I was sad that I missed this years’ Shaklee Conference, because it was held while I was shepherding the July newsletter to the printer. The FrontRunners did all the heavy-lifting for me for 18 years (taking orders, collecting fees, and overseeing deliveries), but the ensuing big change expanded my publishing skillset, and for that I am grateful.

The two most important portions of the Convention were the update to Shaklee's complete Life Shake line AND the October release of the new Sparkling Protein.


Let’s start by reviewing the discussion led by Dr. Gabrielle Lyon, author of “Forever Strong: A New, Science-based Strategy for Aging Well.” [1]




Meet Dr. Gabrielle Lyon

Dr. Lyon earned her doctorate in Osteopathic Medicine (D.O.) and is board certified in Family Medicine. She completed her undergrad training in Human Nutrition at the University of Illinois, focusing on Vitamin and Mineral Metabolism. She then completed a combined research and clinical fellowship in Nutritional Science/ Geriatrics at Washington University in St. Louis.

The traditional medical advice about health, starting in the late 80s, was that cholesterol was a huge health threat. Dr Lyon says that medicine got it wrong. Their focus was on fat... avoiding it, and suppressing it, while she advised us that:

“We are not overfat. We are under-muscled.”

After all, our muscles BURN those calories, and so, more muscle is the ideal solution. Muscles are also our largest single organ. And as it turns out, our muscle system is also part of our endocrine system.

Muscles in motion (following repeated contractions) burn calories, and those muscle fibers also release small proteins (called myokines) that act as messengers, influencing numerous bodily functions through autocrine, paracrine, and endocrine effects.   Her major thesis is that “Muscle is the organ of longevity”

Myokines play a role in various bodily functions, including:

• Metabolism:   Regulating glucose and fat metabolism.

• Brain health:   Affecting cognitive function.

• Inflammation:   By reducing inflammation.

• Muscle growth and repair:   Contribute to muscle building and repair.

• Bone health:   Influencing bone formation.

The most interesting point Gabrielle shared was about our protein intake.

Current protein recommendations (RDA) of 0.9 grams per kilo (or 2.2 pounds of weight), is horribly outdated (based on World War II research) and current research now suggests DOUBLE that dose:

1 gram (g) of protein, per pound of our TARGET weight, per day. [2], [3], [4]

So, IF you weigh 120 pounds (or wish you did!), you require 120 grams of protein per day. She also explained that while digesting 100 grams of protein, it will also release about 60 grams of glucose during extended digestion. For that reason, we do NOT need to consume as many carbohydrates as we used to (like bread, noodles, potatoes etc.)

She recommends that each meal should contain a minimum of 30-50 g. protein (depending on our weight) and no more than 40 g of added carbs, per meal.

The most important thing you will experience following a high(er) protein meal is that you will feel FULL AND SATISFIED for MUCH longer periods, and you will NOT daydream about munching on pastries.

This week (in late July) I started by upping my meal shake to 3 scoops (30 grams) of Life Shake protein, and even after 5 hours I was still not hungry.

If you are not ready to read her book, she does have numerous interviews and podcasts available online [4], to get you started.

When you combine DOUBLING your protein intake WITH EXERCISE, you will discover that “Muscle really is the organ of longevity.”




The New Life Shake

The first and most important news is that Life Shake (be it plant-based or soy-based) will ALWAYS be sourced from non-GMO, organically-grown, and meticulously rendered powders, with no damage to their constituent nutrients.

Second: Over Life Shake’s 10-year history, Shaklee has always responded to customer concerns about removing sugar (low as it was) from their shake formula. They experimented with various non-glycemic ingredients, to add a sense of sweetness, to help make the meal go down smoothly. The new shake now contains 0-grams of sugar, and is naturally sweetened and with monk fruit and Reb M.

Monk Fruit is classified as a non-nutritive sweetener (NNS). Scientists at Jacobs School of Medicine (here in Buffalo, NY) did a small trial involving people who were overweight/obese with variations in their insulin resistance. [5], Their conclusions were that insulin resistance is associated with the choice of sugar-sweetened over monk fruit sweetened yogurt.

One year before, these same researchers found that insulin resistance was associated with a preference for sugar-sweetened foods in participants with obesity, which may make it hard for them to make dietary changes. That is a pretty good definition for addictive behavior and (may) help explain WHY customers have resisted NNS sweeteners in the past. [6]

Reb M is a natural, non-caloric sweetener derived from the stevia plant. Reb M is known for its clean, sugar-like taste, with minimal bitterness or aftertaste, making it a popular choice for sugar reduction in foods and beverages.

Life Shake includes 20 grams of protein per serving. That has not changed. In the case of the Plant Protein version, it also contains all 9 of the essential amino acids, including leucine to help us turn our protein into new lean muscle. That also leads me to mention the following study.

A recent study at Purdue University compared the intake of 4 different foods for their availability of amino-acids (EAA), per ounce:

pork (provides 7.36 g EAA),

eggs (5.38 g EAA),

black beans (3.02 g EAA), and

almonds (1.85 g EAA). [7]

Their conclusion was that “The same "oz-eq" portions of animal- and plant-based protein foods do not provide equivalent EAA content...”

Unfortunately, they appear to have ignored the simple fact that an ounce of pork contains almost 4 times as many aminos (by weight) as almonds do.

What that really means is that IF I chose almonds as my protein source, I would need to eat 4 ounces of them to capture the same amount of amino-acids found in one ounce of pork. [7]

That is the beauty of Shaklee science. They KNOW this stuff, inside and out. They gather the amino acids that we need FROM a natural source (be it soy or another plant protein) and you get the same number of amino acids from either type of shake. THAT is what really matters.

One ounce of beef or chicken contains around 7-8 grams of protein, and one ounce of fish slightly less at 6 grams.

Once you KNOW how many grams of protein you want to consume (in my case 40 grams per meal) then dividing 40 grams by 8-per means I need about 5 ounces of beef or chicken, or 6.5 ounces of fish.

OR I can add 4 scoops of Life Shake into my blender to capture the same health benefits.

THAT is why I am now exploring the 28-serving pouches, since they will save you 18¢ on every scoop that you use!

SOY-based protein

PLANT-based protein

It is very good news that Life Shake switches on natural GLP-1 production, a hormone produced by cells in our intestines. Once released, they help signal feelings of fullness, while also slowing our digestion (which lowers blood sugar release). This prevents developing insulin resistance and the potential onset of type-2 diabetes, [8], [9] as well as maintaining our energy levels throughout the day.

GLP-1 works in the body by:

• Stimulating insulin release from the pancreas to lower blood sugar levels by increasing cellular uptake.

• Blocks secretion of glucagon, which prevents your liver from releasing stored glucose reserves.

• Decreasing appetite and enhancing satiety (fullness), leading to less desire to eat more.

Life Shake also contains 6 grams of soluble fiber to support intestinal health and regularity. It contains a unique prebiotic to support the beneficial bacteria that assist in complete digestion.

It also contains digestive enzymes to activate the breakdown of protein into the amino acids we require daily, to maintain muscle repair and the building of new muscle.

It also provides alpha-linolenic acid (ALA) the precursor of the essential omega-3 fatty acids (FAs), including EPA and DHA. They both inhibit inflammation.

When cell membranes are damaged by an injury, they release arachidonic acid (an omega-6 FA) to start the inflammatory process (the first stage of healing). Then omega-3 FAs moderate and extinguish that inflammation to complete the healing process.

Most processed foods contain a LOT of omega-6 FAs. Their dietary presence, in so many foods, has created a pro-inflammatory state in our populace.

That is why Shaklee added omega-3 FAs to the Life Shake line, as well as creating a spectrum of other O-3 products, including:

OmegaGuard,

Omega-3 Gellys, and

Vegan Omega-3.

Shaklee also added:

Caroto-E Omega capsules to Vitalizer and

OmegaGuard-Plus capsules to Life Strip.

Early inflammation DOES help to inhibit infection, while increasing blood flow and oxygen delivery to the wound site. It also clears debris and damaged tissue from the wound, preparing that tissue for repair.

Omega 3s are required to halt the inflammatory process, to instigate tissue repair by various specialized cells. If you would like to learn more about the healing process, follow this link. [10]




Life Shake provides 25 essential vitamins and minerals, including a significant dose of calcium (now 50% DV), vitamin D (now 100% DV) and Vitamin K to improve calcium absorption and deposition, supporting bone health and enhanced immune function.

This full-spectrum of nutrients also supports heart health, brain and nervous system function, vision and eye health, and natural energy production, ALL from one magnificent product.

At the time of this writing (late July 2025) only 2 Plant Protein Shake pages have been updated [11]. August should see the complete update of the Life Shake line, on the website.

Make sure to click on the Product Details, and the Proven Science sections.
I am very impressed with how complete they are, and the graphics are stunning!

Being such a huge fan of Shaklee Science, I recently created a Shaklee Studies Page [12] to gather their most important research on several Shaklee product lines.

I AM a science geek, and enjoy reading these studies BUT I find science journals boring to my eyes. That is why I created these pages, to brighten up the presentation of their incredible articles.

Make sure you review all 3 South Shore YMCA studies, and start with their #1 first. [13] since it was written for a lay audience.




The South Shore YMCA Studies

A Shaklee friend and hero (Rita La Rosa Loud) enrolled an exercise physiologist (Wayne Westcott, PhD) into the idea of running a multi–month exercise trial to show how a unique Shaklee protein product (back in 2006 it was the CINCH shake) could help older adults.

Following the publication of their astounding results in a national Fitness magazine. [13] Shaklee chose to design updates to their protein products, eventually leading to the current Life Shake line.

Their first study was simple and elegant. They enrolled 68 middle-aged men and women into the program. [13] Dr. Westcott had run previous exercise studies at the South Shore YMCA in Quincy, Massachusetts. He enrolled sedentary adults to perform two to four months of regular strength training.

That group averaged adding 3 pounds of muscle tissue while also elevating their resting metabolic rate by approximately 7 percent, which equates to expending roughly 100 additional calories per day in a 175–pound individual. That was VERY good news for folks who wanted to slow the loss of muscle that accompanies the aging process, and wished to achieve and maintain a healthier body composition.

This is why they chose to expand the study to 6 months. Both groups did the exact same workout, over a 6–month period. Half the participants then received a Shaklee protein drink immediately after their exercise. The participants who consumed the protein drink gained approximately 25 percent more lean muscle weight, and lost 50 percent more body fat than the non-protein group.

The strength-training program had a frequency of two to three days per week. The exercise protocol was adapted from the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) guidelines: [14]

• They used 11 weight-stack machines: leg extension, leg curl, leg press, incline press, seated row, triceps press, biceps curl, low back extension, abdominal curl, torso rotation and neck extension

• One set of each exercise was performed, with resistance that permitted participants to complete at least eight to 12 ‘good’ repetitions.

• They controlled movement speeds to 6 seconds per repetition, and full range of motion was encouraged.

• The resistance was increased by about 5 percent after participants managed 12 good repetitions.

After 23 weeks of training, all 46 remaining exercisers experienced significant improvements in their body composition, including a 4.7–pound gain in lean muscle, and 7–pound loss in fat.

However, the group that drank the shake immediately after their workout increased their lean muscle gain by 5.5 pounds, and decreased their fat weight by 9 pounds — a 14.5–pound improvement in their body composition.

That’s WHY the Shaklee group gained approximately 25 percent more lean muscle weight, and lost almost 50 percent more body fat! And remember ... BOTH groups did the same exact workout. The shake is what made that difference.

Need I say more? Remember, they were were a sedentary group of adults, with an average age of 59 years. Most impressive.

As they say, it’s never too late to make positive health changes!

The 2 other South Shore YMCA Studies, along with protein trials of Shaklee employees are included in the Protein sub-section of Shaklee's finest studies.




New Sparkling Protein

Based upon the many posts on FaceBook, during and after Convention, the big hit was the (new) Sparkling Protein, which will be released this October. It is a sparkling protein seltzer featuring 40 grams of next-generation Whey Protein Isolate and a comprehensive amino acid blend.

Shaklee's Sparkling Protein is a lemon-lime flavored, sparkling beverage, contains whey protein isolate including leucine, monk fruit, and Reb-M as the key ingredients. It also includes carbonated water.

TOTAL ingredients = 5, that’s all!

The main ingredient is NOT a Whey Protein formula (a milk-based protein) that only provides about 70–80% protein, plus containing lactose (a.k.a.milk sugar), fat, and carbs.

Shaklee’s new Sparkling Protein contains the next-generation whey protein isolate which delivers 90% or higher protein levels, and filters out virtually all of the lactose, fat, and carbs.

It contains leucine to drive muscle repair after exercise and the creation of new lean muscle, plus all 9 essential amino acids. along with 8 additional amino acids, for the complete spectrum.

Everyone I know who tried it raved about its delicious flavor, and some even devised mock-cocktails with it, just for fun.

I can hardly wait for October to order the new Sparkling Protein.