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Any HEALTH/WELLNESS entrepreneurs out there??

William B

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Hey fastlaners,

I’m about 3 months deep into R&D and I finally completed a draft of ingredients for a supplement designed to decrease stress and increase subjective well-being (Mood supplements). Although I have spent weeks toiling over creating the best product possible (ingredients-wise), I still think I should receive guidance or at least have my final product reviewed by a doctor, naturopath, or some kind of expert.

Anyone in the supps industry goes through this process before or do you have advice for any other more creative ways to verify my product's efficacy?

Thanks in advance!
 
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MitchM

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Well, as for the ingredients themselves - I am assuming there is some good research on them and that you can justify their placement in the recipe.

Is there anything in there that can't be verified by looking at peer reviewed papers, or is it the combination of ingredients that has you concerned?

Speaking with a doctor to get a testimonial is certainly not a bad idea, but if your ingredients and the results that they bring aren't well researched - you have quite the hurdle there.

If that's all already done, then you're in a great position, as most people who launch supplements simply ride the coattails of what is already established in some unique way.

Alex Becker partnered with some specialists when he launched a new supplement line for the sake of credibility. Maybe that is what you are looking for?
 

Champion

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Hey Wiliam, im in the same niche in Germany :).

Really nice to see someone doing something similar here in the fastlane forum.

Regarding your recipes/nutrients.

I would suggest you checkout these 2 books:

- The ultramind solution by Mark Hyman
- Owning the day by Aubrey Marcus

Regarding your recipe: Why re-invent the wheel? Just copy proven formulas which competitors are using, that you know work.

Supplements is all about marketing your product correctly (this is my opinion so far atleast).

Any advice/tips are much appreciated!
 

William B

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Well, as for the ingredients themselves - I am assuming there is some good research on them and that you can justify their placement in the recipe.

Is there anything in there that can't be verified by looking at peer reviewed papers, or is it the combination of ingredients that has you concerned?

Speaking with a doctor to get a testimonial is certainly not a bad idea, but if your ingredients and the results that they bring aren't well researched - you have quite the hurdle there.

If that's all already done, then you're in a great position, as most people who launch supplements simply ride the coattails of what is already established in some unique way.

Alex Becker partnered with some specialists when he launched a new supplement line for the sake of credibility. Maybe that is what you are looking for?
You're absolutely correct, each individual ingredient on its own is backed by a considerable amount of either clinical evidence (human studies), research (on animals, in vitro, etc.), or by 1000s of years of traditional medicine in traditions like Ayurveda (India) and Chinese medicine.

My blend is a completely unique combination I designed based on ensuring 100% safety (honestly my first priority even before if it's efficacious). It totals 16 ingredients. I feel like doctors (at least traditional MDs in America) don't know more than I would at this point about the matter. So I have reached out to naturopaths, and have heard back consulting fees in the $400/hour range.

I'm just wondering if this would be the best next move, or if there is a better way to verify my product. I would hate to be out $400 (2-weeks pay of work-study job), and not have anything solid to move forward with. I've never dealt with naturopaths, and don't even know how legit they are...
 
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Bertram

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There's much to be learned by poring through @Scot's extensive thread on developing and then seeking funding to manufacture a dietary product.
 

William B

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Hey Wiliam, im in the same niche in Germany :).

Really nice to see someone doing something similar here in the fastlane forum.

Regarding your recipes/nutrients.

I would suggest you checkout these 2 books:

- The ultramind solution by Mark Hyman
- Owning the day by Aubrey Marcus

Regarding your recipe: Why re-invent the wheel? Just copy proven formulas which competitors are using, that you know work.

Supplements is all about marketing your product correctly (this is my opinion so far atleast).

Any advice/tips are much appreciated!
Hey there, AWESOME! Glad to meet someone involved in this industry as well!!

Personally, I'd like to grow this into a brand that offers unique products and would find it hard to do if I was selling common formulas. I do agree though, marketing and branding are so important. Long-term I'd like to create a brand that has supps for myriad of common issues similar to Marcus's company (Onnit).

I haven't read either of those books, but I am familiar with both. What about them is helpful? Hyman gives diet advice on what to eat/avoid, and I imagine Aubrey's book is on building his company and also what makes up a healthy lifestyle (nutrition, habits, etc.). Is there more to it than that?

Also, do you have any advice for finding a quality supplier? :D
 

Scot

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Anyone in the supps industry goes through this process before or do you have advice for any other more creative ways to verify my product's efficacy?


@Bertram alluded to it in her reply, but why not do your own clinical trial? The regulations for supplements aren't very strict.. and people know this. Being able to have your own studies to stand on versus just the studies around specific ingredients can help you stand apart from the crowd.

This opens up whole new markets, like medical and pharmacy channels. And as Bertram also mentioned, there are creative ways to get grant funding for this.


If you get an INSIDERS sub, check out my progress thread. It goes over, in pretty good detail, how to address medical needs through specialty diets, and how I've created my product line to serve customers.
 
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Bertram

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@Bertram alluded to it in her reply, but why not do your own clinical trial? The regulations for supplements aren't very strict.. and people know this. Being able to have your own studies to stand on versus just the studies around specific ingredients can help you stand apart from the crowd.

This opens up whole new markets, like medical and pharmacy channels. And as Bertram also mentioned, there are creative ways to get grant funding for this.


If you get an INSIDERS sub, check out my progress thread. It goes over, in pretty good detail, how to address medical needs through specialty diets, and how I've created my product line to serve customers.
The National Institute of Health NIH supports $39 billion in research funding annually.

Easiest way to get NIH funding if you don't have a strong business track record is to approach a university and ask for the research to be done under a grant you partner on, in return for your offering apprenticeships and jobs as you develop your pharmaceutical dynasty in the next 2-3 years.

If it's a big university and you don't have leads start by approaching the office of institutional research. Small colleges are as eligible for NIH funds as the big leagues. Historic Black colleges have a shoe-in to get federal research funding.
 

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