Liveitup Reds Review: Benefits, Drawbacks, Cost

But is this reds powder all it’s cracked up to be?

In this review, I’ll look closely at liveitup reds pros, cons, and subtleties.

Why Are Reds And Shrooms So Important?

Red fruits and veggies provide a spectrum of nutrients that plants of the green-hued variety can’t quite match.

These red superfoods are typically high in beetroot, berries, or some combination of the two.

They’re known for their ability to boost your body’s nitric oxide levels, leading to improved cognitive function and athletic performance. (Source)

Feel free to read more about how green juice and red juice are different, or about our top-rated red powder supplements.

Without further ado, let’s get into the comparison!

The Brand Behind Vitality

Ensō Superfoods is a pretty new brand, I looked at their Liveitup Greens before.

They were founded in 2020 just two years ago.

Since then, however, the brand has been growing fast.

Maybe it’s the fact that its founders have already established successful businesses…maybe it’s because the brand has a decidedly upsale vibe…maybe it’s Ensō has honed in on a select few super-trendy products.

Regardless of the reason(s), Ensō Superfoods seems here to stay.

What powers this exciting new brand?

The desire to solve a modern problem:

We accept that life gets busy (and often chaotic), and eating healthy becomes hard. In fact, 90% of Americans are not eating enough fruits and vegetables. We believe this is a problem worth solving. […] Sometimes the solutions are found in labs and technology, other times in nature and what makes us all humans. Ensō is a balance of both.

And while this brand does leverage modern scientific findings en route to making their products, they draw a strict line before featuring synthetics:

The brand explain:

Our formulas are free of anything synthetic, produced in labs or elsewhere other than nature. It's from nature to you, via us.

Enso Superoods Vitality’s Ingredients List

I’ll be the first to admit that all of this sounds great.

But the proof is in the pudding — or, in this case, in the ingredients list.

On the bright side, Vitality’s ingredients are pure.

They’re 100% USDA-certified organic and sourced from various farms from across the world.

They’re also lab-tested throughout multiple parts of the production process.

On the not-so-bright side, all of Vitality’s active ingredients are hidden within a single proprietary blend.

These ingredients may be pure, but we don’t know how much of any of them is present.

Here are the Enso Superfoods Vitality supplement facts:

Vitality’s Top Health Benefits

Vitality’s top goal is to combat the dreaded mid-day slump.

It was designed to uplift both body and mind with a thoughtful combination of veggies, mushrooms, and other adaptogens.

Ensō says:

Fuel your body with natural energy & maintain your optimal state throughout the day.

The brand even claims that Vitality is energizing enough to be a suitable replacement for coffee.

Once again, this sounds good on paper…but we simply can’t know if this claim is true.

To see if any of Vitality’s active ingredients are present in the quantities needed to uplift, energize, et cetera, let’s see what the science says about each of these ingredients’ optimal doses:

Organic Beet Powder

Minimum effective dose: 300+ mg

There isn’t really a consensus on how much beetroot powder is enough beetroot powder.

The International Society of Sports Nutrition recommends athletes consume 300-600mg of nitrates/day, while other sources recommend far less.

300mg of beetroot per day is likely a bare minimum, though doses of 1.5+ g are far more effective.

Organic Pomegranate Powder

Minimum effective dose: 750 mg

A commonly recommended dosage of pomegranate powder is 750 mg.

This is roughly equivalent to a few small glasses of fresh pomegranate juice.

Organic Cordyceps

Minimum effective dose: 3,000+ mg

Cordyceps are an exceptionally safe medicinal mushroom.

Study after study has shown that doses of 6+ grams per day are safe and largely side-effect free.

“Cordyceps dose in patients suffering from long-term renal failure was demonstrated up to 3–6 g/day,” one study confirms.

Lower doses may be just as beneficial for most people, however.

“In another clinical trial results of Cordyceps (3.15 g for 5 weeks) were compared with placebo to evaluate its effects on physical performance.” It’s pretty safe to say that 3,000mg is a good daily baseline. (Source)

Organic Lions Mane

Minimum effective dose: 250-750 mg

Just like other medicinal mushrooms, Lion’s Mane is impressively safe and well-tolerated.

High doses may promote neuroplasticity (aka more flexible thinking) than low doses.

“[…] Chronic high-dose [Lion’s Mane] could increase the number of mature hippocampal neurons differentiated from new neurons present before the first administration of [Lion’s Mane],” one study affirms. At the bare minimum those interested in experiencing Lion’s Mane’s best effects should take 250mg/day. (Source)

Organic Apple Powder

Minimum effective dose: 500+ mg

British researchers have found that apple polyphenols work best at a daily dose of 600-1,500 milligrams.

This type of dose may lower ‘bad’ cholesterol and confer other benefits.

Other data, however, implies that just 500mg/day of apple powder is sufficient.

Organic Maca Root

Minimum effective dose: 1,500 mg

Maca root is known to optimize hormonal levels, leading to a brighter outlook on life and a stronger sex drive.

It takes between 1,500 and 3,000 milligrams of maca root per day to accomplish this, however. (Source)

Organic Lemon Juice Powder

Minimum effective dose: Unclear

More research is still needed in this areas, as it’s not yet clear what the ideal dose of lemon juice powder is.

Enso Superfoods Vitality Blend: not dosed properly

Add up all the above minimum doses, and you’ll notice a little concern.

The minimum effective dose of all these ingredients adds up to 5,800 mg/day.

Yet the total sum of these ingredients featured in Vitality is only 3,095 mg/day!

Based on this data, we can have absolute certainty that one or more of the ingredients present in Vitality isn’t present in large enough quantities.

Something — or some things — are lacking.

Unfortunately, we still can’t know exactly what.

Does Vitality Have Side Effects?

Not usually.

Customers don’t seem to report side effects from Vitality.

This is especially true if you stick with the recommended serving size of 1 full scoop per day.

You might also experience better results if you take Vitality blend in the first half of the day before heading to work or the gym.

Does Vitality Have Positive Customer Reviews?

It does!

Unfortunately, however, Ensō’s newness means it only has 11 reviews in total. (As of August 2022, at least.)

These reviews average 4.7 stars each.

I also noticed that most of them are from 2020 or 2021.

Here are some of the highlights.

Firefighter and Marine Corps veteran Sam notices that Vitality has helped him wean off coffee and energy drinks:

I used to drink coffee and energy drinks all day. I have the firehouse taking Enso and taking our nutrition more seriously

Meanwhile, a US Olympian & Professional Volleyball player says that Vitality provides a serious performance edge:

Playing volleyball requires stamina and maintaining focus. The Vitality mushroom blend gives me the edge to finish each match. I feel energized and hydrated.

Another reviewer went from doubting to believing:

Was hesitant at first to buy this but honestly the more I took it the more I liked it. It's good stuff and you feel great and healthy throughout the day. Recommend it.

And yet another reviewer confirmed that Vitality is a suitable coffee replacement:

I receive the Vitality 2 weeks ago & love how this makes me feel. I have cut out coffee completely & focusing on more balance in my life.

Enso Superfoods Vitality Pricing

Vitality’s pricing structure places it in the average range for reds superfoods powders.

It’s a little pricey without a subscription, but on the bright side said subscription offers significant savings.

Where To Buy Vitality

You can buy Vitality on Ensō’s website here.

As of right now it’s not available on Amazon.

Enso Superfoods Vitality: My Verdict

Ensō is a reds superfood powder with premium organic ingredients and a small-but-devoted fanbase.

Vitality enjoys some pretty gleaming reviews, too.

In my opinion, however, Vitality overpromises and underdelivers.

I don’t want to spend over $2 per day on a product unless I can know with relative certainty that it’s effective.

I’ll hold off on investing in Ensō products unless they decide to become radically more transparent.

LifeHacker Guy Reds Recommendation

I designed Red Tonik after trying over 80 superfood supplements and noticing just how common proprietary blends and other shady marketing were.

Most super reds supplements are disappointing.

In 2022 I created my own super reds brand that ticks every single box of what I look for in a super reds supplement:

• No hidden ingredient amounts - we have full disclosure labelling, so you know EXACTLY whats inside
• Ingredient amounts that make a difference - we include the minimum effective amounts supported by research, and most of the time, MORE
• Ingredients that help cardiovascular health, boost antioxidant intake and help recovery - making for a much more productive and happy lifestyle

No more worrying about ineffective ingredients or too low dosages. I finally have a product I KNOW does the job it’s made to do.

I use it every day and, after years of battling Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS), I now have my energy (and my life!) back.

The good news? I made my brand available to the public so you can see and feel the difference for yourself.

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