what, as coaches, we promote and hold our customers and fellow coaches accountable to. Training for life and empowering people to make positive lifestyle changes.
I know how Shakeology makes me feel and the changes it has helped me make in my life and in promoting this product I use anecdotal references from myself and other coaches. But I will not call it “scientifically-proven” until I am able to review this trial in its entirety for myself.
I guess I wanted to comment purely to demonstrate that not all of us coaches are blindly following the marketing of this product as gospel. Not all of us coaches have absolutely no scientific background. But there’s something to be said for anecdotal reference, which you could argue is often the preliminary basis for all scientific investigation anyway.
I enjoyed reading your article! Best Regards!
Ellyn, thanks for sharing and keep me updated on your progress and anything else you hear on the shakeology study. That’s a nice website you have also. Much success in grad school 🙂