Beware the snake oil salesman

          Diet Pills and Supplements are not a quick fix or suitable substitute for proper nutrition gained from fresh foods. The herbal supplement industry is a $5 billion dollar industry in the United States. It is also an unregulated industry. From multi-level marketing to supplements sold by GNC, Wal-Mart, and other stores, if you take supplements, do you know what is really in them? What about the people who push them?

Let’s look at some of these snake oil salesmen.

Kevin Trudeau is possibly the most known salesman. He’s currently in jail until 2022, but he originally got in trouble in the early 1990s with his weight loss book and false health claims in his infomercials. His 30-day supplement sold for $100, yet the ingredient list wasn’t readily available, nor were independent tests. That is a huge red flag.

[Insert name of Mult-Level Marketing company here]…just pick a name. Really, do it. Then go look at their website. They all claim that their supplements will improve your health. They also have a disclaimer that the supplements are not FDA approved and not meant to prevent, treat, or cure any diseases. Although not FDA approved, many of them claim independent testing and creations of specific formulas for weight management, sleep issues, energy, and more.

One company even goes as far as to state, “Our team of researchers, nutritionists and scientists (Edit: That’s the company’s team, not some independent researchers), can include supplements that can help relieve symptoms of a variety of a medical conditions you might have.” Again, not FDA approved. They claim to base their individualized program on a HIPAA Compliant online assessment that the individual takes. All I can think of is the show House when he states, "Everybody lies." Looking at their team page, they don’t list any board certified medical professionals, nor truly independent testing on their products. Oh, I can’t forget to mention that the CEO of this particular company has been involved in a few lawsuits regarding pyramid schemes and false advertising pertaining to his previous ventures.

               MLM supplements are EXPENSIVE to boot. They are marked up about five times higher than retail supplements.

Don't even get me started on the quack Joseph Mercola. He's worse than Kevin Trudeau. Mercola has already been in trouble with the FDA several times for making false health claims of his supplements.

Key point here: Do your research and be cynical.

What about the actual ingredients?

 As a generalization, a lot of people will try anything that seems like as quick, easy fix to a complicated problem. Supplement companies prey on this behavior and it is paying off for them. Unfortunately, it is harming their customers physically and financially.

In a study published in BMC Medicine in Canada, 30 out of 44 tested supplements had product substitutions. Only two of the 12 companies had zero substitutions. The majority of the supplements consisted of poor quality ingredients in the first place and substitutions consisted of nothing more than powdered rice or weeds. For instance, bottles of St. John’s Wort was actually found to be 100% powdered rice and one bottle had Alexandria Senna, a powerful laxative. Gingko Biloba had black walnut added as a filler. Fillers consisting of wheat, rice, and soybean were also found in other supplements. These were not listed on the ingredient label of the supplement.

The study can be freely accessed at: http://www.biomedcentral.com/1741-7015/11/222

            People spend hundreds, if not thousands of dollars a year on supplements and take thousands of pills, powders, etc. They may feel good for a while and may see results, but ultimately, it is a band-aid.

Let me add this about supplements. Not all supplements are bad. For instance, I take a specific vitamin pack that my neighbor sells through an MLM company. Now, I did have my primary care doctor check it out before I took it, and she says it’s a good one. I also see a naturopathic doctor, because I had been on so many different big pharmaceutical medicines over the years, I started fearing negative side affects on my body. They were also just giving temporary relief. A friend recommended naturopathic medicine and so far, I don’t have any complaints. The supplements the ND prescribed cannot be bought online, off store shelves, or through MLM. Before taking them, I did extensive research on the manufacturers and they are higher quality. They can only be obtained through prescription. Oh, and my ND went to medical school and obtained her medical doctorate. Naturopathy may not be for everyone. It’s up to the individual.

So, if supplements are not necessarily good, what can I do?

            In short, exercise and put all that supplement money towards healthy, fresh foods. A lot of people would say, “But it is so expensive to eat healthy and organically.” Let’s do the math:

Average monthly cost of high quality supplements – around $180, because most people don’t take just one. That’s $2,160 annually.

Cutting out some processed foods and replacing them with fresh/organic foods per month might add $60-$70 per month to your grocery bill if you budget and plan properly. That’s $720-840 per year. Realistically, a person isn’t going to replace all processed foods in one fell swoop. It’s a gradual change. I’ll be honest, we haven’t completely eliminated processed foods. I also still eat fast food or eat out on occasion.

That’s still an annual savings of up to $1,320.

My personal gradual changes have included adding fresh, wild Salmon and Halibut in place of beef products (I still eat grass fed beef, not as much though), more fresh fruits, free range chicken, and certified organic oatmeal. Fried foods and gravies have been cut back a lot. I stopped buying lunches from the food trucks and cut down on eating out. It only increased my grocery budget a little, but my eating out budget was decreased substantially so it evened out. Other than the recent supplements from my ND and a vitamin pack, I’ve never been one to take supplements because it is just a money sink. 

TL:DR – Don’t rely on supplements. Eat healthier and exercise. The nutrients in fresh/organic foods help your body heal and repair itself better than an over-priced pill or powder. 

If you are determined to take supplements, please consult your physician beforehand so they don’t have adverse effects on any pre-existing conditions or counteract any medications you may be taking. Also check food labels so you don’t overload on a specific supplement. Too much can cause liver damage, kidney failure and other health issues.