MonaVie and Other "Superfruit" Juices

You're just in the pockets of big Pharma.

Do any juices claim to be based on "[completly unrelated and fully debunked] Ancient [Asian Country] secret?" Because that's my favorite.

These pads suck toxins out of your feet and are based on "Ancient Japanese reflexology (The notion that STIMULATING the feet can benefit you elsewhere in the body)!"

Bloodletting is old, debunked, and drains crap from your body, maybe we should go back to that.

vita10gy, Eau Claire, WI
February 05, 2008 9:24am

Brian, you're missing the point. These "superfruit" juices have to be good for you -- they're expensive! Apples are cheap, therefore they can't be as good as something costly. Plus, even your Mom eats apples, whereas she probably can't even pronounce "acai." Costly, exotic things are always better than inexpensive, familiar ones.

Cambias, Amherst, MA
February 05, 2008 6:35pm

Mr. Dunnin, you are obviously in the pocket of BIG FRUIT!

Dean Jacobson, Los Angeles
February 05, 2008 8:13pm

I always learned that aging was caused by shortening Telomeres on the end of your DNA string, and no ammount of antioxidants is going to change that...

Cambias has a good point, most people think "Well, it's expensive, therefor it must be superior to all the cheaper products." Combine that with the tendancy of dumb people to fall for soft pseudoscientific babble, and you've got yourself one great marketting plan.

Still, one correction, Big Pharma co. is in it for the profit. All companies are in it for the profit and you can bet your butt that the second some random crackpot theory about health turns out to be true, they will pounce on it like a hungry wolf on a wounded kitten.

Alcari, the Netherlands
February 06, 2008 9:19am

I've just begun and expensive study on Mona Vie - $120. I am going to sacrifise myself and take this stuff for a while in order to see the benefits.

The reason for this is my neighbor got hooked on it. He is in his sixties and has informed me that he had certain ailments that have gone away. He also mentions the energy he gets. I decided to test it myself.

My problems: My left knee has some arthritis and my right knee hurts occasionally. My lower back is a chronic pain. I have asthma, allergies and I get tired in the day. My sex drive is strong. There are others issues but I don't remember them at the moment.

After two days, I have noticed that I have been getting up before my alarm goes off. A possible reason is I used to get up at 4:55 and now it is an hour later. I've been doing the later thing for two weeks. My sex drive is still the same. The rest of my issues are the same.

After two days, I would say that my little study is inconclusive. What I will say is I don't mind the taste. If I tire of this study or find it worthless then I'll use the rest of the bottles to make mixed drinks. Maybe in a few weeks I'll see the great results and proclaim the fountain of youth or I might just say, expensive garbage.

Bill, Hagerstown, MD
February 06, 2008 9:30am

I think the statistics seemed a little misleading

How does apple JUICE (straight from the apple)
compare to a superfruit juice.. are you comparing juices to juices, or juices to whole fruits.. for that matter how does some puree acai compare to acai juice to apple juice
pardon the pun but you needs to compare 'apples to apples and oranges to oranges"

Joshua, NYC
February 06, 2008 10:24am

Joshua you miss the point. It doesn't matter if apple juice has a lower TAC then a whole apple or the Superfruit juice. The Superfruit juice is being sold for its health benefits, but it is clear that eating a whole apple is a cheaper and better way to get antioxidants into your body.

That isn't to say that antioxidants are a miraculous anti-aging remedy anyway.

I don't know about you, but I'm going to try to eat more fruits and vegetables!

I think I'm going to get the book "In Defense of Food: An Eater's Manifesto" by Michael Pollen. I've heard the guy and a lot of what he says makes sense to me. Of course, I'm going to read it with a skeptical eye.

David, Los Angeles
February 06, 2008 1:25pm

The thing that always gets me about this crap is the following: Don't you think if someone REALLY found a juice that added years to your life, or a pill that let you eat whatever you wanted and still had you lose weight, or a patch that sucked anything harmful out of you, or any of these other things that would, quite literally, be a miracle, that they would be distributed through your doctor? Why in the world would one of the biggest achievements in modern medicine be available only in shady late-night infomercials that also do things like offer you a money back guarantee and offer to double your order if you call "within the next ten minutes" (when the commercial runs at random intervals)

How in Science's name can ANYONE buy into this crap?

Now, if you'll excuse me, this package tells me if I rub this product directly on my forehead, my headache will go away. Good thing I read the instructions first, I had the harebrained idea I was supposed to apply it indirectly.

vita10gy, Eau Claire, WI
February 06, 2008 5:40pm

"How does apple JUICE (straight from the apple)
compare to a superfruit juice.. "

I think you raise a good point. Personally, I'd like to see a comparison between the juice and the fruit. Then a comparison between price. I understand that they're selling the juice for health benefits; I just think it'd be interesting to compare directly.

Gregory, USA
February 06, 2008 8:35pm

Everyone in Utah needs to listen to this episode, specifically Utah County. These multi-level companies (and not only the superfruit variety) exploit the built-in congregational networks of the Mormon church to spread their business model throughout Provo and Orem. Drive through the I-15 corridor sometime and count the Noni billboards.
Thanks Skeptoid, I've already forwarded this to several friends.

Adam, DeLand, FL
February 07, 2008 6:10am

Everyone is caught up in the JUICE (its just regular juice people). Its the MLM scheme thats the driving force behind all this. Like all fads with a MLM marketing plan, the product (and its possible effects) are trival. They really don't care what the juice can and cannot do, they want members (downlines) to join,join,join.

Rick VanHuss, Arlington, TX
February 07, 2008 8:56am

Excellent show. I was listenting to this one while I was on the treadmill. I completed my workout with a nutricious smoothie blend of wheat grass juice and goji. I feel younger already. Anyway, I am interested in another multi-level marketing company called Melaluca. I use some of their cleaning products and I'm satisfied with their efficacy. I am more interested in their health products. For example, they make a children's multi-vitamin that they claim is engineered to make the nutrients more bio-available then other vitamins. They also imply that other vitamins are not really effective at all. This seems like a spurious claim. They have other health products too that make claims to be skeptic about. I'd love to see their products scrutinzed.

Thanks as always.

Martin Blanco, Newtown CT
February 07, 2008 10:03pm

4 Day report.
On my fourth day, I played some basketball. This in turn aggrates my knee and back injuries. Also, any athsma or allergy conditions occur. Well, sitting on day 5, I can report that on a scale from 0 to 10 my old war wounds were a 2 at best. I can conlude from this that MonaVie did little to alleviate any discomfort. My other conditions were 0. My asthma was not helped at all.
So far this test is proving one thing, like Bigfoot, the health benefits so far are nonexistent.

Bill, Hagerstown, MD
February 08, 2008 9:28am

It's one thing to study a product and another is to really try it. I have been healed of carpal tunnel with only one bottle of Monavie and 2 other friends also. The product speaks for itself. At work my supervisor that has never worked more than 20-30 hours in a 2 week pay period, she is now working 80 plus overtime after drinking 2 bottles...she has an advance case of multiple sclerosis and other ailments! Don't you think it worth a try...how much are you willing to pay for good health? Drink it! Feel it! Share it! I share it with everyone I come in contact with because for me and my loved it has worked!

Nilda Rivera, Puerto Rico
February 08, 2008 1:13pm

Re: Nilda's post.
What specific ingredient in Mona Vie causes MS to go into remission? How exactly does that work?

Amy, Oklahoma
February 08, 2008 9:35pm

"I have been healed of carpal tunnel with only one bottle of Monavie and 2 other friends also."

Did you eat your friends directly, or run them through a juicer?

CraigM, Montana, USA
February 10, 2008 3:04pm

working 80 hours plus overtime eh?

I'm not touching the stuff with a 10-foot-pole if it makes me work that much.

Alcari, the Netherlands
February 10, 2008 5:38pm

Alcari wrote: "working 80 hours plus overtime eh?"

No, no, you missed the point. The person now HAS to work 80 hours per week instead of 20-30 BECAUSE she had TWO bottles of MonaVie.

MonaVie, XanGo, etc. etc. all from Utah (with safe-haven laws to protect them). This is what mormon missionaries do after getting off their missions. They just keep selling fake products.

JohnH, Ohio, USA
February 12, 2008 9:07am

Hey what can I say but what I have personally experienced! My supervisor is thrilled, as she is the HOH and the only breadwinner , to be able to put in a full 80 hours is a tremendous financial boost!

What specifically helps the MS into remission I don't know I am not a doctor, but as she told me a few days ago she feels so energetic that she is feeling like herself again (before MS). I haven't a clue how electricity works but I know if I turn the switch there is light! I don't need to understand it to know it works!

Monavie does not claim to heal anything but as a doctor recently stated in a Monavie meeting that if you give the body what it needs the body will heal itself! And that is exactly what Monavie does, it promotes good sleep, energy, supplies the body with the nutrients of 19 fruits that the body needs to have optimum health!

The antioxidants in Monavie is very heplful in reducing inflammation in the body-inflammation in any part of the body is what produces pain, so that is one reason Monavie is so effective for back pains, carpal tunnel pains and even MS pain.

Nilda Rivera, Puerto Rico
February 14, 2008 5:59am

P.T. Barnum Effect.

John Arnold, Shreveport, LA
February 14, 2008 9:19am

The instant I read that Mona Vie is multi-level marketed I really had to read no further (but of course did anyway). Legitimate products don't need pyramid schemes to ensure sales; Amway products are sub-standard in my experience, and I would never have bought one off the shelf in a store.

Thanks for the interesting post. btw, got here today via Mike's Blog Roundup at Crooks and Liars.

Forrest Prince, Quincy, CA
February 14, 2008 10:16am

Adam in Florida is correct. Utah isn't known as the fraud capitol of the US for nothing. Nobody wants to believe their fellow Mormon is a crook, but time and time again, people are parted from their money with these schemes and then are shocked to find out they'd been had by this "good Mormon."

It's buyer beware!

Mary T, SLC, UT
February 14, 2008 10:26am

I have been researching the web for parents with autistic kids and Monavie. I ran into many testimonies from many different sites from parents that have seen firsthand the benefits their children are experiencing drinking Monavie. Now either all these parents are liars or their kids are getting better!

Also found an interesting article by Woody R. McGinnis, MD, titled Oxidative Stress in Autism: What Parents Should Know ( for more info search for The ASA's 36th National Conference on Autism Spectrum Disorders (July 13-16, 2005)) He talks about the anti-oxidant needs of autistic kids. Monavie is known best for it high antioxidant content. Maybe that is why the parents that have tried it are having phenomenal results!

FOR ME THE BOTTOM LINE IS: IT WORKS FOR ME AND THAT IS WHY I TAKE IT DAILY!

Nilda Rivera, Puerto Rico
February 14, 2008 11:16am

Nilda - "All the parents are liars" or "Monavie cures autism" are hardly the only possibilities.

Eric Schulman, Corona, CA
February 14, 2008 11:33am

Getting better and cured are not the same! Well it's like someone once told me, " I don't believe in God." And I replied, "Well it makes no difference what you believe, He exists independent of whether you believe or not."

And these parents are experiencing the joy of seeing their children improve whether you believe it or not!

Nilda Rivera, Puerto Rico
February 14, 2008 11:57am

What led you to conclude that I don't believe it? I made no such statement. I said only that the dichotomy you proposed is a false one.

Observational bias is another possibility that is far more likely than either of those you proposed. Another possibility is that the parents are mistaken (not "lying"). Another possibility is that you've been listening to marketing literature.

Randomized controlled trials have been performed, and so far they've found no evidence that "superfruit" juices have any beneficial effects. Personal testimonials of uncontrolled home usage can hardly be given more validation than well-performed research.

If you believe you truly have evidence that has eluded the researchers, then by all means, go public with it. Rather than expend your effort arguing against me and others who support the use of evidence to improve medicine, use it to get these substances researched.

Eric Schulman, Corona, CA
February 14, 2008 12:10pm

Dear Eric,
I am not a professional researcher. My search for Monavie and autism is for a doctor friend who's child is autistic. I found many interesting articles and testimonals. As a doctor and a dad he is also doing his own research.

But I have a question for you: how many drugs are on the market FDA approved and prescribed by doctors, and have oodles of documented research that later on turn out to be harmful , even fatal that later have to be pulled off the shelves after the damage has been done? What guarantee is there in all this so called controlled research?

When I listen to commercials of the latest "approved drugs" and hear all the possible side effects I would rather deal with my "restless legs or whatever" than risk all the side effects.

Why should I trust all these so called independent studies...someone pays for it, so how independent can they be!

Monavie is a juice with no perservatives with the acai berry as it's main ingredient. It is being promoted by word of mouth from one person that has seen real life effects in their lives to another needy soul. We all want health that's why pharmacuticals are a billion dollar industries. Why wait till you get sick if there is a juice out there that help you supply your body with the nutrients you need.
I don't know about you but I never eat the amounts of fruits my body needs daily according to the recommended by nutritional charts, that's the whole point of Monavie to supply the body with what it needs!

Nilda Rivera, Puerto Rico
February 14, 2008 12:54pm

Nilda, you are to be congratulated for having all the answers and being right about everything "whether others believe it or not".

Rob Summers, Santa Barbara, CA
February 14, 2008 12:56pm

I'm with Nilda. I own a personal training facility and get a lot of People that are being human giunie pigs for the drug companies that prescribe drugs to hide the symptoms not heal. With a little faith that drinking whole food juices and eating nutritious foods they not only will prevent the ailment but save money and possibly their life! Let's all get that an Anti inflamitory drink such as Mona Vie can help prevent heat and tissue inflamation in the body. Also, who is getting 4 to six servings of fruit a day? Not to mention Acai. Check with Dr. Pericone, Dr. Oz and a few others. I for one am impressed with the results I have gotten and my clients have gotten. I for one endorse the product Mona Vie

Tim Watnem, Sarasota, Fl.
February 14, 2008 3:10pm

I bet. And I bet you can get it to me at a discount if I join your distributor network!

Eric Schulman, Corona, CA
February 14, 2008 3:16pm

Yes, I can and would love for you to become a Health advisor. Who knows maybe we can create a "Prehab Culture" Not a "Rehab Culture"
Thanks,

Tim Watnem, Sarasota Fl.
February 15, 2008 5:01am

Thanks Rob and Tim! Well, Eric most distributors of Monavie began as curious and some skeptical users of the juice. After they saw that the their health improved they wanted to buy regularly and get it cheaper, so they paid the onetime $39 franchise fee. Then family and friends wanted to try the super juice too and as they saw results they too wanted it cheaper- so on and so on! Monavie is a company in it’s infancy 2 ½ years old, but it has grown to a 2 billion dollar industry debt free because MONAVIE WORKS! I personally experience the benefits of Monavie daily. For instance, I don’t know what happens during injuries but I can attest that I had 2 serious injuries this past month that could have knocked me for a loop at my age (57) but didn’t. I landed on one knee with all my weight and that of a basket of wet laundry; I heard my back crack as my right leg slipped behind me in a painful split. I was sure I would be bedridden but I decided that I would drink extra Monavie for the next few days. The next day I was at work! Relating the talea co worker I wanted to show the bruise that the fall must have produced but there was nothing! A few days later I smacked that same knee with a metal door so hard that I had to rest for the pain to subside; and drank extra Monavie. Later when I checked for the bruise again nothing? I am prone to bruise easily so this is really an enigma to me and until anyone out in medical land can give me a better explanation I will say it was Monavie!

Nilda Rivera, Puerto Rico
February 15, 2008 6:23am

Well done good sir!
I know people who are falling into the pit that is monavie. Monavie drinkers become some of the most irrational and out of touch people after they touch this juice. I'm sick of hearing the b.s.

There's a great point to be made about how suddenly, the reason that the blind can see and the lame can walk is due to some exotic overpriced berry. I call shenanigans.

I hope the people I know get out of the business of sustaining lies...

Sky, Southern California
February 15, 2008 7:13am

Dear Sky,

Some are like the blind leading the blind....but the worst blindness is that of those who have eyes but refuse to see.

My son used to say when approached with something new, "I know I don't like it cause I never tasted it!"

Nilda Rivera, Puerto Rico
February 15, 2008 10:32am

Nilda, you are missing the entire point of this episode. You keep touting Monavie as a magical drink that can cure any disease simply by replenishing the bodies resources. The point made was that the juice itself is nothing special. The vitamins and minerals contained in the juice are dwarfed by those contained in a daily multivitamin. The fantastic antioxidant powers touted by the juice can't even measure up to the level of antioxidants found in a common apple.

This being said, the healing powers that you say Monavie has could be completely replaced, and probably increased by skipping the juice and just taking a daily multivitamin and eating an apple daily. Not only would you be getting more of the things that you claim are healing any and all diseases, but you could do it for less than 25% of the cost. There is nothing special about the juice that would make it have powers above and beyond those of an apple and multivitamin.

On a side note, I wouldn't be surprised if the juice tasted fantastic. Still, that doesn't make it worth $39 a bottle. There are several flavors of Juicy Juice that are delicious and you can get that for a mere $3 a bottle. I would have to bet that the bottle of Juicy Juice is bigger too.

Steve Loeffelholz, Iowa City, IA
February 15, 2008 10:58pm

Steve if you can get people to write about the fantastic results they are getting from drinking vitamins and an apple a day, well great. In fact, I was eating apples, oranges daily and strawberry and banana milk shakes in the morning and taking a multivitamin, a baby aspirin and vit C. But when I was suffering day and night from carpal tunnel pains it did nothing to alleviate the pain. I was using 800mg of ibuprofen with possible liver damage as a side effect, and going to therapy 3 times a week, wore braces on my wrist and even changed my mouse to the left hand. In order to sleep I had to take pills as the pain would wake me up so I wasn't getting any sleep. I was a mess and not performing well at work as I work on a computer 8 hrs a day. The point you are missing is that after drinking monavie within a week all the pain was gone. I don't need therapy, I don't need pain killers nor sleeping pills and overall my health has improved! Is $39 a bottle worth it....well hell yes it is! Cause it works! Daily people spend hundreds of dollars for pills , therapy , medical apts and stuff that leaves them the same if not worse.

Nilda Rivera, Puerto Rico
February 17, 2008 8:40am

Nilda, I have seen people write about the fantastic results they have gotten from reflexology treatments. I have seen people write about the amazing energy they get from putting magnets in their shoes. I have seen people rave about their health after getting their aura cleansed, or any multitude of other remedies that have no basis in science.

The placebo effect is amazingly powerful and can make people believe they are getting better and actually make them feel better. Unless you can provide a reason that Monavie would be able to do all of the amazing things you claim it can do, the placebo effect is the only remaining explanation.

I know that regardless of what I say, you won't be convinced for two main reasons. First, you say that it works for you so no amount of reasons why it can't possibly do anything you claim that it is doing will fall on deaf ears. Second, and more importantly, if you can convince a few suckers that this overpriced juicy juice does something, you might just make a dollar or two.

Steve Loeffelholz, Iowa City, IA
February 17, 2008 10:07am

Professional baseball pitcher and World Series champion Jonathan Papelbon , Oprah Winfrey, freestyle motocross pro Brian Deegan must be added to the suckers list! Recently Brian Deegan was featured on MTV Cribs and he welcomed the world into his kitchen and gave us a glimpse of how he stays healthy. With a refrigerator shelf stocked with bottles of MonaVie Active, Deegan proudly proclaimed, "We get down with MonaVie." And the suckers list grows!

Now the biggest sucker of them all gotta be Sumner Redstone, the multi-billionaire (84 year old controller of Viacom and CBS) states he plans to live another 50 years and claims Monavie as his anti-aging secret. He not only uses Monavie and got Bill Clinton to drink it, but recently he offered to buy Monavie ! If a man likes him wants to buy Monavie (which is not for sale) is it possible you are missing something?

As Brian Deegan nicely put it , “I’m down with Monavie!”

Nilda Rivera, Puerto Rico
February 18, 2008 9:33am

Nilda, you're in the wrong place if you think "Oprah believes it!" is a convincing argument.

Eric Schulman, Corona, CA
February 18, 2008 9:36am

Oprah has always been at the top of my sucker-list. Followed by most sports and tv stars.

At any rate, buying MonaVie is a great move, because they're charging 40 bucks for a bottle of fruitjuice worth about 70 cents. I'd buy a company like that as well if I has the money.

Contrary to what you may be thinking, the fact that several famous people drink it doesn't make it healthy. All the rich people drink Crystal, you'd better get some of that to.

Instead of putting your faith in what other people do, maybe you're better off looking at the actual facts. Don't trust Oprah, trust the actual, scientific research.

Also, is somthing wrong with the Captcha-thingy? I'm quite sure I'm filling the correct numbers, yet they're wrong...

Alcari, the Netherlands
February 18, 2008 2:29pm

There is a sucker born every minute and Nilda is proud to have found four of them. How about this, if in 50 years Sumner Redstone is still alive and well, I will take another look at Monavie. Until then I am waiting for any scientific evidence that it does more than quench your thirst.

How exactly do you believe that "Oprah drinks it!" is a good argument. Using this logic, Christianity is wrong because Tom Cruise believes in Scientology, and celebrities are always right.

Steve Loeffelholz, Iowa City, IA
February 18, 2008 2:43pm

Oh well, if "trusting the actual, scientific research" is what you will put above your own personal experience, well then who is the sucker? "It's gotta be good for me even if I don't see any results cause scientific research tells me it's supposed to help!!!!!!!!!!!!"
Ha! What a joke!

I don't know about you, but I will do better to trust what MY BODY is telling me than those other some bodies that have evidence that it is not supposed to help.

According to the law of aerodynamics it is impossible for the bumblebee to fly; something to do with then ratio of its body weight and wing span ....but the bumblebee don't know any better so it flies in spite of the "scientific research!" HA!

Nilda Rivera, Puerto Rico
February 19, 2008 5:35am

I'd say the sucker is the one paying $39 for a bottle of juice with less "good stuff" in it than an apple because Oprah told her to.

Korp, Portland, OR
February 19, 2008 12:51pm

Scientific research proved that bumblebees can't fly? Well then you have a solid case... wait... this just in.

That was never actually a scientifically backed theory. The myth came about because it is hard to understand how such an odd animal could fly, but that thought was never backed by research. Actual research was done on the topic and they figured out some very interesting things about bumble bee flight. Here is a link to an article describing one such study.

http://physicsworld.com/cws/article/news/3410

Before you make wild claims that something has been proven impossible by science, you should probably look into it.

Steve Loeffelholz, Iowa City, IA
February 19, 2008 3:39pm

Nilda, move on it is useless dealing with ppl who are below average in their thinking. Personally I don't waste my time with ppl who don't know what they are talking about. I was a super skeptic on Monavie bought a case..drank it for a month and stopped drinking for 2 days. My back pain, knee pain and shoulder pain started coming back. Drank again for another month and went off for 2 days and the pain started coming back. If you really believe that eating fruits and veggie from the supermarket you will get the same effect..YOU need to do more research on soil depleation and nutrients harvested before they are ripe. You want to make an intelligent post? Buy a case and see what it does for your health.

Cheri Fish, North Port FL
February 22, 2008 7:12am

Good for you Cheri! Yes I am moving on but as I was researching the ORAC charts looking for the ORAC of apples on the web I noticed that on most charts apples aren't even mentioned! On the only 2 charts where apples were mentioned were given a value of 207 and 217 and the acai berry was at the top of the charts! So don't know where Sketoid got it's info.
I did go into the site they mentioned "Choice" on which most of the top article is based and discovered they never tested Monavie but Nu Açai and Guarana, from RioLife (which contains only 14% açai pulp) and even then they stated "Research confirms açai's high antioxidant levels, and lab studies suggest it may have anti-cancer and anti-inflammatory effects, as well as a possible use in treating heart disease. But human studies on its health effects are yet to be published." So yes Cheri I am moving on, but readers also checkup on what Skeptoid is saying and you might be surprised as was I!

Nilda Rivera, Puerto Rico
February 22, 2008 9:49am

Nowadays, you can research all you want, but will almost indefinately find a claim that supports/denies what you are trying to proove. It's rather scary. Who to believe? If it's about money, you will be inclined to go the path of those who just want fruits from the grocer, which has it's many issues in and of itself- and then those who want to buy the best money can buy, and are plagued with the mentality that "if it costs alot and Oprah approves, it must work." Neither stance is a perfect one, but if people would just live a healthy life and do waht they can to only shove the best foods into their body...whether it be a $3.00 serving of bluberries from the grocery store, or a $30.00 bottle of miracle anti-oxident juice, you are doing your body good...in the end..does it really matter what your neighbor believes to be true? just do what's right and healthy for you.

K. RUSH, PORTLAND, OR
February 23, 2008 10:44pm

"Who to believe"

Well, that's a good question.
Generally, we in the scientific community tend to believe the people who did good, double-blind, peer-reviewed work. It helps if the research is done by someone or a group from an aclaimed institution.

As for what makes an acclaimed institution... Well, common sense is usually enough. MIT -> Acclaimed, Discovery Institute -> not so much.

Alcari, the Netherlands
February 24, 2008 3:25pm

If you are skeptic just try it yourself. Monavie is a lot more than just ACAI.. it blends all the best fruits in the planet. If you need references about the properties of these fruits e-mail me at gabemelo@gmail.com. It will be a pleasure to open your mind to good thing. Testimonials are personal so dont let another person opinion run your life. Try for yourself and find out the results.

Coca-Cola and Miller lite are BAD for you but billions of people drink it daily.. how about that?

Gabe Melo, Philadelphia
February 25, 2008 10:21am

I bet you'll send me references. I'll bet you'll even give me a discount if I join your network!

Eric Shultheiss, Corona, CA
February 25, 2008 10:25am

"the best fruits" eh?
And exactly why are they the best?

Alcari, the Netherlands
February 25, 2008 11:07pm

It's all about the anitoxidents.

and I can't spell.

Andria, Severna Park
February 29, 2008 7:50am

Here is a warning letter sent by the FDA to a MonaVie distributor. Beware, all those who peddle pseudoscience.
http://www.fda.gov/cder/warn/cyber/2007/UTVokes.pdf

Brian Dunning, Laguna Niguel, CA
March 05, 2008 1:53pm

Great work, Brian. I'm a big fan of the podcast. Keep it up.

The letter from the FDA is good warning to all those Monavie distributors who market the drink with outrageous health claims that aren't backed up by a shred of clinical evidence.

Chris J., Charleston, SC
March 06, 2008 3:08pm

Nice to see our* taxdollars at work for a change. It's a shame that people are still free to say their product "Restores your balance" and that it "improves the blood" or other such crackpot claims, just because they're not actually medical claims.

Still, I see these product as something as punishment for being stupid. In lieu of actually making stupidity physically painfull, we could at least make it hurt their wallets.

*(not actually mine, I live halfway across the ocean at the moment)

Alcari, Reykjavik, Iceland
March 08, 2008 5:10pm

Everyone knows the quality of fruit these days is crap, its frozen, sprayed, defrosted then sprayed again plus who knows what else. How can that be good for you? In America they have upped their daily serving of fruit and vegetable to between 11 and 13, doesnt that say something about the quality of fruit and vegetables? What if good old drugs don't work for some people? Just because they come from a well known corrupt drug company does that mean they work? Why not let people try something natural, and if it works for them then let them enjoy it for gods sake. I am 23 and I have arthritis and my sister is 18 and she has arthritis, and it has done amazing things for us. Mona Vie is very careful not to make medical claims and if you paid an ounce of attention you would know that. Why don't you spend less time writing blogs about things you obviously have no clue about and do something useful?

Charlotte, Wellington
March 09, 2008 8:20pm

I've been skeptical about Mona Vie from the start. However, I do see the value in supplementing your diet with a healthy "green drink" because no one can eat t5 to 9 fruits and vegetables a day. That's the latest number I've heard, anyway. I did my own research and here's what I found. http://www.organic-home-online.com/whole-food-nutrition.html .

I do appreciate all these good reference listed here, though, because it bothers me when people say that this or that potion will cure you of arthritis or whatever.

Eunice, Florida
March 14, 2008 5:43am

funny how people will acuse you of being "closed minded" / "blindly supporting big coorporations"

when what is that same person doing?...

oh they are just buying a $39 bottle of mona vie, your doctor doesn't want you to know about it cos it has healing powers you know.. see it says on the back

ahh

jon, canberra
March 18, 2008 1:00am

MLM halth product scams are an epedemic. They make a few people wealthy at the expense of their suffering neighbors.

MLM = Scam.

They have very little interest in their product or the people who get scammed. There is only one motive: $$$

John, Provo, Utah.
March 22, 2008 2:31pm

Well Charlette I couldn't agree with you more on the quality of fruits being crap! In fact the quality of modern day food in general sucks! (Just take a look at all the recalls )If you have ever been to a 3rd world country you will notice the difference immediately, unless they have become polluted with the mass production procedures of the west! Take the banana for instance: Did you know it takes 9 months for 1 bunch of bananas to grow--it's like given birth! After that bunch is harvested the mother plant (that's what they call it)has to be cut down and new shoots spring up, starting the process over. But hell that's too slow and not profitable enough. So they cut the bananas down green (hard as a rock)load them in trucks and deliver them to the processing center. There they are placed into an enclosed chambers and GASSSED for 3 days! They they are again loaded into the trucks and by the time they arrive in your local supermarket they are perfectly yellow without those ulgy black spots! Voila your perfect banana! One of the main reasons that Monavie is so expensive is that the fruits used are searched for all over the world and gotten from the most natural environments possible, where modern civilization has not corrupted the natural growth of things!

Nilda Rivera, Puerto Rico
March 23, 2008 12:32pm

"In fact the quality of modern day food in general sucks! (Just take a look at all the recalls)"

Very true! Look how many more food recalls we have now as compared to the 19th century! Or the 18th century!

"Did you know it takes 9 months for 1 bunch of bananas to grow--it's like given birth!"

Thank you Nilda for the life cycle of the banana.

"There they are placed into an enclosed chambers and GASSSED for 3 days!"

They are sprayed with ethylene, which is a naturally occuring chemical. It is totally harmless and it speeds up the ripening process.

"They they are again loaded into the trucks and by the time they arrive in your local supermarket they are perfectly yellow without those ulgy black spots! Voila your perfect banana!"

Yes, isn't is wonderful? And it's still like 99 cents a pound. A LOT cheaper than MonaVie, that's for sure!

"One of the main reasons that Monavie is so expensive is that the fruits used are searched for all over the world and gotten from the most natural environments possible"

And yet the stuff in it is no better than what you'd find in FAR cheaper alternatives.

Chris J., Charleston, SC
March 24, 2008 3:32pm

I've try sunrise from Kyani, first was a gift; since the very first day I feel great, just 1 oz in the morning. this is coming from the blueberries as you can read on the test, was rank the #1. This blueberry is the wild one from Alaska, has a lot more antioxidants than the regular one. "kyani" has only 2 years in the market. after I got the product, I became a Distributor for my personal use. funny but, everybody I know wants to try it, I love it! www.kyani.net/venezuela if u want to try. Kyani has Sunset (softgels of Omega 3 from Salmon from alaska), only 2 product, for me worth it!

Carlos Lopez, Los Angeles
March 29, 2008 9:22am

Can you say "placebo effect"?

You know, it's a free country, and if people want to sink money into these things, that's fine. I just personally don't care for the claims of well being that aren't backed up by any evidence.

Chris J., Charleston, SC
March 30, 2008 6:41am

i bet you they didnt test Tahitian Noni Juice from Tahitian Noni International because all of the juices you speak of have no clinical trials and thats the case becasue they are all BS, go to noniresearch.org and check out what im sayin TNI NONI is the real deal holyfield buddy do your research and get back to me!!

matt, long island, ny
March 30, 2008 6:46am

Hello Brian

Some additional trivia on MonaVie's main ingredient, the Brazilian Acai:

- it's a "cowboy food" from the Amazon - the fruit is so caloric and rich in fat that Brazilian cowboys eat it with fish to work the whole day on heavy manual labor. It's one of the fattest berries around.

- it tastes awful without sugar - it's not a sweet fruit, to be drank or eaten as a sweet juice it requires the addition of pounds and pounds of sugar or other sweetners

So, think about it - a very caloric food with lots of sugar - sounds like the ideal stuff for office workers in northern america.

On the other hand, if you stop by Brazil don't forget to leave the pyramid scam and healthy fad claims aside and try some acai with banana and guarana, it's great (but will make you fat).

I guess that greedy people like to use exotic fruits from other countries (acai, nooni, whatever) to call "Superfruits" and overcharge clueless consumers.

carlos, sao paulo, Brazil
April 01, 2008 2:30pm

And you can't walk two blocks in Rio without stumbling at a place that sells Acai. This stuff is dirt cheap, and grows nearly everywhere.

But I agree with Carlos, acai by itself tastes awful.

Marcelo, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
April 01, 2008 6:06pm

thank you. I'm a doctor who regularly has to spend time investigating these types of questions from patients. I'm delighted you refer patients to their docs to check out the latest round of snake oil products out there purporting to cure what ails everyone. The medical literature (to which I obviously turn first) rarely identifies what components are found in particular products so I find myself often turning to wider searches. Unfortunately I have to page thru several results of searches to find anything credible; most of the results are individual testimonials (which may be from placebo effect, or coincidence, and not merely because they are trying to sell the product) or marketing sites.

Susan DG, michigan
April 03, 2008 8:36am

My Dad was diagnosed with type 2 diabetes about a year and half ago.. He’s 70 years old watching his diet..no white rice…no white bread.etc (sugar buster style diet) meds and a bud light once a day after work…he would not give up the beer! still no luck regulating his blood sugar..8 month ago his MD prescribe doubling his medication. I’m a Fireman so I test his sugar on a daily bases, he’s was never under 220 before dinner..I gave him MonaVie..2times a day 4oz. and his blood sugar been down since then. Off his Meds and still haven his beer..He’s a happy camper and so am I.

Joshua, Los Angeles
April 13, 2008 1:14am

My mother just recently became a distributor for monavie, i keep telling her it's a scam and she just keeps trying to get me to join, like a CULT!! If anyone has relative info that shows that this is a scam please e-mail to me at andrea1010@comcast.net
I want to get her away from this before shes broke. HELP please!!! She swears by it because it is a christian based company or whatever and I think it is bullshit!! Any info that I can send to her would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!

Andrea, Michigan
April 14, 2008 11:26am

Andrea try this http://www.npicenter.com/anm/templates/newsATemp.aspx?articleid=19616&zoneid=28

Joshua, Los Angeles
April 14, 2008 9:27pm

I don't see how that website can help me. Althought it did say that the aqai berry holds the same antioxidents that a blueberry holds. It is not FDA approved! Your father just had a placebo effect, he thinks it's making him feel better. Plus you should talk to his doctor because Monavie is loaded with sugar and diabetics should not drink it.
Can anyone else help?

Andrea, Michigan
April 15, 2008 5:51am

The number of things wrong with that article/advertisement is amazing. Go through Brian's 15-point checklist and you'll see that it bears about half of the red flags for spotting pseudoscience (http://skeptoid.com/episodes/4037).

It starts with its headline alone: a randomized controlled trial to determine chemical content???? No, that's done with a simple chemical analysis. RCTs are for determining the efficacy of a treatment. Duh....

Eric Schulman, Corona, CA
April 15, 2008 6:45am

TRY THIS
http://www.ars.usda.gov/research/publications/publications.htm?SEQ_NO_115=214234

Joshua, Los Angeles
April 15, 2008 1:16pm

A perfect example of why you need to "Beware of your sources".

AIMBR bills itself as "the oldest dedicated full-service nutraceutical products consulting company in the world". A source dedicated to the commercial promotion of alt-med quackery.

Eric Schulman, Corona, CA
April 15, 2008 1:23pm

http://pubs.acs.org/cgi-bin/abstract.cgi/jafcau/2006/54/i22/abs/jf060976g.html

Joshua, Los Angeles
April 15, 2008 1:36pm

Are you posting AIMBR's complete marketing database? No need to convince us further that AIMBR is dedicated to the promotion of "superfood" quackery. Point is well made.

Eric Schulman, Corona, CA
April 15, 2008 1:44pm

Individuals such as Eric, Alcari, and Chris have already hit the nail on the head concerning the "placebo effect." If any of you have any desire to explore the fantastic and yet awkward world of psychology, research some of the studies and experiments that have been conducted through this phenominal effect. Patients suffering from intense migranes on a daily basis were "cured" for years, all because of weekly ARI sugar pills; i.e. "PLACEBOs." And then, sure enough, once deprived of the placebos 3-4 years later, all of the patients - except one - immediately experienced the terrible pounding and sweating as before.

Moving on--- concerning the MLM combination to these "miracle juices." I learned a terrible secret about 5 months ago (Nov 07) when I spoke to an experienced sales agent of one of these popular companies. You may be familiar with various juice companies- BUT do you know how they are initially organized- even stacked- when the company is born?
The founder(s) of these juice companies contact a selective list of "experienced recruiters and builders" and coax them into joining and promoting their SYSTEM by offering them positions at the TOP. You'll note I said "system," NOT "product," because the pros give 90% of their concern and attention toward the MLM system and payplan. They care about the top position and money- seldom anything else.
Here's a quote from a coaxer: "Even when a bunch of people quit, you are at the top and receive spill!"

Dr. Howard Kaz, Troy, Michigan
April 15, 2008 2:02pm

So the bottom line…you have to two choices…one what a doctor prescribes and pills for the rest of my life…two take a fruit juice that is a natural but may have a placebo effect…
OK…got it THANKS.

Joshua, Los Angeles
April 15, 2008 3:44pm

Pills for the rest of your life???? I hope not - what is your illness, if you don't mind my asking?

Don't fall into the false dichotomy trap.

Eric Schulman, Corona, CA
April 15, 2008 3:48pm

Joshua-

As Eric implied, there are many more "choices" than the two you listed. Two other popular options that come to mind in a similar circumstance include:

1. Refuse to take the pills, but make a consistent effort to live a healthy life- i.e. eat healthy, nutritious foods, exercise daily, refrain (or least cut back) from too much alcohol and tobacco, etc.

2. Do absolutely nothing

And although I fully understand that either of these two choices may most certainly not be the best options in your specific case, they still should be recognized as alternative choices in this specific scenario. In fact, they are both very popular among patients these days.

Dr. Howard Kaz, Troy, Michigan
April 15, 2008 11:16pm

One of the biggest things that bothered me about Joshua's story was the implication that the doctor was being irresponsible by doubling the dose of a diabetes medicine. This is not only safe but extremely common, and I can explain why.

Metformin, which is a common medicine to lower blood sugar, sometimes has side effects that are rather undesirable, and doctors try to avoid patients getting them. They do this by starting with the lowest dose possible and then stepping it up until the blood sugar is under control. Changing from 500mg/day to 1000mg/day or even 1000mg/day to 2000mg/day is pretty normal.

Also, if you were taking his blood sugar before dinner, you were not getting a fasting blood glucose level. Until a person has fasted for over 8 hours, they will have elevated blood glucose levels and these can not be compared to standard fasting levels.

Finally, does it really surprise you that after the doctor doubled his medication, his blood sugar went down? That seems to be a sign that the medication is working, not that a sugar filled juice is somehow causing less sugar to be in the blood. The coincidence of starting a MonaVie regimen shortly after the medication was adjusted doesn't mean the juice is responsible. With that logic, you could claim that it wasn't the penicillin booster that cleared up your chlamydia, it was the tacos you ate when you got home from the doctors office.

Steve Loeffelholz, Iowa City, IA
April 20, 2008 9:06pm

6. The acai studies were conducted by Alexander Schauss who runs the contract research company AIBMR. Schauss has a degree from California Coast University in Santa, a non-accredited university. His name appears in a 2 news stories; one mentions how he had faked his academic credentials in 1989.
http://www.accessmylibrary.com/coms2/summary_0286-9262070_ITM

7. A study on the effects of acai on cancer cells, often mentioned by Monavie distributors, was a test tube experiment and the results have no bearing at all on anticancer properties in humans. One of the authors, Susan Percival, also took money from the National Safety Associates, an MLM that sells a shady vitamin supplement called Juice Plus.
http://web.archive.org/web/20060911131246/http://research.ifas.ufl.edu/re/annualReports/2004/04ARR_Text03.pdf

8. People who sell Monavie and claim that it can cure or prevent disease – and there are many -- are breaking the law (the Dietary Supplement Health and Education Act), as well as violating the terms of their distributor agreement. Monavie distributors are routinely violating DSHEA, as are distributors of similar MLM wonder juice tonics like Tahitian Noni and Himalayan Goji juice. This is grounds to be shut down by the FDA.
http://www.cbc.ca/marketplace/2007/01/goji.html

Mendel, San Diego, CA
April 21, 2008 2:45pm

Mendel,

You had some interesting points. Unfortunately, it appears that 1-5 were either discarded.

I'd be interested in the original 5 points, if you still have them somewhere.

Dr. Howard Kaz, Troy, Michigan
April 21, 2008 7:08pm

It still amazes me that anyone ever falls for the Monavie sales pitch. Everything about this product screams scam:

1. The price is ridiculous (about $7.60 for the recommended 4 oz./day)

2. The bottle label shows no evidence that Monavie has significant amounts of any nutrients (just 2% RDA of iron and vitamin C), but it has more sugar per ounce (4 g) than most brands of soft drinks.

3. Since the amount of acai in Monavie is not disclosed, consumers have no assurance that it contains significant amounts. Even if acai is the principal ingredient, as the company claims, there are 18 other fruit juices in the blend, so Monavie could theoretically contain a mere 6% acai and still have that qualify as the principal ingredient.

4. Dallin Larsen, the “brains” behind Monavie, learned the ropes as a VP at Usana and General Dynamics, both MLMs. Usana was involved in several lawsuits and the its executives were found to have faked their credentials. General Dynamics was shut down by the FDA for making illegal claims.
http://www.fda.gov/bbs/topics/news/2003/new00976.html
http://www.fda.gov/FDAC/features/2004/204_illegal.html

5. The touted science behind Monavie is non-existent. There are no published studies on the effects of Monavie. All of the studies quoted in the sales brochures are on acai itself, and there is no evidence that Monavie contains significant amounts of acai.

NB: The missing link from #6 http://www.accessmylibrary.com/coms2/summary_0286-9

Mendel, San Diego, CA
April 21, 2008 7:55pm

From Consumer Health Digest:

A 191-page Cochrane Collaboration review has concluded that "current evidence does not support the use of antioxidant supplements in the general population or in patients with certain diseases." The review encompassed 67 clinical trials with a total of 232,550 participants randomized to antioxidant supplements (beta-carotene, vitamin A, vitamin C, vitamin E, and selenium) versus placebo or no intervention. Twenty-one trials included 164,439 healthy participants. Forty-six trials included 68,111 participants with gastrointestinal, cardiovascular, neurological, ocular, dermatological, rheumatoid, renal, endocrinological, or unspecified diseases. There were no significant differences in the effect of antioxidant supplements among healthy participants (primary prevention trials) or those with various diseases (secondary prevention trials). Overall, it appeared that (a) beta-carotene, vitamin A, and vitamin E significantly increased mortality, (b) vitamin C had no effect on longevity, (c) and selenium data showed benefit only in studies suspected of being biased. [Bjelakovic G and others. Antioxidant supplements for prevention of mortality in healthy participants and patients with various diseases. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews 2008, Issue 2. Art. No.: CD007176. DOI: 10.1002/14651858.CD007176] http://www3.interscience.wiley.com/cgi-bin/mrwhome/106568753/CD007176.pdf

Eric Schulman, Corona, CA
April 22, 2008 11:31am

The flawed rationale behind products like Monavie is that we need to be taking massive doses of supplemental antioxidants. Experts in free radical biochemistry know that it’s not that simple. AOs have shown mixed results in animal and test-tube studies; some antioxidants can be protective or they can worsen a disease. Some vitamins, like vitamin C, can act as an antioxidant under one set of conditions but can promote oxidation under other conditions. In humans, evidence is mounting that antioxidants supplementation is generally not as helpful as was originally hoped and can be harmful for some diseases and certain segments of the population, like smokers. The Cochrane analysis quoted by Eric adds to this evidence.

The antioxidant supplementation notion gained traction mainly among laypersons (who don’t know any better) through the mainstream media (because headlines about “promising” pseudoscientific miracle cures grab attention). But the idea has lost a lot of steam among experts, who are recommending instead that people concentrate on eating a healthy, well-balanced diet (which provides sufficient antioxidants as well as other beneficial nutrients). If people follow the dietary guidelines, Monavie has nothing additional to offer, and if they don’t, Monavie is not a viable solution. Most can’t afford to gamble $2800 per year (4 oz/day at $45/bottle) for something with such an unlikely probability of paying off.

Mendel, San Diego, CA
April 22, 2008 4:03pm

Well said Mendel,

And as far as "gambling" is concerned, these distributors are gambling on the business opportunity, not the product itself. Many could care less about the quality or benefits of the juice.

An unfortunate side-effect of MLM: The higher the individual has "climbed the ladder" in the compensation plan, the less you can trust him. As if they'll speak anything but reckless acclamation that will help tout their miracle juice, along with their "business."
If the product or company dies, their residual income dies. And will for survival is always strong...

Dr. Howard Kaz, Troy, Michigan
April 22, 2008 7:31pm

Another thought…if there were any real medicinal benefits to Monavie, the big Pharma companies would be motivated to make a better quality product, market and distribute it more efficiently, and sell it at a far lower price than any small-potatoes MLM operation ever could. If there were a compelling reason for other companies to compete in this marketplace, they would sink a bit-player like Monavie in a heartbeat. Interestingly, it’s not Big Pharma but Coke and Anheiser-Busch who seem prepared to do exactly that. Though unlike the Monavie distributors, these companies won’t be making illegal claims about miracle cures.
http://www.multileveler.com/2007/06/acai_fruit_in_high_demand_as_c.html

With heightened demand and increasing prices for acai, there will be tremendous pressure for products like Monavie to be manufactured using lower quality and/or quantity of acai, especially since there are no regulations or required disclosures that would impede them from doing so. A 2007 Philadelphia Tribune article said that the retail price of acai juice in Brazil “skyrocketed” from 52 cents to $2.60 per liter. Not only is this a lot cheaper than Monavie, which contains an unknown amount of acai juice and sells for the equivalent of about $60 per liter, but it also shows that Monavie’s demand for acai is pricing this dietary staple out of reach for many of the people who have traditionally consumed it.
http://www.nctimes.com/articles/2007/07/15/health/19_33_077_12_07.txt

Mendel, San Diego, CA
April 22, 2008 8:58pm

Well, I really don't know where to begin. Have you used the product? If not, then you need to back up and regroup. My father is a prime example. I'll explain later. Everyone I know that is drinking the juice is having outstanding results. Do you think that people like me are stupid and just entered in the company because we saw an additional income? I am a distributor and I could care a less about making a dime on it. I know that as long as I can afford it, my wife, child and I will be drinking it. It is people like you that come along with your ludicrous words trying to steer individuals away from a product that is filled with everything your body is deprived of. Phar companies don't want people to know about this because all they want to do is keep you sick and enslaved to drugs. My dad kicked his in 4 days. He took every muscle relaxer, painpill, from 2 almost 3 back surgeries for 27 years. Just keep your mouth shut about things you have no clue. I hate to be the one to tell you this, but I know general docs, cariologists, etc.. that are drinking, selling and prescribing it to their patients. Why is that? Because it's not a scam and it is spreading like wildfire. If people haven't heard of Mona Vie, they will. Look out you other scum of the earth drug companies. The fountain of youth has been found. As for you, continue to eat your fresh fruit, loaded with pesticides and God knows what else and I'll spend my 150.00 or so on Mona Vie and so will other intelligent people.

Scott, Carriere, Ms.
April 28, 2008 9:08am

That was quite the tirade Scott but conspicuously absent from your ranting was anything that remotely refuted what I wrote. Your CEO, Dallin Larsen, was an executive at a company that was shut down by the FDA for making illegal claims about their juice products, just like the ones that are being made about Monavie. Your post is yet another glaring example of such unethical marketing. You are claiming that Monavie cures sickness, when such claims are prohibited by law. If you can’t respect the law, you don’t deserve to be in business.

The Pharma companies don’t give a damn about Monavie because it has no medical value and because even they are not morally corrupt enough to promote something that is such an obvious scam. If Pharma companies wanted to get into the juice business, they would do so, and with the resources at their disposal, they would out compete Monavie into oblivion. One would have to be seriously deluded to think that the Pharma companies couldn’t make a better juice product than a huckster like Dallin Larsen. Wake up!

Mendel, San Diego, CA
April 28, 2008 9:19am

Who do you think makes the laws Mr. Intelligent? Polititians who funded by Big Corps. Of course it is illegal to claim they cure diseases and sicknesses. Do you think Pharm companies are in the curing business? For someone who claims to know what's going on, you are clueless my man. Drugs mask and only abate symptoms. They do not go to the root of the problem. So your theory about these money-driven, no-moral drug companies getting into the fruit juice business is ridiculous because it would never happen. Mona Vie works. It is that simple. So go on believing everything you read and hear without having any basis on why. Because you haven't tried it and you are taking it at face value.

The CEO of Providian was fine $400,000.00 plus for illegal methods and scamming people on their credit cards. Do you know what happened to him. He paid his fine and was relieved of his position. Now he works for non other than George W. Bush as the CZAR for business. What a country!

This is a juice that gives you energy and makes you feel good. There is nothing in that bottle that will hurt you, it will only help you. Quit being so skeptical and try a bottle for yourself and you will see that all you have given the public is useless drivel.

Scott, Carriere, Ms.
April 28, 2008 9:56am

Oh, so it's a CONSPIRACY. Only MLM millionaires and ex-convicts can be trusted to create health products.

Thank you, Scott. Now I know that medical school is all bullshit, and only Dallin Larsen TRULY understands medicine.

Eric Schulman, Corona, CA
April 28, 2008 10:04am

"Drugs mask and only abate symptoms. They do not go to the root of the problem."

For someone to believe this, they need to have a gross misunderstanding of medication. The only drugs that are created to abate symptoms, are drugs that treat illnesses with no known cure. If someone has strep throat, a doctor won't prescribe pain meds for the sore throat and something to reduce the fever. The doctor will prescribe a drug designed to kill the bacteria causing the problem. Whenever there is a problem that can be solved, medicine works at the root of the problem. Only when a disease is incurable does a drug work to lessen symptoms.

Here is a question I am curious about. If MonaVie is able to do all of these wonderful things, why are there no studies out showing it? If MonaVie could actually cure all these incurable diseases, the media would be all over it and shouting it from the mountain tops. Additionally, I have to agree with Mendel that the drug companies would be the first to spin out their own version of it in order to make a profit. They care about making money, not keeping people sick. If a miracle juice existed that would make them rich(er), they would pounce on it. MonaVie is little more than modern snake oil. If something sounds too good to be true, it probably is.

Steve Loeffelholz, Iowa City, Iowa
April 28, 2008 10:26am

It's not about medicine. Not once have I said that it cures anything. It obviously helps people kick their medication. You can believe your last moronic statement, if you want, but doctors do help people in many ways. It's the drugs people are prescribed that are keeping them sick. Do you think Phizer gives a shit about you or me or anyone for that matter? They want life long customers. Look at the drugs that are put on shelves. Some kill a few people here and there, then they are pulled. The company gets a slap on the wrist and lo-and-behold, there's another one claiming to do the same thing as the last. Mona Vie is safe, all-natural and hasn't killed one person, it only helps. You my friend, need to seriously do some research at the medical end of the spectrum. I have been there and done that because I have medical persons all through my family and it is just so odd how they are all taking Mona Vie now. Skeptics, Get a life!!!

Scott, Carriere, Ms.
April 28, 2008 10:36am

You certainly are quick to resort to profanity, which further undermines your product's reputation, and just for the record, the correct spelling is Pfizer, not “Phizer”. You most certainly did imply that your product cured your father’s condition and that it replaced his meds. You may not realize it, but it is illegal for distributor’s to make such implications, and violates the terms of your distributor agreement. The fact that your entire tirade focused on a comparison of Monavie with Pharma companies shows that you are equating this with medicine. If you can’t market the product with honesty, integrity, and a modicum of decency, then you certainly don’t deserve the trust and respect of consumers.

Mendel, San Diego, CA
April 28, 2008 11:34am

Profanity. What are you talking about? Because, I said that Pharm companies could care a less about you and I? Thanks for the correct spelling. That just shows you how much I am interested in those companies. Are you ignorant? What I implied about my father, is that he doesn't take medications anymore. Plain and simple. Whether Mona Vie or an act from God did it, that is his status. I did not say he was cured of anything. If you wouldn't read into things you would see that is the case. I am in no such way relating Mona Vie with medicine. It's a fruit juice and I can see that you are very much uneducated and really have no clue what you are talking about. What are your accomplishments since you appear to know so much on the issue? The FDA will never approve it because it is "JUICE"!! You and all you skeptics can go living in the dark and I'll continue to take my all-natural juice that's made from fruit put on earth from our creator for us to live on. Like I said before, "go do your research and then come back at me with something of relevance

Why don't you give me your personal e-mail adress so I can educate you? Something which obviously needs to be done.

Scott, Carriere, Ms.
April 28, 2008 12:56pm

Apparently, you don’t understand the meaning of “profanity” or are unwilling to admit that using the word “shi*” qualifies as such. Many people are offended by this kind of language, particularly when used by a company rep trying to sell a product; it is very unprofessional and reflects poorly on you and Monavie. Telling those of us who have been critical of Monavie to “just keep your mouth shut about things you have no clue” and to “get a life” is, again, very unprofessional behavior.

Perhaps most alarming is that you are differentiating Monavie using a paranoid theory that the medical establishment is conspiring to make people sick. This is offensive, not to mention idiotic. Such a conspiracy would require the complicity of millions ranging from lowly academic lab techs and grad students all the way on up to corporate CEOs. I have spent enough years in academia and have dealt with Pharma companies often enough to know that there is not a grain of truth to your theory. Most of them are intellectually driven and would love nothing more than to cure a disease. Anyone who can do so stands to generate billions in profit, so there is strong financial as well as personal incentive to find cures for diseases.

Now the real question is not whether people should trust Pharma but whether they should trust a deceptive, profane, law-breaking, conspiracy theorist who is peddling miracle fruit punch on behalf of a company whose CEO has a history of selling snakeoil products.

Mendel, San Diego, CA
April 28, 2008 4:12pm

You are a really mature individual. Call me whatever you want or say whatever you want. There are worse things in life to worry about than a person such as Dallin Larsen peddling snakeoil. If it makes people feel better about their health or themselves, then why can't you just let people be. Why are you so hung up on trying to prove the juice is bogus? It has never been said that it is a miracle juice. I can see that you obviously like controversy. Don't you have something else better to do with your time, like work?

Scott, Carriere, Ms.
April 29, 2008 5:34am

"There are worse things in life to worry about than a person such as Dallin Larsen peddling snakeoil."

Well at least you have admitted that MonaVie is nothing more than snake-oil.

"If it makes people feel better about their health or themselves, then why can't you just let people be. Why are you so hung up on trying to prove the juice is bogus?"

That basically admitted that MonaVie relies on the placebo effect and cognitive dissonance to have any effects. The reason people don't want the bogus wonder-juices out there is because they are ungodly expensive and are robbing honest, yet ignorant, people of their money. In fact, these products can become dangerous when people believe so fully in them that they use them to the exclusion of medical treatment. Do you simply believe that suckers deserve to be swindled?

One more question, do you sell your product for the price you buy it, or do you mark it up to the recommended $39 per bottle before selling to your customers? Someone who is "not interested in making a dime" would be more than willing to pass the distributors prices on to their customers.

Steve Loeffelholz, Iowa City, IA
April 29, 2008 10:47am

Steve, Let's get something straight. Mona Vie is not snakeoil and you toally missed the point Mr. DL, according to you, sold snakeoil in the past. Mona Vie has does wonderful things for my father, stepmother, mom, sister, aunts uncles, etc, (not the placebo theory) The one in which you are so desperately trying to convince yourself of

Let me ask you a simple question? Do you know what the body was meant to do? Think for a few and I will answer The body was meant to heal itself Socrates said to let thy food be thy medicine and let the medicine be thy food Scientists have no idea as to why we get old They are just figuring out how important fruit is in your diet Do your own research and you will see that this is all validated info. When your body doesn't have the proper nutrition, it starts to break down and you get sick, ill, etc You get my point. But, if you put the right things that are needed to stay healthy, then your body will build up his or her immune system and will be able to stave off infection This is common sense to me So why, do people like yourself try to discaim something you have not put into your body You will never know what it could possibly do for you until you try it I was very skeptical, as was most of my family and fiends, who now drink it daily So go on writing your tainted blogs about the product, because you all obviously have nothing else better to do with your lives Last time I checked the glass was half full!!

Scott, Carriere, Ms.
April 29, 2008 12:59pm

We all do have better things to do, Scott. We are all here because we believe strongly in protecting innocent victims from MLM scammers like yourself making false health claims about fraudulent products.

Eric Schulman, Corona, CA
April 29, 2008 1:06pm

It is incredibly irresponsible for you to advise that people should opt for Monavie instead of real fruit. This type of misleading advertising will get Monavie in a heap of trouble with the FDA and FTC. (2) Given that Dallin Larsen is a known snakeoil peddler, having been VP of sales for Dynamic Essentials’ Limu Juice (shut down by the FDA), it requires an impossible leap of faith to believe that the wonder juice he is now selling (i.e. Monavie) is any different. (3) Marketing Monavie using conspiracy theories about how the medical/Pharma industry is trying to make people sick is incredibly unethical as well as laughably absurd. (4) You don’t seem to have a lick of training in any medical or health field, so why should your opinions on what is curative or healthy carry any weight, particularly when you throw out quote about medicine from Socrates? Believe it or not, our understanding of medicine has evolved considerably since 400 BC, but by your line of reasoning, we we should still be believing in a flat earth and a geocentric universe.

Mendel, San Diego, CA
April 29, 2008 1:37pm

Your so slick Mendel in your pathetic attempt to use your reverse psychology to sway readers. You read into things to prove to yourself you are right. That's fine. What I hold offense to is the fact you said that I am advising people to drink Mona Vie instead of fruit, not to mention I am using conspiracy theories by the Pharm Co. Yeah, I use that in my presentations all the time. You should see the reactions I get from the crowd. It's really quite amusing. LOL !!!! Scientists state as fact that you should at least eat 5 to 9 servings of fruit per day, not the 3 to 5 that they thought was sufficient. So, if people want to try to increase their food intake by that amount then all the more power to them. Mona Vie is completely natural with 19 superfruits from the 4 corners of the world.

If you don't like what DL stands for or what his product stands for then don't drink it.

As for Eric, let the people decide for themselves what is a lie or not.

I am going to go because I actually have life and don't really have any more time to spend writing back to children on the web.

Scott, Carriere, Ms.
April 30, 2008 4:26am

You have no right to be offended. You did in fact suggest that people would be better off drinking Monavie than eating real fruit. You referred to Monavie as “a fountain of youth” and advised “continue to eat your fresh fruit, loaded with pesticides and God knows what else and I'll spend my 150.00 or so on Mona Vie and so will other intelligent people.” You seem to have failed to grasp that Monavie is not FRUIT -- it is fruit JUICE, and health authorities, including those under the auspices of the U.S. government, specifically advise that people do not routinely substitute juice for whole fruit. Juice simply does not provide the same benefits.

You have suggested that if we don’t like what Monavie and Dallin Larsen stand for, we should simply shut up and not drink the product. But we have many other better options available, like writing complaint letters to the FDA, FTC, OIG, state attorney’s general, and Better Business Bureau, not to mention exposing the lies of conniving fraud artists on chat rooms like this one.

Mendel, San Diego, CA
April 30, 2008 8:39am

Scott, once again you misuse information to try to make your point. No one has said you need to eat 5-9 servings of fruit in a day. The new recommendation is to eat 5-9 servings of fruit and vegetables a day. Also, it takes about a 6oz glass of fruit juice to substitute for a serving of fruit (even though the fruit juice is not as good for you). How much would 30oz of MonaVie a day cost? Thirty dollars?

I think I will stick to my $0.39/lb bananas and $0.69/lb apples. Seeing that I am eating the pulp, which is where all the real nutrients reside, I will be doing just fine.

By the way, when losing an argument, aren't children the ones who insult the competition and then run away?

Steve Loeffelholz, Iowa City, IA
April 30, 2008 10:18am

I just couldn’t help adding one more comment while Joel makes his long overdue exit. I hadn’t noticed initially how absurd it is that, one the one hand, Joel says that we shouldn’t trust the medical/Pharma industry because they are conspiring to keep people sick, and then on the other hand, he quotes scientific research on fruit and vegetables, claiming “scientists state as fact that you should at least eat 5 to 9 servings of fruit per day”. But these scientists quoted by Scott are part of the same medical/Pharma industry that he denounced. Could it be that only some of the scientists and doctors are in on the conspiracy and that Scott is the only one who really knows who the conspirators are? Of course not; it’s just another example of blatantly faulty logic.

Mendel, San Diego, CA
April 30, 2008 2:06pm

#1 If you are not the CEO of the company your currently working for your in a "pyramid" in other words do you have a boss? Get a clue your never going to make more $$$ then he/she is. All business are pyramids. #2 MlM's give you the opportunity to surpass anyone in your organization "everyone starts @ a level playing field". The reason why people think mlm's don't work is because @ one time or another someone they knew got involved in one and did nothing with the opportunity. "This does'nt work" I ask people; "Well have you applied yourself?" 90% of the time the answer is "well not really" Well, I wonder if you clocked in @ your J.O.B. 1 hour eachday then clocked out, what would your paycheck would look like? You get out of it what you put into it plain and simple.#3 All I know is that MonaVie has made a huge difference in the way I feel. I was taking numerous pills for my pain. Since I've been taking MonaVie all thats changed. $4.00 a day it's worth it. I spend more than that on crap I don't really need anyway, but no way will I put a price on my health!!! People do your research before posting. Some of you have false data posted on this BLOG!!!

From Americas Finest City!!!

Angel, San Diego
May 02, 2008 11:23am

It is interesting, though, that the only people posting praise for MonaVie are the ones trying to recoup their investment.

If I were you, Angel, I'd cut my losses, stop pouring time and money into it, and take it as a lesson learned.

Acai juice is tasty, but just buy the Naked brand, it's 1/10th the price and is actually made from pulp, not freeze-dried powder like MV.

Eric Schulman, Corona, CA
May 02, 2008 11:35am

How did I not notice that before? Every person who has come to this thread to defend MonaVie has been a distributor. Nice catch Eric.

Steve Loeffelholz, Iowa City, IA
May 02, 2008 12:17pm

Life is skeptical so if you don't take a risk at anything then you gain nothing. Stop judging and let people learn the path they are meant to take without all your negitive input.

Corporate America is a pyramid scheme and so is society. Everyone trying to keep the person next to them down. Just be people, just be.

The only way to make it in this world is to help each other. Why don't you go out and help someone today and stop writing about stuff you have not throughly researched.

If you are going to quote things on here as if you know what you are talking about then have all the facts.

peace and love

Skeptical on everything, San Diego
May 02, 2008 8:27pm

It's better to be rightly negative than positively wrong.

Not everybody is "trying to keep the person next to them down"...that’s just what a-holes do. Many people aspire to much more than this and do not simply turn away when they see others being exploited.

One of the many differences between corporations and pyramid schemes is that it illegal to run a pyramid but it’s not illegal to start a corporation. Besides, merely pointing to the possibility of dishonesty associated with other business models does not exonerate the Monavie folks for their dishonesty. A scam is a scam, and it is helping people by telling them the truth about Monavie and the people behind it. Monavie is almost exactly the same scam as Royal Tongan Limu juice but with a different name and the exotic location changed from Tonga to the Amazonian rain forest (because if it comes from some exotic place, then it obviously must cure cancer right?). .

By what reckoning do you claim that I have not researched Monavie thoroughly? I have researched Monavie thoroughly, but I see no evidence that you know anything about it. As to your suggestion that I don't have all the facts, which facts do you feel I have yet to learn. I hope it's something more than just another bunch of idiotic miracle cure testimonials.

Mendel, San Diego, CA
May 03, 2008 5:43pm

#1 LOL Eric. I have made 100X what I invested. Not the point. My life has been changed with this product because "it works". If you give your body what it needs! Guess what it makes you feel better. "When was the last time any of you had 7-10 serving of fruit? I'll tell you "never", yet the USDA recommends it. 4oz of this product gives you 13 servings of fruit! #2 Naked its like comparing a yugo to a mercedes point blank. Acai (the way its processed by MonaVie) is the #1 super food in the world. Do your research. Here's a couple of hints: Oprah, Summer Redstone(the richest man in the world... owns Viacom...CBS... small companies to name a few ..., Matt Lauer.... I can go on but Y? These people have experts looking out for their health and are on this product! #3 google "acai and the university of Florida" Pls someone with some real fire power step up!!! Until then... find a better product and post it!!! I'll be waitng awhile...

Angel, U know!!!
May 03, 2008 8:52pm

Wow, that's more lies than I can address in one reply. Why don't you come into Skeptalk or into the forum and we'll go through those one at a time.

Eric Schulman, Corona, CA
May 03, 2008 8:57pm

Eric you must live in fairy land. I'll do you a favor. Since your a lazy slug to do your own research. Go to www.monavieonthemove.com and by the way theirs been 4 new millionaires made in the last 6 months in Corona!!! Done with this guy whose next.... Agan do your research people.... I'm waiting like I stated before. You do know to us your computer Eric? www.monavieonthemove.com.... Next!

Angel, U know!!!
May 03, 2008 9:07pm

How much thicker can you pile it on?

You are, of course, aware that Dallin Larsen has been re-arrested. Monavie is not long for this earth, and absurd claims and lies, like those you're repeating and inventing, are the reason.

Please come into Skeptalk where we can discuss this. Or are you just trying to use Skeptoid as a way to promote your URL?

Eric Schulman, Corona, CA
May 03, 2008 9:14pm

I would love to see proof of the claims that you are making, Angel (if that is your real name). Thirteen servings of fruit in 4oz of juice is pretty remarkable, especially when you take into account that the USDA says that it takes 6oz of fruit juice (regardless of the kind of fruit used) in order to replace one serving of fruit. Also, where does it say that the USDA recommends 7-10 servings of fruit a day? The USDA Food Guide Pyramid recommends 5-9 servings of fruits and vegetables every day. Notice that "and vegetables" part. Perhaps you are getting your information from sites like the one below that care less about being correct and more about selling product.

http://juiceofchampions.com/home/monavie-juice-shots-vs-daily-recommended-fruit

I don't want to be pointed to sites that have piles of useless anecdotes about how great MonaVie is. I am looking for actual, peer-reviewed research that shows just how good MonaVie is for you and that it can do anything that it claims to do. Until you can come up with that kind of information, you have proven nothing about your snake-oil.

Steve Loeffelholz, Iowa City, IA
May 04, 2008 4:21pm

It's a flat out lie that 4 oz of Monavie provides 13 servings of fruit. Damn, these people just seem to make this stuff up as they go along. That's what I detest about health-related MLMs. No one should be getting health advice from money-hungry fools with no training whatsoever.
Their outrageously poor and misleading advice is going to end up hurting people -- it probably already has.

The Monavie folks don't deserve to stay in business. I can't wait until the FDA shuts them down just like Larsen's Dynamic Essentials and their fraudulent Limu juice.

Keller, Philadlephia PA
May 06, 2008 3:14pm

Usana - Dallin Larsen - VP of Sales
This company produces "health care" products, but suffered major controversy after most of it's executive staff was found to have fraudulent credentials, including Timothy Wood, the VP of R & D, who claimed to have a doctorate in biology from Yale University. He did, in fact, have a doctorate from Yale...in forestry. Granted, no challenges were made against Mr. Larsen's degree from Brigham Young - a B.S. in Finance. (certainly interesting that it's a B.S.)

Dynamic Essentials - Dallin Larsen - VP of Sales
Distributed the "Royal Tongan Limu" seaweed drink, and subsequently forced by the FDA to cease operation and destroy $2.7 million of product because of false claims to cure, among other things, cancer, arthritis and A.D.D.

Monarch Health Sciences - Dallin Larsen - CEO
Parent Company of MonaVie, LLC
Industry is listed as multi-level-marketing - not food or health care
Strangely, the packaging, price and marketing blueprint are identical to the "Royal Tongan Limu" drink.
Another strange coincidence of Mr. Larsen's past is that the Senior Director of AIBMR Product Research(the acclaimed MonaVie institute of substantial verification), also falsified his credentials.

I believe it is a Russian saying that "The fish rots from the head."

Michael, Atlanta
May 07, 2008 11:15am

Is there anybody out there that still believes in monavie,because i have 12 bottles i would like to sell,toyvette@yahoo.ca

toyvette, edmonton,alberta
May 07, 2008 5:03pm

"Summer Redstone(the richest man in the world...)"

Just a quick correction: according to Forbes, Summer Redstone is the 137th richest person in the world. Granted, that's still pretty rich.

Richard, Belleville, MI
May 08, 2008 10:09am

After reading all this negative skeptocism about the Mona-vie juice drink I'd be very reluctant to even look twice at the product. Truth is however my husband and I both drink it every day. We've seen first hand how it has helped some we know with sickness and pains. This product has personally helped me with the pains I used to experience every night. Some people complain about the price of the product which I figure is another reason some are skeptical. I look at it this way, I can spend about as much as a gallon of gas a day on myseslf to be healthier and feel better and it cost me less time and money than going to a grocery store and purchasing the fresh fruits and vegetables that our bodies need to be healthy.
Like the old saying goes "Do'nt knock it till you try it".

Rita Bell, Easley SC
May 09, 2008 7:17am

Yet another distributor violating her agreement (and the law) by making bogus health claims...

Eric Schulman, Corona, CA
May 09, 2008 7:27am

Of all the old-timey sayings that annoy me, "Don't knock it till you try it" has got to be the worst. The general sentiment behind it makes sense, you shouldn't dismiss things out of hand. It is just used to promote every kind of junk on the planet.

I have never jumped out of a plane without a parachute, I have never used heroin, I have never killed someone. All of these things, I am more than willing to "knock" before I try them. When you have very good evidence that something isn't good, it is fine to pass on it.

Steve Loeffelholz, Iowa City, IA
May 09, 2008 1:33pm

I started taking the Mona Vie and I'm checking out all sites and info on the internet before selling it to my friends, This site mentions" the study by Choice" I clicked on the study and MONA VIE was not one of the super juices tested so it could be a lot better then going to the store and buying an apple. It makes me feel great.

Teacher, Oxnard, CA
May 11, 2008 9:04pm

As a user of Mona Vie I am here to say...that I am NOT satisfied it has any benefits at all. As a matter of fact, having taken the drink for quite some time, I have had no significant change in my joint pain, back pain, constipation. Actually, what it DID do to me is cause severe constipation, incredible stomach cramping and aches in my joints that rendered me immobile for 24 hours. My husband was up with me all night last night trying to determine whether a visit to the ER was necessary. I've searched for other adverse reactions in people regarding Mona Vie and found 2 such cases, with the same symptoms. Money is not an issue with me. Nor do I usually take ANY multi-level marketing scams to truth, however, suffering as I do with aches and pains, my husband felt this was worth the try, knowing that I bought Acai Juice four times a week at $4 a pop. I also eat my share of blueberries, strawberries, blackberries and pomegranate. I'll stick to those. I would NEVER recommend the Mona Vie to anyone, for I wouldn't want them to suffer the manner of which I am suffering this moment. And before anyone jumps in to say, "Well, you may have had the flu or what not." I have been healthy, since September. Days AFTER taking the Mona Vie my body started shutting down. Take Heed...it is NOT what people are claiming it is. And for goodness sake, why does everyone take Oprah's word for it? It's a sad day when someone as racist as she, takes the lead in example. Look at her!!

Ana, Boca Raton, FL
May 12, 2008 6:57am

Thank you so much. A relative has been snatched by the Monavie pod people.

Critical Thinker, Southern California
May 15, 2008 11:47am

Mona Vie is an excellent source of antioxidants and has done wonders for me and everyone I know. Obviously everyone's body chemistry is different and reacts differently in everyone However this product is helping many people I know with many different ailments. I myself am a healthy individual but it has greatly increased my energy level. I'll never stop drinking it! Cheers, thanks Mona Vie!

Chris Smith, Orange County
May 15, 2008 5:49pm

My daughter was talked into Mona Vie at her work place and brought it home. I believe in fruit juice, healthy choices, etc. and gave it a try. My reaction was similar to Ana from Boca Raton, FL. I found this site by searching for ill effects to see if I am the only one having trouble with the product. Originally, we had the Mona Vie Active. It is the one that made me particularly sick. I thought it might be the additives, so I got the 'Original.' I have tolerated it better, but am still suffering the negative problems that Ana described. Obviously I will be using my money for fresh fruit, again. Everyone wants a miracle product -- I wish I could say that I had found one in Mona Vie, but it wouldn't be the truth.

Mary, Stockbridge, GA
May 20, 2008 2:12pm

A co-worker of mine has started taking Monavie, I have never personally even tasted it but I have seen the changes in him. He claims it has helped him with digestive problems he was having, sleeping better, more energy, all of the typical "claims" that the Monavie (Pod people?) seem to make. I believe he actually does feel better. I say if you find something that works for you whatever that may be, then conratulations. I think one of the major reasons this stuff is so popular is it's convienient for the person taking it. From what he tells me it also contains the skins of the fruits where a large portion of the "good stuff" is. As yet he has not tried to push me into buying it, he just told me one day he thinks it's working for him and why.

Jerry, Sioux Falls, SD
May 20, 2008 4:56pm

Jerry said:

"I think one of the major reasons this stuff is so popular is it's convenient for the person taking it."

I agree 100%. It is much easier for someone to pour a few ounces of juice than to shop wisely, prepare and consume the actual fruit or meal that is the equivalent to all these 'get healthy quick' offerings -- the very reason new health products appear on the market daily.

I'm sure this juice is helpful for many people...perhaps it makes them stop and think about other foods they consume or maybe it replaces less healthy habits. I just know for me -- although I wanted to like it and to use it as an easy out to better health -- it didn't produce the hoped-for results. I had a completely open mind about the product, tried both types (original and active), and allowed time in between to let my body get back to normal before starting again, just to make sure it was the juice and not me. Nope...same results both times. I give...no more Mona Vie for me.

Mary, Stockbridge, GA
May 20, 2008 9:05pm

The reason why I like Via Viente is that is has been tested by the Brunswick Laboratory for its antioxidant content. Also, it is cold pressed-enzymes are still alive.

It keeps my husband young--no need for ED tabs and has lots of energy playing tennis and gardening.

Who has time to be juicing? Specially when on travel!!

Cecilia, Perris, CA
May 21, 2008 11:52am

Why do people feel the need to prove others wrong? Is this an ego thing?

If someone wants to spend $40 a bottle for something that they believe helps them, whether that help is physiological, psychological, or spiritual, why not allow them to do that?

I agree, it is wrong to make claims that can't be substantiated. The problem today is that just about any claim can be substantiated scientifically, as long as the person or group doing the study is a skilled writer and researcher.

I believe it is good for the western world to have other influences besides our very young medical beliefs and our pharmaceutical corporations. Maybe the juice, whatever brand you prefer, does work. Many people seem to report feeling better. Who really cares what the exact mechanism of that feeling better is?

Our medical model is far from perfect, and there is much corruption on the inside. Attacking MonaVie reminds me of a saying, "we hate in others that which we deny in ourselves."

Jeff, Buffalo, NY
May 22, 2008 6:52am

This person has his assumptions and facts wrong and is actually making an argument in favor of Monavie. Monavie is not a supplement, but a blend of 17 whole fruits and juices. Concentrated fruit, so to speak.

First off, the acai plus many of the other fruits in Monavie is indeed the entire fruit, not just the juice as he assumes. He’s right, this is important, and that’s why they use the whole fruit. Also, Monavie is not necessarily saying that Monavie is better than eating 3-5 servings of a balanced diet of fruits from the full color spectrum, just that they make it easier and consistent, and actually probably cheaper if you consider stocking your fridge with fresh blueberries, strawberries, acai, etc.. every few days.

The Monavie pitch is essesntially this, you should eat a balanced diet of fruits and vegetables, and not rely on supplements. The FDA agrees with this, as there are recommended levels of fruits and vegs, but they don’t recommend supplements. Yet 80% of Americans take supplements, and fewer than 20% get enough fruit in their diets. Monavie helps us reverse this.

Even his quote "There is widespread....." supports what Monavie is saying, eat more fruit and less supplements:

Funny that he mentions some tests on some other juices, but none of them were performed using Monavie. Monavie claims to be better than these juices, and this just reinforces that.

Pierce, San Francisco, CA
May 22, 2008 7:15am

MonaVie was not included in Choice's testing because the company refuses to submit any of its products for testing, for understandable reasons. Dallin Larsen is also well known for suing anyone who publishes test results of his products.

The only acai in MonaVie is freeze dried powder of its juice. It is not the whole fruit.

Brian Dunning, Laguna Niguel, CA
May 22, 2008 7:20am

An additional thought about mlm's in general, certainly applies to these products - I think that multi-level marketing companies, as a significant percentage of their business plans, rely upon sales to their distributors! "Sign up and save" slogans are common on that industry.

In my opinion, high quality, beneficial products sell themselves... Caveat emptor, people... let the buyer beware!

Dale Ussery, Phoenix, AZ
May 22, 2008 1:18pm

Just to clarify, Monavie contains both Freeze Dried Acai and Acai Puree, and both are the whole fruit not just the juice.

Pierce, San Francisco, CA
May 22, 2008 3:20pm

I have to add a thought...when Mona Vie was first introduced to our household, I tried to find out as much as possible, since my daughter brought it home and was the only one to listen to the spill. I asked a rep online if there were any restrictions on who drank it, and was told that everyone needed to drink the Active, except children and pregnant woman. Then I had to wonder...is all the 'goodness' from the product actually coming from the additives in the Active formula. Is the juice just a vehicle for glucosamine? In which case, why not just take a good grade of glucosamine. Everyone who taunts its virtue says they are relived of painful muscles, etc. That's what glucosamine is supposed to do. Also, something I've heard from EVERY SINGLE rep is the famous line that goes something like "if you give your body what it needs, it heals itself." How cruel to toss out that unproven statement to sick and hurting people, somehow making their illness part of their own negligence.

Mary, Stockbridge, GA
May 22, 2008 10:58pm

Hi Brian, are you interested in starting a multi-level business using apples as our mono-product? Do you think it will work?

James, Sydney, Australia
May 23, 2008 4:13am

I like the irony that only fruits from far away places have just what we need to be healthy. Maybe in a remote part of the earth, a place where apple trees never grow, there is a MLM rep selling apple juice to cure the local diseases.

Mary, Stockbridge, GA
May 23, 2008 10:02am

I've always thought the same, Mary. Personally, I prefer eating foods I can pronounce -- at times restrictive, but also educational.

Also, with all of the antioxidant enriched foods these days, I'm starting to worry that I may soon be overdosing just through eating healthy and taking a multivitamin.

Thanks for the info, dude.

Lynne, Tampa, FL
May 27, 2008 1:08pm

It's clear there are always 2 sides to the fence - which it wouldn't be a balanced world without it.

One might even wonder if anyone on this board takes a multi-vitamin? if so, my question would be "why?" just go out and grind your vitamins and minerals yourself instead.

The concept of monavie is simply to provide a more than ample supply of fruit daily.

I don't know about you, but if I were to buy 13 servings of fruit daily - it would certainly cost more than $4 per day. let alone the time to wash, clean and cut or prepare to eat. if this were even a likely scenario, then why on earth do we drive through fast food restaurants weekly? Simply because we do not have the time to cook, prepare, shop.....etc etc.

I sold a product years ago that was known world wide and it was ironic how the biggest complainers of the product were the least educated about the product therefore didn't understand how or why they would benefit from it.

let me ask you this, how many people take vitamin C for a cold? Do you feel anything when you take it?

I've put a ton of info on my site, simply because I'm a research geek, so maybe your past experience is simply that monavie is a magic cure all. It's not. It's simply an easier way to get the fruit our bodies need since our lifestyles prevent the time or energy to prepare. The fruits simply do what fruits do! Provide Nutrition!

www.gmvirtual.com

Gina, Riverside, Ca
May 27, 2008 6:25pm

Gina said: "I sold a product years ago that was known world wide and it was ironic how the biggest complainers of the product were the least educated about the product therefore didn't understand how or why they would benefit from it."

I'm educated on Mona Vie...used it, researched it, understand how it is supposed to work -- and don't receive revenues as a rep. I'm a freelance writer and have written for numerous health publications over the last 20 years. I understand how supplements, both natural and manufactured, are intended to benefit the body. I have no problem accepting the fact that fruit, and fruit juice, can have a positive influence on the body. I just know that my experience with Mona Vie wasn't positive; in fact I'd go so far as to say it was harmful. In the same way some people can't tolerate foods that are beneficial to the masses, not everyone thrives on Mona Vie. I don't know which fruit, or additive, caused my distress, but juice I make at home never gives me the problems I had with Mona Vie. I did my own test by discontinuing the juice, saw my problems disappear, then started the juice again. I did this four times. Not exactly a double-blind test, but enough to convince me to stay clear of the stuff. And no offense intended, but if a rep tells me that Mona Vie is wonderful, is that exactly an unbiased response...especially when you add your web site. Sounds more like a pitch than an honest evaluation.

Mary, Stockbridge, GA
May 27, 2008 9:45pm

What is with all these MonaVie reps talking about 13 servings of fruit per day and MonaVie replacing that. Where are you finding information that suggests eating 13 servings of fruit per day? How can you explain 4oz of juice replacing these 13 servings of fruit (when typically 6oz of fruit juice is equivalent to one serving of fruit) and can you cite a reliable source that proves this? The fact that several reps have made these claims points to the fact that they are either intentionally lying or severely deluded and lacking in basic knowledge of nutrition.

I am also curious as to which product you sold that was world wide and why you do not sell it any longer. This is only a guess, but it sounds as if you have some experience selling snake-oil.

Steve Loeffelholz, Iowa City, IA
May 28, 2008 10:21am

Regarding the guy that wants to know what I sold previously - ha I knew someone would want to know that. The product was very successful, and the company compensated the distributors handsomely and sold to walmart, otherwise I'd still be selling today.

There is always a skeptic out there and no matter what anyone says to the skeptics, you guys will hold your firm ground. That's ok, we need balance in the world.

Regarding the lady that had a bad reaction to the product, we know not EVERYONE can take everything. But the different between a skeptic and normal people is, if I'm allergic to Salmon, I don't walk around telling people the omega oils in salmon are a hoax or a scam or more, I just simply say, "wow, I'm glad it helps some people, I wish it did for me, but it didn't".

Unfortunately stating something like that would simply make a skeptic - human!

I don't care if you guys see the value in fruit, or if you understand how the fruits can be shoved into 4 oz......probably why some people don't drink frozen orange juice from concentrate....the concept may be too difficult to understand for some.

But my goodness, why do people need to put a blanket assumption on things?

I don't sit here and tell you it's a magic juice and it will do wonders and change your world and make your cat love you again.

I just simply stated, that like daily multi-vitamins, and healthy food, it's a valuable addition in our lives.

Can't please all people all the time!

Gina, Riverside
May 29, 2008 1:40pm

You have a very cavalier attitude about other people’s adverse reactions to Monavie:

(a) You are presumably not a doctor or scientist, so you really have no place making any assumptions about the nature or cause of other people’s reactions to Monavie; you don’t even know this person or anything abut their case history, so it is foolhardy to speculate. And since there is no system in place for monitoring adverse events associated with products like Monavie, we have no idea how common theses reactions may in fact be.

(b) One of the things that distinguish Monavie from a drug is that a drug, by definition, has passed stringent large-scale clinical tests of effectiveness, safety, and positive cost/benefit ratio. There isn’t a lick of evidence that Monavie is effective at doing anything, nor is there any evidence to attest to its short/long-term safety or quality of ingredients. Monavie is grossly overpriced mystery fruit punch, not a panacea, and the regulations dictate that distributors cannot legally claim that it is safe or that it can prevent or cure anything.

(c) It’s not the we don’t understand the value of fruit, its that we dispute the claims being made about the value of Monavie. There is no evidence that 2 oz. of Monavie provides anywhere near the equivalent benefit of even a fraction of a serving of real whole fruit.

Mendel, San Diego, CA
May 29, 2008 3:01pm

"Regarding the lady that had a bad reaction to the product, we know not EVERYONE can take everything. But the different between a skeptic and normal people is, if I'm allergic to Salmon, I don't walk around telling people the omega oils in salmon are a hoax or a scam or more, I just simply say, "wow, I'm glad it helps some people, I wish it did for me, but it didn't".

Your writing is confusing, but if I understand what you are trying to say, I'm being called a skeptic, instead of a 'normal' person. Nope...read everything I wrote. I went into this situation with an open mind, since I hadn't heard the spill and was drinking the product because my daughter brought it home..not because I wanted to get rich. Wanting to know more about Mona Vie, I started looking for documented info, not just the PR materials found on web Sites of dealers trying to sell and recruit. At the same time, I was drinking the stuff...after all it's only fruit juice, right...except for the nasty bit of preservatives listed in the ingredients. It was during this time that I began to have problems that increased until I stopped drinking Mona Vie. As I said before, I did this four times; same results each time. That's more like a scientific experiment than a simple determination to speak ill of Mona Vie. (Oh, and by the way, I love salmon and have no problems at all with it. Fortunately I can buy it without the aid of a mlm rep.)

Side note: Mendel, your points are excellent and well stated.

Mary, Stockbridge, GA
May 29, 2008 10:44pm

Please don't group me in with the all the morons that claim monavie is a cure all.

To me its a simple add in for my daily nutrients. I don't claim it can do anything. I like fruit and I enjoy the juice.

GNC and other health food stores are in business because we all consume some sort of something we believe in.

Much like the engine oil we use in our cars, down to the pet food we choose to buy, we all favor certain products.

But that doesn't mean everyone will enjoy that same product. All I'm stating is what works for one may not work for the rest, but i don't slam it if you believe that buying Eukanuba dog food is the best food for you dog, because I do prefer the lower cost purina.

Mary - It sounds as if you gave it a very fair try and with hopes, and i do agree it won't work for everyone.

Seems there are a lot of uneducated distributors out there just making claims and swearing by it.

Please don't group me in, I do no such thing. I have learned about the Acai berry and I do like appreicate it's benefits, but I also believe in Oranges and Bananas and I'm jsut a plain fruit lover, so that is me.

Doesn't mean you have to be that way or believe in the product or any product, all I'm asking is that you re-think your blanket judging.

Cost is irrelevant. My husband spent thousands of $'s to make his diesel truck faster than a corvette, it certainly consfused the hell out of me, it's just a truck - but that's his choice and his preference.

Gina, Riverside
May 30, 2008 9:25am

Steve,
Clearly you have not done your research. 4oz of MonaVie = 13 servings of fruit in # of antioxidants that we need everyday. USDA not MonaVie recommends that you have 5,000 units of antioxidants everyday. MonaVie provides this in 4oz. Or you can choose to eat it depending on the fruit you choose to get your 5,000 units of antioxidants: So if you have time to eat 1000 starwberrys everyday then go for it. For me buying fruit @ the store is a waste of money; you have to consume it within a day or two or its in the waste basket!!!

Angel, San Diego
May 30, 2008 11:08am

Angel....ha ha - Steve's issue is he doesn't believe that MonaVie contains any fruit actually, he just thinks it's overpriced fruit flavored water. watch out he'll bite you.

He says since there is no scientific evidence that it contains juice.

I just bought my son some Sunny Delight, it says it has oranges and strawberries in it. I suspect I better go find some research to back it up, because tasting that it's orange and strawberry is not enough.

I am not making claims...clear your head of that. All I have said in all MY POSTS is that its an easy way and choice for me to get my fruits. I believe it has 13 servings of fruit, but it doesn't mean that you have to. As i said earlier, I'm not promising it will make any of you do anything magical. It just does what fruits do.

if it tastes like fruit and we like it and believe in it - then what on earth is your issue?
personally - I believe we do need fruit and vegetables every day, and I agree with the USDA recommendation of 5-9 servings of fruits and veggies daily.

And if a bit of juice gets me there faster, then great. if not - start chewing!!

Gina, Riverside
May 30, 2008 12:09pm

Angel and Gina - Virtually all of the information you are repeating here is grossly wrong. I suggest you turn to nutritional literature for your scientific information, NOT to a multilevel marketing company.

Eric Schulman, Corona, CA
May 30, 2008 4:16pm

Gina, I don’t see any “blanket judging” of Monavie; just legitimate criticism and examples of dishonest marketing.

We all have the right to make our own choices, whether it’s buying Monavie or expensive auto parts, or lighting cigars with $20 bills; but just because we have the right to choose doesn’t mean that our choices are always wise ones.

You say you drink Monavie because of the nutrients, but that is a leap of faith -- there is no evidence that Monavie has any nutrients other than a bit of vitamin C. You can buy any retail juice and the label will say which nutrients are in it, the exact amounts, and all ingredients/additives. Monavie deserves to be criticized for not providing this basic information; that alone is sufficient reason for consumers to avoid it.

While we may favor certain products for entirely subjective reasons, like taste, Monavie makes many claims that can be evaluated objectively. I find just about any other juice to be tastier than Monavie, but that is a subjective opinion. Monavie is claimed by some to be an excellent source of nutrients and antioxidants; however, there is no evidence that it is even a mediocre source of nutrients, and there are many better, less expensive alternatives for obtaining supplemental antioxidants.

I don’t understand the phrase “it may not work for everyone”. What exactly does “work” mean in this context? For a juice to “work” all it has to do is be a liquid and contain what it is claimed to contain.

Mendel, San Diego, CA
May 30, 2008 5:48pm

Eric,
Just so that I understand are you stating that because I have clearly stated I like the product - I am "virtually wrong" - that is really all I have stated. i have not stated anything other than I like it and i'm happy with it. I don't give a flying rats rusty what you guys think of it - castrol oil or not, but why the need to assume I'm wrong because I like it.

Mendel -- again, who said even any food does anything for a person? i suspect we all eat what we like. As far as work, I just simply meant some of us feel caffeine and some don't. Some like the juice and some don't. I just was conversing. I don't claim it can do anything.

Let me try and re-phrase this for those that aren't understanding the english in my posts.

I don't make any claims. I like it, therefore I drink it. End of story.

Nothing for me to be "virtually wrong" about.

I dont care what you guys eat and i wouldn't dare knock you for it.

Eric- I agree there are many morons out there mis-representing the product, but blanket assuming that is everyone --is wrong.

there are some normal people that just can simply enjoy it without being wrong for it. Geesh! This doesn't feel like an intellectual debate, it feels like people continuously drilling the same point without actually counteracting with anything other than - "I hate your product, you all suck and you're stupid for taking it".

Gina, Riverside, Ca
May 31, 2008 12:12am

Gina, you are obviously not absorbing what’s being said here. I stated quite clearly that it is your prerogative to spend $40+ on Monavie, and if you like it for subjective reasons, that’s fine.

But now you are backpedaling on the statements you made previously, saying that you “don’t make any claims” about Monavie. You most certainly did, and your claims are what we are disputing. For example, you said:

“The concept of Monavie is simply to provide a more than ample supply of fruit daily. I don't know about you, but if I were to buy 13 servings of fruit daily - it would certainly cost more than $4 per day.”

This is where you got into hot water. There is no evidence that Monavie provides an “ample supply of fruit” and it is incredibly misleading to imply that taking 2-4 oz of Monavie is equivalent to 13 servings of fruit. It’s not even equivalent to 1 serving.

The simple fact here is that if the people hawking Monavie didn’t lie through their teeth about what it provides and what it can do, they would have no way of selling it. It’s just not a compelling enough sales pitch to tell people that they should spend $40+ on Monavie because it tastes good.

You also said that “cost is irrelevant”, but few would agree with you there. Cost is a primary consideration for consumers in virtually every retail sector. Other high-quality juices, even many acai-based ones, are far cheaper (and more honest in their labeling and advertising) than Monavie.

Mendel, San Diego, CA
May 31, 2008 8:55am

Mendel,

please support your statement - "It’s not even equivalent to 1 serving." with something that helped you come to that conclusion, factual. I say it has 13 fruits, you say it doesn't - how did you determine?

I'm confused, we are all here spouting that the other side is wrong, and yet you insist you are correct with no proof. Of course i am open to your proof, because yes, if there is only one serving - it's a waste.

But ample supply - whether it's 13 servings as the company boasts or 1 - it still more than most servings of fruit most people eat daily. not that I agree it's one serving. Cost is relevant, you are correct, but I feel stating that it's overpriced juice that barely equals one serving of fruit without backing that statement with facts - causes me to wonder what makes you any different that us.

Eric stated my information was grossly wrong, and I can only assume the one fact he is disputing is what I stated about 5-9 fruits and veggies daily. I had actually just pulled that from the USDA website.

At this point I will agree to be open minded if the debate to turns to education and you guys show me some literature that caused your outright anger towards this product. Aside from cost, cost is relative to what is important to people. Don't dispute that, read my previous posts. just give me some facts to back your opinions and I will do honest research and concede you are correct if I can't find non bias research to refute your facts.

Gina, Riverside, Ca
May 31, 2008 9:35am

Actually, since you are making the claim of equivalency between a 4 oz shot of Monavie and 13 servings of fruit, the onus is on you to prove it, not for me to disprove it. If the company claimed that Monavie could substitute for gasoline, would the onus be on me to prove that statement incorrect? Hardly! The responsibility for truth in advertising is on the advertiser, not the consumer.

Nonetheless, the USDA regards a ½ cup serving of 100% juice (pure juice that is -- not adulterated fruity sugar water) to count as 1 serving of fruit, but they do not encourage using juice as a substitute for the majority of the day’s recommended servings of whole fruit because juice lacks fiber.
http://www.health.gov/DietaryGuidelines/dga2005/document/html/chapter5.htm
http://www.mypyramid.gov/pyramid/fruits.html#

From what I can see on the Monavie bottle label, it doesn’t even claim to be 100% pure juice.

By the way, where does the company boast that Monavie is equivalent to 13 servings? I have never seen the company make that claim officially in any of their promotional materials, and if they did, the FTC could sanction them for it.

If you are going to participate in a debate, you should stand by what you say and acknowledge when you are wrong. You said that you were making no claims about Monavie, when in fact you were -- and you got called on it. You claimed earlier that “cost is irrelevant” and now you are contradicting yourself saying “cost is relevant, you are correct".

Mendel, San Diego, CA
May 31, 2008 10:34am

How is it that you can repeatedly say that you make no claims about these juices. Have you ever read your own website?

www.gmvirtual.com

That is the site you posted to this thread above. In it are claims that the juice can:

Strengthen Immune system
Reduce Risk of Cancer
Relieve Inflammation
Fight Bacteria and Viruses
Combat the Effects of Diabetes
etc.

The list goes on and on. These are all claims that you are making about this product. All of these claims have never been proven and several of them are highly unlikely. These bogus claims and snake-oil salesmen tactics are what cause people to criticize this juice. If the makers/distributors of MonaVie just claimed that it was a fruit just that tasted so good it was worth $40 a bottle, I would have no problem with them (other than thinking they were crazy).

Finally, all people selling these "superfruit juices" play up the amount of antioxidants they contain. I wonder if you even know about recent studies where the benefits of antioxidants have come into question. None of the below examples are rock solid evidence that antioxidants are bad, but they do make a good point that they probably aren't as good as people once thought they were.

http://www.annals.org/cgi/content/full/0000605-200501040-00110v1
http://integratedsupplements.typepad.com/integrated_supplements_bl/2008/03/studies-find-an.html
http://heartdisease.about.com/cs/riskfactors/a/antiox.htm

Steve Loeffelholz, Iowa City, IA
June 02, 2008 9:34am

my website only states that it "may" - don't take it out of conetxt to prove your point.

MonaVie is not a supplement, it is considered an active food. Much like vitamin C in orange juice may assist in boosting your immune system, the fruits in this juice may assist with many things. If you're gonna paste points from my website, paste them as they are!

no claims made. only states that the ACAI berry & fruits "may" assist with and "helps to".

please don't group me in with the distributors that are making claims.

I just believe in fruit, and for me i happen to believe monavie is packed with fruit, simply because i can taste it.

But I don't claim it can do anything for anyone. I personally just like the stuff and was hoping to get you all to see that - that happens to be ok. But evidently not.

Gina, Riverside, Ca
June 02, 2008 5:04pm

Gina, I also love acai juice. I buy the Naked brand. It costs me about 1/20 what MonaVie costs, and it's only one of a dozen brands, all yummy, all far far far cheaper than your absurdly overpriced MLM version.

When you make claims like it "boosts your immune system" you are solidly in the pseudoscience camp. There is no such thing as "immune system boosting", despite a virtually limitless number of fraudulent products on the Internet claiming to do just this.

Presumably you do prefer that you're giving out is accurate. If so, I encourage you to listen to this episode of Dr. Mark Crislip's excellent Quackcast podcast in which he explains, in layman's terms, exactly what the immune system is, how it works, and why there is no such thing as "boosting" or "strengthening" it:

http://www.quackcast.com/spodcasts/files/podcast_21.mp3

You can also ask any medical doctor. You also use terms like "active food", also meaningless. So you're not giving Steve much reason NOT to group you with distributors making unfounded, pseudoscientific claims.

Eric Schulman, Corona, CA
June 02, 2008 5:23pm

I apologize, I will correct it, since I did just read multiple articles - the correct terminology should read:

"eating fruits and vegetables can assist the body in improving and supporting immunity".

Not monavie, just fruit, since there is certainly question from people here that monavie has any fruit.

So if it's just a flovred juice, can I safely say that scientific reseach states that fruits and vegetables may improve immunity and support immunity.

or do you disagree with that concept.

Gina, Riverside, Ca
June 02, 2008 6:32pm

Gina, the type of claim you are referring to is known as a "structure/function claim”. The regulations on allowable structure/function claims are covered under 403(r)(6) of the Food, Drug, & Cosmetic Act; Section 101.93(f). It doesn’t bode well that you asking us for guidance on this subject, since Monavie LLC should have clearly spelled out for you which claims you are allowed to make about the product.

The fact that so many Monavie distributors seem to be unaware of what constitutes legal and truthful advertising suggests that either the company turns a blind eye to abuses (i.e. they are cognizant and negligent) or actively encourages them (i.e. complicit and malicious), or that the MLM distribution system is so inherently uncontrollable that the company has no ability to police or regulate their distributors.

Mendel, San Diego, CA
June 02, 2008 10:25pm

I don't think there's any doubt that MonaVie contains fruit. The only ingredient that they do disclose is freeze-dried acai powder. So yes, it does contain fruit.

Gina, there is no medical validity to the concept of boosting/improving the immune system. A healthy immune system is a very delicate balance between immunodeficiency and immunohyperactivity (where it attacks the body's own tissue). Trying to chemically push the system in either direction would be equally harmful.

Eric Schulman, Corona, CA
June 03, 2008 12:59am

you guys are relentless. I have just spoken with my mother who has been drinking monavie for 6 days and honestly, I'm done debating here.

Food, watered juice, sugar drink or just plain placebo doesn't matter what you guys want to call it - she has noticed some positive changes. At the end of the day when someone you love is noticing postive changes when they struggle from something tough, I don't really care what you guys have to say.

Again, I'm NOT making any claims, which is why I am not detailing anything about my mother. But i am a brand new distributor and needed the debate to learn. But my is happy and I don't need this debate any longer.

enjoy your debate and best of luck to the next distributor that dares to argue here.

I need nothing further -

Chow!

Gina, Riverside, Ca
June 03, 2008 12:31pm

Fine, but dismissing all the other possible reasons for you mother's health and betting everything on an implausible and unproven MLM product may not be what's best for her. I hope you reconsider.

Eric Schulman, Corona, CA
June 03, 2008 12:44pm

the issue she has - she has had for over 15 years and to notice a bit of relief in 6 days.....I don't believe anyone would reconsider a thought on that. Along with it, her doctor gave the green light prior to drinking it.

Nothing for me to reconsider. But I'm certain this board will dis-encourage other people, so your work here is surely no waste of time.

for me, you could debate all day long and throw all the proof you want at me - but at the end of day - I trust my mom and if she tells me she is thrilled to even notice a bit of relief......doesn't matter anymore what anyone has to say.

I have my proof.

Gina, Riverside, Ca
June 03, 2008 12:57pm

Placebo effects and expectation bias are common when overzealous people exaggerate the benefits one can expect from an intervention.

I don't really care if you believe that Monavie cured/mitigated your mother's disease, as long as you don't go around advertising the product with such claims. Sadly, I believe that this is exactly what you will do after exiting from this forum.

Mendel, San Diego, CA
June 03, 2008 1:50pm

I am still amazed in 2008 that opinions like this unfortunately fall into the label of fact because the internet will post it. Several points of fact here: "Skeptoid" listed out naturopaths and chiropractors as not being bound by any professional ethics. This first of all tells me this person does not know there facts. As a chiropractor myself we are bound by the same oath that MD's are. We have 8 years of schooling along with rigorous state boards to pass for licensure and are bound under national laws EXACTLY the same as MD's. So that "opinion" is ludicrous. Secondly, the TAC is a different scoring test than the ORAC score that most of these berries are tested on for anti-oxidant capacity. Comparing one to the other doesn't work. Thirdly, the Monavie product includes the rinds of the fruit in its blend to get the phytonutrients and anti-oxidants out of them. This greatly increases the levels in the blend and puts it head and shoulders above the rest.

Gina - this product makes no claims to cure or prevent disease. What it does claim is to provide you with higher levels of anti-oxidants, phytonutrients, vitamins,and minerals that our bodies need to function at maximum capacity. The better our bodies function the stronger they will be to fight off chronic disease, illness, etc. So use the product - if you feel results - awesome. If you don't - you are at least getting the recommended intake of fruits on a daily basis.

Skeptoid do more research.

Alex, DC, Fort Collins,CO
June 04, 2008 5:48pm

First, this discussion on Monavie hasn’t mentioned anything at all about chiropractic so I don’t see why it was necessary to throw out that red herring.

Second, not sure what point you were trying to make about TAC vs. ORAC and berries. What ever it was, you don’t have any reliable quantitative data to show that Monavie itself offers higher TAC or ORAC than other juices, or that the TAC/ORAC in anyway justifies the inflated price or deceptive advertising claims we’ve described here.

Third, you seem to be saying, in a very roundabout way, that Monavie can prevent diseases. If that is in fact what you mean, then why not come out and say it instead of merely alluding to it.

Lastly, you claim that with Monavie you “are at least getting the recommended intake of fruits on a daily basis” but that is precisely the same deceptive claim we have been disputing. The daily recommended amount of Monavie doesn’t even account for a single serving of the recommended intake of fruits, and you have provided no evidence to the contrary. The USDA considers a serving (about 6 oz) of 100% pure fruit juice to be one serving of fruit; 2-4 oz of Monavie (the suggested amount) is less than a single serving of pure fruit juice and Monavie doesn’t even claim to be pure juice. You can’t simply make up your own definition of what constitutes a serving of fruit and say that Monavie provides the recommended daily amount. According to standard definitions, it clearly does not.

Mendel, San Diego, CA
June 04, 2008 10:32pm

Gina, it is not true that your site merely suggests that certain benefits "may" happen if your product is used. In the list of claims made on your "Science" tab, the word "may" appears 3 times in the list of over 25 claims. The rest are stated as facts with no suggestion that they may not actually do these things. You can't just straddle the fence and hope that no one notices.

Also, by mentioning the story about your mother, it is clear that you do believe the juice has curative/mitigative powers. Although you can claim that this is simply a personal belief, your site and your rhetoric on this thread show that you are willing to preach this belief to sell a product. This is not only dishonest, but as Mendel has stated above, very illegal.

Alex, as a trained medical professional, you know that you cannot make unsubstantiated claims about services or products. You would (hopefully) never claim that chiropractic therapy could cure cancer or get rid of diabetes. Why are you so willing to claim that drinking a glorified Juicy Juice is able to prevent illness? This is a claim that is unsubstantiated, highly unlikely, and so ridiculous that even the manufacturer isn't willing to submit it to testing. If the juice did prevent illness as you suggest that it can do, wouldn't the producers be the first to try to test and prove this claim, seeing that it would greatly boost sales and profits?

Steve Loeffelholz, Iowa City, IA
June 09, 2008 8:01am

Thanks all! I've been more than approached by a MonaVie supersaleman, and pushed to sell this product. Since I know him to have spent 18 years in the Amway Cult with, in the end, nothing to show for it, I have my doubts about his general discernment.

I have no idea about the benefits of MonaVie and believe it to be a means of securing income by passing this method of money making down and hoping that they pass it down and they pass it down...

But, I do need money. So I guess I'm faced with the dilemma: "Do I sell something I really don't believe in so that I can make money?" Answer: Sadly, no.

Chery McBride, La Canada, CA
June 12, 2008 11:23am

And Cheryl, therein lies the true test of character. You pass with flying colors.

Mendel, San Diego, CA
June 12, 2008 12:00pm

Chery, you are correct. As you have admitted "I have no idea about the benefits of Monavie". I am glad that you have enough character not to attempt to sell something you know nothing about. Maybe if you informed yourself about the product you could feel good about sharing it with others. Thats what I do. I dont sell it, I just share it, and if the person likes it they can sign up just like I did. If they dont like it, then they never spent a penny and can just say no thanks.

Mike, Bakersfield, Ca
June 14, 2008 12:16pm

I'm not sure how fantastic a juice would have to taste before I felt OK paying $40 per bottle for it. Unless the bottles were like the five gallon glass jars my grandpa aged his homemade wine in. Still, $40 for five gallons, would still have to taste pretty freakin' amazing.

Or are you alluding to the fact that once she informed herself about the product that she would realize it could have other, completely unsubstantiated, benefits?

Steve Loeffelholz, Iowa City, IA
June 14, 2008 9:22pm

Steve, based on your previous comments it is obvious you made your mind up about this product a long time ago, and thats fine. I have never told anyone that Monavie cures anything.

I have told people that the chronic back pain I had for over a year went away after one week of taking it. My back hurt to the point it was hard for me to stand up straight the first hour or two after waking up in the morning.

The main draw to Monavie is the high amounts of antioxidents. The TEAC and the ORAC are the two most widely recognized tests for antioxident levels. Both show Acai has by far more antioxidents than any other fruit or vegtable tested (many times more than the next closest one). So if you believe that antioxidents help to protect your cells from free radicals like the vast majority of the scientific and medical community does then you will understand the value of this product.

The Acai berry losses much of its benefits with hours of being picked. Monavie has a patent on the way they process the Acai berry so that it retains its antioxident power.

Steve, I see that you keep asking for proof of the benefits of this juice. Its pretty simple, go read about what some of the top doctors and scientists are saying about Acai. There are many benefits to consuming fruit. Even your government will tell you that, and you seem pretty hung up on needing them to tell you what is good for you.

BTW, the FDA says that only a DRUG can cure, not a food.

Mike, Bakersfield, Ca
June 15, 2008 1:10am

Mike, it’s a safe bet that you know jack about antioxidants and what the medical and scientific community thinks about them.

You say that someone can simply say “no thanks” to Monavie, but when they do (as Chery did), you essentially accuse them of being uninformed.

The idea that Monavie would cure your back pain (or anything else) is not believable.

The claim that acai has the highest AO levels of any fruit/vegetable is contentious at best, but even if it did, there is no indication of how much acai is in Monavie. Thus, the benefits of acai are not synonymous with the benefits of Monavie. Here’s a scenario to ponder: if a product has half the AO levels of Monavie but costs one- tenth as much, then it is obviously a better value. Prune and grape juices are very high in AOs and you can buy gallons for the price of a single bottle of Monavie. There’s nothing miraculous about Monavie, although the degree of stupidity associated with its marketing is nothing short of astounding.

What the FDA actually says is that if you claim a product can cure a disease, then it is a drug by definition. If you sell Monavie by saying it cures something, then you are marketing it as a drug. The standard of evidence for drugs is high, and for Monavie to make any cure or prevention claims, they would have to submit a new drug application with the FDA and sink millions into safety and efficacy tests.

Mendel, San Diego, CA
June 15, 2008 8:23am

Wow Mendel you sure do love to make uneducated assumptions. How do you know my level of knowledge regarding AO? I have never accused anybody of being uninformed when they said "no thanks" to Monavie.

Also, I never said Monavie cured my back pain. I said I had severe back pain for the last year, I did nothing else different, and after a week of taking Monavie the pain is GONE. You decide what that means. My neighbor who has had a skin condition since childhood has had the condition almost completely disappear after two weeks of drinking Monavie. A coworker who is diabetic is able to cut back medication to control blood sugar after doing nothing different but take Monavie for the last month. These are not "testimonials" from some mysterious people on an internet blog. These are people I personally know.

Ofcourse you are going to come back with its just the placebo effect or that I am just outright lying. That is fine you dont know me and I dont expect you to believe me. All I know is all of this is either quite a coinsidence or there is something to it.

Does it cost more that grape juice? Yes it does. But grape juice never helped my back pain.

Mike, Bakersfield, Ca
June 15, 2008 10:18am

Mike you might think that your disingenuous little dance is sufficient for you to be able to say that you aren’t making claims about Monavie curing anything -- what you don’t seem to realize is that the FDA sees it differently.

Statements that back pain disappeared, a skin condition subsided, or diabetes normalized while taking Monavie are prohibited disease claims in the eyes of the FDA, even if you didn’t specifically attribute the cause to Monavie and only implied it. Distributors should already know this, and the fact that so many do not is another example of the pervasive ignorance and lack of ethics associated with Monavie.

Your claim that I made uneducated assumptions regarding your level of knowledge about antioxidants is nothing more than posturing. You clearly are not an expert so why pretend otherwise? I’ve been researching antioxidants in academia for over 2 decades, so it’s pretty easy to tell the difference between an expert and a poseur. I mentioned this before merely to point out how ludicrous it is for you to tell others what experts think about antioxidants. You are misrepresenting prevailing expert opinion based on what you read in a Monavie brochure.

And just to point out your backpedaling, you said before “if they don’t like it...they can just say no thanks”. Chery said no thanks, and you replied by saying “maybe if you informed yourself about the product you could feel good about sharing it with others”. Why couldn’t you just leave her alone?

Mendel, San Diego, CA
June 15, 2008 12:23pm

You couldnt be more wrong about the statements I made. It is perfectly legal for me to share my story with people. I simply cant say that Monavie is responsible for alleviating my condition. So why dont you stop reading about Antioxidants for a minute and inform yourself about the FDA and there role in governing food, because you obviously dont know jack.
I have been interested in alternative health care and nutrition for the last 10 years and have read alot of books and internet articles regarding antioxidants and other health related subjects. So while I might not be a "expert" on AO's, I am educated about them and have been long before Monavie came along.

All that I stated in my previous post was basically that foods rich in antioxidants help protect our cells from being damaged by free radicals. From what I have read over the past 10 years this is agreed upon by most professionals in the medical and scientific communities. Do you dispute this Mendel?

As far a Chery goes you are simply trying to twist around what I said and anyone with half a brain will be able to see that. In Chery's post she admits she knows nothing about Monavie and then a couple of sentences later says something to the effect of "I need money but wont sell something I dont believe in." Of course she is not going to believe in something she knows nothing about. My point was simply to educate yourself and then see what you think. Your grasping for straws Mendel. Sorry try again.

Mike, Bakersfield, Ca
June 16, 2008 3:42pm

Mike, you're kidding yourself if you think Mendel's level of knowledge is inferior to yours, even though you've "been interested in alternative healthcare" and "read articles on the Internet."

Are you familiar with the beneficial (and necessary) bodily functions also performed by free radicals?

Are you aware the antioxidant supplementation has been found to have no therapeutic value?

Are you aware that MovaVie has far lower antioxidant content than many common supermarket fruits?

Eric Schulman, Corona, CA
June 16, 2008 3:49pm

Mike, I know the FDA regs inside out. You clearly implied that Monavie is curative, so if you are a distributor, you violated U.S. law (and the terms of your distributor agreement). But don’t take my word for it; if you are confident in your claims, post a link to your distributor site and I will forward it along with a complaint to the FDA. If you aren’t doing anything illegal, then you have nothing to fear right?

You tend to backpedal on your claims, e.g. saying “all that I stated in my previous post was basically that foods rich in antioxidants help protect our cells from being damaged by free radicals”. You were in fact trying to make a case for the superiority of acai/Monavie to other foods based on unspecified TEAC/ORAC data, and your statement showed a lack of expertise about free radicals and antioxidants. You also made claims about what “the vast majority of the scientific and medical community” believes about AO’s. I am a full-fledged member of the “community” and you certainly aren’t accurately representing my beliefs or those of my many colleagues who are also experts in this field.

Mike made some excellent points: (1) free radicals in the body aren’t necessarily bad; they serve many essential biological functions and you’d die without them (2) the research on AO supplementation has been disappointing for the most part and much of the early enthusiasm for this therapeutic approach has waned (3) you can get other AO-rich juices for less than 1/10 the price.

Mendel, San Diego, CA
June 16, 2008 4:50pm

Eric- Are you Mendel's boyfriend or something? How do you know his level of expertise?

To answer your question, yes I understand that free radicals have important functions to perform in our body such as protecting us from infectious organisms. Thanks Eric, I've read that too. So whats your point? Eating whole foods rich in antioxidants is bad for our health? Please explain.

All of the studies I've seen regarding negative effects of AO's have been using isolated food extracts or synthetic compounds for AO supplementation. See link below.

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/02/070228172604.htm

Also, please Eric explain what fruits I could get from the grocery store that would have equal levels of antioxidants to 4oz of Monavie.

Mendel- For the last time, I did not say or imply that Monavie cured anything. I said my backpain went away a week after I started taking Monavie. You can come to whatever conclusion you want. It is perfectly legal to share with people that my back feels better. If I had a distributor site I would gladly post it, but I dont. The only people I plan on sharing Monavie with is friends and family, so I have no need for a distributor site.

The bottom line is, I have researched the ingredients in Monavie and I believe I am getting certain nutrients that I am getting very little of or none of on a regular basis through my normal diet. If you dont see it that way, thats fine, dont drink it

Mike, Bakersfield, Ca
June 17, 2008 1:30pm

They are listed in the episode you're commenting on.

Eric Schulman, Corona, CA
June 17, 2008 1:39pm

Where exactly is the ORAC/TEAC data on MonaVie that we can compare things to? As far as I know, the producers of MonaVie will not allow the product to be subjected to this kind of testing. Other "super-fruit" juices that are similar to MonaVie (and have distributors making similar unfounded claims) have not done so well.

Also, how can you compare drinking MonaVie to eating "whole foods"? Since when is freeze dried powder of a fruit "whole food"? There is no information that MonaVie is just blended whole fruits, and it seems much more likely that it is sugar water mixed with concentrates just like the majority of fruit juices on the market today.

You continue to tell anecdotal stories about peoples problems being alleviated after drinking MonaVie, but then say that this is not claiming that MonaVie has curative/mitigative powers. Just because you aren't outright making a claim, doesn't mean that you aren't implying a claim. The implication is still not legal and still unsubstantiated.

The question about whether excess antioxidants are beneficial to the body is still up in the air, and much of the initial zeal for the idea is gone. Many studies are now showing that it isn't nearly as easy as antioxidants=good. Many studies have shown that they have little effect and can even cause harm in certain situations. See one of my previous posts for links to papers discussing this very issue. The one scientific point you are arguing is not even entirely valid.

Steve Loeffelholz, Iowa City, IA
June 17, 2008 2:22pm

Why? Because some Australian non profit group said so. Were these qualified professionals who conducted these tests? Or were they some idiots with home test kits? There study doesnt say. There have been numerous tests done on the Acai berry showing that it has much more AO capablity than an apple or any other fruit or vegetable tested.

We can do this all day. For every study you find supporting your point of view I can find one that contradicts it, and visa versa.

Like I said, read about the ingredients in Monavie, not from what Monavie tells you, but your own research. If you think there might be some beneficial things in Monavie that you are not getting through your diet then you might decide it is worth a try. If not, then just move on.

Mike, Bakersfield, Ca
June 17, 2008 2:32pm

Very well said Steve. I have little to add.

Mike, this isn't simply a case of "believe it or don't...drink it or don't". We are trying to have a fact-based academic discussion. Towards that goal, if you have any scientific literature that you feel backs you claims, post it. Otherwise it's just idle speculation and hearsay to us.

Also, who is this Australian non-profit group you are trying to discredit and why is that relevant? The studies Steve and I have been quoting were very well designed larges scale trials conducted by reputable groups and published in top-level medical journals.

You mentioned “for every study you find supporting your point of view I can find one that contradicts it” but you've cited ANY specific studies that contradict ANY of the things we’ve been saying. If you think that you know of any, put them on the table already.

Mendel, San Diego, CA
June 17, 2008 3:56pm

The Australian non profit group is "Choice". Did you read the episode at the top of the page?

I dont need specific studies to "contradict ANY of the things we've been saying". Why should I care what you or some guy from Iowa says? Why is some group called Choice, who is basically Australia's version of Consumer Reports all of a sudden the authority on health? There not.

You speak as though you are the authority and whatever you say should just be taken as fact. While I need "specific studies" to back up what I am saying. What I am saying to you is that I have researched the ingredients and believe that there is a health benefit to ME to consume this drink.

Mendel please post a study where whole foods rich in antioxidants were used, not synthetic vitamins.

Here is some "evidence" for you.

http://www.aafp.org/afp/990901ap/895.html
http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qa3987/is_200206/ai_n9094848
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/02/070228172604.htm
http://www.naturalnews.com/021974.html

Excited to see the results of this study:
http://nutrition.stanford.edu/dietAnti.html

So much for the Choice study:
http://www.nutraingredients-usa.com/news/ng.asp?n=83224-pomegranate-antioxidant-polyphenols

Here is one about Monavie specifically:
http://www.npicenter.com/anm/templates/newsATemp.aspx?articleid=19616&zoneid=28

Mike, Bakersfield, Ca
June 17, 2008 9:12pm

I submit that it's useless to try and have a conversation with Mike or with other Monavie salespeople. Look at the sources he cites above. Clearly he has no interest in the "science" underlying his product - why should he? His interest is in trying to recover his foolish investment into Dallin Larsen's latest pyramid scheme; not to promote good science.

Eric Schulman, Corona, CA
June 18, 2008 6:19am

I have to agree with Eric again. I honestly don’t see what point Mike is trying to make; I don’t think Mike does either.

This latest exercise is a pointless diversion. I merely said that enthusiasm for AO supplementations has waned considerably. That’s not to say they are useless, just that the benefits initially hoped for seem have not been consistently borne out in actual experiments. That’s a simple fact.

You now posted links to 4 articles that all suggest health benefits of AO supplements, but that makes a case AGAINST Monavie; not for it. If taking a simple, inexpensive AO vitamin supplement reduces the risk of CV disease or cancer then there is absolutely no reason to spend $40 on a bottle of Monavie.

You also posted a link that describes (no details given) the Monavie-sponsored study conducted by AIBMR/Alexander Schauss, but as I pointed out already, it is not published and there are no details of the experiments available. This “study”, for all intents and purpose, does not exist until it is published and can be properly scrutinized.

Another link shows that pomegranates offer more antioxidants than apples – so what? How does that make a case for Monavie? It doesn’t! It makes a case for pomegranate juice which costs a fraction of the price of Monavie.

The study at Stanford you linked to hasn’t even finished enrolling subjects yet. That’s evidence of nothing other than a study is being planned. So what?

Mendel, San Diego, CA
June 18, 2008 7:44am

AIBMR is a "Natural Products Consulting Company" -- all they do is provide paid scientific-sounding endorsements to natural products and alternative medicine companies for use in advertisements.

Eric Schulman, Corona, CA
June 18, 2008 9:26am

There is no point in trying to reason with unreasonable people. You ask for studies, I show you studies. Now according to Eric the sources are no good. Yet whatever you guys say is fact just because you said so. Its like dealing with a little child.

So Eric you must have proof about your last statement about AIBMR right? Our am I just suppose to take your word for it?

Look Mendel based on MY research I believe eating whole foods rich in AO's is healthy. I also believe based on MY research that Monavie has alot more AO's than anything I could buy at my local grocery store.

Why is that so hard for you guys to understand. You seem as if you are mad at anybody who take Monavie and sees positive results.

You act as if I am holding you down, taking money out of your wallet, and pouring Monavie down your throat. Nothing could be furter from the truth. I couldnt care less is you ever try Monavie, but why are you so hell bent on telling everyone who tries it and likes it that they are wrong?

Mike, Bakersfield, Ca
June 18, 2008 11:14am

Because it's important to protect consumers from fraudulent health products and the unscrupulous businesspeople who promote them.

Eric Schulman, Corona, CA
June 18, 2008 11:22am

I bought a case of MonaVie on ebay after hearing all the hype about this product. WOW, I cannot believe how different I feel. After three weeks my skin tone has changed, I have more energy and the lump that I have had is almost gone. You people spreading the negative about this stuff should really try it first before you bad mouth it, this stuff is incredible and I will contiue to drink it!!!

Missy, Buena Park, CA
June 18, 2008 12:06pm

Mike, please post proof that MonaVie is comparable to a whole food rich in antioxidants, and I will begin to take your claims seriously.

Missy, how long have you been a MonaVie distributor?

Steve Loeffelholz, Iowa City, IA
June 18, 2008 2:18pm

First of all as I said I bought my MonaVie off of ebay and I am not a distributor. I would like to ask you Steve, have you tried MonaVie? I also would be interested to know how you can be so critical if you have not tried it! I found this site upon accident and have read the postings and listened to all that analize but of all those that have ripped MonaVie apart for it's contents have those actually tried it. You don't have to be a distributor to drink MonaVie, and I certainly did not pay $40.00 for what I bought.

Missy, Buena Park, CA
June 18, 2008 2:34pm

Mike, I am not mad at you at all for being incapable of debating honestly – it is what it is; not everyone has the ability or the ammunition. The simple fact is that the articles you posted say nothing about Monavie; they merely argue that taking an AO supplement might be beneficial, and if that’s true, it makes a case for inexpensive multivitamins, not Monavie. It’s s shame that you find it so difficult to grasp this rather obvious and inescapable conclusion.

You have been challenged to produce some reasonable justification for why we should buy Monavie at $40 rather than a 10-cent per day multivitamin, or any other inexpensive AO rich juice and so far you’ve produced nothing to support your arguments.

When the so-called “scientific rationale” for Monavie is rightly questioned (and toppled), you guys always revert back to the tried and true lie of claiming that your overpriced fruit punch cures cancer (e.g. Missy’s claim that her “lump” went away – most would infer that she meant a tumor and not the lump of money that was in her pocket before she squandered it on Monavie).

If I ever caught one of you lying PREDATORS trying to sell this crap fraud snake oil juice to anyone with cancer in my family or circle of friends, you’d find out what I’m really like when I’m mad. I would bury you!

If the distributors hate us for saying that the tooth fairy doesn’t really exist, then so be it. But sooner or later we all have to grow up and get past our childish delusions.

Mendel, San Diego, CA
June 18, 2008 2:50pm

Mendel,

Relax and drink some MonaVie. You need something to loosen the uptight colon that you have. The point of MonaVie is to share a juice that has helped them feel better. Not every MLM is a lie and not all distributors lie about what it does for them. And by the way, threatening people is a crime. Chill out, you live near the beach.

TAS, Bay Area
June 18, 2008 4:34pm

Hey Mendel, I would say that you must have gotten ripped off or burnt by a "snake oil distributor" to be so passionate on this blog and attack and threaten all that disagree with your statements. Threatening to "bury" someone over a MonaVie drink, that's a bit irrational!! MonaVie is a personal choice for anyone that cares to try it and I really don't believe that your words matter to anyone that has actually tried it or is taking it, because you either can't afford it or perhaps you were a Amway distributor that couldn't cut it and lost your "lump" of money. You should try MonaVie and then perhaps your statements might have meaning. Try it and then maybe your empty words will be heard!!!

Missy, Buena Park, CA
June 18, 2008 4:34pm

Sheesh. You guys will continue to lie and say whatever you hope will help you to recover some of your foolish investment. Eventually you'll get tired of banging your head against the wall and take it as a lesson hard learned. Meanwhile Dallin Larsen is spending your money; he's been making suckers out of people for many years.

Eric Schulman, Corona, CA
June 18, 2008 4:42pm

Missy, I do not “attack" or "threaten" all those who disagree with my statements”; I only attack the faulty logic behind Monavie, and I do so because it is so thoroughly contradicted by plain facts and commonsense.

It is not irrational at all to threaten to “bury” someone who tries to peddle fruit punch as a cancer cure to one’s friends and family. Idiotic self-serving advice like this, aside from being ILLEGAL, can KILL people. Do you not understand that? Telling people that Monavie can cure cancer is criminally irresponsible.

You Monavie cheerleaders undermine your own credibility, demonstrate a lack of ethics, and further tarnish the reputation of your product when you say that I have an uptight colon, must be a disgruntled ex-Amway vendor, and that I just need to relax.

And why go so far out on yet another limb by naively assuming that I haven't tried Monavie -- in fact I have.

Dallin Larsen understands one tried and true concept very well: “nobody ever went broke underestimating the intelligence of the American public”. He helped to swindle people with Royal Tongan Limu Juice and now he’s doing it all over again with Monavie, and he really didn’t have to change a bloody thing except the name on the bottle. And amazingly, some people, even when told about this, stick their heads back in the sand and still proclaim Monavie to be a miracle. Wake up!

Mendel, San Diego, CA
June 18, 2008 6:39pm

Ok Eric, I am glad you have taken it upon yourself to save people from fraudulent health products. What are your qualifications for this? How do you decide if a product is deserving of the great "Eric stamp of approval"?

To Steve: You asked me to post proof that Monavie is comparable to whole foods rich in AO's. Read the label....thats whats in the bottle, and it has been tested for antioxidants after it has been processed (last stage right before it is bottled).

Ahhh....Now to Mendel. I new your true colors would eventually shine through. Now you are going to "bury" us PREDATORS!! Hilarious. Our resident Antioxidant "expert" is now a full fledged bad ass who is gonna start whoopin the ass of all us sorry ass Monavie drinkers. I love the message forum tough guys. There a scary bunch.

You are obviously mad at the MLM part of Monavie, and thats fine. Its not for everybody. But you cant change the fact that some people are seeing positive changes with there health when drinking Monavie. As I mentioned, the chronic back pain that my doctor couldnt figure out is gone since I started drinking Monavie. As hard as that is for you to believe, it is true.

Mike, Bakersfield, Ca
June 18, 2008 10:48pm

Mike, a lot of valid criticism has been raised here and you have tried to duck all of it without bringing any worthwhile facts to the table. Now you are straying from the issues at hand and making snide ad hominem attacks instead. That’s a pretty clear indication that you have nothing more to add to this debate.

I have to strongly question the ethics of anyone who condones distributor’s hawking fruit juice to people as a cancer cure. If anyone were to be hurt as a result, I would wish to see them prosecuted for criminal negligence.

Mendel, San Diego, CA
June 19, 2008 7:23am

Mike, you say that MonaVie has been tested for antioxidants. Are there values available? What company did the testing? Was the testing done using ORAC/TEAC methods or was a different method used? Can you link me to the paper? You didn't provide a single fact or source relating to the antioxidant content of MonaVie, and somehow you thought you answered my question and smugly began to insult others who are questioning you. Who is acting childish now?

While looking for the ingredients in MonaVie, I found the same thing I found before. It is made from freeze dried acai powder and fruit juice concentrates. Throw in some natural flavors, citric acid, and some preservatives and there is MonaVie. How exactly does that qualify as a whole food? Sounds like I would actually be getting a better product by buying Juicy Juice which is certified to be 100% juice (the FDA even allows them to put that on the bottle).

Missy, if I began to tout the healing powers of heroine, would you run out and smoke some heroine to make sure that I wasn't lying. It is pretty expensive and others say it won't work, but I think it does. If you haven't smoked heroine before, you can't dispute what I am saying. Go smoke some heroine and then maybe I will start to listen to you.

All I did above is replace "drink MonaVie" with "smoke heroine". Do you now see how ridiculous that looks and why we aren't exactly impressed with that line of argument?

Steve Loeffelholz, Iowa City, IA
June 19, 2008 8:15am

It is apparent that some folks on here do not have a life and have spent days on here spreading the word that MonaVie is a form of "snakeoil" and that their claims of a cure for cancer are false. I have yet to figure out why you guys are in this argument but at this point it all appears very childish and I choose not to be part of it. I would only hope that the passion expressed here by all of you is equally shared in the surroundings of the USA and the economy crisis that we are all facing, we could sure use this passion and expressions that you all have to plead our case for something more that matters then MonaVie. Have a great life Gentlemen, and I hope that all of you get some kind of life going for yourselves other then hiding behind this screen and bad mouthing a fruit drink.....

Missy, Buena Park, CA
June 19, 2008 9:02am

This timely article, published just yesterday in the Washington Post, is a foreshadowing of what is to become of Monavie.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/06/17/AR2008061701274.html

Pay particular attention to the part where they refer to the selling of snakeoil to cancer patients as "a cruel form of greed".

Mendel, San Diego, CA
June 19, 2008 9:46am

MONA VIE

DRINK IT*FEEL IT*SHARE IT

MONA VIE THE DRINK FOR THOSE THAT CARE ABOUT THEIR BODIES!!!

Linda, Prescott, AZ
June 19, 2008 10:21am

Mendel, I actually agree with you. Snide comments and attacks are usually a sign that a person has nothing else worth while to add to the debate. However if you go back and read the posts, it is you doing the attacking. I never threatened to "bury" anybody, you did.

Also, you keep talking to me about the ethics of people who try to sell this as a cure to cancer. PLEASE SHOW ME WHERE I EVER SAID OR EVEN INFERED THAT MONAVIE CURES CANCER. It never happened, nore would it ever.

Its obvious you have nothing left to add and have become frustrated. Your latest posts are mostly just unwaranted attacks and outright lies.

Steve- Please read this article about the opti-acai processing method. This is what is in Monavie. It has an ORAC rating of over 1,000.

http://www.naturalnews.com/021032.html

There is alot of information out there about the antioxidant levels of Acai and other fruits, just look around. If you chose not to believe it, then great, go buy some Juicy Juice.

BTW, Monavie is a whole food. The seeds, pulp, and skin are used in making Monavie.

Mike, Bakersfield, Ca
June 19, 2008 12:16pm

I am not asking for the ORAC rating of a powder,or of the acai berry. I am asking for the ORAC value of MonaVie. The article didn't even give the amount of the powder that was tested to yield the ORAC value. Was it one ounce of freeze dried fruit or one pound? Then the obvious next question becomes just how much of this powder is present in each bottle of MonaVie? Or the company could just allow an independent researcher to test ORAC values on the juice itself,but they refuse to do that. Doesn't it bother you at all that even the producer does not want its product to undergo thorough scientific testing.

It is true that you have never said MonaVie could cure cancer. It is also true that such a statement would be ridiculous. You have,however,claimed that MonaVie can cure skin rashes,back pain,and help with diabetes. By now if you claimed that MonaVie can cure cancer,I wouldn't be surprised at all. By the way,before you go around making such claims,perhaps you should read what the MonaVie corporation has to say on the topic.

https://www.monavievo.com/corporate/documents/Top%2015%20FAQs_4-14-08.pdf

Question five should be of interest to you,but if you don't even know that,perhaps the entire document will be helpful.

You seem to not understand that information about the acai berry and antioxidants do not apply to MonaVie until it is proven that the juice has a significant amount of antioxidants. Even then they need to prove that large amounts of antioxidants are beneficial.

Steve Loeffelholz, Iowa City, IA
June 19, 2008 1:09pm

Very interesting posts here. I caution everyone though on copy and pasting referred too sites here, I just tried one from Mendel that my computer warned me could have a possible virus. FYI, I believe that the MonaVie company is in the process of coming out with a new product in the next few months, this new product is backed and approved by the FDA and it will be released as being able to cure heart disease with yet another berry.
I find this interesting because Bob Barefoot w/his Coral Calcium tried to make healing claims and the feds shut him down big time, yet Mona Vie doesn't seem to be having any legal issues with the making and distribution of their product, and now the FDA is behind them.

Sharon, Lincoln, Nebraska
June 19, 2008 1:59pm

Sharon, which link are you claiming gave you a virus message? I suspect the problem is with your computer and not the link.

The FDA does not approve supplements but they do approve drugs. If Monavie has FDA approval pending for one of their products, which is impossible to believe, they would have had to file a new drug application with the FDA and submitted published phase 1, 2, and 3 clinical trials on efficacy and safety. No such studies have ever been published so your claim is dubious to say the least.

If Monavie were having legal issues with the FDA, you would most likely hear about it only after they were fined and/or shut down. If the FDA simply sent out a violation enforcement notice, you would never know.

Mendel, San Diego, CA
June 19, 2008 3:41pm

The MonaVie corporation has not gotten into trouble with the FDA? The following letter from the FDA to the corporation seems to kill that theory.

http://www.fda.gov/cder/warn/cyber/2007/UTVokes.pdf

The only reason that they have not yet gotten into big trouble with the FDA (ie. being shut down) is because they are now infinitely careful to not make any claims about their product. They even make sure to tell their distributors that they are not able to do this to cover themselves legally. Now when a distributor makes wild, unproven claims about the healing powers of MonaVie, the distributor, not the company, is violating the law. They are very careful to give all kinds of information about acai berries and antioxidants without claiming that the juice itself can do anything.

After a quick search, I was unable to find anything about a new MonaVie product backed by the FDA. If you could provide more information or perhaps a link to where you are getting this information, I would be willing to look into this claim.

The FDA is far from being "behind" the MonaVie corporation. They are currently leaving them alone because they are on the edge between legal and illegal. It is much more likely (especially with Dallin Larsen at the head of the company) that the FDA is waiting for them to make a large enough misstep that they can take legal action against them.

Steve Loeffelholz, Iowa City, IA
June 19, 2008 3:57pm

There are 1027 ORAC units per gram of freeze dried Acai using the opti-acai patented method. Seeing as this is the first ingredient listed on the label, it has to by law be the most abundant ingredient in the bottle. The "exact" amount? I dont know. But whatever the "exact" amount is, it is much more than I am getting through my regular diet.

Once again Steve I am not saying Monavie CURES anything. I continue to say that and you continue to make remarks that I am claiming cures. I think you need to work on your reading comprehension. Why dont you read question #2 from the link you posted. I dont sell or distribute Monavie, and I am free to share the facts about my improved health with people if I please.

You havent ever used a product, seen the benefit in it and then told someone else about it? Ofcourse you have, everyone has, and there is nothing illegal about it.

Mike, Bakersfield, Ca
June 19, 2008 4:00pm

An ORAC of 1027 per gram dried acai would mean that the whole acai (which is 90% to 95% water) would be about 1/10 or less of that; in other words an ORAC below 100. This is far below the ORAC of many other fruits.

More importantly, if no one can tell us how much of that dried acai extract there is in Monavie, then the ORAC score is meaningless.

A distributor who claims that Monavie cures diseases is breaking the law; a non-distributor who makes the same claim is just a fool.

It seems to me that anyone who is on this forum making highly dubious claims about Monavie having curative properties is in all likelihood a distributor, whether they admit to it or not.

Mendel, San Diego, CA
June 19, 2008 4:40pm

It appears that you all seem to have all the answers and I must say after reading the posts again that they are very negative regarding anything that MonaVie is doing now and in the future. My only comment and last comment is that we will just have to wait and see what the future of MonaVie brings for all that believe and don't believe. As for FDA approval, I was under the understanding that most of the vitamins, etc. under some sort of regulation by the FDA, i'm sure that you will prove that wrong but I have other things to do with my time then debate the issues here. As I said, wait and see with the MonaVie.

Sharon, Lincoln, Nebraska
June 20, 2008 9:12am

Sharon, you said specifically that Monavie was coming out with a new product "to cure heart disease" and that it is "backed and approved by the FDA". Such nonsense is part of the reason why people have a negative opinion of Monavie.

The FDA does not "back" products ever; they grant FDA "approval" to “drugs” (not fruit juices or dietary supplements) that have passed stringent safety and efficacy testing. If someone told you this story about Monavie's FDA-approved agent to cure heart disease, they were lying to you; or perhaps you just concocted this story yourself.

And you failed to back up your claim that I provided a link to a virus, or did you invent that story too.

Mendel, San Diego, CA
June 20, 2008 9:37am

For some reason you seem to think that just because you never used the word "cure", you never made any claims. You clearly stated that one week after you began drinking MonaVie your back pain was gone. You say this because you are implying that drinking the juice got rid of (cured, mitigated, what-have-you) your back pain. You didn't mention if you ate ice cream a week before your pain went away, or if you ate lots of broccoli. You specifically talked about MonaVie, because you are trying to imply that it has powers beyond that of a normal juice. Why not just come out and say what you mean? Do you believe that MonaVie is the reason that your back pain went away?

Acai is the first ingredient listed in the ingredients of MonaVie. Seeing that there are 19 ingredients listed, the acai berry could make up no more than 7% of the actual product and it would still appear first on the list. Without an actual amount contained in the juice (grams, grams per unit volume, etc) the ORAC data for the powder is useless. I will ask a simple question again. If the corporation is so sure that their juice would have a fantastic ORAC score, why not let an independent company test the juice. They could then (legally) print their fantastic ORAC value on every bottle which could boost sales and hush up anyone who doubted the antioxidant superiority of the juice.

Then they are only left with the daunting task of proving that the antioxidants are actually beneficial.

Steve Loeffelholz, Iowa City, IA
June 22, 2008 9:49am

I think the claims of the powers of anti-oxidants are based on telomeres themselves being vulnerable to oxidation; but that said, the idea that drinking an 'anti-oxidant' will only positively effect you is misleading according to the relevant studies listed above. It reminds me of the claims that drinking wheatgrass (or whathaveyou) will somehow help you because it has O2 in it (it doesn't)... as if there is somehow a direct line from your stomach to your cells for O2.

eric thorn, Seoul, ROK
June 22, 2008 9:59pm

I can appreciate your knowledge and the time it took to do all your studies on these products. I can assure you that Monavie is NOT claiming that it cures anything. Understand the process of this juice. Monavie interupts the aging process. It doesn't "cure" anything but I've personally had so much success with this product that really everyone should be drinking it. Even if you don't believe what your hearing about Monavie I would encourage you to go out and get on this Monavie for a month and see for yourself. Face the facts. Monavie has been around for just over 3 years and they just reported their first Billion in sales. That makes them on track to exceed more sales this year than Ebay and Amazon.com. I don't think it's because people are getting scammed. I truly don't. Weather you agree with this product or not, it's coming out of the woodwork and there is no stopping it because it is THAT good and people love it. Lastly, please obtain knowledge about this MLM Compensation Plan and really understand it. You'll find the only real way to earn money doing this is to help others make money first. It's called the New Generation Binary Plan and there is nothing like it anywhere. Also check out Monavie Testimonials on youtube. It's the product you've been looking for all along...you just don't know it yet. Thanks again for allowing this blog.

Joe Walters, Grand Rapids, MI
June 23, 2008 12:43pm

What do you mean “Monavie is NOT claiming that it cures anything”. Do you mean that the company does not “officially” make such claims? So what? A significant number of distributors, whose paychecks have Monavie LLC’s name on them, are making precisely these kinds of claims that you assure us the company isn’t making. Who cares whether the illegal and deceptive claims come from corporate or from their employees; they are being made nonetheless. Profiteering from a product that is being illegally sold as a cure for cancer is one of the lowest forms of exploitation I can think of.

The volume of Monavie sales, even if the billion dollar figure you quoted is accurate (and it can’t be independently confirmed because Monavie LLC is not a publicly-traded company), it doesn’t mean that the claims about the product are true or that it delivers reasonable value. Do you have any idea how much stock Enron sold before the scam the executives were running was exposed? Did you know that a pyramid scheme nearly bankrupted the economy of Albania a few years back because so many gullible citizens had bought in to the scam?

As for your comment that Monavie “interrupts the aging process”: (a) it doesn’t, and (b) this is the type of completely unsupported claim that makes most rational people laugh and roll their eyes. Promote Monavie honestly or don’t sell it at all. Engrave that message on a plaque, hang it over your computer, and consider it carefully.

Mendel, San Diego, CA
June 23, 2008 1:16pm

Mendel:
I have been reading the testimonials on the blog, and I am curious about your comments and statements. Is it that you believe that MonaVie does not have the antitoxiants in it that it claims, the juice is just a cover for a pyramid scam, i'm not sure I understand your take on this. Even after people that are taking it and have posted the different results that they are experiencing how can you say MonaVie is a scam when people are actually experiencing results? How do you explain that? Or is it your quest to write on her and challenge all that are letting others know that MonaVie did work for them.

Candy, Riverside,CA
June 23, 2008 3:49pm

Hmmm. I don’t see where there is any ambiguity in what I’ve said. First, Monavie doesn’t make claims about the antioxidants it contains – neither the type nor the amount. They only talk about what acai itself contains. So I guess the answer to your question would be yes, sort of – I don’t believe that Monavie contains the antioxidants in is IMPLIED to contain. Second, is it just a cover for a pyramid scam? Call it what you will – MLM, Ponzi, or pyramid – either way, yes, it is a scam. What else would you call a $42 bottle of fruit punch that desperate, ignorant people are illegally pushing as a cure for cancer?

I also don’t see where there is any ambiguity regarding the lack of value of anonymous testimonials for a product like Monavie. Nobody in their right mind should be impressed by these farfetched claims, and the people who post them should realize this simple fact. Anonymous testimonials are NEVER regarded as reliable evidence of anything; not in science, medicine, or a court of law. Furthermore, such claims may be coming from someone who is unreliable (we have no way of knowing), who may be drawing an incorrect conclusion, experiencing a placebo effect, or just lying to sell more Monavie. It’s also scandalous that some distributors are illegally claiming effects such as cancer cures, while the company turns a blind eye to it.

This is all so obvious that I’m surprised the questions even had to be asked.

Mendel, San Diego, CA
June 23, 2008 9:28pm

None should make such claims I agree. You've made a great point. Its makes no sense to get all worked up about it though. The lack of integrity and character in the worlds work force is evident everywhere. You certainly can't be waking up to this fact. Secondly, educate yourself on the Compensation Plan before it's labeled a pyramid scam. Your downline can make more money than 100 people above them. It's a true paid for performance system. Let's not forget Corporate America is the biggest "legalized" pyramid because we volunteer to this system. Can a person make more money than their CEO? Don't think so. It's not set up that way. Look, we all have an opinion but you may just have to buy a month supply of this stuff and see for yourself. Your out a few bucks but it's worth all of our time we're loosing posting this blog.
Either way, a lot of people are experiencing many success with this product and it's obvious they are sharing those successes with others. I know how you feel Mandel, I was a skeptic too. But here is what I found. I started drinking this functional fruit beverage and I was getting results I never expected. I'm a believer! Getting good sleep back after many years is worth it to me. Last thing I want to do is get on sleeping medication.
You've made some great points Mandel but remember this:
People who attack others only prove they have reached a limit of their logic. Lastly, If a wary distributor tells you to jump off a bridge, please don't do it!

Joe, Grand Rapids
June 24, 2008 7:35am

Mendell:
So if I understand you correctly your opinion about Monavie is that anyone who takes it or distributes it, is an idiot. And those that have shared their results from drinking MonaVie are liers or not of "their right mind". You also go on to say that only those that are desperate and ignorant would distribute this product or be involved with the makers of MonaVie. I guess my question to you is what gives you the superiority to sit in judgement and be an authority on MonaVie, the people that drink it, make it, or distribute it? I guess one could say that your testimonials are also not a reliable source or evidence of anything because you apparently have not tried MonaVie. On a postive would it not be amazing if MonaVie is actually all that it says that it is and people could get off their meds that are killing them with toxic posion and feel better and live longer? Or perhaps your writings are just to keep this blog going? I am not quite sure what you purpose is to spread your negative opions about MonaVie. Life is a personal choice and i'm sure that although I read this blog, you really have no influenece over me or if I were to choose to try MonaVie.

Candy, Riverside,CA
June 24, 2008 10:10am

I suggest that you stick to the FACTS and not try to make this an argument about personalities. I also suggest that you read my posts carefully and take care to not misquote me. My comment about “desperate and ignorant distributors” was specifically in reference to those who make deceptive/illegal claims about Monavie curing cancer (or any other disease for that matter). This was stated without ambiguity and, as such, it is dishonest to imply that I was making a blanket statement about all distributors. It’s equally dishonest for to suggest that the facts I provided equate to a testimonial. They clearly do not. Unlike testimonials, facts can be independently verified by anyone who wishes to do so.

You are also wrong in assuming that I have not tried Monavie. I already said that I have tried it.

As for the possibility of Monavie curing diseases, it be would be wonderful (although incredibly unlikely) if it were true, but if it were, it would have to be demonstrated in clinical studies, not parroted through unverifiable testimonials.

Nobody here is arguing about the right to make personal choices; we are discussing the scientific validity of the product and the claims made about its effects and value. If you want to throw your money down the toilet, go ahead -- but expect some pushback if you try to persuade others to follow your example.

Mendel, San Diego, CA
June 24, 2008 12:30pm

I do apologized if I have offended you, however I do believe that I was sticking to the facts and tried to respond to your posting as I understood it. As for being argumentative or perhaps a conflict of personalities I would only concur that if anyone were to disagree with your postings of "facts" as you post them, then that party is not understanding correctly what you have written. I also did not see the posting that you had tried MonaVie and for this error I stand corrected. It is apparent that you have all the answers, and that this has become your personal debate blog on the product of Mona Vie. There are several that post to the benefits of MonaVie, tried and true and there are few that agree with you. For one that is reading these blogs I would say that the positives of MonaVie outweigh your constant negative responses. Make it a great day!!!

Candy, Riverside,CA
June 24, 2008 3:11pm

Candy, the efficacy of supplements is established through clinical trials, not through the highly improbable claims of its distributors.

Until MonaVie allows it product to be tested (and there's no reason they ever would) you will have no luck convincing critically minded people.

I hope you are able to recoup your foolish investment in Dallin Larsen's latest pyramid scheme. I suggest you just put your remaining bottles on eBay and take it as a lesson hard learned.

Eric Schulman, Corona, CA
June 24, 2008 3:23pm

What part of “don’t trust testimonials” is so hard to understand? The idea that MLM fruit juice can treat diseases is absurd, and even if 100 anonymous posts claimed miraculous benefits, it still would not be convincing for the many obvious reasons I outlined already. Consumer health protection groups in the U.S. advise us to not rely on testimonials; in fact, they say that this is a likely red flag of a fraudulent product. They are not out to get Monavie; they are merely trying to educate and protect consumers against fraud. It is myopic for Monavie distributors to expect the public to believe highly implausible stories from anonymous sources on the Internet as opposed to the unbiased advice of experts who, unlike the distributors, have nothing to gain monetarily.

My advice is that, rather than posting testimonials, you prove these claims in some way. If someone under medical care had a miraculous cure that was attributable to Monavie, their physician would probably want to see the case documented in a medical journal, and other scientists would want to launch large-scale clinical trials. If bottled juice cured cancer, then anonymous testimonials would not be the way to share the information. It would also be unethical and irresponsible to not scientifically validate such claims so that millions of patients could be cured. Responsible and ethical people would take these necessary steps BEFORE making fantastic claims. Monavie distributors do not.

Mendel, San Diego, CA
June 24, 2008 5:27pm

Candy, there at least a couple major flaws in your logic. You assume that because more of the people on this thread are giving anecdotal positive testimonials about MonaVie, they must be the ones who are right. This couldn't be farther from the truth. I can show you threads where the vast majority of people believe that the US government is being run by reptiles, we never landed on the moon, 9/11 was an inside job, a foot massage can cure anything from colds to cancer, magnets heal people, crystals heal people, enemas heal people, etc (and I could go on).

People trying to sell quackery are almost always very vocal just to spread word about their pet theory, this is far from making them right. People like Mendel, Eric, and I who have the patience to deal with the quackery advocates are few and far between.

Also, the reason that so many supporters have come is gone is that it eventually comes down to put-up-or-shut-up. When that happens, they don't give any evidence that anything they have said is remotely true. They simply say something along the lines of "I can believe what I want to believe and nothing you say can change that" or call us negative, childish, and tell us to get a life.

I understand that you don't want to take our word as final, and that is good. Go out there and look to see if you can find an actual study that shows MonaVie has any curative power. My guess is that you will find little more than piles of useless testimonials.

Steve Loeffelholz, Iowa City, IA
June 24, 2008 11:14pm

People don't have issues going to Starbuck's each day for their Latte, smoking a pack of cigs, grabbing fast food at lunch and then hitting the bars at night. (all of which create a very healthy lifestyle).
Monavie averages around $4.50/day by comparison. Why is it that Doctor's recommend 3-5 servings of fruits per day? Because their involved in a pyramid scheme and they get a kick back?

The cancer treatments that are used even today have not been approved either. Saves a lot of lives though. Who would think putting large amounts of poison in our bodies to kill cancer would be such a "good" thing. 1 in 2 men and 1 in 3 woman will get some form of cancer. Of course, do you believe if there was a cure for cancer the world would know? Heck no, look at how much money is made by cancer treatments.

Companies aren't going to disclose exact measurements of their products obviously because too many will just go out and create their own to compete.

Monavie along with the exact ratios in it's contents matters nothing to me. But at the same time if it can be used as a preventative for my future health then I'm all for it.

I personally know too many people that take it and are getting huge results. Who cares what the ORAC value is exactly. We all agreee it's up there on the scale. I take an occasional aspirin but I have not a clue what's in it. So what?

No matter the product, your job,or the clothes on your back you will always have critics lined up to throw stones.

Joe Walters, Grand Rapids, MI
June 25, 2008 9:33am

Joe, so many inaccuracies, nonsensical statements, and red herrings, I don’t even know where to begin to address them all.

1. SBUX, cigarettes, and fast food aren’t relevant to our discussion. People may waste $$ on these things, but that doesn’t mean that it’s reasonable to waste even more $$ on Monavie. The question isn’t whether people can dig up $4.50/day, but why they should give it over to some Monavie huckster.

2. You stated incorrectly that “the cancer treatments that are used even today have not been approved either”. In fact, there are many FDA-approved cancer treatments. It helps no one when you throw out such unfounded opinions.

3. Non-disclosure about ingredients in Monavie has NOTHING to do with protecting the formula; it’s only to deceive consumers. If Coca-Cola or Pfizer wanted to make a Monavie knock off they could easily figure out something as simple as the ratio of 19 fruit juices. We’re not talking about a formula for cold fusion or converting lead into gold – it’s FRUIT JUICE for crying out loud.

4. You’re right; I don’t really care about ORAC scores, but the distributors say we should, and for that reason, they need to back up their claims and not just toss BS at us.

5. Yes, lots of products have critics. That doesn’t mean that the criticism isn’t valid; it often is.

6. Monavie can’t be legally promoted as a “preventive” for any disease, nor is there any reason to think that it could have such an effect.

Mendel, San Diego, CA
June 25, 2008 10:55am

I told you before it's too bad that some people out there are making such claims with regards to the word "cure" if that's their foundation as a distributor. I agreed with you. This is what the Disclosure Statement Reads:

Disclaimer: Concerning Health benefits from MonaVie----MonaVie is not a medicine or does not claim to cure any disease. However---we receive frequent testimonies every week of how the 19 fruits in MonaVie has dramatically helped people to improve their health. When you get the right nutrition, many times, health issues take care of themselves.

Monavie is a Functional Food. It's not Juicy Juice. It's function is the nature of it's contents of these 19 fruits all of which have a great story behind them. The acai berry doesn't even contain "juice".

My point is that when it comes to health and prevention, it doesn't matter to folks until they are in a situation where it does matter. Why wait to give up smoking when you finally get lung cancer?

If you want to become an advocate on something serious try tackling the obesity in this country because your passion to "educate" the less informed population of America will surely listen to someone who has more debate skills than answers.

Attacking a few distributors about something they may or may not have said is your opinion.
There is data that supports the Nutritional value of fruit.

Sounds like you've been burned a bunch of times with some bad business decisions and your still stewing.

Joe Walters, Grand Rapids, MI
June 25, 2008 12:38pm

A victim of Dallin Larsen's latest pyramid scheme accusing a critic of being "burned by bad business decisions." If that's not the pot calling the kettle black, I don't know what is!!

Eric Schulman, Corona, CA
June 25, 2008 1:02pm

Precisely. There "is data that supports the nutritional value of fruit"...there just isn’t any that supports the nutritional value of Monavie, let alone any that would justify the absurdly high cost of Monavie.

I don't know what value this disclaimer you posted is supposed to have; it is painfully obvious that many Monavie distributors are completely ignoring it.

And are you aware that it is no less illegal for distributors to claim that Monavie "prevents" diseases that it is to say that it "cures" them. Both types of claims, explicit or implicit, are prohibited by the 1994 Dietary Supplement Health and Education Act and by the U.S. Code of Federal Regulations (CFR).

Regulations aside, there is no evidence that Monavie prevents anything. All there is are farfetched testimonials that have no value other than to reinforce the already widely held notion that Monavie is a scam and a complete waste of money.

I think it’s more than a tad presumptuous for you to try to direct me on which topics I should or should not be commenting on. If I want to comment on Monavie instead of obesity, that's my prerogative.

Nor is it reasonable for you to speculate that I made "bad business decisions" and am "still stewing". This is the last resort of a fool who has run out of things to say. I earn an excellent living, and my work doesn't involve hustling money from little old ladies and desperate cancer patients.

Mendel, San Diego, CA
June 25, 2008 1:23pm

I see that your rage continues Mendel for anyone that actaully says that they are feeling any kind of positive results from MonaVie.

Sherry, Lincoln, Nebr
June 25, 2008 1:37pm

Your back peddling now???? So, we agree that Fruit has nutritional value is that not correct? You are naming Monavie as a fruit drink are you not?

I'm unaware of the difference between the two. You've even posted how much the cost of fruits that you buy on this blog. Add up the 5-9 servings or whatever your doctor recommends for a daily serving and multiply that by days in the week. Fact is your getting fruits in this bottle that you can't find in the stores.

It's just as presumptuous that you would rant because not everyone in this world would find your talents and abilities in the world of business and nutrition to be the bible regardless of their personal experience with the product.

Maybe you find that Speedstick doesn't work well for you because you still stink day after day by using it doesn't necessarily mean it's a bad product.

Maybe you just plain stink is all.

We all have opinions that we can all post in todays world and I can be one of them. Doesn't mean you'll agree with any of them and that's okay. Mine will make more sense to me than yours as will be yours.

Who gives a hoot if your making an excellent living anyway.

A majority of the population that take this product are getting results when it comes to nutrition.
Until you yourself come up with such an idea no one will care.

That's like complaining about who is President and you didn't even vote.

Joe Walters, Grand Rapids, MI
June 25, 2008 2:03pm

So if the FDA approves it then it's OK? What a joke there are 1000's of drugs out there that the FDA has approved that are actually killing people, and keeping them sick. The only reason that the FDA approves anything is because the drug companies, hospitals and doctors all work hand in hand to get money off more drugs. There are herbs that cure people all the time that the FDA tries to shut these people down for the very same reason that others would bad mouth MonaVie and that it might actually work because corporate America isn't getting any money off of it. I suppose that you believe that there is no cure for cancer too????? Why would the FDA cure it when so many of them are getting rich off of it??? It costs millions to get FDA approval, there are herbs and vitamins sold everyday that are not FDA approved yet people are experiencing health results from it, and as far as a foot massage curing anything, I have seen little kids with MS not able to walk that through nerve therapy in the feet be able to walk without cruthces. There are alternatives that work and the results have been seen, and it's not FDA approved.

Sherry, Lincoln, Nebr
June 25, 2008 2:51pm

Not back pedaling at all Joe. We’ve acknowledged all along that a diet rich in fruit and vegetables is beneficial. However, what we dispute, and with good reason, is the idea that drinking a 2-4 ounce shot of Monavie every day is in any way equivalent to a diet rich in fruit and vegetables. That sort of claim defies logic. Any other 100% pure juice is considered to provide a single serving when consumed in amounts of about 6 oz. If Monavie somehow found away to defy the laws of physics and condense 5 to 9 servings in a single 4 ounce shot (an extraordinary claim), then the onus is on them to prove it -- and they haven’t even come close to doing so. Nor have they come close to justifying why it would be in any consumer’s best interest to shell out several thousand dollars a year for Monavie when they can buy the real thing for less money, spend the money on something with proven effectiveness/value, or simply put in a savings account. My medical co-pays and prescription drug costs don’t come anywhere close to the annual cost of Monavie, but maybe that’s because I’m not relying on MLM fruit punch to keep me healthy.

Joe: “Who gives a hoot if your making an excellent living anyway”.
Reply: You were the one who took the low blow in the first place, or don't you recall saying “it sounds like you've been burned a bunch of times with some bad business decisions and your still stewing”. By the way, a friendly grammatical reminder -- it’s “you’re” not “your”.

Mendel, San Diego, CA
June 25, 2008 3:09pm

I've been on THE JUICE for 3 months now. 24 years of age... extremely healthy and never have taken that for granted. At a very young age I was involved in a bad accident. All I remember was waking up in a hospital bed with something extremely heavy and hard wrapped around my left leg… a cast. An active 12 year old with a cast… no thanks. Two weeks later removed the cast myself at home… time to roller blade and play football again; did some major damage to my leg… a second operation was performed. 10 years later, sleepless nights in the winter, I can latterly tell when its going to snow DON’T ASK HOW?? Ask a doctor!!! Sleepless nights in the summer (my four year old daughter finds her way to my bed in the middle of the night and her feet sometimes find their way into my mouth, what a blessing ). After 10 years of carefully watching what I do during the day, NO sports, NO running, NO biking, NO standing too long, NO swimming, etc. I finally consulted a doctor to find out what was wrong with my leg. After several testing (bone scan, nerve test, etc.) nothing showed up to explain what was wrong with my leg. Then the doc tells me I have Fibromyalgia. Fibro who??? Yea… that’s what I said. He recommended several meds (anti-inflammatory and antidepressants) but they all had side affects which I rather not deal with, I can put up with the sleepless nights as long as I can have joyful days WITH NO side affects. I enjoy playing with my little girl too much for side affects. TO CONTINUE>

NOT IMPORTANT, Reading, PA
June 25, 2008 10:47pm

No thanks. Several months ago, a buddy of mine introduced me to MonaVie. SIDE NOTE: THIS WILL BE MY 1ST AND LAST POST. A GOOD FRIEND OF MINE TOLD ME ABOUT THIS BLOG AND ASKED ME TO SHARE MY STORY. Two weeks of drinking THE JUICE and my daughter and I were running from one neighbors yard to another with no worries of how I planned to sleep that night. As for sleeping… … all I can say is MV4LIFE. I asked another doc/nutritionist about this and he shared that 70% of aches and pain come from lack of nutrition. Get the right nutrition in your body and your body will take care of itself basically… and for those DETAILED people "the antioxidants and micronutrients in the fruit (which are contained in MV) help to heal toiling cell membranes which help improve our cell communication and metabolism which lead to better tissue health." I never asked my mother why she forced me to eat my greens… she gave me no choice, why… because she was never given a choice. We need the right stuff in our body and all I can say is "Thanks MV for providing the right FRUITS my body was calling for" SIDE NOTE 2: MY MOTHER, WHO FORCED THE GREENS, SHE HAS BEEN ON HIGH BLOOD PRESSURE MEDS FOR 10+ YEARS. LAST WEEK, SHE TOOK HER LAST PILL. therosesettlement@yahoo.com PLEASE KEEP OPINIONS TO YOURSELF. THANKS.

REALLY NOT IMPORANT, Reading, PA
June 25, 2008 10:52pm

S-N-A-K-E-O-I-L!

Mendel, San Diego, CA
June 26, 2008 7:25am

Such a slew of misinformation, I don't know where to start.

Sherry, you seem to think that "effective" herbal remedies are being hindered by the medical community. This could not be further from the truth. Whenever an herbal seems to be effective, the medical industry is the first to try to benefit from it. Once red yeast rice was seen to have an effect on cholesterol, actual research was done to see why. The molecule responsible was purified, marketed, and is now one of the best selling/most effective drugs on the market (statins). Quinine was found in the bark of a tree, purified, and used to treat malaria. When an herbal works, the medical community is eager to find out why. When it doesn't, it gets very little attention.

To those of you touting the amazing nutritional value of MonaVie, where are you getting your information. All the nutrition information I found said that it contains sugar, vitamin C, and a tiny bit of iron. That is less than impressive and falls far short of replacing 5-9 fruits (even though I have never seen a source that recommends that much fruit per day).

Let me say this one more time so that everyone can understand. A balanced diet is definitely part of good health. Fruits and vegetables are certainly good for you. What has not been shown is how MonaVie is any better than regular fruit juice, and why you feel it is OK to make completely unfounded and improbable claims about the product.

Steve Loeffelholz, Iowa City, IA
June 26, 2008 7:56am

over 50K lost thier job last month in the USA!!!!

http://www.bls.gov/news.release/empsit.nr0.htm

:( NOT COOL!!!! GOOD NEWS IS... over 50K joined MONAVIE last month... over 70K to give you a better idea :) dont waste your time on this blog man!!!! SQUEEZE THE BERRIES. FEEL THE BERRIES. AND SHARE THE BERRIES. CARVE YOUR OWN PIECE OF THE MARKET!!!! fast!!!

sorry... had to share!!! couldn't resist!!! RESULTS speak!!!

NOT IMPORTANT, Reading, PA
June 26, 2008 8:55am

The only leg for you skeptics to stand on is trying to convince yourself and your opinion that this functional food has no evidence to support it has any nutritional value to a human body.

You people lead a sheltered life. If you went out and started talking to people out there that are taking using this product you'll be surprised at the results.

Eating the fruit I can buy and consume at my grocery store hasn't given me nor any of the thousands of people results they're getting by taking Monavie. You people don't understand that this is the precise reason for it's growth.

People who attack others only prove they have reached the limit of their logic.

It takes too much faith to believe we came from tadpoles or somewhere else other than God in his image.
That could be why there are fruits available for our consumption. Hmmm... I think I'll take my Monavie now.

Joe Walters, Grand Rapids, MI
June 26, 2008 9:20am

Are you seriously suggesting that 50,000 people joined the Monavie sales force last month? That's roughly as large as the WORLDWIDE sales force for a large pharmaceutical company. What a hopeless scenario for the all those suckers who were hoping to get rich. Can you say "market saturation"?

Mendel, San Diego, CA
June 26, 2008 9:36am

MLM participants rarely understand the numbers involved. Even a modest MLM program requiring only 5 people in your downline is impossible for more than a very few levels. At only 14 levels deep this model already requires the full participation of more human beings than have ever lived in the history of the planet.

Eric Schulman, Corona, CA
June 26, 2008 9:46am

Yep, amazing isn't it! Can you say " gee, I wish I'd thought of that"!

Joe Walters, Grand Rapids, MI
June 26, 2008 9:46am

Joe, I think you missed the point. The mathematics make it impossible for any of the absurd numbers claimed by MLM companies to be true.

Eric Schulman, Corona, CA
June 26, 2008 9:54am

No I don't wish I had thought of it. If I wanted to get rich and didn't care about exploiting people I'd become a crack dealer. The money is better and the consumers are more educated.

Mendel, San Diego, CA
June 26, 2008 9:57am

Drugs: Short term relief, long term pain.
Monavie Business: Short term pain, long term relief.

Lives change with new information.

Eric, you have no idea how the Compensation Plan works in Monavie so until you do your opinion is only here say.

I'm not saying that people are leaving their jobs to do this...I'm saying that the numbers reflect those that are signing up to at least benefit from the product. Not everyone will decide to grow a business.

There are eight ways to earn income. I've already stated before that it's called the New Generation Binary Plan. In the future, your going to see and hear more about this revolutionary pay plan.

Don't persist to throw opinions around if you don't have a clue to what we're really talking about.

You waste everyone's time.

AJ = AM

__

2L

That's "Alot of Juice" over 2 Legs = A lot of Money.

Joe, Grand Rapids, MI
June 26, 2008 10:38am

Thanks for the advice, Joe. You're obviously much smarter than me.

I'll start my stopwatch, and we'll see how long it takes you to realize that your payment into Dallin Larsen's latest pyramid scheme was foolish, and you'll regain your spare time and your dignity, and take it as a lesson hard learned.

Eric Schulman, Corona, CA
June 26, 2008 10:43am

Again, yet another opinion on a "pyramid". Wake up and smell the juice dude...

It's the right product at the right time. The baby boomers have shaped this country. That gives an extraordinary opportunity that this product offers.

You should check this link out Eric.
If the timing is correct, good things happen. Study this photo and tell me if you would be fired up to participate in the vision of this family. You obviously didn't give them a dime, nor did I. Guess that was a mistake.

http://kennethg.blogspot.com/2006/06/microsoft-founders.html

It's no different when Ray Crock asked 50 of his closest friends to invest in his vision of eating burgers on plastic seats. Everyone said "thanks, but no thanks".

He even offered one friend all of the franchises in PA, WV & OH and he also said no.

They all thought he had a screw loose. At least he was connected to the right bolt. Yeah, I missed that one too. But then came Monavie.

It's not that we don't know what to do, it's that we don't know what to do with what we know.

Success is when preparation meets opportunity.

Joe, Grand Rapids, Mi
June 26, 2008 11:15am

History has shown that if the scientific establishment thinks enough of you to label you a "maverick" or if the medical establishment labels you a"quack" or a "snake oil salesman" they are admitting that you are being classified in the same honorable category as: Dalton, the father of chemistry, who developed the atomic theory, Dr. Ingas Semmelweis, the father or hygiene, who fought to save the live of 1000's of women, Louis Pasteur and Joseph Lister who developled the germ theory of disease, Albert Einstein a Nobel Prize winner, Theodore Boverie, the father of genetic science, and many other men and women, therefore if you are criticized, shunned and belitteled along with name calling by the establishment you are following the footsteps of many famous and respected people that made significant contributions to the betterment of human life.

History, Everywhere
June 26, 2008 12:08pm

For every Ray Crock, there hundreds of guys who's business ideas failed and whose friends lost their investments. Clearly not every opportunity is a winner.

And why is it that the people who are always telling us to "wake up" and that we "don't have a clue" have such a poor grasp of basic spelling and grammar and have to use 4 exclamation points after every sentence?

Mendel, San Diego, CA
June 26, 2008 12:40pm

Winston Churchill, Abraham Lincoln would never have been the greats of our time if they listened to the nay sayers and critics. The world beat them up, they failed and continued to get up.

The Industrial Revolution is over my friends, sorry to inform you. There is a Health Crisis going on in our country.

Experts agree that the Wellness Industry is expected to grow from a 200 Billion dollar industry to 1 trillion by 2010. I think we're in the right business.

If you don't have faith in the future, you don't have power in the present.

And if you want to rip on friends, neighbors, and people you associate with I hope your very vocal about your position you are so passionate about. Don't hid behind a blog tool that was began with a bunch of stoner looking hippies back in the 1970's. Share your expertise in the field of nutrition so that each and everyone could benefit.

Oh, and If I we're at one time in your English class, I could swallow your humor on your little grammar course. Thanks anyway.

Joe, Grand Rapids
June 26, 2008 1:05pm

Hitler, Mussolini, and Stalin had naysayers and critics too. ignored their critics too -- and look what happened. Dallin Larsen has more in common with these guys than he does with Churchill and Lincoln.

Mendel, San Diego, CA
June 26, 2008 2:01pm

This conversation has strayed far enough off topic that you aren't even attempting to answer the original question anymore. I asked for something that should be very simple. Show me actual scientific evidence that MonaVie is any better for a person than plain fruit juice. I don't want testimonials and anecdotal evidence that cannot be tested or even verified (in fact it can very easily be made up). I want nutritional information, ORAC values, and/or studies that show MonaVie to be superior in some way.

That is a simple request. You can try to dodge the question all you want, but when you can't come up with an answer, don't be surprised that critically minded people think you are a quack.

PS: You are partially correct in assuming that you are in the right business. Selling snake-oil is always a good business because there are always suckers to buy it. This doesn't make taking the suckers money any less immoral, though it is hard to get more immoral than peddling false hope.

Steve Loeffelholz, Iowa City, IA
June 26, 2008 2:45pm

I have a great idea, I think that Steve, Mendel & Eric should all pool their money and take a bottle of Mona Vie down to a lab and have it analized to see exactly what is in it!!! That way you would know exactly the nutritional information , the ORAC values and the report would really add to this blog and the question of Mona Vie and it's contents would be answered once and for all for the skeptics.

Sherry, Lincoln, Nebraska
June 26, 2008 3:18pm

a) We are not the ones making outrageous claims. It is not up to us to prove them.

b) Even if MonaVie was somehow able to contain levels of antioxidants higher than the free-dried acai powder it's made from, the evidence shows that antioxidant supplementation does not provide health benefits. This is why the FDA does not permit such products to be marketed with such claims.

c) This is not a "blog".

Eric Schulman, Corona, CA
June 26, 2008 3:23pm

"the evidence shows that antioxidant supplementation does not provide health benefits"?

You want proof? Since neither of us can scientifically prove either of these things we're wasting our time slinging mud.

You can't prove it, nor can I. That's like saying trying to prove UFO's exist, or that there is no evidence to support the theory that there might be a star out there that has planets around it.
Can you prove that? No.

Steve, you need to go out and talk to people that are on Monavie and ask them. That's how data is gathered. And DON'T talk to a distributor. He'll just want your cash.

Quite honestly, if Monavie contains brain juice from a road kill animal (and only a road kill), and it's working for thousands of people who really cares. (Would be weird though)

I don't want to converse like this anymore. You have made some great points and I know your educated, probably more than myself. Sorry if I offended anyone, I mean that.

It's seriously doing some good things to alot of people. I'm one of them so I would be on THIS side of Monavie. It all started when I began to drink this stuff. I never expected results. I wanted to prove them wrong too but I can't.

Eric, Steve, Mendel, I wish you all well and I hope someday soon that we can all figure this out but until then we can only wait.

Thanks for the time you spent in conversing with me.

God Bless,

Joe

Joe Walters, Grand Rapids, MI
June 26, 2008 3:59pm

Joe, I presume that you did either read or listen to the episode you've been commenting on. It includes a prominent link to a large number of clinical trials where the efficacy of antioxidant supplementation was tested.

http://www.quackwatch.org/03HealthPromotion/antioxidants.html

Believe it or not, I'm not simply talking out my ass here.

Eric Schulman, Corona, CA
June 26, 2008 4:03pm

The FDA, now this is an organization that we can trust and believe in? In my opinion of spending the past several years researching alternatives I have found that the FDA should be held responsible for the diseases that are present in our current society. Their control of what is put in our food by the FDA leaves me to believe that the preservatives and additives that they allow, has a great deal to do with the cancers, MS, diabetis and so on. However I do believe that there is public awareness that is drawing a great deal of interest to organics, herbs, minerals and nutrients that seem to have the drug companies, doctors and other multi billion dollar business concerned that people are turning to alternatives instead of drugs approved by the FDA. Drugs & chemicals keep our bodies in a acid state which can only open the door for disease, where as when our bodies are in a alkaline state disease ceases to grow. I invite you to read the book "The Disease Conspiracy" The FDA Suppression of Cures. This is a new age and I do believe that we are all a bit tired of trusting everything the system has had us believing. It is through fruits, vegetables, nutrients, that are grown in rich soil and free from pesticides that will keep us healthy and disease free. If Mona Vie is all that it says that it is, then it fits that category.

As for your comment regarding my statement "blog", seems a bit petty to me.

Sherry, Lincoln, Nebraska
June 26, 2008 4:11pm

Sherry, can you give me an example of something you don't believe in (ghosts, psychics, Bigfoot, UFOs) - anything, just pick one?

Eric Schulman, Corona, CA
June 26, 2008 4:17pm

Eric, I present you with the above opinion and you want to know if I believe in ghosts, etc. And instead of providing you with an example of something I don't believe in, what is that you believe in???? I invite you to share with me everything that you know about antitoxants and their function, please share with me your routine for staying healthy and fit, how to you get the daily required fruits and vegetables? Apparently you must be doing something that is compatable to MonaVie or you would not be on this site, so please share it with me how you get your super foods and acai. Tell me what you think about the FDA,FTC, and AMA conspiracy.

Sherry, Lincoln, Nebraska
June 26, 2008 5:44pm

A while ago, my brother was diagnosed with type 2 diabetes. Although I thought he would go to a doctor, he went to a naturopath instead. The person gave him a few herbals and sold him a couple of cases of MonaVie and instructed him on how to properly take it. The man ensured him that the herbals and natural drink would control his blood sugar. A few months after being on this regiment, my sister dropped by for a visit. She found him in such bad shape that it pains me to describe it. His feet were covered in ulcers and infections that he couldn't even feel because his untreated diabetes gave him severe neuropathy. While rushing him to the hospital, she asked why he hadn't gone sooner. He responded that he had talked to his "doctor" about the symptoms, but the doctor said the remedies sometimes took a while to kick in and that he should stick with it. Actual doctors were able to save one of his legs but the other had to be amputated below the knee. It was also found that his vision, which was perfect before this, had been seriously deteriorated as well. Neither herbals nor juice are a substitute for actual medicine. My brother is living proof of this, and had he seen a real doctor his diabetes would have been under control. I am sure that even though the entire marketing of this juice is done with bogus testimonials, none of you will ever repeat this one. Though the juice being peddled is useless and harmless, the stories being told about it are not.

Matthew Lawrence, Chaska, Minnesota
June 26, 2008 6:31pm

Matthew, I am so sorry about your brother. I have been a diabetic since I was eight years old as well as my Mom & Dad too. I have never heard of neuropathy coming on so quickly for someone that was just diagnosed, do you think the MonaVie had something to do with that? From what I understood people with long term diabetes got this as they grew older. I'm freaking out here. I feel so blessed that something like this has not happened to me or my family.

Donna, LE CA
June 26, 2008 6:55pm

Matthew, really sorry to hear that. Your story is moving. Distributors take note.

Sherry, what does this paranoid delusion about an FDA/medical establishment/disease cure-suppression conspiracy have to do with Monavie? You seem to be trying to derail the Monavie discussion.

Just for the record, this theory is absurd. It would require the complicity (and silence) of literally millions of people, including virtually every doctor, scientist, lab technician, science grad student, and healthcare/pharma/biotech worker in the world. There is nothing that could possibly unite all of these people in a secret crusade to suppress disease cures. Most of them stand to gain far more (e.g. money, personal glory, career advancement) by finding cures than by suppressing them.

How much money would it take to compel all of these millions of alleged conspirators to sit idly by and watch their friends and loved ones die of diseases they could have cured; or for that matter, would the conspirators want to suppress a cure for a disease that they themselves might die from someday?

This “theory” also shows extreme ignorance about competitive dynamics in the pharma industry. Every company’s dream is to develop a blockbuster product that will blow away their competitors, because when they do, they make billions from it. If a pharma or biotech company found a “cure” for cancer, it would make them more money than every other product in their portfolio combined for the next decade and beyond

Mendel, San Diego, CA
June 26, 2008 7:27pm

Mendel: Although you think that this is your own persoanl site, I was addressing my previous post to Eric that thinks that the FDA is some kind of God over Pharma, food and cures. And to respond to you, I am neither paranoid or delusional and I would greatly appreciate it if you could keep your name calling to yourself. I don't believe that there is any need for you to attack me with names because I have an opinion that does not agree with you. Perhaps you should research some of the books that are out there that reference what I have siad. Many have been written and it all goes back to the same thing in my opinion, alternatives. Which in all actuality is exactly what MonaVie is minus the money making end of it.

Sherry, Lincoln, Nebraska
June 26, 2008 7:47pm

Sherry, Eric has barely even mentioned the FDA (was it once?), and he certainly didn’t say anything close to the “FDA is some kind of God over Pharma, food and cures”.

I mentioned the FDA in the context of enforcing the rules and regulations (specified in the U.S. Code of Federal Regulations) for disease treatment and prevention claims. Monavie distributors should respect U.S. law – that’s the simple point we were making; advertise Monavie fairly and honestly or expect repercussions. I also mentioned the FDA with respect to Joe’s false claim that “the cancer treatments that are used even today have not been approved either”. I simply pointed out that there are in fact many FDA-approved cancer therapies. No room for argument there.

I am among those who you would imagine are conspiring to suppress disease cures – the hundreds of thousands of us around the globe who dedicate their life’s work to developing legitimate, effective treatments for diseases. Only a boorish, ignorant, fear monger would ever suggest that all of us are in a conspiracy to suppress disease cures, thereby indirectly sentencing millions of people to a needless death. The conspiracy doesn’t exist and anyone with good judgement can see that.

Mendel, San Diego, CA
June 26, 2008 10:09pm

I am writing one more time to clear up some inaccuracies in the story I told. I was very angry and hurried when I typed it and I am sorry for the wrong facts. This will be the last time that I post, because the stories being told by the MonaVie sheep infuriate me, and it is taking all my restraint not to berate them right now. I mistyped months for years above when telling how long it took for the neuropathy to develop, a little over two years, I think MonaVie was still pretty new when this started. I have been told that on all accounts my brother was an exceptional case. He was probably diagnosed way later than normal because he has never trusted doctors, which is why he went to the naturopath. The disease went completely untreated for what they assume was at the very least 3.5 years. He was very overweight and couldn't see his own feet, so he could not check them daily, and I am told that is pretty important. His case was in no way typical, but was completely preventable. If he had been on treatment immediately, or if the son-of-a-bitch naturopath had a shred of decency, he still would have been OK. The guy insisted that the herbals would eventually start working instead of the normal, good God, you vision is fading?, go see a real doctor. One quick note to Sherry. If I weren't so pissed at you, I would feel bad for you. Some day you, or God forbid your child, could get a disease that is 100% treatable but your ignorance could lead to a disastrous outcome.

Matthew Lawrence, Chaska, Minnesota
June 27, 2008 8:08am

Matthew: I'm not sure why you are mad at me but to respond to your suggestion of disease to someone I love, been there done that with a four year battle until there weren't any limbs left to ambutate, thanks to the Doctors and drugs that were treating my Mom, this is axactly why I turned to alternatives. I am truly sorry for your brothers problems but in all reality things in life effect each of us differently, what works for me I would never expect to work for you or anyone else. Again I am so sorry about what you are going through having experienced it myself I do feel your pain.

Sherry, Lincoln, Nebraska
June 27, 2008 5:17pm

It's not doctors or drugs that cause diabetic patients to lose limbs. It occurs as a result of poorly controlled blood sugar (i.e. poorly managed disease).

It can happen to some people despite treatment, but it never occurs as a result of treatment.

Monavie does not regulate blood sugar and it has no conceivable value for treating diabetes.

Mendel, San Diego, CA
June 27, 2008 5:55pm

My Mother was not a diabetic! Mendel, since you are of the medical profession, do you think that there is any health value at all in Mona Vie? Do you think that there is any fruit in it, or any acai berry, also with all of the other juices that are circulating, do you think that they have any nutrional value? I'm not trying to be a a smart a-- i'm serious. Besides the money part of Mona Vie all that I have read on it via the internet and others studies, there is alot of praise out there, actually pages of it, and some is not from distributors. I find that in researching the internet it can actually cause more harm then good, so bottom line what do you think of MonaVie as a juice without anything else attached to it?

Sherry, Lincoln, Nebraska
June 27, 2008 6:17pm

This seems to be how this debate has gone so far:

Q: How much acai is in Monavie?
A: It’s a secret. But it’s in there, trust me, and boy is it good for you.

Q: Hmm, well how much of the other juices are in it and what are the amounts of vitamins and minerals?
A: Did I mention it’s loaded with antioxidants?

Q: So then what’s the antioxidant content?
A: Uh, did I mention that antioxidants are good for you. One guy drank Monavie and his arthritis and cancer went away and so did his dog’s diabetes.

Q: Whoa, isn’t it illegal to imply that Monavie cures diseases, and couldn’t those second hand stories be coming from people that sell Monavie?
A: Well you can’t trust the FDA, US government or any doctor because they want us to have diseases.

Q: Uh, this sounds a lot like an MLM snake oil pitch and it's way too expensive.
A: How do you put a price on better health? Find the money somehow. MLM is wonderful.

Q: No seriously, at 2-4 oz/day that’s 30-60 bottles a year and it’s about $40 a bottle. For a family of 4 that works out to about $6000/year. That’s more than the annual food budget for a thrifty family and more than 50% for a liberal-spending family.
A: Get a life!

Q: And what about the CEO of Monavie. He was an executive at a company where the execs were faking their credentials, and at another one that got shut down by the FDA for illegally marketing a juice that was almost identical to Monavie.
A: Did I mention that Monavie has acai in it?

Mendel, San Diego, CA
June 27, 2008 9:48pm

Several recent comments deleted for adding nothing but name calling to the discussion. Not kindergarten, people.

Moderator, Skeptoid.com
June 27, 2008 10:28pm

About a month ago a small group of family and friends began drinking MonaVie. Most of us were skeptics in thinking that a bottled juice could actually make any difference in how we would feel. We have met once a week to discuss MonaVie and the results if any that any of us were feeling. In a months time several in our group are feeling differnt things, and I might add that none of it is negative. The comment of the cost of MonaVie is irrelevant because anyone that is involved in it knows that you can purhcase MonaVie at half the price that was mentioned here and can go on with it to actually get it for free. You can say what you want about Mona Vie but I am saying that out of a group of 18 we are all experiencing something positive since we started drinking Mona Vie. The one result that we all feel is more energy and the ability to sleep better at night.

CJ, Temecula,CA
June 28, 2008 7:38am

CJ, can I ask what type of controls you are employing in your tests? Is there any blinding or randomization involved? How are the results being measured?

Eric Schulman, Corona, CA
June 28, 2008 7:48am

Eric, I'm not sure that I understand the question, however just to let you know that our entire group consists of business owners and families, there is not a one of us that are drinking MonaVie to make money, our interest is strickly for nutrional benefits. Also, how would you meausre results in any one persons body other then their own feelings that are shared by what they are experiencing?

CJ, Temecula,CA
June 28, 2008 8:23am

Just pointing out why personal testimonials can't be given any credibility. And when you add to it the fact that you're commercially invested in promoting "miracle cure" stories, even more red flags are raised.

If MonaVie did indeed have the capabilities you claim, then it is the most immoral company in the history of the world: Refusing to allow the product to be tested so it can be approved for medical use everywhere.

Eric Schulman, Corona, CA
June 28, 2008 8:32am

Its fruit Eric!! It cant and never will be "approved" for medical uses. Only drugs can be approved to treat disease.

Its funny how your buddy Mendel was so quick to validate the negative testimonial posted recently, yet any positive testimonials have no credibility.

Oh well, this will probably be deleted like the rest of my posts have been the last couple of days.

Mike, Bakersfield, Ca
June 28, 2008 8:54am

Um, the story of the untreated diabetes was not a testimonial.

Eric Schulman, Corona, CA
June 28, 2008 8:57am

I would suggest that you do a bit more research, Mona Vie has been tested in the early begining and it is posted on the internet for all to see. It was actually tested by more then one person. As for approval, the FDA approves of cigarettes and alcohol, and we all know that it kills people. I can only say that people say what they say Eric and MonaVie is proving results, I didn't say anything about curing any kind of disease, what I said was that the group all stated that they felt more energy and were sleeping better, I don't know why you have such a hard time believing this!!!

CJ, Temecula,CA
June 28, 2008 9:14am

OK....then my back feeling better and friend who's blood sugar levels improved is a "story".

My point is Mendel accepts all negative stories about Monavie as fact and any positive stories are just "testimonials" that cant possibly be true. Do you see the hypocrisy?

Mike, Bakersfield, Ca
June 28, 2008 9:22am

All we've been asking for THIS WHOLE TIME is for the medical claims you all make to be verified through peer-reviewed randomized controlled trials. No reasonable person should accept any lesser standard.

If you say this research HAS been done, and MonaVie HAS been proven effective at disease prevention or treatment, then this is something that should have been brought forth 300 comments ago. Please post the link! ...and I really hope it's not marketing materials from MonaVie or AIMBR.

Eric Schulman, Corona, CA
June 28, 2008 9:39am

Mike you are my hero!!! For Mendel and Eric I can only come to the conclusion that these two are involved in medical research and because of that they have a hard time believing that something organic could have any beneifit, if it does not contain a toxic chemical then one would not feel any different, therefore MonaVie being of 19 fruits and berries could not possibly produce any kind of nurtrional value to the body because it does not contain mine and body altering chemicals. I thought, I would only surmise that if organic alternatives besides MonaVie were actually to help people feel better it might just put a big crunch in the medical and drug industry. Maybe that's what gets the nay says all uptight.

CJ, Temecula,CA
June 28, 2008 9:46am

Eric

There is lots of "proof" that fruit is good for you. You are too hung up on tests and trials. The bottom line is, I was skeptical that Monavie would do anything for me when someone gave a couple of bottles to me. I tried it and have gotten excellent results. That is all the "proof" I need. Results=Proof for me. If you need the FDA or some study to tell you that Monavie is good for you than it is probably not for you.

Monavie does not claim to cure anything. It is not a drug or a supplement. It is just food.

I personally know people who are getting positive results, and some of them are not involved in the business side of it at all. They have no incentive to make up a story about feeling better.

If you need something that is FDA approved then just go to your doctor and he will be more than happy to prescribe you Vioxx or any of the many other "approved" drugs with negative side effects. As for me, I'll stick with the fruit.

Mike, Bakersfield, Ca
June 28, 2008 10:21am

“The FDA approves of cigarettes and alcohol”??? No they don’t. That’s not even the FDA’s turf – they’re regulated by the ATF Bureau.

Eric and I are not “anti-fruit” -- quite the opposite. It would be great if fruit juice could cure/treat all of these diseases but that doesn’t seem to be the case – and even if they could, we could all just buy inexpensive antioxidant-rich juices like 100% grape or prune juice for less than 1/10th the cost of Monavie. What sets Monavie apart from these juices is the ridiculous price, fancy wine bottle, lack of information on ingredient/antioxidant amounts, and the silly unverifiable testimonials about miracle cures. Testimonials tell us nothing – historically, there have been many terrible products that had glowing testimonials. The cost of Monavie is high enough to bankrupt the food budget of the average family.

The Monavie defenders don’t address these issues, or the particularly unpleasant ones like Monavie CEO Dallin Larsen’s having been a VP with the MLMs USANA (investigated by the FBI/SEC for pyramid scheming; executives caught faking their credentials) and Dynamic Essentials, which marketed Royal Tongan Limu (a juice that was nearly identical to Monavie) and was shut down by the FDA, who destroyed $2.75 million worth of Limu in a landfill pit in Illinois and slapped DE with a $2 million fine. It was one of the most scandalous cases of medical quackery in the past decade. How can anyone ignore these details about Monavie’s pedigree?

Mendel, San Diego, CA
June 28, 2008 2:25pm

CJ, by describing natural remedies as "organic" and medical drugs as "toxic", you show your utter lack of knowledge in chemistry and pharmacy. The majority of drugs are organic and are even derived or purified from natural sources (penicillin - mold, quinine - tree bark, statins - red yeast rice). The main thing that separates them from herbals is that they have been thoroughly tested for efficacy, safety, and consistency, not that they are "toxic". Also, off the top of my head I can think of a few mind/body altering natural products (marijuana, opium, shrooms).

No one here is arguing that fruit and fruit juice are not nutritional. They are asking for evidence that MonaVie is better than fruit or fruit juice which costs 1/10th as much. Please drop the straw man about fruit's nutritional value.

Mike, you berate Mendel for ignoring positive testimonials and hailing the bad ones. You are doing the exact same thing; you didn't even try to comment on the story about the diabetic. I will say this, it is just like all the other stories, an anecdote that proves nothing. The only thing any of the stories do is give reasons to actually research the product. To my knowledge, MonaVie has never had any well done, peer reviewed research done with regards to its health/healing properties. If good research has been done, please provide a link to it.

Anyone can tell a story about anything. It is only good sense when you ask for evidence that a story is true.

Steve Loeffelholz, LeClaire, Iowa
June 28, 2008 5:24pm

Yawnnnnnnnn you guys have all the answers. Regular fruit juice that you can buy at the store does not contain the acai berry generally for the cost of $5.00 or more.
Research and lab results all over the internet have proven that the acai berry does miraculious things without MonaVie name attahced to it. Just the fact that MonaVie does contain the acai berry leaves this wide open for you to jump anyone that has anything positive to say. I find these discussions to be a waste of my time and energy. I know how I feel and others around me are feeling since we have started drinking MonaVie, and I am here to tell you I never got this feeling from drinking V8 splash or OJ. Actually I used to make a smoothie every morning with berries, bannanas, fruit juices and so on and I never felt the way drinking it like I do while drinking MonaVie. Say what you want, MonaVie has made a difference in my life.

CJ, Temecula,CA
June 28, 2008 8:19pm

Who cares if "regular" fruit juice doesn't have acai. It has the nutrients and antioxidants, which are what the benefit of Monavie is predicated on, and it costs 1/10th the price. You don't need acai in your diet and poor health is not the result of an acai deficiency. There are no published studies to show that acai has any health benefits whatsoever, let alone evidence that it does miraculous things.

As has been said before, repeatedly, the amount of acai in Monavie is not disclosed, so we don't even know that it contains a significant amount.

Mendel, San Diego, CA
June 29, 2008 2:30pm

Mendel, Just one last question for you. If I said to you that I take a teaspoon of local bee pollen every day and it stops my allergies, what would you say. Also if I said to you that I take Vit D & Calcium beyond the recommended dose to help prevent breast cancer, what is your thought at these two alternatives?

CJ, Temecula,CA
June 29, 2008 5:21pm

What would I say? Nothing. It's none of my concern what you take, whether it's bee pollen, vitamins, or Monavie.

My objection is to the sale of Monavie on the basis of false, misleading, and illegal claims, and I think that the product has no significant overall value.

Might I suggest that we stay on the topic of Monavie. We're having enough of a challenge with that and it just muddies that water when we stray away to talk about things like FDA conspiracies and bee pollen.

Mendel, San Diego, CA
June 29, 2008 9:31pm

I am willing to field those questions.

First about the breast cancer. There are peer reviewed, published studies that show a link between vitamin D, calcium, and breast cancer. There are also studies that have shown a modest benefit in relation to breast cancer when supplementing these two substances. Although further studies are needed to conclude exactly what the link is and how beneficial the supplementation is, I think it would be fair to say that there could be something to the idea that taking these substances can be beneficial.

Bee pollen, on the other hand, has no scientific data supporting that it does anything, other than provide some sugar and proteins. No claims about the wide range of things that bee pollen is supposed to do (increase libido, relieve allergies, increase oxygen uptake, enhance athletic performance) have ever been thoroughly studied. It is much like MonaVie, because both rely entirely on testimonials and outlandish, unproven claims to be sold. Unlike MonaVie, bee pollen can itself be dangerous in certain situations. It has been known to cause anaphylaxis in people who are very allergic to bees or pollen.

The clear difference between these two things is the scientific data supporting them. The supplementation has some encouraging data, the bee pollen has none. I would even hesitate to call the vitamins an alternative because they are beginning to be accepted by the medical community, not an alternative to what is said by doctors.

Steve Loeffelholz, LeClaire, Iowa
June 29, 2008 9:41pm

Steve- Your latest rant is comical. If drugs are derived from herbs to begin with then why not just take herbs? Anybody paying attention knows why......MONEY.

Since you mentioned Red Yeast Rice I will use that, but there are many others.

The drug companies figure out that red yeast rice lowers cholestoral. Then Merck makes a statin drug with highly concentrated amounts of the substance in red yeast rice that is believed to have the cholestoral lowering effects (lovastatin). Then the FDA comes out and bans the selling of any red yeast rice supplements that contain lovastatin claiming lovastatin causes severe muscle problems leading to kidney impairment.

So it is ok for people to take a drug with highly concentrated amounts of lovastatin, but it is not ok to take red yeast rice containing lovastatin in its natural state? Does this make sense? Ofcourse not, but it makes money for the drug comanies and the FDA.

And to compare me to Mendel is laughable. Did I belittle or start questioning the character of the guy with the diabetic story? No, but thats what Mendel does to anybody with a positive story.

Mike, Bakersfield, Ca
June 29, 2008 10:19pm

Mike, there are far more plausible reasons to take tested drugs than simply "profit for the drug companies". Purity and controlled dosages are critically important. Proper dosage of a drug is, in many cases, the difference between life and death.

Eric Schulman, Corona, CA
June 29, 2008 10:23pm

"Tested drugs".....Like what Vioxx? Purity and controlled doses have killed many people.

Mike, Bakersfield, Ca
June 29, 2008 10:49pm

I'm not sure what you're saying. Research and learning is AWAYS a bad thing? Mistakes are made in every type of medicine, but they are the exception not the rule. You don't agree that it's best to study and understand the effects of drugs, and apply that knowledge to improving their application?

Eric Schulman, Corona, CA
June 29, 2008 10:53pm

The point that I was trying to make is just what you all of written. It is not proven that Vitamin D & Calcium will prevent or cure breast cancer but it out there in the public being discussed, and so most Women who fear this as their worse nightmare, are willing to take a chance out it without it being PROVEN. The same goes with bee pollen, I am here to tell you that it works to control allergies. And so we are back to MonaVie, just because it is not scientificlly proven or FDA stamped does not mean that it does not have positive effects. I agree with Mike that not everything that is approved by the FDA is Ok for the ailing to consume, and most that it is approved will cause a side effect which you then have to take another FDA drug for to treat that side effect, and so the vicious circle begins to treat this or that. Herbs in there pure form to me are far more benefical then any drug that comes from drug companies. MonaVie contains 19 fruits and berries, and it has a nutrional value and cost if not a problem for me and those that I know that are drinking it.

CJ, Temecula, CA
June 30, 2008 8:58am

The only difference here is that there are laws in place that regulate what sellers can claim about their products. It's one thing for scientists to discuss among themselves the implications of a body of research; it's another thing entirely if a seller makes illegal claims about a product they distribute. Monavie distributors often make ilegal claims; this has by now been well documented.

Mendel, San Diego, CA
June 30, 2008 12:00pm

"An apple a day keeps the doctor away." The old adage appears to be true. Face it, Americans are lazy. It's much easier to drink juice than eat an apple or go to the store and buy raw blueberries. Monavie juice costs $40 for a 25 oz. bottle, which lasts about a week at about 3.5 ozs. a day. If I bought $40 worth of apples, raspberries, blueberries, grapes, etc., I'm sure (without scientific evidence) it would be better for me in the long run. Based purely on common sense, eat the raw fruit because it's certqainly better for you. Life is short, so taste the benefits of nature.

Jeff, Inland Empire, CA
June 30, 2008 2:29pm

You took what I said way out of context and warped it to fit your particular view. Although the C/calcium, breast cancer link is not 100% proven or understood, there are some solid scientific studies that suggest there is a connection. MonaVie and bee pollen have no good science backing them. The two examples are like night and day. Early scientific research and wives tales are very different and have hugely different levels of credibility. Comparing them like you did is much like saying, "I have never seen an electron and I have never seen a fairy. There are people who claim that electrons exist and there are people who claim that fairies exist. They are both equally likely to exist." I hope you wouldn't agree with that statement, so you can see why you shouldn't buy into what MonaVie says.

Mike, you could not have picked a better example to prove my point. Lovastatin is an immensely powerful drug that can rapidly fluctuate cholesterol levels in the body. It is terribly important that the levels you receive daily are consistent. Red yeast rice supplements were unregulated, and a dose could contain any amount of the drug. These fluctuations are harmful and stressful to the body, and a controlled drug is needed that can deliver a consistent dose. The problem is amplified further when thinking about strictly regulated drugs like warfarin. Taking an herbal form of a drug is rarely (if ever) safe or sufficient when treating any condition.

Steve Loeffelholz, LeClaire, Iowa
June 30, 2008 2:39pm

"Face it, Americans are lazy. It's much easier to drink juice than eat an apple."

Really? Really??? Are you seriously saying that Americans are too lazy to chew solid food? How can anything possibly be easier than eating an apple? Apples don't have screw tops and you don't need to pour an apple into a drinking glass. It's obviously a lot easier to eat an apple than to drink a glass of juice.

Mendel, San Diego, CA
June 30, 2008 2:56pm

I do agree with an apple a day keeps the Doctor away, and that it is much easier to grab an apple instead of the time it takes to open a bottle of MonaVie and drink it. And I also agree with the spending $40.00 or various fruits and berries at the local market. What I don't agree with is that If I grab that apple, that is one fruit of nineteen fruits. If I go to the market and buy 19 fruits they will rot before I can consume them all, and if they are grown in the USA then I would have to assume that with the recent lettuce, tomatoes and other food scares, just how were these fruits grown, which by the way don't usually taste like what they are suppose to because they have been picked green and sat in a hot house to ripen. I have done all this before and it doesn't work for me. Being a single woman there is no way that I could even consider eating the required amounts of fruits and vegetables in a day, with walking 2 miles a night and working out three times a week and working, there would be no time in my schedule to be stuffing all this fruit in my mouth. Which is why MonaVie works for me, it is everything that I need for fruit consumption in my busy life style. You all keep talking about cost, there are ways to drink MonaVie without the $40.00 a bottle you all keep talking about.

Bonnie, Woodcrest
June 30, 2008 3:43pm

“There are ways to drink MonaVie without the $40.00 a bottle you all keep talking about.

What might those ways be? Whoring oneself as a Monavie distributor? How is that more convenient than chewing an apple?

“If I go to the market and buy 19 fruits they will rot before I can consume them all”

Then put them in a blender while they are fresh and add a bunch of preservatives, like Monavie does, and you will have umpteen gallons of higher-quality juice at a fraction of the price of Monavie.

“…if they are grown in the USA then I would have to assume that with the recent lettuce, tomatoes and other food scares, just how were these fruits grown…”

Huh? Are you implying that the regulations regarding food safety are more stringent in Brazil??? Not even close. The contaminated tomatoes were detedcted within about a day or so. If this happened to produce in Brazil, you probably would end up downing your contaminated Monavie without ever knowing about the problem.

Once and for all, a 2-4 oz. shot of Monavie is not a replacement for the recommended daily intake of fruit. It doesn’t even qualify as a single serving.

Mendel, San Diego, CA
June 30, 2008 4:08pm

Mendel: First of all I am not a whore and i'm sure that others would respond the same. You can purchase MonaVie in bulk and in doing that it provides you with a substantial savings, @ about $20.00 a bottle. Perhaps you should check the structure of the MLM before you keep ranting about MonaVie. I also do recall reading somewhere that the processing plant for Acai in Brazil is under FDA approval, of course i'm sure you'll rip this statement apart as well but at this point it doesn't matter to me. I can see that others have grown tired of your constant ranting and have left this site, I will also leave you to attack the next person that happens upon here. We are all our own person and can make our own choices without your approval.

Bonnie, Woodcrest
July 01, 2008 8:44am

Bonnie, you simply came to the wrong place to try and peddle your juice with your outrageous claims, now stating that acai production (in Brazil!) is somehow US FDA approved. Will the absurd claims never end? It cures cancer, it cures diabetes, it's healthier than whole fruit...

Skeptoid is a critical thinking podcast. It's all about analyzing the validity of pseudoscientific claims. You're overmatched bringing your claims to this web site.

Yes, you can make your own choices. Your choice is to make up or repeat lies uncritically in order to prey upon vulnerable victims with your outrageously priced snake oil. Don't expect any support from Skeptoid listeners.

Eric Schulman, Corona, CA
July 01, 2008 8:59am

Here are a couple of interesting sites:
wwwnpicenter.com
Mona-vie-info.com/2008/06/brazilian-acai-berry-destroys-cancer-cell-in-lab-uf-study

Info, Everywhere
July 01, 2008 11:32am

One link is dead...not so interesting after all eh?

The other is an in vitro study on acai -- not Monavie. The issue remains, if the company does not disclose the amount of acai in Monavie, they cannot reasonably imply that their product provides any of the benefits of acai.

Furthermore, we have alredy commented on this study, noting that in vitro tests like this are quite meaningless; there are lots of compounds that can arrest the proliferation of cancer cells in a petri dish that have abosultely no effects on tumors in vivo.

Lastly, the principal investigator on this study (Sue Percival) seems to have a thing for doing research on MLM products. She also did a study on the MLM multivitamin "Juice Plus".

Mendel, San Diego, CA
July 01, 2008 11:57am

Yet another flagrant attempt by a MonaVie distributor to convince unsophisticated victims that MonaVie can cure cancer.

Eric Schulman, Corona, CA
July 01, 2008 12:07pm

MonaVie look out Genesis is taking over!!!

Info, Everywhere
July 01, 2008 12:16pm

I tried Mona Vie... why not, I was sold on hope. These hope-whores will do anything to make a buck, even claim that this will CURE diseases that Dr's are scratching their heads trying to cure.

It actually made my arthritis worse. It nearly crippled me. I only drank 2oz, and it sent me into an unrecoverable tail spin.

Any MLM promising me a "cure" gets hung up on, the door shut on... etc. Don't sell me hope unless you can deliver.

Rheumatoid Arthritis Sufferer, USA
July 10, 2008 7:54pm

Have you tried it? They didn't even test Monavie!

swblondy75, Vermilion, OH
July 12, 2008 4:36am

Rheumatoid Arthritis Sufferer- You understand what is in Monavie right?? Fruit!!! If you took the active version it has added a natural source glucosamine (from palm nuts). Please show me a study that proves that fruit and/or glucosamine can make RA worse. I am to say Monavie made any disease worse is stupid.

swblondy75- Monavie is a fruit blend and they dont claim to cure anything. So what would you like them to test??

Mike, Bakersfield, Ca
July 12, 2008 8:17am

Why don't we just drop the "Monavie doesn't claim to cure anything" charade. I think we've all seen how common this claim is in practice.

Mendel, San Diego, CA
July 12, 2008 1:34pm

Monavie has helped me and that is all i can say........if you don't try then you cannot knock it. I never believed in mlm but this product really does work for most people.Monavie NEVER makes claims it can cure anything....My blood pressure dropped and my cholesterol as well.I was shocked..Doctor want to prescribe meds for everything and we all know why.Drugs are big $$$$ in the U.S. and anything that might challenge them are not received well. My side effects were awful fom the drugs they gave me so i tried Monavie and no more side effects.My Doctor saw my results and did not believe me that i had quit my drugs.No he could not believe that because that does not help him $$$$$..wake up america drugs kill !!!! Prescription ones ...

scott archbold, tampa fl
July 13, 2008 2:45pm

“Monavie has helped me and that is all i can say.”

That’s about as much as anybody here can say, and that’s not saying a lot.

“if you don't try then you cannot knock it”

One can knock it without trying it just as easily as one can knock it if they have tried it. Is there a single person here who knocked it and said that they haven’t tried it?

“this product really does work for most people”

That’s just biased speculation and completely unbelievable. Prove it if you can.

“Monavie NEVER makes claims it can cure anything....My blood pressure dropped and my cholesterol as well. I was shocked”

Wow, you made this emphatic claim and then managed to basically contradict yourself in the same sentence. Like I said before, let’s drop the charade already. This product is built on a pyramid of false, misleading, and illegal health claims. You just proved yet again. High blood pressure and high cholesterol are diseases and you are claiming that that Monavie can treat both.

“My Doctor saw my results and did not believe me”

And why would we be any less skeptical?

“wake up america drugs kill !!!!”

Actually, unchecked high blood pressure and high cholesterol kills way more people than the drugs used to treat these and other conditions. Ignorance kills to; so does forgoing medical therapy in lieu of fraudulent fruit punch.

Mendel, San Diego, CA
July 13, 2008 3:59pm

The Florida Department of Citrus got in trouble in 1997 for suggesting that oranges prevent cancer.

Does this sound familiar?
http://edition.cnn.com/HEALTH/9705/22/nfm/orange.juice.cancer/index.html

"In health news, the American Cancer Society reports that along with a healthy diet, drinking more Florida orange juice may actually reduce your risk of some cancers," says the narrator, in the role of a radio reporter.
The Florida Department of Citrus donated $1 million to the American Cancer Society in exchange for the right to do the ads. Some observers say they might make it appear that orange juice has unique anti-cancer properties.
Orange juice does have vitamins that can help prevent some cancers, but so do all sorts of fruits and vegetables, a nutritionist said.

Max, Boston, MA
July 13, 2008 7:54pm

It just keeps coming in an endless stream. More anecdotes, more testimonials, more outlandish claims, and more people knocking pharmaceuticals. Yet amidst all this clatter, I haven't seen a single study, paper, or journal article that gives evidence supporting any of the dozens of claims made by MonaVie distributors.

Scott, it is almost comical how quickly you turned 180 degrees in your post. "MonaVie doesn't make any claims about curing diseases, but it did cure my hypertension and hyperlipidemia! It helps everyone!" Of course MonaVie doesn't make any claims, it is a fruit juice. It is the dishonest snake-oil salesmen who are peddling the product that are making all of the unsubstantiated, outrageous claims.

Steve Loeffelholz, LeClaire, Iowa
July 14, 2008 10:01pm

Some people are so close minded. If it is sold through a MLM or the FDA hasnt approved it then there is no possible way it could have any value, and anyone who claims to have gotten positive results using such a product is just a liar.......right?

As I have said in the past, I dont claim Monavie will do anything for anybody. I can just share with people the results that I have gotten and they can make up their own mind if it is worth a try or not.

I personally feel sorry for Steve and Mendel. They seem to be the type of people that think everyone is out to try to screw them over. I like to give people the benefit of the doubt first, and I am glad I did with Monavie.

Mike, Bakersfield, Ca
July 15, 2008 2:26pm

Close minded is pretending that criticism of MV focuses only on the MLM aspect. That has nothing to do with the lack of information on percentages of fruits, antioxidant capacity, and nutrients, or with the unsupported and illegal disease claims, inflated price, and lack of demonstrated superiority to inexpensive alternatives.

Contrary to Mike’s claim, I don’t believe that a product can’t have “value” if it isn’t FDA approved. It just can’t legally be s for treating/preventing diseases if it is not FDA-approved, and for that, I am damn glad. There is no question that the public good would not be well served if every idiot snake oil pusher was given freedom to market their products as disease cures. Is the FDA perfect? No, but it’s better than no regulation at all. If anything FDA should be better run, better funded, and even stricter in its regulations/monitoring; this would offer better quality/safety of both approved drugs and unregulated foods/supplements.

As for Mike’s other assertion that “I can just share with people the results that I have gotten”, that’s only true if you don’t “share” any personal results that even remotely imply that MV can prevent/treat/cure diseases.

I don’t think everyone is out to screw me over but I think that most of the people selling MV, whether they know it or not, are screwing people over. MV reps are not representing MV honestly -- just an endless stream of diversions, inane excuses, erroneous claims, and outright lies.

Mendel, San Diego, CA
July 15, 2008 4:48pm

But you have to admit, MLM often goes hand in hand with outrageous claims and screwing people over.

Max, Boston, MA
July 15, 2008 9:27pm

Well...yeah, can't argue with you there. But it's not the MAIN reason why Monavie blows. :)

Mendel, San Diego, CA
July 15, 2008 9:56pm

You can find the results of an independent study into the Antioxidant Capacity in Humans using Monavie as the source here
http://www.buy-monavie-juice.com/Monavieclinicalstudies.htm

The site also explains the difference between pyramid scams and legit mlm. Monavie passes the test.

Steve, Perth, WA
July 18, 2008 10:37am

And buy-monavie-juice.com is your idea of an "independent study"?

Eric Schulman, Corona, CA
July 18, 2008 10:43am

That's just so laughably absurd. ROFL.

Mendel, San Diego, CA
July 18, 2008 9:10pm

The website links to the "independent study". Same way pharmaceutical websites reference clinical studies.

Max, Boston, MA
July 18, 2008 10:14pm

Ummm.... Apparently you haven't read many of the comments on here. AIMBR, author of the "studies" as you call them, is a consulting company whose only business is to write glowing testimonials about alternative medicine products using scientific sounding language. They do not perform clinical trials, they do not publish research, they have no legitimately credentialed scientists on staff, and they certainly do not have any sort of standing within the legitimate biomedical community. This has been discussed ad nauseum in this thread previously.

Eric Schulman, Corona, CA
July 19, 2008 12:09am

Independent study Max? It's neither independent nor is it even a legitimate study. Real research gets peer-reviewed and published in medical journals, not corporate websites. Real research does not consist of a 1-page confidential memo issued online by a research-for-hire company (i.e., AIBMR).

This "study" doesn't provide a detailed methodology, not does it even present actual results. Furthermore, although this is described as a placebo-controlled study, the placebo group received purple capsules instead of a placebo juice, which is obviously not a proper placebo because it's easy to tell the juice apart from the placebo capsules. This “study” was not blinded (i.e. the investigators and experimental subjects were not naïve as to whether Monavie or placebo was being administered). A so called "study" like this is utterly useless.

The author of this "study", Alexander Schauss, was busted once upon a time for faking his academic credentials, got his degree from a non-accredited institution (California Coast University), and was notorious for his farfetched theories linking diet with criminal behavior.
http://www.accessmylibrary.com/coms2/summary_0286-9205625_ITM

In summary, this “independent study” is a scant and incomplete one-page internal memo penned by a poorly-educated researcher with a penchant for lying.

Mendel, San Diego, CA
July 19, 2008 10:41am

Eric, no I didn't read all the past comments or the study. To me, you appeared to be discrediting the study just for being on monavie's website. I thought you may have assumed that monavie conducted the study.

Max, Boston, MA
July 19, 2008 12:53pm

You didn't read it? You presented it to us as evidence of Monavie's efficacy. Don't you agree that when one fervently promotes a product, it's best to be knowledgeable about it?

Eric Schulman, Corona, CA
July 19, 2008 3:40pm

Eric,

Steve from Perth is the one who presented it as evidence of Monavie's efficacy, not me. I only cautioned against dismissing it just because it's on Monavie's website, which is what you appeared to be doing.

Max, Boston, MA
July 20, 2008 1:32pm

Certainly I was - claims from sources with commercial interests in promoting them should always be treated with skepticism.

Eric Schulman, Corona, CA
July 20, 2008 1:45pm

Max: "I only cautioned against dismissing it just because it's on Monavie's website"

But do you not agree that this is only one of several reasons to dismiss it.

Mendel, San Diego, CA
July 20, 2008 6:31pm

Eric: "claims from sources with commercial interests in promoting them should always be treated with skepticism."

Eric, I hope then that you are "skeptical" of virtually every pharmaceutical drug on the market today.

A quick bit of research will provide you with MANY examples of misconduct involving drug companies, medical researchers, and the FDA ranging from blatent conflicts of interest to outright fraud. The vast majority of "medical research" done in this country is sponsored by and paid for by Pharmaceutical companies. So the safety and effectivness of a drug is virtually guaranteed before the "studies" are ever done. This ofcourse is the reason so many drugs on the market over the years have been shown to not be safe and/or effective in many cases.


http://www.naturalnews.com/020345.html

http://www.pharmaceutical-kickbacks.com/

Mike, Bakersfield, Ca
July 21, 2008 8:39am

"Vast majority of medical research is paid for by pharmaceutical companies."

Of course it is, since they are required to present their data to obtain FDA approval. Who would you expect has to pay for that, Santa Claus?

This argument supports MonaVie how?

Eric Schulman, Corona, CA
July 21, 2008 8:54am

My argument is not in support of Monavie. It is to show you how ridiculous it is to knock Monavie for the same thing you think is acceptable for a drug company to do.

If that is your come back for my previous post you are either not being honest or just not very smart.

Mike, Bakersfield, Ca
July 21, 2008 10:45am

You call that doing the same thing? Doing well-performed clinical trials to establish a drug's efficacy is hardly the same thing as hiring a writer to provide a testimonial for the purpose of defrauding customers.

Eric Schulman, Corona, CA
July 21, 2008 10:55am

Although it is true that pharmaceutical companies fund their own research (honestly who else would do it), their studies are still submitted to peer review and heavily scrutinized. When the studies are published, the methods, statistical analysis, results, and conclusions are all meticulously examined by independent and government bodies to ensure that the studies are not falsified. Even though the pharmaceutical companies are funding the research, they are required to be completely transparent regarding everything they do in the study. This all helps to ensure that the studies are sound. No such measures were involved in the study you listed above.

Pointing out that a few potentially harmful drugs have gotten FDA approval is hardly proof that the FDA doesn't work. The FDA has the responsibility of investigating a huge amount of drugs while also maintaining its other responsibilities. It is inevitable that a few less than perfect drugs will slip through the cracks. Though this is sad, can you think of a better system?

Using your logic, alternative medicine fares no better than the FDA. Autistic children have been killed or severely hurt because of "alternative" chelation therapy. Several cases of curable cancer have been allowed to progress to an incurable stage IV because of a patient's belief in alternatives. Chiropractors have killed patients during routine alignments. The only difference is that these forms of quackery are not ever recalled, just repackaged.

Steve Loeffelholz, LeClaire, Iowa
July 21, 2008 11:12am

Your story sounds great Steve, but if you dig a little deeper it falls apart. When the peer reviewers , independant examiners, and government bodies end up on the payroll of the drug companies how "real" are the studies?

Your knock on other forms of alternative medicine is just laughable. Chelation therapy was linked to one, yes one death of an autistic child, and it was later discovered that the therapy was administered incorrectly and that is what led to the boys death. Please show a case in which someone died during a chiropractic visit?? All of this while some estimates say Vioxx is directly linked to the death of up to 100,000 people.

Mike, Bakersfield, Ca
July 21, 2008 12:12pm

Eric and Mendel, the product's website will reference any study in support of the product, whether or not the study is any good. If you just dismiss all the referenced studies, then you'll throw the baby out with the bathwater. For instance, don't you think that aspirin.com may link to genuinely independent studies of aspirin?

Steve, JAMA proposed a better system.
http://www.csmonitor.com/2004/1126/p02s01-uspo.html
Fueled in part by the appearance that the FDA's Office of New Drugs could veto conclusions of the Office of Safety, the JAMA has called for a new drug safety board, one completely independent of the FDA. "It is unreasonable to expect that the same agency that was responsible for approval of drug licensing and labeling would also be committed to actively seek evidence to prove itself wrong," the JAMA editorial concludes.

Mike, at least drug companies have to jump through some hoops to get FDA approval. Alternative medicine companies don't even need to go through that.

Max, Boston, MA
July 21, 2008 2:46pm

Mike, I didn't mean to say that chiropractors have actually killed people during an adjustment, I misspoke. I meant to say that chiropractic adjustments have led to the deaths of several patients, and permanent injuries to several others. The following links show that there is ample evidence of this (the second link even has a citation for each injury).

http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qa3987/is_20070604/ai_n19287954
http://www.neck911usa.com/vict_deta.htm?id=2585751.56094907

Although Vioxx is a perfect example that the FDA system is not perfect (it caused around 30,000 deaths as opposed to your bloated claim of 100,000), it is not true that the entire system is corrupt and doesn't work. Studies still have their limitations. A drug cannot be studied in a test population of 100,000 people over 40 years. It simply isn't feasible and long term side effects always have the possibility of popping up. Despite all this, the drug was pulled from the market when the causal relationship was found and can no longer be sold, showing that the system, though flawed, still worked.

It seems that, according to you, no system can ever work because everything is in the pocket of Big Pharma. What alternative do you suggest that is better and incorruptible? Perhaps a system where things are never tested for efficacy or safety like the current alternative market.

PS: Max, I had not heard of the JAMA recommendation but that sounds like a fantastic idea.

Steve Loeffelholz, LeClaire, Iowa
July 21, 2008 7:48pm

Nilda, Nilda, Nilda. Why do you think Brian Deegan is "down with Monavie"????????? Because HE IS SELLING IT!!! Duh! Check out the following URL: http://onthemove.monavievo.com/fieldleaders.asp -- just do a "find" function and search for "deegan".

sigh...........Brian is a local boy, well known for his shenanigans. Why ever would you buy into that? Oh, now I get it...because YOU are selling it, too!!!!!!

T'angie, Temecula, CA
July 23, 2008 7:21pm

After you've sold Goji, Mangosteen, and Acai "distributorships" to your friends, are they still speaking to you? Monavie sounds like a great way to lose money and an even better way to lose friends. What's next? Dingleberries?

Skip Tickle, Hawaii
July 27, 2008 1:46am

Yeah, I keep seeing car after car on my way to work, with enormous "Mona-Vie" stickers on their back windshields...are all the out-of-work real-estate agents taking up Mona-Vie now? Here's a concept, while we are in a recession and the economy blows, why don't people go back to school, earn professional degrees, and actually contribute to society, instead of trying to sell "opportunities" to neighbors and friends. An apple a day keeps the doctor away, but what is going to keep a Mona-Vie rep from harassing us?
PS- Wouldn't someone get fat from drinking all thos Mona-Vie Calories????

Sunny, Corona Del Mar
July 30, 2008 3:47pm

Well this was a good informative reading. My friend just got into Mona Vie and the first thing I could detect was, oh just another pryramid scheme, but I wasn't going to settle for that. I wanted to learn more about the product, and it seems yes, you can make money by gettings others to sign up and join this group. But don't quote me on this, I still have more information to find out and I won't settle for scam, the juice might be good for you, but just as good as taking vitamins? eating non flavored jogurt? who knows e-mail me with your thoughts.
-Anyone.-BusinessCPA@yahoo.com

Mark, Pennsylvania
July 30, 2008 5:52pm

I was a Monavie distributor for about a year and I love the juice. The problem is it was too hard to get people here in Michigan to join with the economy the way it is right now. I recently did a search on Acai and came across another company that has some very promising products including a brain food. The company is called TriUnity. Check it out at
www.acaiplus.com/shaley

Brenda Melville, Three Rivers Michigan
August 02, 2008 7:29pm

Super-fruit juices are an efficient source of anti-oxidants. They can be used as a supplement to eating whole fruits and other anti-oxidant containing foods. The best bet is to use ant-oxidants 2 or 3 times a day (each time only a fraction of the total daily amount, typically 3000-5000 ORAC per day), so having a variety of sources is a good stategy.

I recently reviewed 6 super-fruit juice products, including acai, and analyzed them using various criteria, includnig cost. I did use MonaVies claimed values as a standard, and MonaVie was quitre good (per their claim), but also by far the most expensive. Welch's grape juice by far was the best product based on ORAC/cost.

Take a look:

http://www.super-fruit.net/juice_comp.html

Mark, California
August 02, 2008 10:56pm

OK, I couldn't read all of the commments, but I can't stand it! I have to speak for Mona Vie! I realize this is a "skeptics" blog, BUT most of you are not getting your reasearch done!

Brian, where is your information coming from? How about test OPTI ACAI!! This is the dried acai powder that only Mona Vie makes. It has an ORAC of 1,027 per GRAM!!
How about the Emory University study that says on average the cholesteral levels wil lower about 20%.

University of Floridas tested OPTI ACAI and luekemia cells, when they come in contact with each other, 86% of the lukemia cells create a self destruct mode! Theses are facts you can read the studies!

This product would do nothing if put on a shelf! It demands that a story be told, by someone YOU know.

My friends know I am in much better health now, you can see it!! I am 33 and needed double hip replacements due to a birth injury. The form of glucosamine in Mona Vie, HC1 79% pure glucosamine has tremendously improved the qualiy of my life!

I have an awesome Doctor at Duke, and he believes me. He knows I couldn't "mind over matter" my pain away!!

The claims I have made are all proven, do your research!

I really feel sorry for those that are unwilling to try this amazing blend for fear of an MLM. If this weren't an MLM, I couldn't afford to drink it. I thank God that I can share this with friends, and maybe, it will help them in some way too!!
www.mymonavie.com/nashvillencrobbins/

Joni, Nashville NC
August 04, 2008 6:45am

Wow - how amazing - a MonaVie distributor making wild health claims about her product. Never heard that one before.

Eric Schulman, Corona, CA
August 04, 2008 6:48am

I've read through researching things online, and I'm a believer of this, even though my frined finally got me to sign up for mona vie, and I'm still annoyed, thinking I shouldn't have.. but this ain't about mona vie.. it is about the fact that they cannot bottle or reproduce that which comes out of real fruit / vegetables ... there is stuff the body gets from broccoli that they just CAN NOT manufacture..

sad these days, everyone doesn't grow vegetables and raise animals for eating, instead we just consume chemicals and crap companies put in their products so they end up able to sell twice as much and make 2 times the money...

dave watkins, chester, ct
August 04, 2008 9:29am

Look at Dallin Larsen and his previous leadership skills as a V.P. with a overpriced Superfruit Juice Company called Dynamic Essentials that marketed a juice called Royal Tongan Limu Juice. He was happy to market and promote false claims for treating various diseases like cancer, arthritis and ADD, even after the FDA issued a warning a year prior. Since the company did not comply with the warnings, the company eventually stopped selling the product and its remaining inventory of $2,700,000 was destroyed under FDA supervision. FDA site on Dynamic Essentials http://www.fda.gov/bbs/topics/NEWS/2003/NEW00976.html

http://www.fda.gov/cder/warn/cyber/2007/UTVokes.pdf This FDA Warning was issued a year ago to MonaVie for making medical health claims. MonaVie uses 3rd party info for medical claims and people on posts and meetings are making false medical claims that cure health problems. FDA will keep a watchful eye on MonaVie this year after the cyber warning to one of it's sales reps. Since this FDA warning from a year ago MonaVie did react to the warning, by banning web sites produced by anyone below the level of Black Diamond to help clean up the claims. But did it stop? Go to Myspace, Facebook, blogs like this site or youtube to see for yourself. Then recently I went to a festival in my town in June and would you know it, 3rd party health claims mixed in with a tasting tent of MonaVie Juice and reps spouting off cures cancer and diabetes just to name a few. I to

Lewis, Dover, CT
August 04, 2008 3:59pm

Hard to believe that Monavie distributors would expect us to overlook Larsen’s ignominious connection with Dynamic Essentials and Royal Tongan Limu Juice. The FDA’s destruction of their inventory was well publicized but the story didn’t stop there -- NBTY, the parent company, also had to pay out $2 million in a class-action settlement as a result of illegal claims about disease cures:

“The FTC charges that from 2001 through 2003, Dynamic Essentials, Inc., an NBTY subsidiary, marketed a Tongan seaweed extract, Royal Tongan Limu, advertising in English and Spanish that it was clinically proven to cure, prevent, or treat a range of diseases and disorders such as allergies, diabetes, cancer, and Alzheimer’s disease.”
http://www.consumeraffairs.com/news04/2005/ftc_nbty.html

Illegal disease treatment/prevention claims about Monavie are everywhere, although rarely IN PUBLIC will you hear anything as aggregious as the claims made by Dynamic Essentials. But it seems that Monavie distributors can’t open their mouths without some kind of prohibited claims popping out. Sometimes they pop out in the same breath as their denial that the “company” makes such claims. It’s scandalous and irresponsible, and it's hard to imagine that we can get away with forever.

Aside from the fact that it’s an entirely unremarkable product sold for a laughably inflated price, the marketing of Monavie is incredibly dishonest at every level – it’s a slap in the face to honest consumers.

Mendel, San Diego, CA
August 04, 2008 4:25pm

"where is your information coming from? How about test OPTI ACAI!! This is the dried acai powder that only Mona Vie makes. It has an ORAC of 1,027 per GRAM!!"

The 1027 ORAC score comes from Schauss' 2006 paper. This is one data point, and it is not clear that it represents commercially available acai powders, most of which are more like 500 ORACs/gram (which is still pretty good). This goes for Sambazon (a recent test was 478 ORACS).

MonaVie is claimed to have 1000-1250 ORACS per 1 ounce serving. This is about 34-42 ORACS per ml (or roughly per gram).

Most of the super-fruit juices I reviewed came in at around 20 ORACS / ml (including acai).
(see http://www.acai-berry.tv/juice_comp.html)

This indicates that by enriching MonaVie with the powder (which they do), the FORMULATED strength could likely be boosted to 34-42 ORACS per ml pretty easily; regardless of whether the powder has 1027 or 500 ORACS per gram.

At 500 ORACS per gram, if the juice were 20 ORACS before powder addition, MonaVie would have to add 44 mg per gram (or 4.4% by weight) to bring it up to 42 ORACS per gram (or 33 grams per bottle). At 1027 ORACS per gram, they would only have to add 21 mg per gram (or 2.1%), or 16 grams per bottle.

TYhe price of freeze dried powder is dropping. You can get it now for $39 per pound, or 8.6 cents per gram (http://www.acai-berry.tv/acaipowder.html).

Sambazon powder is about $94 per pound, but it is likely to drop in the near future.

Mark, California
August 05, 2008 12:42pm

Newsweek, August 2 2008:

"Meanwhile, most of the million-strong sales team is really just drinking the juice, according to MonaVie's 2007 income disclosure statement, a federally required printout of their distributor earnings. More than 90 percent were considered "wholesale customers," whose earnings are mostly discounts on sales to themselves. Fewer than 1 percent qualified for commissions and of those, only 10 percent made more than $100 a week. And the dropout rate, while not disclosed by MonaVie, is around 70 percent, according to a top recruiter."

Eric Schulman, Corona, CA
August 05, 2008 1:40pm

Link for the above Newsweek article:

http://www.newsweek.com/id/150499/output/print

BTW, I said acai powder was going for $39 per pound. That was the introductory price. It is going to be $29-$30 per 1/2 pound and likely $45 per pound. Still very reasonable (recommended serving size is 4.5 grams, about 1 tsp, ~2300 ORAC, ~ 100 servings per pound or $0.45 per serving @ pound price). Just mix it in juice or smoothies, etc.

Mark, California
August 05, 2008 2:45pm

Why? Did you stumble upon some research that proves the American Heart Association is wrong? (I presume you did read the article you're commenting on.)

Eric Schulman, Corona, CA
August 05, 2008 2:49pm

Anti-oxidants are just good all around nutrition. Vitamins C, and E are anti-oxidants.

The article makes a point about the anti-oxiant capacity of a Red Delicious Apple (5900).

1 med. delicious apple is about 1/3 pound (http://www.produceoasis.com/Items_folder/Fruits/RedDel.html) and they cost say $1.28-1.99 per pound (actually for gala apples: http://www.denverpost.com/business/ci_8818445).

This reduces to 10800 ORAC per dollar for apples (say in general).

The acai powder at $45/pound and around 500 ORAC per gram is about 5040 ORAC per dollar. This is about 2x the cost of the apple- NOT BAD for a supplement and a processed food.

With this powder you can supplement your diet, make up for not eating the apple or other vegetables, split the ORACS per day up, etc.

I think this is a reasonable value compared to MonaVie for instance (at 706 ORAC per dollar).

Compare:

acai powder: 5040 ORAC per $
red delic. apple: 10800 ORAC per $
Welch's grape: 9866 ORAC per $ (and 40 grams of sugar per serv.)
MonaVie: 706 ORAC per $

Now compare ORAC per gram sugar, etc. (see http://www.acai-berry.tv/juice_comp.html)

The apple does well, no doubt. But the acai powder is very reasonable, and adds flexibility, like a supplement should.

Mark, California
August 05, 2008 4:40pm

So you're disagreeing with the American Heart Association and the medical consensus, and are saying that antioxidant supplementation is beneficial.

Eric Schulman, Corona, CA
August 05, 2008 4:45pm

You have one statemnt that:

"The American Heart Association evaluated five studies of such superfruit juices for their efficacy in preventing cardiovascular disease, which is the main health claim about antioxidants. Of the five, two showed no effects, and three showed negative effects."

This adresses super-fruit juices, not supplements. I have not seen the rest of the study. The Barnett article mentions supplemntation and references the AHA, but it is nont direct from the AHA. And it ends on a note regarding preventing disease, which I am not claiming. I am talking general nutrition.

"So far, the answer is no, which is why the FDA will not permit any of these substances to be labeled or marketed with claims that they can prevent disease."

Are you saying that drinking Welch's grape juice is bad for you?

The USDA recommends 3000-5000 ORAC per day of anti-oxidants. Not all fruits and vegetables give you the amount an unpeeled red delicious apple does (granny smith: 2829, canteloupe 499, cauilour 324, etc.). It does not always add up, and 5-9 servings per day is not always easy for everyone.

Skepticism is good, but don't take it too far! I doubt that drinking Welch's grape juice or pomegranate juice or eating acai is actually bad for you. In fact it is very unlikely that it is NOT good for you.

Mark, California
August 05, 2008 5:28pm

Can anyone provide a link to verify that the USDA recommends intake of 3000-5000 ORAC per day?

Mendel, San Diego, CA
August 06, 2008 7:16am

Here:

http://www.ars.usda.gov/is/AR/archive/feb99/aging0299.htm

Some interesting points from the article:

"Before the study, says Prior, the participants averaged 1,670 ORAC units daily. Increasing their fruit and vegetable intake to 10 a day raised the ORAC intake to between 3,300 and 3,500 ORAC units—or about twice the previous antioxidant capacity."

That is why I see some type of supplementation as a plus. Most people have a hard time gettnig 10 servings per day!

"Based on the evidence so far, Prior and Cao suggest that daily intake be increased to between 3,000 and 5,000 ORAC units to have a significant impact on plasma and tissue antioxidant capacity. "

This is the recommendation. It is not part of the official food pyramid.

Mark, California
August 06, 2008 7:28am

"Of course this makes no sense, since $40 a bottle is far more than it costs to buy apples for a week or simply eat a healthy diet like your doctor recommends"

Is this a fair statement? How many "apples" would you have to buy and consume in a day to be the equivalent of drinking this juice, and would you have the time or inclination to consume all those apples in a day (vs. the convenience of drinking a couple shots of juice)? Isn't that really what these juices are about? If we would all follow our dr's orders, the world truly would be a healthier place (no smoking, no drinking, no coffee, no red meat, no eggs.... I could go on and on) but the fact of the matter is, we don't follow or dr.'s advice. And we aren't going to spend every day eating 15 servings of fruits and vegetables. That's where this product and similar products step in and offer a solution. Like any other product on the market that sees a hole and fills it.

As for doctors being unbiased (or more unbiased than someone who's profiting from selling monavie)... seriously? Do you really think Dr's and hospitals don't get perks (or kick-backs)for prescribing one medication over another? That there isn't a monetary incentive for them to support certain "treatments" over other (or NOT supporting certain treatments over others)....

Be skeptical... but be fair!

Mary, Texas
August 06, 2008 8:02am

The article linked above does not support the claim that the FDA advises consumption of 3000-5000 ORAC per day. As near as I can tell, the FDA has never made any offical recommendations regarding ORAC.

Mendel, San Diego, CA
August 06, 2008 8:23am

Mary,

Your argument is the same as the argument for daily multivitamins, fiber supplements, etc. "You'd need to eat ten pounds of broccoli to get the same vitamin/iron/fiber content of this pill." The only problem with that is when studies show that the pills do more harm than good. So shut up and eat your broccoli.

Max, Boston, MA
August 06, 2008 8:32am

Max,

Nothing is as healthy as eating fresh, raw fruits and vegetables. Of course. Should everyone eat fresh, raw fruits and vegatables every day... YES! Will they.... probably not.

So... what's better... no fruits and vegetables at all (you'd be surprised how many Americans consume NO fruits and vegetables in a day, week, month).... or some fruits and vegetables.

BTW, Mona Vie isn't a pill, it's a fruit juice. In pill form, your body will absorb between 10 and 20% of the nutrients in the pill, in juice form, you body will consume upwards of 90% of the nutrients in the juice. And it's just juice (no sugar added).

What's the bid deal, guys? Why does this threaten you so much? It's an alternative and if it's not for you... then you shut up and eat your broccoli.

Mary, Texas
August 06, 2008 8:56am

Mendel:

You are correct that it is not an official recommendation of the USDA (like the food pyramid, etc.). In fact if you look through my articles, I usually just refer to it as a recommnedation (and sometimes link it), generally not as a "USDA" recommendation.

The facts are though:

1. It is a a recommendation;
2. It is from top scientists working at the USDA;
3. It is posted on the USDA website;

I do not know, but I suspect it may have played a role in the newest recommendations upping the servings of fruits and vegetables to 5-9 per day.

So I have no qualms about treating it as a reasonable nutritional recommendation. I have personally set my personal goal to consume 3000-5000 ORACS per day when I can.

My goal is to show that this can be achieved cost effectivley. If you want to pay for the convenience of MonaVie, this works too (but I am not willing to accept some of the excessive claims, and am willing to counter them).

I think this statement in the linked article is important:

"...the participants averaged 1,670 ORAC units daily."

This is a reasonable gauge of what many typical Americans are getting. Of course since the study in 1999, many Americans have learned about the need for anti-oxidants.

Mark, California
August 06, 2008 10:48am

Mark, duly noted and I appreciate all the excellent research you have been doing. For the most part, I agree with everyhting you have said.

However, we must be careful as to how we position recommendations regarding ORAC. No government orgnization or medical association has offered any official guidance regarding ORAC targets, and supplementing the diet merely to get ORAC doesn't really have any backing in that respect.

That said, I do agree that if someone is trying to get extra ORAC, then the most cost effective soltion should be sought, and you have provided excellent examples of sources that are far less expensive than Monavie

Mendel, San Diego, CA
August 06, 2008 11:24am

I was a complete skeptic until I tried Mona vie, I drink a bottle a day, signed up as a rep. A friend pressured me in and I started drinking because I had it. After the fourth bottle things started changing, I cleaned myself out and the energy started coming into full swing, started loosing weight, taste buds started working, started getting twice the work done and dropped the two triple espresso habit a day. I don't have time to gather 17 fruits. I gave 4 bottle to a friend out of heart surgery and he said his heart rate was lower than ever, he said that was the only thing he had changed in his day to day life. He takes the recommended does and does not feel the effect I do at a bottle a day. I don't have the back pain anymore, but when I stop or run out of juice it comes back. The down side is the cost. But I buy in bulk and my price is closer to 20 a bottle. I don't crave the salt and sugar anymore. So far all the skeptics, Your missing out, more for me! I would say Yoga and Mona vie go well together and I'm a construction worker. Yes its a multilevel company but if it works who care? If your going to make a bad money choice I would rather know it was to save my health. If it doesn't help don't drink it. I don't feel it at the recommended does I need at least half a bottle a day. Its changed my life for the better. More clarity and energy, but I still can't spell. First time ever sharing on the web! So take it easy Skeptics! Eat right, more fruit! Or Mona vie taste great!

L, Denver, Colorado
August 06, 2008 12:28pm

Wow, a MonaVie distributor making outrageous health claims about his product! Never heard that one before...

Eric Schulman, Corona, CA
August 06, 2008 12:44pm

I am the best looking guy in the state of Pennsylvania and it's all because of Monavie. I used to be ugly, but now look at me....I'm as handsome as ever, because of the juice. How's that for a claim. Buy Mona-Vie

Stevie B., Philadelphia, Pa.
August 06, 2008 5:43pm

I had very bad skin in high school. Someone turned me on to monavie and in 1 month I went from geek to sheek. No more acne! It also made my teeth straight and white! Thanks monavie

Sean M., Philadelphia PA
August 07, 2008 12:22pm

Sean M., maybe if you had paid attention to things other than your skin while in high school, you'd know how to spell "chic."

Let's see some before and after pictures, hmm?

I didn't think so.

Anna, Buffalo, NY
August 07, 2008 1:07pm

I think that all this about MonaVie is a joke, all these views and opinions over "fruit Juice" is laughable. Mendell, Steve & Eric what gives you the authority to condemm anyone that drinks MonaVie, Skeptic, more like you guys work and promote the FDA. MonaVie is a personal choice and if some claim that drinking it has made changes in the way they feel, what gives you the authority to call them liers? You can also purchase MonaVie without the MLM, it's all over ebay for less then $40 a bottle. Try to consume and find the daily requirements of fruits and veggies that aren't contaminated with pesticides and for that matter fruit that actually tastes like fruit not cardboard. I say if drinking MonaVie works for some people then more power to them, after all this is America, we still do have the right of choices, for now anyways!!!

Shasta, Bosie
August 08, 2008 10:57am

It is America, and if you're celebrating Dallin Larsen's right to perform a Wallet Extraction on you, then I celebrate it too! :-)

Eric Schulman, Corona, CA
August 08, 2008 11:00am

Reply To Shasta:

“Mendell, Steve & Eric what gives you the authority to condemm anyone that drinks MonaVie”

That’s a straw man argument. None of us have condemned (note proper spelling) anyone that DRINKS Monavie; we have criticized the product itself as well as the business practices of the company and its distributors. We don’t need authority to do that, just as you don’t need authority to express your views -- no matter how misguided they may be.

“more like you guys work and promote the FDA.”

I see. So those are the only options you recognize? Either someone (a) likes Monavie or (b) criticizes Monavie and therefore must work for the FDA. Suffice it so say, your allegation is both myopic and moronic.

“Monavie is a personal choice”

No more so than with any other product; it’s not like we’re talking about abortion or religion or transgender surgery. It’s just a product, and one that’s no more exempt from criticism than any other product.

“if some claim that drinking it has made changes in the way they feel, what gives you the authority to call them liers?”

Although there is no reason to believe the testimonials, I don’t recall stressing that these people are liars (note correct spelling). What we have been saying is that the distributors who make these claims are breaking the law – that is a fact.

“this is America, we still do have the right of choices”

And we choose to warn people about all of the ways that Monavie is trying to rip them off.

Mendel, San Diego, CA
August 08, 2008 3:08pm

Have you ever tasted some of there super drinks? They are nasty. Acai tastes like a thick berry prune blend. I have a friend that works for Naked Juice. I have been in their refrigerated warehouse where they store drums of the various juices. You can easily buy the product direct and get a more pure product and cheaper than these Mlm's. Just because it says acai, it could be 90% other cheaper juice like apple and grape for $40 a bottle. Acai tastes nasty. They need to dilute it to make it taste better, which is not saying much. Save your money. Just go eat some salad and fruit.

Sharon, Whittier, CA
August 10, 2008 2:43pm

It's all food (or should I say drink) for thought. Thanks for the info.

Adrienne, Bloomsbury
August 10, 2008 6:36pm

Mendel: Thanks for the spelling lesson and for your wise words regarding the comments I made and MonaVie. I can see that you have a great deal of negative thoughts regarding MonaVie and you have spent several months on here in advise. MonaVie does have some positive ratings and while I will agree with some on this site, I also stand behind the fact that I don't believe anyone here can influence me or others that are drinking the juice and feeling different, it is a fact that I feel better, more energy and so on, and all of the postings on here from you and others that bash Mona Ve and our positive testimonials can say what you like, for us that drink MonaVie, our testimonials are valid and true. There are currently 2 Doctors that I know that are also drinking the juice with praise, as well as Lawyers and Dentists that are also in agreement that they do feel better. Say what you like but the proof is in the bottle of MonaVie, when you drink it you do feel different.

Shasta, Boise
August 10, 2008 8:00pm

Although you may feel different/energized/healthier/other vague claim, this doesn't mean the juice is doing anything. Thoroughly studied and accepted psychological phenomenon are a much better explanation as to why you might feel something while drinking MonaVie. The placebo effect (you are taking something that you expect will make you better, therefore you feel better), confirmation bias (since you believe in the juice you are more likely to notice times when you feel good and dismiss times when you feel poorly), cognitive dissonance (you spent lots of money on this juice and don't think that you could be easily suckered, so you believe the juice works in order to continue believing that you haven't been suckered) are just a few examples.

According to the nutrition label on bottles of MonaVie, there is nothing in the juice that makes it superior to Juicy Juice. Please don't start quoting in vitro antioxidant studies and assuming that they pertain to MonaVie. The jury is still out on AO supplementation but leaning towards little to no effect. Showing that acai kills cancer cells in a dish is about as useful as showing that HCl kills cancer in a dish. The AO concentrations needed to have an effect on cancer cells would most likely have disastrous effects on the rest of the body.

Some people feel different when they wear ionized bracelets, magnetic soles, have their aura cleansed, or take sugar pills. Does this mean that all these methods are effective as well?

Steve Loeffelholz, LeClaire, IA
August 11, 2008 2:11am

Steve: Wow you apparently have a great deal to share regarding MonaVie and responded in extreme unneeded detail to the point of repeating yourself from other postings stated by you here. Again, say what you like but drinking it does tell the story of what MonaVie is about and the other blah, blah, blah references in your post really do not have any influence on my decision to continue to drink and share MonaVie as so many others are doing.

Shasta, Bosie
August 11, 2008 9:31am

Shasta et. al.: I wonder how many of you are among the 1/10th of 1% of MonaVie distributors who have lost less than $100 (Newsweek, August 2008). And of those who do claim to be among those lottery-lucky few, how many are lying about it?

Cut your losses and take it as a lesson hard learned. Stop giving Dallin Larsen what little money you do have left.

Eric Schulman, Corona, CA
August 11, 2008 9:36am

Eric: Thank you for your sound advise but I have LOST nothing and myself and alot of others will continue to share our experiences and stories regarding MonaVie with others as well as to continue to drink the juice. I'm not sure who those are that you refer to that have lost money on Mona Vie but I can assure you that is not the case here or with anyone else that I know that is drinking the juice. Again thanks for your thoughts but they mean nothing to me regarding how I feel since i've started drinking MonaVie several months back.

Shasta, Bosie
August 11, 2008 2:34pm

Shasta: “I also stand behind the fact that I don't believe anyone here can influence me or others that are drinking the juice and feeling different”

Reply: We couldn’t care less that you drink the juice.

Shasta: “all of the postings on here from you and others that bash MonaVie and our positive testimonials can say what you like, for us that drink MonaVie, our testimonials are valid and true.”

We bash them because:

(a) It’s illegal for distributors to use testimonials implying Monavie can prevent/cure/treat diseases. There are no acceptable excuses, including ignorance, for breaking the law.
(b) The company’s official stance is that distributors who post such claims about Monavie on forums like this are in violation of their contract.
(c) Its’ not compelling when anonymous testimonials are posted on an online forum; we don’t know who you are or what your results really were. You could be a distributor or company executive lying to drum up sales.

Shasta: “There are currently 2 Doctors that I know that are also drinking the juice with praise, as well as Lawyers and Dentists that are also in agreement that they do feel better.”

Reply: We have been trying to put FACTS on the table -- reliable information that anyone can verify. Who gives a flying F if your dentist drinks MV. Maybe you have the stupidest dentist in the country or maybe the story was made up; we have no way of knowing. If these individuals actually exist, they should speak for themselves.

Mendel, San Diego, CA
August 11, 2008 4:02pm

I still am looking good since my last blog. And i think it's because of monavie. Blow the dust off your wallet, open it up, and drink one of the healthiest juices out there. Anyone ever heard of the leviathon??? I have one, and it's because of monavie.

Stevie B., Philadelphia
August 11, 2008 7:28pm

Mendel: I never stated that MonaVie "cured" anything, I simply stated that I feel better while drinking it, and that is a fact. As per you "not giving a flying F" regarding the stupidest Dentist in the country, what an immature response to my honest statement. For months you have spent massive time on here bashing anyone that brings anything positive to this post regarding MonaVie and the changes that they have experienced while drinking it. You assume that everyone is stupid and goes in to debt just to drink the juice. To understand your rants would to be able to think as you do, and I am fortunate that I do not have your mentality. The reuslts of drinking MonaVie are not a "sugar pill" they are real results posted by many more of us with positive statements, if you read through all of these postings, there seems to be only a few of you that are negative and continue to slam anyone that posts positive. Therefore the positives outweigh the negatives for MonaVie!!!!

Shasta, Bosie
August 12, 2008 10:28am

Shasta, why do you think that the only people making such silly claims on here are distributors with a financial interest?

Nobody thinks you're stupid, you were simply misled and victimized by a very effective sales and marketing campaign.

If you want to do some good, help prevent other people from being suckered in the same way you were.

Eric Schulman, Corona, CA
August 12, 2008 10:37am

Eric: I am neither misled nor am I a victim, the fact remains that there is a definate difference in my well being since I have been drinking MonaVie. Also to clear the air I am not a distributor, or am I involved in anyway for sales or marketing of this product, I simply drink it to obtain nutrients for myself, after all it is just fruit. For those that you reference that seem to, as you state, "tell false stories to sucker people in" to drinking MonaVie, I can only say that those that choose to drink it, will either feel the difference and continue to drink it, or they won't feel anything and discontinue drinking it. However, I have not met anyone that has drank MonaVie and not felt a difference. There is no one that I know that is a bigger "skeptic" them myself and I detest sales people so for me to drink this juice when it was offered was negative before I tasted it, however within a weeks time I felt the difference, that is why I choose to continue to drink it.

Shasta, Bosie
August 13, 2008 10:06am

Shasta: “The fact remains that there is a definate difference in my well being since I have been drinking MonaVie.”

And how exactly does one quantify something as vague as wellbeing, let alone attribute it to Monavie?

“I simply drink it to obtain nutrients for myself, after all it is just fruit.”

First, the only nutrients that MV contains in significant amounts are vitamins C and K. Second, fruit is fruit; Monavie is fruit juice. Monavie could (or is known to) contain various additives that are not disclosed on the label, such as sodium benzoate and vitamin C, and it does not contain many of the nutrients in REAL fruit.

“For those that…‘tell false stories to sucker people in’ to drinking MonaVie, I can only say that those that choose to drink it, will either feel the difference and continue to drink it, or they won't feel anything and discontinue”

Right, and if most people don’t experience those benefits that are being ILLEGALLY claimed, then they have in effect been ripped of through fraudulent advertising.

“However, I have not met anyone that has drank MonaVie and not felt a difference.”

How much effort have you put into meeting people who had bad experiences on MV; very little I would guess. There are lots of people on this site who have reported no effects or even adverse effects from drinking Monavie.

“There is no one that I know that is a bigger "skeptic" them myself.”

You must surround yourself with very gullible people for this to be true.

Mendel, San Diego, CA
August 13, 2008 1:36pm

Mendel: I do not believe that my post was addressed to you or why you felt the need to respond to it when it was clearly a response to Eric. As for the gullible people, yep I do, Doctors, Lawyers, Dentists, race car drivers, all professional people, my family alone totals just over 50 and we all drinking MonaVie and feeling more energy, sleeping better, and various other testimonials to many to mention.

Shasta, Bosie
August 14, 2008 9:58am

Shasta, what is your assessment of the morality of MonaVie's policy of not allowing the product to be tested so these benefits can be established, thus making it available to the medical industry?

Certainly you're not the only one in the world suffering from low energy and poor sleeping. It seems to me that it would be a nearly criminal act to keep such a wonder cure-all out of hospitals where it's needed most, instead only selling it privately for absurdly inflated prices. Who are you out to help, MLM multimillionaire Dallin Larsen or sick people who need the help?

Eric Schulman, Corona, CA
August 14, 2008 10:06am

I don't believe that I was aware that MonaVie did not allow testing, and if not, I don't believe that it is a moral issue but one of a patton issue. As for the benefits being available to the medical industry, it's fruit, the medical industry is not interested in anything natural that is grown, they are interested in the money that chemicals bring to support their multimillion dollar industry. As for keeping MonaVie from hospitals "where it could be needed most and to only sell it privately, at an absurd price". The medical facilites are not interested in purchasing MonaVie they are more into charging the sick $100.00 for one kemo pill that keeps their patients sick. MonaVie is juice not a chemical, it's just juice!!! Anyone anywhere can purchase as much as they want whenever they want, there is no Doctor needed to drink juice.

Shasta, Bosie
August 14, 2008 1:21pm

Surely if it was "just fruit" it wouldn't cost $40 a bottle. Either it has some magical ingredient or it's absurdly overpriced -- you can't have it both ways.

Eric Schulman, Corona, CA
August 14, 2008 1:25pm

There is no need to pay $40.00 a bottle, I surely don't pay that. You can purchase MonaVie various ways without the MLM or being a distributor. I don't believe there is "magic" in the drink, but I do believe the acai berry and the synergistic effect of this berries complex is what sets it aside from the rest of the juices. Also the preservation and processing of the acai berry in MonaVie provides daily nutrients in my diet.

Shasta, Bosie
August 14, 2008 3:08pm

Hope you don’t mind if I call you on some of those claims. The acai berry most certainly does not set Monavie apart. You can get acai berries in juice form or as bulk powder for a fraction of the cost of Monavie. And what exactly is the “synergistic effect of this berries complex” and in what way does this set it apart from any other blended fruit juice that costs 1/10 the price? That is very vague and essentially meaningless terminology and, conveniently, it’s not something that can be quantified or objectively compared.

As to the processing of the ingredients in Monavie and the nutrients they provide, you really haven’t a clue what you’re actually getting. According to the label, the only nutrients that Monavie provides in significant amounts are vitamin C and vitamin K. Everything else is just smoke and mirrors -- ambiguous, contradictory, and unofficial claims.

As to the cost, Monavie retails for $40 a bottle for Original and $45 a bottle for Active. While it’s true that people can get it cheaper by selling it, one shouldn’t have to become a whore just to support a juice habit. I bet you can also get V8 juice for cheap if you go to work for the manufacturer, but that’s not something they boast about in their sales brochures.

Mendel, San Diego, CA
August 14, 2008 3:56pm

I do agree that you can get the acai berry in many forms, I also agree that there are several products out there that contain the acai berry, they are everywhere, however I do believe that MonaVie has the patton on the way "they" process the acai berry as I stated before. I myself do not purchase MonaVie for the price that you have quoted and I do not consider myself a "whore" for juice and actually find your statment laughable, apparently you are under the impression that the general public is stupid and can't figure out things for themselves without the guidence of your advise. Please!!!!!!!! Being a skeptic is one thing acting like you are the only authority on MonaVie and your words are the truth, why should anyone believe you over others that drink the juice and have great things to say. Careful Mendel you are repeating yourself from being on here for so long.

Shasta, Bosie
August 14, 2008 4:31pm

You're obviously an expert, Shasta, please explain "pattons" to us.

Eric Schulman, Corona, CA
August 14, 2008 4:37pm

Skeptics are more believable when they have first hand experience. Order one case of mona-vie. Drink one ounce twice-a-day for a month. Then if you have no positive change to your health. Everything you've said will have more relevance. You've knocked before you've tried it. How fair is that? Unless you believe Mona-Vie to be unsafe? Is that your claim? No. Then try a case.

Chris Ruth, Memphis, TN
August 15, 2008 8:16am

A true skeptic is probably going to be the LAST person to uncritically pay $40 a bottle to "just try" something with no plausible benefits.

Oh, excuse me, you said order one CASE to "just try" it!!! How many hundreds of dollars will that set me back? And I guess I'm not a "true skeptic" unless I fall for that.

Whenever I have a hankering for acai juice (I do like it, it's really good) I go buy a normal retail brand for 1/10th the price.

A note to all MonaVie distributors: You are in the wrong place if you think you're going to sucker anyone on Skeptoid.com. You are the ones who made the foolish investment; don't expect anyone here to bail you out.

Eric Schulman, Corona, CA
August 15, 2008 9:06am

Until MonaVie can come up with a plausible explanation as to why it should make me feel better, there is no need to try it. Think of it this way. If a company came out with a new flavor of potato chip, sour cream and acai, and was selling the bags for $35 a piece, would you buy it? Would it change your mind if people who had eaten the chips claimed that they felt better, had more energy, etc? The chips take about a month to start showing benefits and a bag lasts about a week. So 5 bags should get you through the trial period costing you $175 dollars. Would you be willing to shell out that kind of money to try it?

I honestly hope that anyone who reads that would say no. But replace every "chips" with "juice" and every "bag" with "bottle" and you have MonaVie. There is no reasonable explanation, or scientific evidence, that suggests that MonaVie has any benefits above and beyond that of normal fruit juice.

Don't knock it till you try it doesn't apply in this situation. It applies to sushi, racquetball, and Russian cinema, not magical juice. Also, when you are trying to get someone to try something new, typically you pay for it so that there is no risk to them. I will gladly try MonaVie for a month if you would be willing to buy me a month supply. If there is no financial risk for me, I will happily put my bias aside and try the product. I will even pay your money back if MonaVie works for me.

Steve Loeffelholz, LeClaire, IA
August 15, 2008 10:51am

Chris Ruth you are misrepresenting what consumers can reasonably expect from drinking juice. Monavie is not marketed (at least not officially/legally) for the purpose of making noticeable improvements in one’s health or state of wellbeing. Furthermore, there are many points of criticism that have no bearing on whether or not one has tried the product; for example, the lack of disclosure of ingredient amounts and antioxidant potency, illegal disease treatment claims, misleading research, or Dallin Larsen’s previous connection with Dynamic Essentials and their fraudulent Royal Tongan Limu juice.

Also, it is an unwarranted assumption on your part that the critics of Monavie haven’t tried the product; I have. But more importantly, it’s not reasonable to expect people to shell out huge amounts of money trying every product that makes extraordinary claims. We would all go broke long before we tried a fraction of the products on the market. Therefore consumers have to be choosy and only try products that have good evidence supporting their value. Monavie has none – just illegal testimonials from people with a vested financial interest in Monavie – and there is much evidence that shows Monavie to be a poor value product. It is roughly 10 times more expensive than other products that provide similar or better nutritional value than Monavie.

Mendel, San Diego, CA
August 15, 2008 11:29am

How much are you paying for meds, vitamins, energy drinks or iced coffees? What's a scam about naturally potent juices that you ABSORB rather than attack your organs with? You like swallowing pills, how about your kidneys and liver? like them? You share selective science. What is is, whether you can afford it or not........

Lisa, San Bruno CA
August 15, 2008 11:24pm

About $100, $25, $0, and $0 respectively. So what. The annual cost of Monavie exceeds my combined budget for those items 10-to 20-fold. If you were truly interested in science you would know that vitamins do not "attack your organs".

"How about your kidneys and liver?"

They are fine, thanks for asking, but what exactly does that have to do with Monavie? It seems like just another nonsensical ploy to divert people from the fact that distributors are selling unremarkable fruit punch for ten times the price of other better juices, fresh fruits, and antioxidant-rich whole foods.

What I pay for medicine is irrelevant. You seem to be implying that Monavie can replace medicine. Dangerous!

Mendel, San Diego, CA
August 16, 2008 3:49pm

MonaVie cured my stigmata, and it's so powerful it allows me to walk on water!

http://www.newsweek.com/id/150499

http://www.sequence-inc.com/fraudfiles/2008/06/30/monavie-scam-or-not/

Suckers...

Jeebus H. Christ, Jerusalem, Judea
August 19, 2008 3:59pm

WE ARE NOT SAYING MONA~VIE IS A CURE!
WE ARE SIMPLY SAYING IT HAS HELPED,US AND OUR CHILDREN! LISTEN I ATE THE VEGI'S AND THE FRUITS,MY WHOLE LIFE AND I WAS STILL VERY SICK! i WAS FEATERED IN THE STATE JOURNAL REGISTER, I HAVE THE PROOF OF ALL MY ILLNESS,SINCE I STARTED THE JUICE RELUCTANTLY,I FEEL MUCH BETTER,NO AMBULANCE RIDES IN ALMOST 3 MO. IVE BEEN KNOWN TO VISIT ALTON MEMORIAL HOSPITAL AT ONE TIME ABOUT 20 TO 22 X IN 3 MO. SO NO ITS NOT A CURE, ITS NOT A PREVENTION ALL I CAN SAY IS AS LONG AS I DRINK IT,MOST NOT ALL OF MY AILMENTS,ARE WAY BETTER!NOT A MEDICAL CLAIM!!!!!!FRUITSOFLIFE@FRONTIERNET.NET

MICHELLE VONBEHREN, BRIGHTON IL
August 20, 2008 6:01am

How is a testimony illegal? When someone is telling what MonaVie has or has not done for them what makes it a crime? Why do you choose not to believe anything anyone has to say that has made them feel different since drinking MonaVie? Maybe when you drank it you didn't drink enough of it for long enough. Maybe you're 300 lbs and it would take longer for you to feel the benefits of MonaVie. Or maybe you got caught up in the MonaVie hype and went out and bought a hundred cases of Mona Vie and couldn't get anyone to purchase from you because of your charming personality.

For Mendel, USA
August 20, 2008 11:04am

Hey I don't make the laws so don’t shoot the messenger.

It is the responsibility of the company and its distributors to know the applicable legal regulations and to abide by them. Apparently you don’t. Relaying to prospective customers testimonials about disease cures/treatment with Monavie, even if they are your own personal stories, are not permissible by law. Deal with it! Comply with the law or petition the powers that be to change the laws, but don’t continue to be a violator.

Mendel, San Diego, CA
August 20, 2008 12:11pm

I don't believe that I stipulated any testimonal regarding disease cures/ or treatment nor did I share any personal story with you, you are speculating that I am one on them, a MonaVie user or distributor, you are wrong. I was just making an observation regarding your rants against MonaVie and that testimonial is just that.

For Mendel, USA
August 20, 2008 1:30pm

When the testimonials are used to imply that MonaVie has benefits above and beyond that of normal fruit juice, it becomes a marketing scheme. MonaVie distributors use testimonials to imply that the juice has healing/energizing/preventative powers. Marketing a product by claiming that it can do things that it can't is clearly illegal.

For example, if a distributor tells a story to a tasting party about a diabetic who no longer needed insulin after drinking MonaVie, it is no longer just a testimonial. It is an implication that the juice can control blood sugar/diabetes, and that is illegal (just ask the FDA). The distributor saying that they don't make claims or claiming that they just like testimonials doesn't change the fact that they are trying to convince potential customers that the juice is more than just juice.

Michelle, after reading your caps-lock filled (you can turn that off by the way) semi-legible rant, I saw your email at the bottom. You wouldn't by chance be a distributor of MonaVie would you? If so, you are a perfect example of what Mendel and I have been talking about.

"I went from 100 hospital visits a year to completely healthy after I started drinking MonaVie! But I'm not claiming that MonaVie can cure anything, or that it can prevent disease, or that it can mitigate symptoms. I just wanted you to know that it cured me of several diseases and probably prevented several more."

Right. Classy.

Steve Loeffelholz, LeClaire, IA
August 20, 2008 2:05pm

You asked the following questions: "How is a testimony illegal? When someone is telling what MonaVie has or has not done for them what makes it a crime?"

I answered your question very clearly and now you are quibbling. If you have a point to make about Monavie, then make it, but don't attack me. It was highly inappropriate for you to imply that I weigh 300 lbs and that I am a falied distributor with a personality problem. That's the sign of a frustrated distributor who can't make intelligent counterarguments.

Mendel, San Diego, CA
August 20, 2008 2:07pm

DNA-based-supplements

The wave of the fruit juices is over

Taylor, Eugene
August 20, 2008 8:46pm

A coworker has been emailing several of us in our office about the benefits of MonaVie and has now set up a no obligations taste test. I knew from the start that this was a mlm scam, but it is surprising how these people/ organizations continue to show up every few years with a new "gotta have it" product. This time, they are preying on people's fears about their health. Next year, it will be something different. Buyer beware...

Andy, Detroit, Michigan
August 21, 2008 7:02am

All negatives about MonaVie, keep your eyes and ears open in the next couple months, MonaVie and the FDA have a big surprise coming for you all!!!

New Mona Vie, Tampa
August 21, 2008 9:04am

If you have something to announce about the product why don't you announce it instead of posting cryptic riddles?

Mendel, San Diego, CA
August 21, 2008 11:17am

No juices, can be FDA approved b/c they're not drugs

Dimples, Greenville, SC
August 22, 2008 6:08pm

I drink and sell mona vie - I LOVE IT, more everyday. After a hard day I crave a serving. Maybe if my diet was better and richer in fruits and vegetables I would not love it so much because my body would be getting these nutrients but I very rarely get my 7-9 servings of fruits and vegetables. I buy them but they sit in the bottom of my refrigerator. Mona Vie gives me my fruits in a way that is easy and convenient. It works for me. For the record I have not heard anything from Mona Vie or anyone in "my network" about news from Mona Vie and the FDA - I agree if someone knows something please post the information. Posting "puzzles" only contributes to the bad reputations network marketing already has and makes it harder for those of us who are trying to sell something we really do believe can help one's health and sense of well-being.

Kate O'Leary, Richmond, Virginia
August 23, 2008 4:32pm

Oh my gosh! A MonaVie distributor making absurd claims about their product! Will the miracles never cease?

Kate, cut your losses and stop sending Dallin Larsen your money. Next time someone pitches you an MLM don't join. You already know it's a losing proposition.

Eric Schulman, Corona, CA
August 23, 2008 4:40pm

save yourself some $$ and just buy a juicer and whip up some carrots, apples, oranges, etc...A decent juicer is about the price of 2 MonaVie bottles and lasts for years.

Jason, San Diego, CA
August 23, 2008 9:40pm

I am also a skeptic on any type of MLM as I have been involved in many years ago including, Shaklee, & Mellaluca. My brother in-law told us about Mona Vie because he had heard it was helping those with autism....ok now our red flags were really up! There are so many trying to make money off of autism today that it has become the rage to mention "it helps autism". My husband wanted to try it so we did. I didn't feel much of a difference myself or see much of a difference in our son who has autism until the 2nd week. My seriously dry skin I have had my whole life is now normal skin, a rash I have had for 27 yrs has disappeared and our autistic son is sleeping through the night, digesting his foods, speaking clearer after struggling for clear speech for 4 yrs & is definitely detoxing as the circles around his eyes have disappeared. His allergies as have mine are gone. So a skeptic I am but not when I truly see a difference personally. We also changed nothing in our diets or lifestyle during the first 2 weeks of trying the juice to be sure anything we saw could be not be associated with anything else. One more thing. Skinny my entire life, menopause hit and I gained 20 lbs. I have no time to diet although I eat very healthy, only organic fruits & veggies but I do have a sweet tooth, I changed nothing and lost 4 lbs in 7 days & 7 lbs in 2 weeks. To me that is a healty weight lost program.

Nancy, NJ
August 25, 2008 8:09am

Oh my gosh! A MonaVie distributor making absurd claims about their product! Will the miracles never cease?

Nancy, cut your losses and stop sending Dallin Larsen your money. Next time someone pitches you an MLM don't join. You already know it's a losing proposition.

Eric Schulman, Corona, CA
August 25, 2008 9:26am

I don't sell MonaVie but got a sample bottle from a potential distributor. I never made it past the first sip. The stuff taste like medicine, not a fruit drink. Stick to your fresh fruit. At least you know what you are eating. If you eat an apple, it's an apple not a proprietary blend of apple with other fruits with no idea of how much of what is blended.

PapaJack, NW Florida
August 25, 2008 8:50pm

CEO
CFO-CIO-CSO
VP1-VP2-VP3-VP4
Manager1-Manager2-Manager3
supervisor-Director-Assist.Manager
employee-employee-employee-employee

Who is really in a pyramid scheme?

will the emloyee ever make more than the CEO?

Does uppermanagement want lower management to do better than them?

David Dena, Grass Valley, CA
August 25, 2008 9:12pm

it is rather interesting to read all the claims and counter-claims flying around in reference to mona vie. i have personally worked as a distributor in the past for shaklee products and a couple of other companies, attended amway 'hype' meetings and been dragged into groups by 'friends' who swore that the 'investment' was not part of a 'pyramid' scheme. i have stopped trying to sell products that did not work for me (shaklee was one of them) and walked out of 'investment' meetings which were clearly pyramids of one type or another. the 'amway' distributor meetings were also based on sales and numbers, not on the efficacy of their products...

any company which operates under a cloak of secrecy and refuses a scientific analysis of their product is questionable at the very least....

i, for one, suggest using your home juicer and/or blender. there are numerous 'organic' stores in my city where pesticides are pretty much eliminated on the produce. if you have a minute, read some history on people like 'gypsy boots'. do some personal research on dietary changes you can make for your specific health condition or complaint.

if, however, you have a life threatening illness or condition, it is possible that medical intervention may be needed. the full spectrum of human research and knowledge is available to those who seek it.

live, love, laugh, and dance if you can.....

mary ann van de car, hollywood, ca
August 26, 2008 1:58pm

Nice post mary ann...good advice.

I'm going to go dance now.

Mendel, San Diego, CA
August 26, 2008 6:13pm

Thanks all - read with great interest. Have been approached by family memeber and after reading this article decided to safe my money and time

Tania, Australia
August 27, 2008 12:33am

Well, I started reading this post but it got too long so a skipped to the end. Wow, I'm impressed at the educated debate... both sides pose good arguments.
So, one more person's two sense...
Try MonaVie, try Veema, try Juicy Juice... If you have something as serious as autism, fibromyaligia, arthritis etc etc how can it hurt. You might just find something natural that works for your body. We are over medicated & under nurished. Let your body figure it out. If it doesn't work your out some $$, but if it does... what then? RU a sucker? no your just healthy.

Kamy Herbst, West Des Moines, IA
August 27, 2008 1:14pm

I wouldn't recommend looking to Juicy Juice as a cure for autism, fibromyalgia, and arthritis anynore than I would Monavie.

Any idea how many products there are out there that claim to treat these conditions?

A person would go broke long before they tried a fraction of them, and yes, anyone who tries to do so is a SUCKER. Great advice if you work for a supplement or voodoo juice company; lousy advice for consumers though.

And why stop at juices and supplements? Why not leaches, bloodletting, arsenic, crystals, and taping magnets to your forehead? Good for the bank accounts of the bleeders and salesman of arsenic, leeches and magnets, but again, not so good for the consumer.

Mendel, San Diego, CA
August 27, 2008 1:41pm

The claims being made by the distributors are becoming so outlandish and reckless that it is almost laughable that people buy into them. I am not sure there is a disease or condition that MonaVie distributors haven't tapped into yet.

Here is a word for the wise:

If something sounds too good to be true, it probably is.

This is especially true when there is no logical explanation as to why something would work.

To Nancy, I can't believe how incredibly irresponsible and misleading you are being. Preying on suckers is one thing. Preying on the hope (and willingness to grasp at straws) of parents with autistic children is a whole new low.

Steve Loeffelholz, LeClaire, Iowa
August 27, 2008 2:16pm

Just came across the podcast and discussion. Great stuff everyone. I'm trying to decide if I want to share this with a coworker/friend who is trying to get us into her MLM.

On a totally separate note, I just wanted to go on the record countering Brian's comment that chiropractor's are not bound by ethical standards (and that MD's are). This plays to the old AMA-perpetuated stereotype that chiropractors are quacks. In fact, that question has been resolved (in US courts, actually). Modern chiropractic care is grounded in empirical based studies and well-thought standards of practice.

Thanks....and now on with the show.

Andy B., Virginia Beach
August 27, 2008 6:49pm

SNAKE OIL ANYONE? Any fruit on this planet, once it is stripped from its fruit shell, loses its nutritional value almost instantly as it starts to oxidize. The ONLY way to get the proper nutrition is to eat fresh, organic and local foods. I go to my local Farmer's Market twice a week and make fresh food every day. I do not buy prepackaged or any food processed.

I can make up a new fancy name, package it all call it what you will and start an MLM and promise the world to you. No fruit juice is going to cure anything! Dried fruit is nothing but pure fructose sugar and is just as bad as a chocolate candy bar.

But go ahead, be fooled, buy into the hype, jump on the bandwagon, drink your elixir and be saved.

I'm gonna go save $50 a week and buy myself some apples which are WAY better than any super food. Please....

Tony, Manhattan Beach
August 27, 2008 7:25pm

Tony, you're right to save your money, but you have your own biases.

Raisins are more than pure fructose sugar and a little dark chocolate may be good for the heart. Heck, honey is almost pure sugar, and it has medicinal uses.

Also, you may want to check out Skeptoid #19 "Organic Food Myths"
http://skeptoid.com/episodes/4019

Max, Boston, MA
August 27, 2008 8:20pm

well every body has the choice to eat and drink what ever they wanna it, but you only will know if you drink this good juices. Don't talk before try it.
Don't forget from where those fruits come from... days month to get to your table lol.

fabiano, elizabeth
August 29, 2008 8:49pm

I love this product personally and have enjoyed the benefits from it.

but what I figure is yes you are spending 40-45 dollars a week on mona vie..

but wouldnt you be spending that same amount if not more for fruits at the local grocery store?

I have heard that if you were to get nutritional value from say a peach.. you would have to eat about 57 peaches today to get the same nutrition as a peach say 50 years ago.

so many fruits and vegetables are filled with chemicals to make them grow greener, faster so they can be sold to the masses, that it looses its nutrition all together.

so you may spend the same amount for fruits at the store, but i believe you would have to spend more to get the same number of servings a day as you would with only 4 oz of mona vie which is 9-12 servings.

so that is my opinion, and i believe you cant go against something if you have never tried it. It would be like saying that you hate flying , when you never have flown.

if you try it, dont like it, then that is your choice and you can move on and do your thing. But i personally wouldnt rag on people who like a product and believe in it just because you dont.

Julia, Orange County, CA
August 30, 2008 3:07am

What we are ragging on, Julia, are the false and misleading statements that people are making about Monavie, and yours comments are a perfect example.

It’s simply ridiculous to compare the cost of fresh fruit to a bottle of mystery fruit juice. According to USDA data, for most fruits, the average cost per serving is less than 25 cents.

That means you can get up 160 to 180 servings of fruit for the cost of a bottle of Monavie ($40-$45). The USDA recommends about 3 servings of fruit per day (and about 4-6 of vegetables). Do the math…one can buy enough fruit to meet the USDA’s recommendations for ONE YEAR for the same price as 2 bottles of Monavie Active (not even enough to last 2 weeks at 4 oz/day).

I don’t know who told you that drinking 4 oz of Monavie was a equivalent to eating 9-12 servings of fruit (or why you would feel the need to repeat it here) but there is no truth at all to this claim. If you are merely a consumer, then you should recognize that you have been misinformed, and you should stop misinforming others. If you are a distributor, then be advised that your claims constitute false advertising and therefore put you at risk of enforcement action by the FTC. They also violate the terms of the Monavie distributor agreement.

Mendel, San Diego, CA
August 30, 2008 11:07pm

Yes but the thing is, the statements that people make about mona vie are from REAL people who have tried the juice, have experienced its results and have told other people about it.

How can it be misleading if they themselves are telling true stories.

And the information about the 9-12 servings of fruit a day with the 4 oz. of mona vie is information that i received from another source.. so if the information I received was incorrect, then I apologize for the above statement.

Julia, Orange County, CA
August 31, 2008 4:46pm

What, as apposed to unreal people?
"I have heard that if you were to get nutritional value from say a peach.. you would have to eat about 57 peaches today to get the same nutrition as a peach say 50 years ago."
And have you considered that may not be correct?

"...so many fruits and vegetables are filled with chemicals to make them grow greener, faster so they can be sold to the masses, that it looses its nutrition all together."

Please, cite examples.

Marius vanderlubbe, Nullabour plain, Australia.
August 31, 2008 5:42pm

Unreal people are people who have a financial incentive to make up ridiculous claims about the product because, oh I don't know, they're selling it.

Max, Boston, MA
August 31, 2008 10:59pm

MonaVie is really amazing and a great company. A great product with a truly fascinating business to go with it. They have a very intensive research team of medical advisor's and scientist. False claims would not be tolerated by the company.

Try it one day...it's really good stuff. My whole family loves it!

and of course they pay people to drink it! so what is better than that!!? haha

juice drinker, ca
September 01, 2008 11:23am

Dear Juice drinker,

Thank you for having the courage to say your real name.

Now ... if you say they have a "team of medical advisors and scientists" then it must be true. False claims would not be tolerated. That sounds good, but ... it's a load of crap.

I would love to start detailing why your claim is a load of crap, but Mr. Dunning did such a great job and ... just reading both this episode and your comment is enough to realize it.

The only true thing you said is this : "MonaVie is a truly fascinating business". It really is, it makes profit from people's ... ignorance and, pardon me for not being gentle, stupidity.

Instead of spending 50$ on some juice to drink 1 week, I would rather buy 5$ worth of apples and my favourite juice on the market (which doesn't claim to have any beneficial effects, it just claims that it tastes good).
And I would come out a lot cheaper, and probably healthier.

Best regards,

Vlad

Vlad Preda, Bucharest, Romania
September 01, 2008 12:24pm

Vlad from Romania. Hmmm....Is your favorite juice er....red?

Sorry. Couldn't resist it.

Marius vanderLubbe, Nullabour Plain, Australia
September 01, 2008 2:31pm

I dont know if the people who are selling mona vie are making claims that it cures diseases and what not..

but if you go to the mona vie web site and look under facts.. go to products and look at question number 16.

the question is:

Do MonaVie products treat, cure, or prevent disease?

the answer on the official Mona Vie web site is:

No. It is not the purpose of a natural product like MonaVie to treat, cure, or prevent disease; the FDA only approves drugs to offer these benefits.

so here you can see that the company itself is not making the claim that it can cure or prevent diseases.

The only claims i have heard are from people who use the product and have personally gotten results from it.

And when i had stated that it is real people.. I meant as opposed to a company or group of people who think or may or may not know how it can help others.

Julia, Orange County, CA
September 01, 2008 3:38pm

If the people telling you those claims are distributors, then their statements are not legal. Think of it this way:

Sony sells televisions and they work fine. They do exactly what televisions are supposed to do. The company makes no special claims about their product. If an appliance store manager makes statements that Sony televisions emit a special wave that can cure cancer, he (and his company) is making illegal claims. If Sony relies on this backhanded word-of-mouth advertising to charge 10X more for their televisions, they are right on the edge of doing something illegal.

That is exactly what the MonaVie corporation is doing. Though they don't make claims themselves, they don't discourage outlandish claims made by distributors and use this hype to justify the inflated price of their product.

To juice drinker,
If MonaVie has such a dedicated staff research team, why don't they allow independent companies to test their products. All these claims that we don't believe could easily be proven (or falsified) if a lab with no previous motivation was able to test the juice. MonaVie not only tolerate false claims, their entire business model is build on them.

Steve Loeffelholz, LeClaire, IA
September 01, 2008 4:33pm

Deja vu all over again.

http://www.quackwatch.org/01QuackeryRelatedTopics/endorsements.html

The most notorious "endorsements" I have seen involved United Sciences of America, a multilevel marketing company that sold various vitamin products with claims that they would protect against many diseases. In 1986, the company proudly announced that its products were endorsed by a prominent 15-member scientific advisory board that included two Nobel Prize winners. However, what actually happened was something else. The board members had been offered a yearly retainer and promised that a percentage of product sales would fund research grants for which they could apply. They were not told that their names would be used for marketing purposes. Most resigned when they found out how they were being used. That plus government regulatory action quickly drove the company out of business in 1987, but its total sales probably exceeded $50 million.

Max, Boston, MA
September 01, 2008 10:20pm

It's so sad that there are so many naive, vulnerable people out there who are either looking for a miracle food or a get-rich-without working hard "business."

I've been invited to a MonaVie party this week and I've been doing a little research (if I can find stats anyone can).

I found the following study interesting.

"Comparison of antioxidant potency of commonly consumed polyphenol-rich beverages in the United States.

J Agric Food Chem. 2008; 56(4):1415-22 (ISSN: 0021-8561)

Seeram NP ; Aviram M ; Zhang Y ; Henning SM ; Feng L ; Dreher M ; Heber D
Center for Human Nutrition, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, California 90095, USA.

Bottom Line: Antioxidant potency, ability to inhibit LDL oxidation, and total polyphenol content were consistent in classifying the antioxidant capacity of the polyphenol-rich beverages in the following order:

Pomegranite Juice>red wine>Concord grape juice>blueberry juice>black cherry juice, açaí juice, cranberry juice>orange juice, iced tea beverages, apple juice.

Although in vitro antioxidant potency does not prove in vivo biological activity, there is also consistent clinical evidence of antioxidant potency for the most potent beverages including both Pomegranite Juice and red wine."
---------------------
Although acai is great, Welch's Concord Grape Juice would be even better and a heck of a lot cheaper, and readily available.

I'm such a party pooper.

fellow skeptic, Pa.
September 02, 2008 7:16am

The alcohol in red wine offsets the health benefits.

Try some 100% sour cherry juice, made in Bulgaria or Turkey. Tastes like the real thing. It might be sold next to the pomegranate juice.

Max, Boston, MA
September 02, 2008 9:43am

Max said: "The alcohol in red wine offsets the health benefits."

Not quite accurate. Men are advised to consume no more than 2 drinks per day, and women no more than one. At that level of consumption, the health benefits of wine are not offset by the risk of developing liver disease. The alcohol itself, at these low levels of intake, also offers some cardiovascular benefits independently of the antioxidant effects of the other constituents in red wine.

100% sour cherry juice is a good recommendation, and pure grape or prune juice are also excellent and very inexpensive.

Mendel, San Diego, CA
September 02, 2008 1:00pm

I find it interesting when people bash Multi Level Marketing. First off, what do you think advertising is on tv. Someone gains financially no matter how you put it out there. I tell a friend that I tried this and my friend tells a friend and tells a friend and on and on. Secondly, how many people are going to actually eat enough apples in a day to get the required fruits and vegetables. People ARE looking for easy outs because of busy lifestyles and obligations and developed poor eating habits. If you can make some money on the side, why not, how do you think pharmeceutical companies stay in business

Trisha, Canada
September 02, 2008 1:45pm

Ummm.... neither TV commercials nor pharmaceutical companies have anything to do with MLM. Stating that they exist is hardly a compelling argument in favor of investing in MLM companies -- a proven foolish move.

Eric Schulman, Corona, CA
September 02, 2008 1:48pm

If MLM's and network marketing in general were so terrible, then can someone please explain why folks like Robert Kiyosaki and Donald Trump (among other successful people) openly say that those are legitimate ways to make a living?

Many people tend to put down MLM's for the following reasons:

1. They know nothing about the model and just make the old "Too good to be true" opinion.

2. Have been involved in one in the past that either had a terrible product or they found it to be not as easy as they thought. Success does not happen overnight. You have to give something 5 years and go through the ups and downs like every other business in history has.

Major corporations are, in fact, more of the pyramid scheme that gets mentioned.

Why?

Next time at Walmart, ask the person that works the register if they can make more than the store manager that hired them. Obviously they will say no because it cannot happen.

But a person that gets involved with a solid MLM that has a great product, and has a dedicated and sincere sponsor can reasonably succeed just as much as, if not more than, the person that introduced them to the MLM.

Every career out there takes hard work to succeed, this is just another example of this.

If they were so terrible, the government would not allow ANY MLM's to exist. Period.

Network marketing has been around over 50 years! Most people do not even know that.

So if they were so bad, how in the world could they have lasted this long?

Kevin H., St Louis Mo
September 02, 2008 7:15pm

Kevin, you can’t defend against the criticism of Monavie merely by throwing out those feeble “MLMs aren’t so bad” and “all corporations are pyramids” arguments. It’s nonsense. We aren’t even saying all MLMs are bad. Some are probably OK and some, like Monavie, are terrible. The product is shady and overpriced, the claims are exaggerated and illegal, the CEO has a tarnished history with another MLM juice company that was run out business for by the FDA, and it competes in a market crowded with more reliable, far cheaper alternatives.

The dissimilarities between corporations and the Monavie biz opportunity are too numerous to list, but the most obvious is that the 90% of active distributors at the bottom of the organization make an average hourly wage 1/3 less than minimum wage (roughly $4.65). You can’t say that of any non-MLM corporation.

“Next time at Walmart, ask the person that works the register if they can make more than the store manager that hired them. Obviously they will say no because it cannot happen.”

WalMart is a meritocracy and promotes from within. It wouldn’t be unreasonable for an exemplary cashier to eclipse a mediocre store manager. And the store manager didn’t hire that cashier; the HR dept. did after an interview, thorough background check, and mandatory training. Monavie will hire ANYONE as a distributor with no questions asked, as long as they can pay to play.

Pretty much everything else you said seemed like typical MLM lemming-speak.

Mendel, San Diego, CA
September 02, 2008 9:26pm

Trish said: "I find it interesting when people bash Multi Level Marketing. First off, what do you think advertising is on tv. Someone gains financially no matter how you put it out there. I tell a friend that I tried this and my friend tells a friend and tells a friend and on and on."
---------------------
At least with TV and other media advertising I can say NO without feeling guilty or ever having to deal directly with the advertiser. With MLM it's usually a family member or a friend that is making the sales pitch and you feel bad for not supporting them. If Welch's came on TV and pitched concord grape juice for $40 a bottle that would last me a week, I'd think "what kind of a jack-ass do they think I am?" and walk away. It's not that easy with a family member or friend.

fellow skeptic, Pa.
September 03, 2008 4:02am

"If they were so terrible, the government would not allow ANY MLM's to exist."

There are ongoing battles. Take the notorious Amway Corporation.
http://www.pyramidschemealert.org/PSAMain/news/TopGunsSueQuixtar.Amway.html

"Amway founders and top guns have contributed millions to Republican congress members and to President Bush. This was rewarded in 2001 with Pres. Bush's appointment of Timothy Muris, an attorney that worked for Amway, as chairman of the FTC."

-Police officials in India raided offices of Amway in the largest state in the South of India.

-Amway has effectively been shut down in England and Ireland pending a government investigation.

But politicians have little incentive to shut it down because the victims are in denial.

Also, there are other perfectly legal ways to lose money, like buying lottery tickets.

Max, Boston, MA
September 03, 2008 6:10am

Just to touch on a few statements that I have read here on this interesting discussion of Mona Vie.
1. Mona Vie does not cost $40-$45 a bottle, you can get it for less and also through the bashed MLM for free.
2. The Doctors & Drug companies work hand in hand, drug companies give Doctors their product to push on patients, then the drug companies pay for the Doctors to go on Holiday for promoting their drugs.
3. Not everyone is an idiot and needs the constant advise of a few on here that seem to need the advise of Mendell, Steve and others that bash not only Mona Vie but MLM's every time someone states anything positive about MonaVie.
4. All this reference of FDA approval, what a joke. It is the Government that got us into the state this country is in, I would think that they would have bigger issues to deal with then the control of a fruit juice, how about the FDA approved drugs that have major side effects and have killed people.
5. Mona Vie is fruit, just fruit, a personal choice, buy it or don't, drink it or don't, be part of the MLM or purchase another way without being part of the MLM, this option is available, Mona Vie is everywhere!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Lydia, Menifee, CA
September 03, 2008 9:36am

Oh those eeeevile drug companies.

You know, the ones who've caused life expectancy to rise from 47.3 years of age in 1900 to 76.9 years of age in 2000.

Those evil drug companies that developed vaccines that have all but irradicated several deadly diseases -- cholera, diphtheria, hepatitis, measles, smallpox, polio, just to name a few.

Those evil drug companies who created drugs that cause my niece's little girl to not reject the kidney she received from her uncle.

Those evil drug companies who came up with drugs that will allow another niece's little girl to live a long life with cystic fibrosis.

Those evil drug companies who came up with the antibiotics that kill millions of infections per year.

Those evil drug companies who developed ibuprofen that gets rid of the headaches I get when I spend too much time ruminating on the gullibility of mlm'ers.

I could go on, but what good would it do?

fellow skeptic, Pa.
September 03, 2008 10:31am

Right on! I'll add to you list that evil drug insulin, which is part of that sinister Pharma conspiracy to keep diabetics alive. I actually had the privlege of meeting the co-discoverer of insulin, Dr. Charles Best, and 35 years later, he still stands out in my mind as one of the finest, most gentle, generous, and decent people I've ever met.

Mendel, San Diego, CA
September 03, 2008 3:26pm

Mendel, your mind is an oasis in this desert world of non-thinkers.

fellow skeptic, Pa.
September 03, 2008 5:15pm

You guys don't see the genius in their big picture plan! They're keeping people alive now, so more people grow old. Who uses the most medicine? Old people!

It's all a brilliant master plan that millions of people, including a few people you probably know, are all in on! They're pulling the wool over your eyes! Quick! Drink this sugar water that will not not cure your random diseases!

Seriously though, I can't believe there is this much contention over some worthless fruit juice.

Jeremy Lindgren (vita10gy), Eau Claire, WI
September 04, 2008 1:40pm

Jeremy, too funny regarding the drug companies.

I guess I have been a bit contentious and sarcastic about MonaVie, and I apologize if I’ve offended anyone.

I think I must have some control issues. It really shouldn't bother me if someone wants to spend $2,336 a year for fruit juice (see math below). It’s just hard for me to sit back and watch people being scammed without speaking out.

MonaVie Cost Breakdown:

25-ounce bottle @ $40 = $1.60 per ounce

4 ounces (daily dosage) x $1.60 = $6.40 per day

$6.40 x 365 = $2,336 per person per year

Multiply $2,336 by the number of people drinking the kool-aid (err, I mean juice) to get the cost per year for that household.

Amazing!

fellow skeptic, Pa.
September 04, 2008 3:29pm

No, I understand the shocked disbelief and contention from your end, because I'm with you.

I guess rather than "I can't believe there is this much contention over some worthless fruit juice." I should have said, "I can't believe there are this many people willing to fight to the death defending something as undefendable as this worthless fruit juice."

Jeremy Lindgren (vita10gy), Eau Claire, WI
September 04, 2008 3:52pm

Two points of interest: (1) in the original article that began this thread when testing the acai solution, why in the world did they not just test the actual Monavie juice. That would have settled things for sure. But NO, they "guessed" at the mixture not even knowing the process. Shame shame busted. (2)For the "expert" that used the phrase "worthless fruit juice". I can understand your skepticism to a point, but a lot of people in this world have experienced benefits derived from the "worthless juice" that we never got from a "common apple". I had reservations for a while, but was man enough to put my skepticism aside and try the product, only to find out in less than one week, that I did not have to continue my life with the pain of planter fasciatus and would not have to go through surgery to relieve that pain. Please keep an open mind and do not trash something on speculation, but on true, hard, due diligence.

Steve McDowell, Austin TX
September 04, 2008 6:27pm

Jeremy, thanks for the clarification. I wholeheartedly agree with you.

fellow skeptic, Pa.
September 04, 2008 6:29pm

Lydia, I took issue with the entirety of your paranoid musings about the FDA and drug companies; however, I wanted to address one of your points specifically:

“Just to touch on a few statements that I have read here on this interesting discussion of Mona Vie. Mona Vie does not cost $40-$45 a bottle, you can get it for less and also through the bashed MLM for free.”

The retail cost of Monavie is $39 for Original and $45 for Active. If we were discussing the cost of tomato juice would you be saying “yeah but you can get it for free if you go to work for Campbell’s Inc.” One shouldn’t have to take on a second job whoring juice just to pay for their 4-ounce a day habit. In fact, one of the hallmarks of an illegal MLM/pyramid is pushing distributorships more than product, which seems to be the case here. If product is what you are really trying to sell, and not just distributorships, then just simply accept that it’s retail price is $39-$45.

Mendel, San Diego, CA
September 04, 2008 9:55pm

There's nothing wrong with the concept of MLM. It's moving product through a network of people. It's a form of product distribution that is effective through word of mouth referrals. Hey, I buy juice at Walmart but when as the last time Walmart sent me a check for recommending their product to others? Answer: never. As for the value, well that depends on what this does to your health. How much do you value your health?

David, Arlington, Texas
September 05, 2008 7:34am

David, MLM is better described as an illegal pyramid scheme made legal by the inclusion of some product.

Eric Schulman, Corona, CA
September 05, 2008 7:42am

Steve,

I'm "man enough" to know my subjective opinion wouldn't matter one iota as to whether or not the juice worked. I'm not a medical doctor, or a scientist, and I don't consider my opinion to be equally valid to theirs on these matters.

You're assuming a cause/effect relationship when it could be one of a million things. One of the ways to "cure" plantar fasciitis is just to rest that foot (avoid "aggravating" activities) and own a decent pair of shoes. (Ie, not a $2 pair of flat flip flops.)

Many of us non-third-worlders already do wear athletic/walking shoes that have good arch support. Also, maybe it's just me, but if my foot hurts like a mofo, I'm going to cancel my basketball game, and any other activities, and spend the weekend on the couch.

It's very possible you had a bad case, and if so I'm sorry, but according to Wikipedia surgery is a "last resort" for plantar fasciitis, not a the "normal" treatment.

In other words your juice "cured" something that goes away on it's own, with just resting it, a vast majority of the time.

Besides, Monavie is expensive and might cut into my kinoki foot pad budget. I can't stop buying those. I've been using these since they came out and haven't had a case of plantar fasciitis yet.

David,

The difference is Walmart's EMPLOYEES don't pay Walmart for the privilege of selling you that product.

Jeremy Lindgren (vita10gy), Eau Claire, WI
September 05, 2008 8:02am

$40+ for a bottle of fruit juice? Check out, instead, V8® V-Fusion Açai Berry Blend, available in just about any supermarket for a small fraction of the cost of these “superfruit” juices. Though the company that makes it doesn't make any special health claims for it, there's no reason to suppose that there's anything that MonaVie or similar products can do for you that this humble V8® product won't do just as well, for a lot less $$$; and you won't be feeding a network of scammers and criminals every time you buy it.

Bob Blaylock, N 38°35' W 121°29'
September 05, 2008 12:23pm

I have noticed a lot of products in stores that have acai berry in them. the only difference is if you look at the juice.. its clear..

when you look at mona vie, its thick and is filled with seeds. the difference is that mona vie uses the entire fruit, skin, pulp, seeds, everything and that is probably why it has so much nutrition in it.

also, mona vie is the only company that uses its patented freeze drying of the berry so that it retains all of its nutrients and minerals. The berry looses its power after 24 hours of being picked.

im not saying that V8 fusion is bad or doesnt have any nutritional value, im just saying that a juice that is thicker could have more nutrition than a clear juice..

Health Nut, LA, CA
September 05, 2008 2:11pm

Wow, a MonaVie distributor making far-fetched claims about their product! What a surprise.

Anonymous "Health Nut" - Exactly what is this "power" that the berry "loses" after 24 hours? Are you saying that the chemical content changes? Where does it go? Or are you referring to a mystical life energy field? How were you able to determine these facts?

Eric Schulman, Corona, CA
September 05, 2008 2:22pm

Health Nut said: "when you look at mona vie, its thick and is filled with seeds. the difference is that mona vie uses the entire fruit, skin, pulp, seeds, everything and that is probably why it has so much nutrition in it."

I'm getting sick and tired of all this lying BS. Monavie does not contain the seeds of the acai fruit...do your freakin' homework. The company says: "the seed, however, is discarded during processing of the fruit and is never used or found in the finished product.”
http://www.buildthejuice.com/pdfs/monavie_organic_summary.pdf

Health Nut: "also, mona vie is the only company that uses its patented freeze drying of the berry"

Again, stop the BS. The process is not patented. The developers applied for a patent but it was never approved because 26 of the 40 claims in the application were rejected.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MonaVie#Product_Ingredients

Thanks for bringing more disinformation to the table. It just reinforces all of the criticism of your pathetic swindle juice.

Mendel, San Diego, CA
September 05, 2008 3:06pm

Steve,

You had a lot to say about nothing, that is nothing from an informed mind, which is what is to be expected. I've seen first hand what MonaVie can do, and many people have too.

People, do some research, have an open mind, The acai blend is a breakthrough. It will be big whether you believe it or not.

Dave, Dallas
September 05, 2008 7:59pm

My skeptical chemist husband has consumed the recommended 4 oz. per day serving of Monavie for a week now. He reports that he is sleeping better and gets through the afternoon at work without his usual "drowsy" hour. All variables considered, he credits the juice.
In the ideal world, perhaps we might have the time and energy to focus on the perfect diet (per the authors "apple" example). Perhaps then MacDonald's might not have succeeded in hijacking our idea of a tasty and satisfying meal. But the reality is we have succombed to diets polluted with all sorts of fatty, super-carb, chemical nasties.
Perhaps drinking the Monavie is a step toward getting our diets back to the way they should be. I'm happy to see my husband headed in the right direction.
Thanks for listening.

Patty, St. Paul
September 05, 2008 9:13pm

Wow, a MonaVie distributor making far-fetched claims about her product! What a surprise!

He credits his health to magical MLM fruit juice. He sure does sound like a skeptic!

Eric Schulman, Corona, CA
September 05, 2008 9:18pm

Eric,

"Losing power" probably refers to this:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Acai

"As the high fat content of açaí indicates it would deteriorate rapidly after harvest, its raw material is generally available outside the immediate growing region only as juice or fruit pulp that has been frozen or processed as a pulp powder or freeze-dried powder."

Max, Boston, MA
September 05, 2008 9:22pm

I have finally accepted the fact that this thread will continue in the same fashion forever. A MonaVie distributor will post a comment touting the amazing yet completely unsubstantiated benefits of this snake oil. Someone with a level head will point out the factual inaccuracies in their post, point out that making such claims is illegal, and point to evidence that the juice is nothing special. The distributor will then fire back with, "You need to keep an open mind!" or, "Don't knock it till you try it!" or, "You don't know what you are talking about!" After one more rational reply, another distributor will jump into the fray with the same insane claims and lack of evidence, and everything starts over again.

PT Barnum famously said that there is a sucker born every minute. Sadly, I think he underestimated by a significant amount.

Steve Loeffelholz, LeClaire, IA
September 07, 2008 8:12am

In June of 2007 my wife was diagnosed with terminal ovarian cancer. After only 6 weeks of drinking Mona Vie, her cancer went into remission, and her arthritis of 30 years disappeared. It doesn't matter to me whether the product was sold in a store or through a network marketing plan. Bottom line is it helped her.

Robert Wickens, Cincinnati
September 07, 2008 8:31am

LOL, just 20 minutes after Steve's comment, another distributor jumps into the fray.

Max, Boston, MA
September 07, 2008 9:03am

Wow, Robert, that’s truly a miracle. You cured terminal cancer (and arthritis) in just 6 weeks with nothing more than fruit juice more, and even though this allegedly happened more than a year ago, this incredible story has never been published. If your story had a grain of truth to it, you would have been on the cover of every major medical journal in the world. But of course that didn’t happen because the story is BS.

You should have gone with a more believable story, like it gave your wife x-ray vision or that it made her grow wings and fly.

Mendel, San Diego, CA
September 07, 2008 9:06am

Her cancer went into remission, her arthritis disappeared, her fever broke, and she slept better. Bottom line is she was dead.

Ralph, Detroit, MI
September 07, 2008 1:41pm

I did some testing on this product a while back. I logged my ailments before I began this test and while I was drinking this "fruit juice" I would log how I felt, my sleep patterns, sex drive and such. In the end, nothing changed. My knees are still sore, my back still hurts, I got sick, my sleep patterns remained unchanged.
For those that believe this works, it is called the placebo effect. If it makes you happy by all means overpay for juice and while you are throwing your money away could you send me some of your unwanted money.
If you want the "health benefits" of this juice then by $100 worth of blueberries and eat some everyday with your oatmeal and eat additional fruits and vegetables.

William, Central PA
September 08, 2008 9:28am

It is understandable that people be skeptical of a fruit juice. I, myself, was skeptical when my friend offered it to me. I did not have to buy the product to try it as my friend gave me my first bottle. To be quite honest, I didn't really recognize the effects it had on me until I quit drinking it. My energy level is through the roof and my mental clarity is so much better. No, I do not consider this a placebo effect. Nor do I consider the effects that I have seen it have on other people placebo effects.

Robert, I appreciate you sharing the story of your wife. I'm glad the juice is there for those who are willing to try it. For all others, live with your aches and pains because you're too skeptical to try the product.

Carla, Georgia
September 08, 2008 10:15am

Wow, a MonaVie distributor making wild, implausible claims about her product! How surprising!

Eric Schulman, Corona, CA
September 08, 2008 10:36am

Hmmm Carla...might your opinion about Monavie change if you were to find out that one of the product's most widely touted spokespersons, Lou Niles, is a court-martialed disgraced liar and rapist.
http://www.armfor.uscourts.gov/opinions/1996Term/95_0738.htm

Let's see if people still experience the placebo effect after they learn the truth about this sleazy scumbag.

Mendel, San Diego, CA
September 08, 2008 2:37pm

Now, is that an ad hominem, or just common sense?

Max, Boston, MA
September 09, 2008 11:11am

I was given a bottle of this juice by my neighbor and my 2 daughters and I tried it that evening. My 10 yr. old awoke around 2 a.m. to vomit but was perfectly fine the next day. After some research on the net, I have found this to be quite common. I continued to drink it and after a few days, my urine began to smell like urine that had been in an unflushed commode for a week. I cannot find much about that on the net, but there are just too many questions than answers for me to pay that much money to be "healthy."

Joey B, Shoals, Al.
September 09, 2008 8:54pm

It's common to vomit after drinking it? Wow. Do the quacks call it flushing out the toxins or some BS like that?

Max, Boston, MA
September 09, 2008 9:33pm

Well it's your opinion and your health..do what you will with it! There is something to be said about Monavie and it's health benefits...obviously we could care less if the doubting ppl like yourselves drink it....please...go spend allot more than $40 a week on your starbucks...a small truck load of fruits and veggies! If you can eat that much per day..then by ALL means do it...but don't knock those of us that drink this juice....it's a wonderful product and it has 19 fruits in it...2 oz's a day....yep...I can do that....can I eat the amount that the dr's say everyday....hell no....but they sure belive in those fruits and veggies don't they? With all the chemicals and processing that fresh fruits and veggies go through....your just adding more chemicals to your shytem to have to fight off!

It's your body so put in it what you will....but stop trying to make ppl believe that it isn't good for you....tell me..what in this juice is bad for you?

Feel free to spend a half hour or better juicing and cutting and cleaning....3x a day...I have better things to do with all this energy Monavie has given me! Not to metion I stopped taking sleeping pills every night....I get the best sleep I've ever had since drinking this.

To each his own...so you can make money selling this and signing up other ppl....so what....you can make really good money!
What's wrong with that....and first and foremost...you will be doing your body a favor by taking care of it!

karen, nashville/tn
September 15, 2008 3:38pm

  Never trust medical advice or products that come from someone who is so stupid that she cannot even spell a simple, common word, such as “people”.

Bob Blaylock, N 38°35' W 121°29'
September 16, 2008 12:49am

...or for that matter..."a lot" (allot) and "system" (shytem).

Mendel, San Diego, CA
September 16, 2008 12:30pm

Next you'll start requiring good handwriting, at which point MD's are screwed.

karen, let the idiots waste their time on their toxic fresh fruits and veggies. Who needs real food anyways, when you have overpriced concentrates, pills, and powders for your convenience.

Max, Boston, MA
September 16, 2008 11:30pm

Fruit juice is toxic, fruit is toxic. In fact all food is toxic. I should know, because I have been a Breatharian for 19 years. I think that.....(falls off stool)

Marius vanderLubbe, Nullabour Plain, Australia
September 17, 2008 1:32am

I just read through this and I have to say that the posts regarding MonaVie I find a bit immature. One backs the FDA and Medical advisors, and the others defend the "juice". Three badger and put down the "juice" supporters for their bad spelling and their positive testimonials. One refers to drinking V8 juice instead of MonaVie, which contains corn syrup, a product your body does not process. After reading all this it is very hard to decide weather MonaVie juice and it's contents are actually good for you. I have come to the conclusion that it is not MonaVie that all this is about, it is about the MLM that is attached to it. My conclusion weather to drink the juice or not is to drink the juice. After all it is just juice, and I will drink it without belonging to the MLM that it is affiliated with. I certainly do not need the FDA to influence my choices for my body anymore then I need the selected few here to make up my mind for me. For those that drink MonaVie, if it works for you, you certainly don't need the advise of others here to sway your personal choice.

Samantha, Dallas
September 17, 2008 10:52am

Samantha: "After reading all this it is very hard to decide weather MonaVie juice and it's contents are actually good for you."

Precisely our point. There is no evidence that it's good for you, so why pay $45 a bottle for it?

Samantha: "My conclusion weather to drink the juice or not is to drink the juice. After all it is just juice"

For $45 a bottle is should be a helluva lot more than "just juice". Products in the "just juice" category sell for a fraction of the cost of Monavie.

One backs the FDA and Medical advisors, and the others defend the "juice".

I don't "back" the FDA as you put it, but it is perfectly reasonable for us to expect that the people selling Monavie should not violate U.S. laws. I am a backer of honesty, integrity, and law-abiding companies.

Mendel, San Diego, CA
September 17, 2008 3:50pm

Mendel, thanks so much for your input but as I said before your opinion does not matter much to me. I just purchased a case of MonaVie for $20.00 a bottle, not your mentioned $45.00. After doing some research myself on MonaVie I find that it contains a great deal of nutrients from fruits that I cannot seem to get in other "juices" that are out there on the market. I did not find one juice that actually contained all the fruits that MonaVie has in just one bottle. I did a test and went to the market to try and find all of these fruits to purchase and ended up spending more then $20.00 on my purchase and was unable to find all of the fruits that are in MonaVie. Also for taste I sampeled my purchases prior to putting them in the blender, I have to tell you that most of the fruits had the flavor of cardboard, or no flavor at all. I would imagne because they were picked green and sat in a hot house somewhere to ripen. Oh, the acai berry is not available unless you purchase it as a already processed juice from many health food store. So my $20.00 worth of fruit plus the purchase of Acai juice well exceeded what I paid for MonaVie.

Samantha, Dallas
September 18, 2008 9:59am

Marius, noooo! The Oxygen in the air is toxic! That's why you need antioxidant-rich Monavie.

Samantha, why do you need the acai berry specifically? Try some blackcurrant juice, it's great.

Max, Boston, MA
September 18, 2008 1:56pm

Because acai berries have what people crave. They have electrolytes!

Jeremy Lindgren (vita10gy), Eau Claire, WI
September 18, 2008 3:08pm

Max, I was not aware of blackcurrant juice thanks for the information. I was seeking the acai berry because of it's nutrional value. According to research the acai berry is getting the reputation of being a super fruit. From what I have read it contains not only protein it is packed with all kinds of vitamins, especially E, trace minerals such as cooper iron and calcium and other great nutrients for my body.

Samantha, Dallas
September 18, 2008 4:35pm

Then it would be best to consume acai berries or an acai product other than Monavie. MV contains a trivial amount of protein; the label shows 0 grams protein per ounce. There is no evidence that MV is a significant source of copper or calcium, and the label shows that the juice provides negligible iron (2% RDA per ounce). The only nutrient it provides in significant amounts is vitamin C (25% RDA per ounce) but it's probably an additive and you can get vitamin C just about anywhere for pennies a gram.

Mendel, San Diego, CA
September 19, 2008 6:33pm

» After reading all this it is very hard to decide weather
» MonaVie juice and it's contents are actually good for you. I
» have come to the conclusion that it is not MonaVie that all
» this is about, it is about the MLM that is attached to it.

Well, that and that it's a complete waste of money. There's no question that MonaVie is good for you. It's fruit juice; and fruit juice, in general, is good for you.

But you don't have to pay $20 or more for a bottle of fruit juice. There are many, many, many fruit juice products on the market that are every bit as good for you as MonaVie, at 1/10 of the price. And unlike Monavie, you can buy these juices without feeding a network of swindlers, spammers, and other criminals and miscreants.

I mentioned V8® V-Fusion Açai Berry Blend in a previous posting. There is absolutely no rational reason to suppose that this product is any less healthy than MonaVie. Of course, you won't be reading all sorts of outlandish claims about people being cured of cancer or diabetes or AIDS or acne or hemorrhoids or whatever by drinking V8®. This is not because MonaVie has any curative properties that V8 doesn't have; it is because unlike MonaVie, the company that makes V8® doesn't have to lie about its products (or encourage others to do so) in order to get people to buy it.

Bob Blaylock, N 38°35' W 121°29'
September 21, 2008 3:53am

http://www.ftc.gov/bcp/edu/microsites/curious/signs.shtml

Signs of a Cancer cure scam - From the FTC.

http://www.ftc.gov/bcp/edu/microsites/curious/report.shtml

How to report scams to the FTC.

(Sorry for the last post, I was tired of dealing with idiots.)

Sean, Ballard
September 22, 2008 9:48am

 »  One refers to drinking V8 juice instead of MonaVie, which
 »  contains corn syrup, a product your body does not process.

  Straight from the label of the specific V8® product that I mentioned:
    “NO SUGAR OR HIGH FRUCTOSE CORN SYRUP ADDED”

  I'm not sure what the fetish is that health nuts have about corn syrup.  It's just another form of sugar, no different than any other as far as yoru body is concerned.  Many fruit juice-based products have sugar added to them.  I bet MonaVie has added sugar.  As it happens, this particular V8® product does not.

Bob Blaylock, N 38°35' W 121°29'
September 22, 2008 1:01pm

Excellent post Sean. The FTC also suggests reporting cancer cure scams to these agencies:

Federal Trade Commission
ftc.gov/complaint

Food and Drug Administration
www.fda.gov
1-888-463-6332

Your State Attorney General
The website of the National Association of Attorneys General links to each state AG.
www.naag.org

American Cancer Society
1-800-227-2345
www.cancer.org

We should all take some time to file reports. There are so many examples of illegal cancer treatment claims with Monavie that it should be very easy to convince these groups that action needs to be taken.

Mendel, San Diego, CA
September 22, 2008 2:56pm

I got sucked into the superjuice thing for bit. My mom got it from someone she knew. The juice is no doubt really tasty...but I didn't feel any different after taking it for a couple weeks. And I don't feel any different now (just a bit older and wiser) for not having consumed these magic drinks for years. I suppose that we are all more likely to be sucked in by these outlandish claims, if we let out fears overtake us....and fear is what these products are curing, if even for a little while. The more I read the postings on here, the less fearful I become. Thanks to everyone for your input. My pocketbook appreciates it too.

Nora Melendez, Menlo Park, Ca
September 22, 2008 3:42pm

What you are forgetting about the science behind the juice, MonaVie, is that the fruits that you are buying in the grocery store are picked before they have achieved their maximum health benefit, they are grown in soil that will never produce the products like we saw in the 60's and before because of the contaminants in the soil, so the scientifically tested levels in MonaVie do give you the good nutrition most people need in their diet. The scientists behind MonaVie have taken great discretion to produce a product that actually does something in the name of good nutrition. Because people are having results is simply what's happening. The company doesn't make any claims to treat or cure anything. It's simply good nutrition that you'd be hard pressed to find in a grocery store. But MonaVie actually can make FDA claims via the agency's approved wording on their new product, MonaVie Pulse. Yes the company is brilliant in business. But a brilliant business means nothing without a product that achieves its goal. Why anyone would take a chance on having the destruction of healthy cells taken over by the free radicals we produce because of lifestyle choices, stress, and exercise (yes, exercise), when human beings create three million new cells every day is beyond me. Look at the science behind the products. Look at the science of the human body. Look at the science of our agricultural history. Then tell me that spending less than $5/day isn't worth good nutrition for a healthier you

Irene Saah, Mount Airy, MD
September 22, 2008 9:37pm

 »  What you are forgetting about the science
 »  behind the juice, MonaVie, is that the fruits
 »  that you are buying in the grocery store are
 »  picked before they have achieved their
 »  maximum health benefit, they are grown in
 »  soil that will never produce the products
 »  like we saw in the 60's and before because of
 »  the contaminants in the soil, so the
 »  scientifically tested levels in MonaVie do
 »  give you the good nutrition most people need
 »  in their diet.

  Assuming that there is any truth to this claim about the quality and nutrition of store-bought fruit; what reason is there for anyone to suppose that MonaVie is not made from fruit which is equally inferior for the same reasons?  Is there any basis on which to claim that MonaVie is made from fruits that have been grown and processed differently than the fruits sold in stores or used to produce other brands of juice products?  I very much doubt it.

  Looking at their web site, I see that they claim that nineteen different fruits are used in MonaVie.  Of these, four are “certified organic”; but the remaining fifteen are said to come from “various places throughout the world, such as South America, Vietnam, New Zealand, and North America”, with no claims at all made about the quality of these fruits from these sources.

Bob Blaylock, N 38°35' W 121°29'
September 23, 2008 3:34am

500 comments. I am genuinely surprised that this topic has such legs, given it's no-brainer content.

Marius vanderLubbe, Nullabour Plain, Australia
September 23, 2008 7:24am

Actually Bob, the company cannot legally claim that ANY of the ingredients in Monavie are organic. None meet the labeling requirements of the USDA for organic certification. If they did, it would say so on the bottle label.

Mendel, San Diego, CA
September 23, 2008 9:37am

  Of course, “Organic” itself is a seriously dishonest term, as it is commonly used.  All food is organic.  All life, as we know it, is organic, and can only derive nutrition from organic substances.  It's similar to “chemical free” or similar verbiage, also used in connection with food that is touted as being “natural” or otherwise healthy.  All matter consists of chemicals.  The only thing that is “chemical free” would be a vacuum.

  Anyway, my point was to question the previous claim that fruit purchased in stores was inferior, due to being grown in inferior soil, and being picked early; and that this was somehow an argument in favor of MonaVie.  For this claim to be relevant, MonaVie would have to be made from fruit that was grown and processed differently than fruit that is otherwise commercially produced for direct sale, or for use in other juice products; and I see absolutely no reason to suppose that it is.  In fact, from the information on MonaVie's web site, it appears that the fruit comes from a large variety of sources, including third-world nations where agricultural standards are probably far short of those in the U.S.  If anything, this suggest that, in general, the fruits used in MonaVie are probably of lower quality than those produced and sold in the United States.

Bob Blaylock, N 38°35' W 121°29'
September 23, 2008 12:33pm

Oh, I couldn't agree more with the bulk of your comment. Just wanted to point out that by U.S. regulatory standards, there is nothing "organic" in MV.

Mendel, San Diego, CA
September 23, 2008 12:45pm

I am kinda of amazed that everyone here blew right past the previous poster when she mentioned MonaVie Pulse. Yes, that's right another bottle of Mona Vie healthy heart is the direction of their new product and from what I understand the FDA has authorized use of labeling health claims about the role of plant sterol or plant stanol in this new Mona Vie Pulse product that will hit the market on the 29th of this month. The blend acai, concord grape, pineapple, apple, prickly pear, pomegrante, elderberry, yumberry, bilberry, blackberry, blueberry, cherry, cranberry, rasberry, aronia, acerola, strawberry, cupuacu, and camu camu. $29.00 a bottle. I am very surprised that no one picked up on this on the internet for discussion. Did you know that every batch of each fruit in the Mona Vie blend is tested before shipping to and after arriving in the USA to quarantee quality and freshness. Mona Vie Pulse for Health conscious men and women ages 30+ who are concerned with cholesterol levels, heart health, and overall nutrition.

Mona Vie Pulse, Everywhere
September 24, 2008 2:41pm

MonaVie spammer, how big is the bottle, and what percent of the juice is apple and grape?

Max, Boston, MA
September 24, 2008 3:04pm

Max: Google Mona Vie Pulsa and check it out for yourself. It is the truth...

Mona Vie Pulse, Everywhere
September 24, 2008 3:16pm

And if an anonymous spammer says so, you know it must be true.

Are you willing to put your real name on a written claim that the FDA has approved any MonaVie product to make statements that it can treat, diagnose, or prevent any disease?

Eric Schulman, Corona, CA
September 24, 2008 3:21pm

Here is the name, as if that makes a difference....check it out like I said Google it....Mona Vie Pulse....at the convention held earlier this month they made the announcement of the new Mona Vie Pulse..available the 29th of this month I believe that someone posted on here prior that it was coming with FDA soon. I didn't make this up, read it for yourself!!!

Linda, Wildomar, CA
September 24, 2008 3:49pm

Well if you didn't make it up, you're being pretty irresponsible about the rumors that you repeat. Here is what turns up when you do a search of sites other than those owned by MonaVie promoters:

"According to the FDA's warning notice, Vokes had promoted Monavie as a drug in violation of the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act [21 U.S.C. § 321(g)(1)] by claiming that it was effective for treating inflammation, high cholesterol, and muscle and joint pain."

Still sticking to your claim that MonaVie products are approved treatments for disease?

Eric Schulman, Corona, CA
September 24, 2008 3:54pm

I cannot believe that you cannot locate Mona Vie Pulse product information by Joey Rosario, it is the first site that pops up when you Google Mona Vie Pulse.
www.joefiro.com/monavie-pulse-product-information/, but then again i'm sure you're out there just tearing up the internet to try and find all you can on the new product so you can report back to this posting. FYI, this new Mona Vie was ran by the FDA, that is why it took so long to hit the market....

Linda, Wildomar, CA
September 24, 2008 4:16pm

No, like I told you, I did not go to the web sites of MonaVie promoters to get objective information. I'm sure you agree that any given product's salespeople are not the best source of independent product scrutiny.

You may not be aware that the FDA has nothing to do with juice drinks, other foods, or even nutritional supplements. Companies do not "run their products by" the FDA. The FDA only becomes involved when a product is a drug requiring approval, or when a company makes illegal and untrue claims, as is MonaVie's history.

Eric Schulman, Corona, CA
September 24, 2008 4:24pm

From what I have found, it seems you are claiming that the FDA has approved a structure/function claim for MonaVie Pulse. This is basically the weakest (practically worthless) statement that can be made pertaining to health claims. A structure/function claim basically lists a component of the product and a possible effect. Examples are "Calcium builds strong bones" or "Fiber promotes regularity." The claim does not mean that the product does anything, just that it contains the afore mentioned chemical (doesn't even have to be appreciable amounts). Further, no studies have to be done to prove that the product can actually live up to the structure/function claim, just that the product has the chemical and tests (even in vitro) need to show the chemical could have a benefit.

Hardly impressive.

Steve Loeffelholz, LeClaire, IA
September 24, 2008 4:26pm

Interesting subchapter in this chapter of functional nutritional beverages.
For now I will stick with the question posed about the nutritional values of MonaVie fruits against those found in the local grocery. These berries and fruits (acai, nashi pear, wolfberry, lychee, bilberry to name a few) are grown away from industry which is the cause of our toxic soil conditions. You might want to watch the trailer "Food Matters" to hear what scientists have to say about the state of the soil our fruits, vegetables, and grains are grown in.
Like anything, you should do your own research. If it makes sense, rather than only supports what you've been living your life believing, then keep it and use it.
As for MonaVie Pulse, my statement about FDA in the juice's regard went to the wording allowed on the claims the company CAN make, which is something the FDA DOES regulate. The company is in compliance. Again, do the research.

Irene Saah, Mount Airy, MD
September 24, 2008 8:18pm

Pulse exploits a generic “structure-function” claim that has been allowed since 2000 by the FDA for any food product/supplement that provides at least 0.8 g polyphenols. FDA allowed the claim based on a prior petition by Lipton Inc. and McNeil Consumer Healthcare.
fda.gov/bbs/topics/answers/ans01033.html
.cfsan.fda.gov/~lrd/fr000908.html
fda.gov/OHRMS/DOCKETS/dailys/03/Apr03/040303/8005c378.pdf

The allowable claim being used by Pulse is as follows: “Foods containing at least 0.4 g per serving of plant sterol esters, eaten twice a day with meals for a daily total intake of at least 0.8 g, as part of a diet low in saturated fat and cholesterol, may reduce the risk of heart disease. Two servings of MonaVie Pulse juice (4 oz.) supply 0.8 g of plant sterols.”

Pulse's sterol extract (Apple Phyto-Phenolics) is made by American Fruit Products. It is also used in a drink called Hiro made by the MLM juice company Tahitian Noni. There are many companies that make sterol-enriched food products and sterol supplements, and there is nothing unique about the sterols in Pulse.
new-nutrition.com/newspage/Plantsterols.htm
findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_go2364/is_/ai_n9303638
tahitiannoni.com/united_states/english/nonioffice/download_center/download?categoryid=215761%C2%A7ionid=&action=view&view=1&itemid=247283

Pulse's 3 main juices (grape/pineapple/apple) are some of the cheapest available. It also contains corn syrup, potassium sorbate, citric acid, and sodium benzoate.

Mendel, San Diego, CA
September 24, 2008 10:27pm

I am a bit confused how you have come to the conclusion that Pulse's 3 main juices are only the grape, pineapple and apple. How do you know this? Where are you getting your information from because I would like to have a look myself. I just read several articles available regarding Mona Vie Pulse and I don't recall anything that states there were only 3 main juices. It is my understanding that MonaVie Pulse is a blend of several fruits. With the acai being at the top of there list of fruits, this berry is always Mona Vies key ingredient. Other companies that manufacture fruit juices use a kettle pasteurization process that can cookout alot of the nutrients, where as with Mona Vie, they use a flash pasteurization which captures the nutrients and flavors. I would assume that you are in agreement that the FDA did allow the claim? Also a major argument is the price of $40.00 for juice, where the new Pulse is selling for only $29.00. I would only guess that the negatives expressed here with the MLM and the other two blends of Mona Vie will only continue with the new Pulse product for the narrow minded that have not tried it,since it is not available until the 29th.

Denise, Cody, WY
September 25, 2008 8:49am

Denise, I'd like to sell you my used kleenex for only $99. No? You must be narrow minded.

Eric Schulman, Corona, CA
September 25, 2008 8:57am

Denise, the acai, although listed as the first ingredient on the label, is not a "juice"; it is a freeze-dried powder made from acai pulp. The next ingredients listed in descending order of amount are grape, pineapple, and apple juice concentrates -- hence, my statement that "Pulse's 3 main juices (grape/pineapple/apple) are some of the cheapest available". Is this any clearer now?

The FDA did not specifically allow Monavie's claim. As I elucidated in my previous post, the FDA has allowed this structure/function claim since 2000 for any product that provides at least 0.8 g/day of plant sterols. There are many companies that make sterol-enriched products and are allowed to make the same structure/function claim.
http://www.new-nutrition.com/newspage/Plantsterols.htm

As far as I have seen, the official retail price of Pulse has not yet been announced. But even at $29, it would still be an obscene ripoff for a product that contains a high percentage of cheap run of the mill juice concentrates, corn syrup, preservatives, benzoate, etc.

Are you any less confused now?

Mendel, San Diego, CA
September 25, 2008 10:26am

If it would benefit her health, I'm sure she would.

Getting back to your comments: I read the FDA ruling. What part of that means MonaVie or any other company for that matter is "exploiting" it? They are using it to inform consumers and it is something the FDA has backed. That's important. As for "Calcium building strong bones." How is that a weak claim? Does it not? I really don't understand your objections. In regard to your claim about MonaVie's sterol extract, I found no place on the site you cited where it states this, as if it makes a difference. And you are mistaken. MonaVie's juices contain 25% acai, that's the main ingredient. Finally, there is something unique about MonaVie Pulse's plant sterol. What will your research discover about it??? Can't wait to find out.

Irene Saah, Mount Airy, MD
September 25, 2008 10:26am

Irene, if there was a salient point buried somewhere in your last post, I failed to see it. What exactly is the question you are asking about Monavie's sterol extract?

My objection to Pulse is that it is another entirely unremarkable product that is grossly overpriced relative to other products that provide the same ingredients for a fraction of the cost. Distributors are already deviating from the FDA's allowable sterol claim by suggesting that Pulse can alleviate exisiting heart disease and high cholesterol (both of which are illegal claims).

If there is something truly unique about Monavie's sterol extract, then you should explain it rather than posting vague innuendo.

Lastly, if you can provide any evidence that Monavie contains 25% acai, please do so. It is generally understood that Monavie does not provide this information because it is, as they claim, a proprietary secret.

Mendel, San Diego, CA
September 25, 2008 11:44am

Mendel, I find you to be narrow minded and rude!!!!!!!! I have not read ANTWHERE regarding the Mona Vie Pulse that they or anyone else calims to alleviate exisiting heart disease or high cholesterol. The product information simply states that Mona Vie Pulse is a "heart healthy blend". With suggestions that the fruit contained in this blend have significant nutrients that can support a healthy cadiovascular system, but never is the word CURE used. It is a known fact that all fruits contain certain nutrients and all makers of fruit juices promote their product that it contains "healthy heart" ingredients, they promote the acai berry, blueberrys, OJ,and so on. These juices are marketed all day long everyday on TV and radio commercials. The marketing of store brand juices is nothing different then the marketing of Mona Vie, other then Mona Vie is unfortunatley attached to the MLM, and it does cost more. But you can purchase Mona Vie without being a part of the MLM if you so choose to do so. For you to suggest that there are only 3 main juices in Mona Vie Pulse, I find this laughable when you read anywhere on the internet the contents of the Pulse the contents are clearly listed out with not only the name of the fruit but the nutritional value that it contains. If it were not Mona Vie but some other juice maker, such as V8 making the same statements and claims would you also be so narrow minded??

Denise, Cody, WY
September 25, 2008 2:00pm

Denise, sooner or later you will realize that your investment into Dallin Larsen's pyramid scheme was foolish. Why not just cut your losses now and stop wasting your time, energy, and money continuing to promote his juice? The sooner you do, the less you'll lose.

Eric Schulman, Corona, CA
September 25, 2008 2:07pm

Eric: Your assumption that you could possibly know anything about me or what I am involved in is so wrong. I simply was trying to add my opinion regarding Mona Vie, this is after all a open discussion is it not for all to share their view points on the product, and also to understand others view points regarding there experiences with drinking Mona Vie, weather positve or negative. I would not bash or put down anyone that has anything to say regarding their experience for we all have an opinion or a story to share. In my opinion I would like to try the new pulse when it becomes available and then I can make an honest opinon on the product itself, which is what we are discussing, is it not?

Denise, Cody, WY
September 25, 2008 2:38pm

On the contrary, it's you who has been name calling, saying that we're all "narrow minded". I was giving you some business advice.

And I'm sure your "opinion" about Mona Vie is in no way colored by your status as a MLM participant.

Eric Schulman, Corona, CA
September 25, 2008 2:44pm

Mr Eric. So, seriously? You think that Monavie is foolish, and distributors are all going to lose in the end? Please tell me what will be lost? Please tell me what someone who is drinking the juice....someone that has tried other juices, mlm juices, and over the shelf juices....and are now feeling a lot better, healthier, less aches and pains, sleeping better, among others. Tell me what I will be losing. Please. I am not a part of building the business. I am a consumer in the product. My cholesterol lowered by just drinking the active. My MD is amazed. So, in all honesty, what am I, or will I be losing? I have people asking me what is helping me feel better. Should I not tell them about monavie because I will lose something? I have no interest in building this as a business, but my friends want to drink it and they ask me. They sign up because of my results. I received a card in the mail a few weeks ago, not knowing what for. All that is said. I am drinking the juice, loving it, not spending any money or time promoting it, and I am making money. Very odd. I can't imagine what people get paid that actually want to take time to promote. What product do you have that will help me? Maybe I haven't tried yours. Pyramid Scheme? What is it that you do? Do you make more than your boss? Isn't that what a pyramid is? A guy at the top gets paid more than everyone below no matter what? Anyway, I look forward to your product ideas for me...

Brian, Phoenix
September 26, 2008 1:13am

When people compare pyramid schemes or MLM to normal business, they typically make the same mistake. You assume that because both involve a hierarchy with increasing pay as you ascend, both are the same.

Imagine two businesses that both have 5 levels, clerk, programmer, department head, manager, president. One is an MLM and the other is a normal business. Now assume that the MLM requires that you need 4 people in your downline to advance. This means that a person hired as a clerk, must recruit 4 other clerks before he can become a programmer. In order to become a president, the person would need to have 340 people in their downline (4+4^2+4^3+4^4).

A person hired as a clerk needs only hard work and skill in order to advance to any level. They don't have to recruit more people to advance, they don't need a ridiculous amount of people to be brought into the company to reach a significant level.

The difference we are pointing out in the business models is not in their hierarchical structure, but how you advance through the hierarchy. Saying that a traditional business is the same as MLM because they both use a hierarchy is like saying chickens and shrimp are the same because they are both DNA based organisms.

Steve Loeffelholz, LeClaire, IA
September 26, 2008 7:05am

Here's a good one. A MV distributor at my kids' school claims there are 210 levels in her line.

However, if only 14 levels had only 5 people each in them, this would require more human beings than have ever lived or died. (5^14 = 6,103,515,625).

Be skeptical of any MLM participant who claims they have made any positive amount of money. It just ain't possible for it to work that way, folks...

Eric Schulman, Corona, CA
September 26, 2008 7:13am

Eric,

A 210 "level" structure could be as few as 210 people. Also, if 14 levels had "5 people each" that would be 14*5, or 70 people.

What you are talking about is when they give their presentation and do the "If you get 5 friends, and they get five friends", and so on for a certain amount of levels that you'll be a billionaire, even if you do nothing else, if they all sell one bottle a decade, or some crap like that.

I don't think there's any requirement that a "level" have at least 5 people in it.

Jeremy Lindgren (vita10gy), Eau Claire, WI
September 26, 2008 7:50am

And so we are off on the MLM and pyramid scam but yet no one seems to be focused on the actual juice and it's value, this all comes down to the same thing month after month posting after posting. I ask Mendel, Eric & Steve have any of you tried any of the Mona Vies? If so how long did you drink it? And Eric, you really should stop assuming that I have any investment in the Mona Vie MLM, and I do appreciate your need to advise me regarding business, but no need too, you can purchase Mona Vie without being involved, it is everywhere!!

Denise, Cody, WY
September 26, 2008 9:10am

Denise, have you tried Eric's used kleenex? My friends swear by it. It's $99, and you don't even need to join a pyramid scheme. Don't knock it till you try it.

Max, Boston, MA
September 26, 2008 9:26am

Denise, I tried MV and have said so many times already. Your argument that no one can criticize MV unless they have consumed it for months is convenient for sellers but a bad strategy for consumers. If we tried every product on the market for months we would go broke before we got to try even a fraction of them.

There are many glaring flaws in the MV story that are independent of whether one has tried it. Implicit in your advice (that MV must be consumed for months) is that one will notice some miraculous effect that will counter any criticism. Distributors seem to be incapable of selling MV without veiled promises of miraculous effects. Yet my OJ company lets their product and label do the talking, without making promises of miracles and apparently their strategy works well, because my OJ is in every supermarket/corner store in the country (and sells for about $3).

MV can’t be a viable business when 90% of distributors earn less than minimum wage and the product is being sold at/below wholesale price on EBay. When this thread started there were about 100 EBay listings for Monavie on any given day. The company promised that it was taking action to prevent EBay sales. But as of today there are nearly 500 EBay listings and many more on Craigslist. How can a distributor look someone squarely in the eye and ask them to pay $40-$45 for a bottle of MV when they can get it for $25 or less online? Your business is dead…you just don’t have the good sense to see it yet it

Mendel, San Diego, CA
September 26, 2008 9:56am

What's with the objection to doing research on your own when you seem to have done it to boost your own ideas, thoughts and agenda? I'm not going to do your thinking for you, as though you'd really put any weight on anything I said - you haven't so far. What I write here isn't really for you, but for those who are reading and want to learn. You learn more by listening, not by talking alone. That's why I like to listen first, do my own research, and then share it with others. You are fantastic at pointing out problems. We need people like that. We also need people who have answers. My stand is giving those answers to people. I've found that your statements aren't entirely true. Everything that's been said, I've considered, and researched and not found it to amount to anything other than a need for negative debate. After all is said here, the fact remains that scientists and physicians have done their jobs. They've brought a product to market which is little known by the world, is having an impact (i.e., the gentleman from Phoenix and his lowered cholesterol levels most prominent and testable)on people. You can only see as far as you believe. I see far and wide. I'm surprised no comments on Steve's "Calcium builds strong bones" statement in comparison to MonaVie's allowed claims concerning their products.

Irene Saah, Mount Airy, MD
September 26, 2008 10:08am

I think we're getting off track here partially because there are so many things wrong with the claims and methods of selling this juice.

I don't think anyone is trying to argue that this juice holds NO possible health benefits. The debate in that regard would have to be whether or not this juice is any better than a $3 bottle of grape juice.

Sure, there are probably people who started drinking MonaVie and experienced some measurable health gain. However, if I stopped drinking 30 ounces of pop a day and started drinking Juicy Juice, I might see the same gains in health. Fruit is good for you. This isn't some shocking revelation, and no one is arguing to the contrary.

Also, if a person cares enough about their health to spend through the nose on some juice, maybe they are taking an active role in their health in other areas.

There is also a HUGE difference between "I drank this juice and lowered my cholesterol" (Which, according to a Cheerios commercial I just saw, is certainly possible to be affected by food intake.) and "I drank this juice and it cured my cancer."

One food item can't cure everything.

Look people, if MonaVie contained magical healing powers every company in the world would be selling it, and making their own knock offs. It's not hard to do the math on that. It's just. that. simple.

Jeremy Lindgren (vita10gy), Eau Claire, WI
September 26, 2008 11:43am

Irene said: “I'm not going to do your thinking for you, as though you'd really put any weight on anything I said - you haven't so far. What I write here isn't really for you, but for those who are reading and want to learn.”

We all want to learn -– that’s why we are here -- and we have learned much since this forum began. Very little of that education, however, has come from distributors. They have yet to provide any information that we couldn’t have read in a Monavie brochure. However, they have provided us with an education about the modus operandi of the Monavie organization – they lie, misinform, and make illegal/unsubstantiated claims that their juice can treat diseases. We need no further evidence of that fact.

No one asked you to do our thinking for us, nor can I imagine why they would, since you haven’t brought any novel facts to the discussion. You did however make two unsubstantiated claims that I asked you to provide evidence to support. You said: (1) “MonaVie's juices contain 25% acai” (2) “there is something unique about MonaVie Pulse's plant sterol”.

So far, you haven’t backed up these claims, so it’s fair for us to conclude that they are not true. Still, I have an open mind and am eager to learn, so please show us any company document which verifies that Monavie consists of 25% acai. Please show us in what way the sterols in Monavie are unique from those in other products. If these are merely your opinions, then they don’t help us to learn anything at

Mendel, San Diego, CA
September 26, 2008 12:20pm

Thanks for the put downs. Lie, misinform, and make illegal and unsubstantiated claims. Uncool.

Your conclusions are based on you not wanting to find out if what I say is true, not because they are NOT true. That's on you. But due to your idleness, for those who are reading, I came across something that actually puts what percentage MonaVie allows us to claim to shame. I found it on the web, though I've heard it myself on CD. I'm stating from the written text on the internet. It's from Dr. Alex Schauss's "The Science of the Acai", explaining his research on MonaVie's patented freeze-dried process of Acai. Instead of using water to hydrate the Acai (which is freeze-dried to capture its full nutrients within 18 hours after harvest), MonaVie uses their juice to hydrate it. So you get the benefits of drinking an entire bottle of 100% acai when you drink a bottle of MonaVie. MonaVie puts as much freeze-dried Acai in its juice to equal an entire bottle of freshly squeezed Acai juice. It's rehydrated one part freeze dried Acai juice and pulp to 100 parts liquid. So not only are you getting the benefits of 100% Acai juice, you are getting the benefits of all those other juices. It goes on to quote Dr. Schauss, but anyone interested can look it up for themselves.
I disagree that there is anything wrong with the claims the company is allowed to make. They are within regulations. I do agree however, on the point of when you eat healthier, you do other healthier things. Next, sterols.

Irene Saah, Mount Airy, MD
September 26, 2008 1:14pm

Irene, are you going to back up your claim that Monavie consist of 25% acai or are we safe in assuming that you pulled this nugget of misinformation out of your nether regions?

Mendel, San Diego, CA
September 26, 2008 1:38pm

And we thought young earth creationists were tenacious in their beliefs, despite all the evidence to the contrary.
The cult of mona vie?

Marius vanderLubbe, Nullabour Plain, Australia
September 26, 2008 2:32pm

I already did.

Irene Saah, Mount Airy, MD
September 26, 2008 4:10pm

Irene, you didn't answer the question at all; you only spewed some nonsense that did not address the basic question as to the amount/percentage of acai in Monavie. First you claimed that it contained 25% acai. I asked you to provide some kind of official documentation to prove this claim because the company says that the information is a proprietary secret. You didn’t back it up and then changed your story, saying “I came across something that actually puts what percentage MonaVie allows us to claim to shame”. But Monavie doesn’t allow you to claim any percentage officially. You are not supposed to advertise Monavie with claims that aren’t officially approved by the company, and the 25% acai claim is not one of those officially-backed claims.

As to the alleged sterols in Pulse, here is a tidbit that consumers should know. Monavie was being advertised for relief of joint pain, inflammation, and arthritis; and these alleged (and illegal) claims were being based in part on the company’s claims that the product contained Celadrin, a trademarked product belonging to a company called Imagenetix Inc. Imagenetix sued Monavie for $2.75 billion in May 2008 for falsely advertising that Monavie Active juice contained Celadrin, when in fact it did not. Monavie settled out of court. Based on this example, there is good reason for people to be mistrustful of the product’s claims and ingredients.
http://www.mlmwatchdog.com/files/imagenetix_monavie_1/Imagenetix_MonaVie_Complaint.pdf

Mendel, San Diego, CA
September 26, 2008 4:56pm

actually i read some articles about the situation and apparently when mona vie first opened, the juice did have the Celadrin. they later decided to take it out, but i guess some distributors were still telling people that it was in the juice so that is why Mona Vie was sued.

And then a few days later the two company's talked about everything and settled the problem and the sue was dropped.

But to my knowledge, not every distributor has made any wild and crazy claims, and it does say on the web site that the juice is not intended to treat or cure any disease. But some people can get carried away i suppose.

dont care, CA
September 27, 2008 9:05am

That's exactly right, proprietary. Do any of us know the exact amounts of the ingredients in Coca-Cola? No. Why? Because it's proprietary for a reason. If we all knew, we could make it ourselves. Certain things are protected in this world. MonaVie does allow us to say that it contains 25% acai, because they know it contains AT LEAST that. You can't speak about what we can say and are educated about by the company because obviously you are not in it. Why would you be so bold to think that you are entitled to a document, for heaven's sake, as to the actual amount of acai? Do you receive documents and verification from ANY company as to the exact amounts of specific ingredients in their products? I know you don't. If you were comprehending information you would know I did answer the question above what I am allowed to say with Dr. Schauss' statements. Good job to Dont Care with their research job. I hope you have success with your good nutrition. Let us all know how it turns out for you in the future.

Irene Saah, Mount Airy, MD
September 27, 2008 9:26am

Read the lawsuit again. Senior executives and distributors were all claiming that Monavie had Celadrin in it. The company was never given permission to use Celadrin as an ingredient and Imagenetix's lawsuit said that Monavie did not contain Celadrin. It was being falsely advertised (right up to 2008) as containing an ingredient that it did not actually contain.

This was not a simple misunderstanding. It was a case of blatant misrepresentation and fraud.

Mendel, San Diego, CA
September 27, 2008 9:30am

Irene, are you saying that Monavie allows its distributors to claim things that the company itself does not claim? If that's the case, it sounds like the company wants you to take the blame for any false advertising. That's serious business. If I were you, I wouldn't let them use me like this. At least cover your ass by documenting any instructions they give you, so the company can't deny it when the shit hits the fan.

Max, Boston, MA
September 27, 2008 6:36pm

Ummm.. Irene - what you wrote didn't make sense.

Firstly, you (or some other Mona Vie groupie - the thread is getting too long...)said that people buy the stuff rather than eat fruit, because eating fruit takes too long, and juicing for yourself is just too hard.

THEN you say that if you had the percentages of ingredients in coke, you'd make your own?

YOU WON'T EVEN SQUEEZE PLANTS TO MAKE JUICE!!!!!

Please, keep it in the realm of sensible.

Thank you.

Brenton, New Zealand
September 28, 2008 2:48pm

Irene said: “Do any of us know the exact amounts of the ingredients in Coca-Cola? No.”

I would want to know if they were asking $45 a bottle, claiming that it contained acai, and could treat diseases. Other companies make acai juice and list the acai percentage on the label (many are 100%), so it’s fair to ask why Monavie is worth the extra money.

“Why? Because it's proprietary for a reason. If we all knew, we could make it ourselves. Certain things are protected in this world.”

The failure to disclose ingredient amounts isn’t to protect against competitors; it’s to keep consumers in the dark. The competitors are resourceful enough to knock off a comparable blend of juices if they wanted to – it’s not rocket science. MV already has many low-priced competitors, and judging by the shelves in national supermarket chains, they don’t need to emulate Monavie to succeed.

“MonaVie does allow us to say that it contains 25% acai, because they know it contains AT LEAST that.”

No, they don’t allow this claim. I’ve seen the approved claims list and it says nothing of the kind.

“Why would you be so bold to think that you are entitled to a document, for heaven's sake, as to the actual amount of acai?”

Because you are claiming it contains 25% acai and refuse to prove it, and distributors are charging $45 for a bottle of juice whose alleged benefits are attributed mainly to acai. It’s hardly bold; why should we believe claims the company won’t back up.

Mendel, San Diego, CA
September 28, 2008 4:49pm

I own a restaurant and I have recipes for food I sell to my customers. I will never tell them what's in it. If they have an allergy to something, they can tell me what it is and we can rule out items for safety sake, but I do not have to tell them my recipes because I own them and do not want them replicated. That's proprietary, not keeping people in the dark as though I'm out to hoodwink them. I do not have to prove anything to them. I also teach and train my employees to know certain things about my business. They do not have to prove anything to any customers either.
No, I wouldn't make my own Coca-Cola. Read carefully - I said if we wanted to we could. Sorry that doesn't make sense to you. I never wrote about making juice myself, but I don't make my own spaghetti sauce at home either. I don't know the amounts of the spices or tomatoes in the store-bought sauce I buy. I'm wondering what difference it would make to many of you to know these things with MonaVie. Proof would cause you to say, "Hey, yeah, now I'll buy it!" ??? There is no false advertising, so no blame to go around.
All distributors don't charge $45/btl. The company does, if you purchase one bottle at a time. Some distributors may, but most don't. Is there any point that skeptical people concede anything? I'm never so quick to knock most things until I've tried it or done my own fact-finding. There are many products out there. I wish all of them the best. I'm satisfied with what I've got in MonaVie.

Irene Saah, Mount Airy, MD
September 28, 2008 10:11pm

  V8® V–Fusion Açai Berry Blend:  about $3 for a 46-ounce bottle.  Every bit as good as MonaVie, but it's from an honest, reputable company that doesn't have to lie about it to get you to buy it; and you're not supporting a network of liars, spammers, and swindlers every time you buy it.

  Now why should anyone pay $45 for a bottle of MonaVie, or even as low as $20 as has been claimed to be possible?  There's no evidence — none whatsoever — that MonaVie is any better than this V8® product.  It certainly isn't 6.6 times better, and it sure as hell isn't fifteen times better.

  When you have a product that is worth $3, and you're trying to sell it for $3, people will buy it for what it is.

  When you have a product that is worth $3, and you're trying to get people to pay $45 for it, then that's not so easy.  That's why MonaVie distributors all think that have to tell outrageous lies, and make all manner of implausible and unsupportable claims about their product in order to sell it.

  V8® comes from a company that has been in business since 1869.  It is a company that has been around for much longer than any of us have been alive, and it is a company that will still be around long after we have passed on.  MonaVie comes from a fly-by-night company that has been around for hardly the blink of an eye, and which will be gone in hardly the blink of an eye.

Bob Blaylock, N 38°35' W 121°29'
September 29, 2008 12:46am

Irene, what "fact finding" process led you to conclude that MonaVie is worth more than $3 a bottle?

Or is it possible that you were sold on the idea of becoming a distributor by a friend who offered it as a way of getting it cheaper for yourself, and then you found yourself in the hole several hundred dollars and unable to unload any of the product at retail, so you are now selling your friends (and trying to sell us) on the same idea, hoping to recover some of your foolish investment?

Eric Schulman, Corona, CA
September 29, 2008 5:23am

Irene, your restaurant analogy is not akin to us asking you to verify your claim that Monavie consists of 25% acai. If a restaurant advertises a chicken dish, I can see exactly how much chicken I’m getting when it arrives at my table. I don’t need the chef to reveal the secret recipe in order to know what I’m getting – whether it’s a whole chicken, a single breast, 3 wings, 2 drumsticks, etc.

Monavie, on the other hand, promises that it has acai in it, but we don’t know whether it contains a bushel of acai berries or a fragment of a single acai berry. However, this consideration is critical in deciding whether it is worth paying the obscenely high price of $45 for a bottle of juice, especially since other acai juice products cost one-tenth or less of the price of Monavie and/or they state that it contains 100% acai.

You made the claim that Monavie contains 25% (or more) acai and yet you can’t or won’t back it up. You have left us with no choice but to conclude that your claim is false. We are not talking about an issue of proprietary secrets here. Either the amount of acai in Monavie is a secret and no one will ever be able to reveal that amount, or it’s not a secret and the information can be disclosed to the public. You can’t have it both ways though Irene. You can’t on the one hand claim that the Monavie has 25% acai, and then on the other, say that you won’t prove it because it’s a secret.

Mendel, San Diego, CA
September 29, 2008 8:23am

Does the V8 Fusion Acai Berry Blend print on the bottle exactly how much of the Acai, and different berries are actually in the bottle? Does it list it out by berry with the percentages next to it?
Also is MonaVie is so out of line then why doesn't some authority step in and shut them down or stop them in their tracks?

Denise, Cody, WY
September 29, 2008 8:54am

Out of line in what way?

Eric Schulman, Corona, CA
September 29, 2008 9:01am

Out of line? The comments made are that Mona Vie makes false claims regarding the contents of the juice, they don't disclose the percentages of the different berries for the consumer, also that their distributors make false claims regarding "cures" that the juice brings. Why doesn't someone step in and shut them down? I believe that the FDA does require that food contents be listed on food products for sale, is this correct? If so then wouldn't Mona Vie makers have to adhere to the same FDA requirement, if they don't would they not be held responsible by the FDA?

Denise, Cody, WY
September 29, 2008 9:53am

V8 Fusion costs only a few dollars for a giant jug and they are not claiming that their juice does the miraculous things (i.e. treating diseases) that Monavie distributors are claiming about their product. V8 is basically claiming that it is (a) juice (b) contains some acai. At $3 or $4 a bottle, I wouldn’t really care how much acai is in it, and I trust the V8 folks based on their long history of providing good quality, reliable, and reasonably-priced products.

Similarly, Knudsen also sells an acai juice blend that costs only a few bucks for a 32 oz jug – and theirs is USDA-certified organic (unlike Monavie).
http://www.knudsenjuices.com/products/detail.aspx?

Sambazon’s acai drinks (which also contain USDA-certified organic acai) even specify the number of acai berries (80) per bottle.
groupID=9&categoryID=55&flavorID=544&productID=656
http://www.sambazon.com/nutrition/trinityJuice.jpg

Because Monavie retails for $40 - $45 a bottle, it is incumbent upon the company and its distributors to at least attempt to justify the price differential. The least they could do in that respect is to specify the amount/percentage acai in the product so that consumers can make a reasonable guess at to whether the product is worth the exorbitant price tag. Obviously though, it is not.

Mendel, San Diego, CA
September 29, 2008 10:13am

Mendel: My question was "does V8 list all of the berries and their percentage of content on the bottle"? Thank you for your intense break down of all these other juices I have never heard of but my only interest was the $5.00 bottle of V8, it does not sell for $3.00 or $4.00. Also does V8 not market that their juice contains "the daily requirements of fruits", as does their marketing for V8 vegetable "as the daily requirement"? Without the outlandish statements from the Mona Vie distributors, I believe that the bottom line of Mona Vie is also its nutrritional properties of it's contents and the various parts of the body that it's fruits are beneficial to.

Denise, Cody, WY
September 29, 2008 11:18am

Denise: As of today, V8 Acai Fusion is selling on Safeway.com for 11 cents per ounce ($5.25 for a 46 oz bottle). Monavie Original retails for about $1.58/ounce and Active for $1.77/ounce. The question remains – why should consumers pay 15 times more per ounce for Monavie, particularly when the company won’t reveal how much acai it contains? I also pointed out that Sambazon specifies the exact number of acai berries in each bottle of their juice product -- and if they can do it, so could Monavie.

In reply to your question “does V8 not market that their juice contains the daily requirements of fruits", the answer is no, they do not. V8’s acai juice claims to provide only a half-cup each of fruit (1 serving) and vegetables (1 serving). Monavie doesn’t claim any direct equivalency to real servings of food (they only make misleading claims about antioxidant equivalency), and Monavie doesn’t provide even a smidgen of vegetables.

Furthermore, if you haven’t heard of Sambazon (the worlds largest supplier of acai products) or Knudsen (whose products are on the shelves of every major supermarket in the country), then you are clearly uninformed. How can you expect to succeed in a business if you don’t even know your competition?

Mendel, San Diego, CA
September 29, 2008 11:50am

My business is off road and I know my competition, I am not a distributor for Mona Vie. V8 does claim "daily recommened" for not only their fruit juices but their vegetable juice as well. V8 does not list complete contents of juices contained in their "blends". You are misinformed!!! Your rant now as in the past few months is not over the fruit, it is STILL over price!!!

Denise, Cody, WY
September 29, 2008 1:41pm

Denise, if you aren't a distributor then why do you waste so much energy making futile and nonsensical posts like the one above? Are you just arguing for argument's sake? What point are you trying to make and in what was do you think I'm misinformed?

Monavie costs 15 times more per ounce than V8's acai juice. In what was is that fact misinformed?

Price is a PROFOUND reason to not buy Monavie, but it is only one a dozen or so solid arguments against the product. Did you not bother to read this thread?

Mendel, San Diego, CA
September 29, 2008 2:45pm

I respond to your V8 comments and you call me futile and nonsesical. I present you with a fact about V8 and it's marketing and you go back to price again. In closing I would like to say just this: if I choose to buy a designer bag for $3600.00 instead of going to Walmart and buying a cheaper one for $15.00. It is because I am looking for quality and I do believe that Mona Vie is just that. I do not believe that V8 has the quality ingredients and nutritional properties that Mona Vie has, I do believe that Mona Vie has taken extra measures to ensure that none of the fruits values are compromised during harvest and processing. That is why I will continue to purchase Mona Vie and drink it. In comparison it is V8 (walmart) to Mona Vie (designer). Some times cheaper is not always better.

Denise, Cody, WY
September 29, 2008 4:01pm

Denise, how do you know that the quality of MonaVie is better than V8? Because it costs more? Have you tried Eric's $99 used kleenex? It's way better than my $3 used kleenex.

Max, Boston, MA
September 29, 2008 4:16pm

Actually, Denise, you've got the analogy twisted. If V8 is a Wal-Mart handbag then Monavie would be more akin to a cheap Bangkok blackmarket knockoff being passed off as a Coach bag. The real Coach bag would be eating real fresh fruit.

You can believe whatever you want, no matter how ill-founded those beliefs may be, but the real issue here is not about your beliefs, it is whether anyone else should believe the misleading hype about Monavie. So far you have given us no reason why we should.

Mendel, San Diego, CA
September 29, 2008 4:33pm

ughhh...am thinking of selling monavie...am i making a mistake?....sighhhh

mary, virginia beach, va
September 30, 2008 8:01am

YES, it's a mistake. Require your friend to show you their books proving that they're making a consistent, significant profit. You'll see that their profit is "hoped for in the near future" or is "just around the corner". Surveys of MLM participants have shown that 99% make their initial (outrageously priced) purchase, and then nothing ever again.

Eric Schulman, Corona, CA
September 30, 2008 8:12am

A mistake? Almost certainly. According to the company's IDS, it is likely that you will never even make minimum wage selling Monavie.

The only way to move this product is to lie your arse off, and you don't want to do that do you?

Mendel, San Diego, CA
September 30, 2008 9:28am

If multilevel marketing is so bad and not worth it, then why is it a multi-BILLION dollar industry?

And if mona vie is so bad, then why is it already a Billion Dollar company after only being 5 years old?

i dont get it....

dont care, CA
September 30, 2008 10:27am

And if Christianity, Islam, or Hinduism is wrong -- they can't all be right -- then why does each one have over a BILLION followers?

Max, Boston, MA
September 30, 2008 11:41am

 »  In closing I would like to say just this:
» if I choose to buy a designer bag for
» $3600.00 instead of going to Walmart
» and buying a cheaper one for $15.00.

  Up to maybe a hundred dollars at most, perhaps, you might be paying for higher quality — for a bag that will last longer and serve you better.  When you get into the thousands of dollars, you are not paying for higher quality or better usability compared to the basic $15 product; you are paying for the prestige and snobbery of a fancy brand name.  No way is a $3600 designer bag two hundred and forty times better than a $15 bag; any more than a $45 bottle of MonaVie is fifteen times better than a $3 bottle of V8® V-Fusion Açai Berry Blend.

  Designer handbags are not for people who care about quality.  They are for people who like to make a big show of having more dollars than sense.  Perhaps MonaVie is no different in this way.

  http://tinyurl.com/bu7a

Bob Blaylock, N 38°35' W 121°29'
September 30, 2008 12:44pm

don't care,

Someone is making loads of money off MLM schemes. It just isn't the bottom tiers, where most of the people reside.

MonaVie makes money for the same reason critically acclaimed TV shows can't buy viewers and vapid twenty-somethings eating without talking for 30 minutes draws 20 million viewers. People aren't really rational beings. People aren't motivated by rational thoughts, and many of us can be talked into almost anything.

There's no logic at all in "this is popular, so it must be good" in fact, I'm not so sure there's even an overall correlation there. If there was I could be watching Arrested Development in 5 years instead of "I love New York 8 - This time we're not even going to pretend this will last"

Jeremy Lindgren (vita10gy), Eau Claire, WI
September 30, 2008 12:48pm

Don't Care said: "If multilevel marketing is so bad and not worth it, then why is it a multi-BILLION dollar industry?"

Ask yourself the same question about the multi-TRILLION dollar heroin and cocaine industry or prostitution industry. The same logic applies. Generating revenue is not synonymous with integrity.

Mendel, San Diego, CA
September 30, 2008 12:51pm

actually, i think monavie is only just over 3 years old, and i do know some people making some pretty good coin doing it, enough that i'm definitely interested in drinking something healthy and making extra cash as the same time...

either way, AZ
September 30, 2008 12:56pm

"Either way" -- I caution you, they are almost certainly exaggerating their success to you. Do the math: If only one MLM program in history had only one line of distributors 14 levels deep, with only 5 participants in each level, this would require the participation of more human beings than have ever existed. (5^14 = 6,103,515,625). They have a clear financial interest in making you think it is a smart investment. Demand to see their books.

Eric Schulman, Corona, CA
September 30, 2008 1:02pm

Eric, what do you mean "more human beings than have ever existed"?
5^14 is less than the current world population.

Max, Boston, MA
September 30, 2008 1:23pm

5^14 is just the bottom level. It's actually:
5^14 + 5^13 + 5^12 ... 5^1 + 5^0.
For the past several decades there have been more people currently alive than have ever died.

Eric Schulman, Corona, CA
September 30, 2008 1:30pm

well in any case.. if you are for or against mona vie.. almost all companies do what they do for the money.. i mean why do people have jobs?

for the money.. unfortunantly money is the center of everything.. and there are many corporations, MLM's, "charities" that dont really care about anything but how much they are making.. money makes the world go round i guess

dont care, CA
September 30, 2008 5:10pm

PLEASE NOTE THAT CHOICE'S ARTICLE ON SUPERJUICES, MONAVIE IS NOT MENTIONED.

CHECK OUT THIS LINK ON MONAVIE ACTIVE THAT HAS BEEN PUBLISHED IN THE JOURNAL OF AGRICULTURAL AND FOOD CHEMISTRY

https://www.monavievo.com/corporate/documents/MV%20Active%20In%20Vitro-In%20Vivo%20Study_JAFC_Sep%202008.pdf

THIS PUBLICATION HAS TO PROTECT THEIR REPUTATION AND WOULD NOT PUBLISH THIS STUDY IF IN FACT MONAVIE WAS NOT WHAT THEY SAY!

WOULD LOVE TO HEAR YOUR OPINION AFTER LOOKING AT THE LINK.

AND I CAN TELL YOU THAT AN APPLE A DAY DOESN'T GIVE ME THE SAME FEELING AS 60MLS OF MONAVIE TWICE A DAY!

THIS PRODUCT IS THE ROLLS ROYCE OF NUTRITIONAL HEALTH DRINKS.

IT IS SUCH A SHAME THAT PEOPLE HAVE TO PUT DOWN WHAT THEY REALLY DON'T KNOW ABOUT BECAUSE THEY HAVE SOME HANG UP ABOUT NETWORK MARKETING... THE SMARTEST BUSINESS PLAN ON THE PLANET.

Nichola, Perth Australia
September 30, 2008 11:08pm

  No point in considering advice on matters of health or business from someone who isn't even smart enough to figure out how to use her Shift and Caps–Lock keys.

Bob Blaylock, N 38°35' W 121°29'
October 01, 2008 12:20am

I have been drinking Mona Vie for over 6 months now. I am not a distributor or involved in the MLM, I purchase mine from my Son who buys it in bulk, my cost is $20.00 a bottle. The first day that I drank this I immediately felt more energy, I also started sleeping better within a week. Prior to drinking Mona Vie I had been spending $100.00+ a month on different herbs & vitamins that I thought my body needed to promote good health, Vit E, calcium, flax, B12 and so on. I new that I was not getting the daily requirements for a healthy body although I work out 3 times a week and walk 3 miles a day, I was eating my veggies but didn't like the fruits at the market. I was skeptic to try Mona Vie, but now that I have been drinking it for a few months I have to say that I do feel better. I have more energy, I do sleep better and believe it or not my hair grows faster and my skin texture has changed. My Son is now a Black Diamond with Mona Vie, his rank is one of the highest to achieve with distribution of Mona Vie in just the past 5 months. Mona Vie in my opinion is everything that it says that it is. I tried a test myself and didn't drink it for a few days, I went right back into aches and pains, low energy and sluggish. You all can say what you want but I do feel that Mona Vie has made a huge change in my life on how I feel, and as for the MLM, it sure has worked for my Son.

Red, Buena Park, CA
October 01, 2008 8:48am

You were spending $100+ a month on worthless supplements, and you describe yourself as a skeptic?

Eric Schulman, Corona, CA
October 01, 2008 8:56am

V8 versus Mona Vie: According to the V8 lable, Each 8 fl oz glass of V8 provides 1/2 cup of vegetables & a 1/2 cup of fruit. USDA MyPyramid recommends a daily intake of 2-1/2 cups of veggies and 2 cups of fruit.
There are six-8 oz servings in a bottle of V8 Fusion. 48 oz (8oz = 1 cup). To meet the suggested daily requirments one would have to drink 40 oz's of V8 per day, which is almost the entire bottle, with just 8 oz's left over. You suggest V8 is $5.00 a bottle, you would have to drink almost a bottle a day, there are 7 days in a week, that is approximately $35.00 worth of V8 a week. Also V8 states on the bottle that it is made of reconstituted, and concentrated juices with water.
Mona Vie is made from real fruit not concentrate & water. The bottle contains 25.35 fl. oz's and requires a 4oz serving per day to meet the daily requirements, the bottle lasts over 7 days for let's say $40.00 a bottle. For an approximate $5.00 difference a week I believe I would choose a juice that comes from 19 super fruits not from concentrated blends of just a few juices, not fruit veggies and water. Read the lable for yourself.

Red, Buena Park, CA
October 01, 2008 10:11am

You're making some pretty extraordinary claims for your fruit punch there, Red. Care to explain just one of them? "19 super fruits?" What exactly is a "super" fruit, and what are the 19?

Eric Schulman, Corona, CA
October 01, 2008 10:18am

Red, you must be very new to the Monavie game. First of all, Monavie is made from juice concentrates -- it says so right on the label!

Secondly, Monavie does not claim any equivalency to actual servings of fruit, and obviously to vegetables either because it contains none.

Lastly, no reputable health agency has ever advised that people should try to get all of their daily servings of fruit and vetegales from juice. In fact, they advise the contrary -- no more than 2 servings per day from juice.

You obviously need to go back and it the books.

Mendel, San Diego, CA
October 01, 2008 10:37am

Mendel: You are wrong, I have a bottle of Mona Vie right in front of me and no where does it say "that it is made from juice concentrates". However it does list every fruit that is in it as well as tree nuts. Mona Vie does not or ever has claimed, nor did I, that it contained veggies.

Eric: My "supplements" were from herbs, true herbs and organics are a bit more exspensive to purchase then buying vitamins and so forth from let's say the drug store or target & walmart. As far as "super fruits" I believe that has already been discussed in this forum, if you read back in the discussion your questions answer is there.

Red, Buena Park, CA
October 01, 2008 11:41am

What that discussion has revealed is that there is no plausible support for the "super" claims made by MonaVie proponents. If this forum is the best source you have, your position is probably more tenuous than you realize.

The acai in MonaVie is freeze dried powder, according to the company. This is not in dispute.
http://www.monavie.com/Web/US/en/science.dhtml

Eric Schulman, Corona, CA
October 01, 2008 11:46am

Red, Monavie’s fact sheet clearly show that the products contain juice concentrates:

Monavie Active/Original
“Ingredients: …fruit juice from CONCENTRATE (white grape, nashi pear, acerola, aronia, purple grape, cranberry, passion fruit, apricot, prune, kiwi, blueberry, wolfberry, pomegranate, lychee, camu camu)…”
http://www.itsfactor.com/itsed/Product_Info_Sheet.pdf

In fact, 15 out of the 19 fruit juices in Monavie are JUICE CONCENTRATES!

Perhaps you should do some research the next time you are thinking about accusing me of being wrong. One should always be humble if they are groping in the dark.

Mendel, San Diego, CA
October 01, 2008 12:25pm

Red,do you have any proof that a 4 ounce serving of MonaVie contains the recommended amount of fruit for an entire day? MyPyramid.gov recommends that I get two cups of fruit per day and says that one cup of fruit juice is equivalent to one cup of cut fruit(though it goes on to say that the cut fruit is better because of the dietary fiber). You are saying that one half cup of fruit juice is going to replace all two cups of fruit that I am supposed to eat. I wonder if you have any information at all that backs up that statement.

I have heard this argument from several people now,and it has always boiled down to one of two mistakes. First,the person was told this fact by a distributor and believed it without ever looking into the claim. Second,since the juice contains multiple fruits,it must contain multiple servings of fruit. The first reason is kind of understandable because you probably trust the person you are buying from. The second reason is just ridiculous. If I take a single bite out of 19 different fruits,I haven't just eaten 19 servings of fruit.

Also,directly from the MonaVie ingredient label:

Ingredients:
Contains a Proprietary Blend of: Acai (freeze-dried powder and acai puree); fruit juice FROM CONCENTRATE (white grape, nashi pear, acerola, aronia, purple grape, cranberry, passion fruit, apricot, prune, kiwi, blueberry, wolfberry (Goji), pomegranate, lychee, camu camu); fruit purees (pear, banana, bilberry) etc...

Steve Loeffelholz, LeClaire, IA
October 01, 2008 12:41pm

Steve, I'll add a third explanation to your excellent summary above. The company makes vague (and unofficial) claims that a daily serving (4 oz) of Monavie provides "the equivalent ORAC" to a day's worth of fruits and vegetables. This claim, which is unsupported, is then distorted by distributors (not surprisingly) into the claim that Monavie provides the equivalent SERVINGS of fruit and vegetables per day, which is clearly a false/unsupported claim.

Mendel, San Diego, CA
October 01, 2008 1:15pm

Gentlemen: I stand corrected, I did find the afore mentioned in very tiny print on the Mona Vie bottle; you all are very quick to chastise a person for a tiny mistake, what passion.

Red, Buena Park, CA
October 01, 2008 2:58pm

Passion is absolutely the right term. You made a raft of implausible health claims for your product, based on misinformation. Other distributors before you on this list have made many more dramatic claims and outright lies, all just to make a buck, and some readers may have made medical decisions based on that.

Passion is absolutely right.

Eric Schulman, Corona, CA
October 01, 2008 3:02pm

Eric: Sir I find you to be a bit over the top, after all we are speaking of fruit juice in Mona Vie not some sort of narcotic. I myself did not state any miraculous claims other then my own personal experience, I would think that an average person could come to their own conclusion regarding the purchase or drinking of Mona Vie without your constant guiding, to listen to you makes one assume that we are all idiots and have no direction over jucie without the constant direction of a choosen few. I bid you a farewell as I have no more time for this nonscense.

Red, Buena Park, CA
October 01, 2008 4:04pm

Red, you were wrong when you first stated that Monavie did not contain juice concentrates, and it's not a trivial detail. But one mistake is forgivable and you were simply corrected and advised to do more research.

But then even after being corrected, you still claimed that Monavie didn't contain juice concentrates and you accused me of being wrong.

Don't be surpised when people eventually get annoyed at you for helping to widen Monavie's credibility gap.

Every distributor seems to feel, as you do, that their mistakes are "tiny", but when you tally up all these hundreds of tiny mistakes it equals a huge mountain of BS.

If you can't bring reliable information to the table, then you are only adding fuel to the fire.

Mendel, San Diego, CA
October 01, 2008 5:50pm

  I think I just figured out why MonaVie is $45, while V8® is $3.  Both products contain $3 worth of fruit juices.  When you buy V8®, you just pay $3 for the fruit juices.  When you buy MonaVie, you're paying $3 for the fruit juices, and $42 for the bullsh^H^H^H^H^H^Hmale bovine manure that is included in every purchase.

Bob Blaylock, N 38°35' W 121°29'
October 02, 2008 12:46pm

I think the problem here is with companies like MonaVie, not the juice. The MLM business model is designed in such a way that as a distributor you need to buy a certain amount of the product in order to qualify for the downline bonuses and what winds up happening is something called garage loading. You have distributors with lots of product sitting in their houses b/c there's nobody to sell to. MonaVie is WAY overpriced, which is how the company makes its money. Acai juice is now very common...it's sold in most health food stores and many mainstream supermarkets, and is about half the price as MonaVie. I personally drink one brand myself for 2 reasons...I like the way it tastes and I believe there are some long-term benefits to including a product like this in my already-healthy eating habits. If you notice, most of the people touting the virtues of MonaVie aren't selling to consumers - they're either giving it away in the hopes of recruiting other distributors or keeping it for themselves and their family. The entire MLM business is predicated on the concept of distributors making money off of selling the company's product to their own downline.

This isn't illegal, but it is deceptive. With all of the problems in this world, people really want something to believe in. On the surface, this company seems to be able to do it all...make you rich AND healthy...with very little effort. In my experience, however, if something seems too good to be true, then it probably is.

Ren Hoek, RBNJ
October 04, 2008 10:21pm

Hi Ren, I agree with you for the most part except that an MLM that generates the bulk of its revenues from sales to distributors, rather than retail customers, is considered to be an illegal pyramid scheme.

Mendel, San Diego, CA
October 05, 2008 3:57pm

From a legal standpoint, an MLM is illegal if it requires you to buy the product in order to sell it. MonaVie doesn't require you to buy it, but it (and most others) make it so there's no real reason to sell it if you're not buying it yourself b/c you don't make money on your downline without a certain amount of PV (personal volume).

Ren Hoek, RBNJ
October 05, 2008 4:07pm

I haven't yet studied the legal nuances in detail but according to the FTC:

“Some multilevel marketing plans are legitimate. However, others are illegal pyramid schemes. In pyramids...most of the product sales are made to these distributors - not to consumers in general. The underlying goods and services, which vary from vitamins to car leases, serve only to make the schemes look legitimate."
http://www.ftc.gov/bcp/conline/pubs/alerts/pyrdalrt.shtm

From what I understand, it doesn't matter if purchases by distributors are required per se; if most of an MLM sales are in fact to distributors, whether or not this is a requirement, it can qualify the company as a pyramid scheme.

The FTC also says: "State laws against pyramiding say that a multilevel marketing plan should only pay commissions for retail sales of goods or services, not for recruiting new distributors."
http://www.ftc.gov/bcp/edu/pubs/consumer/invest/inv12.shtm

So if an MLM does not pay commission for recruiting but the majority of its sales are non-retail (i.e., wholesale to distributors rather than retail customers) is it an illegal MLM/pyramid? It would seem so.

Mendel, San Diego, CA
October 05, 2008 7:49pm

That's all true. However, from experience, I know that the legalities you point out are a fine line that these companies dance on. They create business models that sit just inside what the FTC would consider "illegal". I'm a web developer that was hired to build the software to run an MLM company a few years ago and saw how the companies play that game.

All the legal details aside, we're on the same page. These companies use an unethical business model to dupe people into buying their overpriced products. All the MonaVie converts will continue to preach the gospel, but in the end, whether it's juice or skin care products, it's still a scam...

Ren Hoek, RBNJ
October 05, 2008 11:44pm

Mendel, Eric, Steve & Co. -

Thank you so much for staying on top of this and bringing science to the table. I know it has to be frustrating at times to hear the same things ad nauseam but you are truly doing a great service to people who are actually looking for the truth about this company and their products. If it wasn't for you the misinformation campaign would go unchecked and your efforts are truly admirable.

Here's my take on the Monavie ethos.
Facts = Propaganda
Science = Lies
Objective Criticism = Negativity
Criminals = Strong Leadership
Fraud/Lies = Sound Marketing Strategy
Real Jobs = Slavery
Truth = See Science and or Objective Criticism

Again, keep up the good work. It is appreciated...

Jim, Boston, MA
October 06, 2008 9:25am

Thanks for the nod Jim. The reason I (and no doubt Eric, Steve, et al.) post here is because of people like you. When I first heard about Monavie, I asked the same basic questions that everyone else seems to be asking, but the answers were very hard to find amidst the rubbish heap of misinformation posted by self-serving distributors. After a while I was able to gather enough reliable information to tease apart the facts from the fallacies, and I figured that since others would be asking the same questions I asked, the responsible course of action would be to share the information. Glad to know it was helpful to you.

By the way, I liked your take on the Monavie ethos. It’s alike a mini-dictionary of Monavie’s Orwellian newspeak

Mendel, San Diego, CA
October 06, 2008 12:01pm

It is amazing to me that so many people feel that the only way to feel better about their shortcomings in business and in life is to detract from things that they them selves have no actual experiance in or the experiance they had was a bad one because they did not have the ability to persevere to reach their goals in life. And let me leave you with this you live in the greatest country that gives you the freedom to say what ever is on your mind, and with that comes a certian amount of responsability, all things rise and fall on leadership. What are you doing to better the lives of the people that are around you, do you do them any justice by what you say or are you leading them to a false reality. Multi level marketing works for the people that go out put forth the efort and the people that do real well do tend to care for the people they are dealing with, the ones that fail are the ones that think they can just get rich by fluffing a few people. Why not read a book or two like The Next Millionaires, by Paul Zane Pilzer or Launching a Leadership Revolution, by Orrin Woodward and Chris Brady. The point is, is that people are not all the same and that yes some do take advantage of others but the ones that truly succeed do it by helping others to succeed with them. And by the way you can't include a company in a study if you do not study the company itself or its products.

Drew, Denver CO
October 06, 2008 1:54pm

Drew said "And by the way you can't include a company in a study if you do not study the company itself or its products."

I rather thought that was the point made at great length by a number of people in this forum.

They HAVE studied the company, the products and the people at the top of the company, and have found that the business practices are borderline dodgey, the product is grossly over priced and over represented by its distributors and the people at the top have been investigated and (in several cases) found to have histories of shonky trading.

This seems a very poor way to make a living to me.

Of course, it goes a long way to explain why people join death-cults.

Some people will believe anything...

Brenton, New Zealand
October 06, 2008 2:32pm

Yes.. some if not most people WILL believe anything..

But let me ask you this.. it is hard to believe that the claims of mona vie are true because it has no scientific evidence to support its claims.

It claims that it can help with inflammation, joint pain, and a few have even been help with defeating cancer. So many people are attacking the company and telling others that it is a scam and is not worth your time.

So if this is true, then why doesn't the same reasoning go for say religion?

Do you know how many religious TV shows say that God took away their cancer and made them feel better and did all these things?

Where is the scientific data behind their claims? if there is non, well then it must be a scam right? because it is impossible for a invisible figure in the sky to be able to treat cancer right?

they make up these claims but do people ever question them? nope, at least not that i have seen or heard.

im not trying to turn the discussion onto a different topic but i believe that people will believe whatever they want, but i guess if you make a claim.. support it with your scientific data!! If anyone has any information about their data on mona vie.. it would be great to bring it to the table

Someone with passion?, NY
October 06, 2008 3:30pm

I'll steer clear of the comparisons with religion; however, it's difficult to believe Monavie's claims because (a) many of them are blatantly ridiculous, deceptive, and factually incorrect, and (b) many are also illegal. From a regulatory/judicial standpoint alone, it's a no-brainer. They simply are not allowed to sell their fruit juice as medicine.

Even though the company managed to sponsor one study, the research was so laughably poor that it would not come close to meeting FDA standards for medical claims. But just in case you are interested. Here is the study:
http://pubs.acs.org/cgi-bin/abstract.cgi/jafcau/2008/56/i18/abs/jf8016157.html

It was authored by Alexander G. Schauss, who has a partnership with Monavie to supply them with powdered acai…
http://www.buildthejuice.com/pdfs/jeff_graham.pdf

...as well as Gitte Jensen, who is associated with the Klamath Lake blue-green algae MLM scam.
http://www.mlmwatch.org/04C/Stemtech/stemtech.html
http://www.quackwatch.org/01QuackeryRelatedTopics/algae.html

Most of the other authors work for Schauss (AIBMR; Tacoma, Washington) and Jensen (Holger NIS, Klamath Falls, Oregon). One of the authors – (who had never published research before this) runs a “wellness” clinic in Klamath Falls.
http://www.aibmr.com
http://www.holgernis.com
http://www.wellness.com/dir/2417071/family-doctor/or/klamath-falls/robert-beaman-beamans-wellness-ctr-md

Mendel, San Diego, CA
October 06, 2008 4:00pm

Someone, I suggest you read the other discussion threads....

Anecdotes of healing properties, from juice, magic water, God, crystals or aliens are meaningless without objective proof. Worse - when businesses are built around these claims, they move into the realm of scams.

It isn't that hard to prove causal links between therapeutic products and their effects - but it is damn sight easier to make expansive claims and not provide any proof, because the world is full of gullible, greedy and / or lazy people who will eat up the claims and the products, then spend ages justifying their purchases.

The people running the company are getting rich from the actions of these suckers - and rememeber what Barnum said about suckers.

Mona Vie is juice. Well, it is reconstituted juice. It has some interesting ingredients - but so do a LOT of other products that cost far less.

Personally, I just eat fruit, and only buy juice occassionally.

I prefer fruit. It has plenty of antioxidants, fibre and vitamins, straight off the tree.

Brenton, New Zealand
October 06, 2008 4:12pm

I just read through some tof the posts here, very interesting. I liked the break down of the consumption of V8, kinda blew away their marketing ploy that one glass gives you what you need for your requirements of fruits and veggies...I do believe in no matter what anyone chooses to drink or take that it is up to that individual weather they actually feel that it has provided and health benefits. I cannot believe that the general public would be so stupid to actually make a personal choice of consumption by listening to a choosen few on here and their opi