It Works! Review: 3 Real Facts Including an FTC Warning

It Works! carries a C+ BBB rating and just 1.9 out of 5 stars, with the BBB flagging a specific pattern of complaints about customers being unable to cancel and continuing to receive charges. This It Works review checked what’s behind that pattern, plus the actual research behind the MLM’s supplement ingredients.

How We Researched This It Works! Review

This It Works review checked the published research on the brand’s core weight-loss ingredients, read the BBB complaint history and a 2020 FTC warning letter, and compared real pricing against the claims made for each product line.

It Works Review: What Is It?

Founded in 2001 by Mark and Cindy Pentecost, It Works! is a multi-level marketing company best known for its Ultimate Body Applicator (“That Crazy Wrap Thing”), now expanded into Keto Support, skincare, probiotics, greens powders, and weight-loss supplements like ThermoFight and Metabolic Burn.

What the Research on Key Ingredients Shows

• Nutrients: green tea’s caffeine and EGCG content can increase metabolic function.
• PLOS One: guarana is a stimulant similar to caffeine and can actually amplify caffeine’s effects.
• EXCLI Journal: there’s little research specifically on dandelion’s anti-obesity effects, despite its inclusion in several formulas.

The BBB Complaint Pattern and FTC Warning

The BBB’s own page for It Works! notes a documented pattern: consumers report continuing to receive products and charges after trying to cancel. With 244 reviews and 196 complaints closed in the past three years, this isn’t an isolated issue. Separately, on April 24, 2020, the FTC sent It Works! a formal warning letter specifically about earnings claims tied to COVID-19 — a real regulatory action worth knowing about if you’re considering the distributor side of the business.

Does It Works! Have Site-Specific Fat Loss Claims?

The Ultimate Body Applicator claims visible tightening and toning results in as little as 45 minutes. Notably, targeted or “spot” fat loss from any topical product isn’t supported by weight-loss research — this is a genuine red flag in the marketing that’s worth taking seriously.

Does It Works! Work?

No clinical research on the finished products is published on the official site. Individual ingredients like green tea catechins have real research support for metabolic effects, and It Works!’s probiotic products contain legitimate prebiotic/probiotic combinations. But the company itself doesn’t publish product-specific studies, and it’s an MLM — meaning much of the “research and reviews” you’ll encounter online come from distributors with a financial incentive to promote it.

Side Effects

Effects vary significantly by product and depend heavily on individual sensitivity to specific ingredients. Check the label against any known allergies before use.

Cost

Products range widely, from $5 (Fab Wrap) to $65 (Superfood Shake+), with most supplements landing in the $45–$62 range. A 30-day return policy exists, but only for unopened, unused products, and customers pay shipping plus a 15% restocking fee.

Who It Works! Actually Makes Sense For

This fits people wanting a broad product range with some individually-researched ingredients, who are comfortable buying through an MLM distributor structure. It’s a poor fit for anyone expecting site-specific fat loss from wraps, anyone wary of subscription/cancellation friction given the documented BBB complaint pattern, or anyone considering the distributor opportunity given the FTC’s 2020 warning letter.

It Works Review: Frequently Asked Questions

It Works Review: The Bottom Line

It Works! offers a genuinely broad product line with some individually-researched ingredients, but the documented BBB cancellation complaints and 2020 FTC warning letter are real concerns beyond typical MLM skepticism. This It Works review found a company worth approaching carefully, particularly around subscription terms and distributor claims.

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