So, have you heard of Herbalife? It’s a big deal in the world of multilevel marketing (MLM) and they sell a variety of nutritional supplements and personal care products in over 90 countries. One of their most popular offerings is the weight loss program, which promises to help people shed pounds through meal replacement shakes and dietary supplements.
Now, let’s get real for a sec – quick-fix diets like Herbalife can give you short-term results, but they can also be pricey and not exactly easy to stick to in the long run. So, what’s the deal with Herbalife? In this article, we’ll break it all down for you – how it works, the pros and cons, and even give you a sneak peek at a sample menu.
Herbalife: A Global MLM Giant Selling Nutritional Supplements
So, you might have heard of Herbalife – it’s a big name in the world of multi-level marketing (MLM) and nutritional supplements. The company was founded back in 1980 by a young entrepreneur named Mark Hughes, and has since grown to be a huge player in the market, operating in over 90 countries and employing over 11,000 people. As of 2021, Herbalife reports an impressive $5.8 billion in sales, and claims that 5.4 million of its protein shakes are consumed daily!
Herbalife’s product offerings have expanded far beyond its original meal replacement and protein shake offerings. Some of their top sellers include:
- Formula 1 Select meal replacement shakes (the “core” product)
- Formula 2 and 3 supplements (multivitamin and antioxidant capsules)
- protein powders and bars
- herbal weight loss teas
- protein bars
- aloe products
- fiber, prebiotic, and probiotic supplements
- sports nutrition supplements
- vitamin, mineral, and herbal supplements
- skin care products
And by far, the most popular product of all is the Formula 1 Select meal replacement shake. It comes in a variety of delicious flavors, like French Vanilla, Dutch Chocolate, Cookies n’ Cream, and many more!
Risks of Herbalife’s Raspberry Herbal Tea Concentrate for Weight Loss
So, Herbalife’s Raspberry Herbal Tea Concentrate is marketed as a weight loss enhancer, but here’s the deal:
- The product doesn’t list the amount of caffeine it contains, and a medical study in 2019 found that caffeine can aid weight loss. However, an overdose of caffeine can cause elevated blood pressure and anxiety, so be careful.
- Green tea extract is also mentioned as a weight loss ingredient, but it’s not the best option. Studies have linked it to liver damage, and it’s been called a “possible cause of acute liver failure.”
- “Natural flavor” is also a vague term that raises red flags, as it doesn’t give you enough information about the safety of the flavor.
So, to sum it up, we wouldn’t recommend Herbalife’s Raspberry Herbal Tea Concentrate. Instead, we suggest trying Pique Japanese Sencha Green Beverage, which is made with green tea leaves and doesn’t have added flavors or caffeine. Stick with green tea for weight loss – it’s safe and effective!
Herbalife Shakes: A Critical Review
Have you heard about the “nutritional shakes” from Herbalife? They’re marketed as a healthier alternative to fast food and a popular choice among dieters. But, do they really live up to the hype?
Well, first off, let’s talk about the 90 calories per serving. It’s not really a “meal replacement” as it’s still only a fraction of the average 500 calories per meal that most people consume. The main ingredient is soy protein isolate, which is a good choice for vegetarians and vegans as it’s a complete protein.
However, we have some concerns about the product. Firstly, it contains added sugar which is linked to various health issues like obesity, cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and cancer according to medical studies. Although 4 grams of sugar per serving may not sound like a lot, it’s still strange that a supposedly nutritious drink contains sugar at all.
Also, the artificial flavoring used in the smoothie has been found to be dangerous to animals in studies. So, it’s probably best to avoid it. The shakes also contain a proprietary blend of vitamins and minerals, but we would advise against relying on them as a source of nutrition. Instead, aim for a diet rich in real foods.
Finally, we can’t recommend Herbalife’s shakes due to the questionable quality of some of the additives used. Instead, we prefer Naked Nutrition’s Grass-Fed Whey Powder. It’s made with only pasture-raised whey protein and doesn’t contain any potentially harmful ingredients. It’s also more affordable at $1.25 per serving compared to Herbalife’s $2.31 per serving.
Herbalife Protein Powder: A Review
If you’re in the market for a protein powder, Herbalife has got you covered. Their product is similar to their smoothie mix but with a higher calorie and protein count (15g per serving).
Now, we typically suggest powders with 20g or more of protein for our clients, as studies show that’s the optimal range for building muscle. But, we don’t recommend Herbalife’s powder for a few reasons.
First, it contains added vitamins and minerals. Plus, it’s a blend of natural and artificial flavors, corn syrup, and sucralose.
Here’s the catch – it’s also a lot pricier than their shakes. You’ll be paying $2.83 per serving (22 servings in total) if you buy it through their distributor.
In our opinion, Naked Nutrition Grass-Fed Whey Powder is a better choice. It doesn’t have any shady additives and only costs $1.25 per serving.
Herbalife Liftoff: A Critical Review of its Active Ingredients and Additives
Looking for a boost of energy and concentration? You may have come across Herbalife’s latest product, Liftoff. This effervescent tablet contains caffeine and Panax Ginseng to give you the energy boost you need. But before you make a purchase, let’s dive into the ingredients a little deeper.
Liftoff contains 75mg of caffeine, which is slightly less than a cup of coffee. This dose has been shown to be effective for performance, but the Panax Ginseng used by Herbalife may not be as effective as the extract used in medical studies.
Aside from the helpful active ingredients, Liftoff also contains a few additives you may want to avoid. Citric acid, a preservative and flavor enhancer, can trigger rare systemic inflammatory reactions. And corn syrup, a processed sweetener linked to obesity and negative health outcomes, is present in the product. The product also contains natural flavors, sucralose, and sodium benzoate, which have been linked to negative health effects.
Herbalife SKIN Collagen Supplement: Is it Worth the Hype?
Have you heard of Herbalife’s “SKIN” collagen supplement? It’s marketed as a solution for reducing wrinkles, but here’s the thing – studies suggest that collagen can help soften the look of fine lines and improve skin hydration, but the effective dose seems to be 2.5 g per serving. And while Herbalife’s product is reasonable at $2.50 per serving, we don’t think it’s all that effective.
Also, there are some questionable ingredients in this supplement like vitamins, minerals, citric acid, and natural flavor. If you’re looking to improve the appearance of your skin with collagen, we suggest trying the Bulletproof collagen powder instead. It’s made from isolated collagen peptides from grass-fed animals and doesn’t have any artificial additives. And the best part? For 50 servings, it’s only $39.95 – that’s four times more collagen per serving for less!
Herbalife’s Prepare Pre-Workout Powder Reviewed
We recently tried out Herbalife’s “Prepare” pre-workout powder and overall, it seems to be pretty well formulated. It contains nitric oxide precursors like L-arginine and L-citrulline, which can improve performance by relaxing blood vessels and increasing endurance during exercise. But, citrulline alone is actually more effective for generating nitric oxide compared to arginine.
We also checked out the creatine content (2.1 g per serving) and it’s been clinically tested to be an effective dose for making you stronger and longer-lasting during your workout. Bonus, Herbalife’s Prepare has earned NSF certification for sports which verifies that the supplement doesn’t contain any illegal or harmful substances.
One thing to note, the caffeine content is a hefty 100 mg per serving so if you’re sensitive to caffeine, just be aware.
In conclusion, this seems like a solid blend that’ll help boost your workout performance. However, we can’t fully recommend it due to the added vitamins and minerals. But give it a shot and see how it works for you!
Herbalife’s Legal Troubles: A History of Scandals and Settlements
Seems like Herbalife has had a rough ride since it started. In 2016, they had to cough up $200 million to settle with the FTC over misleading money-making claims. Ouch!
And as if that wasn’t enough, they also got caught trying to bribe Chinese regulators and had to pay the Justice Department and SEC $123 million. Yikes.
To top it off, they had to pay $15 million to dismiss a class-action lawsuit claiming they were running a pyramid scheme.
Long story short, if you’re thinking of becoming a Herbalife brand ambassador, you might want to reconsider. These legal troubles paint a pretty shady picture.
Herbalife’s Lack of Ingredient Transparency Raises Concerns
Last time we checked, Herbalife still wasn’t transparent about the ingredients in most of their products sold online. It’s pretty shady that they’re conducting business like this.
For this report, we didn’t use their official website, but checked out ingredient info on other sites like those of independent Herbalife distributors.
The thing is, without all the details, consumers can’t make informed choices about their health. And seriously, if they’re hiding the ingredients in a pre-workout supplement, how are you supposed to know if it even works?
Our advice: always steer clear of supplements from manufacturers who don’t give you a full list of ingredients. We’re also urging Herbalife to be more open and transparent on their site.
How to Contact Herbalife’s Customer Service?
It looks like Herbalife’s customer service isn’t exactly top-notch. If you’re trying to get in touch with them, be prepared to wait – it can take over two whole days to hear back! Here’s how you can get in touch:
Contact form: https://support.herbalife.com/s/contactsupport
Herbalife Review: Final Verdict
While some of their products have decent formulas, we don’t necessarily give them our stamp of approval. Why? Well, for starters, they use ingredients like artificial flavor, corn syrup, preservatives, and citric acid that raise some eyebrows.
That being said, we will say that their pre-workout supplement is the best they’ve got, packed with helpful doses of caffeine and creatine to give you a mental and physical boost during your workout.
One thing we do wish they would improve on is transparency. It would be great if they could post detailed ingredient information on their website for everyone to see.
Oh, and one more thing to keep in mind: Herbalife has been hit with lawsuits in the past, both by individuals and by the U.S. government. It’s definitely a red flag that’s worth considering before buying from them.
