Today the Financial Times revealed that the FBI and the DOJ have been investigating Herbalife (HLF), another multilevel marketing company similar to USANA (USNA) but much larger. This news comes a month after revelations that the FTC is also investigating Herbalife. This will be an industry wide ripple effect that can collapse every MLM product-based pyramid scheme like Amway, Nu Skin, Monavie, USANA, and hundreds of others that all have very high distributor failure rates.
These failure rates are fixed, predictable, and designed to fail the majority of participants. The general rule is this: Product is overly priced even at the distributor's cost. Product must be purchased periodically throughout the year in order to collect points and be able to receive a commission. The majority of funds used to pay out commission to the distributors is primarily generated by the required purchases made by the distributors rather than from actual sales to people outside the network. Worst of all, about 99% of participating distributors end up losing money and never make a profit.
There are not enough cells to hold all the criminals perpetrating these pyramid schemes. If you believe you have been duped by one of these pyramid schemes I strongly urge you to file a complaint with the FTC or your local government.
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Difference between Herbalife and Usana. Usana has accreditation from FDA, BFAD, TGA, NSF, HALAL and have other health orgs. Manny PacquiaoandTimothy Bradley both use Usana products, not herbalife. Manny pacquiao's official website sells usana supplements as the only supplements on his online shop. The Women's Tennis Association international has a 3-year contract with Usana as their official supplements supplier, which was extended into a 10 year contract, which you can verify on WTA's website.
ReplyDeleteHerbalife products still have "no approved therapeutic claims" lon their packaging, regardless of what country they're being marketed in. Usana is now classified to have approved therapeutic claims, sanctioned by fda for their GMP (good manufacturing practices".
Herbalife's diet shakes were also exposed to have high fructose corn syrup, and to possess false claims on health benefits.
Usana's weight management shake is among the products checked by fda and passed their health standards for good manufacturing practices.
Also, while the products may be pricier than generic multivits and supplements, I have yet to find any generic or cheaper brand multivit supplements that deliver the same level of quality or effectiveness compared to the Essentials.
Delete"Approved therapeutic claims, " (sic) you say? Only those associate fools in the Philippines use that phrase.
DeleteRead this from USANA Media Center then: http://www.usana.com/dotCom/mediaCenter/audio?category=Products&id=aen010&SET_LOCALE=en_PH
There are NO APPROVED THERAPEUTIC claims for UHS Essential Health Philippines, Inc. nutritional supplements in the Philippines.
As with any health or fitness program, a sensible eating plan and regular exercise are required in order to achieve long-term results. The results will vary.
Also, the Nutrimeal has HFCS, labeled as "fructose" only. That is more deceiving than actually labelling "High Fructose Corn Syrup" on its ingredients.
Just because the company has "good manufacturing practices" labeled to it doesn't mean it can already become a wonder cure for weight loss or any sickness, you know.
In response to the anonymous USANA associate who wrote
DeleteQUOTE
Herbalife products still have "no approved therapeutic claims" lon their packaging, regardless of what country they're being marketed in. Usana is now classified to have approved therapeutic claims, sanctioned by fda for their GMP (good manufacturing practices".
UNQUOTE
Can you please provide a link or document that makes such claim. If you were told this by word of mouth, from whom did you hear this information from?
"Just because the company has "good manufacturing practices" labeled to it doesn't mean it can already become a wonder cure for weight loss or any sickness, you know."
DeleteYes you are right. BUT testimonies from real life people says other wise.
Testimonies are never and will never be the same as "approved health claims". There can be multiple factors that would have cured the person of his/her sickness, and there is no scientific backing for that.
DeleteHave you tested your vitamins vs USANA essentials for the apple test? Have you checked your vitamins for Hypervitaminosis D, E, K & A? Did you ever wonder why USANA essentials separated the vitamins from minerals? Why it has no iron? Do you know what is the upper limit of iron toxicity? For BIOMEGA fish oil, did you compare other fish oil for EPA & DHA content or it just say fish oil and doesn't say anything how much in it? If you already have checked these vs your supplement, you know what you are taking. I have compared labels of 10 supplements. You can do yours to see is to believe.
DeleteExcelente. The best way to know who is the best product, is doing tests. Nutrisearch ready did the test but we can do it at home too. Usana health sciences 'the best of the best'.
DeleteOnel
DeleteSorry to inform you.
Nutrisearch does no testing.
paid to say bad things about something, understandable...
DeleteManny Pacquiao is an endorser. He endorses a lot of stuff from socks to car battery. You wouldn't think that Manny's ferrari runs on motolite battery?
ReplyDeleteIf the so called USANA essentials were that good, is it accredited by doctors. By the way you sound, you are from Philippines. Is USANA accredited by the Philippine Medical Association or the US Association of Physicians or US Medical Association? I don't think so.
USANA associates are not doctors. The heck, they are not even pharmacists or nutrionists to know which is good and bad for your body. I would rather put my tab on licensed medical practitioners rather than people who thinks they know better.
hey! Doctors endorse and prescribe Usana... (doctors who are Usana distributors, lol)
DeleteThese are all opinions. I have been a Usana customer for over 11 years. I have never found any supplements that even come close to the quality they provide. They are listed in the Physicians Desk Reference as a pharmaceutical grade supplement. My doctor is the person who suggested them to me after my hysterectomy. She said their calcium lasted longer in the body than others. For supplement analysis and ratings, check out The Comparative Guide to Nutritional Supplements. They are an independent company that rates almost 2000 different US and Canadian Companies and gives their rating. It explains the 21 point criteria as well. You will find that only 3 companies earn a 5 star Gold rating. Usana, Try Health and Douglas Labs. Of these three companies, I discovered Usana was the most affordable. Almost half the price of the others. As for the mom part of this ignorant post....as with ANY job or business, the person who does the work, makes the money. I have done several mlm's and just like owning a traditional business, you have to buy products or supplies, you have to pay overhead and provide an opportunity to employees to make money. MLM is no different than the corporate structure. All corporate structures are set up like a pyramid. CEO at the top ( who makes the most money) and then it funnels down to the lower paid employees. The great difference is with mlm, you can start at the bottom, and within a few years, be making as much as some of the highest paid employees of a traditional corporate structure, based on pure effort. How sad for the employee that kills themselves physically, just to make 11-14.00 does per hour. They put more effort in than most high paid employees and make minimum wages to support their families. Mlm pays for effort period. To date, I have made more money, in mlm's, because of my efforts, than most of the people I know. It helps to be a great people person and have a passion to help others be successful. Those who don't make it in mlm simply don't do the work long enough. Do your research people. Don't be live rigorous posts. Anyone can post an opinion on the internet. Do the research. Good day to all.
ReplyDeleteIf the quality of the products are so good, why not putting them in stores and sell them to more people, instead of doing this MLM thing that recruits so many innocent and lazy people to lose their money when they fail to run the business? Is it because a very small segment of people in the business can get rich by engineering others to fail? To me, I think the business needs a lot of people to lose money so that a few people can get rich.
DeleteDear USANA Watchdog and bashers and the like, have you tried using the product itself? You're talking it all out on behalf of the close minded people who don't believe in MLM. A lot of people are actually using the product for years. How could they spend money for some shit that wouldn't be effective at all? And why would they continue taking it for years if they aren't really that effective?
DeleteI have tried them.
DeleteWhen people do things that they believe to be beneficial for their health they will get a buzz and a positive feeling from this. It doesn't matter if it's USANA supplements, going for healthy walks or eating a placebo drug. It doesn't matter if it what it says it does is effective, what matters is that people feel it is effective and do start to feel better in themselves because of this.
I have found no evidence that USANA is top grade, that doesn't come from USANA itself. There is nothing to say that a cheaper dose of vitamin C isn't just as good for you as the overpriced ones you buy from USANA. However there is another thing at work here - when people spend more they believe they are getting better quality too. So they're likely to feel even better as a result of buying overpriced supplements.
Also have a read of this, or the book mentioned in the article (Ben Goldacre's Bad Science) - http://scienceblogs.com/scientificactivist/2010/01/06/multivitamins-dont-work/
Pharmacists and doctors kill people everyday with pharmaceutical medicines. Supplements are to help prevent degenerative diseases not cure them.
ReplyDeleteOh pharmacists and doctors kill people!! You suggesting people not going to see them when they are sick?? I think it was inappropriate for you to say that. But I think it may be better to detox after taking pharmaceutical medicines. I'd prefer Chinese herbal medicines for detox myself.
DeleteThen I dare this anon not to go to the doctor and to the pharmacy. Not even once. Let's see what will happen to him.
DeleteSupplements help prevent degenerative diseases, but they DO NOT prevent them per se. There are multiple factors in preventing such diseases like the environment, genetics and so on and so forth.
My doctor is not a usana distributor and he recommended them to me. So many negative people in this world. Help someone on the planet by getting your information right.
ReplyDeleteThe only negative people in this world are people who do MLM because they suck hard earned money from innocent people trying to make a "legal" way of living.
DeleteAnd yeah, we do get the right information that is why we are not members nor taking USANA. We did our research when we were approached by associates telling all crap and things like warren buffet supports usana and bill gates did his wealth out of mlm. Crap crap crap! Warren buffet got rich out of stock thru value investing. Bill gates, well you know..microsoft. Microsoft is not an MLM company. Geez! A lot of people are so gullible nowadays.
I only use USANA for my health maintenance. Soon i would earn high by sharing it's benefits. :-
ReplyDeleteThe only high you would be getting to is high debt and high number of people hating you for bringing them in into USANA.
Deleteits seems that Anonymous doesnt know alot about usana Rated as the best company in the USA to work for now for six years . their scientific research is second to none the founder won the albert einstien award for his reasearch on the human body Their product are simply the best in the world . its as simple as that
DeleteStewart. If their products are simply the best, how come they are still not popular? The majority of the world don't know anything about USANA. You can say their products work on some people, but I don't think you should say they are the best. Not to mention their associates and distributors being liars. Only stupid people would believe they can get rich if they join. There have to be a lot of losers in the system for a small amount of people to get that rich.
Delete
ReplyDeleteTo get Dr. Strand's specific nutritional recomendations Join his online Medical Practice.and i just feel sad to those people whose says nonsense and just keep on bashing because there just a close minded persons.there just talking really nothing to help.you never know the real benifits of Usana products,if your not try to open your foolish mind,of what the real facts of Usana products.poor of you..you can only appreciate usana maybe if your now in worst health conditions,and all your medications nothing to do to you.FYI most user of usana products are cme from worst illness,and most of them are now doin well.because usana products are science based,ingridients really fights the free radicals of our body,making our cells healthy again.i tested & proved it already to my self who had alot of illness and to my sister who suffers from heart enlargement before,my brother in law suffers both side has kidney stones,and many more,we are taking usana products and we are now ok. Try it first before you say anything..
You mean to tell me USANA vitamins stopped your illnesses, fixed your sister's suffering from an enlarged heart, and stopped both of your brother inlaws from developing kidney stones? You should contact your local news outlets and inform them of this as well. If true, USANA might receive a noble prize at the very least.
DeleteJaneth, I can refute everything you have posted. Since you've been using testimonials, I'll refute you with counter-testimonials.
Delete1. I have met a lot of people who have been taking various USANA products from the Essentials to the various supplements like Visionex, Proflavanol, etc. They still get sick and go to the doctor -- heck, even an associate I know still suffer from a chronic sore throat because he's already considered a leader in his upline's leg (that he had to speak very loudly very often)! The only associate I know who is still healthy and is still taking various supplements from USANA also has a very healthy and active lifestyle. Where is USANA in that?
2. Worst illness? How about giving you a friend's father who died from a heart illness even after a USANA associate offered him various supplements? He turned out healthy at first, but because he believed too much in USANA, he didn't take any other medications yet he still died. I can give you other people but... Bleh.
3. I take USANA supplements as well, those are given to me for a very low price from a close relative just to clear out her inventory. Sometimes I buy from her at a regular price not to help me, but to help her keep her so-called "business" alive. But they're nothing more than supplements to me. They do help me keep myself healthy but it's no different from any other vitamin and mineral supplements for me. I still take yearly vaccines, go to the doctor when I get sick, and still try my best to live healthy by having a proper diet and regular exercise.
Note that they only help keep anyone healthy, but they DO NOT and WILL NEVER make anyone healthy. They're no miracle drug nor anything else more than supplements. If in any case they are, then go ahead and inform the Committee of the Nobel Foundation to provide Dr. Wentz a Nobel Prize, not us.
My son is not using Seretide anymore. My sister in law got her cholesterol on spec. I dislodged bladder stone (due to high consumption of salts.) My wife and kids' complexion improved. My niece used to take pills to normalize menstruation, now it's USANA essentials she is taking to normalize. My sister has high blood pressure and since taking USANA essentials, never taking maintenance medicine anymore. I don't need Pacquiao's endorsement. These are enough for me for my family to use it.
DeleteI tried this Usana and even herbalife before. I was actually a member of herbalife but stopped since I didn't see positive result. My friend urged me to try USANA since I'm always sick lately. I said I will try but will not be a member unless it is effective. Just like herbalife, it has no effect. I agree that people who said it's good or did something good to their bodies are just people who believed or forced to believe because it's expensive and they psycho their mind to believe that it's making them healthy because they don't want to face the truth that just like other medicines it could be just a placebo. I told my friend that I rather stay to what my doctor recommended atleast it's reimbursable. i said further that unless you find a doctor who could put the Usana product in prescription plus med cert then I will buy because without I will not be able to reimburse in my company the med. hehehe
ReplyDeletewhether the products of these companies is effective or not is not in question. Their marketing practices is in question, the way they value recruitment over retails is illegal, that's the very definition of a pyramid scheme.
ReplyDeleteYou anonymous....with all the negative unproven testimonials..we dont believe you. You have nothing to do in your life? You must be a scammer. Because you have all the qualification of being one. you are the most nonsense blogger here. With no face. No reputation. You hopeless usana watchdog.?you are like the free radicals. You oxidize yourself! You are bunch of nonsense here.
ReplyDeleteYou sound like a retard, Max. Keep it coming, I wanna laugh.
DeleteIf that is a pyramid scheme, why it stays for more than 2 decades in doing business?
ReplyDeleteMy sister always feel hurt with her eyes. She took medicines prescribed by the doctors. And you know what? nothing happens. And when I tried to advise her to take Usana supplements (Essential and Visionex) after few weeks she feel better. Also with my officemate who got the same problem with my sister. They feel better. And now they are taking it regularly. And now you said that it is not effective? I don't believe you.
Most wise individual would check facts before they made statements.
Usana is a scam. All this MLM have one thing in common. They will tell you stories of having big houses, cars and even supercars! abroad, etc. That is how they lure people.
ReplyDeleteI feel really bad when I see people joining this shit.
Our experience with usana was if your your honest and tell people how it works and what it cost you'll never get anywhere. We got suckered in and told bitter facts after we were in about how to market it and what you all have to do before you can make money. Get an honest job, work hard, save what you can and enjoy life and scrap usana!!!
ReplyDeleteMy doctor prescribed me the Essentials a few years ago. I'd probably join the company as soon as possible. At first, I was skeptical about it because I was taking Centrum for years but I tried it myself and it worked wonders for me and my siblings. Helped us big time! Glad I switched to the Essentials
ReplyDeleteGlad that you are Interested in joining the company. All the best to you.
DeleteI have a friend who had a fatty liver problem, she took hepasil a product of usana for 2 months, now her liver is now normal according to her labtests. So how do you explain that? This blog is non-sense, full of people with so much negativity in mind.
ReplyDeleteAll anti-USANA people here are so insecure, and they feed their insecurities by talking negative stuff against USANA. Maybe they tried doing the business but to no avail because they are all lazy. Hahaha :D
ReplyDeleteHow come Mr. or Ms. Anonymous who's againsts Usana dont wanna show up?? COME ON, IF YOU ARE A 100% THAT USANA IS A SCAM, WHY THE HECK YOU ARE HIDING YOURSELF??? PLEASE INTRODUCE YOURSELF AND PROVIDE US ALSO YOUR PROOF THAT USANA IS A SCAM. OR SHOULD I SAY HOW MUCH THEY ARE PAYING YOU FOR PERSISTENTLY MESSING UP WITH USANA. WE ARE THE BELIEVERS BECAUSE WE PERSONALLY EXPERIENCED HOW USANA MADE OUR LIVES MORE LIVABLE.
ReplyDeleteYOU SHOULD BE THE ONE TO BE WATCHED OUT FOR. CAUSE INSTEAD OF HELPING OTHERS TO ALSO MAKE THEIR DREAMS POSSIBLE AND GET A HEALTHIER SELF YOU KEEP ON DOING THIS NONSENSE THING. YOU KNOW IF YOU APPLY THIS PERSISTENCE TO USANA YOU WOULD HAVE A LOT MORE INCOME THAN THE MONEY YOUR BACKBONES ARE PAYING YOU.YOU COULD HELP MORE PEOPLE AND HAVE YOUR TRUE SELF-WORTH.
hi guys. i just joined USANA and it was mainly because of how an acquaintance smooth-talked me into it(with all his talk of how much i could be earning and etc.) and also because of the good results my Mama and grandpa have had with Essentials e.g., better sleep, improved stamina and regular bowel movement. Personally i also had the same experience when i started using Essentials. But, but.. sometimes i have my doubts about the way we are supposed to sell the products..like you're told that the price range has a minimum and maximum which makes me think WTF?! (which i wasn't informed about when i got recruited) and it's just really strange for me that they want to sell their product but you're not even allowed to advertise on facebook or sell it in a little booth at an event. WTF x10?? After reading all the other comments here, especially the negative ones(they can't all be wrong), i'm kind of getting unsure whether or not i should continue with this business....if it should really be called a business..BTW, is the Albert Einstein Award a fake?? :/
ReplyDeleteThe Albert Einstein Award Myron Wentz received is NOT from the scientific community or organization. It was given to him from an investment firm (that no longer exists I might add). It would be as credible as if I gave you that award. However, USANA seems to use this ridiculous award as one of their top selling points.
Deletecarlo hakens. I also joined USANA. you are right about USANA's effect it really boost my immune system. About your selling the problem there is not usana it is about the person who invited you. We had our organization here with a professional and non-professional members that endorse USANA as our product. we have our mentors to help us and teach us how to communicate, build rapport and how to sell your product. after they join USANA and our org. for the first 1 month our mentor's will be the one to talk and explain to the person you invite until you learn and ready. just like family we help each other and guide those who are newbie.
DeleteThe one who said usana is bad bla bla bla..i believe they never tried usana before. Nutrition and supplement is good for body because they maintain our body neccesities. Fuel to the body as i can say. Which one you choose, getting sick and paid doctor to cure (if they can) or taking nutrition and never go to doctor. Hey after searching and trying different product..i feel the effect of usana is the best for my body. Sickness and fatique is gone, my body feel fresh. My face look bright.of course i keep checking my blood pressure. Chilesterol level sugar level at hospital to see what do i gain by taking nutrition. Well in reality for the business system only the hard work oeople with better understanding of networking system will success. If mlm companies guarantee u success and never ending income. There is no poor people in this world anymore. Look at ur self first. See. Why i failed others success , learn from their success dont be ashamed. And u will also getting the results
ReplyDeletelearn from their success, that's exactly right.
DeleteLearn from how upline take advantage of you indirectly and you then take advantage of your downlines too!
And don't say I didn't have success (gotten 5 digits income/profit with one of those years where I did do a lot of work int he previous year). But I just saw what is happening with my upline to realize I can't go on...but still having passive income. But you will become like her (evil) or be like me (conscious).
You will say oh my upline is not like that. BS. It's too early for you to tell. Stay in for 3 years and if you live close to them, you will see what type of person they really are. By that time, you sold your soul to the devil and either you quit or continue to be her slave.
hard work is one of the key to succeed on the business but our upline made an org as a downline we are a member of it. they are not boastful with their ideas.. they do training in order for us to learn they also conduct a training on HOW TO FACE THE FEAR OF REJECTION. well that really help coz we all know rejection is the worst scenario in Network Marketing
DeleteI have cancer and I take Essentials. I believe in Usana but not in the MLM business. I joined too because I want their products not because I want to be rich. When you have cancer, you will try everything to detox. And yes I still go to the doctor.
ReplyDeleteok ok......mlm....is negative in the philippines i guess but for me
ReplyDeletethis company answers both health and wealth why....many mlm presented to me there claims....but they lack what proof no.1 on there company's existence but usana has this company manufacturing facilities but other mlm that makes mlm in general negative is other mlm carry bad products.....because they focus on mlm profit.....alone .....ok if you are negative about mlm....sell...as many as you can....it does have a profit still.....and if you believe in mlm...side ....do mlm....theres also a profit.....so as i say usana is better than the other company out thre that promise a alot but they dont make there own products...ok