Plexus; Drink Pink and Shrink…Or Not

confused-baby

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After my posts on Advocare and Isagenix, I got bombarded with questions about Plexus. I do not mean to be harsh, but I am blown away that people actually buy this stuff.[activecampaign form=82]

“Drink pink and shrink” is the Plexus catch line. “Half an hour before a meal — it does not matter which meal, it can be breakfast, lunch or dinner — pour the Plexus Slim powder into a 12 ounce glass/bottle of water, stir/shake and drink. That’s all there is to it!” It’s just that easy….

Let’s take a look at what these supposed fat burning ingredients that can negate poor eating choices consist of. The first ingredient in Plexus Slim is chlorogenic acid. Chlorogenic acid can be found in bamboo and many other plants including peaches, prunes, and green coffee bean extract. There are absolutely zero valid, long term, quality studies to even suggest this extract can promote weight loss or is safe. [activecampaign form=82]

Confused-BabyLeaving the fact that there is absolutely no quality research to support the claims of this ingredient aside, let’s just go with the common sense approach. Do you really think a small amount of extract from a coffee seed can erase poor eating choices and lack of exercise and create a healthy body? Sometimes common sense isn’t all that common.

The next ingredient is garcinia cambogia, a tropical plant that looks a lot like acorn squash. This product does have some research: A clinical study concluded that garcinia cambogia has no effect on weight loss or reduction of fat mass.  In fact, the placebo group, or people taking the fake pills, actually lost more weight than the group taking the garcinia cambogia! To make matters worse, a meta-analysis published in 2010 revealed that gastrointestinal adverse effects were twice as likely for users of garcinia cambogia. Therefore, adverse gastrointestinal effects, such as diarrhea, could be the cause of some people’s weight loss.

plexus

This advertisement really annoyed me. Who needs to workout when you can just pay for some overpriced gimmick that has been proven not to work? Exercise has so many health benefits; to not exercise on a regular basis is insane. To even suggest not exercising, eating what you want, and then adding a pink drink per day will lead to weight loss and improved health is criminal. This recent study suggests that exercise is far more likely to determine a woman’s future risk of heart disease than any other factor, including smoking, obesity and high blood pressure!

Plexus-Slim1

Now this would be a proper advertisement because that is exactly what is happening. I found 30 servings of Plexus Slim costs $99.99 on Amazon. Just think of the amount of amazingly healthy fruits and vegetables, that will guarantee improved health, you could buy with that money. This comes directly from the Plexus slim product page: Fat metabolism —Chlorogenic acids are one of the major classes of phenolic compounds. They are present in a large variety of fruits and vegetables.”  Exactly, go buy  a variety of fruits and vegetables!

I am sure some of you already have been or will be approached by a distributor who has lost weight while taking this product. I guarantee the seller changed lifestyle habits as well, which are the true cause of the weight loss. New distributors are extra motivated to lose weight so they can use their own stories to improve future sales. If you are truly serious and want to lose weight the healthy way, read this book! 

Comments (112)

  • Starla Reply

    Hello! I love and appreciate your feedback on all your findings! Would you mind telling us what your thoughts are on Javita.
    http://www.myjavita.com/instantsuccess

    June 10, 2014 at 8:47 am
  • Kate Reply

    I have a lot of friends selling these products. I have seen claims that it treats many many diseases. Some of them weight related (hypertension, diabetes, hyperlipidemia) and some of them more subjective (migraines, depression, anxiety, pain, ADHD). Sometimes the power of suggestion is all it takes. The people selling the produces make these testimonials from personal experience but the company claims not to treat or cure any diease. I am a nurse and work with doctor and pharmacist who have reviewed the products and do not feel it is of any benifit and actually interacts with some of the other medications they are taking. Plexus products are not tested or FDA approved. It frustrates me that these claims are being made with no research to back it up.

    June 10, 2014 at 4:10 pm
    • Katie Reply

      No supplements or vitamins are FDA approved…not even your Flintstones that you feed your kids.

      May 4, 2015 at 3:50 pm
      • Steve Czys
        Steve Czys Reply

        Katie is correct and those Flintstones are useless at best.

        May 4, 2015 at 3:58 pm
        • Debbie Gauthier Reply

          Hi, USANA supplements are FDA approved!

          March 9, 2017 at 5:30 pm
          • Steve Czys
            Steve Czys

            No, no they’re not.
            They may be manufactured in a FDA registered facility just as my supplements are.
            The FDA does not have direct jurisdiction over supplements and NO supplements in the US are FDA approved.

            March 9, 2017 at 7:25 pm
      • jen Reply

        Hate to say it, but the American diet is high-carb, high-protein fat, and low in vitamins and minerals. It would be foolish not to supplement your diet with high grade vitamins and minerals, specifically zinc picolinate. Western medicine does not want the masses to be able to heal themselves naturally. They want to blow your body out with antibiotics and fuel drug addiction. Look at the increase in pain management clinics. Find a good naturopath versed in muscle testing and bioenergetics. Get healthy now and do away with your doctors!

        December 27, 2016 at 12:30 am
    • Lora Willing Reply

      They may Not be FDA approved however, my child took FDA approved meds and it caused bad side effects. Also melatonin is not FDA approved and your body produces it. There have been many many FDA approved medications that have caused Cancer, Seizures, heart problems and even DEATH. Before FDA approval there was home remedies that are still practiced today and work more effectively than some FDA approved treatments. Look up onions and sugar. Read all the testimonials of how doctors had no cures for fevers, typhoid fever, and other diseases. The doctors gave up hope and families used onions and sugar to save lives. That is just 1 home remedy. Plexus may not claim to cure but reality is that it does more than modern medicine can do.

      December 16, 2020 at 11:50 pm
      • Steve Czys
        Steve Czys Reply

        “Plexus may not claim to cure but reality is that it does more than modern medicine can do.” Congratulations! That statement just earned top 3 in my Darwin dumbest comments of the year award!

        December 23, 2020 at 5:15 pm
  • Jessica Reply

    What do you know about this being developed for diabetics?
    I’m not diabetic, but that struck my curiosity.

    What about other ailments? I know of a rep whose husband used Plexus and his psoriasis cleared up. This was the only product that has worked for him. Any idea or thoughts on how and why it worked?

    July 7, 2014 at 10:49 am
    • Christi Town Reply

      apparently no answer.

      December 28, 2015 at 1:34 am
    • Steve Czys
      Steve Czys Reply

      Not a chance it was developed for diabetics.
      Every distributor is trained to come up with their “personal story”. I would be hard pressed to believe that rep.
      If someone’s psoriasis did clear up it was from their dietary changes, not any one product.
      I have often seen a variety of skin conditions clear up with the elimination of grains and dairy from the diet.

      January 3, 2016 at 7:42 pm
      • Susan Lawing Reply

        That’s interesting. Probably the elimination of sugar, as well?

        July 14, 2017 at 1:49 am
      • MRivera Reply

        what if the drinks helped with energy and cravings enough to actually implement better lifestyle changes? It feels like no matter how clean I eat, how many processed carbs I get rid of… I don’t have the energy to cook 3 clean, delicious meals a day, run my business, take care of my kid, clean up my house, walk the dog, pay the bills, go to marriage therapy etc. What if the mostly natural ingredients helped just enough to get into an 80/20 healthy lifestyle. Would that be so terrible?

        July 23, 2017 at 2:03 am
        • Steve Czys
          Steve Czys Reply

          If Plexus used the slogan (not so terrible) at least it would be honest. The problem is plexus promoters make these absurd claims when there isn’t 1 bit of research to support it. And, based on the ingredients it can’t. A pink drink can’t erase the negative effects of poor lifestyle choices and the caffeine giving an energy boost just isn’t the long term answer.

          July 23, 2017 at 10:37 am
          • lora Willing

            Have you tried Plexus???
            DON’T KNOCK IT TILL YOU TRY IT!!
            I have a 60 day money back guarantee that says it does cut cravings for sugar, carbs and caffeine. It does give you better rest and more sustainable energy. It does give you clearer skin, longer hair, healthier nails. Are you up for the challenge message me.

            December 17, 2020 at 12:22 am
          • Steve Czys
            Steve Czys

            “Don’t knock it until you try it” what a foolish statement.
            Maybe learn about ingredients, learn to read a label, and then understand how ridiculous your claims are.

            December 23, 2020 at 5:14 pm
    • Donna Reply

      Yes. Sorry I have to brag! I started my Plexus journey almost 3 months ago I joined the Plexus team because I was so amazed with the product! I am very happy now, especially on how it has cleared up my psoriasis. I have to say I have tried it all in 25 years and nothing has done what Plexus has done for me in less then 2 months.

      Plexus is a health & wellness company all there products are 60 day money back guarantee -shipping. What 1 of the Plexus combos do that includes the pink drink is a detox. What is happening is we do not take care of our gut and our gut needs to be our best friend when it comes to being happy and healthy. But daily life-poor sleep, bad diet, lack of exercise, and even stress – affects your gut health by throwing off your body’s microbial balance, causing discomfort, digestive problems and weight gain. When you take control of your gut health you rebalance your gut and then it helps you lose weight & keeps blood sugar, cholesterol, and lipids at healthy levels.

      The pink drink promotes the growth of good gut microflora& supports healthy glucose metabolism.

      June 20, 2017 at 8:50 pm
      • Steve Czys
        Steve Czys Reply

        “daily life-poor sleep, bad diet, lack of exercise and even stress” Those are all issues and there is no way any of the plexus products does anything to solve those issues. What does fix those is exactly what I teach. How to eat better, how to exercise, how to get better sleep and reduce stress. The snake oil salesman will try and sell some magic drink to solve those issues.

        Exactly what toxins does plexus cleanse? It would be very easy to test urine or feces after taking plexus to see what has been “detoxed.” That hasn’t been done because…..they don’t detox anything.

        The personal store is the step one sales tactic of all MLM companies? Why – because they have ZERO research to support their claims.

        PS – That probio 5 is massively overprice for what you get. With my probiotic you get 7.5 times more, more strains, better strains, and they are less expensive? How, because the MLM business model requires massively overpriced products.

        June 21, 2017 at 3:10 pm
        • Carrie Guell Reply

          What’s your probiotic?

          October 24, 2017 at 12:56 pm
        • Michelle Reply

          Oh I see now- you tear down another company to promote your own. How sad 🙁
          Also- Plexus does have clinical trials and science to back their claims. And they’re happy to send you the info.

          November 12, 2017 at 12:48 pm
          • Steve Czys
            Steve Czys

            Telling the truth about a company’s low quality products and then offering a far superior and less expensive option is a good thing to do, far from sad.
            If there were quality clinical trials you would have posted them….. is this author also sad? https://universityhealthnews.com/daily/mobility-fitness/is-plexus-safe/

            November 12, 2017 at 9:32 pm
          • Brynn Chiarelli

            Hi Michelle, Dr. Czys is actually correct in his findings/teachings. If you follow his plan, watch his videos and gradually change your lifestyle as he suggests, you will FEEL results. I’ve been a customer of his for a year now. I do take his vitamins, fish oil, and VIT D, and I actually do feel a difference, for once in my life. I was an Herbalife Distributor for 5+ years, and while I did loose weight, I felt tired and unhealthy most of the time. I was desperate and searching for answers when I came across Dr.Czys page. I started reading on his website and couldn’t take myself away from it. I, first ordered his multi-vitamins to see if they would make a difference, because the vitamins I was currently taking seemed to work at first, then it tapered off…not to mention, that they were $55 per month. His vitamins worked so well for me that u decided to order his other products as well. One year later and I’m seeing HUGE changes happening in my body, for the better. If you’ve ever looked on the containers of MLM companies, you’ll notice all of the gross ingredients and additives. Just eat good, healthy food, quit starving yourself over these companies and what they say you shouldn’t be eating, and listen to this man. His products are elite. I could go on, but I won’t. Your welcome

            January 20, 2018 at 2:54 pm
  • Rachel Mayo Reply

    Not to mention, if you drink a glass of regular, non pink water before a meal, you are automatically going to eat less anyway. Your posts make me feel so much better about choosing the Farmers Market over these “get slim quick” schemes.

    July 8, 2014 at 10:02 am
    • Kristel Ronning Reply

      Would love any healthy tips you may have recipes supplements etc. I to am wanting to go clean diet without having to use a product that might do nothing.

      February 7, 2015 at 8:54 pm
      • Steve Czys
        Steve Czys Reply

        The supplements I take can be found here. Some really great recipes will be emailed to you when you sign up for the blog. Thanks

        February 9, 2015 at 7:18 am
  • Chynna Reply

    First, thank you for your honest opinion of Plexus. Secondly, I am a user and ambassador for plexus and I would love to clarify somethings. Our product is NOT and has never claimed to be a “magic diet” plan. We ARE ALL NATURAL but We actually are trying to make sure people understand that we are a all around health plan. We don’t think or recommend you JUST drink the “Pink Drink” and wow magic your skinny…sure some people simply drink the drink and successfully lose weight. Plexus uses its all natural ingredients which were originally created for diabetics by the way, to help you modulate and curb cravings and balance your blood sugar, cholesterol and lipids. This naturally keeps you from eating as much. You don’t want to reach for the sugars and fatty foods. I ALWAYS mention healthy eating habits and exercise with Plexus. Long story short NO health product is gonna work on its own you have to decide if you choose to do one whether Advocare, Herbalife or Plexus whatever make sure your not gonna have a reaction to the products and be wise (ahem Plexus is ALL NATURAL! lol) and eat cleaner and work out and BOOM you can’t go wrong! Thanks❤️ P.S I also that meme! But the company doesn’t make these people do so you can’t base the company of a few people’s opinion (mine included)

    January 13, 2015 at 9:57 pm
    • Steve Czys
      Steve Czys Reply

      “ALL NATURAL” People need to realize the term natural means absolutely nothing. It took 2 seconds to look at your multivitamin and see the ingredients cyanocobalamin and folic acid. Neither of those occur in a food source on the planet. In 1947 scientists at Lederle Labs synthesized a compound called folic acid that had never previously existed on our planet. No human prior to 1947 had ever ingested this artificial substance. As a side note – if you are pregnant make sure to look for folate and not folic acid in a prenatal. They are not the same thing! And here is a really quick review of the ingredients that claim to curb cravings, balance blood sugar, cholesterol, and lipids. To even make these claims with the purpose of profit should be criminal as there is zero evidence to support them. Garcinia cambogia became popular worldwide after being featured on the Dr. Oz show in 2012. One study with 130 people compared garcinia against a dummy pill. There was no difference in weight or body fat percentage between groups. A 2011 review that looked at 12 studies on garcinia cambogia found that, on average, it caused weight loss of about 2 pounds (0.88 kg) over several weeks. Green coffee bean extract aka coffee beans that haven’t been roasted yet….it’s just another caffeine delivery system. If someone does have type 2 diabetes ask yourself this. Is that person diabetic because they are plexus deficient or because they consume too much sugar? Would it be better to help this person make better food choices or sell them plexus?

      January 14, 2015 at 7:43 am
      • Chris Reply

        Thank you for this. Plexus people seem to be the most brainwashed people in the world, and pretty much follow the same psychological profile.

        January 28, 2015 at 12:05 pm
  • Kristel Ronning Reply

    I’ve been gradually trying to change my family’s diet, more organic, less sugar and/or processed, NO SNACKS etc. I’m also about to purchase a high speed blender so that I can start making us fruit and veggie smoothies and frozen pops for the kids. Also been researching lots of different ways to improve our health. I starting asking my friends thru social media about natural supplements they give their kids for adhd instead of prescription meds. More than a few people told me they give them two products from the plexus line which sounded good to me. I’ve even been thinking of joining plexus just to get product at a pretty good discount plus a possible commission. Well after reading your articles on plexus and isagenix which I’ve also been considering I’m leaning more towards your approach at better long term lifestyle changing health it actually just feels more true (common sense prevailing I guess). With that being said I also read your article, mindless eating, and the only supplements you say you take daily are probiotics, fish oil and vit D. I’ve been researching the oil and pros how do I know which products are the best or do you have any suggestions for someone on an extremely tight budget.
    Thanks for your insight

    February 7, 2015 at 8:51 pm
  • Matt Reply

    I am a Plexus Ambassador. I began Plexus just to lose weight. I didn’t do much research on it because I figured if it didn’t work I would get my money back. As soon as I started I felt so good. The energy was amazing. I used to come home from work and take a nap before my husband got home. That doesn’t happen anymore. I was addicted to sugar and fast food. I now have that under control. That I never thought could happen. I always compared my addictions to someone quitting smoking or alcohol, I felt the same way about candy. My cooking habits are not great and I rarely got to the gym but I lost 30lbs and from a 24w to an 18w jeans. Plexus does work. Do I think it works for everyone, no. It does work. I would love for you to give your opinion on their other products like the probio 5, Bio Cleanse and Xfactor multi vitamin.

    March 4, 2015 at 8:25 pm
    • Steve Czys
      Steve Czys Reply

      The few studies that do exist on the pink drink ingredients all say that they do nothing. An ambassador has to have a compelling story because that is what is told to friends to drive sales. Ask yourself this question “Was my lack of energy and excess body fat a result of being deficient in plexus?” Now can the bio cleanse help you lose weight? The ingredients, fraction-ed vitamin C – a dirt cheap product that can be bought anywhere, Magnesium Hydroxide AKA Milk of Magnesia AKA a LAXATIVE – of course taking a laxative is going to lead to weight loss, Sodium Bicarbonate AKA Baking Soda. Then they add .05 grams of lemon, quince, and grapefruit. Taking laxatives to lose weight is not a healthy decision. The label couldn’t be any more misleading “oxygenate and energize your body” It should say “crap your brains out and lose some water weight”. The multi has synthetics which should always be avoided and the probiotic doesn’t tell you how much of which strain is even in the product. I’m glad you brought these products to my attention. Plexus is even worse than I thought. Selling people laxatives and claiming it to be a “good” or “healthy” weight loss product should be illegal. I should add the magnesium hydroxide (Laxative) is very good at blocking your body’s ability to absorb Folate and Iron…..

      March 14, 2015 at 10:31 am
      • Greta Reply

        https://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/Magnesium-HealthProfessional/ This was supposed to go along with my post, to show government research on magnesium.

        July 19, 2015 at 2:47 pm
        • Steve Czys
          Steve Czys Reply

          This is from the study you referenced. “Absorption of magnesium from different kinds of magnesium supplements varies. Forms of magnesium that dissolve well in liquid are more completely absorbed in the gut than less soluble forms. Studies have found that magnesium in the aspartate, citrate, lactate, and chloride forms is absorbed more completely and is more bioavailable than magnesium oxide” If a person is magnesium deficient I wouldn’t recommend taking the form that is very difficult to absorb……
          This is another example of the problem with MLM of supplements. However well intentioned a salesman may be, he/she usually doesn’t have enough education when it comes to diet, nutrition, supplements, health.

          July 19, 2015 at 5:18 pm
  • Kristy Reply

    Plexus lowered my blood sugar from 130 to 80 over the course of 6 months. Explain that? I only lost 10 pounds over 6 months and was exercising before and after I started Plexus. I take the Slim, ProBio and BioCleanse. My sister also takes it and has been on it a year. The same 3 products. She also has only lost about 10 pounds but she feels so much better so she doesn’t care about not losing more weight 🙂

    June 5, 2015 at 11:36 am
    • Steve Czys
      Steve Czys Reply

      It was your dietary changes while taking plexus that caused the decrease in your blood sugar. I guarantee your eating improved, hence the weight loss. Quite a simple explanation really. If you believe it was the plexus than you have to explain which ingredients in the plexus caused the change. Also, what is the mechanism of action of plexus that caused your blood sugar to magically decrease? Did you know that biocleanse (aka milk of magnesia) is a laxative? Taking a laxative on a regular basis is not a good idea.

      June 5, 2015 at 2:44 pm
      • Greta Reply

        No, not really. This is not the only story like this. Many of the Plexus products have ingredients that improve serotonin levels, that help people sleep and help with mood. And with women, hormones are a big deal. It appears to me, but yes, testimonies are circumstancial unless a study is involved, that Plexus improves hormonal balance and I’ve seen that in myself and my husband. It’s not “sad”, it’s nice to see people use a natural product that helps when no one else has been able to without the side effects of rx medicine. Also Biocleanse is magnesium oxide. It can have a laxative effect if you take too much but it is a mineral that the body needs. Prunes do that too, but no one says they are only for a laxative.

        July 19, 2015 at 2:34 pm
        • Steve Czys
          Steve Czys Reply

          How do you know your hormones were out of balance? What test was done to measure these unbalanced hormones and which hormones are we talking about? How does plexus improve serotonin levels and how are those levels measured? You cannot support a single statement that you made. Magnesium oxide is the least absorb-able from of magnesium that exists. Magnesium hydroxide is used as a laxative and not to boost magnesium levels.

          July 19, 2015 at 5:14 pm
  • Mathman Reply

    I stumbled across some Plexus testimonials on facebook. Here are two examples of just how ridiculous the claims are getting.

    (1) An ambassador shared this touching story from this past week at convention. To Save A Life….
    “One of my favorite moments from this weekend: I was nursing my baby away from the crowds and a lady came and sat next to me. She began to ask me about my baby, if I had more, and how she could tell I loved being a mommy. She then told me that because of Plexus she is STILL a mommy. She was severely depressed and suicidal before Plexus. One week before she decided to give Plexus a try, she almost took her own life. And after one week of taking Plexus, she hasn’t had a single suicidal thought since. Talk about crying with a stranger. Plexus balances your body and its systems which has a VAST array of benefits. It’s about HEALTH! This is why I share with everyone I can. One sip can change your life. One sip can save your life.”

    (2) “Wow this is a harder thing to share than I thought bc this beauty is my teenage daughter! So hear it goes (and I might add through the tears)! She is so confident in herself now that she has asked me to share her testimony so that others may heal as well.
    While she was bubbly and full of life and laughter there was something deep inside that we didn’t see… Yep- depression, anxiety, stress and she was so hard on herself so there was perfectionism as well. So with all that we’ll add self loathing. How could this be? She was always goofing around and laughing!
    Until one day she reached for something and I saw a cut on her arm. I grabbed her arm and looked only to find more! My heart sunk and I almost lost what was in my stomach! She just was so sad inside and had zero energy suddenly!
    I had been hearing about this plexus product so I decided that before I put her on any antidepressant or mood enhancers that I would go this route.
    So in December she started her journey of healing on the triplex. By January we noticed that her egg and gluten allergies were better and by February they were gone! Then in February we noticed her acne was under control and she has lost some inches. In February she found this dress that was way to small but decided to make it her goal to work into it! It fits.
    She no longer cuts, she’s always happy and is now encouraging many (even me). She looks for the positive and is super active and even motivates me to walk 5-10 miles daily!

    June 12, 2015 at 3:09 pm
    • Steve Czys
      Steve Czys Reply

      That is really sad.

      June 12, 2015 at 8:17 pm
      • Kris Reply

        Dear Sir,
        I have always had an outspoken respect for medical professionals of any kind. I am normally not one to speak in disagreement to a doctor or healthcare professional, because I know that their education and experience far surpasses my own realm of knowledge. However, I am intrigued by your line of thought here, and I’ll tell you why.
        You have mentioned multiple times how you have come to the conclusion that ingredients found in Plexus products are completely useless. However, you then have pointed several people to buying the same ingredients at a health food store – are they useless, or are they not? I am seeing you speak out of both sides of your mouth, and not entirely sure how you are slipping under the radar on this.

        Secondly, you claim there is no research to the ingredients found in Plexus. While there are few scientific studies on the actual supplements in their entirety (there are some, albeit not many – I was able to find them myself without having someone else do the legwork for me – but I’ll get to your tactic later), I wonder if you have taken the time to break down the products and research them ingredient-by-ingredient, and peruse the notes by the doctors who formulated these supplements.
        In my opinion, research (which you claim – along with logic- to be the most important decision-making tool in our health decisions) goes beyond product-googling.

        Have you researched the correlation of gut health on issues such as:
        ADHD
        PCOS
        Chronic Inflammation
        Weight gain
        Migraines
        Fibromyalgia
        IBS

        Have you researched the correlation between unstabilized blood sugar and the issues above?
        Have you researched the correlation between chronic inflammation and unstablized blood sugar?
        What about the correlation between chronic inflammation and gut health? Have you taken a look at the scientific abstracts that detail the enzyme Chitosanase, that you made fun of earlier?
        Even though humans *should* be able to derive everything they need from food, how much research have you done on the food in our society, and the amount of nutrition we are actually able to derive from it, and the amount of nutrition we lose from other aspects of our culture?

        Plexus claims to use natural ingredients to target three main root causes, that are increasingly, scientifically, and medically being tied to more and more chronic issues that our society faces:

        Blood Sugar
        Gut Health
        Inflammation

        Have you researched how some of the ingredients in these supplements affect these three problems within the body?

        As far as “weight loss products” go, I’m a severe skeptic. However, as far as health supplements go, I can force myself to have an open mind, but it has to be backed up by hours of research, plus personal experience. I don’t have a PhD behind my name, but I CAN tell you that when I see someone with heels dug in as far as yours on an entire brand name, my “skeptic” radar also goes off. If you were to take issue with one supplement or one or two ingredients, I might be more apt to take you seriously.
        However, simply making jokes and jabs, laughing and taunting, is at best not professional. At worst, it’s an even less persuasive angle, in my opinion, than someone producing this “magical evidence” you keep asking for.

        If someone is claiming that any supplement “heals” something or other, then you are right – that is laughable. It is also dishonest, and against most company policies. However, I think that even you, with your great all-knowing mighty logic, could conclude
        1) the power of personal testament
        2) the idea of treating the underlying cause, not the symptom (since in fact, you have actually backed up Plexus in this regard – only directed individuals to “your choice” of supplements that do the same thing)
        3) the credibility of an individual who decides to use tools that enable them to effectively take their health into their own hands

        But, kudos to you, really. You were somehow able to use Kindergarten level reverse-psychology to make one group of people sound like idiots for buying a product, in order to herd the rest of the bunch over to your website to buy your own “product”. Ya know, the product that’s for the smart people to buy into, the ones who are too smart to buy into the other product. And some people actually took it – hook, line, and sinker. So nice tactic! If I was less ethical, and more desperate, I might be tempted to coat-tail your success and try the same thing.

        August 29, 2016 at 2:43 pm
        • Reply

          A long post with a very simple response.
          You bring up “Blood Sugar, Gut Health, and Inflammation”…and then “2) the idea of treating the underlying cause”
          That is exactly what I do…treat the underlying cause.
          Blood sugar, gut health and inflammation problems are NEVER caused by a lack of Plexus.
          It is a combination of choosing the wrong foods, not getting enough of the right foods, lack of exercise, lack of sleep, etc…
          NO pill, potion or drug will ever replace those, Plexus does not come close.
          These companies are so damn good at creating believers based on nothingness and the pipe dream of financial freedom.

          September 7, 2016 at 1:23 am
  • Jen Reply

    I find it odd that while this article claims Plexus doesn’t work because of this or that yet the person writing it has never actually tried it. No, as mentioned in a comment above you can’t just drink the pink drink and get slim. You do have to make healthier choices and Plexus does do just that! How? I don’t know but I do know I have lost weight, I have been able to control my eating (I was an out of control emotional eater) and I do feel better. Is it hooey? Maybe but if it’s working then I will continue on this journey. I also find it funny that the supplements DrCzys recommends actually cost more than what you purchase them for as a Preferred Customer through Plexus! Did you know the supplements he recommends are also NOT FDA approved?

    June 25, 2015 at 4:36 pm
    • Steve Czys
      Steve Czys Reply

      I’d have to be quite foolish to take and pay for a product that has ingredients showing is useless. It’s just like not trying any ‘food’ that has trans fats listed in the ingredients. Did you know that absolutely no supplements are FDA approved? There is no FDA approval process for supplements. The products I take are 3rd party tested to ensure quality, purity and potency. It is a guarantee that what is listed on the label is in the product. Plexus doesn’t have any products even close to what I take. I price comparison cannot be made.

      June 25, 2015 at 6:43 pm
      • dleahrupan Reply

        You Sir, are an ASS!!

        Don’t knock something until you actually try it. I take the product and I have never felt better. Not only that I have lost 70 lbs. I went off of Plexus for a time (because, yes it can be expensive) and kept the 70 lbs off for over a year without taking the product everyday. I am now back on it AND feeling great again. looking forward to losing another 70 lbs and making my Dr impressed with my health results AGAIN. That is right, Dr ASS. I got tested for EVERYTHING before I started Plexus because I was skeptical myself. I am sold on the product and the fact that it does what it says. My Dr was impressed by my results enough to look into it for himself.

        January 17, 2018 at 7:47 pm
        • Steve Czys
          Steve Czys Reply

          Intelligent people give something to support their point of view. They refute whomever they disagree with by providing evidence.

          Unintelligent people resort to name calling and ignorant recommendations like “don’t knock it unless you try it.”

          PS – Your doc and most docs just aren’t educated in nutrition.

          January 17, 2018 at 10:34 pm
    • Mathlady Reply

      This is from the Plexus Worldwide website: “Our core beliefs are simple: Be Trustworthy, Be Honest, Be Reliable, and Be Responsible.

      These beliefs encompass all that we do….”

      – See more at: http://www.plexusworldwide.com/company#sthash.L0C6lZ1r.dpuf

      The company claims honesty and trustworthiness, yet allows it’s ambassadors to lie about their results in testimonials, even remaining silent when their reps photoshop their own online images to appear much thinner than they actually are. Ambassadors put photos of other people online without their consent to support their own false claims and refuse to remove them after being asked repeatedly.
      The company claims responsibility, yet allows its ambassadors to advise people to use Plexus products to treat genuine illnesses instead of following their physicians’ advice, claiming that the doctor will mess up their health even more.
      The company claims to be reliable. I believe that claim is actually true in that they will never fail to take money they don’t deserve.
      The FDA needs to shut them down.

      October 4, 2015 at 2:45 pm
    • Lisa Reply

      Hi Jen, ivebeen taking plexus for two years now and have done my research the reason you are able to control your eating is because of your blood sugar balancing and that is also why a lot of people lose weight on it!!
      There is so much good research done I plexus ingredients that no one will ever be able to tell me that they’re not good!
      Since plexus has literally saved my life!
      For seven years I suffered from depression, anxiety and panic attacks, dizziness, migraines, swollen was in my knees and fatigue!
      I now feel like in in my teens again with all the energy and zest I have for life!!
      And yes these products are so much more than weight loss!!
      I could give thousands of testimonies of people I personally know!!

      July 5, 2016 at 11:08 pm
      • Lisa Reply

        Also plexus makes no claims on curing any disease or sickness!
        This is what it has done for me and everyone is different! Just like when people exercise it doesn’t work the same for everyone!

        July 5, 2016 at 11:19 pm
        • Steve Czys
          Steve Czys Reply

          Actually people are genetically about 99.5% identical….now psychologically we are very different. Such as some people having 100% belief in products that have nothing more than good marketing as support.

          July 7, 2016 at 6:36 pm
          • Jen

            Dr Czys, thanks for taking the time to break down labels for people that don’t choose to research them on their own or know how to read labels! I have to note: nearly all of the people here that support this product are “ambassadors”. I get a kick out of their fancy word for calling them what they truly are, which is salesmen. Product pushers for profit! Greed.

            September 30, 2016 at 10:39 am
      • Steve Czys
        Steve Czys Reply

        Blood sugar balancing….that’s a new one. Can you post some of this great plexus research?
        Just to be clear…plexus cures depression, anxiety, panic attacks, dizziness, migraines, fatigue, and swollen knees?
        It is so unbelievable absurd…I appreciate the laugh.

        July 7, 2016 at 6:34 pm
  • Pamela Reply

    Reading your post is so ironic. You slam Plexus for its cost but at the end of your opinion you suggest people come to you so you can show them how to be healthy. Do you get paid to do your job? I am betting you do. Thank you point made. Why can you try to get people to come see what you can do for them and make money doing it but others can not? I have been drinking Plexus slim for a year now. I no longer have panic attacks. UTI’s, no more allergies. A couple weeks ago i had not been drinking my pink consistently and for the first time in a year I got an infection so i tripled up on my slim and without a precipitation my infection was gone. In all my years of infections I always, always had to have a prescription to get over an infection. Plexus Slim is not just about weight loss you need to hear most of the testimonies are so much more than weight loss. So if I or anyone else makes money for doing their job with Plexus and you make money doing your job lets help people gain their health back.

    August 22, 2015 at 5:08 pm
    • Steve Czys
      Steve Czys Reply

      I’m not sure what your point is? Selling overpriced products that have zero research backing any of the “testimonials” is not the same as providing a service for people by teaching them what to buy in a grocery store. The research that is available on the ingredients in the product demonstrates they are useless. I provided links to the studies in my article. So we have testimonials from people trying to make money off plexus and we have research showing it is useless. Which should people choose; research or testimonials from those trying to make a buck?

      August 28, 2015 at 10:41 am
      • Christi Town Reply

        So let me make sure I have this right. You are saying if there is no research to back up the claim that it must not work. There are numerous examples of prescription, FDA and research heavy drugs that make it to market to be removed several years later due to deaths, permanent damage, etc. Phen-phen is a perfect example. Are you also saying that Chinese medicine, American Indian and Mexican remedies are hooey because there is no research? I strongly believe you are entitled to your opinion but I also think you have a professional obligation to be open to what works to make the patient healthy even if t is unconventional and not what you necessarily believe.

        December 28, 2015 at 1:05 am
        • Steve Czys
          Steve Czys Reply

          I form my beliefs based on logic and research. Plexus is illogical and lacking any research to support distributor’s absurd claims. There is however research on the ingredients in plexus showing they are useless. The only thing that shrinks from drinking pink would be the wallets of people getting scammed.

          January 3, 2016 at 7:38 pm
  • KittyMeow Reply

    I have a woman on my FB who used to actually teach English in high school, and I always thought she was really intelligent until I found her on FB and saw all the Plexus stuff she constantly posts. I have some issues and she is always pushing for me to buy into this crap and I keep telling her, “no, I don’t have the budget for that,” which is true, plus I also want to focus on having a good diet and getting enough activity. Those two things go a long way. Anyway, the pitches and constant testimonies are really annoying and sound fake and rehearsed. Glad I found this blog.

    September 20, 2015 at 7:12 am
    • KittyMeow Reply

      Ugh, sorry, testimonials not testimonies.

      September 20, 2015 at 7:16 am
    • Steve Czys
      Steve Czys Reply

      Post this article on her page 😉

      September 20, 2015 at 10:06 am
  • Mathman Reply

    Saw this new plexus post today. Evidently it makes you immune to strep now.

    There is a pattern I see among my Facebook friends status updates…..
    Stay with me here…
    From my non-Plexus friends:
    Tired = more coffee
    Long day = alcohol (wine most of the time)
    Allergies = medications

    STREP = DOCTORS

    Can’t sleep = see tired
    Kids with eczema – creams/steroids
    Pain/headaches = Advil
    Dessert = something chocolaty
    Plexus peeps post things like this….
    Great sleep = Thanks Plexus!
    Long day = Plexus energy!
    Allergies = no more – thanks Plexus!

    STREP = NOPE. HEALTHY GUT. THANKS PLEXUS!

    Can’t sleep = excited about their Plexus biz!
    Pain/ Headaches = gone. Thanks Plexus!
    Tummy issues = no more! ProBio5 rocks!
    Dessert = still something chocolaty, but just a few bites though will do it!!!
    Soooooo, come over to the pink side. You will like it here!

    September 21, 2015 at 2:01 pm
    • Steve Czys
      Steve Czys Reply

      That is a prime example of why Multi-Level-Marketing of supplements should be illegal.

      September 21, 2015 at 2:12 pm
      • Mathman Reply

        Thought this would go well with your post about Vemma.

        September 21, 2015 at 6:35 pm
    • Lisa Reply

      If you haven’t tried it then of course you know what they are saying isn’t true……it’s sad that so many are missing out on something that could truly help heal your body. Y’all network market just about everyday. If you like your hairstylist you’re gonna tell people when they ask where you got your hair done, if you like a restaurant, you’re gonna tell people about it, if you like a supplement that is helping you, you’re gonna tell people about it….that’s network marketing, you’re just not getting compensated for it.

      August 16, 2016 at 11:26 am
      • Steve Czys
        Steve Czys Reply

        Multi-level-marketing is nothing like referring someone to a business. That’s an asinine comparison.
        Herbalife just getting fined $200 MILLION for the scam that is MLM.

        August 16, 2016 at 1:23 pm
  • Brittney Reply

    I was told if I drink the pink drink it would fix any issue I had…. I am still laughing. She didn’t even ask what my health issue was.

    September 25, 2015 at 1:13 pm
  • Amy Reply

    Thank you for your post. I have Psoriasis, and I have recently started a healthy eating plan for healing. A friend of mine keeps asking me to try Plexus (she is an ambassador, or whatever you call someone who sells it). She says that it will help heal my skin, clean my inside, etc. I have wanted to tell her that it’s just too expensive, and I really can’t afford it, but in reality, if I really wanted to purchase it, and if it really did help my skin, I would find a way to come up with enough money to purchase it. After all, I’m sure it’s cheaper than Psoriasis meds. But I still didn’t feel comfortable with the whole MLM thing, and I’ve always been cynical of lose weight easy plans. I found your blog, and I appreciate this post. Now I have a little more information to help me support my decision to not use Plexus products.

    October 8, 2015 at 10:15 am
    • Steve Czys
      Steve Czys Reply

      I’m so glad this post helped you to stay away from plexus. I assume this is what you are doing for your skin but I’ll share what I’ve seen success with. Avoid dairy, grains, and legumes as much as possible. Take a high quality probiotic and fish oil and know you are living a healthy lifestyle!

      October 8, 2015 at 12:51 pm
      • Tara Reply

        Hi,

        I am taking the slim and probio. What’s your opinion on Plexus ProBio5? Wouldn’t it qualify for a quality probio? It also removes yeast. Any other probios that do that?

        I understand your point on some of the products like why use Folic Acid when they should use the pure form, folate. In any rate I am having success with my moods being more stable and it has drastically helped my food cravings…so I know it’s helping me at least kickstart me in the right direction. I am big on eating right and exercise too but have struggled with weight gain since having kids.

        Thanks,
        Tara

        January 18, 2016 at 11:21 pm
        • Steve Czys
          Steve Czys Reply

          The probio5 only has 2 billion CFU’s of 5 strains at the time of production. The label doesn’t tell you how much of each strain so who knows exactly what you are getting.
          The probiotic I take has 15 billion CFU’s per serving, 9 different strains, and it tells exactly how much of each strain there is. Each strain has also been proven to survive our digestive acids and improve health outcomes. The 15 billion was a year after production. On top of all of that…they are less expensive than probio5. They can be found here.

          On a side note, research shows the ingredients used in the slim do not do what is claimed on the package.

          January 19, 2016 at 8:10 am
    • Pete Reply

      Amy

      You have to remember that the sole purpose of your friend telling you, in my opinion, a big fat lie of how PS cures Psoriasis is to eventually get you to join PS as an “ambassador” and be obligated to buy a certain amount of Plexus products each month. She could care less about your health, only fattening her pocketbook at your expense. Most people in MLM are “ruthless” in the first degree!! Be careful.

      January 6, 2016 at 5:12 pm
    • Lisa Reply

      I’m sorry you’re missing out on the healing benefits of Plexus. There are many testimonials of it healing psoriasis. Good grief people this is not a weight loss program! That’s the icing on the top…..once your body is healed you will easily lose weight. It truly does take away food cravings. People that have been in bondage to carbonated drinks or diet drinks have been able to stop drinking them. I love when people like this doctor can give facts about something he has never tried. There are many chiropractors and doctors, trainers, Nutritionist that are taking these products. They put aside their pride and tried it. I was able to go off my thyroid script after 12.5 years after being on plexus for 3 months!!!! That’s crazy! My son was diagnosed with ulcerative colitis 5.5 years ago and has never been better since being on the triplex combo….it has a powerful probiotic that has truly helped him. I want to hear from someone that’s been on it for at least 6 months and then tell me it doesn’t help heal.

      August 16, 2016 at 11:21 am
      • Steve Czys
        Steve Czys Reply

        I don’t have to try heroin to tell you it’s a bad idea.
        It’s easy to read the ingredients and know if a product is good.
        It’s easy to read the research…or in this case, the lack there of and come to an educated conclusion.
        Making crazy personal claims is absurd, dangerous, and illegal.
        You just claimed that plexus products cure ulcerative colitis and a thyroid condition.
        People making crazy claims like that are the main reason it should be illegal
        for you to sell.
        Probio5 is a very low quality, low quantity probiotic. The label tells it.

        August 16, 2016 at 1:29 pm
      • Rose Reply

        What a bunch of crap, are you a PhD or a medical doctor? Medical doctors are in cahoots with the pharmaceuticals for no cure or at all! I’ve only been on the plexus triplex for three weeks and my psoriasis on my scalp is 95% gone! So what do you think of that?!

        December 29, 2016 at 2:09 pm
        • Steve Czys
          Steve Czys Reply

          I’m not in cahoots with pharma. However, many medications do have good research to support their claims.
          Plexus has none….just stories from people trying to sell it.

          January 4, 2017 at 11:27 pm
  • Paula Reply

    I have been sick for fifteen years. In that time frame I have researched diets, supplements, herbs, and essential oils. I tried everything to get better. I was exercising, eating whole organic foods, cleaning with nontoxic cleaners, using nontoxic detergent, stopped using fabric sheets, began to use natural deoderants, changed our table salt to Himalayan pink salt, bought organic cotton when I could, taking fermented cod liver oil, vitamin D and k, magnesium, probiotics, aloe vera juice, cranberry juice, dandelion tea and tinctures, spirulina, you get the picture. I was and am an annoying crunchy mama. I read all the labels and won’t eat anything that has preservatives, soy, and so on.
    Through out my sick years I did a few different detoxes that helped, but not enough. I did a parasite cleanse that also helped, but just wasn’t enough. I went to natural doctors and conventional ones. The natural doctor did mention adrenal fatigue, which conventional doctors just don’t recognize. My hormones were out of whack and my digestive system issues were getting worst. I just didn’t know what more I could do. I finally did an elimination diet and found out wheat was a major part of my issues along with dairy, legumes, and rice. I adopted the paleo diet and started getting somewhat better. I continued some of the supplements and exercise, but there was still something missing. I have been on paleo for two years, I tried so many different ways of eating including gaps, but paleo was the one that worked for me. I still couldn’t shake off the fatigue and brain fog. I went from being a spontaneous people loving person, to a home body. Anxiety had taken over. I could no longer watch thrilling movies with my family, I couldn’t even go through the car wash without having a panic attack. I was a mess. Well after seeing a friend go from being in bed because she was so sick for two years to thriving, I had to ask her. You know what she said? Yes, Plexus. I was skeptical, did my research and found tons of negative information such as your site. I ignored plexus and continued living in my misery. One day, a friend with Lyme’s disease also started getting better. Guess what she was taking? Plexus. These were people I knew, not some random person on FB. I decided to ignore the negative information about Plexus and give it a try. Two weeks after being on it, my anxiety started to go away slowly.I also had less stomach aches and a little more energy. I went from needing three hour naps, to two hours, to one hour, to forty five minutes, to half an hour, to no more naps. It took three months to not have to nap, but that’s ok because now my family has their mom back. I no longer have anxiety, I sleep better at night, my acid relux is almost gone, I no longer have pain on my hands and joints, my eye sight is getting better, my skin is clearing up, for the first time in my life I am not constipated, I finally have regular periods, and I’m no longer a homebody. Little by little the old me is coming back. That’s huge.

    I think it’s important for me to say this; unless you have tried it you shouldn’t be putting it down. So what if it’s an mlm? There’s wonderful products out there that come from mlm companies. It doesn’t make it any less of a product.

    Also, just because it doesn’t fit in your logical box doesn’t mean it doesn’t work. Science isn’t perfect yet. We discover things and then realize we were wrong. Maybe in this case you’re wrong.

    January 8, 2016 at 1:36 am
    • Steve Czys
      Steve Czys Reply

      It also cures balding, increases penis size, and will make you grow 6 inches taller. These claims people make are so unbelievably absurd, yet some believe them! I hadn’t looked at plexus in a while but I took a quick glance at two products. The accelorator has higenamine “Higenamine is POSSIBLY UNSAFE when taken by mouth. The purified or extracted chemical higenamine has not been studied in people. Therefore, its safety is not clear. However, higenamine is one of the main chemicals in a plant called aconite. Aconite has been shown to cause serious heart-related side effects including arrhythmias and even death. These side effects from aconite ingestions may, in part, be caused by the higenamine chemical.” Not mention the undisclosed amount of caffeine added to that product. I then glanced at xfactor chewables for kids…and found nothing but synthetic vitamins and vitamers. It’s the same useless ingredients you would find in the cheapest vitamin walmart has to offer. Do people believe that Plexus as some secret vitamin plant with secret ingredients that on one else has access to? If all of these claims are true why isn’t there a single study to support any of them? Not one plexus study, ever. The reason is if they ever did a study it would show they are useless. How can I be so sure? Because they use the same ingredients as cheapest stuff you find in stores!

      January 8, 2016 at 9:15 am
      • Paula Reply

        For a professional such as yourself, your a bit crass. I checked out your website and I see how you market. You are one of those that has to put other companies down to make yourself look good. That’s ok though, companies such as Plexus are growing exponentially because people are doing well on it. If Plexus didn’t work, then people wouldn’t be buying it and hence the company would not be growing. I just thought maybe since you are a chiropractor and everything else that you claim you are, that you would be a little more open minded; but I see that pride gets in the way. You are no different than conventional doctors. Your products and exercise programs may work (I believe they do), but putting the competition down constantly is just simply unprofessional. Good luck to you.

        January 8, 2016 at 5:00 pm
        • Steve Czys
          Steve Czys Reply

          You are confusing putting a product down with clearly laying out the facts about a product. I am eagerly waiting for one bit of evidence plexus is more effective than placebo in any claim made by distributors. It will definitely be more effective at causing wallet weight loss 😉

          January 11, 2016 at 6:37 pm
        • Linnea Reply

          Amen Paula! I haven’t been on the products long but feel the difference. Trust me, I’m good at sending things back! The slogans he is referring to, I haven’t heard. No claims of curing anything have been made. What can be claimed now is that Plexus DOES aid in weight loss. Recently released CLINICAL TRIALS! There is your proof sir.

          August 24, 2016 at 8:31 am
          • Recently released clinical trials that you didn’t post?

            September 7, 2016 at 12:17 am
      • DrJN Reply

        Hey Doc, I’m very disappointed in your stance on Plexus or any MLM for that matter. I am also a chiropractor and have a very different opinion than you. I for one am thankful for the fact that nutritional products are not regulated. If they were, they would require prescriptions. As far as your coaching people what to buy at the store, I think that can only be mildly beneficial. It has been proven that we cannot physically eat enough fruits and vegetables to get the nutrients that we need. They simply don’t have enough nutrients in them as they used to. The soil has been depleted of the nutrients and let’s not talk about pesticides. Can we agree that the average person needs to supplement their diet? In that case they need to buy quality supplements. I believe that many of the best supplements on the market today are sold by MLM companies. The research you say is lacking with Plexus is also lacking in any product that is sold at health food stores. None are allowed to make crazy claims. Testimonials therefore are very important to pay attention to. By taking the stance that you have decided to take frankly makes you and chiropractors as a whole somewhat ignorant. So stick to what you know to be true and stay away from guessing that other products are not good.

        March 21, 2016 at 11:40 am
        • Steve Czys
          Steve Czys Reply

          “It has been proven that we cannot physically eat enough fruits and vegetables to get the nutrients that we need.” Okay, prove it…. That is an absurd supplement sales tactic. If soil is that depleted plants can’t grow in it. Also, to claim that ALL soil in ALL parts of the world food is grown is depleted is ridiculous. Now you could make the argument that foods are harvested before ripening on the vine and thus not as nutrient dense as possible.
          There is research showing the ingredients in Plexus are useless. I posted links to the research in the article. There is also research showing the difference between quality ingredients and cheap synthetic ingredients found in Plexus and ALL MLM marketing products I have evaluated. If you’d like me to recommend some good books for you to read on this subject I’d be happy to. Not to mention the ridiculous overpricing as a result of the MLM business model.

          This is very important for anyone reading this comment section. There is a huge difference from one chiropractor to the next. Which school he/she graduates from is one factor. Every time I go to a chiropractic seminar I am embarrassed by how unhealthy the room is. We are all chiros, but we don’t all understand how to truly be healthy. As a life long competitive athlete and person obsessed with human performance I have studied nutrition intensely for over a decade. I own 3 nutrition/fitness centers at which I’ve helped thousands of people reach their goals. If a person is selling Plexus he/she is either uneducated in the subject of nutrition or willing to sell garbage to make a buck.
          I take supplements every day….I just understand how to read a label and choose a good one.

          March 21, 2016 at 2:29 pm
          • Jessica

            Hello,

            I was told by a Plexus ambassador that The Pink Drink, in combination with all of the other useless garbage they sell, would fix my fertility problems. I am athlete, triathlon and marathon runner. I eat clean, mostly a plant based diet with lean protiens. So after years of trying to have a baby, I gave it a shot. Long story short, I ended up in the ER. It was a nightmare! My endriconologist told me to get rid of it or he’d stop seeing me. Not only were the ingredients dangerous, but he’s researched the drink himself and found that Plexus Inc failed to mention that there’s SUCRALOSE in the drink! Apparently they can get away with not listing all of the ingredients! Stay clear! There is no magical weight loss supplement. Each your veggies and get to the gym!

            August 28, 2016 at 12:51 pm
          • Yes, the stuff is a joke. Have you been able to get pregnant? I have a suggestion that I think would help.

            September 7, 2016 at 12:16 am
        • Amy Reply

          Since I’ve started on Plexus products over 5 months ago my health has drastically improved. I juiced, ate organics for over a year and did not see much improvement. Thankfully a friend referred me to Plexus.
          I was not going to comment but I can’t help but point out there is NOT one good thing you have to say about Plexus, Advocare or any of the other MLM products you mentioned. For that reason I have to agree with Paula and DrJN. I think you can still be a successful person in this industry you are in without putting everything, person and company down who does not follow what you believe.

          March 31, 2016 at 10:23 pm
          • Steve Czys
            Steve Czys

            What I have done is point out the facts about the ingredients and business model. Post some evidence that disproves anything I have written….

            April 7, 2016 at 2:30 pm
  • Veronica Reply

    Hi Dr. Czys,

    You are probably burned out on answering supplement questions (from MLM companies), but I really would like to know your opinion on Zeal Wellness drink (the only product that I take–don’t do the Burn, Cleanse, or probiotic). I have noticed some positive results (mood, clarity, focus, and energy) from taking it. I figured you might have issue with the guarana and rice bran ingredients (and if you do please tell me why).

    I know your major concern on other supplements (like Shaklee, Advocare, etc) are that they are useless/cheap quality ingredients, but I want to know if there is anything harmful in the Zeal ingredients. Also I would like to know if you see any positives in certain ingredients (I was impressed that the B12 was methylcobalamin rather than the other poor quality B12).

    If you feel the Zeal falls into the “useless” category (doesn’t really have any benefit in your opinion), I am okay with that criticism. I like the results I have had, so I feel comfortable taking them if that is the only negative. I would like to know…. “Is the product or any specific ingredient in it harmful to take—and if so, please tell me which ingredient you feel is unsafe and why”.

    By the way I am not selling the product, I am just a customer (my mother-in-law shared this product with me—so please don’t bash her, ha, ha! JK She is a sweet lady who just thought it might help my family.)

    Thanks for your time and hope you have a great day! 🙂

    January 28, 2016 at 8:48 am
  • Beverley Thompson Warrick Reply

    I couldn’t even finish reading the posts, I have been held hostage, trapped next to a koolaid drinker at work. I’m not crass, I don’t sell anything or train anyone, and if there was no proof a duet aid was going to kill me immediately, I took it. That being said, if ambassadores said its a crap load of money but it has something and a lot of people have , if nothing else the placebo effect after spending a buck fifty a month, lost some weight–I could live with that. Let’s cover some salient points.
    1–I’m sorry but Pkexus appears to be kryptonite for reality, logic and the laws of physics. Replaced by circular reasoning based on some less than sound assumptions. Ex–if it were dangerous the FDA wouldn’t let us sell it. Clue, the can and has banned ingredients, yes, even in all natural Plexus. But it can only address ingredients Plexus chooses to list. Which leads use to
    2–You can’t skirt FDA testing by ( wink, wink) calling it a supplement, then prescribe it as a cure for everything except low IQ and cancer. I am astounded that some ambassador has been sued for practicing medicine without a license. Proves ambulance chasing attorneys can’t think outside the box.
    3–Is it selling a wonder cure or Amyway? My favorite comment to date–I don’t like my non ambassadores to recommend Pkexus, they just aren’t trained to sell it. If by trained you mean having access to the secret sales files and flying to the dessert for a communal circle jerk you write off 100% on your taxes in a desperate attempt to offset the 1099 form every year, make sure you don’t neglect to bring your old Nary Kay contacts into the fold or pick up a couple other similar ( wink, wink) MLM priducts you can cross sell. Go big or go home without a Plexus Lexus.
    4–You have the morales of a gnat sucking off of a tick when you encourage people to give up needed medication and pay out the ass for Plexus snake oil instead. You have graduated to used car salesman. If people want to add Plexus , fine, but here is some circular logic for you. If potions mushed together with a mortar and pestle cured all ills, life expectancy wouldn’t have doubled with the advent of western medicine.
    5–Plexus cure diabetes. Type 1 diabetes is cause by a no insulin being produced. That isn’t at all the same as eating 10x more than yor pancreas can metabolize. If you accidentally lose weight or just improve your diet, your blood sugar may very well be improved and insulin reduced or eliminated. You haven’t cured anything. You just needed to spend a tenth of your income to lose some weight.
    6–Ever seen an ambassador searching for the Holy Grsil? One day one of you will manage to uncover the path to Flex spending reimbursement for Plexus. It will be tax free, but it’s still your income- not like a MLM grant.
    7–The person who mentioned Phenfen, great example. Two different drugs combined for there off purpose benefits, like working on diabetes research and finding weightliss is a more lucrative endeavor.
    8–We don’t give a lot of free samples because it cheapens the product ( threatens the inflated value, and since eventually you have no one left to sell to, you need to get it while you can), and we show our belief in the products with a 60 day money back guarantee. That isn’t a selling tool, it is expected. If you crunch the numbers how many people just won’t bother? How many people will return anything, and how many complaints can be found on the BBB site from customers getting disconnected instead of refunded?
    9–I could do this all night, but one last goodie. You can give your Plexus away to get people to buy it, refer to #8. First, if I buy it, it’s mine, and I’ll do what ever I want with it. 2, you hypercrite, you send a couple hundred dollars worth every month to your family in Thailand, And, don’t have to wait for it- you send them another )200-300 bucks worth for them to sell to help you make your money back. Plexus lets you sub contract?

    February 21, 2016 at 9:25 pm
  • Mathman Reply

    Their newest product, Plexus Edge, is a caffeine pill. Their ambassadors are calling it brain food. Thirty pills for $34.95. I can buy a lot of real brain food for $34.95.

    June 23, 2016 at 6:39 pm
    • Steve Czys
      Steve Czys Reply

      Calling a drug brain food…..clever.
      I’ll stick with the real food as well.

      June 24, 2016 at 1:35 pm
  • Kristin Broderick Reply

    Just got into a huge debate regarding this I shared your post

    July 4, 2016 at 7:14 pm
  • Danielle Wollmann Reply

    Really? And you call yourself a doctor? I am a currently studying nutrition, and am blown away at the wisdom behind the formulation of plexus supplements. Plexus slim helps a lot of people, because it is really good at balancing blood sugar. It was originally formulated for type 2 diabetes. If you study nutritional science, you know that insulin imbalances can affect estrogen and progesterone balances, causing anxiety, weight gain on the abdomen, as well affecting thyroid. If you actually lookup published medical studies on alpha-lipoic acid and chromium ( 2 of the star ingredients in plexus slim), you will see that they have been proven to increase insulin resistance, reduce inflammation, treat diabetes and cardiovascular disease. Doing this can help prevent athersclorosis, since glucose is very reactive, and when there are high levels, can create many free radicals leading to damage and plaquing on the interior vascular walls increasing the likelihood of cardiovascular disease and hypertension. Balancing blood sugar levels also can diminish brain fog, reduce anxiety, lessen aggression, clear up acne, balance mood, cause better sleep, normalize LDL cholesterol levels. And the best side effect of balancing blood sugar is decreased carb cravings with fewer blood sugar crashes which leads to weight loss!! And the Plexus ProBio5 is THE best quality probiotic that I have every seen for the price they offer. S. boullardii is one of the hardiest strains, and especially beneficial for auto-immune disorders.. and the stains have an enteric coating, meaning it will survive and actually colonize in the gut.. many expensive refrigerated probiotics cannot say the same. I can get into a whole paragraph about the amazing enzymes and how they aid digestion better than any others I’ve used, and are able to kill off pathogenic gut bacteria causing toxins to be released in the body. Plexus works, plain and simple. Not sure why you have your neck all out of joint about it. if you want more info, email me at [email protected]

    July 25, 2016 at 11:03 pm
    • Steve Czys
      Steve Czys Reply

      I don’t usually call myself a doctor. I just go with Steve.
      What you have done is throw out a bunch of big words without really understanding what you’re saying. The only thing more dangerous than no knowledge is a little knowledge. Here is the crazy idea I teach all of my clients….if you really want to improve insulin sensitivity and reduce blood sugar…it sounds crazy but drum-roll…..exercise and eat less sugar. You cannot erase poor lifestyle with herbs, pills, or potions. AKA Drink Pink and Shrink garbage.
      If a person really wants some ALA and chromium head down to the store and buy it at a fraction of what plexus sells it for.
      Killer digestive enzymes that kill off disease causing bacteria that release toxins in the body…I don’t know if that’s just funny or ridiculous.
      Lastly in regards to the enteric coating of probiotics (nothing more than marketing BS) – some companies use an artificial protective coating and then quote survival rates through the digestive tract as a marketing tool. This practice is neither necessary nor beneficial. It is very unnatural and was never the way our healthy ancestors ingested bacteria. The healthiest bacteria is found on foods we eat, will survive, and these are the ones that will be most beneficial when they colonize.

      August 2, 2016 at 6:40 pm
    • Tri Guy Reply

      Danielle,

      I am curious to hear your opinion on this review…from someone who is a certified nutritionist.

      http://www.ancestral-nutrition.com/an-unbiased-review-of-plexus/

      ‘Star” ingredients?

      What makes them ‘star’?

      August 5, 2016 at 12:45 pm
  • Michelle Reply

    I’m curious to know if there is anything that would lead you to believe that someone who has been taking these products for a couple months would have withdrawal symptoms when stopping, such as severe anxiety/panic attacks?

    December 8, 2016 at 1:29 am
  • lucas wok Reply

    For the past 20yrs -I currently am 35- I have had a abd discomfort (dull ache, diarrhea, abd cramping) whenever I have eaten pasta or other wheat products. The discomfort would subside if I stopped eating gluten after a few days. I noticed the abd discomfort with some breads but not all (cheap white bread didn’t bother me, some pizza dough didn’t bother me as well); I assumed it was because some items have higher gluten levels than others.

    Gluten free diets are heard to maintain so I have never completely stopped eating gluten. I am NOT celiac positive although I know there is such a thing as non-Celiac wheat sensitivity. I have been scoped; results negative. My gastroenterologist has no answers. I am done taking tests; treatment would likely be diet modification either way

    My wife suggested I try Plexus Triplex for sx management. To humor her I tried it and literally IT WORKED overnight. I can now eat what I want with no adverse reaction; as soon as I stop sx return. So I have been on it for six months for sx management

    I am an RN who works on a critical care floor. I am still highly skeptical of all supplements that make the claims that Plexus does. I have researched the ingredients and there is nothing in it that is worth $130 per month. However my health is worth it, plus I get to drink craft beers!!! I would be willing to try some cheaper supplement if someone had a suggestion. Probiotics don’t work.

    Thoughts??

    December 12, 2016 at 3:44 am
    • Steve Czys
      Steve Czys Reply

      This comment sums up our entire health care system. You eat unhealthy foods and develop symptoms, you stop eating the unhealthy foods and the symptoms go away. Instead of staying healthy (my health is worth it) you said, and not eating the garbage. You want to find some pills to mask your symptoms so you can keep eating grains.
      This is no different than people eating poorly, their cholesterol goes up so they take lipitor to lower the symptom, the symptom goes away but lipitor, the top selling drug of all time, has never been shown to prevent heart disease or heart attacks and heart disease continues to soar.
      My advice – stop eating what damages your digestive system and causes symptoms (address the cause!), and order non-grain beers. It’s not hard, I do it.
      Also, probiotics do work, as they do improve health outcomes. There is a load of research to support that. The thing is there is a huge difference between probiotics which I explain HERE.

      December 12, 2016 at 4:10 pm
    • Justina Reply

      Interesting take. I cut out wheat, dairy, and sugar for the last week and I feel like I’m walking on water. It’s a great feeling. I didn’t realize how badly my body was hurting from eating that stuff until I stopped. I don’t think I’ll be seeking out a way to add those things back in daily through the use of a pink drink. Instead I’ll just plan in advance to eat pizza or something, knowing I’ll be in a bit of pain after. If I feel like ass after eating it, I don’t think I should be tricking my body to feel otherwise.

      October 18, 2021 at 6:21 am
  • J Reply

    I fell for this scam, against my better judgment. I was all about Plexus, posting it all over my FB page, recruited tons of people, and really believed all the crap they tell you…until I got sick. I’ve always been a healthy person, lifelong runner, vegetarian, etc. I did notice an increase in energy when I started the products, and better sleep, but after months on taking everything (be a product of the product), I began to have severe panic attacks, then I developed a constant irregular heartbeat, I couldn’t sleep, my left arm was constantly heavy, tingling, and pain was radiating up and down my arm into my neck and chest. My bloodwork was shocking – my cholestol was very high, my Omegas and vit D levels were very low. I had to have CT scans, and wear heart rate monitors, all of this stuff….then my doc looked at these supplements that I had been taking for the last 16 months and was concerned with how much chromium I was taking in…just the Slim alone had 200mcg of chromium. Plus some of the other products have an equal amount. I was taking in between 200 and 1000mgc of chromium per day for 16 months! Too much! At my doctors request, I stopped the products, and within a week, the heaviness and pain in my arms started to lessen…my heart wasn’t flip flopping all over the place. Now, three months off the products and I’m back to normal! No more heart palpitations, no more heaviness and pain in my arm, no more sleepless nights. My doc looked over all of the products and pointed out that the Omega product is offering very little omegas for the money, there’s no indication on how many live probiotics are in the probio5, and the vitamins barely offer the basics. She suggested krill oil, a good basic multi vitamin, a good probiotic that I can buy at the pharmacy at a fraction of the price. I just had further bloodwork done and my vitD and Omega levels have increased and my cholesterol is down. Obviously, I no longer promote or sell this crap, I’m so embarrassed that I ever even got involved. But my “team” basically disowned me when I came out with all of this – they didn’t believe me or my doc and continue to sell and promote these dangerous products. I’ve lost several friends after years and years of friendship. It’s heartbreaking. And to top it all off, even though I technically made money, after taxes and everything, we ended up $500 in the whole….that doesn’t even include the medical bills I’m still paying off for all of the tests that had to be done in my heart. These products are dangerous. I wish people would consider the long-term consequences of taking this stuff. You may feel great now, my when you’re heart, liver, or kidneys shut down, you’ll be sorry!!! Since stepping away from this company, I can see that it’s almost like a cult. People will defend these products to the bitter end….it’s sad.

    May 4, 2017 at 5:02 pm
    • Steve Czys
      Steve Czys Reply

      Hopefully this article will prevent the same from happening to others. A quick scan of labels is all it takes to know a product is a load of BS. Plexus products are a huge pile of BS.

      May 4, 2017 at 9:13 pm
  • Kristen Reply

    First I would like to start out by saying that plexus does work! I take several of there products because I was having a lot of infections due to a new diagnosis of type 1 diabetes at 27! And no it is not because I am over weight or because I ate to much sugar I have an auto immune disease.
    Second I don’t trust any doctors or nurses because anytime I have to go to the hospital I end up telling them how to treat me! Doctors don’t know as much as they think they do! Example: I had a doctor tell me he was changing my type 1 diabetes to type 2 because I couldn’t get type 1 as an adult! Even though they did the c-peptide test that showed I had the autoimmune disease!

    May 20, 2017 at 2:47 pm
    • Steve Czys
      Steve Czys Reply

      If the products work than post some objective evidence showing they work. Telling a story is what companies use to make sales when they have no evidence to support their claims. Claiming plexus prevents infections is just crazy.
      I disagree with a lot of common medical practices. However, as a type 1 diabetic it is insulin and the medical profession keeping you alive.

      May 20, 2017 at 5:21 pm
  • W Reply

    I fell for this scam as well. Had a “team” under me. Then I started realizing that not only had I not lost any weight after being on it for over two years, but I was super irritable. I also had several people come to me and tell me their doctors said absolutely NOT to take Plexus. I also started not being able to sleep. This can be a side effect of TOO much chromium. One of my uplines actually said she had never heard of this before (eyeroll)… I had several customers complain to me about it and I had been selling it for less than two years and she has been selling it since the beginning. I don’t believe for a second that she had never heard of this side effect. It truly makes me wonder what really is in this junk that they sell outside of what is on the label. They are out to make money and that is all. I went through what I had spent versus what I had earned and it was embarrassing the amount of money I had shelled out for these products. NEVER AGAIN. It feels as though my body is still trying to get back to normal after being on this junk for way too long. 🙁 Don’t do it!!!!

    June 6, 2017 at 10:26 am
  • Mary Hunt Reply

    Thank you CrCzys. I’m so sick of all the Plexus hype and complete NOVICES becoming instant “health professionals” handing out medical advice— even prescribing “medication” in the form of Plexus products. Isn’t that illegal to practice medicine without a license? It strikes me that arsenic is natural and so is opium and lots of things that are not exactly good for the human body.

    September 14, 2017 at 5:39 pm
    • Steve Czys
      Steve Czys Reply

      Natural is a meaningless term that is great for marketing…. I’m glad you’ve got it figured out!

      September 14, 2017 at 7:30 pm
  • Erica Truelove Reply

    Hello I am a distributor and I can testify that it does have many health benefits. I am off prilosec prescription from the pink drink and my Lupus has gone inactive as well. It has helped me lose weight and it has made my hair and nails much stronger. The new pink drink has been FDA approved.

    October 8, 2017 at 10:21 pm
    • Steve Czys
      Steve Czys Reply

      Personal stories….MLM sales 101. Zero evidence to support them.

      ZERO plexus products are FDA approved. Your statement is just a flat out lie.

      October 17, 2017 at 2:17 pm
  • TKO Reply

    I’ve been taking Slim for two weeks, and have been progressively feeling worse and worse every day. Feeling very tired, huge headaches by the end of the day, dehydrated, and overall not well at all. I had my thyroid removed in 2016 and rely on Synthroid to keep me alive. Turns out the two main ingredients in Slim– a massive amount of Chromium, and Alpha Lipoic Acid– hinder the absorption of the drug (Chromium) and prevent the conversion of T4 into T3 (Alpha Lipoic Acid). So essentially I’ve been cancelling out my Synthroid every day for two weeks. My ‘ambassador’ friend, who I’ve known since high school, kept saying it was just my body going through detox. Yeah, no, that’s my body slowly dying because it’s being starved of thyroid hormone!! Even after telling her about the interaction, she said it might be ok if I just take it later in the day, or maybe just take 1/4 packet. Uh, NO!! That’s crossing the line

    March 13, 2018 at 3:30 pm
  • Colleen Smith Reply

    Point blank, why should I believe YOU any more than any other Plexus, Advocare, NuSkin, Usana distributor etc?? You slam everything on your page and then direct people to buy YOUR same non FDA approved supplements. Until you don’t have a horse in the race. You’re just as full of it as you claim everyone else is. Those companies are just making more money than you.

    June 15, 2018 at 5:57 pm
    • Steve Czys
      Steve Czys Reply

      If you actually took the time to read my articles you’d see I explain what ingredients to look for and avoid based on scientific evidence.
      You’re right – I could make more money if I joined some nonsense like plexus and built a big down-line. However, that would make
      me a fraud looking just for money.
      What I offer and give to my family has evidence to support it. There are other companies that also offer the same.
      Plexus cannot support anything they claim with science – it’s all nonsense personal stories.
      This explains how overpriced they are – hence the more money….. https://youtu.be/huBZFNwT8QY

      July 13, 2018 at 12:07 pm

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