Can I use Isagenix products if…?

We get many questions from people at different life stages and with medical conditions regarding the use of Isagenix products. If you have any kind of medical condition, our general recommendation is to speak to your doctor before starting an Isagenix System, modifying your diet or changing your lifestyle. Isagenix offer meal replacements and nutritional supplements, not medications. No information used in the promotion of our products should be considered as medical advice.

Pregnancy and breastfeeding

Good nutrition is important throughout life, and is particularly important when you’re planning a pregnancy, already pregnant, or breastfeeding. However, this is not a time to diet. During the final trimester of pregnancy, energy requirements increase by around 200 calories per day (1). Women who exclusively breastfeed for the first six months may require an additional 330 calories a day to meet the higher energy requirements, although this will differ slightly from person to person (1).

Restricting your calorie intake may mean you aren’t getting all the nutrients you and your baby need. It’s important for a woman to discuss and monitor her weight and nutritional needs with her midwife or doctor throughout the pregnancy. Important steps to a healthy pregnancy and postpartum experience include eating a balanced diet, gaining the right amount of weight and enjoying regular physical activity.

Whilst Isagenix has convenient, easy to use solutions and many of our products are suitable for breastfeeding mums, we don’t recommend following a reduced calorie diet whilst breastfeeding. Pregnant women tend to need an increase in calories, vitamins and minerals. Pairing the nutrients in an IsaLean^TM Shake or IsaLean^TM Bar with your regular meals can be a convenient way to add calories and nutrients for you and your developing baby. These products should never be used as meal replacements or for weight loss during pregnancy.

We also don’t recommend Cleanse Days* for pregnant or breastfeeding women. We do not advise consuming the following products during pregnancy or whilst breastfeeding, as they contain herbal ingredients which are not well studied for use by these groups of the population: Nourish for Life^TM, Ionix® Supreme, IsaDelight^TM, Thermo GX^TM, IsaMove^TM or e-Shot^TM.

Diabetes

For people with diabetes, we understand that Isagenix products can be used as tools to help support your diet and lifestyle goals. Diabetes is a complex condition with a variety of different causes. It is very specific to each individual, meaning treatment can differ from patient to patient.

For many people, starting an Isagenix 30-Day Weight Loss System is likely to be a significant change in diet. For example, IsaLean Shake is a balanced 240-calorie balanced meal replacement that provides 24 grams of high-quality protein and 8g dietary fibre. Compared to typical meals, IsaLean Shake has fewer calories and provides a more balanced proportion of nutrients.

Depending on how you manage your blood glucose, starting an Isagenix System might require some adjustments with the help of your healthcare professional. For example, some medications that are used to control blood glucose levels are balanced according to the amount of carbohydrate you eat. You should talk with your doctor and be aware of how these medications are affected by your diet and exercise habits to ensure you have a successful experience.

An Isagenix Cleanse Day* is a nutritionally supported fast that involves abstaining from virtually all food for a period of one or two days per week, for a maximum of four days per month. There is research to support the benefits of intermittent fasting for the general population (2-4), however Cleanse Days* have not been studied in people with diabetes so it’s unclear as to whether Cleanse Days* are helpful for this group of the population. Speak with your doctor about whether it’s appropriate for you to try Cleanse Days* and to create a plan for managing your blood glucose levels on days that you are not consuming regular meals.

Lactose intolerance

Lactose intolerance is a digestive problem characterised by a reduced ability to digest lactose, a source of carbohydrate found in milk, because the body produces low levels of the enzyme lactase (5). However, quite often people with lactose intolerance can consume a small amount of lactose without experiencing any discomfort. For example, some people with lactose intolerance may still be able to drink a small glass of milk without triggering any symptoms, while others may not be able to tolerate a splash of milk in their coffee (6).

It’s easy to check which of our products contain milk. In Europe, whenever milk is used as an ingredient in a food product it must be clearly identified on the label. You’ll see milk highlighted in bold in the ingredients list on the back of the pack (7).

Depending on your sensitivity to lactose, you may still be able to enjoy some of our products that contain milk. IsaLean Shakes contain the enzyme lactase to help facilitate lactose digestion, although a small amount of lactose may remain in the product. If you are lactose intolerant and choose to try one of our products that contain milk, we advise testing your personal level of tolerance by trying a small amount at first and increasing gradually to your level of comfort.

There may be many reasons for wanting to start Isagenix, whether your goal is reaching a healthy weight or just doing something good for your body. Isagenix products can be practical tools for supporting you in reaching your lifestyle goals, however be sure to talk to your doctor before you make any significant changes to your diet or lifestyle.

References

1. NHS Choices. New weight advice for pregnancy. 2010. Available at: https://www.nhs.uk/news/pregnancy-and-child/new-weight-advice-for-pregnancy/ (accessed 21^st Sept 2017)
2. Klempel MC, Kroeger CM, Bhutani S, Trepanowski JF, Varady KA. Intermittent fasting combined with calorie restriction is effective for weight loss and cardio-protection in obese women. Nutr J. 2012 Nov 21;11:98.
3. Harvie MN, Pegington M, Mattson MP et al. The effects of intermittent or continuous energy restriction on weight loss and metabolic disease risk markers: a randomized trial in young overweight women. Int J Obes (Lond) 2011;35:714-27.
4. Heilbronn LK, Smith SR, Martin CK, Anton SD, Ravussin E. Alternate-day fasting in nonobese subjects: effects on body weight, body composition, and energy metabolism. Am J Clin Nutr. 2005 Jan;81(1):69-73.
5. Allergy UK. Food Allergy. Available at: https://www.allergyuk.org/information-and-advice/conditions-and-symptoms/36-food-allergy (accessed 21st Sept 2017)
6. NHS Choices. Lactose intolerance. Available at: http://www.nhs.uk/Conditions/lactose-intolerance/Pages/Introduction.aspx (accessed 21st September 2017)
7. Food Standards Agency. EU FIC regulations on food labelling. Available at: https://www.food.gov.uk/science/allergy-intolerance/label/labelling-changes (accessed 21st Sept 2017)