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?
Joe, thank you for researching this product. I just saw the commercial for the first time this morning, and decided to look up the product before I buy. I have suffered from fibromyalgia since 2007 and stopped taking medication due to the harmful side effects and further damage to my body. I’ve been in search of something that will reduce my inflammation and chronic pain and fatigue. Please give me your thoughts on this related to this product.
LATRISHA, I have no evidence it helps or doesn’t help fibromyalgia. I can understand how frustrating fibro can be. If you do try it and it helps – or doestnt – please do let me know.
There has been some interesting research / case studies with Ribose for fibromyalgia. Its not as good as I’d like but its interesting. Here is my ribose / fibromyalgia review in case you didnt see it. This stuff you can get at any healthfood store. If you try it and it works/ doesn’t work, do let me know.
The good news about fibro is that exercise does help. if you have not exercised before, remember to go slow and don’t over do it or it can make your fibromyalgia pain feel worse in the beginning.
Joe,
Thanks for the outstanding research. Interesting how some folks aren’t interested in actual investigation of this company’s claims which show very little or no proof. What the hell…why let the truth get in the way of their faith that it will work for them.
News Flash Hope is not a Plan…..
Anonymous, thanks for the feedback. Glad to help 🙂
Sometimes the only research you need is to try it. I tried it because I had severe pain in my feet. All the doctor could recommend was special insoles which helped a little. I decided to try the Nopela. I wasn’t very good about keeping up with the timeline. I just noticed one day that I was walking without pain. How many $100’s did I spend on doctor visits, special insoles, special shoes, etc. before deciding to spend $150 or so on Nopela? I don’t even want to think about that! Research or not, it worked for me.
Darlene, thanks for the feedback. Glad you say it helped you.
Thanks for the insight, I always do my “own research” on any proposed “NEW Amazing Product” as often it ends up being either hype or inconclusive. A company needs to stand by their word if they are to earn credibility and respect. If they offer a 1 bottle purchase for $14 they should honor this – no sales pitches.
If a product is good and does what it says it will – people will buy the product simple. The more you push the more a person backs off. For the company selling, manufacturing Nopalea/Trivita you could learn from this model. Base your company on integrity and honest
Your prayers should be as helpful against pain as Nopalia, but much cheaper! Although, studies have shown that the placebo effect is stronger when the product is more expensive, due to the belief that the product must be even better.
If you believe in the power of prayer, by all means pray. But also believe in the power of exercise and diet. Gluttony and sloth are just as much sins as greed and multilevel marketing scams. God wants you to drop the sugar and take a walk in the sunshine. Vitamin D is a powerful, free, anti inflammatory! I should know, I’m a former supermodel too! Hahahahahaha!
It would be interesting to have the similar products mentioned in the comments reviewed and compared to this product.
Me thinks Kenny doth protest too much. Perhaps he is associated with TriVita.
I think I might just eat the cactus. They are popular in Latin America cooking and while they don’t have much flavor it sure sounds safer.
You cant just eat the cactus, which is used in Mexican cooking. The cactus is green. What they are talking about is the fruit of the catus, which is purple.
I ran into the same issue when I called to try the free bottle. They double and triple talked me into buying one with one free. I see lots of other companies that are selling nopal cactus without the crap of the advertisements. I can not afford to buy enough to try their challenge. But so far I think the only improvement I have noticed has more to do with the fact that the weather is getting better.
I do not plan on further purchases of trivita products.
Joe – you are so “on target” with your comments! And thank you so much for your honest appraisal of the product.
Anonymous, you are very kind. thank you very much.
Do it really work cause i have problems walking and jogging
Summer, I hope you have talked to your doctor about why you have trouble walking and jogging first. Thats the best step to see why you are having trouble. after you know that, then you can make a better decision about whether Trivia Nopalea is right for you.
Let me tell you,,, I recently called Nopalea and they were so nice to me. I was very impressed by all the reps I talked to. They sent me only 1 bottle and it arrived in 3 days, very nice indeed…. I paid 14.00 and change for the 1 bottle. When I drank the first 3 ounces, it really tasted good and I could feel something happening within 3 minutes, I have a very sensitive body and can tell if something is good or not. This is good stuff for sure. I am fully aware of the importance of antioxidants and their effects on inflammation. Also I know how good for you, the grape seed extract is, it is a lifesaver in itself.
Nopalea also has 4 different types of antioxidants and is also a blood sugar treatment, and has been used by Mexican doctors on their patients with diabetes for the last 75 or more years with the greatest of results.
SO MY MESSAGE TO ANYONE ON HERE IS: My experience with all you speak of concerning Nopalea, that is negative, problems ordering, nasty people to talk to in the acompany, the product is a scam ????? I am just an individual with considerable intelligence, and know what I am looking at and know when I see something work or not…… I am here to tell you this product is very good for you and If you don’t think so, then I can just about say that most of your comments on other good products are about the same,, negative because for the most part you are a negative person and cannot find the positive and good in most anything.
I really get torqued when I hear some bash something that I know is good….. SO if you don’t mind would you go somewhere else to make your comments??? preferably to the salt flats in Utah or at least somewhere where nice people cannot hear you scoff the world and the people in it….. this is just my opinion, but I really feel I am not too far off.. after all all of us have a right to our opinion and the right for it to be heard, so this has been mine.
Thank you for letting me post it here and have a great day to the good people that might be listening…… thanks again,
Kenny, yes you are entitled to your opinion but so are other people who say they don’t have good experiences with Trivita customer service etc. We can’t have it both ways. Just because they disagree with your experiences does not make them nasty; it is just them telling of their experiences. There is no need to get angry when people disagree with you. People disagree with me all the time and I’m not angry 🙂
I’m afraid Kenny Z has a few personal issues he needs to deal with. He would censor all those who disagree with him. Not exactly practicing what he preaches. Individuals such as he, are usually afraid of valid research and inquiry as they hate to have their illusions dashed.
I agree with Joe and Jennifer-Kenny seem to be having a REALLY bad day, hope it gets better.
As far as your research, I really do appreciate it. Unfortunately a dear friend of mine is taking this and ordering more. That is how I found out about it; as I posted earlier, I have been dealing with lower back pain for (16) years now and she thought it might help me. I’ve had surgery, injections, PT, etc., etc. so I am quite certain that a little bit of really expensive cactus juice is not going to work any miracles for me. Don’t get me wrong-I’m all for taking certain vitamins, eating healthy, exercising, and doing what we can on our own to keep healthy but we also need to be realistic and do our research on these types of miracle products.
Bunny,
Has your friends seen any result from talking Nopalea? I’d be interested in both positive and negative results.
Thanks
Joy
This guy is a complete idiot. After 3 minutes he could feel something happening. Like what? What was happening? What about the rest of this bottle? $14.00 and change! They advertise a free 32oz bottle for $10.00 “rounded up” shipping. I’m glad someone can back a product after a 3 minute test. I’m glad he doesn’t work for FDA.
Me thinks that this a phony review, put there by someone who is affiliated with TriVita. It does not make sense -just there to hype the product.
LeeD, I can assure you I am NOT affiliated with TriVita or any other supplement company. I’m not hyping any product. In fact I showed you the very studies Trivita uses on their website – and showed you that those studies are less than spectacular. If I was writing a review to “hype” Trivita Nopalea juice, then I would be telling you how wonderful it was right? Instead, I showed you that the studies show otherwise. That doesn’t mean Trivia doesn’t work but that there is far less proof than you are lead to believe in the TV commercials.
I don’t know what else to tell you other than that Lee.
Joe, I was NOT talking about you. I was referring to Kenny Z’s rant. It was not realistic. I believe he is affiliated with TriVita.
I like your website, and I believe you are trying to help people. Keep up the good work.
LeeD
LeeD, ohhh ok I wasn’t sure. Thanks for clearing that up 🙂
I guess I should have made that clearer. Thanks for all the good work that you do.
LeeD
I’ll be more convinced when a double-blind study is done with this supplement. It’s so easy to do and since it hasn’t been done, the claims are suspect. You are only a very good true-believer.
That study has been completed and will be published shortly. A couple hundred subjects.
These other complaints seem to be based on fear and limited information and experience. A sixty day risk free guarantee should have been enough to ease the fear of loss. Change is scary, even if it brings good results.
Peggy, thanks I’m looking forward to seeing the new research and adding it to my review.
Thank you do much Joe for your insight!! My husband was involved in a semi wreck several years ago & suffers daily with excruciating pain. I was so excited to see this product at first until I did further research. I thought we had found an answer to our prayers, but again it’s just another company making big bucks off the suffering of others and their pain. I’m so glad I read your research, I would’ve hated to create false hopes for my husband only to find out it to didn’t work & we were several hundred dollars broker for trying.
KatLou, I will say a prayer tonight for your husband that his pain gets better.
Greetings Joe….your Christian thoughts are commendable!
Mark, thanks, that’s very kind of you to say.
Thanks Joe for your research with Nopalea. I have on and off swelling in my ankles and I almost started to pick up that phone. I refuse to purchase this product after reading your research. Thank you!
Brandi you’re welcome. I hope you speak to your doctor about what is causing your leg swelling.
Thanks for your thorough analysis, Joe, and thanks to all the contributors. I was going to try the free challenge for a relative who has polymyalgia and isn’t getting satisfactory results with prednisone. However, I do not like to give my money to establishments that try to trick you or have poor customer service.
I went on amazon and found comparable products for less, plus reviews by actual, seemingly unbiased users. Most products were running three to four stars. Whatever I buy, I will let you know if it has any impact for my relative (who is having regular blood screenings, so we do have a base-level with which to compare).
Do you have any insight into effectiveness of drinks vs. tablets? (The tablets seem to be cheaper, but big and hard to swallow according to some reviewers. You article states that food vs. supplement might be more effective, so maybe that means go with the drink?)
healthcrusader, Id think that one advantage of a drink is that it would be easier to keep tabs of how much you take. depending on the liquid it might also fill people up which might also add to weight loss effects (maybe)
Thanks for the info. I do a lot of research. I have a sore low back and have seen the chiro numerous times, to little avail. I do take Omegas and a boat load of other supplements. I’m not accustomed to pain and when I saw the infomercial, I almost ordered some out of desperation. I am not about taking pain pills; not even advil. If anyone can suggest anything, I sure would appreciate it.
Marcella, its difficult to say because you didnt say why your low back is hurting. Have you seen a physical therapist? have you had an MRI or X Ray? I would look at those first.
Marcella, I have been dealing with lower back pain for (16) years now and you really should have it checked out, unfortunately you are not going to know what is going on until you have an x-ray, MRI, or something. Good luck.
Have you tried acupuncture? It’s highly effective for pain. If I had more information about what’s causing your back pain I could offer more advice. I work as an acupuncturist for an integrative health program and back pain is one of the most common things I see. For me, sitting for long periods of time causes back pain. So I have to get up a lot. Stretching (like yoga), strengthening your core and applying heat or talking a bath with epsom salts is also very helpful. Ask a friend if they’ve seen an acupuncturist (not an MD who does it) as usually you can get a good referral that way.
I just recently tried the line of Trivita drinks when a sales rep took me over to sample them at the wellness spa I work at. They tasted very good and have good ingredients. But for me, the price point is very high. Any claim that one product can be a cure all makes me suspicious also. Health is a combination of habits that you have to work at. However, because of the taste and overall good ingredients, if they were more reasonably priced, I would use them as an adjunct to my diet. At this point, probably not.
As a retired third generation “chiro” I’d like to chime in a little, if I may. One thing that is more true in chiropractic than perhaps in any other profession is that they are not “created” equal. Something I often noticed during my three decades of practice was that many people who had dismissed chiropractic had tried it with one doctor and finding no relief, concluded that “chiro” doesn’t work for them.
Unfortunately, when government student loans became approved for chiropractic colleges, they turned into diploma mills and along with just about everything else, even more phony ideas crept into the profession disguised as techniques. Politics prevented proper vetting of techniques, but frankly, many students entered the colleges with pre-set ideas about what they meant to do once licensed.
Some vitamins are water soluble but the fat solubles can build up and become toxic themselves. IF you are taking a “boatload” you better talk to a nutritionist, MD or DC about it.
To summarize and make the point, don’t give up after one doesn’t do it for you. (Would you stop going to MDs if you didn’t get results from one)?
Eliminate anyone that doesn’t take x-rays as part of their initial exam. It’s just like not getting x-rays during a dental exam, in fact, worse; the need for a referral for a medical investigation might be missed. A huge amount of information is passed over. Most of the misdiagnosis I have seen over the years were by and from DCs that didn’t think x-rays were necessary to competent practice. I know of DCs that missed Ca that would be visible in x-ray and they didn’t take them, but treated them for months before the patient disappeared and later died of cancer.
I’m sorry to say that probably 50% of people that come into a DCs office have psychological components to their physical complaints. Notice if the DC pays attention to x-rays and speak and think in the context of the spine, skeletal system and nervous system and next about your diet, exercise, lifestyle, etc. If they jump right into trendy treatments and supplements, you’ve got a loser. If they use “staple guns,” or little electric punches, you can bet that they are relying on the placebo effect or just a natural remission of symptoms (until another crisis arrives which will be cumulatively worse).
If they use a cold “laser” to diagnose, or use “muscle testing” to diagnose, run away and don’t forget your wallet. IF they talk about muscles as the cause, again run with your wallet held tightly.
Look for a serious talking DC that takes you seriously, not a smiley face, “have a good day” type. Don’t expect them to coddle you, but look for someone that is good with their and hands but most of all PALPATES before they decide to “adjust.” Most DCs don’t palpate anymore. If they do it through your clothing, you aren’t getting the benefit of a real chiropractic treatment.
This has become difficult because of frivolous lawsuits, but men should be shirtless and women in gowns with opened backs. Doctors should use cams to insure that there is a witness to protect them from frivolous lawsuits, but not short the patient because of paranoia (and convenience. A DC can see many more patients an hour if they “treat” them through their clothing).
If you are suffering from chronic low back pain, you need to eliminate the possibility of disc loss before you go to considerations such as inflammation caused by toxicity. There are other possible causes as well that would require a medical internist to determine.
Sucking down some juice and eating a cool sounding food might make you think that you feel better and if it does, good for you, and maybe all you needed was cheering up. But serious problems require serious considerations.
Empty, really appreciate that insider information!
Great review. Question: If you order that first free bottle how long do you really have before they ship out another batch and charge the card on file? I’ve tried these free deals before, however the card was charged before the 30 days of receipt. It seems the countdown begins as soon as you make the call.
C Mathis, Im not sure. Id call TriVita and ask them this question.
I called to get my free bottle plus shipping of 10 dollars and they refused to do so. The sale pitch did not and would not stop. They became rude and hostile at me because I did not want anything other then the one bottle promised in advertisement.
The operator said OK and took my credit card info down and then started the sale pitch again and then refused to complete my sale unless I purchased two more bottles for the total 30 day challenge.
I felt so violated and angry I called back to speak to the supervisor and he was even more belligerent and hostile toward me. He double talked and refused to help. This is a sales scam.
Maybe the product is good but with this type of sales scam no one will know. You cannot advertise this and then refuse to offer it This should be a class action law suite. This is not legal.
If you know how I can get one bottle for shipping cost let me know. I have tried and tried and every time I am refused and yelled at my the rep.
boobie, I’m not sure and all I can say is that if they did that to me, I would not buy anything from them.
Thanks for for bringing the TRUTH out on the advertised hype !
Arun, thank you 🙂
Thank you for your research. Before buying something I always like to investigate it, and I was thinking of buying nopalea so thank you soooooomuch for your great review
Anonymous, you are very welcome.
Very informative research Joe…thanks. As a 48 year old male I have just been diagnosed with mild arthritis and my search is on for a natural product to reduce it’s effects. Anything that you could recommend? Mark
Mark you didnt say what arthritis but Ill assume its osteoarthritis since its most common. Glucosamine sulfate is a possibility but more than that, Id say exercise. Exercise has been shown to help arthritis. If you dont know how to do this, seek out a physical therapist or personal trainer who knows how to design exercise programs for arthritis.
Good stuff here Joe. Many thanks