So today’s economy has you questioning some of your spending. Unfortunately, like most of us, much more money goes out than comes in. To make matters worse, your credit cards are nearly depleted. You have to do something, and you have to do it fast. Lucky for you, there are five easy solutions to cut your supplement bill by at least 50% and not sacrifice an ounce of results. Let me repeat: Your earnings will not be affected if you make these simple changes!
1) If the supplement comes in bulk powder form, buy it.
Not only are most bulk powders half the price of their identical counterparts, but the vast majority actually produce better results. For example, most combination products that contain beta alanine do not have enough beta alanine to produce results. Charles Poliquin, one of the world’s top strength trainers, recommends 10 grams daily for best results. He won’t find that much in any combination product.
Another example is creatine products. Time and time again, clinical studies have shown that newer, “stronger” creatine products are no better than regular micronized creatine. In fact, according to the Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition, “Most of these forms of creatine have been reported to be no better than traditional CM in terms of increased strength or performance.” So 500 grams of micronized creatine would cost you $20 and last you almost 3 months even with a 3 day loading phase. A bottle of Cellmass would set you back almost $40 and last you 25 days. So can your results justify a $100 price difference?
Potential savings: minimum $100
2) Buy what’s on sale
Each month, a different manufacturer will have a “exploding” sale. If your supplement retailer is honest, they will pass on that special to you. One month is perhaps the NO-Xlpode of BSN. Next month is maybe Gaspari’s Superpump 250. If there’s a product on sale and it’s in the same category as the product you were looking to buy, buy it. There is actually very little difference between NO-Xlpode, Superpump 250, NanoVapor, etc. The supplement industry is a business, and it’s a $22 billion business based on clever marketing. The fact that the product has an ingredient “x” that is not in your competitor’s product does not make it a superior product. Red paint is red paint, no matter who made it. Most of the raw materials come from the same suppliers. If the top secret ingredient is that good, they would patent it. Don’t be fooled by clever marketing.
Potential savings: Sometimes the discount can be as high as 20-30%.
3) Purchase of companies that pass on the savings
Don’t let them steal 20-30% of each supplement. Ask to see your bill. If they don’t do that, take your business elsewhere. At most, never pay more than a 15% markup on a supplement. That’s what Wal-Mart has done in the world of prescription drugs. If a patient can’t get his medicine for $4, he’ll go to Wal-Mart. It’s fair? I think you could make a good argument either way. Will it help the average patient during this economy? Without a doubt yes. The retailer is just a middleman anyway. Why should they get fat on us? If they really cared about the consumer, they would have cut prices already during this economy.
Potential savings: Depending on your annual volume, it could be as much as $500.
4) Buy larger quantities of the same item
Can’t decide if you want the 2lb or 5lb container of Syntha6? If you have the money, go for the £5. You’ll save $11 compared to buying two 2-pound containers and still have an additional 1 pound of protein left over. How? Manufacturer discounts are based on percentages. For example, our BSN discount is currently 25% off the wholesale price. The 25% off $30 ($7.50 savings) will be less than the 25% off $50 ($12.50 savings). That should be true of almost all retailers.
Potential savings: $5-10 per supplement
5) Avoid the latest and greatest supplement available
It seems as if every time a supplement company creates a new supplement, it becomes the next big thing. It’s amazing. Every month we see a new supplement that is supposed to make all other supplements obsolete. However, the staples of the supplement industry are the ones that continue to produce consistent results across the board (creatine, protein, BCAAs, fish oil, etc.). I think Patrick Arnold, one of Ergopharm’s great figures, said it best: “If it’s not new, it’s not in demand.” (Paraphrased of course).
If a company never comes out with anything new, consumers forget about them. They appear because they lack innovation, intelligence and even energy. Therefore, they have to develop something new to stay in the game. That’s why they’ll spend endless hours searching pubmed.com for an ingredient that shows even the slightest promise, and they’ll accept it (ie Hoodia, acai, etc.). Within a month, you’ll start seeing ads that ingredient “x” increased muscle protein synthesis by 300%. What you don’t know: It was in 5 rats in a laboratory in Germany. Congratulations, you have been deceived. Hook, line and sinker!
Remember, follow the science. Don’t believe everything the supplement world tells you, even if they have an MD, Pharm.D or some other initial behind their name. The most important thing is to use common sense.
Think about it:
1) Do you have common sense?
2) Does it make physiological sense?
3) Does it produce results?
4) Are the results worth the price?
