If you believe you’re sticking it to the system by using supps and “natural” cures vs. conventional treatments, think again… According to Associated Press writer, Marilyn Marchione, ”Big Herba” is getting to be as big as “Big Pharma”…and in some cases, they’re one and the same.

Marchione’s article, “Many Herbal Products Made by Big Pharma” makes it clear that a)  Big Pharma is also a major marketer of supplements/supp ingredients (as this list of the member companies of the Council for Responsible Nutrition makes clear); and b) many of the major supplement brands, such as Nature’s Bounty and Sundown, are owned and operated by corporate conglomerates such as NBTY, Inc. (which also owns Solgar, Met-RX, GNC and Ester-C – among others).

I don’t see this as alarming, per se, because large, established companies are more likely to have good manufacturing practices and quality control standards in place.  But it’s also clear that the boundary between “alternative” and “mainstream” is a pretty porous one… and may not even exist, except as a marketing tool, in specific cases. 

As Paul made it clear in an earlier post, it’s all about the money, honey.  Thar’s gold in them thar pills - so when there’s big money to be made, big business isn’t going to be far behind.  Thus, the point – as always – is to NOT be taken in by soft-focus imagery of benevolent, independent providers defending your health and well-being against the corporate monoliths who profit from keeping us fat/sick.  It always pays to look behind the marketing when someone’s trying to sell you something, no matter who it is.

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