Planet Money

Why is there a supplement craze if they don’t even work?


Listen Later

One reason the $70 billion supplement industry is set to double in the next seven years? Lax regulation.

On today's show, we tell the story of a century-long battle between the U.S. government and … you, the people, blinded by your love of a magic pill.

We’re talking about protein powders, pre-workouts, creatine, stuff for gut health, joint health, vitamin C, turmeric supplements. All that. You might not wanna hear this.

Sources mentioned in the episode:
  • Marion Nestle, Food Politics
  • Catherine Price, Vitamania

Support:
  • Planet Money+
Read: 
  • Our book: Planet Money: A Guide to the Economic Forces That Shape Your Life 
  • Our weekly longform Planet Money newsletter
  • Our weekly Indicator round-up newsletter
Follow: 
  • Instagram
  • TikTok
  • YouTube
  • Facebook

This episode was hosted by Sarah Gonzalez and Jane Black. It was produced by Sam Yellowhorse Kesler, edited by Marianne McCune, and fact checked by Sierra Juarez with help with Vito Emanuel. It was engineered by Robert Rodriguez with help from Jimmy Keeley. Alex Goldmark is Planet Money’s executive producer. 

See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences.

NPR Privacy Policy
...more
View all episodesView all episodes
Download on the App Store

Planet MoneyBy NPR

  • 4.6
  • 4.6
  • 4.6
  • 4.6
  • 4.6

4.6

29,588 ratings


More shows like Planet Money

View all
This American Life by This American Life

This American Life

90,994 Listeners

TED Radio Hour by NPR

TED Radio Hour

21,790 Listeners

Radiolab by WNYC Studios

Radiolab

43,898 Listeners

Freakonomics Radio by Freakonomics Radio + Stitcher

Freakonomics Radio

32,100 Listeners

Hidden Brain by Hidden Brain, Shankar Vedantam

Hidden Brain

43,528 Listeners

Wait Wait... Don't Tell Me! by NPR

Wait Wait... Don't Tell Me!

38,856 Listeners

99% Invisible by Roman Mars

99% Invisible

26,197 Listeners

Marketplace by Marketplace

Marketplace

8,776 Listeners

The Daily by The New York Times

The Daily

111,948 Listeners

Up First from NPR by NPR

Up First from NPR

56,508 Listeners

The Indicator from Planet Money by NPR

The Indicator from Planet Money

9,532 Listeners

Throughline by NPR

Throughline

16,399 Listeners

Short Wave by NPR

Short Wave

6,564 Listeners

People I (Mostly) Admire by Freakonomics Radio + Stitcher

People I (Mostly) Admire

2,027 Listeners

Planet Money Summer School by NPR

Planet Money Summer School

184 Listeners

The Economics of Everyday Things by Freakonomics Network & Zachary Crockett

The Economics of Everyday Things

1,637 Listeners

Planet Money: We Invested in Gold by NPR

Planet Money: We Invested in Gold

2 Listeners

Planet Money: We Set Up a Shell Company by NPR

Planet Money: We Set Up a Shell Company

8 Listeners

Planet Money: We Bought a Toxic Asset by NPR

Planet Money: We Bought a Toxic Asset

2 Listeners