Swapping vegetables for pills in search of the perfect body

Swapping vegetables for pills in search of the perfect body

By Christiani S. Tumelap and Ivy Susanti

JAKARTA (JP): Health is more precious than all the money in
the world, the wise man says.

And these words are a good reminder for us to take good care
of ourselves.

But while some of us may be easygoing about doing so, others
may take this adage so seriously that they spend a fortune trying
to reach and maintain a peak of excellent health -- very often
buying the widely available commercial food supplements.

Alex, 51, a father of two, believes that health is very
important.

"People must eat properly and take vitamins and food
supplements so that their physical performance will always be at
a peak."

He drinks fresh orange, carrot or apple juice every day.

He also takes imported food supplements, some of which claim
to be made from extracted trace minerals or to contain green
algae extract or shark liver oil.

"I like these products because they're made from natural
ingredients. They enable me to get important nutrients which are
not available in the foods I eat," said Alex.

His confidence in the potency of these food supplements is
shared by Dyah, 27, a private television station news reporter.

Doubts about the true potency of these products and concern
about their high prices prevent her from making them a part of
her diet.

Dyah said she once tried taking a health supplement which
claimed to be made from the extract of a certain green algae that
would help boost her metabolism.

She stopped taking it because she did not feel that it was
working.

"I wasn't really sure what the advantages of the product were.
Besides, it was very expensive.

"I think I'd be better off eating fresh fruit and vegetables
to obtain whatever my body needs. It's safer and healthier."

Retail and direct selling schemes have created a burgeoning
growth in the number of dietary supplements available here.

In 1994 alone over 615 types of dietary supplements, each
claiming to contain one of at least 12 main natural substances --
from squalene or shark liver oil to ginseng extract, and from
mineral concentrate to chlorophyll -- were freely sold in the
market.

The advertising for each product and the information contained
on its label almost always bedazzles the buyer with the prospects
of its potential benefits to their precious health.

Each product claims that its unique and amazing dominant
substance will truly help you rejuvenate the elasticity of your
skin, increase your body's metabolism, and withstand many
illnesses.

Squalene, or shark liver oil, is it claimed, can reboot a
sluggish metabolism, prevent coronary disease, and soften your
skin.

Garlic is believed to be able to help reduce cholesterol and
chlorella to be able to reduce lower blood sugar levels and help
you lose weight.

Royal jelly and bee pollen are believed to be a kind of
natural antibiotic, capable of shielding the body from virus
attacks, and able to relieve stress and fatigue.

Concentrated minerals are said to cure an interesting array of
ailments and afflictions such as acne, cataracts, asthma and
liver troubles.

Ginseng, too, is a versatile little root with properties that
manufacturers claim can alleviate insomnia, depression and
problems associated with menopause.

All food supplement products promise that the users will
benefit from taking them.

But, do we really need such products?

A researcher at the Indonesian Consumer Foundation, Ida
Marlinda, said her office never recommended dietary supplements.

"For us, vitamins and minerals that come from fresh natural
sources like fruit and vegetables are a better option. Natural
sources contain only pure substances which are easily absorbed
and expelled by the body and, therefore, have almost no side
effects."

She said the foundation regretted the fact that many suppliers
and sellers of food supplements promoted their products more as
if they were medicines than dietary supplements.

"I mean, these products have been manufactured and registered,
those that are registered, as food. But people who sell them tell
their customers that they are able to heal this or that," said
Ida.

She said it was hard to prove that the ingredients contained
in these products were real, or that they had been properly
processed and packed.

"Let alone the preservatives or colorings which must be added
to the items during production. These ingredients will certainly
effect the body after heavy, long term usage."

Whether we like it or not, the potency of the product's main
substance is considered by some merchants to be its best selling
point.

Take Amir, 55, as an example.

He became a dietary supplement dealer about two years ago
after trying a product which was claimed to contain beneficial
substances derived from an extract of a green algae.

"A friend of mine gave it to me. I took it for a while and
found that it worked very well, at least in boosting my physical
condition regularly.

"I became a loyal user and have been a dealer of the product
since then," said Amir, a financial controller at a private
company in Central Jakarta.

Amir always tells potential customers about his own
experiences with his products.

"I think that's just the best way to sell it. I mean, we have
to share our true experiences with our customers and make them
believe that they too will experience the same benefits," he
said.

Some of the products he now sells start at about Rp 30,000
(US$4), the most expensive are Rp 1.6 million each.

Amir admits that people buy his products because they are
impressed by his tales.

"Many of them first bought the items because they wanted to
experience the same things that I and other people have. They
wanted to feel good and look good. Furthermore, they wanted their
illnesses to be cured by the products."

"But I never exaggerate things. I always tell my customers the
real story. I don't push them to buy my products if they do not
want to. I'll always find other people who want to buy them," he
quipped.

Ida said many dealers, users and prospective users did not
realize that they should not take food supplements just because
they may feel weak or ill and therefore think they need extra
vitamins or minerals.

"Only doctors can tell through examination whether a person is
lacking a certain vitamin or other important substance, and how
much of it he or she needs.

"The fact is many people take food supplements as if they can
substitute for natural ingredients."

Ida said many food supplement dealers and users forgot that
food supplements would not react in their bodies in the same
sophisticated manner as natural trace elements derived from fresh
fruits and vegetables.

"Taking food supplements has became more like a short cut for
people who are too busy or do not like eating vegetables or fresh
fruit."

Ida suggested people learn more about the potency of each
substance or vitamin and about how to obtain them naturally, so
they do not have to rely heavily on commercially produced
supplements.