Update 8/13/20. Thrive W (also called “Thrive For Women”) is a supplement touted to have multiple benefits ranging from weight loss to supporting muscle growth. Judging from all the emails I’ve been getting lately, Le-Vel supplements have been generating a lot of interest on the internet. This review will be specifically about “Thrive W” (not to be confused with Thrive M, the men's supplement). In this review, you'll learn about the research ingredients and side potential side effects. Does it really work? Let's see.
Other Thrive Reviews
Thrive W Benefits
According to the description of the product, Thrive W is touted to help with these areas:
- Weight management
- Cognitive performance
- Joint support
- Inflammation support
- Lean muscle support
- Digestive and immune support
It’s also said to contain an “anti-aging and antioxidant blend” of ingredients as well. There are a lot of ingredients in Thrive For Women. During this review, I’ll try to isolate which ingredients might be responsible for each of these claims.
Thrive W Research
The Le-Vel website states this about Thrive W: “From years of experience, science, and perfecting, THRIVE W is the only premium lifestyle capsule of its kind.” The words science and perfecting got my attention because it gave me the impression that years of research went into the creation and perfection of this supplement. But, when I searched online for:
- Thrive W research
- Le-Vel research
No clinical research could be located.
Searching clinical databases for:
- Thrive supplements
- Le-Vel supplements
- Thrive W
revealed no clinical studies either. Likewise, I saw no such clinical trials on the Le-vel website either.
If Thrive W has clinical evidence to support its effectiveness, that research could not be located.
But what about its ingredients?
Let’s now look at the Thrive W ingredients next.
Thrive W Ingredients List
According to the label, 1 capsule contains the following ingredients and it’s recommended to take 1-2 capsules per day on an empty stomach or between meals:
| Amount per serving | Percent daily value | |
| Vitamin A | 1500 IU | 30% |
| Vitamin B1 | 1.4 mg | 100% |
| Vitamin B2 | 1.7 mg | 100% |
| Vitamin B3 (niacinamide) | 12 mg | 60% |
| Vitamin B5 | 10 mg | 100% |
| Vitamin B6 | 2 mg | 100% |
| Folic acid | 800 mcg | 200% |
| Vitamin B12 | 100 mcg | 1667% |
| Vitamin D3 | 200 IU | 50% |
| Chromium (chromium AAC) | 200 mcg | 167% |
| Selenium (selenium AAC) | 90 mcg | 125% |
| Vanadium (vanadium AAC) | 25 mcg | N/A |
Thrive W Proprietary Blend
Each 1 capsule also has 257 mg of a proprietary blend containing the following ingredients:
| B. lactis | L. acidophilus | L. casei | L. helviticus |
| L. salvarius | L. plantarum | L. rhamnosus | Guarana |
| Green tea | Glucosamine | White willow extract | Glutamine |
| Green coffee bean | PEA | Kelp | Irvinga extract |
| BCAA blend | Theobromine | Ginger extract | Synephrine |
| Aspartic acid | L serine | Grape seed extract | Co Q10 |
| White tea extract |
Read this table from left to right. This will tell you which ingredients are present the most and least. For example, since B. lactis is listed first, it makes up most of the proprietary blend, while white tea extract makes up the last since it's listed last.
Other ingredients
The product also contains Stearic acid, silica, and gelatin. These other ingredients play no role in the effects or benefits of this supplement.
Thrive W Ingredients Review
Now let’s review each of the ingredients. There is not an overabundance of most of the vitamins or minerals in the product. I don't feel they add the benefits of the product and so I won’t discuss them, except to mention a few briefly.
Niacinamide
This is a form of the B vitamin, niacin. Niacinamide is different than niacin in that it won’t cause face flushing some report with niacin. This may be one of the ingredients behind the claim of “joint support.” There have been some studies on niacinamide noting it may help osteoarthritis pain. But, those studies generally use about 3 grams a day to achieve this effect. This is more than is in Thrive W (which has just 12 milligrams).
Among the ingredients, you may have noticed chromium, selenium, and vanadium are listed as:
- Chromium AAC
- Selenium AAC
- Vanadium AAC
The “AAC” refers to “amino acid chelate.” Basically, this means the minerals have been bonded to amino acids to improve their absorption. Whether or not this makes a significant difference is debatable. See the review of chromium weight loss research for more insights.
Proprietary Blend Ingredients
There are 25 ingredients in the proprietary blend. Each 1 capsule contains 527 mg total of all the 25 ingredients listed.
| B. lactis | L. acidophilus | L. casei | L. helviticus |
| L. salvarius | L. plantarum | L. rhamnosus | Guarana |
| Green tea | Glucosamine | White willow extract | Glutamine |
| Green coffee bean | PEA | Kelp | Irvinga extract |
| BCAA blend | Theobromine | Ginger extract | Synephrine |
| Aspartic acid | L serine | Grape seed extract | Co Q10 |
| White tea extract |
Supplement companies don't have to tell us how much of each ingredient is in proprietary blends. That said, remember the ingredients listed first are the most abundant, while ingredients toward the end of the list are the least abundant. For example, from the table above, the supplement has the most B. lactis (because it's listed first) and the least white tea extract (because it's listed last).
Probiotics Ingredients
Thrive W contains the following probiotic bacteria:
- B. lactis (the B stands for bacillus)
- L. acidophilus (the L stands for lactobacillus )
- L. caseri
- L. helviticus
- L. salvarius
- L. plantarum
- L. rhamnosus
In this list, the letters (“B” and “L”) represent the genus of the bacteria and the name (lactis, for example) represents the species of the bacteria used.
Different strains of bacteria might have different effects. One strain might do something great while another strain might do nothing at all. Without knowing the strain, it's not possible to know their exact function although it's possible they might be present for:
- Immune support
- Digestive support
- Weight management (maybe)
Probiotics are often added to supplements as a way to alter the microbiome – those bacteria that live inside of us. We now know gut bacteria can have big effects on our health. There are good bacteria and bad bacteria.
One question, however, is which bacteria are good and which are bad. There are a lot of bacteria in Thrive W but it's a lot less than the thousands of types that are inside of you.
When it comes to gut health, diversity is good. The more different types of bacteria we have inside of us, the better. Two ways that seem to alter gut bacteria is eating more fiber and exercise.
Here are 5 things that are bad for your gut health:
Thrive Premium Lifestyle Mix also contains probiotics. See that review for more info.
Guarana
This is a plant that contains caffeine. Is Le-Vel using the whole plant or an extract of the plant? They don’t tell us. If it’s an extract, then my guess is caffeine might be the extract used. If I am right, I can’t say how much caffeine is in the supplement. Can any Thrive promoters shed light on this?
See the Thrive Shake review for more insights on that supplement.
Green Tea
Green tea contains some caffeine (unless it's decaffeinated) so it’s possible this ingredient might also contribute to the stimulant effects of Thrive W. Green tea also has lots of antioxidants and so this may part of the “antioxidant blend” in the supplement too.
Green tea has been in several weight loss supplements I've reviewed previously but I don't believe it helps people lose weight. As proof, this study, found green tea supplements did not help people lose weight or raise their metabolism even after using it for 3 months.
As an aside, I personally wish companies would remove green tea from supplements. Drink the tea but leave the green tea supplements alone until we know more about their safety.
See the Supplements & Liver failure review.
Glucosamine
Since glucosamine is often used to help reduce arthritis pain, this likely is one of the ingredients responsible for the “Joint support” benefit in the product.
As mentioned in the review of glucosamine, there are 3 different types in supplements:
- Glucosamine sulfate
- Glucosamine HCL
- NAG (N-acetyl-glucosamine)
What type of glucosamine does Thrive W contain?
They don’t tell us.
The label only says “glucosamine.” I believe the strongest evidence is for glucosamine sulfate. Most studies showing it helps arthritis use 1500 mg per day. Remember, all the ingredients in 1 capsule of Thrive W only add up to just 527 mg.
Could the glucosamine combine with the other ingredients in the product to help arthritis pain? It's possible.
White Willow Bark
White willow bark contains an aspirin-like compound called salicylic acid. Some OTC pain relievers contain a combination of aspirin and caffeine. If people notice having less pain after using Thrive For Women, I think white willow bark might play a role in this.
Glutamine
This is an amino acid and is likely one of the ingredients behind the claim of “lean muscle support.” The body can make glutamine and this is why it’s also called a non-essential amino acid. That said, under stressful conditions or disease, we may not make enough. It’s for this reason glutamine is sometimes called a “conditionally essential amino acid.”
In other words, under some conditions, we need more than what we can make naturally. Because exercise is a stress, some feel glutamine can help support muscle growth, although not all research shows it works.
I covered some of the research on glutamine in a previous post so see that for more information.
While they don’t tell us how much glutamine is in Thrive W, I don’t think it's much, because all the ingredients only amount to 572 mg in 1 capsule.
Taking 2 capsules a day, would likely provide less than 1 gram of glutamine. That is less than many studies have used.
Green Coffee Bean
This supplement, also called Chlorogenic acid, is popular in weight loss supplements. I’ve written an entire in-depth review on the weight loss research of green coffee extract so see that too.
I feel green coffee bean needs better research. I believe this because one of the best studies on this compound was retracted after the authors admitted they could not verify the data used in the study.
This greatly reduces the believably of the hype surrounding this stuff. Green coffee extract is listed #13 in the ingredients list, so it doesn’t have much of it.
Green coffee bean is also in the Thrive Patch so see that review too.
Also, see the review of bogus weight-loss supplements.
PEA
The letters PEA are short for Phenylethylamine (Fee-nil-ethyl-A-mean), a type of amino acid. This ingredient might be linked to the “cognitive performance” claim made for Thirve W. Some interesting research suggests PEA might increase dopamine levels. This means it may be able to alter mood. It might help depression too. Exercise appears to naturally raise PEA levels.
PEA is also a stimulant which, according to WebMD.com “looks” like amphetamines.
Kelp
My hunch is kelp is in Thrive W because it contains iodine, a mineral needed to make thyroid hormone. Thyroid hormone raises metabolism. This is why kelp is sometimes found in weight loss supplements.
Other weight loss supplements I’ve looked at which contained iodine include:
See those other reviews for additional information.
Irvingia Extract
This is also called African Mango. As mentioned in my review of African Mango, there are some human studies on this compound. As far as I can tell, the best evidence appears to stem from the use of an extract called “IGOB131.” What extract of Irvingia is in Thrive W? I don't know.
Even if it contains the IGOB131 extract, how much does it have? They don’t tell us that either, but it is # 16 in the ingredients list, so my guess is not much.
See the MBS 360 review for another African Mango-containing supplement.
BCAA Blend
The letters BCAA stands for Branch Chain Amino Acid. There are 3 of these amino acids:
- Leucine
- Isoleucine
- Valine
Thrive W contains a “BCAA Blend.” My guess is the blend is a mixture of all three amino acids. BCAA's also popular in muscle building supplements so I believe they are linked to the “lean muscle support” claim. Regardless, given how far down in the ingredients list they are, I believe you’d probably get more BCAAs in a can of tuna fish than in Thrive W.
Theobromine
Theobromine is one of the compounds in the cacao plant which is where we get chocolate from. Theobromine is a stimulant and a diuretic (makes you pee more). For more on this ingredient, see my reviews of:
Ginger Extract
Since they don’t tell us what extract of ginger they are using, it’s hard to figure out what it’s supposed to do in the product. Maybe it's supposed to be anti-inflammatory? Does anybody know?
Synephrine
This is a stimulant. In supplements, it goes by several names including bitter orange and citrus Aurantium. In my review of the weight loss supplement called PhenTabz, it was called octopamine. Because it chemically “looks” like ephedra, it may be found in supplements claiming to be “ephedra-free.” Some of the supplements containing synephrine I’ve looked at previously include:
Synephrine can raise heart rate and blood pressure and has been associated with some serious side effects including heart attacks in even healthy people. As such, I’m not a fan of it in supplements.
For what it's worth, I don’t think there is much synephrine in Thrive W because it's pretty far down in the ingredients list. That's good. What's bad is its presence.
Aspartic Acid and Serine
These are non-essential amino acids. We make both aspartic acid and serine every day. What role do they play in Thrive W, I can’t say.
Grape Seed Extract
The scientific name for grape seed is Vitis vinifera. While they don’t tell us what extract of grape they are using, my guess this ingredient is for “inflammation support” given that grape product (like grape juice and grape seed oil) might reduce inflammation in the blood vessels.
CoQ10
Coenzyme Q10, also called CoQ10 or Ubiquinone is found in just about every cell of the body. It helps our cells make energy, and as we age, we make less of it. There are many studies on CoQ10 which hint it might have multiple effects in the body such as helping lower cholesterol levels, migraine headaches, and blood pressure among other things.
While all this is nice, does the product have enough CoQ10 to be therapeutically helpful? I don't know. Most studies generally use at least 100 mg. Remember the entire proprietary blend in Thrive W only has 527 mg. There are 25 ingredients in the proprietary blend and of those, CoQ10 is listed 24th.
White Tea Extract
Even though they call it white tea, this stuff is similar to green tea in its anti-oxidant power. While that's good, I have to ask what extract of white tea are they using? They don’t tell us.
White tea does have some caffeine so could this be the extract? While tea is the last ingredient listed in the proprietary blend so if it is, I don’t think there is much present.
Stimulant Ingredients
Here they are the stimulant ingredients:
- Guarana
- Green tea
- PEA
- Theobromine
- Synephrine
- White tea (maybe)
Ingredients are listed in order as they appear in the proprietary blend to give an idea of which might be present the most and least.
Where To Buy Thrive W
Thrive supplements cannot be purchased at Walmart, Walgreens, CVS, Target, Rite Aid, Costco, Sams Club GNC, Vitamin Shoppe or other stores like that. Rather, they can only be purchased directly from Thrive promoters. You can also go to the Le-Vel.com website and purchase them too although you'll be asked to provide the name of the promoter who referred you.
I liked this as it means the company is not in competition with those who sell their supplements.
How Much Caffeine?
Those sensitive to caffeine may wonder how much caffeine is in this supplement. They don't really tell us. In the comments section below, you will see a Thrive Brand distributor state Thrive W has 40 mg of caffeine while Thrive M has 50 mg.
She also said that Thrive Lifestyle Mix has 25 mg and that the Thrive Patch does not have any caffeine. While this is nice, I'd like to see a document that states this. Remember, several ingredients in this product contain caffeine. Also, caffeine is not the only stimulant in the Thrive W.
Thrive W And Thrive DFT Patch: Better Together?
As I was told, thrive W is part of a lifestyle program that incorporates the use of a weight management patch called the “DFT Patch.
While it's possible both work best together to promote a greater effect, at this time, I'm unable to locate any clinical proof to substantiate this.
Thrive W vs. Thrive M
While this review is mostly about Thrive W, there is also a men's version, called Thrive M. How are they different? The table below shows how they compare to each other:
| Thrive W (1 capsule) | Thrive M (1 capsule) |
|---|---|
| Vitamin A 1500 IU (30%DV) | Vitamin A 1500 IU (30%DV) |
| Vitamin B1 1.4 mg (100% DV) | Vitamin B1 1.4 mg (100% DV) |
| Vitamin B2 1.7 mg (100% DV) | Vitamin B2 1.7 mg (100% DV) |
| Vitamin B3 12 mg (60% DV) | Vitamin B3 12 mg (60% DV) |
| Vitamin B5 2 mg (100% DV) | Vitamin B5 10 mg (100% DV) |
| Vitamin B6 2 mg (100% DV) | Vitamin B6 2 mg (100% DV) |
| Folic acid 800 mcg (200% DV) | Folic acid 800 mcg (200% DV) |
| Vitamin B12 100 mcg (1667% DV) | Vitamin B12 100 mcg (1667% DV) |
| Vitamin D3 200 IU (50% DV) | Vitamin D3 200 IU (50% DV) |
| Chromium 200 mcg (50% DV) | Chromium 200 mcg (50% DV) |
| Selenium 90 mcg (125% DV) | Selenium 90 mcg (125% DV) |
| Vanadium 25 mcg (N/A) | Vanadium 25 mcg (N/A) |
| Proprietary Blend 527 mg consisting of the following | Proprietary Blend 526 mg consisting of the following |
| B lactis | B lactis |
| L. acidophilus | L. acidophilus |
| L. casei | L. casei |
| L. helveticus | L. helveticus |
| L. salivarius | L. salivarius |
| L. plantarum | L. plantarum |
| L. rhamnosus | L. rhamnosus |
| Guarana caffeine | Guarana caffeine |
| Green tea caffeine | Green tea caffeine |
| Glucosamine | Glucosamine |
| White Willow extract | White Willow extract |
| Glutamine | Green coffee bean |
| Green Coffee Bean | PEA |
| PEA | Irvinga extract |
| Kelp | Theobromine |
| Irvingia Extract | Ginger extract |
| BCAA blend | Citrus Aurantium extract |
| Theobromine | Glutamine |
| Ginger extract | L arginine |
| Citrus Aurantium extract | Grape seed extract |
| Aspartic acid | BCAA blend |
| L Serine | CoQ10 |
| Grape seed extract | Kelp |
| CoQ10 | White tea extract |
| White tea extract |
In the table, “NA” means no daily value established. mg = milligrams and mcg = micrograms.
If you scroll down the ingredients, you see both Thrive W and Thrive M are pretty similar all the way down to the white willow ingredient. After that, the ingredients shift their positions a bit.
Thrive W contains the amino acids aspartic acid and serine. These are not present in Thrive M. Instead, thrive M contains the amino acid called arginine. It's speculation, but this might be because arginine helps produce nitric oxide. Nitric oxide plays a role in erections.
See the Super Beets review for more on nitric oxide.
The amounts in the proprietary blends are a little different – 526mg in Thrive M and 527 mg in Thrive W. I dont think this is significant.
Who Makes Thrive Supplements?
Thrive supplements are a product of a company called Le-Vel LLC. Another name for the company is “Le-Vel Brands LLC.” The listed address for the company is 9201 Warren Pkwy #200, Frisco, TX 75035. If you Google this address, you can see it's the same address as a company called “Going Postal” which is a post-office-like facility. The “#200” in the address may be the Going Postal “PO Box” number.
This is the same address as was reported to the Better Business Bureau.
To contact Le-Vel, the BBB lists this phone number: 888-557-0005.
The BBB indicates the Le-Vel business was created in 2013. The company website (Le-Vel.com) was registered in 2012. Le-Vel is a “cloud-based” company. In other words, there doesn’t appear to be an actual/physical building called “Le-Vel” where the supplements are made.
Here is BBB file Le-Vel LLC. The company had an A+ rating when this review was updated. See the BBB file for ratings and more information.
SiteJabber, a consumer website also has several reviews on Le-Vel. Here is the SiteJabber file. Interestingly, while many of the reviews left there said the same thing – “life-changing” what are the odds of different people using the same words? The problem with testimonials is we have no way of verifying them.
Thrive W Side Effects
Does Thrive W have any side effects? Here are some thoughts I had based on the ingredients. This list is not complete:
- Stop taking Thrive W at least 2 weeks before surgery.
- Don't take Thrive W if you are pregnant or breastfeeding
- If you take any medications such as those used to treat kidney or liver problems or high blood pressure or heart disease, show the ingredients to your doctor or pharmacist. In theory, some of the ingredients might interact with medications.
- In theory, glucosamine might raise blood sugar in diabetics.
Green tea-containing supplements have been linked to liver problems –including liver failure. While I think this a very rare occurrence and I don’t believe this product has a lot of green tea, If you have liver issues, speak to your doctor or pharmacist.
Here are some of the concerns/complaints people expressed in the comments section below. I'll be honest, some of these left below by people who've taken Thrive supplements have me uneasy. Here are some excerpts of the side effects people reported in the comments section below:
- I took it only five days and I also have high blood pressure and I felt like I had a heavyweight on my chest.
- I EXPERIENCED a stiff neck then a sick headache and I passed out. I stopped Thrive. been off of it for a wk. I feel better but my skin I jumpy at times.
- So I’ve been taking Thrive W for over a year now. When I don't take it I notice a loss of energy.
- My mind was racing, yet I felt too bad to do anything! I felt so sick from the caffeine overload! I never want to feel this way again!
- One thing I noticed is that Thrive makes me thirsty. I can’t get enough water.
- I was given a sample of Thrive, during a period when I was mourning the death of my sister. I just could not seem to pull myself out of a depressed state of mind. Thrive helped me with that, and did an excellent job of doing so.
- had a lot of energy , clear-headed, and my back pain went away as well as my migraine I have nearly every day. I felt somewhat jacked up, however , but at the end of the day it wasn’t so intense and I slept like a baby . But … I had heart palpitations before going to sleep.
Take these for what they are. Looking over the testimonials, many people do say they have more energy. I believe that's a testament to the stimulants in this supplement. Read the comments below to see what everybody else is saying.
Is Thrive Safe?
Because everyone is different it's not possible to say across the board anything is 100% “safe.” We all have differences. That said, it's good to keep in mind several of the ingredients in Thrive W are stimulants. While there is no clinical proof either way, for those who sensitive to stimulants or who are not “healthy,” in theory, this might be an issue.
Just a few conditions where stimulants might be a problem include breastfeeding, heart disease, high blood pressure, kidney problems, liver problems, diabetes or stroke risk.
To be clear, there is no proof Thrive W is a problem for any of these conditions. Again, each person is different. As with all dietary supplements, to know for sure, show the ingredients to your doctor and/or pharmacist for more individualized information on this topic. This is always wise for those who have health problems.
How To Return Thrive W
If you purchased supplements via a promoter, they should be able to help with returning products. Here is what I could gather from the company website.
According to the Terms and Conditions page of Le-Vel.com, unopened supplements come with a 30-day satisfaction guarantee minus a 10% restocking fee.
In other words, the company keeps 10% of the money spent to pay the cost for restocking the items.
Before returning items, people have to first contact the “Le-Vel Online Support Ticket System from within your account.” In other words, it appears you can’t do this over the phone.
Be sure to include the original packing slip or a printed copy of your receipt.
For supplements that are opened or partially used or damaged, the company will refund only 50% of the cost of the products.
Send the package to be returned to this address:
Le-Vel Returns
1545 S 4800 W
Salt Lake City, UT 84104
The return address, corresponded to “Pro Star Logistics.” This is a company that helps other companies with order fulfillment, packing, and warehousing. Their website is ProStarLogistics.com for those who wish to learn more about them.
While I’m sure Le-Vel promoters can help people with all of this, I feel the return process is overly complicated. I was also not satisfied with the company keeping a “restocking fee” on returned supplements.
Does Thrive W Realy Work?
Without clinical studies, it’s difficult to make a decision. On the surface, it would appear Thrive W has ingredients to support its claims but are the levels of those ingredients the same as used in clinical trials? I do believe some who take Thrive W will feel more energized and that's probably because several of the ingredients are stimulants like caffeine. As for weight loss? I think the results will vary.
Here it is on Amazon
Really interesting review & timing perfect as I have just signed up to promote thrive in the uk. Before anyone tells me I’ve been taken in, I’m the first to admit i am easily swayed however, this appealed to me because I am currently under a doctor & nutritionalist with blood problems, as my body is not absorbing vital vitamins & minerals and several test results show this.
I excercise 4-5 times per week, juice vegetables every morning, eat loads of organic fruit & veg, fish & white meat yet still currently deficient in magnesium, iron, vitamin b12, c, d & k.
I saw this as my lifeline as a way to supplement in the hope it would help. I’ve signed up but not paid a penny or tried the products & now I feel disappointed (but also happy) I read this review.
I’ll take the ingredients you list to my nutritionalist & doctor on Monday and let you know what they say. Thank you Nicola
Nicola, you are welcome. I’ll look forward to hearing what your doctor and nutritionist say. Have a great 4th of July!
I would like to know what your doctors say. I’m very interested..thank you
So… no one knows where they manufacture or package the products?
Julie, I can only say couldn’t find out where they are made.
A friend gave me a sample pack and a flyer on the product. It states that ForsLean and Cosmoperine are registered trademarks of Sabinsa Corp. I looked the corporation up and they have several manufacturing plants in India. They also have a place in Utah which is described as
“This facility at Utah provides a strong formulation support and is equipped to handle various dosage forms. The stick pack facility offers convenient package form for the growing industry needs.”
That was all I needed to know along with your review. Thank you so much.
Nana, Glad you found the review helpful.
The LeVel products are manufactured in a FDA approved plant in Utah. The plant is company owned and the company has 3rd party auditors come for inspections of the plant and the products on a more than regular basis. As far as contacting the company….There is a LeVel fan page on Face book and the co owners/CEO’s, Paul Gravette and Jason Camper have Face book pages where they are easily reached.
I am a promoter that was a skeptic of the product and the company for months. I cannot say enough good things about the product or the company after using the product for 6 months now. If your having issues with the product, it probably because you are detoxing, and if you having issues with the company you are more than likely not up to date with social media.
Any person who is a customer or a promoter can help you out with any of the issues that I have read about in this blog , and there are hundreds of thousands of us In North America and the UK, Happy Thriving everyone!
hmn comment timed out?
Basically the point is this.
The FDA does not approve/disapprove of manufacturing facilities. If this product is actually marketed as being made in a FDA Approved Plant, then… as harsh as it is… they are lying. Do you trust a company that lies?
—
FDA does not approve companies.
FDA does not “approve” health care facilities, laboratories, or manufacturers. FDA does inspect product manufacturers to verify that they comply with good manufacturing practices.
—
http://www.fda.gov/ForConsumers/ConsumerUpdates/ucm047470.htm
My (now ex-) wife has a disease that is very often “spammed/scammed” with supplement wonder cures. None have had any actual proof they would do anything more than sit on a shelf. So I have a very low regard for the entire MLM supplement industry. What can you say about an industry that lobbys to keep their products from being regulated by the FDA?
Supplements are food. As long as what is on the label is inside the product, and it is not poison or “filthy” (bugs/germs/unclean processing) it will pass the FDA inspections.
Thank you for your evaluation of the product. Seems like these deals are always the “craze” and then reality sinks in. Based on your review and my own research, I will not be joining the craze. I do have one question:
“What happens after the 8-week “experience” ?” Do you continue to take this product? It sounds like it is a limited deal. I can only imagine the feeling you will have quitting and any weight you lost will be gained back two fold.
My niece is taking this product and is trying to get the rest of us to join in. She is currently trying to get pregnant. I see a disaster waiting to happen.
Diet and exercise are the only way to successfully lose weight and change your lifestyle safely. Calories in / Calories out.
Kelle, really happy you found my review useful. I did not look at if there was a transition after the 8 weeks is over. I would hope there was something in place to educate people who lost weight, how to keep it off after stopping the supplements. I’d imagine those involved with the product, like your niece, might be better able to answer that question.
Thank you for this review. Very helpful when there is almost no info available on the product.
EmkossErin, you are most welcome. I’m happy you found my review helpful.
Wow! I have a friend trying to get me to try this stuff.
Glad I found your review…
Another MLM that confirms for ME that MLMs and their products are not for me….
We don’t need this stuff to get fit/healthy…set goals, eat healthier, exercise, and the rest will take care of itself.
James, thanks. I’m happy you found my review useful.
Just an FYI- prior to emailing support@le-vel.com I first emailed orders@le-vel.com and the following is what I received for a response..
“PLEASE NOTE: This email address is not monitored. Any messages sent to this address will not be read.
Please direct all messages to the Le-Vel Support Staff via the ‘Contact Support’ button found within your account.
If you are unable to log into your account, please send an email to Support@Le-Vel.com.”
I followed their directions and e-mailed suppprt@le-vel.com and got this for a response….
“This is an automated message from Support@Le-Vel.com.
We are sorry but you have emailed a location that is not monitored daily.
Le-Vel handles support issues through the Contact Support feature found within the account of every Promoter & Customer. Please log in to your account and submit a Support Ticket so that the Le-Vel Support Team will be able to assist you.
This email account is intended for the following reasons only:
Account log in issues
VIP Auto Bonus Documentation
Other correspondence that requires email attachments
Thank You.”
I do not feel that either of these responses are appropriate ways to contact a company. There is absolutely no way to contact this company as a person wanting to ask questions without having to be a customer. The effort Le-Vel has gone thru to make sure they cannot be contacted is mind-boggling to me. First warning sign that this is not a reputable company.
Niki, interesting. I had no idea. There has to be an easier way to reach them. Any ambassadors know?
Joe,
Niki’s relative as the promoter (that signed them up) knows the password and the customer#. With those 2 things, Niki or the relative can go cancel those accounts. I hope this helps.
As for Thrive, it has change my life. I went from staying home in bed for days for the last 4 years to working full time, 6 days a week I have energy, better cognitive performance, my pain from the herniated disk in my neck, arthritis, aches from a tibia plateau fracture and two broke ankles (car accident about a year ago) is relieved by at least 85%.
If I do not take Thrive for a few days all pain and low energy starts to come back. I has helped my sleep greatly.
I am not saying Thrive is for everybody but it for me.
3 simple steps in the AM and your done. I stopped taking 6-8 Tylenol per day & all muscle relaxers.
Sandee, thanks I’m sure that info will help Niki.
So…their 8 week experience is just to get one hooked? After 8 weeks, you’re addicted and feel the need to continue dropping $150/month on vitamins?
I have a few friends promoting. I’m currently doing a trial to determine if it will be right for me but, the more I read, the more I’m convinced I just need to stick with the multis & added supplements my husband I matched to meet our individual needs.
At best, it sounds like a glorified multi & the same effects can be achieved through proper diet, exercise, and basic multi
Went to the website, clicked on the contact link. Here is the support telephone number you could not find
Otherwise, please contact us at:
Support@Le-Vel.com
866-523-6639
Dee, thanks much. That phone # is a fax number. I just tried it. I do appreciate you listing the email address.
Excellent review!
R. Leckey, thanks much!
Excellent review! Sharing with several people who jumped right in without checking for research, or lack of. Thanks
Carol, I’m happy I was able to help.
Great review. As a pharmacist, I would never recommend this. It never fails to amaze me what people will put in their bodies without doing any research because it’s “natural.”
Amy, thanks, I’m glad I was able to help.
I always want to ask the “natural is good” crowd why they don’t include Amanita phalloides in their diets. It’s natural and therefore won’t hurt you, right?
Using it and feel great but wondered if there was an equivalent product out there with more transparency.
Candeeda, if you search my site for the ingredients (use the search box at the top) you’ll find several products that have them also. Any other questions, just ask.
I tried it for two days. Felt great. The day after, however, was like the movie Limitless. Agitated and foggy head. Finally felt better after a good work out.
Most reviewers here had similar effects.
http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/cr/B00HFI7GZC/ref=mw_dp_cr
I am very interested as to how Le-Vel can market the “Thrive” experience to include a transdermal patch. The FDA is quite clear that dietary supplements must be consumed orally and anything in a patch form must be considered a drug.
I’m assuming that once the FDA has collected enough complaints to start a review process we will all see this product disappear from the Le-Vel Thrive experience.
After having a relative place an order under my name and my sons name without our knowledge or permission I have spent a considerable amount of time trying to contact the company to remove our information from their system. This company cannot be contacted!
Each e-mail address they provide is sent to an unmonitored mailbox. The 800 number they have listed with the BBB is a fax machine. If anyone has information as to how I can contact Le-Vel I would greatly appreciate it.
My son is an athlete and Thrive capsules contain NCAA banned substances and we do not want his name associated with Le-Vel and Thrive in anyway.
Nikki, so sorry to hear you have went through all that! Thanks for the update on the phone number. You are right the 866-523-6639 phone number listd with the BBB is a fax number. Have you tried to call Going Postal in Frisco Texas? That is where their PO Box is. They may have a company contact number. Let me know if you learn of an actual contact number.
Who placed the order without your knowledge? Did they use your credit card info? If yes, your credit card company may be able to help.
Do you know the name of the ingredient that is on the NCAA banned list?
It was a close relative who promotes the products who ordered without mine or my son’s permission. She had the product mailed to her home and paid with her credit card. The concern I have is once you are a customer, you have a customer # and personal web page so that you can start referring people to your own webpage and start making money.
My son has stayed away from social media to prevent any inappropriate pictures, statements, etc from ever being a reason for a coach or scout to doubt his character or question his integrity. So, for him to be associated with a company like Le-Vel it is a big deal to us.
The ingredients which are on the NCAA banned list are Synephrine and guarana which are both in the capsules. The list from the NCAA is not conclusive and each athlete is responsible for what he or she is ingesting.
After I received an email thanking me for my order I questioned my relative. I then learned that she needed two new customers to secure her trip to Cancun and to make sure she and her down liners “earned” their bonuses.
I am not well versed in FTC regulations but I can’t imagine it’s legal to operate a business without having a way for a person to contact the company. I have asked other promoters for Le-Vel contact information and none have been able to help me.
The only answer I have received so far is, “there must be an 800 number on the website”. Believe me, there is no phone numbers on the website.
Nikki, thanks for letting me know about the NCAA supplements list. I was not able to find a contact number either. I would try the Going Postal company in TX. while they may not be able to give you a number they may be able to reach out to them on your behalf. I noticed that they also have a facebook page. It looks like the founder of LeVel is Paul Gravette. Here is his website http://paulgravette.com/ you might try reaching out to him personally about this.
Let me know what happens about this and if you ever find a contact #. I’m curious how this turns out.
I tried to reply to Niki’s post but was unsuccessful. She should have received an email welcoming her as customer. She would then log on to le-bel website with her customer info found in said email. At that time, submit support ticket in order to have account removed.
I hope this helps. That is a very inconsiderate and unprofessional salesperson. Bummer is that it is a relative!
Paula, I did see your reply to deb -and posted it – but not Niki. Sometimes that happens. I’m sorry. hopefully Niki see’s what you wrote.
If your son has an account now due to this relative he can login and create a support ticket to have this fixed and his account deleted if he wishes, and said family member will have to deal with the repercussions.
I am sorry you had to deal with this.
Thanks Don!
Autocorrect…grrrr! Thanks JOE. Ha!
Paula, no worries. I’m the same way with autocorrect 🙂
I can help you. message me via email carriesterma@hotmail.com
Great review Joe. Another SCAM MLM company.
Tavis, thanks I’m happy you found my review helpful.
Same here. I thought this was just another pyramid scheme. My stepdaughter is really into this stuff. She sells it. She is not fond of reading. I am a practical person and do my research before believing anything. Thank you for your efforts.
P Baker, you are very welcome and I hope it works out for your daughter.
Thank you for the first non-biased honest review of this product that I have been able to find. I am sickened by the billions of dollars that people spend on dietary supplements without understanding the lack of regulation or consumer protection requirements to market a dietary supplement.
Companies such as this prey on people with pomp and circumstance and make things sound and look to good to be true, yet they will assure their “followers” that Le-Vel is a top-notch company.
I have done significant research into the company and the number of “red flags” I have found is staggering. Shockingly, we as a country regulate dog food under the FDA, yet a dietary supplement is only looked into after enough people go thru the not so simple process of “Adverse Reaction reporting” to the FDA.
From the time the FDA decides they have enough adverse reaction reports to start a removal from the market process, years have gone by and sadly, thousands have given their hard earned money and the company heads have pocketed more money then they can count with plenty extra to develop another dietary supplement and start the scamming process again.
Niki, you are very welcome and I’m happy you were able to find me on the web. Feel free to share my review with your friends.
I think another angle to the “Thrive” experience is the pyramid scheme aspect. I see posts on my FB page about this product and I have a handful of friends who are now so sold on it that they are either marketing and selling Thrive part-time or have quit their jobs to sell it and they’ve created their own web pages.
They post pics of the patches they stick on themselves that supposedly make life so much better. The real scheme in my mind is that the company has regular folks marketing and selling the the “Thrive” experience to their own personal sphere of influence. What better way to convince people to buy it than to have them buy it from someone they know? Crazy right?! You may want to research and add this aspect to your review by interviewing someone selling it?
Lori, As I understand it, selling to your friends and family is common to multi-level marketing programs becase as you say people are more likely to buy from someone they know, like and trust. On my reviews of plexus slim and Protandim, there are some quite lively discussions on multi level marketing.
I am a promoter and we are trained to do 3 way calls with clients who are inquiring about the Thrive Experience. Why? Because our up-line is more experienced and have been on the product longer to help and answer questions. Also, we are trained anyone wanting to go on the product, to take the ingredient lists to their doctor. I am sorry for those who did not get a good experience or promoter to carry out the correct procedure. When anyone signs up, they are given their own web page or I call it portal, this is so you have your own place to order, pause or cancel autoship with no fees. The idea is you can get free product if two people go to your page and order! The cloud based company Le-Vel is the fastest growing direct marketing company. This month I paid nothing for my product.
Both my mom and my sister have more of apple shapes. Both were very overweight. Both have lost over 20lbs, in fact today my sister has lost 28lbs and she is at her half-way mark. My mom was married to a top physician in North San Diego County. After my dad passed she had put on those extra pounds, in fact we all did. She swears by the product as she can move freely, her hip no longer is giving her trouble, clothes are loose. And she told me over and over again, that she would rather be Thriving then the point where she was at.
She just had her treadmill and now awaiting blood results. We are curious to see the drop in her cholesterol and overall results.
I don’t see anyone being scammed as the product can be returned for a full refund. Be sure when you get your page at Le-vel you read all of the companies policies and product information to fully understand. This is not a magic diet pill it is a supplement to get your gut and the flora to where it needs to be to better digest your nutrients. In addition, there are ingredients that help with cognitive support, lean muscle support, anti-inflammatory, joint support, energy, appetite control and so much more.
Someone had said something about the protein, the Lifestyle Mix that can be made with water only has 15 grams. I make mine with low fat milk and sometimes coconut or almond milk. I blend bananas, frozen fruit or just plain ice. Best shake ever, and no hunger pains later.
I am eating better than ever. It may not work for all but I have proof on people who live by and work in my same field, they can’t say enough good stuff about the product.
An acquaintance of mine recently underwent a major surgery to reduce upper body fat. I tried to get her on Thrive first as my inches started coming off but the surgery date was already set. People can choose what they want to do in life. I know that I am loosing because I am more focused than ever, working out, eating better and the cravings are not in control of me any longer!
Daina, Im happy it’s working for you and I do wish you continued success with it.
It was very obvious that Daina was a promoter by her first comment above. Lol.
Joe, I love this review, very thorough.
For everyone else, save yourself some money and look at the ingredients list that Joe reviewed and go to Vitacost.com and order the safe ingredients. Trust me, I am a nurse and I see so many companies try to market things like probiotics and biotin for quadruple the price as a generic just by calling it something fancy like “Digestive support” or “Hair,Skin and nails formula” .
FYI all: In medicine, a drug or supplement is just as good if it is a generic if the dose and ingredients are the same!
Thanks Lola!
Just a note…Thrive isn’t the fastest growing network marketing company, all MLMs say that haha! 500 Inc, just released the new list and Nerium International is the fastest growing in history!
Kim, Here is my review of Nerium EHT: http://supplementclarity.com/nerium-eht-review/
Great article thank you! I bought a months supply in March and tried it for a couple weeks, it made me feel very weird and fuzzy headed. I didn’t like the feeling.
Louise, you are very welcome! So sorry you had those unpleasant side effects.
Thank you for a great review Joe! So much I had not given thought too… I almost tried this product, but after my experience with MLM supplements, well, it didn’t happen. I never knew how harmful ingredients could be! Thank you for your time researching and generosity sharing with us.
A Woman Scammed, you are very welcome! I’m happy I was able to help you.
Great Review. I looked into this product and found this:
Potential for cardiovascular toxicity::
Thrive W contains Guarana Caffeine, Green Tea Caffeine AND Synephrine.
That’s a lot of caffeine!
What they really tell you is listed here:
http://le-velcanada.blogspot.ca
ThePinkDrinkScam, thanks much. Yes, while it’s hard to tell how much caffeine is present, I think it’s wise for those with heart and blood pressure conditions to talk to their dr. first just to cover their bases.
Another point is the WebMd talks like guarana can be fatal and dangerous and they don’t tell you how much you are actually getting.
Also folic acid it says that you should not take more than 1000 mcgs a day and one pill has 800 mcgs and the shakes have 200 mcgs so if you take all of that that is 1800mcgs a day and taking 1200 mcgs or more can cause a heart attack.
Angela, if I remember caffeine becomes fatal if we ingest something on the order of 10 grams (10,000 mg) per day. That’s more than most people would get although I have heard of deaths resulting from powdered caffeine products (they may soon be banned in the US).
I have never heard of folic acid causing a heart attack. I have heard of potentials link to cancer though.
Don’t take it. I did 5 weeks of the Thrive for Women, shake, capsules and patch. I have numbness and tingling in my feet which is now above my knees. There is more caffeine in it than stated. I know I am a 3 three latte a day girl. My blood pressure was elevated at my Dr.s visit and my reflexes in my lower legs were abnormal.. I didn’t have any of these issues before taking the Thrive.
Now I have an appointment with the neurologist. Not worth the chance. I took it because I thought it would give me more energy. Ha! wish I wouldn’t have tried it.
Numbness and tingling in lower extremities? Lumbar spine more likely to be culprit than Thrive supplements…any day. Hope you feel better.
I drink a lot of coffee and take stimulate meds. I have some promoting it to me and sent me samples to try. Good thing I read this all those stimulants would probably give me a heart attack.
I have been on Thrive and my blood pressure dropped to GREAT, after it was rating pre-hypertension! The caffeine in the woman’s Thrive is 45mg per serving, way less than the 3-4 large mugs of home brewed coffee, a few startbucks a week and a couple energy drinks.
It is an amazing product, my energy level is up, I crave healthy food. 1 month into Thrive I do not eat bread, junk food, chips, candy and can control my portions. I am working out. My mom has lost 20 lbs she is 78 and her blood pressure is GREAT. My sister just announced that she has officially weighed in at 25lbs lighter! My sister was worrying all of us as she was dangerously overweight.
I know many people on the product that were once sluggish and dangerously overweight, that are now Thriving. That is why I promote the product. My hair has grown over a half an inch. And I can see the results in my skin! Like the review said, the proprietary totals 527mg. We have Doctors, nurses and health driven people on the product that can’t say enough good.
My resting heart rate is excellent too. In the past, I suffered from high blood pressure. Like with any supplement or change talk to your Physician if you are concerned. I love my overall calmness and clear thinking but best of all a steady energy and not napping. My sleep is now 8 hours a night and very restful. I love Thrive!
Daina, thanks for sharing. Question. Did you lose weight? If yes, then that might explain your drop in blood pressure.
Hi Joe, 2 weeks on Thrive I bought a scale. From that point on so now ending my 5th week I have lost 8lbs. What i have noticed is my inches have gone down, my jeans fit straight out of the dryer! I couldn’t agree with you more on the weightloss but more importantly daily I craved salt and sugar but really more salt. So 5 weeks, not shaking salt, drinking caffeine or eating bread or anything like cakes, cookies, candy, has played a key role in the drop of my blood pressure. I do not like diets.
For me Thrive works because it’s done in the morning, then I am able to eat healthy without leaning or craving the junk food. I am ecstatic about not drinking coffee. Sometimes I would have a very acidic feeling, from too much coffee. The product alone is so much more than a weight loss product, I feel good, my skin looks nourished and my sleep is better. AT 8 weeks I will do a before and after picture because these keep coming into my mailbox. Not sure if I can attach a photo, I would be happy to do my 5 week photos if I can?
Daina, I dont know how you can attach a picture here. I will take your word for it 🙂
Joe, I’ve been Thriving for 6 weeks. My blood pressure has dropped 15 points (top number) and I haven’t lost any weight. Thrive has done amazing things for this 57 year old woman. My daughter is a nurse practitioner who insisted I try Thrive. The number of health professions who use Thrive is impressive. IMO, because the corrupt FDA, who’s in bed with Big Pharma, hasn’t given their approval is a plus. #hatersgonnahate
Tami, I am quite surprised a nurse practitioner would recommend a product containing syneperine. Could you pass me along to your daughter so she could write in and discuss why she recommended it to you? Maybe she can shed some light on something I’m missing?
I’m one week into thrive and I’ve noticed a big increase in my energy, it’s not a jittery energy, it’s a good healthy feeling of being awake. My back has hurt for the last 5 years, for 4 days I’ve had no pain in my back. I have not had a cup of coffee in 3 days. I’ve lost 3 pounds. I’m not sure about long term affects bit I’m loving the thrive experience!
Le-vel Chief executive officer and founders fb page.
https://www.facebook.com/JasonCamper777/photos_stream
The Natural Health Products Directorate (NHPD) has conducted a review of the safety of synephrine, a substance which has structural resemblance to epinephrine and ephedrine.
Based on the potential for cardiovascular toxicity, the NHPD has adopted the following guidelines for the use of synephrine in Natural Health Products.
•A limit of 30 mg/day has been adopted as the maximum allowable dose for total synephrine and octopamine, which is related chemically and pharmacologically to synephrine. Sources of these substances include Citrus speciessuch as C. aurantium, as well as certain species of some other genera (e.g. Evodia rutaecarpa), and synthetic sources. The above limit is consistent with that adopted by the Australian Therapeutic Goods Administration for synephrine in over-the-counter products (NDPSC 2003).
•Given that there is currently insufficient published clinical evidence to establish a safe level for synephrine + caffeine combinations, caffeine or caffeine sources (e.g. coffee, tea, cola, maté, guarana) will not be permitted in synephrine-containing products without submission of sufficient clinical evidence in humans.
•As there is insufficient information to establish the safety of long-term use of synephrine-containing products, a duration-of-use statement is required:
Consult a health care practitioner for use beyond 8 weeks (Greenway et al. 2006).
Risk Information:
•No risk information is required for products providing ≤ 3 mg synephrine + octopamine in a daily dose. This is based on a long history of safe use of bitter orange in Traditional Chinese Medicine at doses that provide approximately 3 mg/day synephrine.
•Risk information is required for those products providing >;3 mg synephrine + octopamine in a total daily dose:
Cautions and warnings:
•Consult a health care practitioner prior to use if you have cardiovascular disease or hypertension (Sweetman 2007Based on risk information for sympathomimetics.; Haller et al. 2005; Bui et al. 2006), diabetes (Sweetman 2007Based on risk information for sympathomimetics.), prostate disorders (Sweetman 2007Based on risk information for sympathomimetics.) or are taking prescription medication (Sweetman 2007Based on risk information for sympathomimetics.; Genpharm 2005; Firenzuoli et al. 2005; Malhotra et al. 2001). Optional: prescription medications may be specified, e.g. antihypertensives, thyroid hormones, Monoamine oxidase inhibitors (MAOIs), tricyclic antidepressants.
•Consumption with caffeine-containing products (e.g. medications, guarana, maté, coffee, tea) is not recommended as it may increase the risk of adverse effects (Haller et al. 2005).
•Consult a health care practitioner prior to use if you are pregnant (Sweetman 2007Based on risk information for sympathomimetics.) or breastfeeding.
Contraindications:
•Do not consume if you are taking decongestant-containing cold preparations (i.e. phenylephrine or pseudoephedrine) (Penzak et al. 2001; NDPSC 2003), products containing ephedra or ephedrine (FDA 2004), or other medications which increase blood pressure.
Great article. I wish I would have researched it a little more before I tried it myself. I actually tried it 3 separate times between March 2015 and now. I was very skeptical from the beginning but gave it a try anyway.
My first time I “thrived” for 4 weeks straight…after 4 days I “crashed” (felt very tired and drained and got a headache). I was assured that this was normal, as it was my body detoxing.
So, I continued for the duration of my supplies, never feeling any better. I stopped for a few weeks and then decided to try again. After about 4 days I was having some digestive issues and then got a migraine. I immediately stopped the thrive and after a couple of days I was back to normal.
I chalked this up to just being under the weather so I said I would give it another try. Third times the charm, right? Wrong! Again, on about day 4 the stomach upset and migraine returned.
I am listening to my body this time and will not be taking this product anymore. I have friends who swear by their results. I guess it just affects everyone differently. Be careful with any supplements and listen to your body.
Lisa, appreciate you taking the time to share and sorry that happened to you.
I was thinking I was the only one experiencing these type of issues. I have a lot of family members that have had great results. After 1 month I stopped and within a week was back to normal. I have an appointment in a couple weeks with the doctor and will share this info.
Thank you for a great review. I will be passing on this product.
Maria, you are very welcome.
Great review. I didn’t even catch the willow bark, and I’m in nursing school. Be very careful about taking this if you’re on blood thinners or anything containing aspirin.
As for the probiotics, is it true that any probiotic that isn’t refrigerated is inactive anyway? I’ve been told that if you find a probiotic on a shelf, it’s junk. I was wondering if that was true.
Luci, thanks, I’m glad to help! I’ve heard the probiotics don’t necessarily to be frozen to be still good. I personally prefer refrigerated probiotics myself but I am told it no longer matters. Ask your teachers about this and see what they think.
The human GI tract is already populated with a wide array of microbes. The only way a probiotic will have a chance to compete for space is if the individual is on an antibiotic therapy that depletes the resident microbiota (leaving room for new microbes to colonize and grow).
Hi, are you saying unless, a person is on antibiotics, they shouldn’t be taking a probiotic? can you clarifyexplain this further? Thank you.
Having a wife with Crohn’s Disease, there are a lot of “probiotic” supplements pushed that will “cure” (no it won’t) the disease, so I have done some research in probiotics for that.
Basically you have a large number of microbes in your digestive tracts, some good and some bad. The difficulty arises in that we don’t know what all of them do, or what the correct balance should be. Adding more “good” bugs upsets the balance and has the potential of causing problems rather than helping. Essentially the only real reason to take any probiotics is if you are on an antibiotic regime, since that has a tendency to kill off some of the stomach “bugs”, and the probiotic should (theoretically) help repopulate those. BUT since there is no solid evidence on which of the “bugs” are actually good or bad, it could still be questionable.
The short answer is, unless you are taking antibiotics you have no need of probiotics (-unless- a doctor can tell you otherwise).
-although since science hasn’t discovered exactly what microbes do what, I don’t believe any good doctor would tell you to take a probiotic since we don’t really know what the stomach/intestines need or why.
BEST REVIEW I’ve ever seen! Yep, I’m a R.N. so they know not to throw the HYPE at me! THANK YOU for the effort you put into this!!! Linda/RN
Linda, you are very kind and I thank you much for your generous words.
Joe; Thank You for the Excellent Data & Research that you did. I was considering buying some of this from a friend/distributor to lose weight; and many Thanks per Luci’s Observation & Comment about the Willow Bark; found that I can not; as I am on Warfarin for a Lifetime Condition.[Polycythemia]. Whoo! That was close! klee
Karen you’re very welcome!!