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.