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
Jaunice says
You should probably include liver, kidney damage, high blood pressure and diarrhea to the list of negative side effects of the Thrive product line. These stimulant and diuretic laced products made the rounds at my University. Pushed by a small fringe group of uneducated drones mindlessly placing products in their Facebook feeds and supplying misleading and inaccurate health and wellness information.
Run, don’t walk from these products. Have you been taking large doses of this stuff for months or years? You’ll be enjoying chronic digestive and other health problems later in life. Only exercise and a balanced diet will achieve weight loss.
This is another “easy way out” in a new fancy package, all with the unwitting consumer being preyed upon as usual, by an unscrupulous pyramid scheme style company, who makes sure the money moves from your pocket to theirs. Constant up-selling of new products to keep consumers spending and addicted. All with poorly paid and uneducated promoters doing all the work.
Not even an original product, same old synthetic ingredients: PEA, Synephine, and other ephedrine like ingredients all cheap, and readily made in contract supplement factories.
Eventually this will be pulled from the market like all stimulant laden supplements that promise weight loss by raising heart rates and blood pressure. Run. Don’t walk. Run.
Jordan says
Truly overpriced garbage. This is another MLM pyramid scheme style company looking to separate you from your hard earned money. And if you are gullible enough to become a promoter, you’ll spend endless hours posting on Facebook, parroting off anecdotal and misleading marketing information, as well as annoying all your friends and family.
Do not buy in to this junk, which is filled with stimulants and caffeine which will cause your Blood pressure to go sky high. Spend your hard earned money on fresh meats, fruits and vegetables. You can buy a multi-vitamin, low dose aspirin and oat fiber for pennies a day to achieve what you would with hundreds of dollars of Thrive junk.
Constant up-selling from promoters, which means more and more products to suck you in deeper. STAY AWAY. Overpriced, synthetic, low quality and unregulated. Only the stimulants keep you hooked. Lousy Return Policy. Very difficult to get a hold of support.
Jim says
Had heart by-pass surgery on May 1 of this year. I will be 64 on Labor day
Now on Plavix and baby aspirin
Looking at this forum and the ingredients I don’t think it would be good for my heart
Wife wants me to try it…
Thanks for all the info on here
Any comments…?
Joe says
Hi Jim, sorry to hear about your health issues. Based on what you said, I would not try Thrive W or Thrive M (the men’s version). I’m pretty sure everybody here would agree with me on this, even those who are distributors.
Take a look at this book : How Not To Die. If nothing else you’ll gain a good insight into how nutrition can help improve our health.
Charlene says
Hi Jim,
Sorry to hear about your health!
This is totally random I know but just noticed your comment
I may know of something that you may be able to take for your heart?
Thanks
Joe says
Charlene, what is the name of the supplement you are referring to?
Charlene says
Hi Joe,
It is a nutritonal water soluble program based on whole foods.
It is called the triangle of health
Feel free to visit this website to view all the info on the products. comedreamit. kyani .com
Joe says
Hi Charlene, I’ve heard of Kyani supplements. I looked at Triangle of Health. It’s 4 different supplements said to work synergistically with each other. I did not see any clinical studies on the supplements. It’s $139.95. I see you are a distributor for Kyani. Do you have any clinical studies on Triangle of Health or other Kyani supplements you can share?
Charlene says
Sorry Joe,
For some reason there was no reply at the end of your question…so replied here instead…
Thanks for your reply Joe and great question. Yes the triangle of health is 3 products that work synergistically together.
I can definately share the science behind the products. Our company has a dedicated website http://www.kyaniscience.com.
Please feel free to visit this website to see more indepth information about the product.
Charlene says
Hi Joe,
That is great you have accessed the kyani science website… was the information in the site useful for your questions/queries?
There are independant studies, but i guess it depends what you are looking for?
If you provide your email i can send you a copy of the studies, should you be genuinely interested as i am unable to attach to this.
Thank you
Joe says
Hi Charlene, yes Id be interesting to see the studies. Send me an email from my contact page and Ill email you back. I’m interested in seeing the studies. Please send all the studies you can find. http://supplementclarity.com/conact-me/
Jim says
Charlene
Interested I hearing what you are referring to..
Charlene says
Hi Jim,
It is a nutritonal water soluble program based on whole foods.
It is called the triangle of health
Feel free to visit this website to view all the info on the products. comedreamit. kyani .com
Joe says
Hi Charlene, thanks for the link. I did look at the science page. it looks like they discuss research on some of the ingredients in the supplements but is there any research on Kyani supplements themselves?
Sharon Quinn says
I highly recommend PLEXUS supplements! TRIPLEX combo is only 129.95. My mom who is on 74 is on this and her health has improved significantly. There are also many testimonies. Plexus is so safe and healthy – with doctors approval pregnant and nursing moms are on Triplex and they and their babies are healthier. Seriously check out youtube videos – search on fb what every aliment you have and the word Plexus and see all the testimonies. Plexus saved my life! High blood pressure and health was declining fast, I had huge health changes in weeks. GUT health and blood sugar control are what makes Plexus so amazing.
Joe says
Sharon, is also a Plexus Slim Ambassador. A quick search for her name reveals this. Nothing wrong with this but I wanted to mention it.
Jim, I have several reviews on Plexus Slim where you can learn more here’s one to get you started: Plexus Slim Accelerator
Staci says
I am really interested in getting information from you about your Plexus experience and how it affects things when you have high blood pressure. I am 31, I have high blood pressure and I do not take meds for it. I have tons of friends who are using Thrive and have been pushing me constantly to use it because ‘it will make me feel better” and “it will totally change my life” but for some reason I don’t have a good feeling about it. Thank you!
Joe says
Hi Stacy, if it helps, I have a few reviews on Plexus slim. Here are links:
Plexus Slim Review
Plexus Slim new formula review
Plexus Accelerator Review
Plexus Boost Review
Plexus ProBio5 Review
Kathy says
I agree. I tried it today for the first time and halfway through my morning I had to take the patches off! My heart was racing so fast and eventually I vomited. I do suffer from High blood pressure that is usually controlled, and I am diabetic.
So I will not be taking any of it again. I had started with the pill, then the shake then the patches like you are suppose to.
Never again.
Angela says
I took it only five days and I also have high blood pressure and I felt like I had a heavy weight on my chest. After I took off the patch and quit I felt good again. My promoter also died. She was young and had no physical signs but she worked outside a lot in the heat and pushed herself to the limit with all of her thriving energy.
We don’t know if it was thrive but she died all of a sudden at night when she got up to go to the bathroom. She had been on thrive about a year.
She died of a aneurysm to the brain.
Joe says
Oh Angela, I am SO very sorry to hear this! Do you know how old your promoter was?
Angela says
My Promoter was 28 years old and had 2 children. It was pretty sad when she passed away!
Joe says
Angela, that is just heartbreaking. I think you had mentioned this before (its ringing a bell now). So very sad…
Bree says
Anyone have confirmed information on the form of B12 used in thrive
Joe says
Hi Bree, I dont. The fact sheet I have just says B12. Are you asking because of methylation reasons? Methyl B12 is popular in some supplements but I think cyano B12, which is the lesser expensive version, is more stable. I think either way, whether its the methyl version or not I believe it helps the methylation process.
Valarie says
I was told by a promoter that Thrive is FDA approved. Is this true?
Joe says
Hi Valarie, while there is a law that governs supplements in the US (Its abbreviated “DSHEA”), the FDA does not “approve” supplements as I understand it. IF you can find a link to the site where the promoter says that, I’d be glad to take a look at it for you.
Valarie says
Joe, unfortunately this was all word of mouth from a sales pitch. I believe she posted it on a website for a local meetup several months ago but I’m having trouble finding it. ?
Joe says
Valarie, well this stuff happens sometimes. No worries
Me says
It’s made in an FDA approved facility…..maybe there is the mix up? X
Joe says
Me, LOL, yes I hear ya.
Baz Monq says
fine light faded print on the shake packet says it s not FDA approved
Dave Wilkins says
They were wrong, it’s an over zealous promoter making unsubstantiated claims.
If Le-Vel has one shortcoming it that they need to do a better job monitoring individuals of this ilk. As a promoter my deepest apologies for this erroneous and misleading information.
I’m pretty old school but I was raised in a world that without integrity you have nothing. Not so much these days I think, way to many people in today’s world live under the false assumption that the”end justifies the means” so sad I think.
Tyler says
I understand where your coming from. I believe Le-vel needs to do a better job training their promoters that come from a background other than health. The fact that ANYONE can sell these products and make self educated claims are dangerous. I looked into it heavily. My promoter told me to listen in on team calls for product info, but the calls where just success stories, nothing about the actual product.
When I brought this up she seemed a little irritated, told me to research the products on my own. How is this efficient? The same promoter gets mad at potential customers when they research the product from online sources, most of them being against Thrive. This was pretty hypocritical of her. I think this is where Thrivers are making these uneducated claims, because they are forming their own opinion on the product based off of any article they find on the internet.
I came to the conclusion that her “team” knew very little about the products they sold. I was informed I had to blast my FB page with Thrive stories and motivational quotes, my goal was to get promoters under me, not selling products. The more promoters the more you benefit from them. The definition of a pyramid scheme.
I believe there truly are good promoters out there, but there few and far between. Most promoters today are single moms who have been mislead by friends, stating you can retire early and make lots of money (yes,this was told to me). They are individuals who have been through countless products, not willing to admit and do the work themselves. They are weak minded and need social support.
All of this I concluded from our “team” calls. I didn’t go through with the promotion. Once I told my sponsor that, she got extremely mad and I lost all contact with her.
Karry says
Tyler, I whole hardheartedly agree with you. As a Thrive promoter there is nothing that infuriates me more than promoters who have no clue what they are talking about. I myself have a degree and masters in health, I understand all of the ingredients in Thrive. Some promoters will do or say anything to make a sale or sign someone up under them. I myself require customers and promoters to sign a doctors note saying they gave the green light.
I never make such claims as detoxing, which is a misconception used among promoters, I take there negative reactions and figure out which ingredients is causing it. My promoters all have backgrounds in health, I don’t simply allow Joe Blow who has never cared about health once to be on my team. Do I think Thrive is beneficial? Yes. Do I think it’s the best? No.
If there is one shortfall with this company it’s the transparency. If you look at all there flashy videos, it absolutely tells you nothing about the products. With the metabolic boosters and appetite suppressants, I make sure my clients truly know what this is and why they take it. I’m tired of all the illegitimate promoters, it’s time for them to be gone and for the educated to come forward. A majority of the promoters can be debated and loss. It’s sad.
I’ve been promoting Thrive for 2 years and could have a possibility with another company, one that isn’t MLM. This industry isn’t a career like most people say. Go find a job with a consistent salary, health care, and a pension.
Katie MacBride says
Are you on Facebook, Karry? I would be interested in following you and learning more about your health suggestions, if you post about that sort of thing. Thanks
Michelle says
Karry do you have an email or facebook page you can share with me so I can learn more about Thrive? I have been taking the products for about 2 weeks and have lots of questions. I was told by my promoter that Thrive has less caffeine than a cup of coffee. However, what I have found by researching is that while that may be the case in mg of caffeine, I feel the caffeine in Guarana ALONG with the other stimulates/products has a very different affect.
I really WANT to like the product but as someone with a degree in Nutrition, I like to really understand the products. I have had to experiment with the capsules because I did not like how they made me feel when I took them as the recommended by the company.
Dan Smith says
Karry, Thanks for the straight forward sane comments on Thrive, Le-Vel and this industry. I’m a new promoter, a former EMT from 40 yrs ago and a semi-retired accountant and tax professional.
Buffy Walker says
Can I follow you as well on Facebook, etc? I’m thinking about promoting but don’t want to sell something that I don’t know about 100%
brian says
the FDA does approve supplements.
being that thrive has a proprietary blend in it which is a fancy way of saying “just some random crap thrown into a capsule” aside from the other basic ingredients. i garuntee your just taking in extra caffine and a metric crap ton of vitamin b12 which just coffee and b12 will give you energy and b12 will shred fat all on its on . you couls buy a substainial amount of b12 and straight caffine pills for like 30 bucks that would last you a month. THRIVE is bullcrap.
JC says
It says on the package it is NOT FDA approved, no supplements are that I’ve heard of. (But I think the FDA should start verifying supplement claims and fine them big for lying.
Find an honest promoter, don’t trust that one with anything having to do with a product they want to sell!!
Rebecca L Violette says
Consumers should be well informed about the details of the products and have access to reputable resources when questions arise. This company isn’t transparent enough for me and that always puts red flags up in my mind. Glad its been helpful for some folks but until they adopt a better process and provide better resources, I won’t be jumping on this ban wagon fad. Cheers and good health to all!
Nora says
So I scrolled through the CEOs FB page and Instagram accounts, not one single picture showing them wearing a DFT. Do they even Thrive?
Tim says
Hahaha. Company is a joke
Colbert says
Were you at Thrivers. I laugh at this company more and more every week.
Tami says
William, I’d be happy to answer questions for you. I’ve been using and living Thrive for almost 22 months! You can reach me via email @mothrive@gmail.com.
Joe says
Hi Tami, can you post the answers here too so we all can see them
William says
Tami, please reply on here. Thanks
Gregg says
Why not just post it on here Tami, if you were so knowledgeable on Thrive put it out there for all to see.
Samantha says
Tami, this is pretty typical of any Thrive promoter. The “I’ll answer any of your questions, just email me”. Why can’t you post it on here? Your probably trying to contact customer support right? Well good luck, they take forever to respond with pretty vague answers. This whole cloud thing is terrible, you can’t speak to an actual person.
Dave Wilkins says
Your basing your claim of “they take forever to respond with pretty vague answers” Have you contacted them or is this just a somebody said somebody said statement.
I have to call BS here in regard to customer support, I’ve contact them three times in the last 10 days and received every response within 24 hours. Although answers were short and to the point they answered the questions as to mine or any thinking, reasonable person satisfaction.
I’m very interested in your response!
Samantha says
I’ve submitted 5 support tickets (not anyone else) within the past 3 weeks, every time the Support ticket count was low. Of those 5 I received 3 answers. Of those, 2 of them took longer than 24 hours. Since I was unable to get an answer, I went through my sponsor, who submitted it on my behalf. Guess what DAVE WILKINS, it’s been 2 days and no response.
For a company that claims to have made 1 billion in total sales, the cloud service is a horrible idea. Especially when you can’t get an answer on the weekends. The fact that you can’t talk to anyone is bush league Dave. All the other companies can be contacted 24/7.
Rachel says
Once again to all the Thrive Promoters, Tami just proves the point further that promoters aren’t able to back anything up. There given the opportunity to answer, and they fail time after time. Congrats Tami!
Stephen Jamie Jordan says
Is this product heart healthy?
brandon says
LOL! Seriously?
JC says
Yes, when it comes to the vitamins, BUT, definitely not heart healthy overall. The amount of stimulants in this product, although unlikely in most healthy folks, can lead to a heart attack or stoke… or some other healthy problem.
Joe did a great job but missed a couple of the metabolic stimulants in his list of stimulants.
Kelp increases iodine, which increases thyroid hormone, as he mentioned. But the T3/T4 thyroid hormones increase: body temperature, heart rate, cardiac output and cardiac contractility.
Green coffee bean does have some caffeine in it, only adding to the other caffeine-containing ingredients.
On top of all this, the PEA and citrus aurantium (synephrine) that Joe mentioned, both resemble epinephrine and amphetamine, which even in small doses can also slightly increase these effects and other effects. But probably mildly unless your sensitive to these.
Synephrine is similar to grapefruit, too, when it comes to drug interactions. Although I’m unsure how strong that effect is the combination of so many metabolic stimulants should concern those with cardiovascular or psychological health problems that also take medication. It may cause a spike in the medications that spike from grapefruit (a CYP3A4 inhibitor, also known as enzyme cytochrome P450 3A4).
But most folks not sensitive to these ingredients usually won’t have many problems, if any.
This is may be a reason the package says to talk to your doctor, first, if you have any medical problems.
I recommend talking to a registered dietitian or get a referral to one if your concerned, they deserve way more credit and attention with this stuff.
*And yes, I consume thrive but still have many concerns and distrust with the company’s claims. They’re better marketers than scientists in my opinion.
**The DFT is crap and a waste of money. It was actually created for advertising and revenue purposes, in partnership with Sabinsa Corporation and their two patented products, not solid science. You get more glue residue/byproduct absorbing into your skin than the actual ingredients with their “bioavailability.”
Joe says
JC, Thanks for sharing your insights on the product. That is an interesting point about absorbing the glue in the patch.
William says
Could a promoter or educated Thrive promoter answer a few simple questions please. I have had no luck recently.
What makes Thrive so premium, I understand that’s what it says on the website, but in your own words. Please include the links to the studies with results that far exceed other companies.
Who regulates the promoters who provide false information? I’ve seen various claims made by promoters that aren’t the ideals of the company.
It seems like if the product doesn’t work, it was the consumers fault. Promoters claim that it has to be taken correctly for it to work, but then alter the instructions to make it possibly work. How is this possible.
Why did Le-vel change the name of synepherine to citrus Aurantium. Seems kind of weird to me
There is in fact synthetic caffiene in Pure.
This new product Expand has little testing, even the CEO admitted that on a recent video. Nootropics could have negative effects with long term use, how do people take this with no research. The ingredients list didn’t even come out yet and people started taking it.
My point is that there are to many variables being presented by Thrive and its promoters with little back up. The same sentences are repeated, with no thought or explanation behind it. They don’t know why it happens, they just say bc it does.
Do I think Thrive is bad, no. Do I think it works, maybe. My thing is that it’s touted as this top level product with absolutely no proof. Just ticked off promoters that argue it is. But can’t explain why.
I don’t see this as a promising product. It doesn’t teach anyone about health. Thrive does it all for you. It has appetite suppressants, sleep aids, pain reliever, energy. A person that has food quality/quantity issues will gain nothing from this. They think they are being healthy when there not, Thrive is literally tricking your brain. When you stop using Thrive, all your issues return.
Just in case anyone questions me, I have submitted customer support tickets for all of these questions. I’ve received no answers.
Me says
Hi William,
Could I weigh in with my 2p’s worth here,
I would be extremely interested in hearing the answers to your questions too, but wanted to address one point.
At this stage (5 months in to taking 3 steps daily and an occasional boost drink) I’m no educated know all but wanted to just say,
In my experience, myself and others I have spoken with, a vast majority of us use Thrive as a springboard, the more effort you put into it the further you go!
I do appreciate I’m an extreme case in what I was facing last year not just your typical mombie but I found myself reaching for water, not diet coke, putting effort into my dog walk, up hills rather than on the flat, small changes to my diet,
I had the energy, made me feel positive and happy, pain levels down and I WANTED to keep feeling better, wanted to redo some of the crap things I had put my body through diet wise over the last few years, keep pushing myself to loose a few more lbs to walk a steeper hill to just get more done in my day.
It’s the physical and mental push I needed to help myself out of a word of hurt and exhaustion.
I had problems a few months ago and asked advice here, I took a step back and changed a few things and my energy has gone back up for now so I’m hoping its all good.
Thanks for an excellent few questions, ill be looking out for the answers.
Me
Me says
I waffle far too much, my apologies,
The point I was trying to get round to making was most of us take the good feeling and grab it and run with it, change things so our bodies are better.
If I was forced to come off it in a year maybe I will be a couple of stone down and my heart won’t want to give up on me each time I get to the top of a hill……that’s gotta be good right?
We do try to change for the better, cause there is no point in spending that money to carry on sulking on the sofa
Me
William says
Me, thanks for your comment. Here’s my background. 5 years ago I was 80 lbs overweight, no motivation, poor eating, lack of interest. Much like the beginning explanation of a Thrive experience. I wanted to change my life for my wife and kids. I wanted to do it the right way. I hired a dietician, personal trainer. They taught me how to eat, workout, stay motivated by changes in my body.
5 years have passed and I’m 100 lbs down thanks to good old fashioned hard work and no supplements. I taught myself how to fight my ill will, my depressions. I taught myself to drink water and fight temptation. I taught myself which foods motivated me, gave me energy. This is something I can carry on with me and advocate to others such as yourself.
By taking supplements like Thrive, the ingredients do everything, you don’t. So once your off, your back to square one. Might even be set back. It’s a sense of accomplishment doing it on my own without supplements. I did, not Thrive or any supplements. It cost me total 1000$ For trainers and dietitians, and now nothing because I’m educated on it. I can now teach others.
Angela Joanne Medlock says
That is some of the best advice I’ve heard yet!
Ang says
Love this! Great job! I truly admire your hard work and motivation and everything you put into your success. Now I have just started using thrive. I am a disabled vet married to a disabled vet, 4 kids, 2 special needs, working part time for my family business, working also as a care giver for my ill uncle. We do about 6 therapy appointments a week just for the kids not including mine or my husband. I also help my friends or family in financial trouble dig themselves out.
Before i started thrive i couldn’t make it through the day without an hour nap, i couldn’t push my body any more, if i exercised i would literally collapse afterwards in complete exhaustion, my days were passing me by faster and faster and i was sinking deeper and deeper into my ptsd and depression.
This past month I decided to start trying to make a difference in my life. I stopped smoking, i started thrive with the intention of giving myself a jump start and i decided this before i new it helped with weight loss. I am chronically deficient in the nutrients that help you manage stress, anxiety, and depression.
So my plan was try it for 8 weeks, use that time to start making dietary changes because before thrive i couldn’t remember my name most days and i definitely didnt remember to eat which doesn’t help the low energy and poor nutrition. So i believe this product may not be the savior of the world but can be very helpful for people like me who need a jump start.
Joe says
Hi Ang and thanks for your kind words – and for serving in the military. Sorry to hear all you and your spouse have gone though and glad you are starting to do better now. congrats on quitting smoking. I will pray for your family tonight that you all continue to see improvements in your life. keep us updated on your progress.
Dell says
By stating that “by taking supplements like thrive, the ingredients do all the work, you dont” you acknowledge that the ingredients work. I’m glad that you were able to teach yourself to overcome your character flaws by yourself, but some people need that push to get there. That’s the same thing as saying “when you get a personal trainer, it’s the personal trainer that does all the work, you don’t”
As a certified personal trainer I can tell you that this is not the case, I’m other the one doing the work, I am just the vessel of which the knowledge comes from, the person putting in the sweat is the one doing the work.
I don’t push supplements on anyone, I simply let them know which ones have the ingredients that work and let them make the choices on their own on what to take.
I personally use thrive because it works for me, I use EAS and Labrada products because they work and are of high quality. I agree that the system of which they use where anyone can sell the products is not a good platform, this is why I refuse to be a promoter.
I will however let people know that it has worked very well for me and for a lot of people around me. My wife is learning about the product and when we go to the area get together I constantly tell her that I’m tired of hearing people praise a product, but are not knowledgeable of its ingredients and how they work in the body.
I am making sure that she understands each ingredient and what it does and will not let her sell to anyone I know until she has done this. I am very well educated in these supplements, but since I dont push the products myself I don’t tell anyone about them. They see my patch and they ask. That’s where I tell them what it is and leave it at that. Do I believe in the product? Yes I do. Do I think the company is legit? I have my doubts, but I do not think it is all bad.
Sarah says
Dell,
I’m not really sure what your talking about. You contradicted yourself that whole paragraph. I clearly understand what he was saying, and believe it. As a personal trainer I find it irresponsible that you still ingest Thrive when you have doubts about it. Lol. I would never think of doing that. Not very smart.
Shelley says
i use thrive and promote thrive! I find it absolutely it absolutely fabulous! I have the energy i need to get thru the day and my body functions so much better. Yall do know that when doing research on these items you cannot just do research on one item yet all the items that YOU ARE SUPPOSE TO TAKE TOGETHER!!
It is a three product thing and you are suppose to take it together! And as for narrowing down what each ingrediant does you also need to look at what the ingrediants do as a whole and how they work together not just individually!
as for pain relief THIS IS NOT A MEDICATION it does not claim to take away all of your pain nor does it claim to cure anything. I have had several people not order till they consult their doctor and the only thing I have ever heard people come back and say is if you are breastfeeding do not use the DFT.
So if you are that concerned in the research maybe actually go to your doctor and get an EDUCATED opinion on what should go into your body. and if you have crhonic pain you probably should be consulting with a doctor anyway! I see a lot of people judging the product yet not one has said they went to a doctor and actually asked their PROFESSIONAL opinion on if this should be going into their bodies!!
Kelsey says
Can you tell me the difference between Men’s capsules and Women’s capsules? Is there a difference?
Joe says
Hi Kelsey, great question! I have updated the Thrive W review to include Thrive M. It’s in the “Thrive W vs. Thrive M” section. Hit refresh on your browser if you dont see the changes. Any other questions, just ask.
Me says
Not sure if some of the comments here were aimed in my general direction but ill address them if so,
Yes I googled everything first
Yes I took them to my doctor to get an EDUCATED decision first
Yes I’m smart enough to have been through 5 years of all kinds of therapy for my chronic pain
Yes I am well aware it’s has never claimed to be a pain relief product
But on watching for a year it seemed many many users found their aches reduced (and I’m also aware as a company no claims to assisting with genuine medical needs are allowed to be advertised so a proportion of these people claiming ‘general aches were calmed’ could well have had more severe aches
Yes I’m smart enough to put it in my system for a couple of months before making a decision on what I thought and despite its dwindling effectiveness at giving me energy I kept putting it in my body (because it’s better than diet coke) and looking for ways to help my thrive work better for me…….
Raymond Stone says
I did go to the doctor. He said it’s an over priced vitamin and to just take a Centrum.
Dave Wilkins says
It obvious your Dr. need to get some education for someone other than big pharma, Centrum is made up primarily of synthetically produced components (check it out for yourself) which your body doesn’t really know how to absorb or deal with so most of them simply pass through your system completely unabsorbed. My suggestion is get a second opinion or find a naturopathic doctor in your area and ask his opinion. Will be interested in what you find out.
Blessings and may peace and good health be with you always!
Casey says
So your more educated than the Doctor Dave? Keep finding more opinions until a doctor says ok? Your a flat out joke Dave. My dad is a neurologist, he said no, are you going to tell me he isn’t educated enough!? Thrive promoters are this biggest JOKE!
Star says
The moment when I saw the ingredient sucralose in one of their products, I thought this company was not in it for health.
Chelsea says
Hi, I’m fairly caffeine sensitive, and I can’t find information ANYWHERE on how much caffeine is in the Thrive products
Has anyone had better luck, or know more information that can give me and accurate idea?
Joe says
Hi Chelsea, other than what the distributor told me, I’m not sure either.
Jessica says
This article states that a distributor/promoter said the “women’s capsules have 40 mg and the men’s have 50mg. The shakes have 25 and the patches have no caffeine.”
I am also caffeine sensitive and was told that other people with caffeine sensitivities have been able to take these products with no problem. My supplements arrived yesterday and I took my first capsules this morning. After about 15-20 minutes I could feel my body getting shaky like I just drank a big coffee.
Normally this would bring on a panic attack, but since I knew what it was, I was able to breathe through it and calm myself down. I’m not sure if I will continue taking them. We’ll see how the rest of the day goes. I do feel like I could go for a run or do something very active because the energy is still making my legs tingle.
Joe says
Hi Jessica, Even if the amounts of caffeine are correct, the product contains PEA and synephrine which stimulants that are not caffeine.
Milissa says
Please go down to one capsule and other lyrics half a shake. A promother would have started you off slow especially with your sensitivity.
Milissa says
And half a shake. Sorry spell check grabbed that up.
Samantha says
The same thing happened to me. I also was able to breathe through the attack. Not fun. They need to list the real stimulating content.
Lora says
You are supposed to start with one capsule not 2 if you’re caffeine sensitive and it 20mg of caffeine. My dad is older so he drinks 1/2 a shake per day which is 12.5 mg of caffeine. I’ve says he gets a bit nauseous until he drinks the shake and then he is fine. So he drinks it at that 15 min. Mark instead of waiting and the rest is great for the day. You could get shakes too if you’re hungry. A cup of coffee contains 160mg of coffee or more.
I have yet to encounter someone who got jittery on one capsule and some people continue on one for their experience. It has really helped the people that I personally know that has tried it. Each persons experience is different as well. I hope that you were able to continue. There is a kids thrive without stimulants that you can take in place of the capsules and then can do the shake and patch with very minimal caffeine. I would say alter yours to fit your needs. The ultra patch has no caffeine as well. In case you need extra energy from not having the capsules.
Cad says
Did you take one or two capsules?
Mom says
My daughter is on thrive. After using it for a few months, she developed anxiety, depression, and blood pressure so high that they had to put her on medication to bring it down. Her Dr does not believe that the supplement is the cause; however, I do. I’m not sure how to convince her to get off of this poison before something that can not be fixed occurs. It is as if she is brainwashed.
Nat says
Please discuss with a pharmacist. I can’t find ANY STUDIES that state it caused HBP. I have anxiety so bad and it had helped mine TREMENDOUSLY. BUT EACH PERSON REACTS DIFFERENTLY TO CERTAIN PRODUCT’S. I LOVE IT AND HAVE DONE GREAT WITH IT.
BEST OF LUCK WITH YOUR DAUGHTER♡♡
Milissa says
Please note that this supplement is all natural. There are no documented “poisons”.
Dawn says
Heroine is all natural too, doesn’t make it good for you.
me2 says
I also use Thrive, except for the shake. It contains sucralose, which is an artificial sweetener and is not all natural. I use the pills and the patch and make my own smoothie. I’m still doing my own research on all the other ingredients as should everyone before consuming any product. I’ve been using it for 3 days and have definitely noticed i’m not as tired.
Joe says
Jaci, thanks for enlightening me on this. That does make sense.
Sy says
Do you trust your daughter’s doctor, or think she is seeing a quack? If you are questioning your daughter’s doctor, you should be recommending she get a 2nd (and maybe 3rd) opinion. Medical professionals actually ARE trained to rule out supplements as causes of ailments.
Unless you are a medical professional, then what you happen to believe for whatever reason really should not have any bearing on your daughter’s choice. She is following the advice of a professional, which is the best advice. You, on the other hand, are on internet comments trying to get emotional support in your opinion that your daughter is brainwashed. There are many causes of anxiety, depression, & high blood pressure, and most of those causes are much more long-term than a few months.
Joe says
Sy, While more doctors are asking about dietary supplement use, given the thousands of ingredients out there I dont think they can know them all. That is one reason I often tell people to speak to pharmacists or dietitians.
Kelly Gore says
Well I have been on Thrive for 8 weeks and I am diabetic. All I know is that my blood sugar has gone from 479 to 100 in those short weeks. I don’t know why but I only want or crave healthy foods and my mood is better because I finally found hope. I have also lost 13 lbs through no special diet or effort.
Nothing I read in this article has even remotely made me question my decision. At 340 lbs my only other option is weight loss surgery and I really do not want to go down that road and mess with what God gave me. I have osteo arthritis and the pain associated with that is a lot better. So in summation, I feel like Thrive is saving my life. I feel amazing.
Joe says
Hi Kelly, thanks for sharing. I’m very glad to hear about your blood sugar and arthritis pain improvement. I sincerely wish you continued success.
Lois says
Do you think any of these products would ever be appropriate to give to children? What might be any benefits or harmful side effects?
Joe says
Hi Lois, I personally would not do that.
Laurie Maxson says
Thrive is not recommended for children under 18 y.o. We do have Thrive K for children ages 4 and up.
I personally use Thrive and I became a Promoter. A couple of our products are patent pending.
Jennifer says
Thrive K is for kids
April says
Yes, they do have a kids pouch. My daughter loves it.
Milissa says
There is one for kids called Thrive K. It does not have caffeine in it.
Many adults that can’t have caffeine use it as well.
Carol says
Just curious, when Thrive Promoters say premium grade nutrition, what does this mean? What makes the ingredients premium, and where do they come from. Where does each individual ingredient come from that makes it above the rest. Thrive is something I looked at doing, but could find little answers from customers and promoters. I think there is a promoter handbook with 10 sentences that are repeated to interested customers, but they can’t really explain further. The search continues
Jason L Ramsey says
EXACTLY! They do NOT back up any of the claims! Many chemically extracted vitamins come from chemical waste. The FDA says it’s perfectly fine, as long as they look the same under a microscope. Why not go to the SOURCE and buy organic fruits and vegetables?
Elizabeth says
Hello. I talked to Le-vel support and was told that the ingredients come from many fruit and vegetable farms around the country, some certified organic and others not. They do have clinical trials as well, but can’t be released until the patents clear – which is why no one can find data on this.
Wondering!! says
I know people who take Thrive and it changes their personality. They seem brain washed. And, if a person does not “THRIVE,” they are a negative person. Stay away form them. Sweet easy going people turn into arrogant snobs. My ? is: How much protein is in Thrive because I know they get up, take to pills, then swallow a shake, them slap on a patch. No breakfast. Usually a salad for lunch. So, where is their protein? They lose weight because of the stimulants and they seem as if they are on “uppers.” As in “stackers?” So, they are hyped up physically and mentally. So, I feel soon they will crash and crash hard. Any info on the protein? Thanks!!
Joe says
Hi Wondering, when I looked at the Thrive shake, I saw it had 15g of protein. Here is the Thrive Shake review.
Jennifer says
I take thrive have for two months now. i drink way less coffee and way less soda. i have always eaten healthy. i only weigh 109 and i feel less tired and more able to keep up with my busy life. i am a single mother of a 5 yr old autistic son i work full-time. i am a foster parent and full-time student and i also just started promoting thrive.
Oh and i eat more than just salad but who doesn’t love salad and mine usually has cheese and chicken in them oh hello protein. I have never been a fast food processed food or junk food eater. I also drink ensure plus bc i already have an extremely high metabolism thrive has helped me stay balanced while ensure helps me to gain.
Lisa says
Please re -think the Ensure! Not a good choice…lots of chemicals and sugar. Much better choices for gaining weight, like making your own smoothies with almond butter, cacao powder, nuts and berries.
Me says
Hi Joe,
I turned to thrive out of desperation, a chronic pain condition left me exhausted (awful sleep for years) in pain all day and feeling very low. I googled all ingredients before taking it and came across your page (awesome work)
The first month I felt amazing, instantly, had energy, sleep quality was getting better, pain levels were actually down, I felt great, month 2 and I saw a drop in energy (body getting used to the dosage of stimulants maybe??). The pain levels started to rise again however sleep quality was still improving.
I reached out and asked what was happening but was told my body was possibly still adjusting to the products. Could this be right? It’s seams odd I had such and amazing response to it to find that dwindled so quickly.
Your input would be welcomed as I am so desperate not to return to my previous state, I refuse to live a life on sleep pills and pain killers, I would prefer some natural help.
Kind regards
Joe says
Hi Me. There are some stimulants in the W product and stimulants like caffeine can provide energy and even reduce pain sensations. I wonder if your relapse of pain / drop in energy may be your body getting used to the stimulants? I dont feel increasing the amount to compensate is the answer because then, where does it stop? I wish I had an answer for you.
What does your chronic pain condition stem from? Fibromyalgia? If yes, check this review out
Me says
Hi Joe thank you for the reply, I felt the same too and because the RDA is met in one serving. I’m unwilling to increase dosage to save vitamin b toxicity, and you are right…..if I did, where does it stop?
A back injury during an accident at work is the source, the initial injury mended but the pain continued.
Many thanks for your reply
Me
Joe says
Me, have you looked into physical therapy for your back pain? Sometimes that can help too. Just a thought.
Me says
Hi again
Yes have been down that route, it stopped the sciatic pain but never helped my back. I’m under the care of a pain clinic now who just want to pump me full of sleeping pills and pain killers but I refuse, I’m only 42 that route is for 20 years time! The only exercise I can do is walking so I walk all my friends dogs for them to keep me hobbling about and off the sofa
I have tried recently stopping the thrive and restarting which has given me half the initial energy back so that will do for now…..when I don’t get that anymore I guess it’s back to feeling like crap…..
I actually thought this was going to change my life, it seemed so promising and seams to have changed so many lives already…..
Thanks Joe for being a good sounding board
Me x
SLK says
I think you should look into seeing a functional medicine doctor. They have helped change my life…and
naturally!
Ricardo Ali Fernandez says
The Chromium gives me pre atrial contractions consequently I am off limits for this type of product.
Nikki says
Omg I have noticed the same. People that I know and are close to want me to try it so bad so I did a two days worth first day I tried the shake the patch and the capsules. I felt so shaky and sick I barely made it through the day. Then one day I worked the 20 hour shift so I decided to try just the patch at this point but really I wanted it to work so bad for me but even just the patch alone I felt sick and shaky. I had had plenty to eat! It was just within 15 minutes I felt it! This product did not work for me as much as I actually still wanted it to. it’s just not for me. Thank you hope I didn’t accidentally post on someone’s page I was just trying to get the message out.
Joe says
Hi Nikki, thanks for sharing your experiences. I’m sorry it didn’t work for you also.
Mimi Traugott says
Hey there,
Thank you for the thorough research and the information you have provided.
My question is this, I have been told repeatedly that the products are Pharmaceutical Grade.
I haven’t been able to find any research to support the claims.
I am interested to know if it is, to help support the cost of the product.
I wasn’t able to find any information on their website either, and they call their products Premium nutrition, rather than Pharmaceutical Grade so I am not sure what to believe.
Thank you,
Mimi
Joe says
Hi Mimi, I’m not sure about Pharmaceutical Grade documentation. As I understand it, this is supposed to mean the ingredients are very pure, such as what would be seen in a Pharmaceutical medication. Are there any brand ambassadors here who can provide documentation of this?
Blaine says
Hi guys! I’m a Le-Vel brand promoter. If you’ve ever heard our CEO talk about the products, you’ll hear him talk a lot about bio-availability. It has to do with getting the best, purest form of the ingredients and combining them in a way that your body can get the most out of them! Better absorption. These are vitamins you can tell work!
Here’s a description of what’s required for “pharmaceutical grade”:
The difference between the grades is one of how much of these other substances are present in the product. There are several criteria by which pharmaceutical grade are judged. The product must be in excess of 99% purity with no binders, fillers, excipients, dyes, or unknown substances. United States Pharmacopeia (USP)
Hope that helps?
Also, a reminder that vitamins on the market today are not FDA-approved.
Joe says
Hi Blaine, thanks for sharing. I believe the question was about proof /documentation of pharmaceutical grade. While supplement companies do not have to get FDA approval, they do have to adhere to certain guidelines as outlined under the DSHEA. Here’s something on for your flies: http://www.fda.gov/Food/DietarySupplements/
Leslie says
Hello Blaine,
I’m researching Thrive for myself, and would like to know if you know where, physically and geographically, these products are manufactured? Neither the headquarters (Mailbox Center) address nor the Return product address (fulfillment center) are it. Can you help? Thank you
Annie says
Blaine,
I appreciate your reply. I have to say, however, that the Vitamin B12 used in Thrive Activate and Pure products are least bio-available versions. Cyanocobalamin is a synthetic, man-made form of B12. It’s also less expensive. Methylcobalamin is the natural form that is essential in the methylation process. Also, the same holds true for Folic Acid. That is also man-made and less expensive. People who have MTHFR are advised NOT to take Folic Acid. Rather Folate is the better of the two and is the natural version. The list of ingredients in the capsules and Black Label DFT don’t state which type of B12 is being used but I’d be interested in knowing. Do you know?
Thanks
Annie