Trump Network

Does Donald Trump now think he’s a nutrition expert?  Looks like The Donald’s next business venture is all about selling nutritional supplements and weight loss products.  And he’s doing it through multilevel marketing (MLM), otherwise known as a pyramid scheme. 

The new company is called  The Trump Network and it’s officially being launched in November. I only wish that I could say “you’re fired” before it gets started.  As you can see from the web site, the mission of The Trump Network is to encourage its independent marketers to achieve personal and financial independence.  He’s recruiting and “educating” distributors now to sell the so-called unique, cutting edge  products that are described as  “highly advanced, scientifically-proven health and wellness products, including customized testing and metabolic analysis, effective weight management solutions and vitamin and mineral supplements.”

Oh my.  Why doesn’t he just stick to real estate.

The power of Trump’s name will likely make this nutritional Ponzi scheme  a success — meaning that millions of people will be spending a lot of money on products  they don’t need.  They’ll likely trust his nutrition advice, and the advice of the “trained” distributors, even if much of the information is not scientifically solid.

I wish The Donald would have done more of his homework on this.  He’s joining forces with a multilevel marketing company called Ideal Health that’s been around for 10+ years (and has had its share of FTC complaints).  The “custom-made” nutritional supplements rely on what’s called a PrivaTest, which is an at-home urine test that claims to tell you what supplements your body needs every day.  Hog wash.

A urine analysis is not a reliable measure of nutritional status and it certainly doesn’t do all the things that are described on Ideal Health’s web site. This misleading tactic for selling a customized nutritional supplement regimen was previously exposed by Quackwatch in 2004.   Check out Quackwatch’s review of Ideal Health’s PrivaTest and Custom Essentials supplements. 

On the Trump Network site it says  “metabolic testing and customized supplements are no longer luxuries for the wealthy.”  Oh, great.  Now hard-working families can waste their money too.   It says “thousands of The Trump Network’s consumers are convinced their Custom Essentials are boosting their cellular nutrition and giving them nutritional balance and optimal metabolic health.   Join us.”

Go to your doctor for a physical exam. Schedule a consultation with a registered dietitian.  That’s the best way to tell if your diet is inadequate in certain nutrients.  Don’t take the advice of Donald  Trump or a Trump salesperson who profits on the purported profile of your pee.

And if your diet does fall short in nutrients, you certainly don’t need to buy these so-called customized formulas (Donald Trump Vitamins) that can be purchased for a lot less in any supermarket or drug store.  If you want to lose weight, stick to real food and not the disgusting sounding shakes, bars and snacks that are part of the Silhouette Solution Program.  This fake-food fad diet will cost you $1,325.00 to get started.  It’s not only expensive, but an approach I certainly can’t support.  You eat only one “light” meal a day and then munch on five of these packaged snacks throughout the day — and supposedly “fat will melt off your body.”  Instead of an abundance of fresh fruits, vegetables and whole grains — you eat BBQ Puffs, Vanilla Creme Shakes and Chocolate Delight Bars.  

This new venture may make business sense for Donald Trump, but it certainly doesn’t make any nutritional sense.

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Tagged as: Custom Essentials, Donald Trump Dietary Supplments, Ideal Health, MLM, Multi-level Marketing, PrivaTest, Quackwatch, Silhouette Solution, Trump Network

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