# Vitamins:  GNC vs The Vitamin Shoppe



## I Are Baboon (Jan 29, 2004)

Is it possible the vitamins are all made in the same production facility?  I've heard brand name prescription drugs and their equivalent generics are often made in the same facility, but generics cost less because there are no marketing dollars spent on them.

The reason I ask is that I had been using GNC's Mega Men pills, but I decided to switch to The Vitamin Shoppe's Ultimate Man pills becaue I hate GNC.  The two brands of multivitamins have the same color, size, shape, and smell, and the ingredients are pretty much spot on.  Of course, The Vitamin Shoppe is about 40% cheaper.

Whatcha think?


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## Arnold (Jan 29, 2004)

I am using TwinLab Daily One I take 1 cap 4 times per day.


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## I Are Baboon (Jan 29, 2004)

> _*Originally posted by Prince *_
> I am using TwinLab Daily One I take 1 cap 4 times per day.



That's nice, but doesn't really answer my question.


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## Arnold (Jan 29, 2004)

I guess I was trying point out that maybe GNC's Mega Man pills are a waste of money. 

I do not believe all supps and drugs are made in the same facility, maybe some of the raw materials come from the same places. But I know that GNC has their own facility where all of their supps are manufactured, as do a few of the other big guys in the supp industry.


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## camarosuper6 (Jan 29, 2004)

I (unfortunately) used to work for GNC, and I believe they do most of their own product in a private facility.  But I could be wrong.

They really do suck though, as far as pricing and such.


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## I Are Baboon (Jan 29, 2004)

> _*Originally posted by Prince *_
> I guess I was trying point out that maybe GNC's Mega Man pills are a waste of money.
> 
> I do not believe all supps and drugs are made in the same facility, maybe some of the raw materials come from the same places. But I know that GNC has their own facility where all of their supps are manufactured, as do a few of the other big guys in the supp industry.



Do the TwinLab vitamins look like a tan Viagra pill?  The ingredients on the TwinLab pills are pretty close to the Vitamin Shoppe pills, but the differences are enough.

No doubt the GNC pills were a waste of money.  I had two large bottles that I had to finish up before making the switch.  Those bottles do last a while.

camarosuper6, thanks for the reply.


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## Arnold (Jan 29, 2004)

LMAO at IAB! Now how would I know if they look like a Viagra pill??? 

They are biege colored capsules. TwinLab is one of the "big boys" on the block in the supp industry, as you probably know they have just about every supp imaginable in their line. So, I am pretty sure they have their own private facility.


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## I Are Baboon (Jan 29, 2004)

> _*Originally posted by Prince *_
> LMAO at IAB! Now how would I know if they look like a Viagra pill???



Come on, you never seen what a Viagra pill looks like?  You living in the ground or something?


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## Arnold (Jan 29, 2004)

those look like tablets, TL's multi's are capsules.


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## DrChiro (Jan 29, 2004)

GNC does have their own production facility and doesn't make pills for any other company...I have worked part time at GNC for 6 years and IMO their vitamins are of the highest quality and if you buy them when they are on sale (20% off with the Gold Card they are very reasonably priced)

Thier third party items (stuff they dont make)...like EAS, Twinlab, etc.....are WAY WAY WAY overpriced and I would never reccomend you buy them at GNC...buy all your other supps online or at a wholesale place.

As far as multivitamins go mega men and ultra mega women are excellent.....i do like twinlab's vit b/c it is a capsule...also animal paks are good.


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## tomas101 (Jan 30, 2004)

actually mega men was studied to be pretty crappy but then ultra mega gold got a very good rating..thats what i take..b/c its all natural and not synthetic like some others


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## ZECH (Jan 30, 2004)

> _*Originally posted by Prince *_
> LMAO at IAB! Now how would I know if they look like a Viagra pill???
> 
> They are biege colored capsules. TwinLab is one of the "big boys" on the block in the supp industry, as you probably know they have just about every supp imaginable in their line. So, I am pretty sure they have their own private facility.


I thought I heard Twinlab filed for bankruptcy?


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## ZECH (Jan 30, 2004)

> _*Originally posted by tomas101 *_
> actually mega men was studied to be pretty crappy but then ultra mega gold got a very good rating..thats what i take..b/c its all natural and not synthetic like some others


I also use Ultra Mega gold. The most potent vitamin I've found.


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## I Are Baboon (Jan 30, 2004)

Two days of using The Vitamin Shoppe pills and my pee is not as bright yellow.  Hmmmm.......


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## ZECH (Jan 30, 2004)

Less vitamin b??


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## Arnold (Jan 30, 2004)

> _*Originally posted by dg806 *_
> I thought I heard Twinlab filed for bankruptcy?



 

got me.


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## Stickboy (Jan 30, 2004)

I take the mega man vitamins.  Got a link to the review(s) that said it was crappy?  I'd like to see what they say about the various vitamins on the market.


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## HoldDaMayo (Jan 30, 2004)

Animal Sack! (pak)

whatever... if you like pills, you'll L-L-L-L-Love them...


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## M.J.H. (Jan 30, 2004)

I would personally go with either. I think that both are of good quality, especially after seeing lab results for both. 

Honestly, though, as most of you know, GNC cannot even start to compare with Vitamin Shoppe's prices. There is no comparison.


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## Rixmon (Jan 31, 2004)

GNC ultra mega gold   works like a charm, I been using it for many months losing weight


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## MarcusMaximus (Jan 31, 2004)

*bankrupt!  twinlab*



> _*Originally posted by dg806 *_
> I thought I heard Twinlab filed for bankruptcy?



GRAND RAPIDS, Mich.--A buyer has come out of the woodwork to acquire the financially troubled Twinlab Corp. On Aug. 28, IdeaSphere Inc. confirmed it is in negotiations to purchase Twinlab's assets, subject to court approval. This is in conjunction with Twinlab's anticipated filing for Chapter 11 bankruptcy. The companies have been in talks for only the last several weeks, an IdeaSphere spokesperson told INSIDER.

According to IdeaSphere, Twinlab's board of directors chose IdeaSphere as a potential buyer because of its commitment to assuring ongoing operations of the company, in addition to its financial strength and experience to lead the global expansion of the brand and product line. 

"It is always difficult to sell a family business," said Ross Blechman, Twinlab's chairman, president and chief executive officer (CEO). "However, in IdeaSphere we feel we have found an acquirer that will respect our commitment to science, quality and consumer satisfaction, and at the same time will bring substantial resources and global capabilities that will take the Twinlab brand to a new leadership level in the 21st century." 

Dave Van Andel, Ideasphere's chairman and CEO, stated, "Having grown up in a family business [Amway] that has experienced more than four decades of continuous growth and has revenues today of nearly $5 billion, I understand the importance of preserving and enhancing the brand leadership that Twinlab has deservedly enjoyed."

Twinlab reported it is unlikely that any purchase price for the sale of the business will exceed the aggregate principal amount of the company's indebtedness and, as a result, the holders of the company's equity may receive no value. A spokesperson for IdeaSphere had no comment regarding the purchase price or how Twinlab employees would be affected by the acquisition. 

IdeaSphere is a vertically integrated provider of natural and organic supplements, foods, beverages, personal care and home care products, and is an equity owner in Rebus Publishing, the exclusive publisher of the UC Berkeley Wellness Letter and the Johns Hopkins Health After 50. In addition to Van Andel, other company execs include motivational speaker Tony Robbins; Bill Nicholson, the former chief operating officer of Amway; and Mark Fox, who assisted in the launch of WebMD.


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