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Most of us have received an e-mail or seen an advertisement endorsing the Dr. Oz or Oprah diet using acai (ah-sigh-ee) or resveratrol. When I see their faces, I so want to believe that there is a magic juice to make me thinner, younger looking and more energetic. Now if it was that easy, it would be on my shelf already. I still want to believe.
Is there such thing as an Oprah or Dr. Oz diet or secret weapon?
No, Both Dr. Oz an Oprah are pursuing legal action against the companies that use their name and likeness to dupe people into ordering products that they do not specifically endorse. See Oprah: http://www.oprah.com/article/health/nutrition/20090105_orig_acai.
The companies seem to primarily originate in China and will often try to get your credit card so they can charge you on a monthly basis. Even if it says “free trial” and just pay for shipping. Don’t do it! It is all a scam to get your credit card, and they will continue to charge your card monthly.
What about other juices sold in the United States by individuals or in stores?
There are many products sold by individuals, most notoriously MonaVie, that are part of a multilevel marketing strategy. They rely on many distributors with only a very few at the top making lots of money, as these bottles are very expensive. Their product claims to contain acai and other juices, but they do not release in what amounts, as that is considered proprietary information. I am very wary of these products because there is so much financial incentive in their pyramid system. You can look at their income discloser statement: http://74.125.47.132/search?q=cache:VKOAObEHkKQJ:media.monavie.com/pdf/corporate/income_disclosure_statement.pdf+monavie+disclosure&cd=1&hl=en&ct=clnk&gl=us&client=firefox-a.
Many people claim to get tremendous benefit, which could be from the juice or even placebo, but it is important to know how these things work financially. Please check with the Better Business Bureau (http://www.bbb.org/) before buying any of these products from individual companies. It is very difficult to even research, as you will find so many sites that claim to be giving information but are actually pushing their own product. I would like to see some randomized double blind trials to support their claims.
These products are grouped as antioxidants. What is an antioxidant and how do they help us?
Our body produces something called free radicals, which are bouncing reactive oxygen particles that can damage our DNA, proteins or fat. This can lead to cancer, heart disease and aging.
We use antioxidants to suck up the free radicals and prevent the damage that could be caused to our organs. Antioxidants are mostly found in nature in fruits, vegetables and nuts. Dark cocoa is also a great source for antioxidants. Antioxidants are very important, and we really don’t know the full extent of their potential benefits.
Tell us about the specific antioxidants that these Web sites are targeting: acai and resveratrol.
These are both very good antioxidants. ORAC is the Oxygen Radical Absorbance Capacity (ORAC) and is a method of measuring antioxidant capacities of different foods. This is a relatively new term, and you can compare different antioxidant properties here: http://www.ars.usda.gov/is/pr/2007/071106.htm. An apple with skin has a very high amount of ORAC.
Resveratrol comes from grapeskin and does appear to have some cardiac benefit, and perhaps some anti-aging properties. Click here to learn more: http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/red-wine/HB00089. Researchers think that it is one of the ingredients in red wine that makes it so heart healthy. However, we need more studies in humans.
Acai berry come from Brazil and is rich in antioxidants as well as healthy fats. We don’t have a lot of data to support drastic health change from it, but it does look promising. Again, not enough studies in humans yet.
However, there was a recent study comparing the amount of antioxidants in acai to other juices. Pomegranate juice, red wine and concord grape juice all scored higher in antioxidants than the acai juice. Study link: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18220345?ordinalpos=11&itool=EntrezSystem2.PEntrez.Pubmed.Pubmed_ResultsPanel.Pubmed_DefaultReportPanel.Pubmed_RVDocSum.
Interestingly, in another study, cocoa scored higher than red wine! Study link: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/14640573?ordinalpos=1&itool=EntrezSystem2.PEntrez.Pubmed.Pubmed_ResultsPanel.Pubmed_DiscoveryPanel.Pubmed_Discovery_RA&linkpos=2&log$=relatedarticles&logdbfrom=pubmed.
The bottom line is to eat more fruit and vegetables, and consider one of these supplements to help you increase your antioxidants. Americans eat way too many empty calories, meaning food with little nutritional value. Super juices like acai and resveratrol won’t likely hurt you, they may really help you, but don’t break the bank doing it.
Thanks for checking in,
Dr. Deb
Link to blog: http://www.drdebraines.com/2009/06/03/be-wary-of-the-berry-scams/
Add a Comment49 Comments
Oh! Thank you for the video ! Great Personal Testimonies! (A public declaration regarding a experience) I can see why people are making a lot of money! People like you continue post links like this does more for Monavie than a 1k Distributors!! I bet you this.. If you have Pain and you click on this link and hear these PERSONAL TESTIMONIES you are going to want this product! I AM SURE HURTING PEOPLE WANT WHAT THESE PEOPLE BELIVE THE PRODUCT IS DOING FOR THEM MORE THAN THEY CARE ABOUT HOW YOU ( YES YOU ) FEEL ABOUT THE PRODUCT. YOUR JUST ONE PERSON THEY JUST HERD OVER 10 PEOPLE SAY IT'S GREAT! THANK YOU! THANK YOU! THANK YOU! CAN YOU PLEASE SHOW THE WORLD MORE? Everytime you post the more sales go up! That's documented! Please tell us more about how bad MONAVIE is!
#1 Can you tell me what industry where most or have half of the people make most of the money?
June 17, 2009 - 2:29pm#2 Can you tell me what the 80 or 90% of the people did that made less than minimum wage?
#3 What was their work ethic like?
#4 Did they all follow what the system promotes them to do?
#5 How many of them liten to people like you and decide to quit because of people like you?
#6 lastly how many people whould have to become millionaires to qulifiy as MORE THAN A FEW PEOPLE making money?
Bonus! Here is something for you to think about.. If there was no people like you talking bad about it (and discouraging them) how many of the 80% or 90% would be successful?
This Comment
These imbeciles were illegally promoting Monavie as a treatment for cancer. One has to seriously question the ethics and integrity of anyone who thinks it's OK to steal money from cancer victims by selling them fraudulent nutrient-deficient pyramid scheme fruit juice. That anyone might be getting rich doing this is simply morally reprehensible.
June 17, 2009 - 2:49pmThis Comment
Just as I said you have nothing other than your words . PLZ provide just ONE LINK WHERE ANYONE OF THE PEOPLE YOU NAMED MADE ANY CLAIMS. JUST ONE!
Bloomberg News IS A Re- post from 07!
The company Has over 45 people making over 1.5million a yr. Name one company in U.S.A THAT HAS THAT MANY PEOPLE MAKING THAT & NOT IN STOCK!
THEY ALSO HAVE OVER 100 PEOPLE MAKING BETWEEN 200K TO 500K PER YR! AGAIN NAMEONE COMPANY IN USA THAT DOES THAT! OUTSIDE OF ANOTHER MLM!
The only people that benefit are a select few at the top of the organization, and pretty much everyone else gets to eat dirt. SOUNDS LIKE CORPORATE AMERICA!
June 16, 2009 - 10:24pmThis Comment
"Just as I said you have nothing other than your words . PLZ provide just ONE LINK WHERE ANYONE OF THE PEOPLE YOU NAMED MADE ANY CLAIMS. JUST ONE!”
That’s a deceptive question. I never said that Hart and Lyons made the claims themselves. This is what I said:
“Some of the company's most senior distributors, like Brig Hart and Jason Lyons, can be seen on Youtube videos of Monavie recruitment meetings in which the disease cure claims were abundant."
I suggested that you do a simple search of Youtube to confirm this for yourself, but you chose not to for some inexplicable reason. So here are the links. One video features Brig Hart at a distributor recruitment meeting in which he is holding up a microphone and encouraging distributors to give miraculous testimonials about how Monavie cured/treated their diseases.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tvgw_jceqZg
The other video is also from a distributor meeting, this one hosted by Jason Lyons (wearing the green shirt), in which Lou Niles can be seen making a variety of claims about Monavie curing/treating cancer. They call him “Dr.” Lou but the guy isn’t even a doctor. He is a fraud and a liar.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C4rZpm8pzyc
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZYaEorzYYM0
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DRD6iJAQVB0
The FDA even took action in 2007 against one of the distributors who was caught claiming that Monavie could treat/prevent diseases.
http://www.fda.gov/downloads/Drugs/GuidanceComplianceRegulatoryInformation/EnforcementActivitiesbyFDA/CyberLetters/ucm056937.pdf
Let’s stop beating this dead horse now.
“Bloomberg News IS A Re- post from 07!”
No, that’s a lie. As I pointed out twice already, this was an original report first published in May 2009. It quotes one of Monavie's executives (also the owners brother and company cofounder) admitting that "the company is struggling with independent distributors who promote the juice as a miracle drug.'
http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601109&sid=ai8WCgSJrhmY
As for your comments about the earnings of top distributors, the truth is that around 80% to 90% of active Monavie distributors make less than minimum wage…pathetic!
http://media.monavie.com/pdf/corporate/income_disclosure_statement.pdf
The people who make he big money at Monavie are the ones who started the scam and who have sweetheart deals with the company’s owner. Most of the rest get bled dry to support the incomes of the few people at the top of the pyramid.
You won’t get far trying to defend this scam because it is completely indefensible.
June 17, 2009 - 11:17amThis Comment
Plz provide the link where Some of the company's most senior distributors, like Brig Hart and Jason Lyons, can be seen on Youtube videos of Monavie recruitment meetings in which the disease cure claims were abundant/ (everyone I found, he specifically it does not cure)
This is a easy one. You said we can find them on You Tube PLZ provide links.
You also said "Brig Hart is THE highest paid distributor in the Monavie organization. He reaps millions from the business (much of it from selling sales and marketing materials to distributors/
PLZ PROVIDE SOME DOCUMENTATION that shows much or any of that comes from marketing materials?
Randy Larsen's comment appeared in Bloomberg News is just not plausible. The article was only published 3 weeks ago. ( that was an update post from 07 )
June 12, 2009 - 9:59pmThis Comment
You could have found the videos by searching for Brig Hart and Jason Lyons on Youtube. If that's too much effort, I can provide the links for you, but what then -- will you come up with more excuses?
And what do you mean Randy Larsen's comment "is just not plausible"? It was a direct quote from the Bloomberg News article that went out on their newswire on May 14, 2009. Those were Larsen's words --- he admitted that the company has a problem with distributors promoting Monavie as a disease treatment. He probably wishes now that he wasn't quoted saying that because it can't be good for the company when a senior executive openly admits that the product is being illegally promoted by their sales force.
Let's not argue obvious facts. There is ample substantitation that Monavie is being promoted by people who sell it as a treatment for diseases. It's unethical and illegal to do so. Monavie is a silly corrupt get-rich-quick scam and the juice itself (scandalously overpriced and nutrient deficient) is nothing more than a shiny lure to con people into playing the juice salesman game. The only people that benefit are a select few at the top of the organization, and pretty much everyone else gets to eat dirt.
June 12, 2009 - 10:26pmThis Comment
Thanks for the comments all. Remember to keep the conversation respectful. We appreciate all viewpoints. Thanks again.
June 11, 2009 - 2:47pmThis Comment
Monavie people! No matter what you do you will have haters. Treat them like spam! Mark them, ignore them, and yes DELETE THEM!
June 11, 2009 - 10:58amThis Comment
The company is struggling with independent distributors who promote the juice as a miracle drug, said Randy Larsen, executive vice president.
THAT SEEMS TO POINT OUT THAT THE COMPANY IS NOT DOING IT. THAT "INDEPENDENT" DISTRIBUTORS HAVE DONE IT.
The message couldn't be any clearer. Monavie IS being deceptively and illegally marketed a cure/treatment/preventive measure for diseases.??????
HOW IS THAT THE COMPANY'S FAULT?
If someone said something or did something wrong or false in regards to a company then every company in the USA would have to shut down? ARE YOU SO Full of HATE that you can't distinguish the difference between and individual and a company?
SOMEONE PLZ SHOW ME A WEBSITE THAT A SOME REP IS MAKING THESE CLAMS SO WE CAN RIP THEM A NEW HOLE!
IF YOU CAN'T, THEN IS IT POSSIBLE THAT IF IT HAPPENED THEN IT WAS CORRECTED AND STOPPED? BY OMG THE COMPANY!
June 11, 2009 - 10:56amThis Comment
It's somewhat pointless to draw a distinction between what the company officially says and what its distributors are saying in the field. The "company" itself consists of 8 or so senior executives. The sales force consists of tens of thousands of distributors. From the consumer's perspective it matters little whether the false/illegal claims are coming from the handful of guys at corporate headquarters or from the thousands of distributors in the field -- the point is that consumers are being deceived and the product is being marketed deceptively/illegally.
Some of the company's most senior distributors, like Brig Hart and Jason Lyons, can be seen on Youtube videos of Monavie recruitment meetings in which the disease cure claims were abundant. Brig Hart is THE highest paid distributor in the Monavie organization. He reaps millions from the business (much of it from selling sales and marketing materials to distributors), and in his videos, he openly encourages distributors to talk about the product's ability to cure and treat medical conditions, including cancer.
Suggesting that the company somehow stopped its distributors from making illegal claims since Randy Larsen's comment appeared in Bloomberg News is just not plausible. The article was only published 3 weeks ago.
It seems to me that disease cure claims have been an integral part of Monavie marketing since the day it launched, and both the company's executives and its senior distributors have at the very least turned a blind eye to such abuses; at worst, they have actively encouraged them, albeit as surreptitiously as possible.
I can understand why distributors get defensive (negative publicity costs them sales) but I think it's about time some people stepped up and took responsibility instead of issuing venomous denials. If that keeps up, it won't bode well for the company's future.
June 11, 2009 - 4:15pmThis Comment