Clearing the Confusion: Thrive as DFT, Not as a ‘Thrive Patch’

If you’ve heard about Le-Vel Thrive — a global health and wellness movement that has already touched the lives of millions — you’ve probably heard of the ‘Thrive patch.’ But would you be surprised to learn that the ‘Thrive patch’ doesn’t actually exist? Here, we clear up the confusion surrounding the innovative Thrive Derma Fusion Technology.

I’m not one of those gifted with god-tier genetics, and I’ve also never been someone who could live their life in a gym, but I always did OK. I try to watch what I eat, stay active, get enough sleep, etc. And that was enough for me… for a while.

And then I hit my mid-thirties.

Suddenly, a vague attempt at nutrition and exercise wasn’t enough. Slowly but surely, my waistline started expanding. My energy levels took a dive. My overall sense of health just sort of dipped. I hadn’t changed anything, but suddenly I didn’t look or feel the way I wanted to.

So, when my aunt mentioned the breakthrough she’d recently experienced with Le-Vel Thrive, I admit that my initial response wasn’t as incredulous as it might otherwise have been. Sure, I had heard of Le-Vel before — I’m on social media, after all — but until that moment, I’d never really considered trying it for myself. I remember saying to my aunt, “But what about that Thrive patch; how does that work?” 

Imagine my surprise when she smirked at me and said “Thrive patch? There’s no such thing. But I’d love to tell you about the THRIVE DFT…”

Here’s what I learned about Le-Vel, the Thrive Experience, and why a DFT adhesive isn’t a Thrive patch…

What Is Le-Vel Thrive?

OK. going into it, I already had a general idea of Le-Vel as a company, but for those starting from square one, here are some of the basics:

Le-Vel, officially known as Le-Vel Inc., is more than just another player in the health and wellness arena. Founded in 2012 by Jason Camper and Paul Gravette, the company adopted a direct selling approach, relying on independent sellers rather than a traditional in-house, full-time sales force. This strategy was apparently the right way to go, boosting the fledgling company to an astounding $2 billion in sales in just its first seven years! While the organization’s official name is Le-Vel, you might often hear it being referred to as ‘Le-Vel Thrive’ or simply ‘Thrive,’ referencing the name of their flagship product: The Le-Vel Thrive Experience.

The Thrive Experience

The Thrive Experience is a triple-play of daily supplements designed to fill the nutrition gaps found in modern diets and help users look and feel their best. The Experience is broken down into three steps, each represented by a specific product and featuring a unique variation on the Le-Vel nutritional formula. 

• Step 1: Wake up and take two capsules
  Thrive Premium Lifestyle Capsules are available for both men (Thrive M) and women (Thrive W) and are designed to be taken first thing in the morning alongside a full glass of water.
• Step 2: Follow the capsules with a Thrive shake
  Thrive Premium Lifestyle Mix is essentially a nutrition shake. It’s gluten-free and full of vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, amino acids, probiotics, and beneficial plant extracts. Just wait about 20 minutes after taking the capsules, mix up a shake, and start your day with a burst of nutrition and natural energy (I ended up using it as a replacement for my daily cup of coffee).
• Step 3: Slap on a Thrive DFT
  The final step is (to me) the most interesting one, and the one that I decided to focus the bulk of this review on. The Thrive DFT (which stands for Derma Fusion Technology) is a small foam adhesive that you place on a clean, dry, lean area of skin and then wear throughout the entire day. Replace the DFT every 24 hours, and be sure not to wear it on the same place for multiple consecutive days (to avoid possible irritation).

And that’s the Thrive Experience that is used by approximately 10 million Thrivers around the world. Well, it’s not the entire experience; Le-Vel makes a point of reminding users that the improved nutrition they get from the three-step program is only the foundation — to get the best possible results, that nutritional boost needs to be further supported through daily fitness goals and a more conscious approach to eating. But with the beneficial formulas from the three Thrive products, the rest of the plan is more likely to fall into place. 

Why is Thrive DFT not a ‘Thrive Patch?’

But wait, going back to Thrive DFT: You put it on your skin and it “infuses the derma” with the Thrive formula. How is that not a Thrive patch?

Well, because medical patches have been around for a long time. The first motion sickness patches (such as those favored by nausea-prone sea goers) were introduced almost 50 years ago. Nicotine patches designed to help smokers quit their cigarettes have been around for nearly that long, and today there are patches for all kinds of drugs and medications, including estradiol, fentanyl, lidocaine, and testosterone. When someone refers to a patch in the transdermal sense, this is what they’re talking about.

But while Thrive DFT shares some surface-level similarities to these patches, it’s not the same thing. In fact, Derma Fusion Technology is just that: a unique technology capable of creating a delivery system that is different enough from traditional transdermal patches that it qualifies for its own set of patents. DFT is proprietary, conceived of and owned by Le-Vel, which would not be the case if it used the same basic processes that transdermal patches have been touting for half a century. 

Not only does this mean that DFT has the potential to go beyond what might be possible with a theoretical ‘Thrive patch,’ it also helps set itself apart from some of the stigma surrounding many of the supposed weight-loss patches that have cropped up in recent years. Transdermal patches have a tendency to make impossible promises, but there’s nothing magic about Thrive DFT; it’s a tested technology built on proven science that incorporates active ingredients to produce real results. 

And what kinds of results are we talking about? Let’s take a look:

Benefits of Thrive DFT

I mentioned earlier that each part of the Thrive Experience provides access to three unique versions of the Le-Vel Thrive formula. This creates a synergistic effect in the body, helping in ways that would not be possible from the individual formulas alone. This is why it can be difficult to identify the specific benefits of Thrive DFT — it’s only one part of a larger premium lifestyle system. Instead, let’s first look at some of the key ingredients in Thrive DFT:

• CoQ10 (Coenzyme Q10)
  A naturally occurring nutrient in the human body, when taken as a supplement CoQ10 can help promote healthy weight loss by enhancing the body’s ability to metabolize stored fat.
• Cosmoperine®
  Derived from the natural active ingredient in peppercorns (known as piperine), Cosmoperine is a proprietary compound that has been shown to demonstrate fat-lowering properties. Although the evidence is largely drawn from preliminary studies, the potential benefits are promising and nutrition scientists are further exploring these benefits for a human audience.

• ForsLean®
  Forslean is a brand-name version of forskolin, a plant extract derived from the roots of the Coleus forskohlii plant. ForsLean is believed to promote lean muscle mass, boost metabolism, and support efforts toward weight management — all of which are backed by ongoing clinical studies.
• Garcinia Cambogia
  Extract from the Garcinia cambogia rind contains hydroxycitric acid (HCA). Studies demonstrate that HCA may be instrumental in suppressing appetite, controlling emotional eating, and promoting healthy weight management.
• Green Coffee Bean Extract
  This extract is a healthy and natural source of caffeine, which may help by providing additional energy to improve daily focus and exercise. Additionally, green coffee bean extract contains chlorogenic acid, an ingredient that research suggests may play a pivotal role in blood-sugar maintenance, fat burning, and managing body mass index (BMI).
• White Willow Bark
  White willow bark has long been celebrated for its innate anti-inflammatory properties, offering relief from many forms of physical discomfort and fostering improved joint health (which is especially useful for those who are physically active).

Looking at these ingredients, we can start putting together a list of some of the potential advantages of regularly using the Thrive DFT. When taken alongside the other two steps in the Thrive Experience, and when used as directed, the possible benefits of DFT include:

• Weight management support
• Heightened cognitive performance
• Healthier joint function
• Reduced general discomfort
• Antioxidant support
• Support of lean muscle development
• Support of digestive and immune function

That’s a fairly impressive list. Is there a downside?

What Are the Side Effects and Safety Risks of Thrive DFT?

There’s a lot that goes into the Thrive formula, so it’s only natural to wonder about the presence of side effects and safety risks. The good news is that all Thrive products use only naturally sourced ingredients derived from beneficial plants — there are no synthetic chemicals or mystery ingredients hiding in the formula. As such, there aren’t any recognized side effects from using Thrive DFT. But that doesn’t mean it’s for everyone.

Those who have preexisting conditions, sensitivities, or allergies related to any of the Thrive DFT ingredients may still experience some discomfort — probably in the form of skin irritation. Additionally, because Thrive products are formulated for adults, they are not recommended for those who are pregnant, currently breastfeeding, or are younger than 18 years old. Finally, be wary of using Thrive DFT alongside other medications, as they could produce unexpected interactions. With these considerations in mind, it’s always a good idea to double-check with your primary healthcare provider before you commit to any major lifestyle changes.

Oh and always, always follow the directions when using Thrive products.

DFT Is Right for Me

Well, after my talk with my aunt (and all of the research that followed), I was convinced of two things: 

1. Thrive DFT isn’t a ‘Thrive patch.’ It’s something better.
2. I needed to get started with the Thrive Experience immediately.

And that’s exactly what I did. And I’ll tell you: It took me a few weeks to really get into the swing of it, but once I did, I finally started to feel like my old (and by that I mean younger) self again. As of the time of this writing, I’ve been thriving for about seven months, and I couldn’t be happier with the results. 

If you’re interested in learning more about Thrive DFT and the Thrive Experience, take it from me: Research can help you get an idea of what it’s about, but only through personal experience can you fully understand it. Hopefully, this review has at least helped clear up some confusion, so the next time someone mentions the Thrive patch, you can cock an eyebrow, give a wry smile, and tell them there’s no such thing.

I Am Also Adding Some Reasearch Based References On The Above Discussion:

1. CoQ10 (Coenzyme Q10) for weight management:
   • Saini, R. (2011). Coenzyme Q10: The essential nutrient. Journal of Pharmacy & Bioallied Sciences, 3(3), 466–467. doi:10.4103/0975-7406.84471.
     • This review discusses the general role of CoQ10 in the body. While it doesn’t focus on weight loss, it gives an understanding of why this nutrient might be important for overall health.
2. ForsLean® (forskolin) for weight management and lean muscle mass:
   • Godard, M. P., Johnson, B. A., & Richmond, S. R. (2005). Body composition and hormonal adaptations associated with forskolin consumption in overweight and obese men. Obesity Research, 13(8), 1335-1343. doi:10.1038/oby.2005.162.
     • This study suggests that forskolin might have a positive impact on body composition and testosterone levels in overweight and obese men.
3. Garcinia Cambogia for appetite control and weight management:
   • Onakpoya, I., Hung, S. K., Perry, R., Wider, B., & Ernst, E. (2011). The Use of Garcinia Extract (Hydroxycitric Acid) as a Weight loss Supplement: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Randomised Clinical Trials. Journal of Obesity, 2011. doi:10.1155/2011/509038.
     • This meta-analysis looks at several studies and concludes that Garcinia Cambogia can cause short-term weight loss, but the magnitude of the effect is small.
4. Green Coffee Bean Extract for weight loss and metabolism:
   • Onakpoya, I., Terry, R., & Ernst, E. (2011). The use of green coffee extract as a weight loss supplement: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomised clinical trials. Gastroenterology research and practice, 2011. doi:10.1155/2011/382852.
     • The review suggests that green coffee extract may promote weight loss, but further high-quality research is necessary.
5. The concept of dermal absorption in transdermal patches (relevant to DFT technology):
   • Benson, H. A. E. (2005). Transdermal Drug Delivery: Penetration Enhancement Techniques. Current Drug Delivery, 2(1), 23-33. doi:10.2174/1567201052772915.
     • This paper explores various techniques for enhancing the delivery of drugs through the skin, which is the principle behind technologies like DFT.