The PGX Scam - I Wonder if John Gray (not so much a PhD) Gets a Kickback

Relationship guru, John Gray, whose newest book is Venus on Fire, Mars on Ice, is promoting a supplement as part of his plan to make your relationship work better than it ever has before. His new approach is all about hormonal balance.

Before we get to that, however, let's dispel any myth that John Gray is an expert in anything, certainly not health. He always refers to himself as a Dr. or a PhD - but he's not either. His website says that he holds a Ph.D. in Psychology from Columbia Pacific University. Problem is, the school was a "diploma mill" not accredited by any organization, and was forced to shut down by the Marin County Superior Court.

The Rick Ross cult watch (and guru busting site) has been keeping tabs on Gray - here is the skinny on his education:

Previously CultNews.com reported that Gray's doctorate is "worthless." According to California's attorney general a "diploma mill" that was later shut down issued it.

CultNews kept checking further and can now report that both of John Gray's other purported degrees are also unaccredited and essentially worthless too.

Neither his BA nor his MA is from an accredited institution of higher education.

Gray received his undergraduate degrees from Maharishi European Research University in Seelisberg, Switzerland before returning to the United States in 1982, according to his posted bio at Brooks International.

Maharishi European Research University in Switzerland is not accredited according to World Education Services (WES) or the Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA).

Both accrediting organizations could not find the Swiss Maharishi U anywhere in their exhaustive and well-maintained databases.

For what it's worth, his ex-wife, Barbara DeAngelis, also got her "PhD" from Columbia Pacific University - and yes, two of the best selling relationship authors could not make their marriage work. Hmmm . . . .

OK, that's all old news - but it's relevant because Gray continues to pass himself off as an expert. In his new book, he is touting a supplement called PGX.

His newest book claims to solve all your relationship problems by fixing your hormone imbalances - although I'm not sure what his training is in nutrition, the endocrine system, or even relationships for that matter. Here is the brief summary from AlterNet's Vanessa Richmond - in Why Self-Help Books That Promise Happiness Are a Scam.

The modern world is stressful for men and women, more so than ever, and thus humans produce more cortisol in response. But while cortisol gives us the jolt needed to outrun saber tooth tigers, or deal with equivalent emergencies like mis-addressing a sensitive email, over time, cortisol suppresses other good hormones like oxytocin (for women) and testosterone (for men). That makes us each wound up and run down. Ugh. Men and women are from different planets, and it takes lots of energy to communicate with aliens. And this hormonal problem means we have an even harder time of it, and end up arguing more, which produces more cortisol and less happiness.

The solution? Women need to spend more time nurturing and being nurtured, which stimulates oxytocin. And men need to solve problems under pressure, then lie on the couch and watch TV, which uses and then replenishes their testosterone levels. We all also need to eat better. Oh and we need to buy a special nutritional supplement made in Canada called PGX which is "remarkable."

I'm oversimplifying, but not by much.

So being the curious guy that I am, I decided to check out PGX and see what this wonder supplement is and how it works. The PGX site makes a lot of incredible claims but nowhere does it provide a list of ingredients, other than this:

PolyGlycopleX (PGX) is a unique blend of highly-purified, water-soluble polysaccharides (plant fibers) developed using advanced EnviroSimplex technology. This technology combines these natural compounds in a very specific ratio making PGX an effective weight loss aid and dietary supplement. PGX is available in Ultra Matrix softgel capsules, granules, meal replacement drink mixes and regular capsules.

They make the following claims for their supplement:

• PGX Supports Healthy Weight Loss
• PGX Helps Maintain Healthy Blood Sugar Levels Already within a Normal Range
• PGX Supports the Excretion of Cholesterol
• PGX is High in Fiber
• PGX is Safe and Stimulant Free

Does any of this sound familiar? The other day I posted an article by Dr. Mark Hyman (an actual real doctor) on a newish supplement on the market that does exactly all of those things - it's called glucomannan.

So I think to myself, I wonder if that is what's in PGX? So a little more digging turns up a diet supplement review site - UltimateFatBurner.com - that offers a little insight into this new wonder supplement:

PGX Daily is primarily a glucomannan/konjac supplement. That means it is basically a fiber supplement. There are numerous glucomannan based fat burners on the market today—Lipozene, FiberThin, Propolene, and Tetrazene are a few that come to mind immediately. So the use of glucomannan in weight loss products is nothing new.

Further down, after listing some of the studies that support glucomannan, there is this:

Also present in a single capsule (according to the advertising I reviewed) are...

• Sodium alginate: An algae-based thickener that is commonly used in pie fillings.
• Xanthan gum: A thickening agent formed when the bacteria Xanthomonas campestris is combined with corn sugar.

These two ingredients, along with the glucomannan, comprise the "PolyGlycoplex" element of the formula, and total 750 mg.

So essentially, the only "active" ingredient is the glucomannan - the rest is just filler to increase the density of the supplement. Having done a lot of reading dumbass marketing claims for PGX, I found no evidence that glucomannan or any form of soluble fiber can help to control cortisol - in fact, I am not aware of any supplement that controls cortisol (this has been the holy grail of bodybuilding supplement companies since controlling cortisol can decrease muscle loss while dieting).

On his own site, Gray is selling Daily PGX for 39.95 for a bottle of 120 capsules. The label claims 2250 mg of the three fiber substances PLUS 1800 mg of MCT oil, which has no known weight loss benefit unless one is going ketogenic (the oil is a laxative, too, so it gives you the double whammy with the fibers). But let's do the math - that would 4050 mg in 3 capsules - there's not any way that is correct, so there must be less of something in this product, the question is which part?

Anyway, since the only real substance of value is the glucomannan, let's see what we can expect to pay for that supplement around the web.

Puritan's Pride, 90 caps, 500 mg per cap, 2 (180 caps) for $12.99, 5 (450 caps) for $25.98
Nature's Way, 180 caps, 665 mg per cap, $13.99
Swanson, 90 caps, 700 mg per cap, $2.74
Now Foods, 180 caps, 575 mg per cap, $7.99
Gluten Smart, 500 grams bulk powder, $17.99
Herbal Extracts Plus, 1 lb bulk powder, $29.40

Other products labeled as Daily PGX sell for between $27 (120 caps) to $80 (180 caps).

So essentially, what we may have here is another coral calcium scam - remeber the one perpetrated by Kevin Trudeau (and Robert Barefoot - see Time's article too) a few years back, that got him banned by the FDA from EVER selling any kind of supplement - unfortunately, the First Amendment protects his right to sell his books, although he has been sued for "patently false" claims yet again.

The bottom line on glucomannan is that it is a soluble fiber - nothing. Increasing dietary fiber, soluble and insoluble will aid digestion, slow gastric emptying, and may help reduce insulin levels - but you have to eat well and exercise. Claiming you can lose weight without exercise and proper nutrition is simply a lie.

One last note - his site also sells the HCG Diet (for $100) - which is dangerous, as detailed here.

Tags: Health, nutrition, fiber, scams, John Gray, Daily PGX, glucomannan, PolyGlycoplex, Sodium alginate, Xanthan gum, soluble fiber, MCT oil, Venus on Fire, Mars on Ice, fake PhD, Rick Ross, CultNews.com