Written By : Rohit Dwivedi, M.D. (Last Updated on November 9, 2022)
We don’t always eat as healthily as we would like to. Sometimes life takes over and a quick takeaway is an easier option than preparing a healthy balanced meal.
This is when we may decide to turn to a health supplement to give our body the nutrients that we are not getting from our diet.
There are so many dietary supplements available on the market that sometimes it’s difficult to know which one to choose.
Sometimes you might want an energy boost or you might want some help with digestion. You may even want to shed a few pounds after those unhealthy takeaways!
Vital Reds promises a “total health transformation”, with “four distinctive formulas in one”.
But does it really work?
Let’s take a closer look at what this supplement claims to do and what it contains to see if we can answer that question.
What Is Vital Reds?
This product is made by Grundy MD and was formulated by Dr Steven Grundy, who has an impressive resume.
He studied at Yale, the Medical College of Georgia, and the University of Michigan. He has many affiliations and fellowships, as well as serving as a clinical associate to the National Institutes of Health. He has also patented nine cardiac surgery devices.
Dr Grundy founded Grundy MD after dealing with a patient who had apparently reversed the effects of his heart condition…
With nothing but a combination of natural, dietary nutrients.
The company sells 22 health supplements and a small skincare range.
Vital Reds makes claims that you can expect the product to:
- Give you enhanced energy.
- Give you healthier-looking skin.
- Help you metabolize your food better.
- Have less gas and bloating after meals, and smoother bowel movements.
- Help you get your weight under control.
The product is a powder that has a berry flavour.
The suggested intake is one scoop a day dissolved in water.
The marketing relies heavily on the provision of polyphenols in the product.
Many polyphenols are antioxidants. They are derived naturally in our diet from fruits like grapes, apples, pears, cherries and berries. They can also be found in tea, coffee, red wine and chocolate.
So we might be better off having a few glasses of red wine a day!
Vital Reds Ingredients
The product is made up of four blends and has over 50 ingredients. The four blends are:
- Polyphenol Blend – which claims to have 34 unique superfruits to help boost energy, support your heart, and keep you healthy as you age.
- Metabolic-Enhancing Blend – which claims to have 7 unique thermogenic ingredients to help naturally support fat-burning and weight management.
- Digestive Support Blend – with 5 probiotics which claim to help reduce gas & bloating and help you enjoy your favorite foods with less digestive discomfort.
- Vitamin & Mineral Blend – which contains vitamin B along with several essential minerals.
The Polyphenol Blend contains 1760 mg of various fruits and fruit extracts.
Studies have shown that polyphenols, which are abundant in micronutrients, can help with some degenerative diseases. Of the hundreds of polyphenols, it is not known which are the most efficient or how our body processes them. Some polyphenols have been shown to to increase energy.
The Metabolic Enhancing Blend contains 365mg comprised of turmeric, black pepper fruit, cinnamon, ginger root, white tea, green tea and bitter melon.
- Cinnamon and ginger have been shown to have many health benefits including lowering cholesterol and improving metabolism.
- Bitter melon can help with weight loss.
- Green and white tea can benefit our health in a many ways .
The Digestive Support Blend contains 3 million cfu of the probiotics (good bacteria). bifidobacterium lactis, L. reuteri, bacillus coagulans and lactobacillus acidophilus.
Probiotics can be used to treat bowel problems (such as diarrhea and irritable bowel). They can also help with eczema, vaginal yeast infections, lactose intolerance, and urinary tract infections.
The Vitamin and Mineral Blend contains 100 percent of our recommended daily intake of each of the following:
- Niacin: 20mg. – vitamin B3
- Vitamin B12: 6mcg
- Biotin: 300 mcg – vitamin B7
- Thiamin: 1.5mg -vitamin B1
- Riboflavin: 1.7mg – vitamin B2
- Vitamin B6: 2g
- Folate: 400 mcg – vitamin B9
- Pantothenic Acid: 10mcg – vitamin B5
- Selenium: 70 mcg
- Chromium: 200 mcg (167 percent of recommended daily intake)
Vitamin B helps with many health functions in our bodies.
Selenium can be found in many of our foods including eggs, fish, chicken and some fruits and vegetables. Selenium has many health benefits. However supplementing with selenium may have an adverse effect if your levels are already adequate or high.
Chromium helps us metabolize carbs.
The product also contains fructooligosaccharides, which are a natural sweetener that also has health benefits.
How Does Vital Reds Work?
The formula for this product is made up of a mix of fruit extracts and fruit, accompanied by some probiotics and vitamins.
Dr Grundy has named his studies around producing supplements as “Holobiotics”. In a letter on his website he describes this as being:
The key to strong, sustainable health lives in all of us… in the form of beneficial microbes. These “good bacteria” are in danger of dying out, due to dietary and environmental issues that overload our systems with threatening “bad” microbes. Once you begin taking care of your “good” microbes – or, as I like to call them, “your gut buddies” – you can begin an incredible transformation.
Probiotics have been clinically proven to treat digestive disorders: boost energy, and improve the immune system.
However there is no clinical evidence to support whether or not the ingredients in this product as a whole will boost your metabolism, help regulate your weight or improve your skin.
Vital Reds Side Effects
There do not appear to be any notable side effects of taking this product.
It is not recommended for use when pregnant or breastfeeding. This is not posted on their website but was in comments from the company on customer reviews.
It is advisable that you check with your doctor before taking any new supplement.
Vital Reds Reviews & Complaints
There are a number of mixed customer reviews to be found for this product. Of 57 reviews on Amazon there were:
- 32 positive
- 25 negative
Roseanne M Pickering writes:
I’ve had a lot more energy since I started taking this product. My skin and hair look healthier and I feel better than I’ve felt in years.
There are many other comments in a similar vein, reporting increased energy levels, better digestion and decreased blood pressure.
There are however several negative comments around the pricing structure of the product. It seems that the price is constantly changing.
John Holder, whilst happy with the product, reports:
I love the Vital Reds product and use it daily. When it is discounted properly to right around $35-$40, I consider it a good value. I just don’t resonate with the sales techniques of constantly dangling the price around and find it very annoying. I will continue using it and replenish my inventory when I can buy at the lower price. Thank you for having such a high-quality product.
There are also a number of customers who report that the product does not work.
Peer Sorenson writes:
My wife and I have been trialing it for three months with no positive effects. My wife’s cholesterol has even gone up during that period (been stable for a long time previously).
I would not recommend this to a friend or anyone. I do see it as a scam, and find that the refund rules are set in order to avoid having to pay the refund.
As Peer has mentioned there are many issues around the level of customer service and ease of obtaining a refund. There also seem to be issues regarding a monthly subscription service that many people seem to select from the website without realising it.
Steve Butler states:
I have tried this for a month one time daily to start my day. I never lost any weight, and my energy level didn’t change. Maybe I should have done it two times a day instead of one? After my free trial was over, they had already shipped me three more jars.
Aria from Grundy MD replied to Steve, offering to opt him out of the scheme, she wrote:
Please keep in mind, we never offer “free trials” of product. Sounds as if you may have accidentally enrolled in our monthly subscription service. This is a completely optional feature that I would be more than happy to opt you out of.
There are further issues raised regarding the flavour of the product, the size of the product being poor value for money, and that it’s expensive.
The company have replied to a lot of the negative comments and have offered a refund in majority of them.
Vital Reds: Packages, Prices & Where To Buy
You can purchase Vital Reds direct from the Grundy MD website. The costs are:
There is free shipping offered on all options. They also offer a VIP Service which gives you:
- Instant Member Savings
- Convenient Monthly Refill
- Exclusive Discounts
- Free Membership.
The company has a 90 day money back guarantee, excluding shipping and handling costs.
See below how the official site looks like.
Vital Reds Pros & Cons
Vital Reds Review: Final Words
Vital Reds contains a wide range of natural ingredients that have been linked to improved health benefits.
In comparison to other products that are out there , the price is not extortionate.
Many people have said that they have benefited from using the product.
If your main aim is to lose a little weight, then it does not seem that this will be the miracle product you want.
You may be better off steering clear of the takeaways, and including more fruits and berries in your healthy diet.
We laid out the facts, will you buy Vital Reds? Comment below and tell us what you think!
I’ve place two orders for the vital Reds. When I finish my first order the only thing I know is that I was on a budget and I wouldn’t do without that product in my household. So now I’m the second order I hadn’t missed a day since I started the product until yesterday. I knew that I had cirrhosis of the liver and I started having pain in my upper right quadrant. I just kind of took it easy I didn’t take the product that day but by the time I noticed the pain it was late in the evening. I went to bed and woke up and the pain was still there so I took some milk thistle. The pain was still there. At 10 p.m. I realized I had not taking my vital red again now I’m going on 2 days. I went in that kitchen where is sets right on the table as a part of my morning I took a scoop put it in some water along with prebiothrive 11 1049 actually my upper right quadrant feels great. There have been so many amazing Health changes and taking this product. He doesn’t lie to you he says that it affects people of different ways but because of the problem that I have with my thyroid. I have something called Graves disease. It makes your eyes bulge out. At times my eyeball wood stick out so bad my eyelid would get stuck behind my eyeball. I would have to at times push my eyeball back into its socket because it would bulge so badly. I noticed that after I started taking the vital red along with the prebiothrive my eyes were no longer bulging my left eye was actually relaxed in its socket. My blood pressure much better. I was unable to see a 47 in TV screens TV Guide from 3 ft away. My doctor head started the process of giving me diabetes medication she gave me samples and wanted me to start checking my blood sugar level. With the blurred vision I knew she was right. My dad was type 2 diabetes and I refused to start the treatment. After taking vital red that 47 inch TV tvguide was able to be seen and my cravings for sugar sweets stopped. I’m sorry but a person doesn’t give up their career as a successful surgeon and risk going into business for themselves if they aren’t truly trying to help others. Sometimes it infuriates me that our system is set up attack people their character and their ability just because they are able to help people with natural remedies. I’ve never had the opportunity to meet dr gundry but he is definitely a humanitarian. He could have easily just helped himself but my hat goes off to him because he helped me to a stranger someone he doesn’t know. When you try his product please don’t let this big world tell you he has nothing to offer I want to live and his product is helping me to do that I want to help you hear me if weight loss comes with that great but day-to-day his product makes a difference in my life. Thank you dr. Gundry
Since 2013 I had been trying to decrease my A1C. From 2013 until June 2019 I was prediabetic. I used vital reds for three months and improved my eating habits and my A1C went from a 6.5 to a 5.6. My PCP was happy and I cried.
I am thinking about purchasing vital red and I like to know a little bit more about it I don’t have a lot of issues however my cholesterol is much higher than I’d like and also I am a borderline diabetic I am not heavy I’d like to just start to work on the cholesterol and possibly diabetes can you send me something more to read in reference to it I listen to the audio tape of it I read other things but are there anything that I’m not reading I should be reading
I have been taking Vital Reds for over 4 months now. I am very pleased with this product and have received many benefits from it. I do have more energy, my skin has seemed to improve and I can’t say that I lost weight but that I have stayed slim and healthy and I do not eat healthy or wholesome meals. My job doesn’t seem to allot for that. I think it’s a great product but it’s not for everyone being that it does have a wide variety of ingredients that may cause side effects in people that it doesn’t in others. That’s just my opinion and what I’ve experienced so please try it and if you don’t like it then don’t continue to use it. I love it and I am very glad to have it.
I have just started a week ago, my main reason was to assist in lowing my cholesterol as I am not keen on taking Statins . Within days I noticed my bowels have been more regular and little bloating. This is good for me as I have suffered IBS for Many years.
I will keep you posted on my progress .
Lee – Australia
Can I know at what is the best time to drink vital red?
Before or after food?
It’s been almost three years since I’ve been taking vital reds, my good cholesterol has gone up and the bad down. It has gone down enough to go from 40mg of atrovastin to 10mg a day, I have to have my blood work done every 6 months me and my doctor are happy with the results, the only thing that has brought it down was the vital reds my diet hasn’t changed or the running I do.
Been taking Vital red for a short time and it’s already helping with my constipation
Hi,
I’ve been taking vital reds now for about six weeks. I am A Crohn’s patient, have thyroid issues, and generally suffer in a huge way with joint and muscle aches after work outs because of it. I had a triple ankle fracture last year. The surgery was brutal and after 12 weeks I had to go in and have all the metal removed. I am an athletic trainer and in my mid-50s so this time of downtime was eating me alive.
Through everything I know I was about 10 months ahead of recovery schedule but the pain that I was feeling from working out was not going away. Since taking the vital reds the pain has tremendously subsided and all joints and muscles. My energy is through the roof and my inflammation throughout my body has subsided. I am back in the game which is most important in my life with three teenagers that count on me to be here.
When I first started taking vital reds I wanted to throw up. But as a self-taught homeopath I do realize that most things that are good for us taste incredibly bad and give us terrible bodily reactions at first. I also know that when this happens one needs to reduce the amount drastically until your body can build up to the tolerance of it. But most people don’t understand is when the body heals on it’s own it gets sick – terribly sick of times as it tries to rid what it doesn’t want or need.
There will always be negative publicity from the MDs point of you every time something powerful comes along that has the ability to give the body its power to do what it was meant to do – heal itself on its own! And unfortunately living in a world of instant gratification many people don’t have the patience and trust that they’re on the right path with natural supplements.
As many astute readers have discovered Dr. Gundry left his field~ of treatment and shifted his whole paradigm to prevention~
We live in a world where everybody has to give their two cents and unfortunately that’s too bad at times. I would encourage you to stop being so tribal – those of you that are on the fence about trying this product. Try this, and get in touch with your own internal messages. Keep a daily log of how you feel because the mind forgets a lot. You will see changes. Remember your body didn’t start falling apart overnight so it’s going to take time to get it back to being good and then Great again!