Morning Complete is a daily wellness drink marketed by ActivatedYou. The company is based in Santa Monica, California and also produces a number of other health and wellness products. Items in the range include a capsule-type supplement that supports healthy adrenal gland function, a digestive enzyme formulation, and a drink mix for improving bone health.
POSITIVES
Made by a reputable company
Contains some good ingredients
Long money back guarantee
Some good reviews from customers
NEGATIVES
Expensive.
Some customers report side effects.
Some negative reviews
SUMMARY
With a 90-day money-back guarantee, it could be argued you have nothing to lose by trying it.
Recommended Alternative: Supergreen Tonik – it contains all your daily goodness in a glass. It contains all natural ingredients without additives. Read more about Supergreen Tonik here
ActivatedYou Morning Complete is a powder-type supplement you mix with water and consume as a drink. As the name suggests, you take it in the mornings. According to ActivatedYou, Morning Complete provides a blast of nutrients that fortifies the body and supports optimal health.
Unfortunately, the flavor choice is restricted to Apple Cinnamon. ActivatedYou claims it tastes delicious but I found plenty of reviews left by people who don’t like the flavor at all.
This is an expensive product that’s recently doubled in price an and many customers say it’s too expensive. I agree.
ActivatedYou Morning Complete is also a hard product to categorize. In some ways, it’s a little like a supergreens powder, but the formulation doesn’t contain enough plant extracts to be classed as supergreens.
Content Table
What are the Benefits
- Designed to help support total wellness
- Supports healthy digestion, liver function, energy, and more
- Packed full of important nutrients taken from green vegetables
- Provides dietary fiber, probiotics, and antioxidants
- Delicious, easy to dissolve formulation with a refreshing apple cinnamon taste
How Does the Formulation Work?
ActivatedYou Morning Complete is a natural product that consists of eight proprietary blends:
- Prebiotic Blend: Nourishes probiotic bacteria, helping it to multiply.
- Green Superfoods Blend: Contains vegetable extracts to boost nutrient intake and benefit the health.
- Metabolic Blend: Supports healthy body weight.
- Sugar Balancing Support: ActivatedYou fails to say what this blend is meant to do, but it seems likely it’s meant to maintain a healthy balance between blood sugar and insulin.
- Cellular Function and Liver Support Blend: This blend apparently helps your body function and perform at peak levels.
- Antioxidant Blend: Supports good health by providing the body with antioxidants.
- Adaptogen Blend: For relieving stress and promoting a sense of well-being.
- Probiotic Blend: Provides 10 different strains of probiotic bacteria.
According to the Supplement Facts, ActivatedYou provide there are actually only nine strains of bacteria. So either someone over at the company headquarters cannot count or the Supplement Facts are wrong.
What’s the Best Way to Use Morning Complete?
ActivatedYou Morning Complete is a pretty simple product to use. It’s just a case of dissolving one scoop of powder in 8 oz. of water and then consuming it as your morning drink.
Alternatively, you can make the drink with green tea instead of water. However, if you are going to do this it makes sense to make sure the tea you use is cold. Using hot tea may destroy some of the nutrients and probiotic bacteria.
Morning Complete Ingredient Profile
The supplement facts ActivatedYou provides are rather interesting. Many product reviewers may not think to do the math, but I do. If you pay close attention to the information provided, you will see each one-scoop serving of Morning Complete provides 7.6 grams of powder.
When I looked at the key ingredients and added up the quantities, I discovered they only account for around 5.4 grams of the formulation. That means over two grams of each scoop of Morning Complete consists of the “other ingredients” ActivatedYou mention underneath the main supplement facts.
There are five of these ingredients and they account for a large part of the formulation.
What Do the Ingredients Do?
All the ingredients in ActivatedYou Morning Complete are grouped into proprietary blends. ActivatedYou only provides the weight of the blend. It does not provide any weights and measures for the individual ingredients the blends contain.
The lack of inclusion rates is rather frustrating so I will try and take a look at the potential value of each proprietary blend. Due to the fact that it makes up such a large part of the mix, I’m going to treat the “other ingredients” as a blend as well.
Prebiotic and High-Fiber Blend (4.05 g)
Although all the other blends are listed in milligrams, the Probiotic and High-Fiber Blend is not. At just over, 4 grams per serving it accounts for more than 50% of the formulation.
This blend only contains two ingredients:
- Chicory root fructooligosaccharides
- Cinnamon bark.
The term “prebiotic” refers to a certain kind of fiber. Your body cannot digest it so it reaches the intestines intact. The good (probiotic) bacteria in the gut uses this type of fiber as food, so consuming prebiotics is a good way to boost probiotic bacteria levels.
Of the two ingredients, chicory root fructooligosaccharides offers the most benefit as a prebiotic.
Cinnamon bark has value in other areas and is sometimes used as a natural remedy for stomach upsets and menstrual cramps. (https://www.webmd.com/vitamins/ai/ingredientmono-330/ceylon-cinnamon)
All in all, the prebiotic and High-Fiber Blend doesn’t look too bad. I think the cinnamon bark could be dispensed with, but the blend should do what it’s supposed to do.
Green Superfoods Blend (735 mg)
This formulation accounts for a much smaller portion of the formulation, but it contains more ingredients. There are seven in total:
- Spinach
- Broccoli
- Kale
- Alfalfa leaf
- Mulberry leaf
- Berberine HCI
- Barley Grass
This blend has one primary aim. It’s meant to support good health by boosting nutrient intake, but take a look at the inclusion rate. It’s only 735 mg. Unless these are seven super-potent extracts, that’s not going to make a big difference.
Although it can in no way be seen as a supergreens product, ActivatedYou Morning Complete is aimed at users who have similar aims—attaining and maintaining good health. With an inclusion rate as low as this, it simply cannot compete.
As far as the inclusions go, this looks like a pretty healthy blend. Kale is so nutrient-dense it’s often called the king of the supergreens. Spinach and broccoli are good sources of nutrients as well. There’s a lot of antioxidants in there too.
However, with such a low inclusion rate, the Green Superfoods Blend is not as good as it looks.
The best way to put this into perspective is to put it head to head with a quality supergreens formulation.
SuperGreen Tonik contains Kale, Spinach, and Barley Grass too, but it contains a whopping two grams of kale, one gram of spinach, and a full gram of barley grass powder as well. It also contains generous quantities of other plant extracts.
Knowing the supergreens market as I do, when I look at Morning Complete’s Green Supergreen Blend, I’m seriously unimpressed. The entire blend is only 750 mg. It’s not enough.
Metabolic Enhancing Blend (390 mg)
This blend aims to support healthy body weight. It should do that. It contains six ingredients and all of them boast natural fat-burning capabilities.
- Green tea
- White tea
- Ginger root
- Bitter melon fruit
- Turmeric root
- Black pepper extract
Green tea stands out as the ingredient that has the most to offer. It’s one of the best natural fat burners in the world. Research proves its ability to boost metabolism and themogenesis.
These abilities have been proven again and again and the results of one study suggest the benefits continue for up to 24 hours. (https://academic.oup.com/ajcn/article/70/6/1040/4729179)
I’m not knocking the other ingredients, but the metabolic blend may work better without them. A 350 mg dose of green tea would go a long way to getting the job done. The other ingredients burn fat but are unlikely to have the same power and probably weaken the blend.
Black pepper extract is the exception. It provides piperine. That’s good because piperine boosts nutrient absorption. However, most manufacturers use a patented form called Bioperine because it’s standardized to provide more piperine than normal extracts do.
Niggles aside, the Metabolic Enhancing Blend looks okay. However, if your main goal is to lose weight the best thing to do is forget about ActivatedYou Morning Complete and choose a quality diet pill instead.
Good diet pills boost fat-burning capabilities, provide appetite control, and support the weight loss process in many other ways.
Antioxidant Blend (100 mg)
Antioxidants purge the body of free radical toxins and help prevent oxidative stress. In doing so they help prevent disease while also offering anti-aging benefits.
The ActivatedYou Morning Complete Antioxidant blend contains three ingredients:
- Pomegranate fruit extract
- Lycium Berry
- Polygonum cupsidatum root extract
All these ingredients provide antioxidants. Polygonum cupsidatum is more commonly called Japanese knotwood. It’s not an ingredient I see very often when I’m writing reviews, but its a good source of resveratrol.
Resveratrol is an antioxidant that reduces oxidative stress and inflammation, but grapes provide it too and most manufacturers take it from them instead.
However, research supports polygonum cupsidatum’s ability to get the job done. (https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3665013/)
As far as the quantity goes, 100 mg is not a lot, but green tea, kale, and spinach are good sources of antioxidants too. So are many of the other ingredients in the other blends but let’s not forget a full serving of ActivatedYou Morning Complete powder is only 750mg. Again, if you put Morning Complete head to head with any good supergreens product, it’s going to look second-rate.
Sugar Balancing Support (100 mg)
ActivatedYou doesn’t explain the reason for this blend. However, after a meal there can be a battle between blood sugar and insulin.
When the body digests food, blood sugar levels can rise very fast and become too high. This causes the pancreas to release extra insulin, which bring the blood sugar level back down. If it brings it down too far, the brain senses the drop in blood sugar and responds by initiating cravings for carbs and sugar.
The Morning Complete Sugar Balancing Support blend contains three ingredients:
- Pine bark extract
- Gymnema sylvestre leaf
- Fennel seed
The good news is, all three inclusions are capable of helping the blend fulfill its purpose. However, green coffee bean extract is more commonly used for this purpose and the mineral chromium probably has greater value still. Most good diet pills contain chromium to provide blood sugar and insulin control.
Adaptogens (55 mg)
Adaptogen herbs benefit the body in many ways. Morning Complete state its adaptogen blend will relieve stress and increase feelings of well-being.
The blend contains three ingredients:
- Rhodiola rhosea root
- Astragalus root
- Diindolylmethane
Rhodiola rhosea offer the most value as a stress reliever. Astragalus is not a particularly popular ingredient. Despite the many claims made for its abilities in several areas, there is no proof that it works. The herb also presents the possibility of side effects.
When taken orally, the most common side effects are stomach discomfort, itchy skin, and nasal problems.
Diindolylmethane (DIM) is not an adaptogen. It’s a compound that comes for broccoli, cauliflower, and other cruciferous vegetables. Some people use it to change estrogen metabolism, but it’s unlikely to offer much in a blend such as this.
If ActivatedYou wanted to provide DIM, it may have been a better idea to provide a more realistic dose of broccoli in the Green Superfoods Blend. Doing so would have also boosted its nutritional value and the amount of antioxidants it provides.
Cellular Function and Liver Support (30 mg)
This formulation contains just two ingredients and, at just 30 mg in total, It’s probably not going to do a lot.
- Organic Aloe Vera
- Milk thistle seed extract
Aloe Vera is a laxative. Many people use it to soften their stools and get things moving. This can help clear the intestines of the bacteria and toxins that may have built up over a period of time.
The ingredient has other virtues as well, but it can be hard on the stomach and it’s best not to use it long-term.
Milk thistle gets a lot of respect for its liver cleansing abilities. It’s an ingredient in many detox formulations. If it’s being used for treating liver disorders, the dose is often 200-400 mg per day. There is no way this proprietary blend can provide nearly enough.
Probiotic Blend (10 billion CFU)
Many products contain probiotic blends such as this, including certain supergreens formulations.
The 10 billion bacteria this one provides comes from nine different strains. Again, there nothing particularly unique about the combination involved.
- B. Coagulans
- L. Gasseri
- L. Plantarum
- L. Rhamnosus
- B. Bifidum
- B. Longum
- L. Adidiphilus
- L. Casei
- S. Thermophilus
All the strains the blend provides are naturally present in the gut, but consuming probiotic supplements and dairy products has become the trendy thing to do.
Probiotic bacteria is a good type of bacteria. It helps reduce levels of the bad bacteria that can have a negative effect on the health and slow metabolism sufficiently to cause weight gain.
Other Ingredients (estimated to be around 2.2 grams of the formulation)
According to the information ActivatedYou provides, the other ingredients are:
- Natural flavors
- Guar gum
- Citric acid
- Rice hull concentrate
- Monk fruit extract.
There is no way to be sure what ingredients provide the natural flavors. However, monk fruit is a popular natural sweetener. It contains no calories but still manages to be 100-250 times sweeter than sugar.
Citric acid can be used to provide extra flavor, boost acidity, and preserve other ingredients. It may be being used here for the latter reason, but there is no way to be certain.
Rice hull concentrate is a flow agent. It stops other ingredients clumping together. It also prevents them from sticking to the machinery in manufacturing plants.
Guar gum is a natural ingredient that comes from guar beans. It appears to provide many benefits, but can also present side effects that have caused it to be banned from use in certain types of products.
The gum is low in calories and high in fiber. Sensible doses may improve gastric health and it might also help keep blood sugar and cholesterol levels under control.
Despite its virtues in some areas, I somehow can’t help but wonder if ActivatedYou is using guar gum as a cheap filler.
Are There Any ActivatedYou Customer Reviews?
The ActivatedYou website contains some very positive comments that are attributed to people who’ve used the product. That’s all well and good but reviews posted on manufacturers websites can be biased. I don’t trust them and much prefer to find feedback placed elsewhere.
Fortunately finding less biased sources of feedback was not too hard in this case and it’s true to say many people do seem to love this product. It’s also true to say a lot of people do not.
So although there are plenty of people saying ActivatedYou Morning Complete does what they want it to do, there are also those who say it does nothing at all.
Apart from stating the product does not work, some reviewers also complain about the taste and/or report stomach issues and other minor side effects. I also found several reviews from customers stating their packs of Morning Complete were only partially filled. One woman even claims she was sent an empty box.
Is there a Risk of Side Effects?
ActivatedYou warns against using ActivatedYou Morning Complete if you suffer from or develop diarrhea or loose stools or experience abdominal pain. The company issues no further warnings.
However, experts will tell you probiotic products may initially cause stomach upsets. They will also inform you the problem generally settles down after your stomach grows accustomed to the presence of extra bacteria.
It’s also important to be aware probiotic products are unsuitable for anyone with a weak immune system. Or, indeed, for individuals who are unusually susceptible to bacterial infections.
I have another worry about this product. It’s the guar gum. Although sensible doses can be beneficial, large doses have the potential to cause harm. (https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/guar-gum#section4)
Let’s not forget, each serving of Morning Complete contains a hefty helping of “other ingredients”. Most of them there to improve flavor and there may not be a lot. Rice hull concentrate is a flow agent so it’s unlikely to be a dominant ingredient either.
That leaves guar gum. I have no way to be certain, but it’s possible guar gum may be a key player in the formulation. With that in mind, if you are seriously thinking of using ActivatedYou Morning Complete, I suggest you discuss the matter with a qualified medical professional first.
Some customers do report side effects including stomach problems and skin rash. Take this information on board and don’t use this product without checking with a doctor first.
Morning Complete Purchasing Options and Considerations
Morning Complete used to be available via Amazon but, at the time of this review, the Amazon sales pages were no longer online. If you want to buy Morning Complete now, it appears you can only do so via the manufacturer’s site.
As for the cost, presuming you receive a full jar, a 30-day supply will cost you $79. The original price was considerably less and many customers complain about the dramatic increase in cost. It’s a decision that has also driven some customers away.
Bulk buy saving are available, but the maximum saving is just 15%. At the time of this review, the best deal was to buy six bottles of Morning Complete for $403. With the previous price scale, the total spend would have been around half this amount.
Does Morning Complete Have a Guarantee?
ActivatedYou promises a 90-day money-back guarantee. Refunds are less postage and handling costs. It’s normal for companies to refuse to refund postage. However, not all companies deduct handling costs and those that do usually disclose what the costs will be. ActivatedYou fails to provide this important information.
Hit or Miss? (Is Morning Complete a Good Product?)
ActivatedYou says Morning Complete can support healthy digestion and liver function. The company also claims the formulation provides dietary fiber and antioxidants and will, as a whole, support total wellness. Presuming the guar gum content isn’t overly high, it should be able to do these things.
However, there are supergreens products that can do all the same things and are more capable of doing so. Compared to any good supergreens product, Morning Complete is far too weak. It’s also unnecessarily expensive. You could buy any of the top supergreens products for a very similar price and you’d be getting more for your money.
If Morning Complete were to remove some of the “other ingredients” and increase the amount of vegetables in the Green Superfoods Blend, it may make for a more credible product. However, at just 7.6 grams per serving, Morning Complete doesn’t provide nearly enough. Supergreens product generally provide 12 grams per serving or more.
With a 90-day money-back guarantee, it could be argued you have nothing to lose by trying the product. However, due to the questions about the guar gum content and the fact that some customers report side effects, I would still urge you to get professional medical advice before introducing Morning Complete to your daily routine.
