Navigating the Vitamin Supplement Business for Better Buys

As the new age era arose during the late 1990s, business people devised a plan to bring us back to nature. Almost overnight the health industry boomed into a multi-billionaire dollar business. Vitamin stores maneuvered into the industry with bids on new natural and synthetic supplements packaged and designed to ensure our well-being. Marketing campaigns ensured consumers became nutrient-conscious individuals in need of a wide array of products to maintain optimal health. The vitamin supplement business has continued to thrive every since.

Anyone Want To Be A Millionaire?

Perhaps one of the most disturbing aspects of the vitamin supplement business is the infiltration of the industry by companies operating via the multi-level marketing (MLM) concept. According to Quackwatch.org, there are currently more than 100 MLM companies selling health-related products to consumers.

MLM or network marketing involves corporations recruiting distributors to sell their products for them. Distributors in this case are individuals looking to receive products at a discount from the corporation and to profit by selling them to others and recruiting additional distributors. In theory, it sounds like an excellent way to make a ton of extra cash and get your vitamins at a reduced rate. In actuality, the majority of “distributors” end up purchasing products they can never sell and annoying friends, relatives and neighbors with their unending sales pitch.

The Simple Truth about Empty Promises

What could be worse than a trusted friend or relative pushing vitamin supplements on you? Perhaps the fact that the vitamin supplement business industry operates virtually regulation free. Although the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has recently cracked down on companies making false claims about their products, it is simple enough to avoid blatant lying and still make a convincing pitch. The ingredients in vitamin supplements are not regulated by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), so it is up to consumers to make their own decisions about what they choose to purchase in the name of better health.

A Dose of Credibility

As with most things, consumers should do their homework before settling on a supplement or choosing to patronize a particular vitamin supplement business. First, start with a visit to your nutritionist or doctor for more information regarding your nutritional needs. Decide what you are in the market for before you make a purchase. Second, shop around. Compare prices and ingredients and look for the most economical product with the clearest labeling. Third, don’t believe everything you hear!

With vitamin supplements, the real deal doesn’t have to promise a miracle. Simply containing the vitamins indicated on its packaging should be enough to sell a reputable product at a reasonable price. Pay for what you know you are looking for, not what you’re made to believe you need.