Let me start by making one thing crystal clear: this article isn't about bashing Amare consultants or dismissing the positive experiences people have had with “Happy Juice.” If it’s made a difference in your life, that’s great! But as a former scientist, I have a hard time staying quiet when companies throw around "scientifically proven" claims that don't hold up under scrutiny.

So, what's the problem here? It’s the way Amare is promoting “Happy Juice” as a cortisol-lowering miracle. This claim is plastered all over social media, and it’s time we take a closer look at the science—or lack thereof—behind it.

Cortisol and the Facts

Cortisol is a hormone that can only be accurately measured through blood tests and hormone panels conducted by a healthcare professional. So, unless you've done that, claiming that a product like “Happy Juice” has reduced your cortisol levels is misleading, to say the least.

The issue here isn’t necessarily with the consultants sharing their stories—they’re likely just repeating what Amare has told them. The problem is that Amare’s claims don't hold up under scientific scrutiny. And after digging into their materials, it’s clear that the science behind these claims is shaky at best.

Who Is Amare?

Amare bills itself as a “Mental Wellness Company” and is careful to distinguish between “Mental Wellness” and “Mental Health.” Their mission is to create a holistic platform of products, programs, and people, with core values like love, integrity, and innovation. Their vision? To lead the global mental wellness movement. Their flagship product, “Happy Juice,” is a blend of three other products: MentaBiotics, Energy+, and EDGE, all of which have gone viral for their supposed cortisol-lowering effects.

Enter Shawn Talbott.

As I learned more and more about Amare, the person who I was told to check out the most was their Chief Science Officer, Shawn Talbott, a Ph.D. and nutrition educator. He plays a key role in promoting these products. Talbott has a background in nutrition and education, but he also has a controversial history. While serving as a professor at the University of Utah, Talbott was charged with fraud by the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) for false advertising—specifically for making exaggerated scientific claims about another product’s effectiveness, much like what’s happening now with Amare. He was required to pay $4.5 million as part of a settlement.

I didn’t want to make this point a big deal. When I raised it to one of the Amare consultants I spoke with, she said that Talbott is “open” about this with the Amare distributors, which I thought was great. However, when I talked to another Amare consultant, they told me that the charged had been “dismissed.” It’s… sketchy, to say the least.

So, naturally, this history makes the claims around “Happy Juice” even more questionable.

The Science Behind “Happy Juice”

The first thing that caught my attention was the overwhelming number of posts claiming “Happy Juice” can lower cortisol. But can it really? To find out, I took a deep dive into the technical sheets and studies Amare provides as evidence.

Who is Amare?

I will keep this brief because this article does not focus on who Amare is or what they stand for. Amare calls itself a “Mental Wellness Company” and make a point of differentiating between “Mental Wellness” and “Mental Health” on their website. Their mission is “to create a holistic mental wellness platform of products, programs, and people” and their core values are love, integrity, innovation, service, and humility. Their vision? To lead the global mental wellness movement. They’re most known for their product, “Happy Juice”—a combination of 3 of their products, that has gone viral on social media platforms for it’s supposed cortisol-lowering benefits.

As I learned more and more about Amare, the person who I was told to check out the most was their Chief Science Officer, Shawn Talbott, a Ph.D. and nutrition educator. He’s been in the field for a while, and I’m certainly not saying that he doesn’t know his stuff. I’m sure he does. He has the education and the background to be trustworthy and he wouldn’t have factored into this conversation at all except that he seems to have a track record of making un-backed, bold-faced claims.

An Amare consultant asked if she could put me in touch with him, which I declined. I used to be a Beachbody coach and the Beachbody (now BODi) community wholeheartedly believes that their product, Shakeology, is clinically tested. It’s not—at least not legitimately. Any rookie scientist knows that the foundation of a good study is a control…and Beachbody? They don’t have any controls in their clinical trial (at least they’re old trial—I haven’t been active with Beachbody since 2017). That immediately invalidates any claim because you cannot attribute the so-called “improvements” they promise to Shakeology without said controls.

But, I digress.

The reason I raise this point is because companies are inherently biased about their products and Dr. Shawn Talbot has gotten in trouble for it before. While a professor at the University of Utah, he was charged with fraud by the Federal Trade Commission for false advertising and basically doing exactly what Amare and its consultants are, unfortunately, still doing: making exaggerated scientific claims about the efficacy of their product to do things like reduce cortisol levels. I was told by some of Amare’s consultants that Shawn Talbot is open about his previous run in with the FTC, but in some situations, Amare’s consultants believe these charges were dismissed. That’s not true, according to the information I found. This FTC press release names Shawn Talbot as one of 3 defendants who had to pay out $4.5 million.

I didn’t go into this to investigate Shawn Talbot, but that’s what came of it, and it immediately made things feel, well, shady.

After knowing this information, it’s hard not to have my own biases, but let’s dive into “Happy Juice” and some of the other Amare product lines touting cortisol benefits and see. I want the science to speak for itself as much as possible.

Analyzing the Components of “Happy Juice”

“Happy Juice” includes three products: MentaBiotics, Energy+, and EDGE. The central claim is that these products reduce cortisol and increase GABA, a neurotransmitter that promotes relaxation. But do these products actually do what they claim? Let’s find out…

Also, note that I wrote a WAY longer version of this article, but, honestly? I condensed it because my goal here isn’t to bore you to tears with technical details. It’s to present the FACTS to you! If you desire a more thorough break down of the information I found, let me know. Maybe I’ll record a YouTube video…

Amare EDGE

Amare EDGE contains Oligonol, a proprietary lychee fruit extract claimed to reduce cortisol. However, the studies cited in support of this ingredient were conducted exclusively on men (here and here), and even then, the dosage used in these studies was much higher than what’s found in EDGE (here and here). There’s not enough Oligonol in EDGE to claim any significant cortisol reduction. The nutrition label confirms this because the proprietary blend is only 200mg and Oligonol is the second ingredient, so it has to be less than the dose used in the studies…

Here is the technical sheet for Amare EDGE.

TL;DR. Does Amare EDGE decrease cortisol based on this information: no! There is not enough of this cortisol-reducing compound in the product to reduce cortisol.

MentaBiotics

This product is marketed as the distinguishing factor of “Happy Juice,” with claims that its probiotic strains can reduce cortisol. However, the studies provided by Amare show no significant cortisol reduction in one study (here). In the other study, we have the same issue as with Amare EDGE: the amount of probiotic strains in MentaBiotics is too low to achieve the benefits described in these studies.

In Amare Global’s official “Happy Juice” promotional video, Shawn Talbott specifically says this about Mentabiotics…

Here is the technical sheet for Mentabiotics.

TL;DR…

• The claims Amare Global made about increasing serotonin and dopamine aren’t backed by the very studies provided

• Any claims that are supported aren’t valid because Amare Global provides TOO LOW of doses in their products.

In a Nutshell, there’s a Dosage Problem…

Across the board, the doses of active ingredients in Amare’s products are too low to support the claims being made. Whether it’s EDGE, MentaBiotics, or even their Mood+ product (which isn’t part of “Happy Juice” but is similarly marketed), the science just doesn’t back up the claims at the dosages provided.

What is Amare’s Response…?

When I reached out to Amare about these discrepancies, they pointed out that their products are meant to support overall wellness and that results can vary (direct quote below!). They emphasized that no supplement can address all needs without a healthy lifestyle. Yet, their marketing continues to make specific claims about cortisol reduction that aren’t supported by their own cited studies.

So, what can we say in conclusion…?

The claims made by Amare Global about “Happy Juice” reducing cortisol are misleading. Honestly, they’re not just misleading—they’re false. It’s the equivalent of giving your child cough syrup but only giving them a sip OR taking aspirin but cutting it down by half—or a fourth! They’re making claims about these products based on dosages that they’re NOT giving.

While it’s perfectly fine to love a product for how it makes you feel, it’s not okay to promote it using false scientific claims.

For the consultants out there, this isn’t an attack on you. If you love “Happy Juice” and feel it has improved your life, that’s great. But let’s be accurate and responsible in how we discuss its effects. Saying it lowers cortisol without proper scientific backing is not only misleading, but it’s also a disservice to those who trust you. Additionally, there are, frankly, shady tactics being used to promote it (I recommend checking out the Instagram Highlight of Coach John Noel) where he calls out some of the shadiest marketing. I know a lot of Amare consultants are NOT these people. They might throw cortisol around too haphazardly, but they're not using malicious marketing tactics.

Amare has all the disclaimers they should have on their documentation. Amare is great about saying that these products “are not intended to diagnose, prescribe, treat, cure, or prevent disease.” And yet, their very marketing videos AND the marketing they’re letting their consultants use don’t align.

How is it okay for this company or its representatives to say “it lowers cortisol” in their marketing, yet when you question the data they come back with this?

It’s irresponsible.
It’s flippant.
It’s misrepresentation of the science.
It should be illegal.

And it probably is.

They’re stretching the science to prove their points, and their consumers and business representatives are paying the price for the company’s bloated claims. That’s not right.

Don’t make liars out of the people who trusted you. That is and always will be my issue.

So, if you’re an Amare consultant (or know one)—what should you do?

If the language around these claims changes to remove the cortisol-lowering narrative, I’d have no issue with “Happy Juice.”

I have no problem with you loving a product that has worked wonders for you. None at all. I don’t even have a problem with you saying, “I feel less stressed.” You’re allowed to say that because that is your own, self-reported experience.

But it’s false, inaccurate, and a misrepresentation of the science to continue to say that Happy Juice or any of the Amare products I’ve discussed will “reduce cortisol.” If you have tests from your doctor to prove a reduction in your cortisol, cool! By all means. But, even then, I’d be willing to bet that Happy Juice isn’t the only lifestyle change you made.

So, let’s keep the conversation rooted in truth and science, shall we?!