Posted by Lao Tzu on May 29, 2008, at 9:49:32
Where do vitamin companies get off charging such high prices for some of their products? Just because they may be hip and trendy. Some examples are NADH, COq10, DHEA, fish oils, Energy bars, and SAM-E. Is it all about making people healthy or just lining the pockets of these companies? I'll admit that without vitamin companies we all might not feel as good mentally and physically, but really it's so much hype and manipulation. For example, NADH is just a derivative of vitamin B3, but if you buy just plain 'ol B3 it's so much cheaper because it's not a hip supplement. Certain supplements should be studied extensively for benefit in certain physical and mental conditions and should be covered under medical insurance if they're proven to benefit people. Most supplements are studied weakly and no real concensus or conclusions are made, so the average citizen is left scratching his head, wondering. Are these hip supplements really affordable? Not really, especially if you have to worry about paying your rent or mortgage, putting food on the table, paying your taxes, and paying your medical insurance. And what if your receiving benefits from the government? The government doesn't pay that well that you can just go crazy and buy all these trendy supplements, some of which don't really help that much, or that complicate your depression, or that have side effects that are intolerable. If you have your family to back you up financially, then you are lucky and you can enjoy the trendy supplements. If it was all about making people well so that they could be re-introduced into society as happier, more productive citizens, these supplements would be dirt cheap and covered in most medical plans. Many countries in Europe cover supplements in their socialized medicine and for some conditions prefer natural products over strong medications, why, because they actually want people to recover and become more productive citizens so that in the long run they'll make the whole country wealthier.
Though I love my freedoms in this country, it's all such a big sales pitch!! It makes me sick.
poster:Lao Tzu
thread:831868
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/alter/20080326/msgs/831868.html