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)