Complaint Review: Advocare

I too started taking Advocare Products, I told the Reps that were trying to get me signed up that I had, Had 2 Stomach Surgeries in Previous Years & Had Addison's Disease, They didn't seemed concerned at all said this product would change my life. In the beginning I started the Catalyst & Spark, at first I loved it especially the Catalyst, I could work out and wouldn't get sore, I noticed almost immediately with the Spark that I would get Indigestion, I got to a point I was very sick, I couldn't work out anymore I started have severe pains in my chest & stomach & back. I went to two different doctors & they both did a Xray of my Stomach on two separate occasions and it showed that I was so Backed up the full length of my colon I was shocked, but it was causing Problems. On further Research I noticed there is L-Glutamine in the Catalyst & it can Cause Chronic Constipation. So I had a Colonic & the problem persisted, Had another exray still showed the same thing. I finally had to quit the Catalyst got the Constipation under control. So I started doing Spark just by itself & the pain Returned and it was the worst indigestion I have ever experienced. Heaviness on my chest, burping, burning under my chest and my back, it was horrible. I went and had several test done checking my Gallbladder & etc.. all came out negative finally went to a Gastro doctor, Further testing showed I had developed a Small Hernia during this time & Had Gastritis with Red Inflammation in the Colon.  I was told not to take the product. I know it was the Spark I told my Best Friend that it hurt me from the very beginning I couldn't take it all the time. They told me to keep taking it (she was my rep), that it would get better. Instead it got worse, 8 Weeks & I was in severe pain & It disrupted my life like you wouldn't believe, I was put on heavy medications first Prilosec twice a day, then Carafate & lastly it was the strongest medicine they have for Gastritis, Dexilant, the Pain would radiate around to my back.
I finally got rid of all products of advocare. I emailed Advocare & finally after 3 emails received a response told me to call the customer service line. I was told this product would change my life instead It ruined it, Here it is 8 weeks later & I am still having problems. But I am some better since quitting product. But its done its damage. I can't eat much, I have to keep heating pad on my stomach, and because of all the heavy medication I became Deficient in B12 which caused further problems. I don't recommend this product. I know it was those two products that caused my problem. I don't know what permanent damage it has done but I do know that people need to be cautious while taking this product if you have to take it. My body has been thrown into extreme stress from this and I have addison's which caused me further problems with my disease. If it sounds to good to be true it probably is. 

Just wanted an update as to how you are doing now. Also, could it be possible the birth control pills had anything to do with this? (I have recently seen issues advertised on tv about some birth control pills like yaz and yazmin and was wondering if the birth control you were using could have impacted you in some way). Just asking there, not making any assumptions or accusations, could be something to consider is all.  

Those that have tried to play down the medical report as not reporting anything serious should consider posting their medical credentials.  I am NO medical doctor - I'm an engineer - but I can look things up on the internet. The report uses some of the terms mentioned in previous posts, however, they post appear to take them out of context.  The report does state mild gastritis, but also indicates it is CHRONIC with some indication of NONSPECIFIC NONREACTIVE FOVEOLAR HYPERPLASIA.  Looking up foveolar hyperplasia reveals that it is an increase in cell exfoliation (loosing colon parts) from the surface.  It says this condition can be associated with gastritis, but is MOST PRONOUNCED in chemical gastritis.  Looking up chemical gastritis reveals that it is exactly what it sounds like: damage due to chemicals...which can include NSAIDs (Advil), alcohol, and chemotherapeutic agents. There is also squamous karetosis indicated, which seems to be defined by a crusty overgrowth of tissue.  Then there is acanthosis listed which is also an abnormal thickening.  The report also states H. pylori is NOT identified.  This seems to conflict with the diagnosis statements.  This medical report is not a statement from a doctor.  It is the result of an analysis which may or may not be what this doctor would choose as an explanation to the layman. THIS REPORT IS INTENDED FOR THOSE QUALIFIED TO READ IT, which would be OTHER doctors and certainly not me. Statements by previous posters to the effect that the doctor didn't "say" that Advocare products caused her issues are an attempt to draw attention away from her results at best.  I suspect those that make such comments are associated with Advocare - especially since it is common for those using it, as they state they or family members do, are often sellers themselves.  By the way, we have also had a disturbing experience with Advocare.  Our first and only exposure to an Advocare salesperson was one of hostility, who was insulted that we were not interested in products for our child and proceeded to state they "felt sorry" for our child as a result of our disinterest in their product.  I know my local department store would lose all kinds of customers after such treatment.

I have read your comments several times and am still looking for some sort of additional information to surface.

Your diagnosis on the report you scanned does not seem to add up with your claim.

Diagnosis A was gastritus (mild) - an irritation of the stomach lining followed by Foveolar hyperplasia which basically suggests reflux.

Diagnosis B was a little more confusing. Part 2 states nothing was found, but part one refers gastroesophagitis (inflamation of stomach or esophagus) and references squamous hyperkeratosis which usually refers to skin cancer. It then goes on to state changes in the papillae are consistant with reflux.

More importantly your post-op diagnosis is gastritus, esophagitis, and H.pylori. Please note that H.pylori is a bacteria (like strep) which is specific and not a bacteria found in products (such as Advocare). It seems likely from your medical report that you were unfortunate enough to come in contact with this bacteria. From what I understand H.pylori is an extremely common infection in man although many people never suffer symptoms. Blaming an H.pylori infection on a product seems as off the wall as blaming step throat on Tylenol. I am sure your doctor may have been concerned that you were taking a supplement containing "bacteria" per your comments, however, as was mentioned before we digest bacteria all day long from food. Advocare products are using probiotics (found naturally in yogurt and are now being added to everything from cereal to supplements to aid in digestion and immune function). I recently attended a seminar by a head of pediatric research for Texas Children's Hospital who touted the use of probiotics as a natural immune booster. Good bacteria is needed for heathly digestion and any doctor can confirm this whether he or she believes in supplementation or not.

I can understand your doctor's caution as the supplement industry is not well regulated and he likely did not know what you had obtained. However, Advocare is in his desk reference thus quanity and quality control is assured.

I wish you all the best of luck. I hope antibiotics will clear your infection and reduce your gastric symptoms. You may wish to check out the helicobacter Foundation for more information on your condition.

My wife who had been suffering from fatigue was eating right, exercising as much as possible and taking vitamins daily with no effect. A friend gave her Advocare vitamins and she within days was a new person. I have taken vitamins for 20 years and when I tried the Advocare vitamins I also could tell a great difference. My wife was so excited she wanted to join Advocare so she could help others while I being the skeptical type wanted to do research first.

While searching the internet I found your complaint, which by the way was the only negative about Advocare I could find. I was very concerned about your situation until I did further research. I found the active ingredient in the Parabolic Restore is the same found in good quality yogurt which doctors highly recommend therefore, it is no more likely to cause your problem than taking yogurt daily.

Second I looked at your medical report and found nothing even insinuating that Parabolic Restore could be the cause of your problem nor was there a statement from your doctor confirming what you say he said. I couldn't figure out why you took all of the time and trouble to slander Advocare so ruthlessly and not provide the documentation that would substantiate your claim, there giving it validity. Anyone really looking for the truth will obviously see that all of your so called evidence is not backed up by anything that pointed toward the cause of your problem. Why?

I think that if I were an attorney for Advocare I would be proceeding with a suit against you for defamation.

Finally, I researched Advocare's return policy which is 100% as long as the product is not expired or ready to expire. How did you take the Parabolic Restore for that long and have your $3,000 order only one year old? You said you have been too ill from the product for the last 12 months to have returned it in a more timely manner? It would help to have a more clear time line.

Although I am truly sorry about your illness, frankly my impression is that you are angry at Advocare for not taking your product back which had expired or was ready to expire and decided to retaliate against them without any proof or substance to your accusations. Shame on you.

Please for your own peace of mind, have her get a colonoscopy to make sure that these products are not harming her like they were me. It would be terrible to find out after 6 years of use that they were deterierating her colon and causing it to shut down. I can't image what would of happened to me if I would have continued to use this product. What could it hurt? and if the doctor tells her that her colon is like the colon of a 90 year old woman that has used laxatives all her life, then please get back on here and tell others, so that no one else is harmed!!!! has she used laxatives during this time? if not then it will be totally the advocare right???? Others have accused me of taking other medications, but that was not the case. Please show us the results and submit pics after the procedure. thank you for your time. please do this for your family

Please for your own peace of mind, have her get a colonoscopy to make sure that these products are not harming her like they were me. It would be terrible to find out after 6 years of use that they were deterierating her colon and causing it to shut down. I can't image what would of happened to me if I would have continued to use this product. What could it hurt? and if the doctor tells her that her colon is like the colon of a 90 year old woman that has used laxatives all her life, then please get back on here and tell others, so that no one else is harmed!!!! has she used laxatives during this time? if not then it will be totally the advocare right???? Others have accused me of taking other medications, but that was not the case. Please show us the results and submit pics after the procedure. thank you for your time. please do this for your family

Please for your own peace of mind, have her get a colonoscopy to make sure that these products are not harming her like they were me. It would be terrible to find out after 6 years of use that they were deterierating her colon and causing it to shut down. I can't image what would of happened to me if I would have continued to use this product. What could it hurt? and if the doctor tells her that her colon is like the colon of a 90 year old woman that has used laxatives all her life, then please get back on here and tell others, so that no one else is harmed!!!! has she used laxatives during this time? if not then it will be totally the advocare right???? Others have accused me of taking other medications, but that was not the case. Please show us the results and submit pics after the procedure. thank you for your time. please do this for your family

My wife and I have been on the advocare products for six years, and have had great results. My wife has been on the probiotic restore and has even taken three to four every day for six years and has changed her life for the better. we have both lost weight and are in much better health. Also we have been doing the business that other people on this report have said bad things about,and we have earned as much as 17,000 dollars a month and have been able to pay off over 200,000 dollars in debt during our time with advocare. This has been a life changing experience for us, all for the good.

I have had these people hounding me about the Advocare products. So finally I asked how much are they? To purchase the products you have to pay a membership fee of $50.00 (plus shipping of anything you want to purchase) to get the 20% off.
Then if you want to get 40% off of the price of any products you have to so called "invest" $2,500.00 - $3,000.00. I was pissed that someone would even ask me to "invest" thousands of dollars just to buy these "miracle" products. They tried to tell me that they know people who are in their 20's and make over $10,000.00 monthly signing new people up to sell the products. That is the whole thing, they want you to get other people to "invest" in the products.
This whole thing just raise a red flag that said waring, waring, get as far away from these people as possible. If I want vitamins I will go to GNC!!!!!!!!!! Advocare is a HUGE RIP-OFF. At least GNC won't charge me a membership fee to walk into their stores to purchase products. And I don't have to "invest" a dime.

I got involved with this stuff a few years ago. I even went to a training school in Kansas City. I started taking and i sold it to some friends at work. All of developed some sort of problem or another in my case just a bad kidney infection we all stopped taking it and i refunded their money. sorry that you have worse problems because of it.

Good luck

I have always been healthy and treated my body with respect, that is why I turned to a "natural way" to regulate my body.

My advisors above me in advocare made me feel like I was not as regular as I should be and talked me into trying restore. I followed the directions. I have never taken a diuretic in my life except when I had an enema before child birth.

Your right Advocare states that it is a "friendly" bacteria, but I agree with you that a "friendly" bacteria should not do this to your colon.

The reason My doctor stated that it was advocare is because that is the only vitamins or medication I had taken, besides birth control pills. The doctor did say that there are others with this problem, but that my colon looked like that of an 80 year old woman.

That is why I am sooo very upset. I trusted a natural product that my church brothers and sisters got me interested in and it had turned my life upside down. I understand that it would be hard to prove and I am not after money here.

I just want others to understand the side effects of some "natural" products that are being sold and taken by families and children. my doctors and I still don't know how this will affect my future health.

I HAVE NO DOUBT THAT IT WAS ADVOCARE THAT DID THIS TO ME.

I WAS NOT TAKING ANYTHING ELSE.

I HAVE NO REASON TO LIE ABOUT THIS, OTHER THAN TO GET PEOPLE TO BE AWARE OF THE HARMFUL EFFECTS OF ADVOCARE. PLEASE DON'T GIVE THESE PRODUCTS TO YOUR CHILDREN, LET THEM MAKE DECISIONS ABOUT THEIR OWN BODIES WHEN THEY ARE OLD ENOUGH.

PLEASE DON'T PUT THEM IN DANGER!!!!

I have a feeling that you will NOT get a lawyer to support your claim ;-( "Friendly Bacteria" will not do what you are suggesting. Did you abuse your body with laxatives/diuretics before AdvoCare? Did you take more than 4 caplets a day? The bottle states quite clearly no more than 4 a day...probably due to the amount of Vitamin A (animal extract NOT beta carotene).

There are plenty of people NOT on AdvoCare with your same problem...I highly doubt ReStore did this to you. It may have helped you discover the problem sooner than if you had never taken the products.

Please keep us informed of your progress and I wish you the best ;-)