The Thailand Supplements Market
In comparison to Thailand the supplements market in many countries is far too lightly regulated. In the USA for example, the FDA does not need to approve a supplement before it is produced or imported. The boom in herbal remedies, health products and sport supplements has taken place in a regulatory vacuum and many people aren't aware that there is no control over claims and ingredients in most countries.
Just because a protein powder or other supplement comes from a developed country, don't assume it is safe and effective. The numerous deaths and positive steroid tests of professional athletes over the years shows the risks involved.
In Thailand city residents, office workers and the middle class have begun experiencing a rise in weight-related health problems. The number of commercial gyms has grown a great deal as people try and get in shape. Supplements form part of the solution and as time goes by more large brands will find it worthwhile to enter the local market.
The strict rules make it hard to market products like whey to Thais and the prices for these products mean most locals can not afford them. As incomes increase and proteins, aminos and other supplements become increasingly available and understood the average Thai may begin to consider adding them to their diet.
Visitors and expatiates in Thailand often ask about the perceived expense of supplements in Thailand. It is true that supplements like whey protein and creatine, like all imported goods in Thailand, usually cost more here than in their home markets. Transportation, VAT, import duties and margins for local retailers all add up. These factors alone can add 50-100% to the price we pay the manufacturers.
Often the differences are not as much as people often think. Due to the cheap cost of food in Thailand aminos and other supplements can look more expensive by comparison. Many Thais and Westerners living in Thailand survive on lower incomes than they would do in their home and this makes imported products more expensive by comparison.
It is also important to compare similar products when comparing prices. People often use a cheaper or low quality product as a basis for comparison. A tub of low quality whey protein bought in the US online should not be compared to a high quality isolate from Musashi. In the end you get what you pay for so if a product is cheaper it is usually because it costs less to make and it cost less to make because it was made with lower quality ingredients.
For example, Musashi's L-Carnitine capsules have a recommended retail of AUD59.99, equivalent to 1,949.68 baht using the prevailing exchange rate as at March 8, 2012th (32.5 baht to 1 AUD). In Thailand, the same product retails for 2,050 baht.
Musashi's 900gm ISO8 retails at AUD87.49 (2,843.43 baht) which is almost exactly the same as the local retail price of 2,850 baht.
Furthermore, certificates and documents from overseas used as evidence to show the product is authentic should be discounted as they are easily available online and there is no way of knowing if they relate to the specific product a consumer is considering buying. Only a local FDA certificate and related import documents mean that a supplement is likely to be safe to consume. All importers are required to have registered offices, approved storage facilities and range of other documents and if in doubt these should be requested.
When comparing amongst Thai FDA approved whey proteins, creatine monohydrate, protein bars etc it is important to consider more than just the price per unit. Take a close look size of the tub and work out the number of servings. Look at the nutrition panels and add up the numbers to make sure you are not buying a product with excess fats and sugars. This can be difficult due to the Thai rules requiring original nutrition panels to be covered but the reason for this is that often the labels of imported proteins and other supplements are simply not correct. All companies selling Thai FDA approved product should have copies of the various tests required by law so if in doubt contact them directly. If you have any questions regarding our products click here to send us an e-mail.
It is also important to carefully consider what you are actually buying. For example, whey isolate is more expensive and should be 85-80% protein. Don't believe a label that claims the product is an “isolate” if it only has 70% protein. And don't compare the price of a product with 70% protein to that with 80%. In the case of L-Carnitine, make sure of the total L-Carnitine per serve. Many products in Thailand contain L-Carnitine Tartrate which is only 66% L-Carnitine. Moreover, most of them contain only 100mg or 200mg per serving.
The latest craze is drinks and coffees with amino acids and L-Carnitine. Again, look very carefully at the numbers and you will find that they mostly have very low doses. In all cases, they have much less than a straight L-Carnitine capsule or a much lower amounts of amino acids than a single serving of high quality whey.
