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 consumer reports

Fraud Files Forensic Accounting Blog � Scott London’s Other Crime: Tax Fraud

Fraud Files Forensic Accounting Blog � Scott London’s Other Crime: Tax Fraud: ormer KPMG audit Partner Scott I. London brought great shame to the accounting profession this week by being charged with conspiracy to commit securities fraud through insider trading. After nearly 30 years with KPMG, London went down in flames after being caught passing insider information on audit clients of the Los Angeles office to his “friend,” Bryan Shaw.

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? 

MLM and Small Business Saturday -- Sunday Thoughts

I woke up this morning even more certain than before that MLM (Multi Level Marketing) is holding our country back in so many ways: socially (destroying families and friendships), economically (wasting people's time on things that don't generate real value) and ethically (allowing thousands of people to gamble, and become victims of, legalized pyramid schemes.)

With yesterday's Small Business Saturday event, the emphasis was on "shopping small business" -- that's a great message. I just hope that small business is not an MLM neighbor or family member...

MLM Nutritional Products - Why Aren't They Selling this at Whole Foods?

Why are CERTAIN Products Sold Via Multi Level Marketing? How do the makers decide?  The Answer Tells you a Lot You Should Know Before you Buy Them...

Q: 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.

It is therefore worth considering what factors would cause a company to CHOOSE to market a product using MLM?  Why not just sell like most high quality products are sold and distributed:  on the shelf of reputable retailers.  That's where most consumers buy products.  Why miss out on that distribution channel, which by the way is much cheaper?  The cost of distribution via retail outlets is lower than the cost of distribution via MLM, but the way.

In a nutshell, there are a few reasons a rational business would choose to market the product via MLM.  Multi Level Marketing is needed by companies WHEN:

1. They NEED people to pressure people they know including friends and family to buy the product.  It won't just jump off the shelves in a retail store. In a MLM program, people have a financial incentive to convince people they know to buy the product, leading to aggressive "product evangelism."
2. Respectable retailers WON'T put the products on the shelves, because they don't want to associate the product with their brand and reputation.  For example, when Whole Foods chooses to sell a certain product on their shelves, they are essentially endorsing the product as good quality and worth buying.  If consumers discover later that it's worthless, they will blame Whole Foods, which is why some products just can't get sold in stores....which makes MLM a better option.  

So MLM is an expensive way to distribute products, in the sense that a large percentage of sales revenues are paid out in commissions.  But if your product "doesn't sell itself," if it won't jump off the shelves at Whole Foods (or if Whole Foods won't even stock it) then MLM becomes the right option.

As a result, the type of product available via Multi Level Marketing tends to be lower quality, less reliable, and less reputable.  Some may do what they claim....many don't.  I hope the summary has helped you understand some of the reasons why this is.

Unregulated Supplements Like Isagenix Could Harm Your Health

Unregulated Supplements Could Harm Your Health | Healia Health Blog:

"According to a story in Consumer Reports, many of America's dietary supplements are also packing carcinogens and kidney- and heart-damaging contaminants.
This information comes from an article in the September issue of Consumer Reports. The article lists 12 different supplemental ingredients associated with negative health consequences. These include bitter orange (an ephedra-like supplement associated with heart attack and stroke), germanium, coltsfoot and colloidal silver, which has been marketed as an immune system booster but is known to cause argyria and kidney damage."

cramps in stomach from isagenix?

Just got a report from a source about another case of stomach cramps shortly after taking IsaCleanse...doctors increasingly concerned with the use of unregulated supplements.

According to my contact who reached out via phone, she began the Isagenix Cleanse program on Wednesday, and by Thursday she began to feel lightheaded and nacreous.  By Friday she was experiencing cramps she described as similar to when she was pregnant!  Don't get me started about the risks of taking Isagenix or any unregulated supplements during pregnancy.  Until it is proven otherwise, assume Isagenix is not safe during pregnancy!

Anyways, she says the pain was so bad she visited to the emergency room.  They advised her to return to normal food, stop taking Isagenix, and put her on liquid diet while she was in the Emergency Room of the Hospital.

I wish US law and human nature would give people an incentive to create something more valuable and less risky to health than Isagenix and the thousands of other spurious untested and dangerous supplements.

A Cure for Nutritional Scams? QuackWatch

If you are concerned about the lack of honest information about Isagenix or any of the thousands of other products making nutritional claims, being sold via hard-sell marketing, but lacking good factual proof that they work, you are likely to appreciate the hard work of the site QuackWatch(sm).

Let me know what you think