Isagenix International LLC is a multilevel marketing company which sells products it says remove toxins and fat from the body.[1] The company was founded in 2002 by John Anderson and Jim and Kathy Coover.[2] It is based in Chandler, Arizona.[3] The company states that it has more than seven million customers, and sells more than a billion USD of product each year.[4]
Isagenix products have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration as the FDA does not pre-approve nutritional or dietary supplements because they are regulated as foods (not drugs) under the Dietary Supplement Health and Education Act (DSHEA) of 1994.[5] The FDA does monitor manufacturing practices and labeling for compliance. Isagenix does use products with an FDA GRAS (Generally Recognized As Safe) certification if available. These products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.[6] While there have been no controlled studies of the effectiveness of Isagenix products, many Isagenix users are enthusiastic about the product, but there are serious doubts about the effectiveness of the product.[7] In February 2009, Isagenix were part of a nation-wide recall on peanuts[8] thought to be contaminated with Salmonella.[9]