Introduction
Meal replacement shakes have become all the rage lately and Shakeology have wasted no time in capitalizing on the hype. Does this extremely popular diet shake contain what it takes to deliver weight loss results? In this Shakeology review, we’re taking a look at exactly what consumers can expect from this product.
Readers please note that statements on this page are fair comment based on observation. This content is produced on a matter of public interest. Statements on this page are our honest opinion.
What Is Shakeology?
Shakeology is a meal replacement shake produced by a US-based company named Beachbody LLC, trading as Team Beach Body. To date, the company has a 75% negative feedback rating on the Better Business Bureau, as well as having 808 customer complaints filed against it (source: bbb.org).
The product comes in three different flavors: chocolate, strawberry and vanilla – users are simply directed to “drink daily” as a meal replacement.
One pouch of shakeology contains 30 servings (1.2kg net weight) and costs £129.95 + shipping; it is available from the official Shakeology website and Amazon.
The extremely high price of this product (one serving costs $4.33) means it can be expensive to sustain usage of over the long term, as Beachbody advise.
Users of Shakeology are promised effects such as reduced appetite levels, increased energy levels, weight loss and improved digestion.
Does Shakeology Work?
Based on our research into this product, we do not believe it will work directly as described. The Shakeology formula is essentially just a protein shake with some added vitamins and greens.
There are no ingredients within Shakeology that will directly burn body fat or boost user metabolism levels.
We also do not believe this product will really help reduce hunger cravings, as there are no ingredients inside the formula that directly promote a feeling of satiety over the long term.
If you were planning on drinking the shake daily and no changing up your diet or exercise patterns, then you’ll more than likely see little-to-no results from using Shakeology. As the directions of the product simply state “drink daily”, the best way users will lose weight with this product is by using it to replace their daily meals.
By replacing 2-3 meals per day, you will be putting yourself onto what is medically known as a VLCD (very low calorie diet), which can produce fast weight loss results – be warned these types of diets are very difficult to stick to and often don’t produce permanent results as people tend to regain the weight once they return to eating normal food (also known as weight yo-yoing).
The Pros & Cons Of Shakeology
Below we have listed everything we like and dislike about Shakeology:
The Pros
- Low in calories.
- Is high in protein.
- Contains lots of ingredients useful for general health.
- Full of digestive enzymes.
The Cons
- Does not contain any ingredients that will independently burn body fat or boost metabolism.
- Will not suppress appetite levels over the longterm.
- Potentially manipulated Amazon reviews according to FakeSpot.
- Extremely expensive – $4.33 per serving.
What Are The Shakeology Ingredients?
We have found the following nutritional information for this product via the beachbody website:
One Scoop (42g) Contains: Whey Protein Isolate, Pea Protein, Chia Seed, Flax Seed, Quinoa Seed, Sacha Inchi Seed, Cocoa Powder, Pea Fiber, Chlorella, Chicory, Rose Hips, Yacon, Acerola Juice Powder, Astragalus, Pomegranate Juice Powder, bilberry Juice Powder, BlueBerry, Camu-Camu, Cordyceps, Lucium Juice Powder, Chaga, MSM, Spinach, Ashwagandha, Kale, Maitake, Reishi, Amylase, Cellulase, Lactase, Glucoamylase, Alpha-Galactosidase, Invertase, Maca, Cinnamon, Green Tea Extract, Shisandra, Luo Han Huo Extract, Matcha Green Tea Leaf and Moringa Oleifera.
Is Shakeology Suitable For Everyone?
This product shouldn’t be used by those with allergens to milk. Additionally, women who are pregnant or breastfeeding, or anyone under the age of 18, should speak with a dietitian prior to using Shakeology for the purposes of weight loss.
Is Shakeology Safe?
Based on the ingredient profile, we are confident in saying the Shakeology poses no health risk to consumers who use it correctly; the formula is free from any banned or officially-deemed dangerous substances.
What Are The Shakeology Side Effects?
We’ve compiled the following potential side effects based on the ingredients inside this formula:
- Increased bowel movements
- Nausea
- Nervousness
- Insomnia
- Diarrhea
- Anxiety
- Jitters
- Increased thirst
- Bloating
- Cramps
- Tiredness
- Headache [1][2]
Note: these side effects are possible but may not be the typical user experience.
Are There Any Shakeology Reviews From Customers?
We have found the following Shakeology review testimonials via customers on Amazon:
I have been on a regular exercise routine for the past several weeks and decided I would like to include this product to increase my energy and possibly help with additional weight loss. I took this for 30 days and felt absolutely no different than I did before taking it.
Shakeology has helped regulate my metabolism and I feel more energy. The price is a bit high but it is well worth it. The way I see it I’m investing in my health and that is priceless.
In order to check the legitimacy of these product reviews, we ran the Amazon product page through the FakeSpot software, which came back with the following results:
“Our engine detects that in general the reviewers have a suspiciously positive sentiment.”
“Our engine has profiled the reviewer patterns and has determined that there is high deception involved.”
Our Final Verdict On Shakeology
To conclude our Shakeology review, it’s a bit of a mixed bag – there are things that we like about it and things that we aren’t too blown away by. While it’s certainly not a terrible product to use as a meal replacement shake for a VLCD, it is insanely expensive and certainly not worth the price tag – Shakeology is basically just a protein shake with some added extras.
The formula is totally lacking any ingredients that will boost user metabolism – if you’re planning on using Shakeology do not expect miracle-like fat burning results, because the shake just isn’t suited for such a function.