Meathead Debate: Walmart Suppliments

GorillaEsq
GorillaEsq Posts: 2,198 Member
in Food and Nutrition
To all my fellow meatheads striving to shorten their necks, whilst pinching their pennies...

Once upon a time I purchased supplements from Walmart, only because WallyWorld is cheap and convenient. Plus, it's the only place on the planet you can purchase whey powder, truck tires and tampons for your wife, using a single shopping cart.

Over the past two years, I have virtually phased-out all supplement purchases from Walmart, less Redline... (because they always have them in stock, and they have the best price).

My fundamental rationale for giving WalVegas the finger was "quality." As with most of Walmart's merchandise, they greatly sacrifice quality for a low production price. Let's face it, Walmart typically sells crap-in-box, then markets it with a big, yellow smiley-face so feel happy as you buy it. I did a little research and it turned out many of the supplements I was purchasing from Walmart were indeed packed with wasted filler, such as sugar.

This is bad.

Thus, I began purchasing more and more supplements, such as Creatine Monohydrate, BCAA, et al, from GNC.

My problem with GNC is that it is literally the opposite of Walmart ,across-the-board.

Most GNC stores are NOT conveniently located in shopping malls (at least around here). I would rather be dry-humped by a rabid wildebeest, than shop at a mall... for anything. I simply do not want to battle 293 goth tweens and 48 speed-walking grannies, to purchase whey powder.

The more glaring issue with GNC is they are not exactly cost effective. And by "not exactly cost effective," I mean they try to date-rape you with your own bank-card.

But... they do have good stuff. And... once you buy-it and try-it from GNC, you can often find the same brand from an online store for much less.

All silliness aside, I truly believe the GNC products have produced NOTICEABLY better results. That said, I don't discount the idea that this could all be in my head.

Thus, the Friday Meathead Debate:
"Are supplements from Walmart (or other mass-market discount stores) just as effective as the "professional," expensive supplements you buy at specialty stores like GNC?"

Happy Friday.
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Replies

  • nikinyx6
    nikinyx6 Posts: 772 Member
    I have no idea, but your posts make me laugh like a lunatic at work :)
  • AG_Rogers
    AG_Rogers Posts: 6
    Lol it doesn't take research to see what's in the supplements... check the nutrition facts. Walmart is good if you are on a budget and need whey isolate to get some extra protein in your diet. after all, it's only a supplement. I would agree that GNC has much higher grade protein and the macro breakdown in their products are often better. They also have a greater variety of products so you can find one suited to you. But there's no reason to hate on WalMart protein, it's not the best, but it gets the job done.
  • melsmith612
    melsmith612 Posts: 727 Member
    WalMart, skimping on quality in order to drive away competition?! NO!?!? It cannot be! :noway:
  • drmerc
    drmerc Posts: 2,603 Member
    WalMart, supplying product for which there is a demand?! NO!?!? It cannot be! :noway:

    fixed
  • brainfreeze72
    brainfreeze72 Posts: 180 Member
    Your post cracks me up.

    Of course the stuff at GNC is better. It's like buying spices from the dollar store. Using fresh is best, buying a good brand of dried spices is better. More flavor for the same amount of substance.

    There is truth to the addage "You get what you pay for."

    I'd be careful with the online stuff though. They could be slapping a label on something made substandard in another country that isn't supposed to be marketed to your geographical area for whatever health & safety regulations your govermnent have set up....which is usually why it's cheaper.
  • semperfit1823
    semperfit1823 Posts: 153
    If they have the same brands I don't see why not then again thru the PTSD my mother gave me from shopping with her at wal mart on saturdays for 6-8 hours of my life I haven't been there since I enlisted lol.

    I use
    bodybuilding.com

    used them while I was deployed to Afghanistan be wary of their promotion producs as long as you know what your doing you can get any quality supps you want at a better price than GNC.
  • Angie__1MR
    Angie__1MR Posts: 388 Member
    I have used Body Fortress and like it...my preference is Dymatize or ON - anytime I'm short on cash I go with Body Fortress, it's better than not having any whey
  • mikeyboy
    mikeyboy Posts: 1,057 Member
    I am lucky here in my town. You can buy GNC at Rite Aid pharmacy and they just opened a GNC store in a strip mall..... right next to WalMart.
  • wendymaci
    wendymaci Posts: 61 Member
    I use Body Fortress whey protein powder from Walmart. I really like it. It's way cheaper than any powders at GNC. I don't think it's that bad for me. I mainly use it to make protein muffins and bars for quick easy high protein snacks and the odd smoothy.
  • melsmith612
    melsmith612 Posts: 727 Member
    WalMart, supplying product for which there is a demand?! NO!?!? It cannot be! :noway:

    fixed

    More often than not I walk into Walmart looking for something specific and they don't have it but they have a whole bunch of other stuff that looks like it just got offloaded from a Chinese container ship.
  • usmcmp
    usmcmp Posts: 21,219 Member
    Bodybuilding.com! We have a BB.com Nutrition Store down the street from my work and the guys that work there are awesome. I hate GNC and their pushy know nothing sales idiots.
  • autumnk921
    autumnk921 Posts: 1,374 Member
    I go through amazon now to get Optimum Nutrition but I do have a spare(SixStar) from Wally world in case of emergency only - While I am waiting for mine to be shipped...lol I used to use only use Six Star but you can actually get better stuff cheaper online - Just make sure it's credible like some above described.


    ETA: I just realized this was for meatheads but I guess I am one too now...:laugh:
  • deniseblossoms
    deniseblossoms Posts: 373 Member
    I take a few different supplements and upon some research I learned GNC isn't always the best option. And the Members Mark brand (Walmarts for SAMS club) has some highly rated vitamins. I tend to buy most of my supplements from Amazon, often it's free shipping and convenient to do price comparisons between some of my favorite brands. MRM, Source Naturals...plus they have this subscribe and save feature which saves me a little.
  • kennethmgreen
    kennethmgreen Posts: 1,759 Member
    You already know the answer to your question. You did the research.

    Stop dry-humping wildebeests and order online. I get ON from Amazon.
  • jeddy3mcc
    jeddy3mcc Posts: 177 Member
    I switched from wallmart stuff as well and the whey protein @ GNC is YEARS BETEER!!!!

    Hey u just gotta get date-raped with your bank-card sometimes. That is the price you pay for clean solid results without the extra sugar.

    ~Jay
  • 2hmom
    2hmom Posts: 241 Member
    I have lost weight with Body Fortress and love the taste of all the flavors. Have not tried the vanilla.
  • arickettsjr
    arickettsjr Posts: 32 Member
    Let me introduce you to http://www.muscleandstrength.com/store/ . . . :)

    Great prices, fast shipping, loads of good information.
  • AuddAlise
    AuddAlise Posts: 723 Member
    If you want quality supplements at reasonable prices find a office that sells Biotics Research. They are the only American supplement company that has stringent enough production protocols to sell in Europe. I get most my supplements through them. The only non biotics product I use is Metagenics Osteo-Citrate (Calcium). HTH

    ETA- Biotics sells a Whey Protein Isolate that is so pure it can be sold at Gluten free. It has 20 grams of protein per scoop. :wink:
  • sammniamii
    sammniamii Posts: 669 Member
    "I would rather be dry-humped by a rabid wildebeest, than shop at a mall..." OMG, that so made me laugh!!!

    But I do use Body Fortress and honestly I don't like it. More calories than the Optimum Nutrition brand I normally buy, the taste isn't as nice, but at $10 less than online and if I run out, it's quick and easily acquired, I do consider an option. I do pop for the Whey Isolate (runs $18.99) rather than the other version ($14.99). I saw the Six Star and I don't remember why I didn't purchase that one, but either is wasn't the Isolate (less lactose), the price or the stuff in it (probably the carbs where too high).

    I get my Optimum Nutrition from vitacost.com, which if you order enough the shipping is free & I use ebates.com to get cash back as well. If I'm gonna get something, I try to get it as cost effectly as possible :)
  • WendyTerry420
    WendyTerry420 Posts: 13,274 Member
    I prefer the Vitamin Shoppe! :bigsmile:
  • redhousecat
    redhousecat Posts: 584 Member
    the GNC folks near me are huge proponents of Dr. Oz. I have been hesitant to shop there anymore. I tend to shop online now.
  • RedHeadDevotchka
    RedHeadDevotchka Posts: 1,394 Member
    I used to work in a GNC and yep, the products are good quality....but that doesn't mean I will use all of them. Online stores are my preferred method of purchase. I used to read up countless supplements during my long hours at GNC and I've come to the conclusion that your life will not improve to the point that you will crap rainbows and unicorns because you have used GNC products and shunned the lesser quality things out there.
  • iAMsmiling
    iAMsmiling Posts: 2,394 Member
    Ever think of looking on the Internet. I hear shopping online is the next big thing.
  • GorillaEsq
    GorillaEsq Posts: 2,198 Member
    Ever think of looking on the Internet. I hear shopping online is the next big thing.
    I've never been to the Internets. I also can't read.
  • MtnKat
    MtnKat Posts: 714
    I shall pass you the lube. Have fun at the nearest GNC store ;-)
  • zaph0d
    zaph0d Posts: 1,172 Member
    Depends. Creatine Mono is Creatine Mono. Buy the cheapest one as long as it's pure Creapure®. And whey protein is whey protein. The differences in protein powders would be in taste and in slight variations in the macros. If you think the cheapest whey at walmart tastes fine and it fits your macros, then it's fine. Ignore all the other marketing nonsense around any particular protein powder or blend. As for other supplements like pre-workout, recovery, etc, I don't use them so I don't know. But even at GNC, some of the pre-workouts are crap and some are good.
  • DonniesGirl69
    DonniesGirl69 Posts: 644 Member
    I've not set foot in WM in 2 months. I've no plans to go back as I feel I would require a rather costly prescription for Prozac in order to not beat someone while in the store. When I finally run out of my Body Fortress whey protein, I'll be trying out the Marked brand whey from GNC.

    Like you, I despise the mall and I think it's absolutely worth it to pay shipping to GNC.com or Amazon in order to avoid setting foot in there to go to the actualy GNC store. :smile:
  • iAMsmiling
    iAMsmiling Posts: 2,394 Member
    At the risk of promoting Amazon too much...

    Anything over $25 is often free shipping (not always). So if you plan a bit, you never have to get off your *kitten* to get your stuff delivered.
    I bought Amazon Prime for $75 and get free 2nd day shipping. Seemed like a lot at first, then I realized how many trips I made shopping around, looking for deals or trying to find specific products. Now I figure it's a deal.
  • 1Fizzle
    1Fizzle Posts: 241 Member
    I am lucky to have a couple GNC's in strip centers by my house, so I am able to avoid the mall fiasco. But you are right about the price...I almost feel like walking in partially bent over cause I know what's about to happen.
  • SyStEmPhReAk
    SyStEmPhReAk Posts: 330 Member
    you've gotta go with companies you trust and honestly i dont trust any type of whey that is sold at walmart. all wheys are NOT created equal. unfortunatley, unless you are willing to spend $100 or so to have it labratory tested to see how much whey you are actually getting per serving you'll have no concrete way of knowing. the nutritional value may say "24g per serving" but a labratory test may show significantly less.

    in my opinion if it is cheap in price there is a reason for it. i go with name brand (GNC Optimum nutrition) instead.

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