Alex Guerrero (alternative medicine)

Last updated
Alex Guerrero
Born1965
Occupation(s)Alternative medicine practitioner, writer

Alejandro "Alex" Guerrero (born 1965) [1] is an Argentine alternative medicine practitioner and alkaline diet advocate. He is best known for his infomercials that contained alternative health claims and his work with professional football players including Tom Brady and many other current and former New England Patriots players. He now trains for semi-pro Lacrosse player Owen Williams of the Elora Mohawks.

Contents

Education and early career

Guerrero received a master's degree in traditional Chinese medicine from Samra University in Los Angeles, California, an institution that closed in 2010 after the state of California dissolved the Bureau of Private Postsecondary and Vocational Education board in 2007, which had provided the school's accreditation. [2] [3] [4]

After graduating, Guerrero opened his own health treatment practice in 1996, and soon began working with individual professional athletes. [5]

2004 book

In 2004, Guerrero wrote a book called In Balance for Life: Understanding & Maximizing Your Body's pH Factor. The book promoted what he called a "nutritional supplement program that will take your health to the next level", with a "14-Day Diet Plan to quick-start your journey to vibrant vitality". [3] In the book, he said the principles of the program were "easy to understand, and even easier to implement", and said "In fact, the principles that support it have been scientifically verified time and time again by researchers throughout the world. For the most part, however, they remain all but ignored by conventional and alternative health-care providers alike. As a result, our society is increasingly burdened with health-care problems." [3] The book referred to "the important role that the pH Factor plays in health and overall balance of the body" and said that "unhealthy pH levels―a disruption of proper acid-alkaline balance―are at the root of all disease conditions". [3]

Infomercials and sanctioning by the FTC

In 2005, Guerrero was sanctioned by the U.S. Federal Trade Commission for falsely presenting himself as a doctor and claiming to be able to cure cancer, AIDS, multiple sclerosis, diabetes, arthritis, and Parkinson's disease using a dietary supplement called "Supreme Greens". [2] He had made these claims in infomercials on the channels Spike TV and We TV. [2] He claimed to have conducted extensive scientific studies of the benefits of his program with 200 patients that had been diagnosed as terminally ill before his treatments, but he later admitted that no such studies existed. [2] The FTC fined him and barred him for life from ever again presenting himself as a doctor or from ever again marketing Supreme Greens or any substantially similar product as an effective treatment for any disease. [2] Barrie Cassileth, Ph.D., the founder of the Integrative Medicine Service at the Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, who helped in the FTC investigation, referred to his practices as "just out and out quackery". [2] She said that a major danger of such useless treatments is that they may delay patients from seeking proper evidence-based medical care, and that "this is fatal for many patients". [2] She said "The organizations and people who make these claims and produce these false treatments really are doing something horrific." [2]

He later founded a new company called 6 Degree Nutrition, which marketed various nutritional supplements including a product called Neurosafe. Neurosafe was called "a seatbelt for your brain", and was claimed to protect its users "from the consequences of sports-related traumatic brain injury". The product was advertised as being endorsed by prominent professional football players that had experienced concussions, with a claim that "When used consistently, NeuroSafe helps to dramatically improve recovery from head trauma by providing the brain the nutrients it needs to repair itself." [2] Wes Welker, a wide receiver who had suffered repeated concussions, was quoted as saying "NeuroSafe is essential. It keeps me safe. I've seen what concussions do to people. With NeuroSafe I know it's protecting what my helmet can't." [2] Champion quarterback Tom Brady was quoted saying "NeuroSafe makes me feel comfortable that if I get a concussion I can recover faster and more fully. There is no other solution on the market today that can do what NeuroSafe does. It's that extra level of protection that gives me comfort when I'm out on the field." [2] The FTC intervened again in 2012, reaching a settlement with Guerrero that resulted in closure of the company and the cessation of the marketing of the product. [2] [6]

The Boston Globe reported that Guerrero also had "a long history of financial troubles, bankruptcies, and legal entanglements". [1] He was sued twice for allegedly defrauding investors in his health product business enterprises of hundreds of thousands of dollars in investment funds, and resolved the cases with settlements under undisclosed terms. [7]

Work with football players

Guerrero has treated a number of professional football players, and is especially closely associated with Tom Brady, A former NFL quarterback who previously played for the New England Patriots and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and is widely regarded as the greatest quarterback of all time. [8] Brady refers to Guerrero as his "body coach" and "body engineer", and has said Guerrero "has been a huge part of what I do" and is a "huge, huge reason why I'm still playing". [1] [5] In addition to Brady, Guerrero has worked with nearly every player for the Patriots, particularly including Danny Amendola, Jacoby Brissett, Julian Edelman, Jimmy Garoppolo, Rob Gronkowski, Duron Harmon, Chris Hogan, Ty Law, and Willie McGinest. [3] [9] [10] [11] [12] In December 2017, it was estimated that Guerrero was treating about 20 of the current Patriots players. [13] The dietary and training techniques espoused by Guerrero and Brady have also been influential with other NFL players outside of the Patriots. [12] As in Guerrero's 2004 book, aspects of Guerrero's dietary guidelines are phrased in terms of pH balance, with Brady saying he has a primarily alkaline diet that is 80 percent alkaline and 20 percent acidic. [2] [12] The diet is mostly vegan while avoiding foods that are claimed to cause inflammation, including tomatoes, peppers, mushrooms, and eggplants. [12]

Earlier in his career, Guerrero also worked with LaDainian Tomlinson and Keenan McCardell of the San Diego Chargers. [3] Wide receiver T. J. Houshmandzadeh, then with the Cincinnati Bengals, was treated by Guerrero during the same time frame. [14]

Guerrero and Brady have become collaborators and business partners in various ventures branded as "TB12" (with "TB" being the initials for Tom Brady, and 12 his jersey number). Together they created a peak performance website TB12Sports.com and opened a facility in 2013 called the TB12 Sports Therapy Center next to Gillette Stadium, the home of the New England Patriots. [2] [5] [15] Guerrero helped Brady develop a health program that Brady wrote about in a 2017 book, The TB12 Method . Guerrero and Brady also developed "The TB12 Nutrition Manual", a line of TB12-branded snacks, protein bars, and prepared meals, and a line of TB12 workout gear and clothing (including "recovery pajamas" that are said to help the wearer recover from physical exertion and trauma). [1] [12] The practices of Guerrero and the TB12 Center were investigated by several Massachusetts state agencies in 2013, but the agencies took no enforcement action, partly due to regulatory exceptions granted for work that was considered massage therapy. [6] In 2014, after an allegation that he was practicing physical therapy without a license, he was sent a letter instructing him to abide by state regulations when supervising the work of licensed therapists. [1]

Although Guerrero has treated many members of the New England Patriots, there has been substantial friction with the Patriots' management and training staff over his involvement, and in December 2017, the head coach Bill Belichick and the Patriots staff stripped Guerrero of many of his team privileges. [1] [5] [16] However, there has been no such friction in Tampa Bay, with Guerrero treating multiple players at a facility near Raymond James Stadium and Brady and Gronkowski treated on-site during games. [17]

Dr. Jessica Flynn, a specialist in sports medicine at the Lahey Hospital & Medical Center, criticized Guerrero's practices in 2017, saying that although she truly believes "there is a lot of good going on at TB12", she is troubled that Guerrero has implied that doctors don't really care about the functional outcomes for their athletic patients. [18] In an otherwise-positive account of one writer's experience, Guerrero had reportedly told his patient that "your surgeon's number one goal is to protect his surgery site. He doesn't care if you ever run again. He doesn't care if you want to climb Mount Everest." [18] Moreover, Flynn said she is concerned that at TB12 "they continue to profit from non-proven treatments, supplements, and other therapies and none of those profits seem to be invested in studying their efficacy." [18] She said "Guerrero functions in a different world than doctors. He doesn't have to prove his therapies work, or even that they are safe." [18]

In an article on the sports website Deadspin , the sports writer Tom Ley used even more harsh language. He called Guerrero a "dangerous quack guru" and said "In a just world, Guerrero would be shunned from public life and quickly identified as a scam artist who has preyed on desperate and even dying people when making any attempt to present himself as a credible fitness guru." [19]

In July 2018, Guerrero became the subject of inquiries about his association with the receiver Julian Edelman, and Edelman's suspension for using performance-enhancing drugs. Guerrero issued a statement saying "Here at our facility, we take a natural, holistic, appropriate and, above all, legal approach to training and recovery for all of our clients. And anyone who would suggest otherwise is irresponsible, and just plain wrong." [9] When a reporter said to Brady that a lot of people thought Edelman's violation might be connected to Guerrero, Brady said "It's just ridiculous. I'm out. See you guys," and abruptly ended the press conference. [9] Brady reacted similarly a month later when asked about Guerrero in late August. During a weekly interview segment that Brady regularly held with WEEI radio, Brady was asked about whether Guerrero was traveling with the team and about the relationship between Guerrero and team management. Brady said he didn't want to talk in detail about the topic, and when the reporter asked follow-up questions, he said "Yeah. Alright, guys. Have a great day. I'll talk to you later," and hung up the phone. [20] [21] [22]

Selected publications

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tom Brady</span> American football player (born 1977)

Thomas Edward Patrick Brady Jr. is an American former football quarterback who played in the National Football League (NFL) for 23 seasons. He spent his first 20 seasons with the New England Patriots and was a central contributor to the franchise's dynasty from 2001 to 2019. In his final three seasons, he was a member of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Brady is widely regarded as the greatest quarterback of all time.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bernard Pollard</span> American football player (born 1984)

Bernard Karmell Pollard is a former American football safety. He played college football at Purdue University, and was drafted by the Kansas City Chiefs in the second round of the 2006 NFL Draft. He has also played for the Houston Texans, Baltimore Ravens and Tennessee Titans. Pollard was dubbed "the Bonecrusher" while at Purdue for his hard hits and tackles, and acquired the nickname "Patriot-Killer" as a professional, after inflicting injuries which would ultimately alter four New England Patriots seasons, including ending Patriots quarterback Tom Brady's 2008 season.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Patriot Place</span> Shopping mall in Massachusetts, U.S.

Patriot Place is an open-air shopping center owned by The Kraft Group built around Gillette Stadium, the home of the New England Patriots and New England Revolution. It is located in Foxborough, Massachusetts.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Julian Edelman</span> American football player (born 1986)

Julian Francis Edelman is an American former football wide receiver who played in the National Football League (NFL) for 12 seasons with the New England Patriots. He played college football for the Kent State Golden Flashes as a quarterback and was selected in the seventh round of the 2009 NFL Draft by the Patriots, where he transitioned to a return specialist and wide receiver. Edelman became a primary offensive starter in 2013 and was a staple of the Patriots' receiving corps until his retirement after the 2020 season.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rob Gronkowski</span> American football player (born 1989)

Robert James Gronkowski is an American former football tight end who played in the National Football League (NFL) for 11 seasons. Nicknamed "Gronk", Gronkowski played nine seasons for the New England Patriots, then played his final two seasons for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Regarded as one of the greatest tight ends of all time, he is a four-time Super Bowl champion, a five-time Pro Bowl selection, a four-time First Team All-Pro selection, and was selected in the NFL 2010s All-Decade Team and NFL 100th Anniversary All-Time Team.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Aaron Hernandez</span> American football player and convicted murderer (1989–2017)

Aaron Josef Hernandez was an American professional football player who was a tight end. He played in the National Football League (NFL) for three seasons with the New England Patriots until his arrest and conviction for the murder of Odin Lloyd.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2011 New England Patriots season</span> 52nd season in franchise history; fourth Super Bowl loss

The 2011 season was the New England Patriots' 42nd in the National Football League (NFL) and their 52nd overall. The Patriots finished the regular season at 13–3, and represented the AFC in Super Bowl XLVI. It was the seventh Super Bowl trip in franchise history, and the fifth for head coach Bill Belichick and quarterback Tom Brady.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2012 New England Patriots season</span> 53rd season in franchise history

The 2012 season was the New England Patriots' 43rd in the National Football League (NFL) and their 53rd overall. The Patriots did not improve upon their 13–3 record from 2011, finishing at 12–4, but did win the AFC East for the fourth season in a row, and a first-round bye as one of the top two seeds in the AFC for the third consecutive year. This season marked head coach Bill Belichick's 13th season as Patriots head coach, and the 11th season in which the Patriots played all of their home games at Gillette Stadium.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Super Bowl LI</span> 2017 National Football League championship game

Super Bowl LI was an American football game played at NRG Stadium in Houston, Texas on February 5, 2017, to determine the champion of the National Football League (NFL) for the 2016 season. The American Football Conference (AFC) champion New England Patriots defeated the National Football Conference (NFC) champion Atlanta Falcons, 34–28. Super Bowl LI featured the largest comeback in Super Bowl history, with the Patriots overcoming a 28–3 deficit in the third quarter to emerge victorious. Due to the comeback, the game is nicknamed "28–3". The game was also the first Super Bowl to be decided in overtime.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2013 New England Patriots season</span> 54th season in franchise history

The 2013 season was the New England Patriots' 44th in the National Football League (NFL) and their 54th overall. The Patriots finished 12–4 and with the AFC's No. 2 seed for a second consecutive season. Along with their seeding, New England was awarded a first-round bye in the playoffs for the fourth season in a row, only the second such occurrence for any team since the league switched to a 6-team playoff format in 1990. The Patriots defeated the Indianapolis Colts 43–22 in the divisional round of the playoffs, but lost in the AFC Championship game to the Denver Broncos by a score of 26–16.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2014 New England Patriots season</span> 55th season in franchise history; fourth Super Bowl win

The 2014 season was the New England Patriots' 45th in the National Football League (NFL), their 55th overall and their 15th under head coach Bill Belichick.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2015 New England Patriots season</span> 56th season in franchise history

The 2015 season was the New England Patriots' 46th in the National Football League (NFL), their 56th overall and their 16th under head coach Bill Belichick. The Patriots entered the season as the defending Super Bowl champions.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Super Bowl LIII</span> 2019 National Football League championship game

Super Bowl LIII was an American football game played to determine the champion of the National Football League (NFL) for the 2018 season. The American Football Conference (AFC) champion New England Patriots defeated the National Football Conference (NFC) champion Los Angeles Rams, 13–3. The game was played on February 3, 2019, at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta and was the first Super Bowl played at the stadium.

Donald H. Yee is an American lawyer and sports agent. He is a partner of Yee & Dubin, a sports talent agency. He represents National Football League players and coaches, including former quarterback Tom Brady, Las Vegas Raiders quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo, former New England Patriots wide receiver Julian Edelman, and Denver Broncos head coach Sean Payton. He has been highly praised by media including Sports Illustrated and The Washington Post for his work in representing Brady.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2016 New England Patriots season</span> 57th season in franchise history; fifth Super Bowl win

The 2016 season was the New England Patriots' 47th in the National Football League (NFL), their 57th overall and their 17th under head coach Bill Belichick. The Patriots ended the regular season with a league-best record of 14–2 and reached a number of milestones along the way: they became the first team originating in the American Football League to reach 500 franchise wins, set the record for most consecutive division titles at eight, became the seventh team to go 8–0 on the road, set the record for most pass attempts by a team without an interception to start a season, set the record for fewest interceptions thrown by a team with just 2, and led the league for fewest points allowed (250) for the first time since the 2003 season. Belichick moved into fourth place on the list for most wins as a head coach. Brady set the record for most wins by a starting quarterback and the record for the best touchdown–interception ratio in a single season.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2017 New England Patriots season</span> 58th season in franchise history, fifth Super Bowl loss

The 2017 season was the New England Patriots' 48th in the National Football League (NFL), their 58th overall and their 18th under head coach Bill Belichick.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Brady–Belichick era</span> Sports dynasty of the New England Patriots

The Tom Brady–Bill Belichick era, also known as the Brady–Belichick era, the New England Patriots dynasty, or the Patriots dynasty, was a sports dynasty of the New England Patriots in the National Football League (NFL) that lasted from the 2001 to the 2019 season. The dynasty is named after quarterback Tom Brady and head coach Bill Belichick, who are regarded as among the greatest in their respective positions. Belichick and Brady are consistently credited with the Patriots' success and are considered responsible for one of the sport's longest and most dominant dynasties. They are also credited with helping to create and sustain the culture around the team, dubbed the "Patriot Way", where there is an emphasis on personal accountability, consistent improvement, and a focus on team success over personal gain.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2019 New England Patriots season</span> 60th season in Patriots franchise history; final one with Tom Brady

The 2019 season was the New England Patriots' 50th in the National Football League (NFL), their 60th overall and their 20th under head coach Bill Belichick. They entered the season as the defending Super Bowl champions, after winning Super Bowl LIII, and as three-time defending AFC champions. The Patriots won the AFC East for the 11th straight season, and improved on their 11–5 record from the previous season, but they were upset by the Tennessee Titans in the Wild Card game, their first Wild Card game since the 2009 season. This marked the first time the Patriots lost a home postseason game since the 2012 AFC Championship game where they lost to the later super bowl champion Ravens 28–13, and the first time the Patriots failed to reach the AFC Championship game since 2010. The Patriots were also the only NFL team that made the playoffs, and had a winning season, in every year of the 2010s decade.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2021 Tampa Bay Buccaneers–New England Patriots game</span> 2021 professional American football game

On October 3, 2021, during week 4 of the 2021 NFL season, the defending Super Bowl LV champion Tampa Bay Buccaneers defeated the hosting New England Patriots by a score of 19–17 on NBC Sunday Night Football. The game was highly anticipated as Tampa Bay quarterback Tom Brady played his first game at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Massachusetts against his former team, his long-time former coach Bill Belichick, and Patriots owner Robert Kraft. Brady had previously spent 20 seasons with the Patriots between 2000 and 2019, leading New England to a league-tying record of six championships. NBC Sports marketed the game with the tagline "The Return" in promotional material.

<i>80 for Brady</i> 2023 film by Kyle Marvin

80 for Brady is a 2023 American sports comedy film directed by Kyle Marvin in his directorial debut from a screenplay by Sarah Haskins and Emily Halpern, and produced by former NFL quarterback Tom Brady. Based on a true story, it focuses on four lifelong friends who travel to watch Brady and his New England Patriots play in Super Bowl LI in 2017. Billy Porter, Rob Corddry, Alex Moffat, and Guy Fieri also star.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Finucane, Martin; Hohler, Bob (December 20, 2017). "Who is Tom Brady's friend Alex Guerrero?". The Boston Globe . Retrieved July 30, 2018.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 Sweeney, Chris (October 9, 2015). "Tom Brady's Personal Guru Is a Glorified Snake-Oil Salesman". Boston Magazine . Retrieved July 30, 2018.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Guerrero, Alex (November 15, 2004). In Balance for Life: Understanding & Maximizing Your Body's pH Factor. Square One. ISBN   978-0757002649. (Aspects sourced to Introduction and About the Author sections).
  4. ↑ "Previously Samra University of Oriental Medicine". Former Samra University of Oriental Medicine official website. Retrieved July 30, 2018.
  5. 1 2 3 4 Yang, Nicole (December 21, 2017). "A closer look at Alex Guerrero's involvement with the Patriots". Boston.com . Retrieved July 30, 2018.
  6. 1 2 Sweeney, Chris (December 19, 2015). "Tom Brady's TB12 Center Was Investigated by State Agencies". Boston Magazine. Retrieved July 30, 2018.
  7. ↑ Sweeney, Chris (October 23, 2015). "Tom Brady's Guru Was Twice Sued for Fraud". Boston Magazine. Retrieved July 30, 2018.
  8. ↑ Graham, Bryan Armen (2020-07-17). "Tom Brady's pseudoscientific wellness racket is the American dream". The Guardian. Retrieved 2020-07-17.
  9. 1 2 3 Reyes, Lorenzo (July 28, 2018). "Tom Brady ends press conference early after question about Julian Edelman and Alex Guerrero". USA Today . Retrieved July 30, 2018– via MSN.
  10. ↑ Yang, Nicole (July 31, 2017). "Rob Gronkowski has reportedly been following the TB12 method". Boston.com. Retrieved July 30, 2018.
  11. ↑ Guregian, Karen (July 31, 2017). "Rob Gronkowski adopting training program of Tom Brady and his guru". The Boston Herald . Retrieved July 30, 2018.
  12. 1 2 3 4 5 Volin, Ben (August 17, 2017). "Around the NFL, QBs are training and eating the Tom Brady way". The Boston Globe. Retrieved July 30, 2018.
  13. ↑ Bedard, Greg A. (December 20, 2017). "How much of a concern is this Alex Guerrero/Bill Belichick rift for the Patriots?". Boston Sports Journal. Retrieved July 30, 2018.
  14. ↑ "T.J. Houshmandzadeh explains his relationship with Tom Brady's trainer, Alex Guerrero and why he's trusted by NFL players". Fox Sports . Retrieved November 1, 2020.
  15. ↑ Bishop, Greg (July 26, 2017). "Living Like Tom: One Sports Illustrated Writer Takes On the TB12 Method". Sports Illustrated . Retrieved July 30, 2018.
  16. ↑ Bird, Hayden (October 31, 2017). "10 things we learned from ESPN's timely story on Tom Brady's longevity". Boston.com. Retrieved July 30, 2018.
  17. ↑ "Alex Guerrero: Bill Belichick didn't evolve with Tom Brady in New England". Boston Herald. 2021-09-23. Retrieved 2021-10-04.
  18. 1 2 3 4 Ducharme, Jamie (May 8, 2017). "Boston Doctor Takes Aim at Tom Brady's Health Guru". Boston Magazine. Retrieved July 30, 2018.
  19. ↑ Ley, Tom (July 26, 2017). "Sports Illustrated Nakedly Shills For Tom Brady's Dangerous Quack Guru". Deadspin . Retrieved July 30, 2018.
  20. ↑ Schad, Tom (August 27, 2018). "Tom Brady abruptly ends radio interview after repeated questions about trainer Alex Guerrero". USA Today . Retrieved August 27, 2018.
  21. ↑ Rogers, Martin (August 27, 2018). "Why does Tom Brady refuse to answer questions about Alex Guerrero?". USA Today . Retrieved August 27, 2018.
  22. ↑ Schilken, Chuck (August 27, 2018). "Tom Brady cuts another interview short after questions about personal trainer Alex Guerrero". Los Angeles Times . Retrieved August 27, 2018.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.