Originally, Advantage Nutraceuticals was part of a company called T.E.W.  Located in Ft. Walton Beach, Florida, Advantage Nutraceuticals has been independent since 2002.  They manufacture and market nutritional supplements, which they claim are unique in improving general health and curing serious medical conditions.

Advantage Nutraceuticals’ CEO is Tom Nelson.  Their chief chemist used to be Brad Riley, but he has left the company to manage a separate company.  Advantage Nutraceuticals sells its products through a large network of independent distributors.  It claims to produce products with completely pure ingredients, such as coral calcium.  They also claim their manufacturing standards are the best of any company’s.  They also claim that their products produce the best results and will cure all your medical problems!  Some of the products are: CellMax, EllagiMax, Advanced Arthritis Support, Fat on Fire, and CoralMax.

Advantage Nutraceuticals has some good compensation packages for distributors.  It uses a program called Skinny Matrix, which determines ranks and bonuses for distributors.  You may purchase a distributorship for $19.95.  A personal purchase of products of $50.00 or more puts you on the Personal Customer level.  As you purchase more, and you must maintain certain levels for each qualification period, you receive bonuses.  If you sponsor two more customers, who purchase $50.00 or more each, you become a Plus Member.  A Plus Member is eligible for a bonus of $40.00, but must purchase $150.00 more.  You become an Advanced Member, and receive a 10% bonus, by sponsoring four customers who purchase at least $50.00 each.  If you sponsor ten members, you become an Elite Member, 20 members, a Max Member.

However, Advantage Nutraceuticals has run into some difficulties with the Food and Drug Administration.  Because of the health claims made by Advantage Nutraceuticals, their products have been classified as drugs by this government watchdog.  Some of the products contain ingredients which are not rated “safe and effective.”  So, the company is in violation of United States’ marketing laws.  The FDA has given Advantage Nutraceuticals an ultimatum to change the products’ ingredients or face legal action.   (See the FDA homepage for the warning letter written to the company.  All the above mentioned products are included in the letter.)

One of the testimonials cited in the FDA’s warning letter to Advantage Nutraceuticals is this one:

"I was told I had prostate cancer. . . . I started a course of Coral calcium (CoralMax™), EllagiMax® and Oxy Plus. After 4-5 weeks I had another PSA check and my count was down from eleven to one point one.  A PSA of 0.1 is full remission and now I am no longer on chemo/hormone treatments.  I'm pleased with the results of my raspberries (EllagiMax®) and coral calcium (CoralMax™)."

This quote implies that CoralMax, EllagiMax, and Oxy Plus have cured his prostate cancer, without mentioning any other medical treatments this customer may have had.  It is quite clear in my mind that raspberries and coral calcium did not cure this man’s cancer.  The real danger is that someone else might think they did and stop standard medical treatment, turning to these supplements for treatment instead.

Just putting testimonials like the one above on Advantage Nutraceuticals’ website, without providing complete details of the medical treatment the customer had, is irresponsible and immoral.  When you consider the legal problems this company faces as well, I strongly recommend avoiding doing business with them.