Is Herbalife Safe When Pregnant?
If you are a fan of Herbalife products, you are not alone. Millions of people use their products worldwide to increase their energy, aid in weight loss and improve athletic performance. As a pregnant woman or someone looking to become pregnant, you may be wondering about taking Herbalife while pregnant. Below we will discuss a bit more about the company, its products, and the safety of its use while pregnant. Some products may be safe, while you should avoid others. The details are below on some of these.
What is Herbalife?
Herbalife is a global nutrition company operating in over 90 countries. Their goal is to help people achieve balanced nutrition through protein shakes, nutritional supplements, weight-management programs, sports nutrition solutions, and personal care products. They have been in business for over 40 years. Herbalife is one of the world’s leading direct-sales brands, and every day, millions of their shakes are consumed around the world.
Their product lines include:
- Core Nutrition
- Healthy Weight
- Specialized Nutrition
- Energy & Fitness
- Skin & Hair Care
They believe in nutrition for your best life. Herbalife dedicated itself to bringing an end to hunger and launched Nutrition for Zero Hunger in 2019. It is a global initiative focused on providing nutritious food, aid, and nutrition education worldwide.
Herbalife Benefits for Weight Loss
Herbalife is designed to help women lose weight by reducing calorie intake. It incorporates meal replacement shakes and supplements designed to boost metabolism. Studies on the complete Herbalife weight loss program have not yet been conducted. One of the benefits is that you can choose a plan to fit your budget and lifestyle.
They are three programs to help with weight loss:
- The Quickstart Program includes Meal-replacement shakes, a powdered tea drink, a multivitamin/mineral, and a metabolism-boosting supplement.
- The Advanced Program includes the Quickstart Program, plus two more supplements to help increase energy and reduce fluid retention.
- The Ultimate Program includes the Advanced Program, plus two additional supplements for blood sugar management and digestion.
If you are looking to kickstart your postpartum weight loss, Herbalife may be the right choice for you.
Read more information about the safety of using Herbalife while breastfeeding here.
Herbalife Diet While Pregnant
Herbalife shakes are the main component of their diet. While the shakes themselves may be safe to consume while pregnant, you should not use the Herbalife diet. You should be adding calories, not reducing them during pregnancy. The extra calories in whole, nutritious food are essential to the healthy development of your baby. According to the American Pregnancy Association, a woman’s body needs approximately 300 extra calories per day during pregnancy’s 2nd and 3rd trimesters. So the answer is no. You should not be on any diet, including the Herbalife diet, while pregnant.
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Can You Take Herbalife While Pregnant?
Whether you can take Herbalife while pregnant is not a black or white question. Due to the variance in the different products, some may be safe while others are not. It is best to check with a doctor before adding any supplements, food, or drinks different from your usual diet. Due to certain herbs, extracts, caffeine amounts, and other ingredients, your health and the health of your baby may be affected. It is always best to play it safe and talk to your doctor first.
Is Herbalife Safe When Pregnant?
The answer to Herbalife safety during pregnancy depends on the specific product, when during pregnancy, and in what amounts it is consumed. It is best to speak to your doctor if you are a Herbalife user looking to add their products to your diet. Some products specifically state that pregnant or breastfeeding women should not use them. Other products may be safe on a case-by-case basis after speaking to your doctor. Here are the most popular Herbalife products and whether it is safe or not to use them while pregnant.
Herbalife Shakes While Pregnant
Herbalife protein shakes may be safe to drink when pregnant. The shakes do not contain any caffeine and may help get the amount of protein you need into your diet. It should be remembered that they are not to be used as a meal replacement when pregnant as the calories will not be sufficient. Blended with fruit and peanut butter or nut butter, they can help fill in some of your nutritional gaps.
The protein shakes are soy-based. There has been some conflicting evidence on the benefits versus risks of soy during pregnancy. Because of this, you should speak to your doctor before deciding to incorporate the shakes into your daily diet.
Herbalife Tea While Pregnant
It is not recommended to drink Herbalife tea while pregnant. These teas are designed to be metabolism boosters and help with weight loss. Because of this, they are best to hold off on consuming until post-pregnancy. They contain caffeine and jump-start a thermogenic effect. As a pregnant woman who will be looking to limit caffeine consumption, their tea is not thought to be a good choice while pregnant.
Can You Take Herbalife Collagen While Pregnant?
According to Verywell Family, there are no known risks of consuming collagen when pregnant or breastfeeding. There are few side effects associated with collagen supplements. There are reports that people may experience digestive side effects like heartburn and a feeling of fullness. If you have allergies, check the labels, as some supplements are made with fish and eggs. Collagen is an essential building block for your body and can be beneficial when pregnant. Consult your doctor to make sure it is ok for you to take Herbalife collagen while pregnant.
Is Herbalife Afresh Safe for Pregnancy?
Herbalife Afresh is not safe for pregnancy. It is an energy drink that contains high levels of caffeine. The manufacturer has placed a disclaimer on this product and its website stating that it is not recommended for children, pregnant or lactating women, and people sensitive to caffeine. Pregnant women should be limiting their caffeine consumption when pregnant to 200 ml per day or the equivalent of one 12-ounce cup of coffee. It is best to avoid the use of Herbalife Afresh until after pregnancy.
Is Herbalife Liftoff Safe During Pregnancy?
As with Afresh, Herbalife Liftoff is not safe to use during pregnancy. These are energy tablets to be added to water and consumed when a person needs an energy boost. Due to the need for caffeine intake to be limited when pregnant, hold off on using these until after pregnancy as well. Guarana extract is also present in these tablets. The extract is known to be able to pass through breast milk and be ingested by your baby. It is advised to wait until after breastfeeding out of an abundance of caution.
Is Herbalife Aloe Concentrate Safe During Pregnancy?
WebMD lists aloe vera as something that should not be taken by mouth if pregnant or breastfeeding. Herbalife Aloe Concentrate should not be consumed when you are pregnant or breastfeeding. You should wait until after you have weaned your baby. There have been reports that aloe is associated with miscarriage. It may also possibly increase the risk for congenital disabilities. With this said, play it safe and wait until after to start using this supplement.
Herbalife Side Effects
As with all nutritional supplements, there is the possibility of side effects. In 2019, Acta Clinica Croatica linked Herbalife with severe hepatotoxicity in a previously healthy woman. Hepatotoxicity is an injury to the liver or impairment of liver function caused by exposure to alcohol, drugs, food additives, chlorinated solvents, peroxidized fatty acids, fungal toxins, radioactive isotopes, and environmental factors toxicants, and even some medicinal plants.
The woman was admitted to the hospital for abdominal pain, pale stool, tiredness, and general weakness that had started several days before being admitted to the hospital. She had been using Guarana comprese, RoseOx, Herbalifeline, Tang Kuei Plus, and Formula 4 at the recommended dosage (10 tablets per day in total) for six months before being admitted to the hospital.
Can Herbalife Help You Get Pregnant?
If you are a fan of Herbalife products, you may wonder if they can help you get pregnant. Herbalife is used for weight loss and optimal health, which are essential when trying to conceive. Being underweight, overweight, or obese can directly affect your fertility. So, therefore, a supplement helping you stay at a healthy weight may be beneficial. Although this is true, there is no direct scientific evidence that anything in Herbalife products can boost your fertility or help you get pregnant.
Best Herbalife Products for Weight Loss for Moms Postpartum
Herbalife carries many different products that can help with your weight loss postpartum. You can purchase products individually or as whole programs that you can follow. Some of their most popular products include:
- Weight loss enhancers
- Protein boosters
- Protein snacks
- Formula 1 On The Go
If you want to add these to your diet, you may want to wait until you have stopped breastfeeding or spoken to your doctor.
Bottom Line,
Hopefully, the above information helped you learn more about Herbalife while pregnant and its safety for use. It is a nutrition company loved worldwide by women who are pregnant and non-pregnant. Your doctor will help you decide when and if you can safely incorporate it into your diet during pregnancy or postpartum.
