October
2007
Glyconutrients: a Sweet Scam
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There are essential fatty acids. There are essential amino acids. There are not essential sugars. We’ve received so many questions about glyconutrients, I feel it’s necessary to respond here at the blog.
For the record, “glyconutrients” are worse than bogus - they are a scam. This term was invented by a multi-level marketing company called Mannatech. (While MLM’s aren’t all bad, they can certainly be a red flag.) In this case, the entire concept of supplementing with “glyconutrients” - minute amounts of plain old simple sugars - is not only unscientific; it’s just silly. There is simply no compelling evidence to support the glyconutrient claim that the human body is somehow deficient in certain forms of sugar due to our modern lifestyle. Among the many dubious and weasel-worthy “explanations”, the central claim is that scientific discoveries in recent decades have shown that there are 8 types of sugar and that your cells - gasp - use these sugars. I’ve had burps that are more mind-blowing than this “science”.
Those selling glyconutrients often have appealing websites and fairly standard marketing blurbs about good health beginning at the cellular level. (E.g. “When your cells are healthy, so are your glands and organs.” No sh*t, Sherlock.) Please pardon my French, but I really hate to see this sort of meaningless malarkey being bandied about like it’s genuine science. The numerous warning letters, lawsuits, and scathing breakdowns on many reputable scientific action sites - it’s almost painful, really - should be sufficient to keep people away from those selling this worthless sugar pill supplement, but I still get a lot of questions. I don’t normally like to directly criticize supplements, but in this case, I have to speak up.
(This is the best single website analyzing glyconutrients. Do a search on any reputable science organization’s site, or check out a scientific glossary, for that matter, and you’ll see that “glyconutrient” is not even a scientific term. We might as well say “aminonutrient” or “lipidnutrient”.)
Glyconutrient supplementation purports to provide your body with certain special types of sugar that aren’t available, apparently, in our modern food supply. (The important one, evidently, is mannose, hence Mannatech.) The glyconutrient claim is utterly specious. The body converts one form of sugar to another quite easily whenever it needs to - there is absolutely no “deficiency” issue here, period. While we need to get essential fatty acids and the complete profile of amino acids to function, we do not need to supplement with simple sugars. The supplement won’t hurt you, but you may as well suck a lollipop if you’re after “glyconutrients”. My guess is that the lollipop is not only tastier, but cheaper.
Don’t be a sucker.
Further reading:
The 10 Dumbest Drugs Ever Invented
That’s a good explanation and helps sort it out. Yes, I once bought some snake oil from the company mentioned and it was just that.
Passing off sugar as supplements in a nation where most people eat way too much sweetener. What will they think of next?
Personally I like the claim of “better essential fatty acids than the EPA/DHA in fish oil” and all those “amino acids” they provide….yet the nutritional label on the bottle has 0 grams of protein and 0 grams of fat. Huh? Are these magical nutrients that are so scientifically advanced they don’t even exist in physical form but yet supply our body with the breakthrough healing never discovered before? Ummmmm…..I think not.
You have to appreciate how ballsy the whole concept is. These are sugar pills and they admit it! It’s so ridiculous it could be a Monty Python sketch.
“Pssst… Hey Kid… You wanna get fit and strong? I got just the thing: it’s called a Pla-ceeeeeeee-bo.”
This just in from an FTC report on U.S. residents falling for scams:
“An estimated 4.8 million Americans bought bogus weight-loss supplements, patches, creams or other products, making fat-fighting fraud the most common scam.”
Amazing!
[...] it is, according to Mark’s Daily Apple, who weighs in on the idea of Glyconutrients and uncovers that…. In short, those who purchase glyconutrients are wasting their money, and there have been numerous [...]
If you can find it, look at Mannatech’s patent. The list of things that Mannatech is supposed to treat is hilarious. Snakebite, frostbite, AIDS and Cancer. Asthma, allergies and chronic fatigue. If something bothers you, Mannatech will fix it.
Josh,
It’s hilarious, except that so many folks have been snookered by these sugar pills…what’s next…
[...] Glyconutrients: a Sweet Scam [...]
[...] Glyconutrients: A Sweet Scam [...]
I’ve heard good things about glyconutrients.
There is actually a great ebook that just came out at http://www.gotsugars.com
It’s got great information on glyconutrients and how to save when buying them.
Thanks Mark,
Since my daughter was diagnosed with cancer, we have been bomboarded by true zealots of the Mannatech camp. One should expect hostility when confronting personal conviction with truth, but some have considered us child abusers because we will not let a daughter have this miraculous cure! My wife has suffered from guilt over this mater. Your article has helped her to let go of the guilt and to focus on our daughter’s recovery. It seems the old quest for the fountain of youth is universal. I resent only the fact that the manufacturere know the truth and are willing to prey on the fears of the pitiful..
JJ
[...] Glyconutrients - A Sweet Scam [...]
Glyco nutrients work. They are not dangerous, make your own try and see yourself. You will be a fool not to try
OK sure. Send me some for free and I will return my verdict for the same charge.