I honestly can't say whether or not this is truly effective. What I CAN say is that I am normally tolerant of just about any organic scent. I don't balk at taking some of the stinkier supplements out there, but I have NEVER smelled something so HORRIBLE. I think it's the indole-3. I knew what I thought it smelled like, but didn't say until one day when I asked my daughter to smell a tablet. She immediately said it smelled like "old people's bad breath." That's exactly what I thought every time I tried to swallow it. If you can take that, then take this; otherwise, search for something else. :\