Health conscious refuse to go without food supplements
Health conscious refuse to go without food supplements
JAKARTA (JP): Inka Aditya, an assistant manager at a private
bank in Kota, West Jakarta, found recently that she had a
tendency to feel exhausted or even nod off while at work. She saw
a doctor, who advised her to take food supplements.
Inka, 30, is now one of the many people who include food
supplements among their basic needs. She spends Rp 150,000 on
them every month.
"Now I take supplements consisting of vitamin C and E, and
they really improve my stamina and help me get through the day,"
said Inka, who adds that she cannot find any time to exercise.
"I have to leave home at six in the morning and return at
about 10 p.m.," while Sundays are just used for rest, she said.
Along with seeing traditional basic needs increase in price,
Inka also has to spend more on the supplements than she did when
she first began to take them. Some nutritionists may say a
balanced diet might negate the need for such expenses. But Inka
insists that she cannot drop food supplements from her budget.
Her only worry is how long they will continue to be available.
"But if my supplements are no longer available I can easily
switch to other available brands with the same ingredients," she
said.
The fear of shortage is akin to such worries for all products
with a high imported content, as suppliers have found their
Letters of Credit (L/Cs) are no longer adequate subsidies for
cash.
Ati Saraswati, senior product manager of PT Roche Indonesia --
a healthcare and pharmaceutical company and the sole importer of
Nature's Way food supplements -- stressed that her company had
enough supplies despite the crisis.
"As a multinational company, we're very lucky because we don't
depend on L/Cs like local firms. Our supplies are assured by our
head office in Geneva. And as long as there's a demand for our
products, we can provide the supply," Ati said.
Roche manufactures, among other things, Supradyn and Redoxon
effervescent tablets. It also markets the Nature's Way food
supplement range, launched here last October.
Razien Razak of PT Natura Vita Indonesia, which manages the
marketing of, among other products, Phyto Juice 18 Junior and
Phyto Juice 21 Junior supplement, also assured people that the
company had adequate supplies.
"We face no difficulties in providing supplies," said Razien,
who is the company's product manager.
Children
Phyto 18 Junior and Phyto 21 Junior, which entered the
country's supplement market in 1995, are 95 percent imported from
PowerSource International, California. Both brands are marketed
as food supplements, mainly for children.
Thus far Roche has managed not to raise its products' prices
even though it expects a decline in profits.
For instance, when the company first imported Nature's Way
last August from Australia, its country of origin, the rupiah's
exchange rate against the American dollar was still around Rp
2,500, but now it is hovering around Rp 8,500.
Ati said that the decision not to increase prices was taken
because the company had considered the crisis as very temporary.
If the situation worsens, the company might have to increase
prices, she said. Much will depend on whether the rupiah
continues to strengthen. Ati said the company was only aiming for
a seventh of last year's profit this year and that would be with
"with blood and tears".
Natura Vita has raised Phyto's price from Rp 50,000 for a
bottle of 60 capsules to Rp 84,000.
"We can't avoid the measure because with the currency
meltdown, costs have risen by more than 100 percent," Razien
said.
On the other hand, he added, "We can't promote our products
like in the old days, not only because we've cut our promotion
budget, but also because of the decline of people's buying
power," Razien said.
Sales have dropped by an estimated 60 percent, he added.
Nevertheless his company has now found an even stronger reason
to publicize the benefits of its products.
"It's important to prevent diseases because it would cost two
or three times more for medical treatment than the cost of
preventing them," Razien said.
Nutritionist Darwin Karyadi agreed that people needed
supplements to maintain fitness levels.
"You can use food supplements for health improvement and
disease prevention. It depends on individuals' condition," said
Darwin, who is the regional director of the Southeast Asian
Ministry of Education Organization -- Tropical Medicine, under the
Regional Center for Community Nutrition at the University of
Indonesia.
One example he gave was that pregnant women need supplements,
such as iron.
But, for those who cannot or who can no longer afford to take
food supplements, there are other, cheaper ways to prevent
illness, he said.
Those with access to community health centers can get free
iron tablets, while others can still consume vegetables or other
iron-rich food such as fish.
Food supplements, he said, are usually targeted at middle to
upper-class people who do not have much time to exercise or fail
to control their diets.
"It's impossible for state employees on a (monthly) salary of
Rp 155,000 to buy supplements worth Rp 55,000. It doesn't mean
one cannot live without them (supplements) but it is necessary to
improve the quality of life," Darwin said.
However, he said, one should be selective before taking food
supplements as there are irresponsible manufacturers, who
aggressively promote their products without considering the real
benefits for consumers.
"It is necessary to consult a doctor before taking food
supplements," Darwin said.
However with the escalating prices of food, more people are
reconsidering their priorities. For washerwoman Suryanti, this
has meant ignoring her doctor.
The doctor at the clinic close to her house advised her to
take food supplements and iron tablets to help her fight low
blood pressure.
"Everything is expensive now," said the mother of three whose
husband is a construction worker. "I don't have money to buy this
or that vitamin. I have so many things to pay for. So, I just
ignore the advice," Suryanti said. (ste)