Isagenix 9-Day Deep Cleanse Review
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By CANDICE GREY ConsumersCompare.org Update: Jul 24, 2024 |
Isagenix is a familiar name for dietary supplements, weight loss programs, and personal care products. They are a multi-level marketing company (MLM) with one strategic goal in mind: to grow their business and make money in as many different ways as possible. The company relies primarily on social networks to market their products offered.
Among the top five Isagenix products in terms of popularity is the 9-Day Deep Cleansing System, retailing for $207.94. According to Isagenix:
This safe and effective system helps boost your weight-loss efforts by gently cleansing and nourishing your body. [1]
How Does the Isagenix 9-Day System Work?
The 9-Day System actually lasts eleven days from start to finish, because you have a two-day “pre-cleansing period.” Basically it’s two of their Shake Days: you drink Isagenix Isalean shakes for breakfast and dinner, eat a 600-calorie-maximum low-glycemic lunch, eat up to six Isagenix-approved snacks, plus take an energy shot serving. And drink lots of water. Then the program officially starts and you do two Cleanse Days: you eat next to nothing (but you can still have those Isagenix snacks), take a shot of the Cleanse for Life serum three times daily, and drink a lot of water. You then alternate four Shake Days to two Cleanse Days.
The hope is that you’ll get rid of the toxins in your body, and in the process, lose a little bit of weight (an average of 7 pounds, they say) and inches from your waist where you’re likely storing elements that shouldn’t be in your body at all. [2]
Your system package comes with:
- 4 oz. of Cleanse For Life (a detoxifying liquid full of antioxidants and herbs)
- 1 tub of Isalean Shakes: A meal replacement shake
- A pill bottle of Natural Accelerator: A pill to boost your metabolism (caffeine)
- A bottle of “snacks” (which resemble chewable vitamins)
- 1 shot bottle of E+ (an energy shot—more caffeine, though they tout it as natural plant-based caffeine. It’s still caffeine.)
Is the Isagenix 9-Day System Safe?
Most medical professionals point out that “cleanses” are little more than crash diets shrouded in hype about “detoxing.” Our own liver—if it’s even moderately healthy—does a fantastic job of detoxing all on its own. That said, cleanses are remarkably popular, so if you’re going to do one…
Because this program is only nine days, there’s only so much damage it could do. And the consensus seems to be it’s not damaging as much as just plain miserable to do. The cleanse days can really do a number on your body and mind because the calorie count is super-low.
back to menu ↑What Is The Feedback on the 9-Day System?
One dieter tried the system, and wrote about her experience. She said on day two (Shake Day #2):
I’ve never craved a scrambled egg this much before in my life. This shake is not doing the trick. I feel a little lightheaded and weak. Somebody give me protein, please! And these snacks, they might as well be potato chips. When you eat one, you want to have another, and another, and another. The snag? You can only eat 2 in between meals (and they’re the size of quarters!). When lunch came around, it was like heaven. Putting that first piece of grilled chicken in my mouth was like an explosion of taste like I’ve never had, and that was when I realized what a luxury consuming actual food was. But yeah, I’ve lost 3 pounds. [2]
On her first Cleanse Day:
back to menu ↑Going into this day, we knew it was going to be rough. It’s detox, after all. Looking at the schedule of what we’re supposed to ingest was scary enough. Instead of drinking shakes and eating low-glycemic lunches, you have just little shots of what’s called Cleanse for Life and the delicious yet tiny snacks to keep you going throughout the day. By 2 p.m., I had a mini freak-out about how hungry I was. [2]
The Takeaway and Sidenotes
The takeaway from her review was how hungry she was throughout the majority of the eleven days—though on her first Shake Day after two Cleanse Days she said she’d gained an intense appreciation for food—and she sought counsel on Facebook from others going through the cleanse so she could successfully get through it.
NOTE: If you don’t take well to caffeine, this is not the cleanse for you. Both the Natural Accelerator and E+ shots contain green tea extract, and the E+ shots also contain yerba mate. Lots of caffeine going here.
WARNING: The Cleanse for Life supplement contains ashwagandha root:
Ashwagandha could potentially induce spontaneous abortion of the fetus, according to the Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center. [3]
Do not take this if you’re trying to get pregnant right away (one assumes you’re not going to do any cleanse if you’re already pregnant).
back to menu ↑Pros and Cons of the 9-Day Deep Cleansing System
Pros
The fact the misery lasts only eleven days makes Isagenix a fan favorite among cleanses. The shakes apparently taste pretty good, though there was mention of a little chalkiness.
One dieter mentioned she felt better than ever after doing the cleanse, and would recommend it to anyone. She also said that she managed to lose the marketed seven pounds in eleven days, which made her a believer in the product. It was unclear if she was a distributor endorsing or an actual unbiased user, but she liked it. [4]
Cons
You will be hungry during the cleanse. With so few calories, it’s inevitable. The meal replacement shakes will only go so far. The snacks are quarter-sized—little more than a tease to your body when it’s craving calories. The cleanse days sound positively torturous to me.
All this, for seven pounds. Maybe. For about $210. Think about that: over two hundred dollars for maybe seven pounds.
The Bottom Line
There’s no doubt Isagenix is popular. But it’s expensive and quite nearly torturous for the money you fork out. Ultra-low-calorie diets are always risky, though at least here the risk is short-term. Personally, I can’t imagine anyone not heading for the nearest buffet on day twelve—likely undoing everything just accomplished.
The program is only available at the Isagenix website or through one of their many multi-leveled distributors, most of whom are far more interested in their quarterly checks than your health.
If you’re determined to cleanse, this isn’t the worst choice out there, but quite frankly I’d think eleven days of green tea, water, a multivitamin, and one 1200-calorie meal daily would be cheaper and just as effective for seven measly pounds.
