Update 7/4/20. Nopalea Juice – also called Prickly Pear Cactus – is said to be a “superfruit concentrate” that “helps put out the fire of inflammation.” Cellular inflammation has gotten a lot of attention lately because research has noted that it plays a role in many diseases. But, does Nopalea work or is it a scam? More specifically, does Nopalea reduce cellular inflammation and reduce the risk of disease? In this TriVita Nopalea Juice review, you'll learn what Nopalea is as well as the research on this supplement and one of its main compounds- betalains. Is Nopalea cactus juice the real deal or a scam? Let's see what we can discover.
Who Makes Nopalea Juice?
Nopalea cactus juice is made by TriVita (TriVita.com), which sells many health supplements such:
The TriVita company has been in business since 1999. The company is located at 16100 Greenway Hayden Loop #950 Scottsdale, AZ 85260 and their phone # is (480) 337-4000.
According to the Better Business Bureau, they give Trivita a rating of A+ as of 7/4/19. The company is a BBB accredited business. See the BBB file for updates and more information.
Nopalea Ingredients
There are a LOT of ingredients in TriVita Nopalea juice. Just a few include grape seed extract, agave nectar, raspberry and strawberry extracts, and many other things that I won't touch on here. Rather, I want the focus of
this Nopalea review to be on its “main ingredient” – the ingredient discussed most on TriVita Nopalea TV commercials and websites.
That ingredient is the Nopal cactus fruit. They call it “Opuntia concentrate” on the Nopalea bottle but it also goes by the name Prickly Pear Cactus and Nopal cactus. Its scientific name is Opuntia ficus-indica. It is this ingredient on which I will focus in this review.
What Does Nopalea Mean?
Nopalea is not just the name of this TriVita supplement. It's a real word. Nopalea means cactus. In taxonomy, it refers to the genus of the Nopal cactus plant which has deep red flowers.
How Is Nopalea Supposed to Work?
If you watch the Nopalea juice TV commercial, they say that Nopalea is derived from the Nopal cactus and that this plant has compounds (they call them betalains) that reduce inflammation in the body.
By reducing chronic inflammation, Nopalea juice is supposed to reduce the risk of disease and – maybe – improve health problems that people have right now.
Nopalea TV Commerical video
Nopalea Juice Research
On the website nopalea.com there are 12 research studies listed that testify to the benefits of the Nopal cactus (Prickly Pear Cactus) extract at helping chronic inflammation, boosting the immune system, and protecting the brain. One interesting point is none of the studies contained the word “Nopalea.” In other words, it doesn't look like any of the studies were conducted using the Nopalea wellness drink itself.
While Nopalea.com only lists the studies, I want to directly link to them so you can see the research for yourself. They all sound very impressive and technical so I'll also give brief commentary, where needed, to put the research in perspective.
The studies are grouped together as follows:
Anti-toxin Activity Studies
- Cactus (Opuntia ficus-indica) protects against oxidative damage induced by the mycotoxin zearalenone in Balb/C mice. This is a mouse study.
- Opuntia ficus indica extract protects against chlorpyrifos-induced damage on mice liver. This is a mouse study.
- Opuntia ficus indica (L.) Mill. fruit juice protects liver from carbon tetrachloride-induced injury. This is a rat study.
Anti-Inflammatory Studies
- An anti-inflammatory principle from cactus.”. This is a mouse study.
- Antioxidant betalains from cactus pear (Opuntia ficus-indica) inhibit endothelial ICAM-1 expression. This is a test tube study.
What About Hangovers?
In one human study researchers noted that extracts of the Nopal cactus seemed to reduce alcohol-induced hangover symptoms. The researchers speculated that the Nopal cactus extract worked because of its anti-inflammatory effects. This study of hangovers appears to be the main study cited to support the anti-inflammation benefits of the Nopal cactus – and hence Nopalea juice.
Immune System Boost Studies
Betalains a betacyanin pigment purified from fruits of Opuntia ficus-indica induces apoptosis in human chronic myeloid leukemia Cell line-K562. Apotosis means “cell death” and K562 cells are a type of cancer cell. This is a test tube study where researchers basically found that extracts of the Nopal cactus destroyed cancer cells in a test tube — not in a human.
When I say “test tube study” I am making a general statement about a study that took place outside of a living organism like animals or humans. Technically they are called “in-vitro studies.” There are some advantages of these types of investigations but they are not as “real life” as those that take place in animals or—especially— in humans. We are much more complicated than what goes on in a test tube.
- Antioxidant betalains from cactus pear (Opuntia ficus-indica) inhibit endothelial ICAM-1 expression. This is basically a test tube study.
- Modulation of intracellular calcium concentrations and T cell activation by prickly pear polyphenols. This is a test tube study.
Brain Protection Studies
- Inhibition of nitric oxide synthase expression in activated microglia and peroxynitrite scavenging activity by Opuntia ficus indica var. saboten. This is basically a test tube study.
- Effect of Opuntia ficus indica on symptoms of the alcohol hangover. This is the same study of alcohol hangovers mentioned above.
Interventions for protecting against or treating alcohol hangover: systematic review of randomized controlled trials. This study is basically a review of several previous studies that tried to determine if there was any good way to reduce the symptoms of an alcohol hangover. Researchers concluded that there was no good proof that the Nopal cactus (Prickly Pear Cactus) or anything else helps hangovers caused by drinking too much.
Neuroprotective effects of antioxidative flavonoids, quercetin, (+)-dihydroquercetin and quercetin 3-methyl ether, isolated from Opuntia ficus-indica var. saboten. This is essentially a test tube study of rat brain cells. Extracts of the Nopal cactus reduced free radical damage to isolated rat brain cells.
Summary of Research
I come to the following conclusions:
- None of them used the Nopalea supplement itself
- Most of the studies were test-tube studies and a few mouse/rat studies
- The only human study listed has to do with hangovers
TriVita Nopalea Research
Now let's dig a little deeper into the research on Nopalea juice itself. I searched the National Library of Medicine for “TriVita Nopalea” to see if any studies had been done using this supplement. None could be located.
But what about research on Prickly Pear Cactus (Opuntia ficus indica) —the type of cactus used in the TriVita Nopalea supplement?
TriVita websites and TV commercials say that Nopalea juice is a natural anti-inflammatory agent. In the study of Nopal cactus and hangovers, researchers speculated that it reduced hangovers because it reduced inflammation in the brain. They probably arrived at this conclusion because they noted that Nopal cactus reduced levels of CRP —a compound that indicates inflammation in the body.
Since CRP levels are also elevated in other inflammatory diseases, like arthritis, might extracts of the Nopal cactus also help these other conditions? TriVita hints that it will but they provide no direct proof.
Some research suggests opuntia ficus indica has antioxidant properties. One small human study (only 18 people) noted that consuming the pulp of the nopal cactus was a better antioxidant than vitamin C. The pulp of the cactus fruit has many compounds that likely act together to bring about a better antioxidant effect. Vitamin C, on the other hand, is just vitamin C.
This study used 500 grams (17.8 oz) of Nopal cactus pulp (and compared it to 150 mg of vitamin C). In theory, lesser amounts of Nopal cactus fruit might work too. I say this because I do not know how much Nopal cactus fruit or pulp is in a serving of TriVita Nopalea.
Other research studies suggest Nopal cactus may help diabetes. Some studies noted it might reduce blood sugar levels. The issue here is research often uses another species of Nopal cactus called Opuntia streptacantha and not the type of cactus used in TriVita Nopalea (which uses Opuntia ficus indica). Unfortunately, an investigation posted in 2019 notes a lack of quality human blood sugar research.
If TriVita Nopalea juice does help lower blood sugar, fantastic! Just remember that there is MUCH MORE evidence that exercise —even 20 minutes a day —can lower not only blood sugar but “A1C” levels too.
See the benefits of exercise for diabetes for more insights.
Nopalea And Weight Loss
Some have asked me if Opuntia ficus indica can help weight loss. Since the cactus pulp has fiber, it's possible, just as all-fiber foods can aid weight loss. That said, no human weight loss studies could be located. Like all foods, this cactus may have its place in a healthy diet but until somebody proves it enhances weight loss, be skeptical claims about Opuntia ficus indica (or Nopalea juice) was some magical weight loss secret.
See the XLS Medical review for more information on this topic.
What Are Betalains?
Betalains (bay-ta-linz) refers to a family of colorful phytonutrient plant chemicals. In plants, these pigments/nutrients help provide colors ranging from yellow to purple/violet. Betalines are present in various fruits and vegetables, such as beets and beet juice supplements.
There are 2 main types of betalains:
- Betacyanins: a deep red pigment
- Betaxanthins: a yellow/orange pigment
Where you find betalains, you also usually find other healthy plant compounds called anthocyanins.
Betalains Health Properties
Various studies – mostly involving lab animals and isolated cells – tell us betalains have a variety of health benefits such as:
Betalains and Cancer
Because the betalains of Prickly Pear Cactus seem to act as antioxidants, some may wonder if they might help prevent cancer or if they might be a natural alternative to chemotherapy. I don't recommend this for a couple of reasons:
1. I see no betalain supplement research concerning cancer treatment in humans.
2. Any antioxidant effects of betalains might —in theory —interfere with traditional cancer treatment.
Think about it. Antioxidants neutralize free radicals and free radical damage is exactly how chemo and radiation therapy kills cancer cells. If you have cancer, PLEASE talk to your oncologist about this before experimenting with any antioxidant supplements.
Nopalea Juice and NSAIDs?
Various TriVita websites hint that Nopalea juice can be a safer alternative to aspirin and other NSAIDs because of the natural anti-inflammatory effects of the Nopal cactus. But, as far as I can tell, this antiinflammatory effect has only been demonstrated in humans once —in the study of hangovers.
On 2/3/12 on the TV show “The Doctors” model, Cheryl Tiegs lists Nopalea cactus juice as one of her anti-aging secrets. Cheryl says she drinks Nopalea to help reduce inflammation. Cheryl Tiegs, definitely looks great but I wonder if she knows where the anti-inflammation research actually comes from?
Here is The Doctors TV segment:
On 3/29/12 Nopalea TV commercials featuring Ceryl Tieges started appearing.
Who is Doctor Becky Maes?
Dr. Becky Maes was featured on the Nopalea TV commercial I saw on 1/18/12. Back then, her Facebook page, stated she is an “an MD, Gastroenterologist, Entrepreneur, Author, Mother, and Nutritional Expert.” She is indeed a board-certified physician.
At one point, her Linkedin page stated she was affiliated with TriVita as a nutrition coach and One Star Director. Currently, her LinkedIn page states she is the medical director at ForeverGreen International Inc.
The Nopalea Wellness Challenge
You may have heard of The Nopalea Wellness Challenge. This is how it works. You drink 3-6 oz of Nopalea juice per day for 30 days and track your progress —how you feel ect. —on a form that TriVita gives you. The wellness challenge is free, but you do need to pay $9.95 for shipping and handling.
Each bottle of Nopalea has 32 oz so if you drank only 3 oz per day, 1 bottle of Nopalea would only last you only about 10 days.
But, during the Nopalea TV infomercial, some of the testimonials noted that it might take 3 months before any differences were noticed. If this is typical for most people, it means that you would need 3 bottles of Noplalea per month or about 9 bottles of Nopalea per 3 months.
How Much Does Nopalea Juice Cost?
Nopalea is not sold in stores. So I called TriVita and asked them how much Nopalea juice cost and this is what they told me.
There are several options:
- 5 Pack. Buy 4 get 1 free. Cost: $139.99 + 14.95 S/H = $154.94
- 3 Pack. Buy 2 get 1 free. Cost: $ 79.98 + 14.95 S/H = $94.93
- 2 Pack. Buy 1 get 1 free. Cost: $39.95 +$14.95 S/H = $54.90
- 10 Pack. Buy 8 and get 2 free. Cost. $279.98 + $29.90 S/H = $309.88
So, if you really wanted to do the Nopalea Wellness Challenge and were willing to give it 3 months, it would cost you about $300 to do it.
Most of these options have an auto-ship program where TriVita will send you a new batch of Nopalea juice every 30 days. You can “customize” the auto-ship so that they send it to you at intervals that work best for you, so be sure to do this if you order Nopalea to avoid stockpiling it.
Trivita Nopalea may be on Amazon for those who want to compare prices.
Trivita vs. The Competition
There are also several other brands of Nopalea juice on Amazon such as:
Because researchers usually don't compare one brand to another, it's difficult to say if either is better than another. A hunch is quality made brands may work similarly to each other although it will take clinical studies to know for sure.
Nopalea Side Effects
Nopalea juice is likely safe in most healthy people. It's been around a long time. Here are some basic things to keep in mind before using. This list is not complete:
- Start with less than recommended for the first week to see how you respond
- Stop taking Nopalea juice at least 2 weeks before having surgery
- Ask your pharmacist and doctor first if you take any prescription drugs, like blood thinners or diabetes medicine
- Speak to your doctor if you are receiving cancer therapy like chemo or radiation
- To be safe, avoid take if pregnant or breastfeeding until more research is available
Some evidence hints Nopalea extract may lower blood sugar. In theory, this could mean it may interact with diabetes medicine but the degree to which it might do this needs more study.
One woman appears to have suffered obstruction of her airway after replacing her prednisone for Nopalea. This does not mean the cactus juice caused this condition. It's more likely this problem was because she stopped taking her medicine and because of her pre-existing sarcoidosis which can also obstruct breathing.
Nopalea and the FTC
In July 2014 the Federal Trade Commission reported the several Nopalea juice companies, including TriVita had agreed to refund consumers 3.5 million dollars stemming from claims that Nopalea juice could treat various diseases. Here is the FTC letter for those who want to read it. A May 2015 FTC Press Release offers further details on refunds being given to Nopalea customers.
To be fair, just because the FDA or FTC takes action does not mean something is a scam. Rather it may mean the company overstates what its products/supplements can do. In the US, supplement companies are not allowed to say their products treat/cure disease. This is true, even if there is evidence something works.
Does Nopalea Work?
I honestly don't know if Nopalea juice works or not. If you are really curious about it – and on a budget – try to get the free bottle of Nopalea from a distributor and see if that works before paying for the more expensive options. If you want to go the extra mile, you get your blood work done first – including CRP levels – by your doctor. Then, after a month or so, get your blood work done again —including CRP —to see if anything has changed.
What do you think?
I took the nopalea challenge & i loved it! i received my first bottle as a gift. I started my regimen of 1 ounce a day, in a couple of weeks i noticed my knee & foot pain was not as painful as it has been. Then the following week, I was no longer limping. In another week, I was no longer walking like the hunch back of Notradame.
My swelling had gone down tremendously and I don’t feel like Igor anymore! I’ll continue to use Nopalea for the rest of my life and recommend it to, family, friends, and coworkers.
Betty, happy its worked for you and that you are no longer limping like the hunch back of Notradame 🙂
Hey Joe, where you goin with that gum (eraser) in your hand?
The active ingredient in Nopal is supposedly betalain.
looking that up http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Betalain
Betalains are a class of red and yellow indole-derived pigments found in plants of the Caryophyllales, where they replace anthocyanin pigments. Betalains also occur in some higher order fungi.[1] They are most often noticeable in the petals of flowers, but may color the fruits, leaves, stems, and roots of plants that contain them. They include powerful antioxidant pigments such as those found in beets.
and farther down the page…The most heavily studied betalain is betanin, also called beetroot red after the fact that it may be extracted from red beet roots. Betanin is a glucoside, and hydrolyzes into the sugar glucose and betanidin.[2] It is used as a food coloring agent, and the color is sensitive to pH. Other betalains known to occur in beets are isobetanin, probetanin, and neobetanin.
In short — if I tell you item A (Nopal) has health-giving, pain-killing properties, and I use A in a concoction with health-giving pain-killing item B (beets), and charge you a buck fifty a shot glass because of this exotic element, plus I add in about 20 or thirty more fruits and vegetables…even a bloodhound couldn’t follow the trail back to the active ingredient.
The real test is get the cacti parts and juice them oneself, no?
Pete, that would make some sense to get the actual cactus and just use that. I linked to the betalains Wikipedia page in my review also and linked to some of the research on them as well.
Please re-view the TriVita “Nopalea” juice label ingredients. Beets are in there! The Betalain (please run that term past wikipedia: the primary source is beets) content of prickly pear = ?
Anybody care to count the number of ingredients in this so-called cactus juice? 50 bucks a 32-oz bottle on Amazon!
That’s whiskey prices, podnah. Bet whisky has health benefits, too?
From their website: can’t bold the beets, but it’s halfway down…
sonorancactusjuice.com/nopal-cactus-juice.html
Nopalea juice ingredients:
Proprietary blend of Water (filtered), Opuntia concentrate (nopal concentrate), Agave Nectar, Grape Seed extract (vitis vinifera), Raspberry extract (rubus idaeus), Strawberry extract (fragaria chiloensis), Cranberry extract (vaccinium macrocarpon), Apple extract (malus domestica), Apricot extract (prunus armeniaca), Mango extract (mangifera indica) fruit, Orange concentrate (citrus aurantium) juice, Papaya concentrate (carica papaya fruit with papain), Tomato concentrate (lycopersicon esculentum) fruit, Kiwi concentrate (actinidia chinensis), Guava (psidium guajava powder), Lemon concentrate (citrus lionum juice), Opuntia concentrate (nopal concentrate) powder, Peach concentrate (prunus persica) juice, Pomegranate extract (punica granatum with ellagic acid and punocaligans), Green Tea extract (camellia sinensis), Beet (beta vulgaris) juice, Bilberry concentrate (vaccinium myrtillus), Acerola cherry extract (malphigia glabra), Amylase, Cellulase, Hemicellulase, Proteases [bromelain from pineapple (ananas comosus) and papain (carica papaya) from papaya, lipase, phytase], Stevia extract (stevia rebaudiana) leaf, Guar gum, Maltodextrin, Natural flavor, Cherry powder, Xanthum gum.
Pete, I wanted to focus my review on Nopalea itself because that’s the fruit that is being touted on TV etc. Trivita Nopolea juice has other things. I looked at the website you listed (its a nopolea affiliate) and it does list beets but as you said beets are half way down the list. As a rule, the lower down on the ingredients list, the fewer of that ingredient is present. Either way how much do beets contribute to the value of Nopolea juice from Trivita? I’m not sure.
Hi Joe, Thanks for the great review. I like the way you use scientific methods to review the claimed ingredients and benefits in the product, Nopalea Juice. (doesn’t that mean No fight in Spanish?) I just viewed the Cheryl Tiegs infomercial and, except for my prior experiences, might have tried out this stuff, since I’ve had more than usual aches and pains all weekend.
Coincidentally, yesterday I viewed an interesting PBS show on the SW deserts of the USA and they had considerable information on native uses of cacti, especially the flowers. Most uses shown were for food that can be derived from harvesting the cacti.
One other use, was as an aid for the prayers for rain. At least before it did actually rain, the narrator pointed out that the normal rainy season was about to start. Much more honest than Cheryl Teigs. Also, I do not recall mention of using the cacti products directly for health.
So, like most, I’ll keep trying the right combination of natural foods, exercise and scientifically formulated medicines and supplements. Lying infomercials make me angry, as do the p eople appearing on them, especially celebs such as Teigs.
If anyone wants to get up close and personal with the Sonoran Desert the Elder Hostel program has an interesting land trip through the deserts in January 2013. Maybe too expensive for me, but it seems very interesting.
George, thanks for chiming in and glad you found me. Good heads up on Elder Hostel too. Probably too expensive for me as well 😉
Hi, I tried nopalea for 10 days . I it was what helped my chronic joint and muscle pain. I finished 1 32 oz bottle and 1 week later, back with a vengeance. I am a nurse practitioner and was researching further before redrafting. I had so much relief, I thought nopalea was possibly a plant may have plant steroid properties.
I now may tried beet therapy as some others have discussed. Lots of familial Osteroarthritis and I fear pre rheumatoid in my case. Regarding the person , Linda ? , who’s daughter has headaches. Consider hyperbaric treatments, many INS are covering.
Consider, deep, conscience breathing. Breath will counter the stress/ them pain reaction when headache cycle returns. Consider my fav, Maya fiennes, kundilini yoga, detox de stress. Mostly sitting eyes closed, breath and gentle stretch, active meditation. Wishing all the vest. Blessings and a grace filled Christmas. Wilma
Joe~ You are just awesome for providing such valuable info on everything, not just NoPalea, thanks a million. I have a question for you….Since everything seems to promote boosting of one’s immune system, I wonder if you have an auto-immune disorder should you avoid those supplements?
I have Hashimoto’s Disease that killed off my Thyroid so I’m now on Levothyroxine for life. I’m told that I will most likely get another auto-immune disorder. So should I stop taking all those great “immune boosting” supplements so my immune system will stop attacking me?
Carol M, you ask a very good question. There are many parts of the immune system (many different cells etc) but theoretically an immune booster supplement “might” make conditions called autoimmune disorders worse. Hashimotos disorder is one such autoimmune disorder as is arthritis and type I diabetes. The problem is that very few immune booster supplements have been tested to see if they really are ok in people with autoimmune disorders. That said, Im not sure if you need to stop them or not but I do think its something to mention to your doctor and see what he/she says.
thanks for your very kind words too 🙂
Thank You very much for always giving such great informative information on products! I always try to research things before I buy them and these articles on Nopalea sure changed my mind!! I was wondering if you have done any research on the product Isotonix? Its a concentrated drink mix claiming to be “The Most Advanced Neutroceutical” on the market ? they offer a vast array of benefits as well. Many members of my family are taking this, without looking into it real well I’m afraid. Thank You in advance. Sincerely, Deanne Chambers
HI Deanne, thanks for the nice words. I Have written one review on Isotonix and here it is
http://supplementclarity.com/isotonix-supplements-are-they-more-bioavalable/
Joe, thank you for this well balanced, inquisitive article on the prickly pear cactus juice. I too was surprised at the number of ingredients and wonder actually how much cactus juice is in the product.
I’m also writing in response to Linda who is concerned about her daughter’s’ headaches from a traumatic brain injury. They can be devastating, and my heart goes out to them. Have they considered contacting an osteopathic physician ( “Find a D.O.” through the American Academy of Osteopathy), board certified in NMM/OMM, Neuromuscular Medicine and Osteopathic Manipulative Medicine?
As a practicing physician I have been able to help a lot of people with TBI and various forms of headaches using cranial osteopathy.
Richard, thanks for your kind words and I also hope Linda’s daughter gets the help she needs.
Have you ever looked into MonaVie Acai Berry juice? I was in a car accident in 2003 and I had 20 months of physical therapy over five years and one of the significant turning points to reducing my constant daily pain was drinking MonaVie juice.
After one week I was suddenly able to do several motions without pain. This was about 3 years into my recover. I drank it for one year and had to stop because of the cost and was worried the pain would return but it did not and that was was about 5 years ago.
Now I’m looking for something to help my daughter who had a TBI concussion and suffers from post concussion syndrome. She can not be in a noisy environment i.e. school, church, holiday/birthday parties without suffering consequences of a headache. She can not read more than 20 minutes without getting a headache (losses comprehension and memory as well while reading).
These headaches can proceed into migraines if she doesn’t remove herself from these environments or activities. It has been 5 years. She did have significant improvement with neuro-feedback treatments (212) based on a QEEG brain map but she is still limited when it comes to noise and reading.
I thought the juice might help if there is any inflammation that might be irritating her brain’s functioning.
Linda, sorry to hear about your daughter. Yes I do have one review on MonaVie here it is
http://supplementclarity.com/monavie-review/
uhh… not that you were saying we’re stupid! I didn’t hear that from you. Surprisingly, only a few commenters did.
I know, Victoria. Thanks for that too 🙂
Hi Joe,
Thank you for the work you put into researching this and other products. I am a strong believer in real food and healthy living being the best way to a strong healthy body. That said, I cook healthily, but not optimally. I have a lot of health issues and have since I was a child. (Migraines starting in 1st grade is just an example.)
Numerous bouts with pneumonia as a baby, then again as a young adult, etc. have caused chronic asthma. I have major back problems, including sciatica. I also have a chronic fatigue problem. All of these things make it difficult to exercise, but they also all improve when I exercise regularly.
All of that to say, my husband saw the infomercial and wanted me to check it out. You’ve done the kind of research I was expecting to have to do myself, and you’ve gone beyond. TriVita’s claims may be true, but I’ll look into the natural and health food stores for the cactus juice first, and try harder to eat more of the anti-inflammatory foods mentioned by one commenter. (This will be a fun challenge because I LOVE to cook all kinds of foods.) Thank you so much for bringing such things to light.
Those of us who try these different “miracle cures” over and over aren’t stupid. We’re just desperate. Living with chronic health issues, especially daily pain, changes your perspective.
Victoria, glad you found me! I think people who try natural cures are also curious. They want to know if it works. I share that curiosity myself. its one of the reasons I write my reviews 🙂
Thank you so much for your research. This was most helpful. Hypertension runs on my dad’s side of the family. This product was running my aunts pressure up with her meds. She wanted to give the rest of her nopalea to me but I take a low dose of blood pressure medicine. Just wanted too give some of my observation.
DeVaughn, thanks for your feedback. Very much appreciate you sharing your experiences.
Hii joe. I just watched the info commercial for that cactus juice. Im so tired I forgot the name. It must not of been important because if I really was intrigued by this commercial I would have remembered the name. I woke up at 5 am today because my mattress sucks! Im in a lot of back pain n neck pain. I watched the whole commercial cause I was hoping for evidence of their cactus juice on healing pain in the feet or hands.
I was skeptical after the info commercial and found your article. I am so glad I found it had very valid points. Anytime an info commercial has a famous person from Hollywood im sure they are receiving benefits so they lie. I had a feeling the doctor was working for trivita and thats why she promotes the product because
I have read through your review. I have tried it without any ill effects and it has helps in my pain management. I take additional grape seed extract and raspberry extract. Even if it had no beneficial aspects it does taste great. I would rather take natural supplements than man made chemicals such as aspirin or NSAIDs. I am also believer in the benefits of drinking 9.5 Kangen water.
I don’t think the Nopalea is a scam at all. It does what it says; in weight loss and overall well-being. It’ll keep you from drinking because you’ll be $300 lighter. And anti-inflammatory? How can you be inflamed when they’ve shown once again there’s a sucker born every millisecond?
Eat right and moderately and get up and be about. You’ll feel better. Life is finite. There’s no juice for that.
What these health-miracle working juice/pill sellers count on is the placebo effect. If one buys the produce and believes it will help because others have claimed that it does, it usually does occur.Placebo is very powerful when suggested and that suggestion is believed. It loses its power when the suggestion is taken but is accompained by doubt.
It simply will not affect anyone who looks at the claims and compares them to actual facts of the product–especially this one which is made up of many different ingredients which include the prickly pear cactus fruit juice. It is not pure cactus fruit juice.
Further more, one could use beets in a smoothie and accomplish the same thing in use of betalains and much cheaper than $40 for a 32 oz. bottle. Agave nectar is used to sweeten the juice and it is known for its low glycemic index.
Looking at Nopalea, its too expensive, it is designed to “hook” one into an automatic buy that is hard to get out of and its claims are not truly evidence based. No thanks, I won’t buy it–I’ll buy some beets and add them to my smoothies.
Because I experienced severe pain in my feet, I was willing to try it. I purchased four bottles. My foot pain went away. After finishing the fourth bottle, I did not purchase more for some time. Eventually, the pain returned. I then bought more and again experienced cessation of pain. I have tried other products, only to be disappointed. This one worked for me.
By the way, I live close enough to the Scottsdale address to have my order held for pickup.
Lori, interesting little experiment you did. Thanks for sharing your experiences 🙂
I read and enjoyed your article on Nopalea……
I worked for Great Healthworks and wish you would do the same for Omega XL… they claim no allergy. they claim no side effects. they claim testimonials are thriving however customers many are bribed with product to give testimonials. i know. it was my job to bribe them. the entire workforce that sells the product is working all day as damage control.
Elderly and sickly customers call for the infomercial and when they try to cancel the pensive deceiving AUTO SHIPMENTS they get an employee whose main function is to bribe , trick and beat them down to keep getting it.
once the 90 days ends, its non refundable so the company rely’s on the senile and sick to manage the calender incorrectly… they are crooks whose human resource manager XXXX was part of the Florida ponzi scam in south Florida. no coincidence they expanded
tremendously when he came aboard. they masked it by getting small investors but those working there know whats up. XXXX is a phoney and miles his partner is a scammer as well. check it out. any former worker will attest to all of this i assure you
Steve thanks for the heads up. I have not heard of greathealthworks but added the product to my list. I did look at the website and they dont give any information about what is in Omega XL (how much omaga 3’s are in the product). for me, that was an immediate red flag. I checked them out out there BBB File and while they give them an “A” rating, (as of 9/9/12) there were 108 complaints (all resolved), 60 of which had to do with the product or service. Here is the link
http://www.bbb.org/south-east-florida/business-reviews/vitamins-and-food-supplements-retail/great-healthworks-in-hollywood-fl-11006880
After hearing on tv about the product Nopalea I thought I would go online and see where you can find it. I found Dessert Bloom and after reading about it I decided it a try. I was terribly disappointed with it. I did not help me except to go to the bathroom. I had signed up for continuous bottles coming each month. I had to cancel and the guy wanted to know what did I expect from it. (
Another anti inflamatory product is being sold at GNC called Anatabloc. There is apparently much more clinical research being done, or has already been completed on this product. It is from Star Scientific, and it is worth a look.
Wayne, Ive heard of Antabloc and I WILL be doing a review of it soon. Thanks for the heads up on Star Scientific. I’ll be sure to look at them.