Ketone MLM Prüvit: Water, Lead, and a distributor with no problem being problematic

It has been a while since I wrote about an MLM properly and, in some ways, Prüvit is both the best and worst MLM to dip into. The health and wellness claims it makes are of great interest to Skeptics, but despite the social media and YouTube furor that the organisation and its distributors create, Prüvit doesn't have a Wikipedia page. It can take a bit of work to get a sense of its history.

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Country of Origin: Melissa, Texas, United States

Year Founded: 2015, but other sources say it appeared online in 2013

Founded by: Brian Underwood, Terry LaCore, Christopher Harding, Rob DeBoer. With the exception of Harding, three of the founders of Prüvit had experience in other MLM failures including RippIn, BurnLounge, and Zaggify. LaCore in particular has had run-ins with the US Securities and Exchange Commission over fraud allegations (which were settled). DeBoer was fined $150,000 for assisting an unlawful Ponzi scheme via BurnLounge, while the company itself was successfully sued by the US Federal Trade Commission with at least $1.9 Million dollars being paid out thus far.

Year MLM established in New Zealand: Well, it hasn't yet established itself in NZ per se. NZ Terms and conditions list the company name as Ketones NZ, LLC, which is not registered in NZ, but rather in Melissa, Texas on November 29th, 2021. The Australian branch of Prüvit was founded in August 2021, and is similarly based in Texas. Melissa, Texas is where manufacturing and core operations of the company are based; a departure from the Utah headquarters of many of the other MLMs I've profiled. However, even the NZ website has prices listed in USD rather than NZD, which means the eye watering cost of 3 to 5 days worth of supplements take even more of a crunch out of Kiwi pockets that it appears at first glance.

Underwood presents this “cloud-based” company model as deliberate, as it allows the company to stay nimble and direct profits into research and philanthropy. Given that legally companies selling products in NZ must be registered in NZ, it may be a situation similar to Tupperware where there is an exclusive importer who operates under a different name.

Generally sells: As with all MLMs, there are the products and then there's the commission / recruitment / direct-selling structure. Prüvit sells health food products, largely in the form of flavoured beverage powders, while its distributors provide “education” on how to use the process of ketosis to optimise metabolism and mental function. Basically, letting the customer experience ketosis without having a restrictive ketogenic or low carb diet. It's another weight loss supplement MLM but, at present, it is staying in its lane by mostly sticking to its powdered offerings. However if you move into purchasing bundles or challenge packs, customers (mainly American) can access other products such as a 5-day intermittent fasting programme (in which the powders still heavily feature), powdered keto coffee creamer, and sleep optimising capsules. No hair care/skin care/lifestyle products are in sight just yet, but sticking to powders is a smart move because it is fairly light to ship.

Interestingly, the company sells its products on AMAZON, as well as via distributors, which could be a clever way to bring in customers who still want the product but don't have access to a distributor, or don't want to buy through the MLM model. I have been unable to ascertain whether purchasing through Amazon means the customer is able to bypass recruitment altogether, or whether they are assigned a distributor based on the shipping address they supply.

Is this backed by science?: Prüvit powders are built on the inclusion of exogenous ketones. Ketone concentrations in the body increase due to starvation/fasting, prolonged exercise, or by ketogenic diets. Only one of the ketones, beta-hydroxybutyrate (BHB), is available in supplements and is found as a ketone salt or as an ester (when combined in liquid form).

Research into the effect of exogenous ketones on the human body is all over the place. A small study of 15 participants conducted by the University of Oxford found that ingestion of drinks containing ketone salts or ketone esters could be a viable alternative to ketogenic diets when trying to achieve ketosis, but the effect was limited in duration unless maintained with continuous drinks, and further reduced by the inclusion of food.

Because, you know, ketones are removed from the body via urine.

A systematic review of 43 trials with 586 participants did find that BHB could decrease blood glucose levels for a short period of time. If you work in health care, blood sugar and ketone measurement play a part in the management of diabetes. But, while this is promising, it isn't enough to overhaul clinical practice just yet. There is interest in ketones with regards to athletics and athletic performance, but research has been mixed and demonstrates a variety of poor, unchanged, or slightly improved performance depending on the methodology.

The question is whether drinking your ketones is as, or more, effective than being on a ketogenic diet when it comes to weight loss. One study with 28 participants found that ketogenic diets worked well, while the addition of exogenous ketones had no extra effects.

At this point, while there is evidence that a ketogenic diet, like any diet that requires you to monitor your caloric intake and cut out foods that you may eat to excess, can be effective in short term weight loss, the same evidence is not there for ketone supplements.

“Cult” products: KETO//OS® drink mix which cost $135 USD ($216 NZD) for 20 servings. The 60hr reboot pack is $114 USD ($182 NZD)

Is there a buy-in?: Yes, between $354 USD (567 NZD) and $1200 USD ($1923 NZD) to buy a starter kit, and an annual membership fee of $49 USD ($78 NZD)

Name for workforce: Prüver Promoters. Blessedly simple, no diamonds here. Ranks go from 1 to 10. Each rank from 1 to 9 has 3 subranks, or stars, based on TV and GV (see below). Ranks 6 to 10 are called the Circle of Champions, while the last rank is called “Legend”, when you are claiming over 2,000,000 in GV.

Compensation Plan?: This is an interesting one. In sections 11.2.1 in the Policies and Procedures document, distributors are allowed to sell 5-day and 10-day sample packs at any price they choose, unless otherwise specified by Prüvit. While Prüvit discourages inventory loading and rank buying, they do commit promoters to personally use or sell at least 70% of every order placed with the company prior to placing the next order. Given that promoters have the flexibility to resell products and offer some products at a price point they choose, it is unclear how this is monitored other than policing being at the discretion of the company.

But it does mean that income can vary wildly between distributors.

In order to earn rewards and commission, a promoter will need to meet a minimum of 50 PQV (Personal Qualifying Volume) during a qualifying cycle and be engaged ( that is, meeting the minimum PQV in that current qualifying month). No more than 40% of a promoter's PQV requirement can come from a promoter's own orders.

There is Team Volume (TV), which is calculated by the first three levels of a Promoter's downline or sponsorship tree, in addition to the QV generated from the promoter's own customers - but not including the promoter's personal orders.

Then there is Group Volume (GV), based on a promoter's placement tree. A new promoter spends six months in the first level of their uplines tree. The upline can then choose to either keep that person as a direct downline, or reassign them to be part of someone else's downline elsewhere in the upline's downline, if that makes sense. If someone is a high earner, it makes sense to keep them as a direct downline as you can only claim TV for the first three levels of the downline. However, there are bonuses to be gained if you have a downline rank up or perform well themselves, so moving a new recruit to another part of the downline can be a strategic move.

There is also Bonus Volume (BV), which is a set value given to all Prüvit products from which all of these calculations are made. At present, some products have BV set at less than 50% of their USD retail value, which makes it difficult and costly for low ranks and casual promoters to keep their engagement up. Even more so for any New Zealand clients.

In terms of residual commissions, everyone earns 5% of the Bonus Volume (BV) from the first level of the placement tree, and then less from each level lower in the downline. As you progress through the ranks, the percentages you can claim for the indirect downline increases, and you are able to claim commission further down your pyramid.

There is a car bonus programme, as with many other MLMs, in which you can receive $800/per month towards a car lease if you are Rank 6 or higher. If you own an eligible vehicle outright, you can receive $300. Not all car models are qualifying cars, and they must be three years old or newer, limited to blue, black, silver, or white, and be Prüvit branded OR have a market value of $50,000 USD or more. Rank 7 allows you to get $1,300/month for an exotic car.

Income Disclosure Statement?: Yes. It is linked to in the NZ Policies and Procedures page, but only references the US distributors. Again, Prüvit distinguishes itself by telling us how many distributors there are at each rank.

In 2022, 44.15% (11,149) of promoters were unranked. The average income per year was $10.48, while the highest annual income was $750. About 16.26% (4,106) at Rank 1 made an average of $304.18 per year, with a variation from $0 to $11,823.23.

At the top of the pyramid, we have 10 people with Rank 10, and 7 with Rank 11, constituting 0.04% and 0.03% of promoters respectively. Rank 10 promoters made between $359,012.11 and $1,204,983.88, while the rank 11 made between $0 and $3,357,322.26.

Has a reputation for: Influencers and promoters making unsupported health claims.

In 2018, Prüvit distributors were claiming that their products could treat everything from Autism to Parkinson's, diabetes and cancer. In 2021, ads that appeared on the Instagram accounts of two influencers were banned by the UK's Advertising Standards Authority for unauthorised health claims. Prüvit distanced themselves from the controversy, as the ads were prepared by third-party resellers and the company did not operate as an entity in the UK.

Despite the lack of profile Prüvit has in NZ, it is a big deal on social media, especially on YouTube, where the antics of Prüvit Rank 10 Ambassador Jessie Lee Ward, aka “BossLee”, earn airtime and eyeballs from anti-mlm commentary channels.

Ward is both a fascinating and tragic figure. She grew up in a low-income family, with domestic chaos and abuse in the care of her stepfather, but despite this graduated with a marketing degree. Ward would find what most would see as legitimate success in traditional and non-traditional business ventures such as ownership of a hair salon, part ownership of a construction company, and a CBD company. A car dealership also gets mentioned occasionally. Jessie Lee is also a serial MLM hopper. According to a concise biography presented by YouTube commentator CC Suarez, Ward was part of Slumber Party/Pure Romance for a few years after university, from 2010 - 2015. She left the sex toy and intimacy MLM when she topped out of the compensation plan, although it is alleged that she was terminated for having a difference of opinion about the compensation programme with a senior leader in the company.

Ward wasn't left in the lurch for long, as she moved on to Modere, a health and wellness MLM that sells personal care products as well as laundry powder. Jessie would also take with her a large chunk of her downline, and would only need 15 months to hit the top of Modere's compensation plan. In 2017 she was terminated from Modere and moved to Prüvit soon after, also taking a big portion of her downline with her. While Ward has not reached the top of that particular pyramid just yet, she is pretty close. Ward also runs a business coaching… business which offers mentoring (not available to Prüvit promoters), as well as access to scripts, resources and group chats. Ward also hosts mastery or Mastermind-type courses, with ticket prices of up to $15K for a two day course (meals, activities, swag bags and entertainment included. Flights are not).

From late 2022 through to now has been an interesting time for Jessie and the people who follow her. Ward had lost a noticeable amount of weight and made other significant changes in her appearance, which she at first attributed to working out and eating only meat and fruit. In January, Jessie Lee Ward took the top earners in her team to Colombia, taking them on a surprise 10 mile hike in direct sunlight, and also had them sleep on a beach. However, the devil is in the details for this story, as many of the leaders were not physically fit or properly forewarned that this hike was going to happen. There were a couple of medical emergencies, although luckily no one was permanently harmed.

Then, in March, it was revealed that Jessie Lee Ward was diagnosed with Stage 4 colon cancer. She was able to have immediate surgery to remove 10 inches from her upper and lower intestine and several lymph nodes. To hear Ward tell the story, she paid upfront for a full body MRI and a Grail Test, which business guru Tony Robbins, who Jessie Lee credits for the idea, recommends as a way of getting ahead of cancer. The Grail test can cost $1000 on its own in the US, while a full body MRI can be in the $2000-$5000 USD range. The MRI indicated that she needed a colonoscopy, and the colonoscopy confirmed cancer. While Jessie Lee has engaged with traditional western medicine in the form of the best cancer hospitals in the US, she has been open about her dissatisfaction with her cancer doctors and the lack of certainty around her prognosis. Even with chemo the odds of survival aren't great, with a 5-year survival rate of 14%, and Ward states that her doctors estimate that she could be dead by Christmas if she doesn't start chemo ASAP.

Ward has been more open about the non-traditional therapies she is using, including a hyperbaric chamber, ozone, vitamin C drip, having stem cells before surgery, red light therapy, and more. Ward has also stated that she is considering travelling to Mexico for cancer treatment, and named Gerson and Hope 4 Cancer clinics specifically. Ward has also claimed that doctors are associating the rise of cancer diagnoses with the COVID vaccines and not, you know, the delay in the provision of diagnostic services due to lockdown and infection prevention.

Not only have the normal anti-mlm commentators voiced their equal dismay at Ward's treatment plan and how Ward is using her platform to promote these treatments, even Rebecca Watson has joined the fray. It has not been lost on Watson and others that despite the promise made by MLMs and their recruiters that working the business gives you time freedom and passive income so that you can still earn while you live your life, Jessie Lee was still conducting business from her hospital bed and continues to host Q&A and Live chats for Prüvit while talking about the many alternative treatments she is trying.

Should you be worried?: Prüvit hasn't gained any sort of foothold in NZ. The price of the products means that alternatives offered by supplement stores online and in towns across NZ are far more attractive to the wallet, even if all you get out of it is expensive urine. However, online chatter about Ward, and the progression or regression of her cancer, will likely increase with the success and failure of each treatment she tries.

Videos to watch:

I recommend my usual stable of Anti-MLM commentators, and some new ones.

In particular, Erin Bies, a former downline of Jessie Lee Ward's, has an interesting perspective on this situation with regards to past information that Ward has released about her health: