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
Joe, as much as I appreciate “your level of google research” it sounds to me like your only giving Your opinion. Everyone has an opinion. If your Not a woman and you haven’t tried this product as a Man or a Woman your opinion in my eyes is null and void.
Why don’t you find Real women who have tried Thrive W and ask them what they notice. My Thrive consultant did give me verbal instructions as well as written info on the products. She did say Not to drink coffee when using Thrive. I love coffee and was disappointed to hear that, however I tried it and I found that I had way more energy than I’ve had since Metabolife. I am naturally a low blood pressure and low energy every day. So this product is amazing for someone like me and many others.
Hi Katherine you are 100% correct. I am giving my opinion, although I am not just using google to form that opinion. Rather, where possible, I try to link to clinical studies that are listed in the National Library of Medicine (Pubmed.gov). Regardless, I am happy it is working for you and hope it continues to do so for a long time to come.
Thank you thank you so much for this I formation. I was diagnosed with hep c when I was 13. My mother father and brother have it also. My levels are extremely low is good and had no side affects to the hep c but tiredness. I was tired of caffeine! So I tried thrive for three months. I took it as told. I felt amazing being on thrive.
After my third month, I decided to see if my insurance would cover my treatment for hep c. Mine was approved and I was told by my doctor to stop thrive while on this treatment so I did as told.
My second week off a thrive and on this treatment i experienced a lot of inflammation in my joints. It was excruciating. I ended up having to get steroid injections 🙁 but the joint pain was under control.
By my fifth week of treatment. My doctor said it is very uncommon to get this type of joint pain from this hep c treatment called harvoni. I totally blamed it on the harvoni. But after reading this very informative information on thrive I’m curious if maybe, possibly, this severe joint pain could of came from stopping thrive? I would like to thank you for all your informative information. You have done a great job.
Hi Tabitha, you are very welcome and sorry to learn about your joint pain.
After hearing all the adverse reactions that so many Thrive users have been experiencing, I just want to encourage those users to take the time to complete the FDA Adverse Health Related Event Form for Dietary Supplements so that the FDA can have the evidence necessary to begin researching Thrive by Le-Vel.
https://www.safetyreporting.hhs.gov
Without consumers providing this valuable information, the FDA will not step in as they do not regulate any dietary supplement.
Thanks for the reviews! A friend posted about Thrive W on FB and I was checking it out and came across your blog. So glad I did. Thanks for sharing this information. Its so helpful
Hi Lynda, happy to be of service. Thanks for dropping by 🙂
When Thrive was popular in my area, my cousin who is an EMT told me that they picked up several people a week who were having cardiac issues brought on by Thrive. Most had no previous cardiac concerns. Seeing your comment about the ingredient that causes cardiac issues made me remember her comment. I feel like the product is too unsafe for most. Just throwing that out there for those considering using it.
I am so very sorry you feel so horrible 🙁 Unfortunately, it took me several weeks, but I promise there is hope! When you are on so many uppers, it is normal to feel those depressing feelings when coming off. Your body will adjust back in time. I remember the brain fog. I would suggest seeing you GP and making sure everything looks good. Just to be sure. You could have an underlying deficiency that the Thrive stimulants were masking. Take Care.
Thank you so much for your response! Knowing I am not the only one who is feeling this bad coming off of the thrive makes me feel some better!3 weeks out, still very tired with allot of brain fog. I have an app. next week to see dr. just to make sure nothing else is going on!
Ah! I’m a first time reader, but I have a feeling I’m going to love this blog! I have friends who bombard me with their fad diets and supplements on social media. I have a BS in biology and an MS in occupational therapy. I was trained in research, so these products always make me crazy when they don’t have any! I would basically do what you do in this blog, but it would take up quite a bit of my time. So glad I found this blog to do it for me. And I love how you link the studies for validity. Great job!
Hi Elizabeth, you and I have similar backgrounds. I have a BS in chem/bio and an MS in ex phys. Always nice to meet a fellow science geek 🙂
One other thing, I don’t want to sound like a terrible bitter ex thriver. I’m not. I wish everyone the best. I do have some friends who had horrible fatigue issues and they truly have seen a difference due to thrive and choose to deal with the little side effects that they have. I believe that their fatigue is probably from a vitamin deficiency, specifically iron, (because I know their stories) and I think they need to see a dr to assess the root cause rather than mask it with stimulants, but I refuse to judge them and I’m happy it’s helping.
Hi Alexandra! Sure I would love to share with you. I will first start by saying that I tried it previously. About a year before and had a HORRIBLE 3 day experience. Jitters, I was itchy, and I felt out of my head. Fast forward one year and a friend of a friend got me to try it again And said I took it wrong initially. My wife and I were in a tough spot financially so we thought of the business opportunity as well.
I took it “correctly” this time and I aside from mild diarrhea, I felt fine for the first few days, unlike before. A few months went by and I became successful as a promoter. Unfortunately, as time went on, many of my friends became ill. MANY. Some suffering from food aversions, some having headaches, some having sever anxiety and elevated bp. As well as other members of my indirect down line.
I was disturbed by this as the only information that support would tell me (and my promoters) was that they were taking it incorrectly or detoxing. Then, I ran out of product on my own and I began to feel awful. I had a migraine headache for days and my stomach I was significantly cramped up. I felt unwell all over.
I realized that I was having caffeine withdrawal on one hand and then just general withdrawals from the other ingredients on the other hand. I then began to research which I should’ve done from the get go. That is how i found supplement geek and his excellent work. After doing hours and hours worth of research I discovered that thrive is not what they say it is.
It is not “all natural” it is not “not Gmo” it is chocked full of stimulants and the vitamins are subpar. During that time I had starting consuming it again, felt more like myself, only to choose to completely stop taking it based on my research. I spoke with several Doctor, nurse, and pharmacy friends and they all said that the “detox” is bull, that there is no solid proof that any of the added products do what they say that they do, and that they would never put it in their body.
Sorry for such a long message but that was my experience. I no longer promote but I know people who do indirectly and have been spoken to by their down line customers regarding their withdrawal symptoms and side effect reactions. It’s not pretty.
Thank you for your review. May I ask how long it took before you felt “normal” again after you stopped taking Thrive completely? I have had a lot of the same side effects and when I’ll have tried to stop taking it I get very very sleepy and headaches so go back to it 🙁 and go through the “detox” process all over again. So upset I spent so much $ I couldn’t afford on this product and now feel obligated to finish it!
I am a year Thriver and loving it an my test results are loving it. I had so many health issues that have gone away when I started Thrive. I know we all have our own opinion, yet I thought I had to put in a good word for the people that Thrive has changed their lives.
Hi there. I recently started taking Thrive and really like it, i have felt a noticeable difference. I am not taking it for weight management, but I really just wanted more energy and to be able to focus with the use of Adderall. I want to stay informed however, I am really trying to figure what is in this stuff and how safe it is. Looks like there is still a lot of information not available.
So….my mom wants to take it she is 65 and in general good health. There is a family history on her side of Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s unfortunately. So… I her to be careful with this stuff and I hope this is safe for her.
Now, I would also love for my Dad to try it. He is 67, not in the best health, smokes, drinks a lot of alcohol and coffee. He also had skin cancer and is dealing with residual effects from radiation (had lymphs under arm removed and arm swelling problems-it’s been 5 years since his radiation treatment)
Part of dad’s problem is his diet and I am working on this with him. But energy is still a problem and he sleeps a lot and is just “drained most of the time.” I would like to have him try thrive for men, but I am just wondering if there would be any contraindications due to his medical history…. So… my main questions is really about my dad, if this is something safe for him to take…. ?????
Thanks!! This blog has been the best I could find as far as a comprehensive detailed list of ingredients.
Hi Katya, Thrive M contains synepherine and some other stimulants. In my opinion, I’m not comfortable with stimulants especially those like synepherine which have the potential to raise blood pressure and heart rate. A good book that I think might inspire you dad is “How Not To Die.” its one of the most interesting books I’ve read in a long time. I think your dad has other things he needs to want to address – like smoking – but if we can get him to eat better and try to take a walk with you regularly that this might help his energy levels.
I am 63 and have been taking the doTerra LLV (Life Long Vitality). My sis-in-law did too, but both of noticed a difference in adding the Thrive. I had a gallbladder removed 18 months ago and the Thrive has eliminated the mad rush to bathroom. I suspect it is the probiotics selected. The doTerra had helped with the mental focus and the energy; but this had added another noticeable level.
Husband started it with me and he is 72; on the first day he took one short nap in the mid-afternoon when he came in from working on building a fence across the back of our lawn; whereas he’s been taking 3 for years. I did have him quit taking his baby aspirin because of the Willow Bark. While taking this I am not taking the doTerra Deep Blue Capsules for aches & pains because the Thrive seems to be working just fine.
I believe that you have to be cautious and pay attention to what changes and for some that is difficult to put into words. If they are taking a blood thinner then they need to visit with their doctor about reducing or eliminating that while on either Thrive or the doTerra. There are doctors prone to dissing these products; you have to be firm with them that you want to try and and you’d like their help but you’ll find another doctor if not.
Taking charge of your own body is welcome by some, if your parents are not, or you don’t think you can do it for them to keep track maybe they shouldn’t. If they are then I guarantee it will provide a noticeable difference. Go to the grocery store and check blood pressure when you are there. Measure the difference when they take a walk…notice speed and how they feel right after and the next day if they push it to a high level. Be smart.
Jan, While I am a fan of telling your doctor – and pharmacist- about the supplements one take, I don’t think anyone would advocate going off blood thinner meds in place of taking doTera, Thrive or any other supplement program.
I began using Thrive January 19th, 2015. I have fibromyalgia and Chronic Fatigue Syndromes. After 24 hours I noticed my thinking was crystal clear and no what is called Fibro Fog. I continued taking it until recently when I came off of it to have cataract surgery. I had thought all this time that it was helping. I was beginning to feel shaky but thought it was just me getting older or going from one part of the country to another. We are full time RVrs. After being off of the thrive for over two weeks now I have stopped shaking. I don’t think I’m going back on Thrive. I actually feel no different than when I was taking it. I also gained weight and found myself hungrier while doing Thrive.
In November I was admitted into the hospital because my body began to shake. My arms and legs began to jerk and I lost the ability to speak without it being garbled. At first they diagnosed me with a TIA but after further examination by other doctors they think it was more of a nerve issue. At any rate they did a echo cardiogram and my doctor who cleared me for the cataract surgery said that I have an enlarged Aorta.
At any rate since I don’t feel any worse not taking it I have decided with all the stimulants in it and my bp already high I am not going to continue Thrive.
I became a distributor because I believed in the product at first. I couldn’t get enough people to join me and only got my product free for two months. I have been told I am such a good sales person I could sell ice to eskimos. But, I can’t get anyone to try this product any longer.
When I first became a distributor I had to be on phone calls almost every night. I called the upline the “rah rah sisterhood” As long as you were listening to the same stuff every night and all their upbeat crap you were loved. Once you told them you were not going to do just as they said you got a lot of belligerent women on your case. I blocked them from my facebook page and from my phone. Yes, their sales tactics are cultish.
Since we travel in our RV all of the time I threw my last invoice away but I have tons of product.
Now I have other problems with my blood work and we are looking into if anything in the Thrive could have caused me problems. My new doctor is advising against it. I had two doctors look at it and say because it had no ephedra in it I could take it. But, now I’m finding it has other things like ephedra in it. I’m glad to find this out now.
It really bothers me and has for some time that you can’t talk to a person and you don’t know where it is actually made. For all we know it could be made in China.
And in answer to prescription drugs over “natural” drugs what do you think some of those drugs are made from? Natural products. They just know what the adverse effects are.
Please don’t crucify me. These are just my opinions after having been involved with Thrive and Le-vel
Hi Marilyn, so sorry you went through all of that. Hopefully you are through your cataract surgery and all is going well. Your words -about feeling odd when you stopped taking Thrive – sound similar to what others have told me. I wonder if it has to do with the stimulants in some of the products?
What you said about the other distributors getting on you after asking questions, also sounds like what “Jammison” another former distributor here said when she got out of the business. For what its worth, many current distributors who leave comments here, dont want to engage me in a conversation. I ask questions and they dont answer me.
I’m surprised 2 doctors said it was ok because it didn’t have “ephedra.” (which has been banned in the US for over 10 years by the way). I often recommend showing supplements to pharmacists and if you can, registered dietitians as well as doctors too. It’s my experience that pharmacists and RDs know a lot about supplements.
Given what you said about your heart and shakiness I dont feel stimulants are right for you.
You said you still have lots of product left. Did you have to buy the product up front before you could sell it? Is that what distributors have to do? Most MLMs Ive heard of dont make you buy the product up front. Just curious.
Have fun in that RV. It sounds like quite an adventure!
LeVel sets newbies up with their own website so that they place their own orders for their own product, their new recruits get their own website and as they order, any benefit(s) flow up to you.
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And in answer to prescription drugs over “natural” drugs what do you think some of those drugs are made from? Natural products. They just know what the adverse effects are.
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That is what most people do not seem to understand. The prescription drugs that some seem afraid of -are- natural based. They are just synthesized to remove whatever portions of the “natural” element are not useful, to minimize side effects or reactions. Companies don’t just come up with a substance and market it, most are the result of years of study based on our knowledge of what has made people better in the past. Some medicines today are based on little more than testing, trial and error, for some of the more persistent problems we face (like cancer) that there are no known natural cures for. But they all started with a natural product base at some point.
They hype against medicines is, sadly, appearing to gain traction with people. Educated people even seem to fall for the natural ingredient … I don’t want to say hoax but honestly that is what it sounds like when people shill “it is all natural so it is good/better for you”. Arsenic is all natural, haven’t heard that is good for you.
All that “all natural” seems to mean is that it has never been studied for this purpose and you are guessing it works… but few seem to actually see it that way.
Thanks for the info. I am a BP with Nerium International and was wanting to gather some info on Thrive. I have a friend trying to Get me to try but I am not willing to go off our brain supplement EHT. I have some good info for the next time she asks. Our EHT is patented and backed by 20 years of research. Feeling the best I have in years.
Hi Cindy, thanks I’m glad it helped. Here is my review of Nerium EHT if you care to check that out.
I was interested to hear your comments about it being cultish and how you are shut out. My sister became a distributor in May 2016. I and my father immediately noticed a stark change in personality. Like she was on amphetamines. Moody snappy and if you questioned thrive based on the massive personality change we saw she would abuse the hell out of you and reject you.
She has cut me right off and doesn’t speak to me at all now because on one occasion I questioned the validity of thrive and what I was seeing. The worst part is she got my fiancé to try it and she also is now a distributor.
I looked at sites like this and did some checking and told her about some scam warnings I had found. I was just being open minded and seeing what thrive was all about. I did this because I noticed the same change. Mood swings and anger at me for no reason at all. She became obsessed with thrive and I was pushed out. It just got worse and worse and she and my sister pretty much joined forces in the thrive obsession.
I am now separated from my fiancé.
I was pushed out pretty much the day she started selling thrive. I had to leave to keep my sanity from the abuse. The two of them carry on their obsession and I have lost my family and my fiancé in the 7 weeks since they started it.
I hold thrive and their cultish and as you said sister hood culture fully responsible for this. That is how they talk and write. “Sista”. I think the product and its culture are an evil and incidious life destroying thing.
And I only spoke up because of the massive personality changes I saw and naturally because I love them both and care. Now I have lost them. I see they flog it mercilessly to their facebook friends and no one puts likes on it anymore. They like each other’s posts. I am sure their friends have become sick to death of the daily emails.
Personally I hope this evil thing dies a natural death and someone exposes the culture that broke my home and what my dad and I saw in them. I saw side effects in them of mood swings personality changes irrational thinking and anger. I saw my fiancé last week and she has been suffering daily chronic headaches causing days off work.
I was looking for documented side effects but like is said the ingredients have not been researched by the company. Why they exhibited the signs of amphetamine users and the obsession with thrive. But they maintain their obsession and culture all for a pipe dream of getting a Mercedes.
My advice keep it out of your life as it has the potential to destroy it as it has done to mine. I wish it never was invented.
Oh one last thing I forgot to add, when I did speak up to my up line regarding the knowledge I was uncovering, I was met with not only aggression, but was pretty much disowned.
I went ingredient by ingredient and learned so much about what this product really was versus what they said it was. It was like going down the rabbit hole. I couldn’t stop researching. I do not speak to anyone in my up line any longer. They treated me worse than I’ve been treated in years. All because I questioned things…
Anyway, I digress and again, wish everyone the best. I just encourage people to do their own research from the start and never take what some promoter tells them as fact.
Jameson, that is unfortunate they treated you like that. I hope not all are like that. I echo your thoughts about people doing their own research.
🙂 You do a good thing by running this blog and keeping people informed. I stumbled upon it last year when I finally started to put things together regarding le-vel and thrive. I have read several of your other reviews as well. I also appreciate that you never partake in any catty rhetoric and simply answer people intelligently – on the same token, it cracks me up that these people rarely respond to your direct questions.
That is certainly something I dealt with as well… Unfortunately promoters and very well versed in a specific dialogue. Much of which isn’t even accurate. When you ask anything of them outside of what they are “supposed” to say, they won’t know. I am talking people who are at the top of the le-vel FoodChain. People who you would expect to know.
As I said, the movement is so powerful that everything is bought hook line and sinker and the new customer/promoter doesn’t do a lick of research on their own. Or maybe they do a brief Google search, see comments like the thrive supporter comments on here and simply deem that everyone else is just a “hater.” Haha! That always makes me giggle. Cheers Joe.
Jameson, Ive also noticed how few want to start a conversation or answer my questions. It’s too bad. my hope is that others can learn from our back and forth conversations.
Hi joe, just read your last comment regarding the former thrive distributor (me) and I wanted to shed some light. the thrive movement is extremely powerful when you are immersed in it. The people who run the show have done one thing effectively and that is coach every promoter on how to coach their promoters and customers.
I hate to use the “cult” term again, but having fallen prey to it myself, that is what it is. Until someone experiences the negative side effects themselves or has to withdraw from the product like I did… And my parents… And my friends… They won’t understand.
You are constantly being told how wonderful the stuff is by the thrive people, commanding your social media news feeds, combined with powerful rhetoric (with no real scientific basis) from everyone involved, they have no choice but to believe the hype. It’s a constant influx of thrive promoting information at all time. Not to mention the fact that promoters are encouraged to share 1-3 stories from the le-vel Facebook fan page per day showing how “amazing” the stuff is, even though everyone who writes a success story is a promoter… And as a promoter you are encouraged to share a success story as it will drive your sales when le-vel posts it to your page. It’s all quite genius.
As for my own withdrawals… They were horrible. I will never mess with any stimulants ever again. I wish every “thriver” the best and I have faith that they will see the light eventually, like I did.
Jameson, thank you for sharing again. I also wish them all luck.
I’d like to know more about why you had to stop the product please. I have been taking it for just a week and some days love it but some days hate it.
Can u please tell me how long it took to get over the withdrwals??I am going on my 2 nd week with no le vel and I feel awful! Lethargic, brain fog, depression! Is there light at the end of the tunnel?
Hi Darlene, what specific thrive supplements are you taking?
I was taking the capsules with the lifestyle mix and the patch.I started using this system Jan.1, 16. I benefited most from the mental clarity and improved mood and sense of well being, even tho the effects were not as strong over the last couple months as I suspect my body was building up a tolerance, much like in times past when I took diet pills.
I am having to literally drag myself thru the day now. I have lost short term memory and find it very difficult to concentrate and I feel like my performance at work is suffering. I am tired all the time and very depressed.
Hi Darlene, tolerance is a possibility based on what you said. I would not take more though to compensate. while I think the patch and shake are likely not going to to be problems for most people, the W supplement has too many stimulant ingredients for my taste.
why dont you show the ingredients in what you are taking to a pharmacist and see what she/he thinks about your symptoms. They are usually smart cookies when it comes to stuff like this.
so sorry that all that happened to you. I could not of found a better up line that loves my questions and challenges, and not cult like at all. Everyone is diffident and I hope who ever reads this will take all comments that way.
We all have different experiences and your words or Joe’s is all opinions and as a current and a forever Thriver, I do to. I love Thrive, I love the people in my upline and the CEO’s. I am not a big wig in the company but working on the opportunity.
Just like all the other supplement companies there will be people that like the product and people that don’t. I have been with 4 other companies, this is the first one that has finally standed up to what they say.
Again, I’ve been using the products for 1 year. I DON’T work out, exercise or have a personal trainer. Better sleep is just one of many “side effects” of your body getting the vitamins & minerals it was lacking.
Pretty simple stuff, it’s not magic or mysterious. My daily routine is exactly the same as it was before I started & adding Thrive has given me 100% better sleep. Have you done the 8 weeks of the 3 core products Joe?
Hi Dolly, I work on multiple products at the same time. As such, there is no way in the world I could personally try everything that I review. Its just not feasible. I prefer instead to show people the science and let them make their own decisions, free from the hype (eg the “experience”) that some distributors prefer to use. If I’ve been able to do that, then I’m glad. And, if I can be frank, I would not try anything that has stimulants, especially those which lack proper human testing.
Speaking of distributors, I’m surprised that nobody has wanted to discuss what the words of the former thrive distributor in her comment yesterday.
*If* it were as simple as that, no one would need Thrive. Any multi-vitamin at the store would suffice, probably for much less.
The thing is, there is more in the product than just vitamins and minerals. And no idea if those things are good for you or bad for you or even necessary.
And that is what sites like this are good for. To let you know, in a mostly unbiased way, what is in these products so you can decide, without company rhetoric, for yourself if you really want to put this stuff in your body.
*no offense meant Joe, but humans being what they are there will always be a little bias somewhere. Bias can be good, bad, or meaningless though. I just know if I said unbiased someone would argue the .00001% that are biased. Cheers and keep up the good work.
David, thats true, none of us are perfect 🙂
I tried one day of the three day experience, and the first couple hours all was fine. As I worked on chores and puttered around the house my resting heart rate jumped to 125, 135 just doing chores. That isn’t my normal. I felt dizzy and yucky.
Later that day sitting down to read my heart still was in upper 70s, low 80s. Resting is usually in sixties. I took off patch by 630pm because it wouldn’t rest.
As one who has dealt with anxiety I cannot take this.
There are at least five caffeine substances or stimulants in the capsules. No good for me.
I am currently a customer for Le-vel and have been taking all 3 products (capsules, shake and patch) for almost 8 weeks now. I have not noticed weight loss contributed to Thrive (I lost 3 lbs. this past week but I have changed my diet and have a personal trainer).
I do have to say I have noticed I sleep better at night. I have been diagnosed with chronic insomnia by my doctor and many sleep aid prescriptions didn’t work for me. This seems to allow me to fall asleep faster and stay asleep.
I do notice more energy throughout the day but of course this could very well be because I am actually sleeping for the first time in a very long time. What do you suppose contributes to sleep in Thrive? Thanks!
Hi Ali M, I could only speculate on your better sleeping habits. Did you immediately start sleeping better when you started the supplements? Or did it coincide with you working out with a personal trainer? In other words, it possible you are just pooped at the end of the day because the trainer is working you out harder than you might ordinary do on your own?
I’ve been watching these comments for a while now & 90% of them are laughable. I’ve been taking these supplements for 1 year without ANY issues.
anyone would take advice or consider a “review” from anyone other than a trained medical professional defies logic. I have 2 friends who are pharmacists who also use these products & in fact, one is currently breast feeding.
The “stimulants” (ha) are no more than in a cup of coffee. The list of ingredients are not hard to come by. The company is a cloud based & does not staff phones but will answer EVERY inquiry made. Why not get the list of ingredients & ask your doctor?
I also personally know 2 nurse practitioners who have been using the products longer than I have & one of them works in the cardiac unit @ one of the top hospitals in the country.
Don’t confuse a Google search with medical information. If NOW you’re concerned about what goes in your body, ask your doctor but make sure you tell him/her what your diet has consisted of over the last 6 months also. #researchthat
Dolly, I would agree with what you said about trusting people who are not medical professionals, which may be the case for most of distributors. As for the caffeine, you are leaving out the other stimulants in this particular product. Regardless, I do agree that its best to show the ingredients to ones doctor and pharmacist first before taking anyone’s word for safety -yours or mine.
I believe this was a place to share your experience; not to bash others. They are just meerly stating their own experiences. Sounds like you might be judging or a bit critical of their experiences. Just sayin.
As a previous promoter, reading these comments seriously hurt my heart. The fact that I put so many people in danger kills me. I was successful while doing it and did hit the 12k mark but it was at the expense of my dignity.
The company functions much like a cult and the promoters do not have to be in any way knowledgeable or intelligent to promote. Under my watch, at least a dozen friends or customers of my down line became ill, had anxiety issues, and also had elevated bp and severe diarrhea. The official story is “it’s just your body cleansing.”
Once I wised up I realized how completely baseless their claims were. “It fills in your nutritional gaps!” “It’s all natural!” “It only has natural stimulants!” “You can come off of your daily coffee with no side effects!”
Correct me if I am wrong, but the only reason that is possible is because you are still filling your body with caffeine!
I will never look back at my decision to stop working with this company. I do believe it is just a matter of time before someone is seriously or fatally hurt. My opinion, of course.
I had an almost instant flush feeling after taking one pill for women. My blood pressure was slightly elevated so I took a b.p. I didn’t drink the shake after the flush and a few minutes of dizziness because there ARE stimulants in that and didn’t want blood pressure risk again.
I put the patch on my ankle for 30 minutes and got really dizzy. Took blood pressure and it was dangerously elevated. Took patch off immediacy. Called promoter to explain and give samples back.
If using all three components of thrive for women how much caffeine would I be consuming? 1 cup of coffee ? A can of Coke? I have hbp but seem fine with Coke. Not sure if this thrive is way more than a Coke?
Kristen, Remember, there are stimulants- other than caffeine in Thrive W too but that’s a good question.
Can you lost the stimulants and what they do please? I’m curious? I’ve not been told this and you are very knowledgeable about it so please share
History, here is a list of the stimulants. I covered them in my review wiht links where you can learn more
Based on the ingredients, I believe the following compounds in Thrive W are stimulants:
Guarana
Green tea (unless its defainated)
PEA
Theobromine
Synephrine
White tea (unless its decafinated)