The fuss over the health supplements Omega XL, produced and marketed by Great Healthworks, and Sure Cure Ltd's eponymous product offers a bit of insight into the highly competitive world of these products and their popularity in T&T.The issue, which has occupied a surprising amount of television airtime and newspaper column inches, arose after Sure Cure Ltd apparently dropped Omega XL in favour of what they describe as a "superior product."
That's led to a barrage of competitive advertising, full of claims and counter claims for more than a year now, and finally exploded into a public relations confrontation between the two companies.Great Healthworks accuses the rival company of offering a substandard product to the public, citing an examination of the two products by the ISSI lab that found Sure Cure to contain seven ingredients to Omega XL's 18.
At stake here is the claim by Omega XL that it is effective in relieving joint pain, something that hasn't been conclusively proven by any major medical authority, and a matter on which there has been much published opinion falling on both sides of its success rate. The product contains Omega 3 fish oil and operates in a health supplement market sector that's quite aggressive in its claims. It has also spawned at least one Web site dedicated to debunking its claims.
The vitamins, minerals and supplements market sector is aggressive in pursuit of the projected $32 billion in revenue being hauled in by nutritional supplements. Omega XL is noted for its endorsement by television journalist Larry King.It's also a market sector that's served by multi-level marketing, salespeople who work from home, and businesses that have found ready markets for supplements whose value is still to be medically proven.
Omega 3 fatty acids comprise docosahexaenoic acid, better known as DHA, and eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) which are commonly found in fatty fish like salmon, mackerel and sardines, as well as in flax seeds, chia seeds, walnuts, pumpkin seeds and canola oil.
These chemicals are not manufactured by our bodies and must be ingested. These supplements make it easy to do so on a daily basis. A deficiency of EPA and DHA has been proven to lead to a variety of health problems, but it remains unclear whether high doses of these chemicals will translate into better health or disease prevention.
Both Sure Cure and Omega XL are essentially food supplements, and the success their marketers claim in improving the lives and health of their users shouldn't obfuscate what is basically a business argument that properly belongs in court.Users of either should be careful to be guided by a doctor on the value and potential risks of what they are putting in their mouths daily, and be aware of the risks of large dosages.
Great Healthworks and Sure Cure Ltd should sort out their matters legally if this case has sufficient substance to merit court attention.While the discussion rages, however, the public health sector and the Minister of Health, in particular, should step forward with a statement on the matter that clarifies for the customers of both products what they are putting into their bodies, and make clear the cautions that are appropriate for the use of these and other health supplements.