LDJ Ventures

Interesting superfood products, but my experience did not match the extraordinary claims

I became interested in these products after hearing Matt Roeske of Cultivate Elevate in the USA discuss natural "superfoods" such as Pearl Powder, Dragon's Blood and Shilajit. His presentations make a compelling case for exploring mineral-rich and traditional natural products rather than relying exclusively on conventional vitamin supplements. Cultivate Elevate itself markets these products for benefits including energy, vitality, detoxification, antioxidant support and other health effects. After researching South African suppliers, I purchased a bundle from Pearl Powder South Africa / LDJ, founded by Letitia Webber. The company's website describes Pearl Powder, Dragon's Blood and Shilajit as natural wellness products and makes a range of health and wellbeing claims. The products are considerably more expensive than ordinary vitamins and supplements from retailers such as Clicks or Dis-Chem, but I decided to give them a fair trial. I used the products for approximately two months. My personal experience was mixed: • Pearl Powder: I noticed a slight improvement in my sleep. • Dragon's Blood: I did not notice any meaningful increase in energy. • Shilajit: I also did not notice any meaningful increase in energy. I then contacted Letitia to discuss my experience. Subsequently, I contacted Matt at Cultivate Elevate. He told me that he did not know Letitia and suggested that the ingredients or sourcing of her products might not be the same as those used by Cultivate Elevate. He was quite clear that, in his experience, his own products produce results. I cannot independently establish whether the products I bought in South Africa are materially different from Cultivate Elevate's products, so I don't think it would be fair to make that accusation. What I can say is that my experience with the South African products did not match the level of health benefits I had expected from the claims and testimonials that initially motivated me to buy them. I also think consumers should distinguish between traditional use, personal testimonials and clinically demonstrated benefits. Testimonials can be interesting and persuasive, but they aren't the same thing as controlled clinical evidence. One positive point is that Pearl Powder South Africa has subsequently published information about batch-specific Certificates of Analysis (COAs) and argues that these are important for verifying purity and safety, including heavy-metal testing. That is exactly the sort of transparency I would like to see from premium supplement suppliers. My conclusion I don't regret experimenting with these products, and I did notice a small improvement in sleep from the Pearl Powder. However, I personally did not experience the dramatic increase in energy or vitality that I had hoped for, particularly from Dragon's Blood and Shilajit. For the price, I would encourage potential buyers to ask exactly what is in the product, where it is sourced, whether there is a current batch-specific COA, and what evidence supports the specific health claims being made. My review is based on my own experience after approximately two months of use, rather than a judgement about whether these products work for everyone.