Side effects

E-how has published a partial list of the worst side effects...

Side Effects of Isagenix

By Jennifer Eblin, eHow Contributor

Isagenix is a cleansing program but if often causes painful side effects and danger to life....

Headache

1. Headaches are one of the most common side effects associated with Isagenix. Both those who lost weight on the program and those who did not have reported feeling pain in their temples. These headaches ranged from minor, dull pains to intense, blinding headaches.

Shaking

2. Those who have completed the Isagenix program sometimes complained about feeling nervous or having a "shaky" feeling. Experts believe that this is the result of the body not getting enough food while on the program. 

Vomiting

3. A very small number of people on the Isagenix program experienced vomiting, especially when using the shakes as part of the program. The vomiting is sometimes the result of the stomach and taste buds reacting with the ingredients used. Many of the people who claimed to experience vomiting said that the side effect disappeared after a few days. This is one of the very rare side effects associated with using Isagenix, and it is reported in only a small number of cases.

Dizziness

4. Dizziness is an often reported side effect associated with Isagenix. Like the shaking, this is often connected to the lack of food. It typically appears towards the end of the cleanse because the body needs more food to survive. In other cases, it may begin to appear earlier as the body tries to adjust to the sudden reduction in calories. The user usually feels dizzy when standing suddenly or making quick movements.

Heart Rate

Read more: Side Effects of Isagenix | eHow.com http://www.ehow.com/about_4793346_side-effects-isagenix.html#ixzz1APGEyucu

Side Effects of Isagenix |

Safety of supplements

The nutritional supplement industry in general is very poorly regulated in the US.  This dates back to the Dietary Supplement Health and Education Act of 1994, which severely limited the ability of the US to protect consumers from dangerous supplements.

As Stephen Barret PhD writes:

"Most people think that dietary supplements and herbs are closely regulated to ensure that they are safe, effective, and truthfully advertised. Nothing could be further from the truth. Although some aspects of marketing are regulated, the United States Congress has concluded that "informed" consumers need little government protection. This conclusion was embodied in the Dietary Supplement Health and Education Act of 1994—commonly referred to as "DSHEA"—which severely limits the FDA's ability to regulate these products."

isagenix and depression

Isagenix linked to depression?  Apparently yes, according to a new research study soon to be published in a major scientific journal.  Stand by for details as we learn them.

Your friends and volunteer journalists, Isagenix Scam Edu and Isagenix Fraud Finders

Isagenix might cleanse your body--but it will definitely cleanse your wallet

One of the most informative sources of fact-based skepticism and useful context regarding Isagenix, and the way shady MLM businesses operate in general, is over at Real Scam, a website forum focused on sorting out what is a scam, and what is not a scam.

In the conversation thread Isagenix: Cleanse your body or your wallet? -- posters share takeaways from the efforts of serious scientifically minded people to figure out if Isagenix is legitimate. The results are dissapointing, such as this exerpt from Harriet Hall, M.D. :

"I didn’t set out to write an article about this. It started when I received an e-mail inquiry about Isagenix. I posted my answer on a discussion list and it was picked up and published on the healthfraudoz website. Sandy Szwarc approved of it and kindly reposted it on her Junkfood Science blog.
As I write, the comments on the healthfraudoz website have reached a total of 176. A few commenters approved of what I wrote, but the majority of commenters tried to defend Isagenix. Their arguments were irrational, incompetent, and sometimes amusing.

It was as if no one had actually read what I wrote. No one bothered to address any of my specific criticisms. No one even tried to defend Isagenix’s false claims that toxicity accounts for most disease, that the body protects itself from toxins by coating them with fat, and that internal organs become clogged and deteriorate if you don’t “cleanse.” No one offered any evidence that “detoxification” improves human health. No one tried to identify any of the alleged toxins or show that they are actually removed. No one tried to provide any rationale for the particular combination of ingredients in Isagenix products (242 of them!).  

No one questioned my assertion that “no caffeine added” was inaccurate because green tea was added and it contains caffeine. No one commented on my observation that the amount of vitamin A in the products was dangerous and went against the recommendations of The Medical Letter. No one offered any evidence that more weight was lost by adding Isagenix to a low calorie diet and exercise. I offered some alternative explanations that might account for people believing it was effective when it wasn’t; no one commented on that. The medical advisor on the Isagenix website argued that at $5 a day Isagenix is less expensive than open heart surgery. I pointed out that that was a laughable false dichotomy: it’s not a matter of choosing between open heart surgery and diet supplements.

No one commented on that. Instead of rational responses, we got …
Testimonials
Anti-Testimonials
Rebuttals to Negative Testimonials
“Evidence” that it works
Defense of Multi-Level Marketing
Personal Attacks on Me
Kudos
Attacks on the Medical Profession
Attacks on Science
Attacks on FDA and Big Pharma
Off-the-Wall False Claims
Try It for Yourself
Haven’t Tried It But Plan To
It’s a Scam
2 Jokes
Funny, Unhelpful, and Bizarre Comments"

Is Isagenix a Scam?: Why Isagenix is Sold via Pyramid Network Marketing

Is Isagenix a Scam?: Why Isagenix is Sold via Pyramid Network Marketing: Why is Isagenix sold via MLM? Why not sell it at your local health-food store. The answer tells you a lot about why you should avoid Isagenix and other products sold in this way...

Can you Trust this Man? - YouTube

Isagenix Scam Review -- Can you Trust this Man? - YouTube: A leechy guy who depends on pyramid schemes for his wealth shills for isagenix. Not a credible source, so state the obviousl

The 5 Worst Things You See While Working in Fast Food

The 5 Worst Things You See While Working in Fast Food | Cracked.com: When I asked her to sign the slip of paper indicating that I planned to drop out of college, my English professor told me, "Whatever you do in life, make sure it involves writing." And with that, I moved to Wisconsin and embarked upon a four-year stint working in fast food restaurants.
If you've ever earned your keep by flipping burgers, you already know what kind of horrifying sights await anyone brave enough to venture into the greasy back room of a fast food restaurant. As for the rest of you, let me assure you, it's much worse than you can imagine back there.
Here are five awful things I've seen while working in fast food restaurants.

Arianna Huffington: Mindfulness, Meditation, Wellness and Their Connection to Corporate America's Bottom Line

Arianna Huffington: Mindfulness, Meditation, Wellness and Their Connection to Corporate America's Bottom Line: Though awareness is growing, there are still too many companies that don't yet realize the benefits of a focus on wellness. "The lack of attention to employee needs helps explain why the United States spends more on health care than other countries but gets worse outcomes," wrote Jeffrey Pfeffer, professor at Stanford's Graduate School of Business. "We have no mandatory vacation or sick day requirements, and we do have chronic layoffs, overwork, and stress. Working in many organizations is simply hazardous to your health." And thus to the health of your company as well. "I hope businesses will wake up to the fact that if they don't do well by their employees, chances are they're not doing well, period," Pfeffer said.

Why is Isagenix Sold Via Multi Level Marketing?

Questions about Isagenix: Why is Isagenix Sold Via Multi Level Marketing?: A: Multi Level Marketing is just one way to sell products and it is an usual method. The majority of products including nutritional supplements are NOT sold via Multi Level Marketing (MLM).

MLM is generally considered a less reputable way to sell products, because many products sold via MLM are of low quality. It is often called "pyramid selling" because it has the same structure as a pyramid scheme. Some MLM programs sell products or services of now value at all, in which case they are literally pyramid schemes where the "product" is just a vehicle for the scam.

Is Isagenix a Scam?

Is Isagenix a Scam?: ions vary, but I think the important question is "Does Isagenix have Cult-Like Features....and does the Cult-Like Nature of Isagenix cause danger for participants and customers?" And based on our research here at MLM Scam Edu, I think Isagenix is very much like a Cult.

Is Isagenix a Scam?

Want to be safe? Take something where you know what the ingredients are, that doesn't have the track record of risky side effects that Isagenix does, and that is supported by real science.


Unfortunately the short answer is that we don't know whether isagenix is safe and there are reasons to be concerned.

More broadly, the nutritional supplement industry in general is very poorly regulated in the US.  This dates back to the Dietary Supplement Health and Education Act of 1994, which severely limited the ability of the US to protect consumers from dangerous supplements.

As Stephen Barret PhD writes:

"Most people think that dietary supplements and herbs are closely regulated to ensure that they are safe, effective, and truthfully advertised. Nothing could be further from the truth. Although some aspects of marketing are regulated, the United States Congress has concluded that "informed" consumers need little government protection. This conclusion was embodied in the Dietary Supplement Health and Education Act of 1994—commonly referred to as "DSHEA"—which severely limits the FDA's ability to regulate these products."

Is Isagenix a Scam?

Is Isagenix a Scam?: What do US Government regulators think of Isagenix and other businesses that sell products via Multi-Level Marketing (MLM)? They clearly wish they could shut these businesses down, because they pose a danger to consumers, but since the US has a very free market and very limited regulation of the supplements industry, they do as much as they can to discourage MLM business models, and try their best to warn consumers.

isagenix side effects

For essential info about isagenix side-effects make sure to read these posts:

Isagenix Side Effects and Problems with Isagenix

Isagenix Review (referenced in the post above)

Isagenix and Safety

And a very good read from Consumer Reports -- Consumer Reports Review of Isagenix Cleanse

Is Isagenix a Scam?

Is Isagenix a Scam?: when people first hear about Isagenix, probably someone with an interest in selling isagenix, it is described in a positive way.
However the details may begin to sound suspicious...the claims are outlandish, the cost is expensive, and um....well....to put it simply, it looks like pyramid scheme. Of course, that is because isagenix is a pyramid scheme. See our post "Is Isagenix a Pyramid Scheme?" for more on that.

To shed more sunlight on the question of "Is Isagenix a Scam" checkout this post

Is isagenix a scam?

Icahn, Herbalife and Greed, Sponsored by the Fed - Forbes

Icahn, Herbalife and Greed, Sponsored by the Fed - Forbes: Are those too just a part of the mirage the Fed has conjured? Is the four-year bull market that has seen stocks more than double since the panic lows another illusion? This bull, like all before it, will eventually bust. But if you’re waiting for a rerun of ‘08 to know that reality has been restored, the bunker could get awfully lonely.

Today ten thousand day traders will pile into Herbalife (NYSE: HLF) because Carl Icahn, celebrated champion of Netflix (Nasdaq: NFLX), bought a lot of Herbalife shares and declared them cheap. Does anyone care that this is the same Carl Icahn whose hedge fund lost 35% in 2008 while nemesis Bill Ackman was riding his MBIA (NYSE: MBI) short to fame and riches? No, no one does.

So um... Is isagenix a scam?

Might Other Companies Be Liable If Herbalife Is A Pyramid? - Seeking Alpha

Might Other Companies Be Liable If Herbalife Is A Pyramid? - Seeking Alpha analyses the question and concludes:

I have formed the legal opinion that there is evidence to suggest Herbalife pays more money to its "distributors" for their recruitment of new "distributors" than it does for their sale of Herbalife products. This would satisfy the definition of a pyramid scheme, making the practice illegal. Herbalife could therefore be prosecuted. Herbalife's own CEO admits that "us calling everyone a distributor confuses people."

is isagenix dangerous?

Yes, Isagenix is dangerous and the full extent of the risk is not easy to find online.

The truth is buried by the bloggers who sell isagenix, and who skillfully compete
for high search rankings for terms like "Is Isagenix Dangerous"

The good news:  this is one of the few blogs that competes with those liars and gets you
access to the negative info you should know before you sign up to buy or sell isagenix.

Stomach cramps
Internal bleeding
Nausea
Shaking
Even serious events like strokes have been linked to isagenix and other unregulated supplements.

And a very good read from Consumer Reports -- Consumer Reports Review of Isagenix Cleanse

Be careful out there!

Also see:  Is isagenix a scam?

Questions and Funny Link

Questions about Isagenix

Questions about the Isagenix Cleanse claims, process, etc, including it's safety, results versus similar but more natural and cheaper approaches

and also Questions about How Isagenix is Sold via MLM


Funny link of the day:  Pet Democrats Blog

herbalife scams in british columbia

News continues to trickle out about how the Herbalife scam is affecting victims of the MLM program in British Columbia.

We don't have as many investigators on the ground in Canada, but we want to be sure to cover this well.  If you have info we should know, please send it along and we'll work with you to publish the truth.

Top ten scams in British Columbia - most are MLM Enabled!

Top ten scams of 2011 | CTV British Columbia News: writes "The BBB is encouraging people to research businesses before handing over their money and examine offers very closely, especially if they seem too good to be true."

Interesting to note that although the piece is more general, many of the scams include features of MLM schemes. 

isagenics dangerous

Isagenix is dangerous to your health, like many unregulated supplements sold by Multi-Level Marketers (MLM).  And unfortunately the trush about these dangers is buried online because MLM promoters have a vested interest in posting so much propaganda fluff that it is hard to find out the negative truth.

That is what this blog is for, as well as our sister blog Isagenix is a Scam.

In a recent post on Isagenix is a Scam, we shared the latest verified reports of dangerous side effects of Isagenix.  I hope you will read it before taking risks of using Isagenix.

Common Side Effects of Cleanse Programs like Isagenix

Isagenix side effects are often reported to us...lately the most common complaints include

• Headache
• Stomach Pain
• Irritability
• Lack of energy
• Insomnia
• Heartburn
• Back Pain
• Mood swings
• Weakened immune system

Herbalife shares plunge on government probe report - -

Herbalife shares plunge on government probe report - - MSN Money:

"Compaints filed with regulators refer to pending law enforcement action, according to one news report. The company says it's unaware of any investigation."

Kevin P Adams CEO of Isagenix

For more about Kevin P Adams and the rest of the fraudsters who run Isagenix, checkout this profile at BusinessWeek...

I wonder if Mr Kevin Adams has a conscience? Apparently not or he'd be doing something less damaging to human lives...

As an aside, it looks like Kevin Adams is not much of a LinkedIn networker.  He prefers less visible and professional ways of networking...

Lawsuit Against Isagenix for Fraud

A lawsuit alleging Isagenix International, a multi-level marketing company based in Chandler, Arizona, intentionally interfered in and destroyed a competing diet supplement business, was set for trial on March 26, 2012 by the Ventura County Superior Court.

The claims against Isagenix were filed by two affiliated Ventura, California based infomercial production and manufacturing companies, Nature's Pure Body Institute and Incubation, and their owner, Ken Wright. The lawsuit has been pending since May 2008.
Parties involved in the lawsuit include Bill Wheeler, Ph.D., former spokesperson for Wright's Gold Standard protein product; wife Linda Wheeler; their entity Peak Performance Nutrition, Ltd., a Nevada Corporation; Jim Coover, whose wife Kathy was a co-founder of Isagenix with John Anderson; as well as Ellen Bradley Ganus, one of Isagenix's top sales distributors.
Dr. Bill Wheeler's Gold Standard Protein, a weight loss meal replacement formula, was formulated by Wright and successfully marketed on television and radio from 2003 through 2007.
Wright and his companies assert that they created a line of products bearing the brand name "Dr. Bill Wheeler's Gold Standard Protein," held the commercial rights, trained Wheeler to be the public face and spokesperson of the product line, and invested years of labor and funds building up the Dr. Wheeler line of diet products. "

For more about the lawsuite see here

We were unable to find out what happened at trial.  Any sources?
.

Is Isagenix a Cult? Let's look at the definition...

What is the difference between MLM Business Schemes and Cults?  Consider the following definition of cult.  The similarities between the words below and the reality of modern-day MLM Pyramid Schemes like Isagenix, Herbalife, and others is kinda spooky!

Definition of cult (n)

bing.com · Bing Dictionary

cult

[ kult ]

1. religion: a system of religious or spiritual beliefs, especially an informal and transient belief system regarded by others as misguided, unorthodox, extremist, or false, and directed by a charismatic, authoritarian leader
2. religious group: a group of people who share religious or spiritual beliefs, especially beliefs regarded by others as misguided, unorthodox, extremist, or false
3. idolization of somebody or something: an extreme or excessive admiration for a person, philosophy of life, or activity

American Heritage Dictionary:

cult

 

"...A usually nonscientific method or regimen claimed by its originator to have exclusive or exceptional power in curing a particular disease.

1. Obsessive, especially faddish, devotion to or veneration for a person, principle, or thing.
2. The object of such devotion.

 

is isagenix safe?

Before buying Isagenix you should know whether it is safe. 

The short answer based on our research is that there are many signs that Isagenix is not safe, or that Isagenix may not be safe depending on the circumstances of the person who is taking the supplements, what else they are eating etc.

It is also important to keep in mind that there is no clear evidence that Isagenix is helpful.  So even if you take it and you don't have stomach cramps, nausea, light-headedness, disorientation, or one of the myiad side effects people have reported, there is no reason to take the risk and spend a lot of money on a product with the track record of Isagenix.

It is important to keep in mind that anecdotal opinions from individuals do not in any way constute rational scientific evidence that the supplements actual provided a health benefit.  Most of the content online about Isagenix is made up of this kind of "testimony"...if you are scientifically literate, you will obviously not take that stuff seriously.


Unfortunately the short answer is that we don't know and there are reasons to be concerned.

More broadly, the nutritional supplement industry in general is very poorly regulated in the US.  This dates back to the Dietary Supplement Health and Education Act of 1994, which severely limited the ability of the US to protect consumers from dangerous supplements.

As Stephen Barret PhD writes:

"Most people think that dietary supplements and herbs are closely regulated to ensure that they are safe, effective, and truthfully advertised. Nothing could be further from the truth. Although some aspects of marketing are regulated, the United States Congress has concluded that "informed" consumers need little government protection. This conclusion was embodied in the Dietary Supplement Health and Education Act of 1994—commonly referred to as "DSHEA"—which severely limits the FDA's ability to regulate these products."

Isagenix Ingredients?

What is in Isagenix?  Oddly enough the company doesn't want to tell you.  Like many nutrional products sold via MLM tacts, you can't find out exactly what is in the products! 

For more on the problem of MLM nutritional supplements not being transparent about their ingredients, see this excellent post by Caitlin E. Cahill

All the company gives you is a bullet point list of what they want you to know...basically the alleged benefits.

Detox diets: Do they work? - MayoClinic.com

Isagenix, and many similar nutrional supplements sold via MLM, are based on the idea of the "Detox Diet."  But before we get ahead of ourselves, what is the state of current research on whether Detox Diets work?

One take is below, courtesy of leading hospital and wellness research organization, the Mayo Clinic:

Detox diets: Do they work? - MayoClinic.com

The reason it's hard to find info on the dark side of MLM online...

When I warn people about the risks and costs of the MLM industry, I often am asked a good but somewhat naive question:  "The reason it's hard to find info on the dark side of MLM online?"

The answer is that because MLM companies and their top distributors (who together are the only participants who benefit from these schemes) has a huge vested interest in minimimizing the availability and accessibility of criticism and negative information about their products.  And they go all-out to blanket the web with apparently positive information about their products, much of it disguised as first-person testimony or even-handed analysis....much of it mediocre and informative...anything to make it harder for people to find more important information on the cons, the risks, and often shady backgrounds of the founders of Multi Level Marketing companies.

In other words, MLM acolytes fan out accross the web to bury the important but negative truth about risks, waste, and other negative impacts with astroturf posts that that one. 

Here is one of thousands of examples....On a comment on this post on the false medical claims made by Isagenix, an unidentifiable reader calling herself Megan posts the following

"I’ve never done the cleanse, but was thinking about doing so after the holidays. I’m no medical expert, but I am entering into health care as a nurse in the near future and nutrition fascinates me. The hypothesis that neurological syndromes and food allergies are attributed to toxicity *has* been supported by research (see Dr. Theo Colhoun’s work). Differences have been shown between subjects who ingest foods laden with additives and pesticides in contrast with with subjects who eat whole, organic foods. The effects of taking in said toxins can range anywhere from developmentally delayed children to reproductively impaired adults. These statements have been supported by data and research.

I recently read about the various P450 enzymes and their role in detoxifying our bodies…Could pesticides and additives have an adverse effect on these enzymes? I would love to see the research, but my instincts after reading more into the subject say perhaps.  .... Isagenix at least supports people in making healthier choices…Kale instead of candy perhaps. You are what you eat, and heck, if Isagenix gets people to drink a nutritional shake vs eating a happy meal, I’m all for it."

Aww, shucks Megan....you seem appealingly positive but suspiciously armed with pro-Isagenix talking points.  In this case another reader calls her out, writing that "Even Stevie Wonder can see" that Megan is an Isagenix rep.

Not again... another "Christian based" MLM gig ....

Heads up: another "Christian based" MLM gig .... is yet another thread about something I find incredibly ironic and sad.  Even thought MLM seems to contradict the teachings of Jesus as I understand them from the bible (e.g. though shalt not worthip false idols, though shalt not steal,....)....MLM programs seem to appeal so many evangelical christians...apparently the wrongness of bringing evangelical zeal to the sale of overpriced and sometimes dangerous junk to loved ones is overlooked....

I have to ask you again:  would Jesus have approved of Isagenix, Herbalife, or Multi-Level Marketing in general.  A sane and thoughtful person would probably say no....

Why doesn't Isagenix share ingredient list?

Wow, talk about a poorly regulated industry and an outrageous pyramid scheme all rold into one.  Like many nutrional products sold via MLM tacticss, you can't find out exactly what is in the products! 

The closes you get to "information' about what you are being urged to put into you body is a bullet point list of what they want you to know...basically the alleged benefits.  This is where the MLM evangelist...I mean salesperson...steps in to assure you that you must believe in it for anecdotal reasons they will recite with religious fervor.  Sounds pretty much like evangelical religion, only it's about making the founders of these shady companies rich...a real shame.

For more on the problem of MLM nutritional supplements not being transparent about their ingredients, see this excellent post by Caitlin E. Cahill

From High Energy Clubs to Dashed Dreams: Herbalife Tales

From High Energy Clubs to Dashed Dreams: Herbalife Tales: From High Energy Clubs to Dashed Dreams: Herbalife Tales

A pretty damning investigative report from CNBC about the destructive impact of MLM on the lives of hard working people.  Must watch if you don't know enough about why MLM businesses are a scourge.

Is Herbalife a Scam? Does a Duck Quack?

The battle of word between Herbalife CEO Michael Johnson, who audaciously claims he's shocked...shocked...to have heard for the first time ever the Multi Level Marketing is shady and often associated with scams....and two dueling hedge fund titans continues to play out.  Tracy Coenen has some of the latest coverage, including videos, on her Fraud Files Blog.

As a longtime critic of MLM, I find it interesting that while three wealthy bastards debate whether a huge corporate is a good investment or not....the public is finally hearding more about the dark side of MLM.  In my book, whether Herbalife stock will crash or thrive is pretty irrelevant.  What IS relevant...extremely relevant...is that Multi Level Marketing in general provides a vehicle for victimization of millions of people per year, at a cost of billions of dollars to mostly poor and middle class Americans.  And this is not to mention the fact that MLM is even less regulated, and even more destructive, to the lives of hundreds of millions of people worldwide.

"Victimization?" you may say?....."isn't that a strong word?" Yes it is, and I acknowledge that some people suffer more than others due to the existense of MLM stuff in their lives.  But honestly, if you look at the reality of the situation, the BEST CASE SCENARIO with MLM is that people pressure friends, neighbors, and loved ones to do something that is aganst their best interests, by pretending it is a good idea, in a desparate effort to monetize those relationships.  That's best case scenario when it comes to MLM.

From there it gets worse....including people who never make a dime, but end up losing money bc they aren't that good at pressurinig their family to buy overpriced stuff they don't need.  And then of course people who are scammed altogether...there is a VERY small line between MLM and pyramid schemes..

I hope the MLM story gets more people to look at those near to them and ask:  what is he involved in, and is it really a good idea?  What is she trying to sell me, and what are her motivations?  Is this all such a good idea?