There have been hundreds of reviews posted online over the past years about the unique formula that Herbalife uses in their patented health products. This post is meant to conduct an in-depth Herbalife ingredients review to leave you with a final verdict if this formula is effective or not.
What Products Are Made From Herbalife Ingredients?
There are many products that are available to purchase online that contain Herbalife ingredients. One popular choice among reviewers is Herbalife’s Formula 1 shake. This shake is used as a replacement for a proper meal, containing protein, fiber and a lot of nutrients and minerals.
The Formula1 shakes are also used as an after workout protein shake to help muscles grow. Although this shake is marketed as a weight loss product, there is little proof that consuming Formula 1 will burn fat. It seems to be more of a supplement to those people who are looking to gain muscle mass as opposed to slimming down.
Who is Behind the Herbalife Brand?
Unlike the many phantom companies that proliferate the supplement market, Herbalife has a real physical presence in the United States. Herbalife is headquartered in the heart of Los Angeles.
One potential negative aspect of Herbalife is that their products are generally sold through their network of independent distributors using multi-level marketing tactics. This can be annoying for consumers as they can be pressured into joining Herbalife’s consortium instead of just enjoying their products.
The many meetings that Herbalife hosts can be considered to be recruitment rallies as opposed to mere product sampling venues.
Herbalife Formula 1 Shake Ingredients List
The list below was taken from the contents of a single container of Herbalife’s Formula 1 as percentages of the total product. Note that one container contains roughly thirty servings.
- Total fat , 1 gram – 1%
- Sodium, 95 mg – 4%
- Potassium, 195 mg – 5%
- Total Carbs, 13 grams – 4%
- Dietary Fiber, 3 grams – 11%
- Sugars, 9 grams
- Protein, 9 grams – 18%
- Vitamin A – 25%
- Vitamin C – 25%
- Calcium – 8%
- Iron – 15%
- Vitamin D – 25%
- Vitamin E – 25%
- Thiamine – 25%
- Riboflavin – 20%
- Niacin – 25%
- Vitamin B6 – 25%
- Folate – 20%
- Vitamin B12 – 25%
- Biotin – 20%
- Pantiothanic Acid – 30%
- Phosphorous – 15%
- Magnesium – 15%
- Zinc – 30%
- Selenium – 20%
- Copper – 30%
- Chromium – 10%
- Molybdenum – 20%
Herbalife Formula 1 Shake is Gluten Free
It is worth noting that Herbalife’s ingredients, and their formulas are gluten free, so those who cannot eat gluten-based products may find that Herbalife’s formulas will be suitable for consumption. However, Herbalife does not mention if their ingredients are genetically modified or not which may put off some GMO sensitive consumers.
There is also the inclusion of two special ingredients called Inulin and Aminogen.
Inulin is a fiber that is commonly found in different foods of all kinds. As it is a man-made fiber and not coming directly from Mother Nature, it is unclear if this fiber is a healthy alternative or not, although most of Herbalife’s ingredients do not contain a lot of Inulin anyway.
Aminogen is a patented digestive enzyme. It’s really not that much of significant addition to Herbalife’s list of ingredients as most people can digest protein without any issues. The inclusion of Aminogen just gives Herbalife’s protein a little more kick in digestion, especially when consumed after post-workout sessions when absorption of protein is critical.
Herbalife Ingredients and Weight Loss
As previously stated, most of Herbalife’s products are aimed towards people who are looking to put on muscle mass and bulk up, as opposed to losing weight. However, there is some evidence from their customers to suggest that the ingredients in Herbalife’s products can be used for weight loss too.
The weight loss from using Herbalife’s products could probably be attributed to the lack of calories in their formulas.
Herbalife Formula 1 Shake, for example, contains only 90 calories, leaving enough room a decent meal while still losing weight in the process.
There is nothing unsafe about this method of weight loss as long as the person ingesting the shakes is complimenting it with multi-vitamins and sticking to balanced diet.
Research into Herbalife’s Side Effects
Unlike many health products that are geared towards consumers losing weight or putting on muscle, there aren’t many complaints of side effects or medical complications.
That is not to say that the ingredients are completely safe for anyone to take. There is always the possibility that taking Herbalife’s ingredients could lead to a serious health problem, especially if the user of the product is on prescription medicine. It’s always a good idea to speak with your doctor first before taking any new health or fitness supplement.
How Much Do Herbalife’s Products Cost?
There were no prices of their products listed on the Herbalife website. The lack of pricing is presumably because they want to pass their sales leads onto their network of independent distributors.
Since Herbalife’s products are exclusively sold through their network of distributors, it is up to their network to set their own margins and prices for the products. Although they are probably more interested in selling you into the idea of becoming a distributor, than just selling you the products.
Does The Herbalife Ingredient Formula Work?
There does not seem to be a lot of verifiable research online to say for sure that their products work as intended or not. It appears that Herbalife’s products and ingredients may do a satisfactory job at providing protein and meal-replacement shakes. No product is a magic pill that works without diet and exercise.
