Date: Sun, 7 Apr 2002 03:51:13 -0400
Subject: Why no Lycopene in Shaklee VitaLea
(I think there was a question on this earlier...)
Shaklee Field Communications on Multis with Lycopene
Touting lycopene or other carotenoids in a daily multi is really just a marketing ploy...if the multi is offering anywhere
near the concentrations of the 29 nutrients in Vita-Lea, it cannot be offering much lycopene. What Centrum is really thinking
is that people are finding out the importance of carotenoids, so lets throw in some lycopene and many consumers will purchase
the product based on its inclusion. Unfortunately, the consumer is being short changed. In order to get amounts of carotenoids
that provide benefit, a person needs a carotenoid only supplement. A multi can¹t do it all. In short, Centrum includes
lycopene because they are counting on consumer¹s positive perception. We offer CarotoMax based on scientific research.
Shaklee Field Communication (KA)
WHY NOT JUST LYCOPENE?
Studies show that subjects with high blood
levels of a variety of carotenoids, not just one or two, maintain cardiovascular health better than subjects with low levels
of carotenoids.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture has recommended that carotenoid food
supplements ideally
should provide the following percentages of carotenoids:
a.. lutein/zeaxanthin 34%
b.. lycopene 34%
c.. beta
carotene 17%
d.. alpha carotene 10%
These percentages are virtually identical to what is found in CarotoMax.
One CarotoMax capsule per day is recommended for:
a.. Promoting long-term health of the eyes, prostate, cervix,
heart, lung and overall wellness
b.. Anyone whose diet falls short of the recommended amount of fruits and vegetables
c.. People living where fresh produce is scarce
d.. Teens and young adults who are not able to maintain a well-balanced
diet.
e.. People with high-stress lifestyles
f.. Anyone living in an industrialized area where pollution is a
problem.
Date: Mon, 10 Sep 2001 17:48:10 -0500
Subject: Products Shaklee will NOT be offering...
LETTER FROM SHAKLEE REGARDING THESE ITEMS:
Aloe Vera & Human Growth Hormone, Fat Burning Pills, Colostrum,
Colloidal Minerals, Chitosan, L-Carnitine and Bee Pollen
Aloe Vera
The oil-soluble extract from this well-known
plant is used in a variety of personal care products for its soothing and hydrating characteristics. Unfortunately, many unsubstantiated
claims have been made for aloe vera, including the ability to cure diseases. While one of the articles cites data from a clinical
trial in Korea, it does not appear to be listed in the references at the end of the article. What is needed, are more double-blind,
controlled clinical studies that indicate efficacy andsafety. Current scientific data does not support aloe vera as a dietary
supplement.
Human Growth Hormone
Products that allegedly stimulate growth hormone are the current rage in
the dietary supplement marketplace. And, if you read what's available onthe Internet, these products sound like the long-sought-after
fountain of youth that will prevent aging, cure illnesses, etc.
Unfortunately, it's not always as simple as
those marketing these products would have you believe. Growth hormone may ultimately prove to have anti-aging properties,
but there have been no long-term studies to assess its effectiveness or safety. All studies to date in humans have been with
few subjects and for short periods of time. The desired outcome (and claim for these types of products) is higher quality
of life and longer lifespan. However, these kinds of studies have never been done. Therefore, consumers taking products like
this are essentially conducting their own uncontrolled experiments on themselves.
Your Friends at Shaklee
Fat Burning Pills
There are a number of products on the market that include the herb ephedra, and that
position themselves as thermogenic herbal supplements for weight loss. What these products don't tell you is that ephedra
used in this manner can increase metabolic rate, but it does so at the expense of raising heart rate and blood pressure, placing
people at risk for heart attack, stroke, and kidney damage. In fact, the FDA recently reported that here have been 20-30 deaths
associated with these types of ephedra-containing products, and hundreds of reports of other serious side effects.
The bottom line is that consumers need to be aware that herbal approaches to thermogenesis (raising metabolic rate) are
potentially very dangerous, and in our view, these types of products should be avoided. Hope this helps.
Shaklee
Field Communications
Colostrum
Colostrum is one of the new fads dietary supplements in the marketplace. We
had the opportunity to introduce such a product, but when our Health Sciences staff investigated the science behind the concept
we found it sorely lacking. Let me clarify that human colostrum is the first milk expressed from the breast right after birth.
This first milk is naturally rich in immune factors that are important to newborns who generally have under-developed gastrointestinal
tracts and immune systems. Colostrum is only produced during the first day or two in humans, and there is no question that
human colostrum for human newborns is an important adjunct for supporting healthy immune function.
The colostrum
products on the market are derived from cows instead of humans. These products may have immunological factors important to
newborn calves, but there is no scientific evidence that these factors are useful for humans. This is exemplified in the promotional
literature supporting colostrum supplements. Instead of citing scientific research, the product promoters
feature a slew
of testimonials and make the preposterous claim that colostrum cures allergies, Candida, sinus problems, coughing, bursitis,
high cholesterol, colds, flus, scleroderma, diabetic neuropathy, pneumonia, irregular bowel, chronic fatigue, and fibromyalgia.
Cure all testimonials like these are one of the classic signs that a product is more snake oil than scientific breakthrough.
In short, it is the view of Shaklee Health Sciences that colostrum supplements are just the latest in a long list
of dietary supplements fads that appear one season and are gone the next. Their short-lived cycle is due to the fact that
the products are based more on a marketing scheme than true science. Once consumers have spent their money and see that the
promised benefits don't materialize, word spreads and the craze fades away. Needless to say, these are not the kinds of
products we offer at Shaklee. Instead,we are strongly committed to science and research as the basis for our products. Our
mission is to offer products that offer true benefit to people.
Your Friends at Shaklee
Colloidal Minerals, Chitosan and L-Carnitine
Colloidal mineral products have recently enjoyed
tremendous popularity. Marketers of these products make the unsupported claim that colloidal minerals have superior absorption
characteristics, and that they are better than other forms of mineral supplements because they contain a large array of minerals.
"Colloidal" minerals simply means the minerals are held in a liquid suspension. While some colloidal mineral
products have claimed 98% bioavailability, there is no clinical or scientific data to support such a claim. The research to
date actually indicates that colloidal dispersion may hinder the absorption of some minerals such as zinc.
The
most important issue when discussing colloidal mineral products is safety. Typically, marketers of colloidal minerals tout
the premise that because a mineral is naturally present in the earth's crust, it somehow serves a physiological function
in the body. This is a false premise, and many of the minerals in colloidal mineral products are not nutrients, at all. A
number are heavy metals such as lananthum, ytterbium, and thulium, which humans should avoid. Other elements, such as antimony,
zirconium, cesium, gold and silver, have no known nutritional value. Some of these elements can accumulate in body tissue,
which underscores the issue of safety, since the effects of long-term ingestion of these elements has not been evaluated.
In short, there's no evidence that colloidal minerals have superior absorption characteristics, there's no
proven function for a number of them, and there are genuine safety concerns about the use of some.
Regarding Chitosan,
a fiber product made from the shells of crustaceans, we are aware of the product and its reported role in weight loss.As you
know, safety is our top priority, and there are a few important unanswered questions about crustacean-sourced fiber products:
While these types of fiber products do bind with fat for excretion, do they also bind with such crucial fat soluble nutrients
as vitamins A, D, and E, particularly if the product is used on a daily basis to keep weight off?
Will the product,
in fact, keep weight off permanently?
Will the product cause GI upset resulting in diarrhea and depletion of microflora,
or cause proliferation of harmful bacteria? Until there are long term studies showing the safety and effectiveness of crustacean-sourced
fiber products, we cannot recommend them.
L-carnitine is a natural compound manufactured by the body and is involved
in the transfer of fatty acids for oxidation. Because of its biochemical role in fat metabolism, claims have been made that
it helps burn fat or spares muscle glycogen. However, well-designed studies with l-carnitine supplements failed to show any
effect on fuel utilization, anaerobic threshold, VO2 max, or endurance. Additionally, there is no scientific basis for the
claim that taking l-carnitine will promote weight loss.
Thanks for writing.
Your Friends at Shaklee
Bee Pollen
While propolis, or bee pollen, is a natural food produced by bees as nourishment for queen bees, no studies
have shown it to be of particular benefit to humans. Shaklee Nutritional Products do not contain bee pollen, nor do we plan
on producing a bee pollen product in the future.
Your Friends at Shaklee
