Are Amare Products Legit? A Happy Juice Review.

Anti-MLMSupplements
Written By Brittany Morgon

Welcome, health-conscious readers, to an eye-opening investigation into the world of wellness products and the curious case of Amare Global. Today, we embark on a journey to unravel the truth behind this MLM giant, shedding light on what lies beneath the glossy surface of their promises.

The goal here is to provide you with a thorough examination of Amare Global and its wellness products. Save the angry emails; I’m not here to spill sensationalist headlines and accusations but to equip you with the knowledge you need to make informed consumer choices. It's time to cut through the marketing noise and get to the heart of the matter.

What you do with this information is up to you.

Now, why the spotlight on MLMs (Multi-Level Marketing companies), you ask? Well, let's face it - the health and wellness industry is bursting at the seams with products and promises. It's a jungle out there, and MLMs have managed to carve out a rather sizable piece of the pie.

Amare Global is one such MLM that has been gaining traction over the past few years. As with any business, Amare Global makes certain promises about its products and services. It's my job to take a deep dive into those claims and separate fact from fiction.

If you've had experience with MLM companies and not yet seen through their facade, this might be an eye-opening discussion for you. I also have an article on the hidden costs of MLM products for you to check out here.

Table of Contents

    Understanding Amare Global and Wellness MLMs

    First things first - let's get acquainted with the main character of this story: Amare Global.

    Amare Global is a multi-level marketing (MLM) company that claims its mission is “to lead the global mental wellness revolution” by providing nutraceutical products that support mental health.

    As an MLM, Amare Global operates on a network marketing model. This means that instead of traditional advertising and retail sales, the company relies on independent distributors to market its products.

    Unlike traditional sales, distributors can earn money not only through the sale of products but also through the sales of other distributors they recruit into the network.

    And that’s the catch - they're not just selling products, they're selling an “opportunity.” An opportunity to make money and build a team of distributors.

    Unfortunately, getting an opportunity is about as much as most people get. The reality is that because of the way MLM companies are structured, failure is more likely than success - the vast majority of distributors make very little (if any) money, with most going into debt after expenses.

    And then there are the tactics - the slick marketing strategies and persuasive pitches that can make even the most skeptical of us raise an eyebrow. From grandiose claims to the promise of endless income streams, MLMs have their playbook well-rehearsed. But it only takes a small perspective shift to help you see through the smoke and mirrors.

    Don’t just take my word for it (and again - do not send angry emails to the messenger). Let’s look at the stats:

    • The success rate for Amare Global is reportedly low, with only 0.01% of members making it to the upper ranks of the company.

    • The earnings generated through Amare may not adequately cover living expenses, let alone provide a substantial income. Surprisingly, approximately 86% of active members earn an average of only $25 per month, which falls significantly short of the minimum requirement of 100 PV to maintain an active status. Additionally, an average of 92% of Amare members earn less than the mandatory 100 PV needed for rank advancement. These statistics indicate that nearly all of the company's members are operating at a loss when considering the expenses associated with PV and other related costs.

    • According to an internal presentation, the number of people joining Amare's community increased by over 250% in February (year not specified), and individuals adding new customers went up by 117%. While these growth rates might seem impressive, they emphasize the recruitment-focused nature of Amare's business model. It's important to remember that a rapid increase in recruitment does not necessarily translate into financial success for individual distributors.

    • Finally, these statistics are in line with what we know about MLM companies. We know based on reports by consumer advocacy agencies (such as the FTC and AARP) that between 77-99% of MLM participants don’t turn a profit, with most losing money after expenses are accounted for.

    Numbers can’t lie. Amare Global: a tale of empty promises and financial pitfalls.

    Understand what you're signing up for as a customer or distributor. Although we’ll discuss the products in a moment, it’s important to know that when you’re in the world of MLMs, it's not just about the products but also about the promises, recruitment pressures, and financial outcomes.

    These are what drive the business model, what drives the perceived hype around their products, and they’re also what keep many people locked into an endless cycle of recruitment without realizing it.

    Analyzing Amare's Wellness Products

    Welcome to the heart of the investigation, where we roll up our sleeves, put on our detective hats, and take a deep dive into the world of Amare Global's wellness products. We're about to embark on a journey of scrutiny and discernment, separating the health from the hype and finding out whether Amare's products are truly worth your time, trust, and hard-earned money.

    Amare’s Gut-Brain Axis Nutrition System

    Amare’s flagship product is the Amare FundaMentals Pack®, known as the “Gut-Brain Axis Nutrition System.” The FundaMentals Pack includes three products and claims to “improve every aspect of the gut-brain axis for optimal mental wellness.”

    There’s a bit to unpack here, starting with what the hell a Gut-Brain Axis is.

    The gut-brain axis is basically a fancy term for the communication that happens between your gut and your brain. It's like a two-way street where biochemical signals are sent back and forth between your gastrointestinal tract and your central nervous system.

    When we mention the "microbiota-gut-brain axis," we're talking about how the bacteria in your gut play a role in influencing the “command system” of your brain.

    As my good friend and registered dietician, Abby Langer, puts it, "It's a thing."

    The gut-brain axis is very much so real, and it has huge implications for our mental health. But also, the word implications is where our understanding of the gut-brain axis generally ends.

    We do not know the exact mechanism by which the gut-brain axis works, so I find it interesting that Amare Global thinks they’ve figured it out (that’s sarcasm, folks).

    The truth is we, the scientific community, do not know how the microbiota in our gut affects our nervous system. Therefore, we, the scientific community, cannot make claims about how a certain dietary change or supplements will affect the balance of our gut microbiome or its effects on mental health.

    And doing so is wildly unethical.

    The three products Amare Global has created are supposed to be the answer to all of our mental health needs: MentaBiotics, MentaFocus, and MentaSync.

    MentaBiotics

    The first product, MentaBiotics, or the “gut support,” is supposed to be a probiotic supplement that helps balance the gut microbiome and improve mental health. Amare claims MentaBiotics is “The most comprehensive combination of unique strains of probiotics, prebiotics, and phytobiotics that have been scientifically shown to improve mental wellness.”

    But at the same time, their “combination of unique strains” are undecipherable, given the label only refers to proprietary blends. This means the exact combination of probiotics, prebiotics, and phytobiotics is not disclosed. This lack of transparency makes it impossible to evaluate and validate the quality or efficacy of the product.

    How “scientific” of them.

    MentaFocus

    MentaFocus, or the “brain support,” is supposed to be all the phytonutrients you need, and they claim it is “clinically shown to support focus, mental sharpness, clarity, creativity, and cognitive functioning.”

    The label is again short on details here, with no information about the dosages. But they did give us another clue here under the guise of “science.” Along with their claims that MentaFocus “Increases short-term and long-term memory by increasing visual and verbal recall by 28%” and “Improves both working memory and recognition memory and reduces functional brain age by 12 years,” they point to two key studies.

    In the first one, Pomegranate Juice Augments Memory and fMRI Activity in Middle-Aged and Older Adults with Mild Memory Complaints, researchers studied the cognitive benefits of pomegranate juice in older adults with mild memory complaints.

    Participants were split into two groups: one received pomegranate juice, the other a placebo. After a 28-day study with daily 8-ounce servings, neuroimaging, cognitive assessments, and blood draws were conducted. The results did imply improved memory and increased brain activity.

    Using Abby’s quote for my own use here, this is a thing.

    Pomegranate juice has been shown to have a positive effect on neurological function. The neuroprotective effects of pomegranate juice are thought to be because of urolithins. These are metabolites that come from ellagitannins found in pomegranate.

    BUT - and this is the big BUT I come across with many MLM products - the dosage within the product does not match the information they are basing their claims on.

    A serving of MentaFocus contains a proprietary blend, which includes pomegranate extract, but it is important to note that the blend itself contains 50mg of combined ingredients, not solely 50mg of pomegranate extract. The starting point for a bioactive dose of pomegranate extract (referred to as punicalagins or punica granatum) starts at about 800 mg pomegranate extract to see any blood increases in antioxidant potential.

    If you’re keeping up here, then you’re seeing that a serving of MentaFocus is not even close to the dosage needed to see any of the “promised” protective factors.

    Looking at the rest of the label, they have a proprietary blend inside of their proprietary blend. Something I have never seen in the entirety of my cumulative food science and nutrition career.

    This takes it from suspicious to downright sketchy, as there is no way for consumers to know what is actually in it or how much of each ingredient they are getting.

    In my opinion, I would avoid this supplement altogether, and if you really wanted to experiment with pomegranate in your supplement routine, stick to the opt for a pomegranate extract that has been more transparently labeled and more likely to hold the antioxidant potential associated with the fruit itself.

    As for the second study they cited, Improved Cognitive Performance after Dietary Supplementation with a Pinus radiata Bark Extract Formulation, that is not a thing.

    This is a good example of cherry-picking studies to make it seem like they know what they are talking about. This study alone seemed to be promising, but in the broader scope of the evidence available, the truth is that the cognitive benefits associated with proanthocyanidins, a type of antioxidant found in pine bark extract, is a theory that needs more research.

    Related Post: What Does Evidence-Based Mean for Good Health?

    MentaSync

    MentaSync, or the “axis support,” claims to “prime your immune system to optimize the communication sync of chemical messengers between your brain and your gut with the clinically studied key ingredients.”

    I have few words for this product label.

    Vitamin C - cool (sarcasm).

    You likely get enough in your diet, and being as it’s a water-soluble vitamin, the excess is generally excreted in the urine, so you’re flushing it down the toilet.

    Another proprietary blend - not cool.

    And the study they’re hinging this product off of is for beta-glucan. The proprietary blend (a.k.a. diluted dose) totals 215 mg and the current standard dosing for supplemental beta-glucan from yeast is 200-500 mg. The execution is piss poor.

    Bottom line - when buying Amare products for the gut-brain axis, you’re buying an idea, a theory at best. You’re not buying a sure thing. It’s the equivalent of buying a lottery ticket. You can hope to win, but the chances are slim.

    Invest in research-backed, proven ingredients instead of proprietary blends and fancy marketing claims. Your wallet will thank you, and your gut/brain will be better off for it.

    Amare Global Happy Juice

    This wouldn’t be a proper Amare review if I didn’t mention their “Happy Juice,” which I have learned is not one product but three - genius marketing, if we’re going to be honest.

    These three products, MentaBiotics, Energy+, and Amare EDGE, are meant to be taken together and have a synergistic effect on the aforementioned gut-brain axis.

    We talked about MentaBiotics already; we don’t need to relive it.

    Amare Energy+

    It’s a caffeine supplement, y’all.

    It’s vegan and gluten-free, so if that’s important to you - cool. But it is not a miracle supplement or anything like that. It's good ol' caffeine, like in your coffee or tea, with diluted doses in these nested proprietary blends.

    The Amare Energy+ technical sheet has me reeling because this is bad science. That’s the official term, by the way.

    This is cherry-picking, theoretical abstraction, confirmation bias, ethically conflicted (more on that later) BAD science.

    All of the things in all of my science and ethics classes that I was taught not to are what Amare is doing as part of their marketing. They want you to believe their product is better, but they are using the fact that most people are science illiterate to get away with it.

    If I sound like a hater, it’s because, at this point in researching and writing this article, I am.

    The mere idea of using bad science to give the appearance of credibility to sell a product is appalling. It’s nothing short of malicious. Shame on them.

    And if Dr. Talbott specifically comes across this, you should be ashamed of yourself - you know what you’re doing.

    It's a matter of ethics and responsibility to the public at large. Companies like Amare must be held accountable for their actions and their practices when it comes to marketing their products.

    Straight to jail, do not pass go, do not collect money from your downline.

    Amare Edge

    Amare Edge claims to boost mood, motivation, and metabolism based on a proprietary blend of vitamins and plant extracts. However, without detailed information about these ingredients and their quantities, it's difficult to assess the potential benefits or risks.

    While vitamins are important for our health, the effectiveness of using plant extracts to promote mental wellness is not as well-established. It depends on the specific plant and how it's being used.

    Information that Amare conveniently withholds through its proprietary blends.

    It's difficult, if not impossible, to make an informed decision when the company withholds so much information about its product. Not only is the promise to support the gut-brain axis unsubstantiated but the products are shrouded in barely legal supplement fact labels and pseudo-science.

    At best, Amare’s products will do nothing; at worst, they may interact in dangerous ways with other supplements and medications or be unsafe for those with certain medical conditions.

    Rather than relying on random products, the best way to support wellness is by using evidence-based practices to build healthy lifestyle habits such as exercising regularly, getting enough sleep, and eating a healthful diet.

    Recommended Tools & Resources:

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    A Word on Bad Science

    When researching for any deep dive, I conduct thorough research. It’s not only important ethically but also legally to commit to posting only factual information that is backed by scientific studies (or at least reputable sources).

    I read all the research behind the claims made so that I can fairly compare them to the available larger body of evidence and come to an informed conclusion.

    In doing this for Amare Global, I kept coming across the same issue with their key studies - the methodologies were designed to be of small sample sizes and lacked sufficient controls.

    This means the results cannot be generalized to a larger population, as that type of research would require a much more rigorous methodology. And when compared to larger bodies of available evidence, the results were not valid - yet Amare Global was continuing to cite them in their marketing materials.

    I also noticed that the same name kept coming up as the principal investigator (lead researcher) for many of their studies. This made me apprehensive and curious, so I dug a little deeper.

    It turns out Dr. Shawn Talbott is the Chief Science Officer of Amare Global and is responsible for Amare’s research, development, and product formulation. He is also apparently responsible for the clinical and experimental research behind substantiating Amare’s product claims.

    That, my friends, is called a conflict of interest.

    So we have bad quality science, we have a conflict of interest with the person who is in charge of research and development - and we have an incredible amount of bias in the way Amare Global is presenting its clinical studies.

    I'm not sure what else they could do wrong, to be honest. It looks like they have checked all the boxes on how NOT to sell credible products with appropriate and ethical marketing strategies.

    At one point in time, the FTC agreed with my suspicions of Dr. Talbott, suing him in 2005 for participating in the false advertisement and promotion of supplements.

    Maybe old habits die hard because, despite advertising their products as "research-proven" and claiming to have the "substantiation and studies that prove" their claims, Amare fails to provide the evidence required to back this up. Something that is in direct violation of FTC policy, FDA law, and the legal agreement Dr. Talbott previously settled under.

    Even setting the MLM issue aside, it seems as though Amare Global is yet another example of a company that has forgotten the importance of providing transparency and reliable information to consumers.

    It's never a good sign when a company purposely skirts around legal requirements and scientific ethics to promote its products.

    Remember: Your Health, Your Choice.

    Transparency matters for making informed choices, so let’s cut to the chase. The world of multilevel marketing (MLM) companies in health and wellness is a wild and unpredictable ride. And Amare Global entered the scene with bold claims of scientific rigor. But when you look closer, you'll start to realize some things just don't add up.

    One that really catches attention is their Gut-Brain Axis Nutrition System, paired with their intriguingly named "Happy Juice." These products make some bold claims supported by studies that are a bit questionable, along with secretive proprietary blends.

    Also, another thing that raises concerns is Dr. Shawn Talbott, who serves as both the Chief Science Officer and researcher for Amare Global. This double role kind of makes you wonder about the integrity and impartiality of their studies.

    It's important to remember that when evaluating MLM companies, it's not just about the products they offer. It's also crucial to consider the promises they make, the recruitment pressures they employ, and the financial realities that exist within the MLM world.

    In today's age of readily available information, it is crucial that we demand transparency and quality from our information sources and rely on evidence-based practices.

    Your health and well-being deserve nothing less. So, choose wisely, always.

    Do you need to know more about Amare? Excellent, many of my readers recommended these videos for learning more about this company and how their distributors represent the products:

     
     

    • Amare Compensation Plan 2021. (n.d.). PPT. https://www.slideshare.net/melissahasson/amare-compensation-plan-2021

      Amare Global. (2022). Amare Global Income Disclosure Statement. https://amareassets.blob.core.windows.net/webassets/resources/OtherInformation/Amare_IncomeDisclosureStatement.pdf

      Bookheimer, S. Y., Renner, B., Ekstrom, A. D., Li, Z., Henning, S. M., Brown, J. A., Jones, M., Moody, T. D., & Small, G. W. (2013).

      Federal Trade Commission, Plaintiff, v. Window Rock Enterprises, Inc., also d/b/a, Window Rock Health Laboratories, also d/b/a CortiSlim, Infinity Advertising, Inc., Stephen F. Cheng, Shawn M. Talbott, and Gregory S. Cynaumon, Defendants., United States. (2005). https://www.ftc.gov/sites/default/files/documents/cases/2005/09/050919stiptalbottwindowrock.pdf

      Pomegranate Juice Augments Memory and fMRI Activity in Middle-Aged and Older Adults with Mild Memory Complaints. Evidence-based Complementary and Alternative Medicine, 2013, 1–14. https://doi.org/10.1155/2013/946298

      Langer, A. (2023, June 30). Amare Review: Can You Optimize Your Gut-Brain Axis and Lose Weight? Abby Langer Nutrition. https://abbylangernutrition.com/amare-global-review/ Pipingas, A.,

      Silberstein, R. B., Vitetta, L., Van Rooy, C., Harris, E., Young, J. M., Frampton, C. M., Sali, A., & Nastasi, J. V. (2008). Improved cognitive performance after dietary supplementation with aPinus radiatabark extract Formulation. Phytotherapy Research, 22(9), 1168–1174. https://doi.org/10.1002/ptr.2388

      Talbott, S., & Talbott, J. A. (2012). Baker’s Yeast Beta-Glucan Supplement Reduces Upper Respiratory Symptoms and Improves Mood State in Stressed Women. Journal of the American College of Nutrition, 31(4), 295–300. https://doi.org/10.1080/07315724.2012.10720441

    Want to Know More?

    My goal is to help you ditch health misinformation and embrace a happier, healthier you!

    Ten years ago, I embarked on a journey as a coach to share my passion for fitness and nutrition, helping others achieve their health goals.

    If you ever find yourself in need of support or guidance, I recommend hiring a qualified coach who can assist you in finding your own balance and sustainable routine. I take pride in assisting clients in breaking away from scams like MLMs, prioritizing holistic health.

    Collaborating with a credentialed coach can keep you on track, motivated, and accountable, propelling your progress. Having someone in your corner who genuinely cheers you on can make a world of difference in reaching your aspirations.

    Remember, this journey is beyond just getting healthy today - it's about cultivating lifelong habits that pave the way for a healthier future.

    If you have any questions about how to unlearn what MLMs have taught you, drop me a DM me on Instagram! You can also find more content there about holistic health and an evidence-based approach to wellness like this:

    Brittany Morgon

    Brittany Morgon is an evidence-based nutrition and fitness coach, dog-mom, food science nerd, and pizza connoisseur helping people to break free from MLM schemes and achieve their sustainable weight loss goals.

    Click here to learn more.

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