Dietary Supplement Industry Pinning Hopes on New 'Super Stimulant,' Non-Ephedra Diet Pill

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With ephedra being pulled from shelves, the decline in diet pill sales has reached a four year low. Industry experts have estimated that the sale of ephedrine diet pills has plummeted approximately 70 percent since 1999, severely hurting retailers' profits because weight-loss formulas are among the best-selling nutritional supplements.

The tide is turning, however, with the help of a new, non- ephedra, super-stimulant weight loss formula called Zantrex-3. In less than eight weeks, Zantrex-3 has sold more than 400,000 bottles, and that record-breaking trend continues unabated, according to executives at Basic Research, the exclusive distributors of Zantrex- 3. The diet and energy pill has captured America's imagination, so much so that retailers are having a difficult time keeping it in stock.

"Overall sales of weight loss products have continued to fall, due in part to consumer concern about ephedrine diet pills," explained Dennis Gay, CEO of Basic Research. "Retailers were in dire need of an ephedrine replacement ... a product with the kick and the popularity of ephedrine, but without all the negative baggage."

In March, Zantrex-3 was released, offering a proprietary super- stimulant formula that delivers the energy and weight loss the market demands. Consumer response was immediate. Retailers, including GNC, continue to set sales records with Zantrex-3. "This type of consumer enthusiasm hasn't been seen in this industry for years," said Gay.

During the 1990s, industry growth was fueled by ephedrine products, in particular the patented ECA Stack (ephedrine, caffeine, aspirin). However, as concerns about ephedrine began to surface, particularly during the past 12 months, consumer tastes quickly changed. With sales dwindling the supplement/weight loss industry was ready for a revolutionary ephedrine replacement. Unfortunately, early ephedrine-free formulations were anything but revolutionary and sales were dismal.

Zantrex-3 succeeded where other non-ephedra products failed because the formula has both the weight loss and the energy components that consumers have come to expect from diet pills.

"Zantrex-3 changed the weight control landscape and the expectation levels of users," said Gay. "Conventional wisdom said that nothing would replace ephedrine. Then Zantrex-3 came along and almost single-handedly pulled the industry out of its protracted slump."

As retailers pin their hopes on continued Zantrex-3 success, Basic Research is moving ahead with aggressive marketing. "Up to now, Zantrex-3 has really been marketed the old fashioned way, by word of mouth," said Gay. "People try the formula, they lose weight and feel energetic ... they love it, and then tell friends. Now we're ready to unveil a branding campaign coupled with in-store promotions, so Zantrex-3 could grow to be the biggest product in a decade."

In fewer than two months, Zantrex-3 has gone from weight-loss sensation to international phenomenon. Worldwide, Zantrex-3 is realigning markets. And backed with a national advertising campaign, Basic Research executives expect a continued explosion in sales.

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