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Is MonaVie A Scam?
"Is MonaVie A Scam?"
Since writing this article in 2006, we've changed our minds about MonaVie, especially in light of some ridiculous (and probably illegal) claims being made by its distributors. But here's the article as it appeared:
If you're a regular visitor to our site, you know that we take our responsibility as "scam busters" pretty seriously. So when we were asked about the acai berry juice MonaVie, our first reaction wasn't one of excited anticipation. But after looking at the science behind MonaVie. . . well, we were impressed.
Here's Lisa's review of MonaVie and a look at the research into some of MonaVie's main ingredients.
What MonaVie Is
MonaVie is a proprietary blend of 19 or so fruit juices, including blueberry, cranberry, white grape and pear. But the star of the MonaVie show is a little-known Amazonian berry called acai. Sold in ready-to-drink packages or convenient concentrates, MonaVie offers, according to its distributors, "the phytonutrients and antioxidants you need".
What MonaVie Is Supposed To Do For You
The first thing that struck us in doing research for this article is the lack of "miracle" claims made about MonaVie. We couldn't find a single MonaVie website claiming that MonaVie was anything more than a highly nutritious fruit juice. And in an atmosphere full of other juice products claiming to treat everything from diabetes to the common cold, MonaVie's marketing was a very, very refreshing change.
So what is MonaVie supposed to do for you? Well, Dr. Nicholas Perricone, author of The Perricone Promise and other books, calls the acai berry "nature's perfect energy fruit". Dr. Perricone and others believe that the anti-inflammatory activities of many of MonaVie's ingredients may help alleviate symptoms of arthritis, psoriasis, fibromyalgia and a host of other conditions.
Is There Any Science To Back Up These Claims?
Many of the various fruites and berries in MonaVie have been used for centuries to combat inflammation-related conditions and today there's mounting evidence that those ancient healers were right. A number of studies looking at blueberries, raspberries and other fruits suggest that these foods may have strong anti-inflammatory properties.
Does this make MonaVie a "cure all"? Certainly not. Does it make MonaVie better than competing fruit juice blends? Probably not but some of the research on MonaVie's various components is compelling, to say the least.
Lisa's Opinion
You already know that I'm not a huge fan of the multi-level-marketing approach, especially when it comes to health care products. Too often, products like MonaVie are peddled by "wellness consultants" with absolutely no education in health, herbalism or natural medicine. That sets up a potentially troubling situation in which you have unqualified "practitioners" dispensing health advice to customers who aren't aware of their lack of training. But the MLM approach MonaVie takes is really my only issue with MonaVie.
At around $40 a bottle, MonaVie is an expensive supplement. Is it worth it? That's up to you. But in a world full of "miracle" products shouting "Buy me!", MonaVie, with its lack of exaggerated claims, is a breath of fresh air.
Sources:
Lau, F., Bielinski, D., Joseph, J. (2006). Inhibitory effects of blueberry extract on the production of inflammatory mediators in lipopolysaccharide-activated BV2 microglia.
Lansky, E., Newman, R. (2007). Punica granatum (pomegranate) and its potential for prevention and treatment of inflammation and cancer.
Goncalves, F., Torres, O., Campos, A., Tambara, F., Rocha, L., Thiede, A., et al. (2006). Effect of Passiflora edulis (passion fruit) extract on rats' bladder wound healing: morphological study.
Schaus, A., Wu, X., Prior, R., Ou, B., Huang, D., Ownes, J., et al. (2006). Antioxidant capacity and other bioactivities of the freeze-dried Amazonian palm berry, Euterpe oleraceae mart. (acai).
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