2002 Bontech® ts-PLUS Survey Results
In December 2002, The Natural Food Store's (address: 312 E Beebe Capps Expy, Searcy, Arkansas 72143, phone: 501-268-9585) nutritionist, Perry Ambrose, CN, and co-owner, Cas Rifkin, in conjunction with Bontech® Supplement's Ltd. conducted an online survey concerning the usage of magnesium-rich Bontech® ts-PLUS CONTROL™ or "Bonnie's Program". The Natural Food Store is a retailer for this product and Mr. Ambrose and Ms. Rifkin have especially noted many anecdotal reports of improvement of symptoms and a sustained increase in sales of this product to those with Tourette's syndrome and comorbidities.
250 e-mails were sent to all past and present consumers of Bontech® ts-PLUS CONTROL™ or "Bonnie's Program" who had supplied their e-mail address to The Natural Food Store. Each of these e-mails included a link to the Lightning Survey website which collected the raw data. Instructions were for each consumer to take the survey only once.
87 ts-PLUS CONTROL™ consumers responded to the survey and out of this number 64 had taken ts-PLUS CONTROL TM for more than 2 months. In the group of 23 respondents that had taken ts-PLUS CONTROL™ for less than 2 months, 15/23 (65.2%) had just started taking ts-PLUS CONTROL™; 3/23 (13.0%) were non compliant and wouldn't take the supplement; 3/23 (13.0%) experienced no improvement; 2/23 (8.7%) experienced undisclosed side effects; 1/23 (4.3%) cited expense as the reason for taking ts-PLUS CONTROL™ for less than 2 months.
Since 2 months is the arbitrary minimum amount of time to be able to adequately assess the effects of the product on symptoms set by other similar surveys, these 64 respondents became the statistically meaningful sample of the population upon which the following statistics are based.
The most striking outcome that is depicted is that 47/63 (74.6%) of the TS (Tourette's syndrome) sample (n=63) reported that ts-PLUS CONTROL™ or "Bonnie's Program" was the most effective treatment for their symptoms with 50/63 (79.4%) reporting improvement in motor tics and 39/63 (61.9%) reporting improvement in vocal tics, and overall improvement of symptoms in 54/63 (85.7%) of this TS sample! Not graphed is that 31/54 (57.4%) of the TS sample reporting improvement *strongly* agree that their symptoms have generally improved.
Most interesting and intriguing are the statistics of the smaller samples concerning the significant worsening effects (15/30=50.0% within the first week and an additional 7/30=23.3% within 2 months for a total of 73.3%) upon discontinuation Bontech® ts-PLUS CONTROL™ or "Bonnie's Program" after at least 2 months of symptom improvement; and then significant improvement (12/22=54.5% within the first week and and additional 9/22=40.9% within 2 months for a total of 95.4%) in symptoms regained upon restarting it. Members of the medical community have expressed interest in obtaining this data.
Click on an image to see enlarged version.
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
2005 Bontech® ts-PLUS Survey Results
On January 5, 2005, we ran a second survey to update our statistics. Bontech® Supplements, Ltd. and The Natural Food Store (Searcy, Arkansas) sent this survey out by e-mail to everyone who had purchased Bontech® ts-PLUS products and had provided their e-mail addresses to us. Below are the results of all of the responses we have received so far (29 as of 1/17/05). They are consistent with the larger 2002 sample that was tallied independently by an unbiased statistics company (see "2002 Bontech® ts-PLUS Survey Results") above:
| 1. Which ts-PLUS products have the ts-PLUS product consumer used? | ||||
| ts-PLUS CONTROL™........................................ ts-PLUS Mag Taurate™..................................... ts-PLUS EPA/DHA™........................................... ts-PLUS Grape-X™............................................. |
100% 62% 62% 10% |
(29/29) (18/29) (18/29) (3/29) |
||
 |
||||
2. What is/are the ts-PLUS product consumer's diagnosis/diagnoses or suspected diagnosis/diagnoses? |
||||
Tourette Syndrome/Tic Disorder ..................... AD(H)D ................................................................. OCD ...................................................................... Asperger Syndrome/PDD ................................. |
100% 28% 17% 7% |
(29/29) (18/29) (18/29) (3/29) |
||
|
||||
3. What is the age of the ts-PLUS product consumer? |
||||
| 6 to 10 years ........................................................ 11 to 18 years ...................................................... over 18 years ....................................................... |
52% 38% 10% |
(15/29) (11/29) (3/29) |
||
|
||||
4. Have you found these products to be helpful? |
||||
Yes ........................................................................ No .......................................................................... |
93% 7% |
(27/29) (2/29) |
||
|
||||
5. Please rate symptoms in ts-PLUS product consumers now as compared to before starting product(s) from 3- to 3+ (3- is the most worsened and 3+ is the most improved). For example: " (your symptom) 2+ " would mean a moderate improvement in this symptom; and "(your symptom) 2-" would mean a moderate worsening of this symptom. (Symptom choices were not given – the following symptoms are self-reported. No worsening of symptoms was reported for this question.) |
||||
| Vocal tics .............................................................. | 0 | no change: | 5% | (1/22) |
| 1+ | slight improvement: | 9% | (2/22) | |
| 2+ | moderate improvement: | 36% | (8/22) | |
| 3+ |
extreme improvement: |
50% |
(11/22) |
|
| Motor tics .............................................................. | 0 | no change: | 3% | (1/29) |
| 1+ | slight improvement: | 7% | (2/29) | |
| 2+ | moderate improvement: | 38% | (11/29) | |
| 3+ |
extreme improvement: |
48% |
(14/29) |
|
| Hyperactivity ......................................................... | 0 | no change: | 40% | (2/5) |
| 1+ | slight improvement: | 40% | (2/5) | |
| 3+ |
extreme improvement: |
20% |
(1/5) |
|
| Inattention ............................................................ | 2+ |
moderate improvement: |
100% |
(4/4) |
| Impulsivity ............................................................ | 2+ |
moderate improvement: |
100% |
(1/1) |
| Mood swings (includes "rage") ....................... | 2+ | moderate improvement: | 75% | (3/4) |
| 3+ |
extreme improvement: |
25% |
(1/4) |
|
| Compulsions ...................................................... | 1+ | slight improvement: | 13% | (1/8) |
| 2+ | moderate improvement: | 63% | (5/8) | |
| 3+ |
extreme improvement: |
25% |
(2/8) |
|
| Headaches .......................................................... | 2+ |
moderate improvement: |
100% |
(1/1) |
| Anxiety ................................................................... | 0 | no change: | 20% | (1/5) |
| 2+ | moderate improvement: | 40% | (2/5) | |
| 3+ |
extreme improvement: |
40% |
(2/5) |
|
| Sleep problems .................................................. | 3+ |
extreme improvement: |
100% |
(1/1) |
| Teeth grinding ..................................................... | 3+ |
extreme improvement: |
100% |
(2/2) |
| Allergies ............................................................... | 3+ |
extreme improvement: |
100% |
(2/2) |
| Sensory Integration issues .............................. | 2+ | moderate improvement: | 67% | (2/3) |
| 3+ |
extreme improvement: |
33% |
(1/3) |
|
|
||||
6. If you have found ts-PLUS products to be helpful, do you feel that these ts-PLUS products have been the most effective treatment for your symptoms? |
||||
Yes ........................................................................ No .......................................................................... |
86% 14% |
(25/29) (4/29) |
||
|
||||
7. How long did it take to see improvement? |
||||
less than 1 week ................................................ 1 to 2 weeks ........................................................ 3 weeks ................................................................ 1 month ................................................................ 2 months .............................................................. 3 months .............................................................. 6 months .............................................................. |
15% 33% 7% 15% 19% 7% 4% |
(4/27) (9/27) (2/27) (4/27) (5/27) (2/27) (1/27) |
||
|
||||
8. If the ts-PLUS product consumer discontinued use of the product(s) after 2 months of improvement in symptoms, please describe how the symptoms were affected. Please rate symptoms after discontinuation from 3- to 3+ (3- is the most worsened and 3+ is the most improved). For example: " (your symptom) 2+ " would mean a moderate improvement in this symptom; and "(your symptom) 2-" would mean a moderate worsening of this symptom. (Symptom choices were not given – the following symptoms are self-reported. No improvement of symptoms were reported for this question.) |
||||
| Vocal tics .............................................................. | 1- | slight worsening: | 20% | (1/5) |
| 2- | moderate worsening: | 40% | (2/5) | |
| 3- |
extreme worsening: |
40% |
(2/5) |
|
| Motor tics .............................................................. | 0 | no change: | 11% | (1/9) |
| 1- | slight worsening: | 22% | (2/9) | |
| 2- | moderate worsening: | 33% | (3/9) | |
| 3- |
extreme worsening: |
33% |
(3/9) |
|
| Hyperactivity ......................................................... | 0 | no change: | 50% | (1/2) |
| 1- |
slight worsening: |
50% |
(1/2) |
|
| Inattention ............................................................ | 3- |
extreme worsening: |
100% |
(1/1) |
| Impulsivity ............................................................ | 2- |
moderate worsening: |
100% |
(1/1) |
| Mood swings (including "rage") ...................... | 2- | moderate worsening: | 50% | (1/2) |
| 3- |
extreme worsening: |
50% |
(1/2) |
|
| Compulsions ...................................................... | 3- |
extreme worsening: |
100% |
(2/2) |
| Anxiety ................................................................... | 2- | moderate worsening: | 67% | (2/3) |
| 3- |
extreme worsening: |
33% |
(1/3) |
|
| Allergies ............................................................... | 2- |
moderate worsening: |
100% |
(2/2) |
| Sensory Integration issues .............................. | 1- |
slight worsening: |
100% |
(1/1) |
|
||||
9. If this ts-PLUS product consumer (above in question #8) started using the product(s) again please describe how the symptoms were affected. Please rate symptoms after restarting from 3- to 3+ (3- is the most worsened and 3+ is the most improved). For example: " (your symptom) 2+ " would mean a moderate improvement in this symptom; and "(your symptom) 2-" would mean a moderate worsening of this symptom. (Symptom choices were not given – the following symptoms are self-reported. No worsening of symptoms were reported for this question.) |
||||
| Vocal tics .............................................................. | 2+ | moderate improvement: | 25% | (1/4) |
| 3+ |
extreme improvement: |
75% |
(3/4) |
|
| Motor tics .............................................................. | 3+ |
extreme improvement: |
100% |
(7/7) |
| Hyperactivity ......................................................... | 0 | no change: | 50% | (1/2) |
| 3+ |
extreme improvement: |
50% |
(1/2) |
|
| Inattention ............................................................ | 3+ |
extreme improvement: |
100% |
(1/1) |
| Impulsivity ............................................................ | 2+ |
moderate improvement: |
100% |
(1/1) |
| Mood swings (including "rage") ...................... | 2+ |
moderate improvement: |
100% |
(2/2) |
| Compulsions ...................................................... | 3+ |
extreme improvement: |
100% |
(2/2) |
| Anxiety ................................................................... | 3+ |
extreme improvement: |
100% |
(1/1) |
| Allergies ............................................................... | 2+ | moderate improvement: | 50% | (1/2) |
| 3+ |
extreme improvement: |
50% |
(1/2) |
|
| Sensory Integration issues .............................. | 3+ |
extreme improvement: |
100% |
(1/1) |
|
||||
10. If you have not found ts-PLUS products to be helpful, did you contact Bontech® or your retailer for adjustment help? |
||||
No .......................................................................... |
100% | (2/2) | ||
|
||||
11. If the ts-PLUS product consumer discontinued taking the product(s) please explain why. (Choices were not given – the following reasons were self-reported.) |
||||
Summer break .................................................... School trip ............................................................ Didn't help ............................................................ Rebellious about number of pills .................... Started prescription medications .................... Tried to reduce the number of pills ................. |
14% 14% 14% 14% 14% 14% |
(1/7) (1/7) (1/7) (1/7) (1/7) (1/7) |
||
|
||||
12. How long has the ts-PLUS product consumer been using ts-PLUS products? |
||||
2 weeks ................................................................ 1 month ................................................................ 2 months .............................................................. 4 months .............................................................. 6 months to 1 year .............................................. 13 months to 2 years ......................................... 3 years .................................................................. |
4% 4% 4% 8% 36% 36% 8% |
(1/25) (1/25) (1/25) (2/25) (9/25) (9/25) (2/25) |
||
|
||||
13. Where do you purchase ts-PLUS products? |
||||
| Bontech® Supplements, Ltd. ........................... Natural Food Store ............................................. |
48% 52% |
(14/29) (15/29) |
||
|
||||
14. Do you have any comments or suggestions concerning ts-PLUS products? If so, please let us know! |
||||
Excellent Service! Need to reduce # of capsules (5 responses gave the same comment). I’ll bet money on it that his tics began waning BECAUSE of the supplements, not in addition to them . I think you are on to something. Is there any way to make the opened capsules palatable? Very, very thankful! We are thrilled that we are using the products. Of course we had them OK’d by both his GP and Environmental Doctor – both said they were safe for him to take and that they were excellent products. I’m very happy with the products. Before using them, my son was on prescription medication that made him very tired and slow to respond. I was also concerned about side effects. However when he started taking Bontech supplements he improved greatly and feels great also. This has been a good balance between treatment and no side effects. We know there are more powerful “medications” available, however, we are not willing to take the risk of their side effects. We would like to see this approved for insurance purposes. These products have made a huge difference in my daughter. We’re in the process of slowly removing her medications, which had done nothing for her other than making her very tired and sleepy. |
||||
|
||||
15. Please give the name/initials and address/city of the ts-PLUS product consumer (which will be kept strictly confidential) for your above responses to be included in the statistical analysis in order to keep the results valid and to ensure no duplications. |
||||
| Results confidential. | ||||