Niteworks: The Overpriced dream
Nighttime heart nutrition at a price that will leave you gasping for air. It’s a proprietary blend of amino acids found in most cardio supplements and pre-workouts – just way more expensive.
Contributing Author: Nicholas Rogers, CLS (ASCP), MBA
What Is Niteworks?
So, what is it? Herbalife’s Niteworks is a nighttime food supplement with L-Arginine, L-Citrulline, Vitamins C & E and Folic Acid. It’s designed to be taken at night before bed when Nitric Oxide production is at its lowest. Herbalife claims that this nighttime nutrition is particularly designed for anyone but especially those above the age of 30 (1).
Okay, but what is Niteworks really all about? An extremely overpriced pre-workout, but without the caffeine, beta-alanine and creatine. It’s combined with vitamins and the promise of improved cardio health.
Why we Waited so long to dupe Niteworks
Over the last year, we’ve been constantly asked to dupe Herbalife’s Niteworks. We have been hesitant for the longest time, primarily because it deals with heart health. Why this product is included in loaded teas is beyond me and may be the biggest reason we have steered clear of providing a dupe.
Before digging into this product, let’s be clear. We at Silver Lining Lessons make no medical claims whatsoever and you should consult with your doctor before taking any substances. Supplements, like the ones discussed in this article, are not FDA regulated and should be treated as such. Our goal is to help you understand what Niteworks is, how it’s used, and provide budget friendly comparable products.
Herbalife does not disclose the clinical testing results, describe how the ingredients work, or provide the clinical trial studies for consumers to review. We did however happen to find one underwhelming study to share with you. Since Herbalife doesn’t want to provide you with any information, we will do our best to explain it. We won’t bore you with too much of the science, but instead give you the basics and sources.
Let’s dig in.
What is L-arginine?
Scientific studies for Niteworks
Where are they?
Niteworks was created based on research conducted by Lou Ignarro, Ph.D., who received the Nobel Prize in 1998 for his work. You would think a multi-billion-dollar company with a Nobel Prize laureate on its Scientific and Nutrition Advisory Boards could provide multiple scientific studies. Yet, I could only track down one: “Arginine and antioxidant supplement on performance in elderly male cyclists: a randomized controlled trial.” The study, which was funded by Herbalife, followed 16 elderly cyclists over a 3-week period and showed a potential for the improvement of exercise performance in the elderly.
A Tale of Two Scientists
Niteworks is not special, as Dr.Ignarro was not the only scientist to win the Nobel Prize for the research on Nitric Oxide support that year. Dr. Ferid Murad won alongside side Dr. Ignarro for their shared research. Similar to his counterpart, Dr. Murad also went on to create and market a comparable product called “Cardio Discovery” to compete with Niteworks. Cardio Discovery was branded with the Nobel Prize symbol, just like Niteworks, along with all of the same claims. The major difference was PRICE! A 30-day supply of Cardio Discovery only ran you $39.99. It was eventually sold and rebranded as “Cardio Support.”
“Using this research to create a product like Cardio Discovery provides consumers with a convenient, affordable solution to address their heart health.” – Dr. Murad
Money Wins in the End
Years before Dr. Murad went on to develop Cardio Discovery, he was asked about his fellow laureate’s product in a 2003 Washington Post article.
Wanjeck, C. (2003, October 7) Nitric Oxide Now — Ask Me How. The Washington Post. https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/lifestyle/wellness/2003/10/07/nitric-oxide-now-ask-me-how/531c9d82-31c3-4bff-874a-6437934d3d9f/
In the 2003 article, Murad indicated that the basic components of Niteworks made sense except for the addition of L-citrulline, which was added to create the proprietary blend for patenting reasons. When asked about the price of Niteworks (remember, this quote was 20 years ago), Murad responded: “Ninety dollars a month? That’s obscene. You can probably get vitamin C and E for pennies a day. You can probably get arginine for about a dollar a day…I wouldn’t put my patients on it.” The current list price for a 30-day supply of Niteworks is $132.95.
I wish the story ended there, but money talks and ended up winning in the end. Ultimately, Dr. Murad went on to partner with “NutraCreations” – a wellness brand that aims to bring new products and formulas to market. The company is led by Jay Brubaker, a former Herbalife distributor. NutraCreations lists Herbalife Niteworks, Core Complex, and Herbalifeline as its previously launched formulas.
Now that we know what Niteworks is, let’s dupe it with something better.
**The links in this post are affiliate links. This means if you click on the link and purchase an item, I will receive an affiliate commission at no extra cost to you. All opinions remain my own.
Product Comparison
Now it’s time to look at some products comparable to Niteworks. We purchased each of these products (including Niteworks) on Amazon. We only purchased the 15-day sample of Niteworks due to its extremely high price. We gave them all a proper taste and product test, taking each supplement on a different day. Make sure to read all product labeling and consult with your doctor before consuming any of these supplements.
Niteworks
Review: Don’t do it. Save your money!
Niteworks: This is a flagship Herbalife product. It may be one of their most expensive supplements outside of Prolessa Duo.
Best for: Anyone who wants to overspend on basic ingredients.
What we liked: Not many positive things we can say about this product, but it does have a cool name. It was the only product out of the group to contain Taurine; however, products we use in our loaded tea recipes already contain Taurine.
What we didn’t like: Taste and price. I can’t imagine someone buying this product consistently at that price point.
SLL’s Take: If you want to read some funny reviews, head over to Amazon! One of our favorites:
“1.0 out of 5 stars No change in NO levels
Reviewed in the United States on May 10, 2022
Verified Purchase “Surprised that a product backed by a Nobel laureate doesn’t work. Further they sweeten it with sucralose.”
Read Amazon reviews here
l-arginine pro
Purchased from Amazon: Here
Review: Great price, horrible taste.
L-Arginine Pro: Had really high hopes for this one. It was probably the closest to Niteworks in terms of ingredients and blend.
Best for: Anyone looking for a low-calorie substitute.
What we liked: This product is available in single packets. It has all the comparable ingredients to Niteworks and is sweetened with xylitol.
What we didn’t like: Two things primarily – taste and carb count. It tastes worse than Niteworks, which is hard to do. They do not list the carb count in the nutrional facts.
SLL’s Take: If you mix with plenty of other flavors, you can probably mask the taste.
l-arginine plus
Purchased from Amazon: Here
Review: This is your best option for a Niteworks substitute
L-Arginine Plus: If you’re going to purchase one product to try, we recommend this one. It’s got an almost identical nutritional profile and the lemon flavor of Niteworks.
Best for: Anyone looking for a budget friendly Niteworks replacement.
What we liked: Definitely had the best flavor of all the products we tried. This taste good enough to be taken as a standalone product.
What we didn’t like: The only negative is that it’s priced higher than the other possible substitutes. Even then, it is still a third of the price of Niteworks.
SLL’s Take: This is the dupe for Niteworks.
Cardio Heart health
Purchased from Amazon: Here
Review: Good bang for your buck.
Cardio Heart Health: This product packs a whole lot in one container. It’s got everything in Niteworks and a little more.
Best for: Anyone who wants a total cardio health supplement.
What we liked: Good taste. It did not taste like the other products we tried. This one did not feel like I was choking down a supplement but more like a drink mix.
What we didn’t like: It has the most carbs and calories of all the products we tested.
SLL’s Take: A good option if you’re not counting calories. If the carbs and calories were lower, this may have been our top recommendation.
Conclusion
Again, we want to make it abundantly clear that we are not providing any medical advice or claims. Any questions or concerns about heart health related supplements and products should be directed to your doctor or trusted medical provider. This is also true for Herbalife products and supplements. You should take the marketing pitches and gimmicky claims attached to their products with a grain of salt, knowing that the distributors often bolster the claims and promise results to justify the outrageous price.
Hopefully, our research has shown you that you do not have to break the bank if Niteworks is a product you enjoy using. Night Night – Don’t Let the Herbalife Distributors Bite!
Sources:
Nitric Oxide Now — Ask Me How – The Washington Post
L-arginine: Potential benefits, side effects, and risks (medicalnewstoday.com)
Dr. Ferid Murad, MD, PhD – NutraCreations (nutra-creations.com)
L-Arginine Benefits, Uses & Side Effects (clevelandclinic.org)
L-ARGININE: Overview, Uses, Side Effects, Precautions, Interactions, Dosing and Reviews (webmd.com)
Niteworks®: Lemon 30 Servings 10.6 OZ. | Herbalife Nutrition US
Niteworks Factsheet (myherbalife.com)
Herbalife’s Niteworks Proven Effective in Clinical Study :: Herbalife Nutrition Ltd. (HLF)
Previously Launched Formulas – NutraCreations (nutra-creations.com)
The Dubious Promotion of Herbalife’s Niteworks | Quackwatch
