I attended a weekend continuing education lecture by Dan Murphy, DC, a chiropractor and instructor at Life West.
A big part of his lecture is focused on using "supplements for wellness and longevity."
He acknowledges that some people find it hard to fork out the money for so many vitamins and herbs.
"They can't afford not to!" he argues. "Imagine how much they'll spend on hospital bills 5-10 years from now."
Dr. Dan Murphy's 10 Required Supplements for Wellness and Longevity
I decided to add up the costs of all the supplements he suggests for an adult.
I busted out a new Numbers spreadsheet right there in the lecture hall. I pulled up the websites for the supplement brands he was recommending. (He swears he's not sponsored or paid to hock their wares, and yet curiously one of the brands is listed as a sponsor of his presentation.)
Cost per month of Dan Murphy's Wellness & Longevity Protocol
A single adult taking Dan Murphy's recommended protocol will have to spend $523.33 on supplements.
Add that to rent, gas, groceries, health insurance, etc.
For individual adults in 2014, the average annual income was about $64,600, or $5,383.33 per month.
That would make the Anti-Aging Supplement protocol equal to nearly 10% of monthly income.
The median family income in 2014 was $53,657 annually, or $4,471.42 per month.
A family of 4 would have to spend $2,093.32—nearly half of their income—on pills.
Of course, I wouldn't expect someone like Dan Murphy to understand the inequity. During his lecture he humble-bragged about spending $900 on a textbook because he just "had to have" this one image that proved a point.
And this doesn't even begin to consider the efficacy of the recommended supplements, many of which have come under scrutiny.