{"id":556985122889,"title":"Arbonne Review: The Best Protein and Energy Brand?","created_at":"2022-09-23T23:56:01-04:00","body_html":"\u003cscript type=\"application\/ld+json\"\u003e\/\/ \u003c![CDATA[\n{\n \"@context\": \"https:\/\/schema.org\",\n \"@type\": \"Article\",\n \"headline\": \"Arbonne Review: The Best Protein and Energy Brand?\",\n \"keywords\": \"arbonne, arbonne review, arbonne reviews, arbonne products, arbonne fizz sticks, arbonne protein powder, arbonne international, arbonne pyramid scheme, 30 days to healthy living arbonne, arbonne 30 days to healthy living, is arbonne a pyramid scheme, arbonne 30 day cleanse, arbonne energy fizz sticks, arbonne mlm, arbonne protein\",\n \"description\": \"Our research team reviews the ingredients in Arbonne Fizz Sticks and Arbonne Protein Powder to give our take on whether the products are healthy and worth your money. We also review Arbonne's 30 Days to Healthy Living program and highlight some legal issues Arbonne has faced.\",\n \"url\": \"https:\/\/illuminatelabs.org\/blogs\/health\/arbonne-review\",\n\"author\": {\n \"@type\": \"Person\",\n \"name\": \"Calloway Cook\",\n \"url\": \"https:\/\/illuminatelabs.org\/pages\/calloway-cook\",\n \"sameAs\": \"https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/in\/calloway-cook\/\",\n \"jobTitle\": \"President\",\n \"knowsAbout\": \"entrepreneurship, dietary supplements, herbal supplements, eCommerce, medical research\",\n \"alumniOf\": {\n \"@type\": \"EducationalOrganization\",\n \"name\": \"S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications at Syracuse University\"\n },\n \"memberOf\": {\n \"@type\": \"Organization\",\n \"name\": \"Illuminate Labs\"\n }\n},\n\"creator\": {\n \"@type\": \"Person\",\n \"name\": \"Calloway Cook\",\n \"url\": \"https:\/\/illuminatelabs.org\/pages\/calloway-cook\",\n \"sameAs\": \"https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/in\/calloway-cook\/\",\n \"jobTitle\": \"President\",\n \"knowsAbout\": \"entrepreneurship, dietary supplements, herbal supplements, eCommerce, medical research\",\n \"alumniOf\": {\n \"@type\": \"EducationalOrganization\",\n \"name\": \"S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications at Syracuse University\"\n },\n \"memberOf\": {\n \"@type\": \"Organization\",\n \"name\": \"Illuminate Labs\"\n }\n},\n\"editor\": {\n \"@type\": \"Person\",\n \"name\": \"Auren Weinberg\",\n \"honorificSuffix\": \"M.D.\",\n \"url\": \"https:\/\/illuminatelabs.org\/pages\/auren-weinberg\",\n \"sameAs\": \"https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/in\/aurenweinberg\/\",\n \"jobTitle\": \"Medical Reviewer\",\n \"knowsAbout\": \"pharmaceutical medication, medicine, OTC drugs, medical research, clinical trials, generic drugs, branded drugs, dietary supplements, chemistry, health, wellness, healthcare\",\n \"alumniOf\": {\n \"@type\": \"EducationalOrganization\",\n \"name\": [\n \"Haverford College\",\n \"University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry\",\n \"Fox School of Business at Temple University\"\n ]\n },\n \"memberOf\": {\n \"@type\": \"Organization\",\n \"name\": \"Illuminate Labs\"\n }\n},\n\"image\": {\n\"@type\": \"ImageObject\",\n\"url\": \"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0047\/1524\/9737\/files\/Arbonne_Thumbnail.jpg?v=1663993579\",\n\"width\": \"2796\",\n\"height\": \"2796\"\n},\n\"citation\": [\n\"https:\/\/pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/29624410\/\", \n\"https:\/\/www.canada.ca\/en\/health-canada\/services\/drugs-health-products\/medeffect-canada\/safety-reviews\/green-tea-extract-containing-natural-health-products-assessing-potential-risk-liver-injury.html\",\n\"https:\/\/pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/31246081\/\",\n\"https:\/\/www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/pmc\/articles\/PMC6097542\/\",\n\"https:\/\/www.cbc.ca\/news\/canada\/british-columbia\/wellness-milkshakes-chronic-vitamin-overdose-1.6363562\",\n\"https:\/\/illuminatelabs.org\/products\/panax-ginseng-extract\",\n\"https:\/\/www.ftc.gov\/legal-library\/browse\/warning-letters\/warning-letter-arbonne-international-llc\",\n\"https:\/\/illuminatelabs.org\/blogs\/health\/squeezed-juice-cleanse-review\",\n\"https:\/\/topclassactions.com\/lawsuit-settlements\/lawsuit-news\/arbonne-class-action-says-pyramid-scheme-scams-thousands-victims\/\"\n],\n\"mentions\": [{\n \"@type\": \"Organization\",\n \"name\": \"Arbonne International\"\n },\n {\n \"@type\": \"Thing\",\n \"name\": \"added sugar\"\n },\n {\n \"@type\": \"Thing\",\n \"name\": \"vitamin B12\"\n },\n {\n \"@type\": \"Organization\",\n \"name\": \"FTC\"\n }\n],\n\"datePublished\": \"2022-09-23\",\n\"copyrightHolder\": {\n \"@type\": \"Organization\",\n \"name\": \"Illuminate Labs\"\n},\n\"publisher\": {\n \"@type\": \"Organization\",\n \"name\": \"Illuminate Labs\",\n \"url\": \"https:\/\/illuminatelabs.org\/\",\n \"description\": \"Illuminate Labs is the most transparent supplement company in the U.S., and is a leading publisher of research-based health information.\",\n \"knowsAbout\": \"supplements, science, nutrition, exercise, health, medication, pharmaceutical, wellness, diet, weight loss, medical research\",\n \"publishingPrinciples\": \"https:\/\/illuminatelabs.org\/pages\/editorial-guidelines\",\n \"memberOf\": [\n {\n \"@type\": \"Organization\",\n \"name\": \"U.S. Chamber of Commerce\",\n \"url\": \"https:\/\/www.uschamber.com\/\"\n },\n {\n \"@type\": \"Organization\",\n \"name\": \"Certified B Corp\",\n \"url\": \"https:\/\/www.bcorporation.net\/en-us\/\"\n },\n {\n \"@type\": \"Organization\",\n \"name\": \"Natural Products Association\",\n \"url\": \"https:\/\/www.npanational.org\/\"\n }\n ], \n \"logo\": {\n \"@type\": \"ImageObject\",\n \"url\": \"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0047\/1524\/9737\/files\/Illuminate_Labs_Favicon_48x48_7595c3cc-e27b-47b8-a4fe-edcc7ed9b29a.png?v=1666502785\", \n \"width\": 48,\n \"height\": 48\n},\n \"foundingDate\": \"2019-01-30\",\n \"sameAs\": [\n \"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/illuminatelabs\",\n \"https:\/\/twitter.com\/illuminatelabs\",\n \"https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/company\/illuminate-labs-supplements\",\n \"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/channel\/UCpgSJAsIPb-fZ25djtTxBEA\"\n ]\n }\n}\n\/\/ ]]\u003e\u003c\/script\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e\u003cimg src=\"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0047\/1524\/9737\/files\/Arbonne_Review_Article_Header_Image_Optimized.png?v=1663991756\" alt=\"\"\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"dc\"\u003eA\u003c\/span\u003erbonne, also called Arbonne International, is a wellness brand that sells a wide variety of products, from supplements to food to skincare. Although the brand has faced legal issues, its products are still highly popular.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eIn this article we’ll review the ingredients in two of Arbonne’s most popular products: fizz sticks and protein powder. We’ll analyze medical research to give our take on whether these supplements are effectively formulated or if they’re a waste of your money. We'll also review Arbonne's 30 Days to Healthy Living program.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eFinally, we'll highlight some of the legal challenges Arbonne has faced, and explain why some refer to the company as a pyramid scheme.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2 style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eArbonne Fizz Sticks Review\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e\u003cimg src=\"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0047\/1524\/9737\/files\/Arbonne_Fizz_Sticks_Ingredients_Optimized.png?v=1663991849\" alt=\"Arbonne Fizz Sticks ingredients\" style=\"display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;\"\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eArbonne’s Fizz Sticks is an energy supplement. It comes in powder packs that can be mixed into water or any other liquid. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eThis supplement provides 400 milligrams (mg) of \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cb\u003epanax ginseng extract\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e, which is an effective ingredient for energy. A 2018 \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/29624410\/\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003emedical review\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e found panax ginseng to be a promising treatment for physical fatigue after analyzing data from 10 clinical trials on the topic.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eCaffeine\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e is another effective ingredient for an energy formulation, although the 55 mg dose is relatively low (less than one cup of coffee).\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eWe cannot locate any medical studies proving energy benefit for any other ingredient in this formulation, nor does Arbonne cite any on their product page, so we’ll consider the remaining ingredients ineffective for an energy formulation.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eWhile Arbonne Fizz Sticks contain two ingredients that we consider effective, they also contain a large number of ingredients we recommend avoiding, listed below.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eGreen tea extract \u003c\/b\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003emay cause liver injury in a small subset of consumers \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.canada.ca\/en\/health-canada\/services\/drugs-health-products\/medeffect-canada\/safety-reviews\/green-tea-extract-containing-natural-health-products-assessing-potential-risk-liver-injury.html\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eaccording to\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e Health Canada.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eCane sugar\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e may contribute to obesity and diabetes when consumed in excess according to a \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/31246081\/\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003emeta-study\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e published in 2019. Many Americans already consume too much added sugar, and we recommend avoiding all supplements containing added sugar.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eCitric acid\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e appears to cause whole-body inflammatory reactions in a small subset of consumers according to a \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/pmc\/articles\/PMC6097542\/\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eseries of case reports\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e published in the \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ci\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eToxicology Reports\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e journal. This ingredient can be derived from citrus fruits but over 90% of the citric acid used in manufacturing is derived instead from a fungus called \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ci\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eAspergillus niger\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e according to the above-linked review.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eThis supplement also contains a blend of added vitamins and minerals such as \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cb\u003evitamin B6 \u003c\/b\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eand \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cb\u003epotassium\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e. We recommend avoiding supplements containing added vitamins and minerals unless otherwise instructed by a doctor. In early 2022 a supplement company \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.cbc.ca\/news\/canada\/british-columbia\/wellness-milkshakes-chronic-vitamin-overdose-1.6363562\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003ewas forced to recall\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e several products from the market due to the vitamin additives causing toxicity to customers. It seems illogical in our opinion to take supplemental vitamins and minerals without a documented deficiency.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eWhile we do believe Arbonne Fizz Sticks may potentially increase energy due to the panax ginseng extract and caffeine, overall we do not recommend this product due to all of the additive ingredients that we consider questionable from a health perspective.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eWe already established that panax ginseng has research backing for energy, and Illuminate Labs manufactures a \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/illuminatelabs.org\/products\/panax-ginseng-extract\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003epanax ginseng extract supplement\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e that's potent (standardized to minimum 8% ginsenosides) and third-party tested to ensure purity and label accuracy. It contains no questionable additive ingredients like added sugar or citric acid.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eInterested consumers can check out Illuminate Labs Panax Ginseng Extract \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/illuminatelabs.org\/products\/panax-ginseng-extract\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eat this link\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2 style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eReal User Tries Arbonne Fizz Sticks\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eOne of the most popular YouTube reviews of Arbonne Fizz Sticks is published by a channel called “Savannah Marie” and has achieved over 29,000 views at the time of writing this article. The creator tries multiple flavors of Arbonne Fizz Sticks and the review appears unsponsored (she even refers to herself as an “Anti-MLMer”):\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ciframe width=\"560\" height=\"315\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/Mt8TFBhdsZ8\" title=\"YouTube video player\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture\" allowfullscreen=\"\"\u003e\u003c\/iframe\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2 style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eArbonne Protein Powder Review\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWe cannot access the full ingredients list for Arbonne Protein Powder because the brand fails to publish one on the product page of their website (more on that later).\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eFrom other reviews of the product, we can deduce that this protein powder contains a wide range of added vitamins and minerals. The brand also claims on their website that their protein powder contains \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cb\u003emethylated vitamin B12\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eArbonne states that the vitamin B12 is “particularly chosen because it is similar to the form naturally produced by the body.” This doesn't explain why this ingredient is necessary or beneficial in a protein powder.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eWe recommend avoiding this protein powder because of the lack of ingredient disclosure, and because we recommend avoiding all supplements containing added vitamins and minerals.\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cmeta charset=\"utf-8\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWe recommend \u003ca rel=\"sponsored\" href=\"https:\/\/bulletproof.fdf2.net\/illuminatelabs\"\u003eBulletproof Collagen Protein\u003c\/a\u003e\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003eas our top protein powder.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBulletproof's protein powder only contains one single ingredient: collagen protein sourced from grass-fed animals. No questionable additives at all. Bulletproof's product costs $43.95 while Arbonne's protein shake currently costs $89.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cmeta charset=\"utf-8\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eInterested consumers can check out Bulletproof Collagen Protein\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ca rel=\"sponsored\" href=\"https:\/\/bulletproof.fdf2.net\/illuminatelabs\"\u003eat this link\u003c\/a\u003e\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003eto the product page on Bulletproof's website.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBelow is a real user review of Arbonne Protein Powder that appears unsponsored:\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ciframe width=\"560\" height=\"315\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/A0Ha5BonaAI\" title=\"YouTube video player\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture\" allowfullscreen=\"\"\u003e\u003c\/iframe\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2 style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eArbonne’s False COVID Claims\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eIn April of 2020, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) issued a \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.ftc.gov\/legal-library\/browse\/warning-letters\/warning-letter-arbonne-international-llc\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003ewarning letter\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e to Arbonne in regard to false claims made by one of the brand’s representatives, who suggested that Arbonne products could cure COVID-19.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eWhile Arbonne itself doesn’t appear to have made the claims, this example illustrates why we consider multi-level-marketing (MLM) businesses to have a questionable business model from an ethical perspective.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eMLM businesses like Arbonne incentivize representatives to make health claims about their products, because increased sales leads to increased revenue for the representatives. But many representatives of MLM products have no scientific or medical credentials, so they are not a reliable or accurate source of health advice in our opinion.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eWe recommend that consumers be extremely wary of health claims made by distributors or representatives of MLM companies.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2 style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eArbonne 30 Days to Healthy Living Review\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eArbone sells a program called \"30 Days to Healthy Living\" that recommends a variety of their products. We do not consider the Arbonne supplements we reviewed healthy due to the additive ingredients, so we disagree with the title of this program from the outset.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eThere are a number of products included in this 30-day program with questionable health claims. One of the \"customizable options\" is an Arbonne product called Cleantox Gentle Cleanse which the brand claims is \"a cleanse that helps promote the elimination of toxins.\"\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eAs we explained at length in our review of \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/illuminatelabs.org\/blogs\/health\/squeezed-juice-cleanse-review\"\u003eSqueezed Juice Cleanse\u003c\/a\u003e, \u003cstrong\u003ewe consider all health claims in regard to \"cleansing\" and \"toxin elimination\" to be unscientific, because we haven't seen any convincing medical evidence that detoxification support from supplements is beneficial or effective beyond the detoxification that the liver and kidneys already provide.\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eA YouTube channel called \"Jacqueline Lopez\" published a review of the 30-day eating program that shows what some of the meals look like:\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e\u003ciframe width=\"560\" height=\"315\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/XeOF4rFiRrU\" title=\"YouTube video player\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture\" allowfullscreen=\"\"\u003e\u003c\/iframe\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2 style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eFailure to Publish Ingredients Lists on Website\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOn all of the product pages we reviewed, Arbonne failed to publish a full ingredients list. We consider this to be unacceptable and to be a consumer safety issue. Consumers deserve to know the ingredients in a supplement or food product, because they may have allergies or sensitivities to one or more ingredients.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWe strongly recommend that consumers avoid all supplements that don't publish an ingredients list on their product page. Without a full ingredient list, consumers are unable to make an informed purchase decision.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2 style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eLawsuit Against Arbonne\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eIn 2017, a class-action lawsuit \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/topclassactions.com\/lawsuit-settlements\/lawsuit-news\/arbonne-class-action-says-pyramid-scheme-scams-thousands-victims\/\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003ewas filed\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e against Arbonne. The plaintiffs alleged that Arbonne is a pyramid scheme and an illegal conspiracy, according to the Top Class Actions lawsuit summary linked above.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eWe cannot locate any information on whether the lawsuit is ongoing or if Arbonne settled, but this just provides more context for our opinion about why MLMs may not be an ethical business model.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2 style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eConclusion\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eWe do not recommend any Arbonne products and we’d recommend that consumers avoid the brand entirely.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eWhile both the Fizz Sticks and the Protein Powder sold by Arbonne may be effective for the stated health claims, given that both contained some effective ingredients, we recommend avoiding both products due to questionable additive ingredients.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eArbonne has been sued over allegations of a pyramid scheme that harms people at the bottom of the chain, and has received a warning letter from the FTC over COVID-19 claims made by a representative.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eWe recommend that people avoid MLM companies because we disagree with the business model.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","blog_id":49281925193,"author":"Calloway Cook","user_id":26601750601,"published_at":"2022-09-23T23:58:04-04:00","updated_at":"2022-11-07T21:09:59-05:00","summary_html":"We review the ingredients in Arbonne Fizz Sticks and Arbonne Protein Powder to give our take on whether the products are healthy and worth your money. We also review Arbonne's 30 Days to Healthy Living program and highlight some legal issues Arbonne has faced.","template_suffix":"","handle":"arbonne-review","tags":"_related:protein, _related:supplements"}

Arbonne Review: The Best Protein and Energy Brand?

Arbonne Review: The Best Protein and Energy Brand?


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Arbonne, also called Arbonne International, is a wellness brand that sells a wide variety of products, from supplements to food to skincare. Although the brand has faced legal issues, its products are still highly popular.

In this article we’ll review the ingredients in two of Arbonne’s most popular products: fizz sticks and protein powder. We’ll analyze medical research to give our take on whether these supplements are effectively formulated or if they’re a waste of your money. We'll also review Arbonne's 30 Days to Healthy Living program.

Finally, we'll highlight some of the legal challenges Arbonne has faced, and explain why some refer to the company as a pyramid scheme.

Arbonne Fizz Sticks Review

Arbonne Fizz Sticks ingredients

Arbonne’s Fizz Sticks is an energy supplement. It comes in powder packs that can be mixed into water or any other liquid. 

This supplement provides 400 milligrams (mg) of panax ginseng extract, which is an effective ingredient for energy. A 2018 medical review found panax ginseng to be a promising treatment for physical fatigue after analyzing data from 10 clinical trials on the topic.

Caffeine is another effective ingredient for an energy formulation, although the 55 mg dose is relatively low (less than one cup of coffee).

We cannot locate any medical studies proving energy benefit for any other ingredient in this formulation, nor does Arbonne cite any on their product page, so we’ll consider the remaining ingredients ineffective for an energy formulation.

While Arbonne Fizz Sticks contain two ingredients that we consider effective, they also contain a large number of ingredients we recommend avoiding, listed below.

Green tea extract may cause liver injury in a small subset of consumers according to Health Canada.

Cane sugar may contribute to obesity and diabetes when consumed in excess according to a meta-study published in 2019. Many Americans already consume too much added sugar, and we recommend avoiding all supplements containing added sugar.

Citric acid appears to cause whole-body inflammatory reactions in a small subset of consumers according to a series of case reports published in the Toxicology Reports journal. This ingredient can be derived from citrus fruits but over 90% of the citric acid used in manufacturing is derived instead from a fungus called Aspergillus niger according to the above-linked review.

This supplement also contains a blend of added vitamins and minerals such as vitamin B6 and potassium. We recommend avoiding supplements containing added vitamins and minerals unless otherwise instructed by a doctor. In early 2022 a supplement company was forced to recall several products from the market due to the vitamin additives causing toxicity to customers. It seems illogical in our opinion to take supplemental vitamins and minerals without a documented deficiency.

While we do believe Arbonne Fizz Sticks may potentially increase energy due to the panax ginseng extract and caffeine, overall we do not recommend this product due to all of the additive ingredients that we consider questionable from a health perspective.

We already established that panax ginseng has research backing for energy, and Illuminate Labs manufactures a panax ginseng extract supplement that's potent (standardized to minimum 8% ginsenosides) and third-party tested to ensure purity and label accuracy. It contains no questionable additive ingredients like added sugar or citric acid.

Interested consumers can check out Illuminate Labs Panax Ginseng Extract at this link.

Real User Tries Arbonne Fizz Sticks

One of the most popular YouTube reviews of Arbonne Fizz Sticks is published by a channel called “Savannah Marie” and has achieved over 29,000 views at the time of writing this article. The creator tries multiple flavors of Arbonne Fizz Sticks and the review appears unsponsored (she even refers to herself as an “Anti-MLMer”):

Arbonne Protein Powder Review

We cannot access the full ingredients list for Arbonne Protein Powder because the brand fails to publish one on the product page of their website (more on that later).

From other reviews of the product, we can deduce that this protein powder contains a wide range of added vitamins and minerals. The brand also claims on their website that their protein powder contains methylated vitamin B12.

Arbonne states that the vitamin B12 is “particularly chosen because it is similar to the form naturally produced by the body.” This doesn't explain why this ingredient is necessary or beneficial in a protein powder.

We recommend avoiding this protein powder because of the lack of ingredient disclosure, and because we recommend avoiding all supplements containing added vitamins and minerals.

We recommend Bulletproof Collagen Protein as our top protein powder.

Bulletproof's protein powder only contains one single ingredient: collagen protein sourced from grass-fed animals. No questionable additives at all. Bulletproof's product costs $43.95 while Arbonne's protein shake currently costs $89.

Interested consumers can check out Bulletproof Collagen Protein at this link to the product page on Bulletproof's website.

Below is a real user review of Arbonne Protein Powder that appears unsponsored:

Arbonne’s False COVID Claims

In April of 2020, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) issued a warning letter to Arbonne in regard to false claims made by one of the brand’s representatives, who suggested that Arbonne products could cure COVID-19.

While Arbonne itself doesn’t appear to have made the claims, this example illustrates why we consider multi-level-marketing (MLM) businesses to have a questionable business model from an ethical perspective.

MLM businesses like Arbonne incentivize representatives to make health claims about their products, because increased sales leads to increased revenue for the representatives. But many representatives of MLM products have no scientific or medical credentials, so they are not a reliable or accurate source of health advice in our opinion.

We recommend that consumers be extremely wary of health claims made by distributors or representatives of MLM companies.

Arbonne 30 Days to Healthy Living Review

Arbone sells a program called "30 Days to Healthy Living" that recommends a variety of their products. We do not consider the Arbonne supplements we reviewed healthy due to the additive ingredients, so we disagree with the title of this program from the outset.

There are a number of products included in this 30-day program with questionable health claims. One of the "customizable options" is an Arbonne product called Cleantox Gentle Cleanse which the brand claims is "a cleanse that helps promote the elimination of toxins."

As we explained at length in our review of Squeezed Juice Cleanse, we consider all health claims in regard to "cleansing" and "toxin elimination" to be unscientific, because we haven't seen any convincing medical evidence that detoxification support from supplements is beneficial or effective beyond the detoxification that the liver and kidneys already provide.

A YouTube channel called "Jacqueline Lopez" published a review of the 30-day eating program that shows what some of the meals look like:

Failure to Publish Ingredients Lists on Website

On all of the product pages we reviewed, Arbonne failed to publish a full ingredients list. We consider this to be unacceptable and to be a consumer safety issue. Consumers deserve to know the ingredients in a supplement or food product, because they may have allergies or sensitivities to one or more ingredients.

We strongly recommend that consumers avoid all supplements that don't publish an ingredients list on their product page. Without a full ingredient list, consumers are unable to make an informed purchase decision.

Lawsuit Against Arbonne

In 2017, a class-action lawsuit was filed against Arbonne. The plaintiffs alleged that Arbonne is a pyramid scheme and an illegal conspiracy, according to the Top Class Actions lawsuit summary linked above.

We cannot locate any information on whether the lawsuit is ongoing or if Arbonne settled, but this just provides more context for our opinion about why MLMs may not be an ethical business model.

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Conclusion

We do not recommend any Arbonne products and we’d recommend that consumers avoid the brand entirely.

While both the Fizz Sticks and the Protein Powder sold by Arbonne may be effective for the stated health claims, given that both contained some effective ingredients, we recommend avoiding both products due to questionable additive ingredients.

Arbonne has been sued over allegations of a pyramid scheme that harms people at the bottom of the chain, and has received a warning letter from the FTC over COVID-19 claims made by a representative.

We recommend that people avoid MLM companies because we disagree with the business model.




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