Xango analysis...(loooong)

[Guest guest]

I have had some time to look at this for many hours yesterday. In

addition, I was invited to do a book signing at a nutrition

conference this past weekend and heard some other opinions on this.

It is helpful to look at the technical quality of a product apart

from whatever business structure or marketing a company uses. The

assessment below is in 2 parts: one on the MLM marketing structure

and one on the actual product. Sorry it is a bit long but I wanted to

be somewhat thorough and cover all aspects of the the issue.

Part 1: What is Xango

Xango is a word made from combining the name of the fruit mangosteen

with the name of the basic functional element in the fruit,

xanthones. Basically the Xango looks like a raw fruit juice (like

papaya juice with pulp included) with other fruit juices added. The

main functional components are xanthones (which are antioxidants just

like other fruit juices have antioxidants) and polysaccharides. Here

is a good link on the various antioxidants and their health benefits.

Xanthones are listed under polyphenols, and so this juice is very

likely high in phenols, if that is a concern. If Xango contains raw

fruit and is not heat treated, it probably has some active enzymes in

it like other raw fruit juices do.

http://tuberose.com/Antioxidants.html

If anyone is wanting to research this, search under the xanthones

or `xanthones –xango'. By using `-xango' in a google search, it will

eliminate most of the Xango marketing sites and you are much more

likely to find objective information on just xanthones. Pubmed

searches on xanthones or the botanical name of the mangosteen plant,

garcinia mangostana, may be more helpful than looking for Xango.

The ingredients in Xango are:

- Reconstituted garcinia mangostana juice from whole fruit,

- apple juice concentrate,

- pear juice concentrate,

- grape juice concentrate,

- pear puree,

- blueberry juice concentrate,

- raspberry juice concentrate,

- strawberry juice concentrate,

- cranberry juice concentrate,

- cherry juice concentrate,

- citric acid, natural flavor, pectin, xanthan gum, sodium benzoate,

potassium sorbate.

Source: http://www.naturalxango.com/xango_about.asp

Here is FAQ on mangosteen from a marketing site:

http://d429570.u31.infinology.net/mangosteen/

So Xango is a blend of assorted fruits juices/purees any of which is

known to have antioxidant and fruit benefits.

A fair amount of the science said to be associated with Xango is on

the benefits of antioxidants which have been well-studied in the past

and known to be good for overall health. Nothing wrong with good

sources of antioxidants. Most people don't get enough of them or of

nutritious whole foods. So if you are on a poor diet to begin with,

taking this product will likely produce some benefits in overall

health.

What I didn't find was how the antioxidants in Xango were

significantly different from just consuming other whole-food sources

of antioxidants in other fruit purees, fruits or vegetables. That

would be the interesting part. If anyone has studies for this, please

send them to me.

The references given above reads `the biochemically active components

of the Mangosteen have been rigorously examined in the laboratory.'

This does not indicate how those active components affect human

health in clinical studies. It could be that when consumed in every

day life by humans as Xango, the active components don't produce any

benefits…or any benefit that is different than drinking other fruit

juices or eating fresh fruit. It just isn't clear. Studying isolated

nutrients can be very different than how those nutrients function in

the body as a whole-food. However, it would be reasonable to think

you would get as least as much benefit as other high-antioxidant

fruit concentrated products.

A big selling point is that it tastes great (like many other fruit

juices). But I have heard `it tastes great' about many `health food'

products and supplements and personally thought they were dreadful

simply not able to choke it down. So `it tastes great' is definitely

a relative term. Being made from fruits with the natural sugars, it

likely does have some type of natural sweet taste…maybe like a berry

blend. In this regard, Xango may be beneficial to health just as the

5 recommended servings of fruits and vegetables a day would. However,

at $25-$40 a bottle, there are some really great fruit juices or

fruit purees on the market that would be less expensive you could try

first.

Regarding price, it might be good to consider how much you are

typically paying for synthetic supplements. Xango sounds like it

would be a whole-food form of nutrition instead of individual

synthetic supplements. Thus you might very well see some benefits due

to that, particularly if you haven't been so successful getting your

child to eat any other source of whole-food fruits, vegetables, or

juices. However, a No-Fenol enzyme might be needed if the person is

sensitive to phenols/salicylates. Compare with other sources of whole-

food based fruit nutrition: Juice Plus, Radical Fruits, juicing, etc.

Part 2: The Marketing Structure.

Xango is sold by network marketing in an MLM format. Being an MLM

does not make an organization automatically all bad just as being

a `traditional' corporation does not make one automatically all good.

However, just the fact Xango is MLM is a gross negative to many

people because of some humongous reasons. Many people have

horror/harrassment stories about experiences with an MLM in the past

either from personal experience or know someone who has. You probably

are aware that some MLMs have notorious negative reputations while

others are not. The fact that it is MLM may be enough in itself to

cancel out any benefits a particular product might have – makes

investigating the product simply not worth the time, effort, or risk

of getting involved with it.

Autism is currently a `hot market' and very trendy to tap into to.

Most parents of special needs kids are sick and tired of being prey

of everyone trying to make a buck off their unfortunate situation.

This includes unscrupulous doctors, some autism groups, and 'autism'

specialty companies. Families are stressed and tired and only want

their child better. And they have to put a certain amount of that

precious energy trying to discern which are the legitimate and

worthwhile groups and therapies and which are simply trying to make

money off of them.

Other people see how much money can be made from `desperate parents'

(such as how much dan affiliates can make from just saying something

might work). Just about anyone can claim to be an `autism dan doctor'

and start charging out the ying-yang for whatever he or she wants.

Many saw what happened with secretin where vials of sugar water where

being sold for thousands of dollars as secretin because some parents

wanted it that much. This is frustrating and sad. I hear it happens

with other serious illnesses such as cancer and AIDS. Dishonest

people figure they can get in on this financial action and cover-up

anything they do by saying, " It's just to help the poor little

children. "

However, it is also true that very honest and ethical people do need

to make a living and pay their bills. Good businesses need to be able

to pay their bills as well, afford research supplies, and make

worthwhile products available.

A big problem with MLMs is the characteristic aggressive sales style

particularly at the personal level. Workers are constantly pushed to

recruit and sell. The product just about takes a back seat to all the

sales. You might be really interested in the product and even really

like it, but the standard MLM doesn't allow it to `end' there. You

are constantly, indirectly or directly, hounded to `take advantage of

the opportunity' to be a distributor and then try to get everyone you

know to do the same. MLM workers are told to surround everything they

say with lots and lots of excitement to entice others to want to buy

and become distributors. They are told to be very enthusiastic and

excited to increase sales.

This presents another problem: When is someone really, sincerely

excited about something and really trying to share about their child

doing well, and when is it part of the sales pitch? How would know if

someone was trying to really be helpful or happy their child is

better and when is it `marketing'? And when is it a little of both –

some truth with extra marketing on added in just? A hard thing to

determine right off.

Because Xango is relatively new, there is the added pressure to `get

in on' this hot new market and hot new fad. Thus it is extremely

important to separate the emotion from the facts. Serious health

issues tend to be very emotional anyway. With autism, people are

especially highly emotional about their children's health and

futures, and very susceptible to emotional plays.

Xango's sales angle combines this `hot, new' product with positioning

the juice as rare and exotic from some remote place…in limited supply

(so you better get it while you can! – it adds a sense of urgency to

the issue) and thus, quite expensive. It rather reminds me of fairy

tales that go, " You can save the beautiful princess from the evil

troll's magic spell by making a potion from the rare white juju plant

leaves that only grows in the Mysterious Valley past the ancient

Maruvian Mountains. But beware: you will need to past through the

Dark Forest and Centaur Swamp. Be quick because the juju plant only

grows in the late spring and then dies in the summer heat. It doesn't

come back for seven more seasons and the princess is in peril. "

When you look at Xango sites, you can see the very aggressive

marketing push and sales packaging this product is surrounded in. Non-

MLM, traditional type businesses may do this too, it is just MLMs

rely much more heavily on the `exciting personal testimony'.

Special Notice: has its own policy for certain marketing

practices and `spam' for anyone not aware of it. has a special

area for business and the are limited in what is allowed

for business. In more than one place in the terms of service it reads

that one agrees to not to: upload, post, email, transmit or otherwise

make available any unsolicited or unauthorized advertising,

promotional materials, " junk mail, " " spam, " " chain letters, " " pyramid

schemes, " or any other form of solicitation, except in those areas

(such as shopping rooms) that are designated for such purpose (please

read our complete Spam Policy). Your account and any groups can be

immediately terminated without warning. With that as the policy, it

is wise to keep in mind that rogue soliciting sales via

discussion groups is clearly frowned upon. does have

advertising opportunities which companies pay for and those

businesses promoting their products appropriately do not much

appreciate others trying to use the system inappropriately. If

someone is wanting to directly market their wares via ,

please contact and investigate the avenues they have set up for

those purposes.

Bottomline: there is probably some legitimate health benefits to

Xango as a natural whole-food fruit juice as a source of nutrition,

antioxidants, and other benefits just as other fruits convey such

benefits. However, it is surrounded in mega-aggressive marketing,

mega-hype with a hefty price tag and you might get similar benefits

from less expensive sources with less hassle If anyone not associated

with the company tries Xango please post your results.

This will be posted at the www.enzymestuff.com site under Related

Topics with any corrections, added information, and references as I

find them.

.