title: Effects of greens+: a randomized, controlled trial.
abstract: Greens+ is a popular natural health product marketed as energy-enhancing; however, no objective data substantiate this claim. The study objective was to determine if ingestion of greens+ 1. increases vitality, energy, and perception of well-being; 2. increases overall mental health and general health, and 3. decreases the incidence of colds and flus in an otherwise healthy female population. A total of 105 women were enrolled in this 12-week, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial; 63 (60%) completed the treatment protocol. Both treatment and placebo groups showed a significant time trend effect, scoring better on all outcome measures as the trial progressed. Compared with the placebo group, the greens+ group scored marginally higher on vitality, the primary outcome measure (p=0.055), and significantly higher on energy (a secondary outcome measure, p=0.018). Findings were based on repeated measures analysis of variance; baseline scores were used as covariates. Although a trend toward greater improvement in the greens+ group was noted in the other secondary outcome measures, this trend did not reach statistical significance. Overall, our findings were positive but not conclusive that greens+ increases vitality and energy. These results provide justification for further study of the effects of greens+.
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
authors.forename: Heather
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Boon
authors.forename: Joyce
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Clitheroe
authors.forename: Tonia
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Forte
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D019587:Dietary Supplements; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D005260:Female; D006304:Health Status; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000494:pharmacology*; D010946:Plants, Medicinal; D011788:Quality of Life; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D010936:Plant Extracts