Is Alvidar for Thyroid Conditions Actually a Scam?
Updated June 08, 2015.
The High Cost of Alvidar
Alvidar is expensive. And since the primary ingredients are common herbs, it appears that what you are paying for primarily is their advertising and payments to affiliates selling Alvidar for them. Selmedica runs an aggressive affiliate program all over the internet, running ads, and paying others to promote Alvidar (among their many products) as well, so for every bottle that sells, there are various website owners making significant affiliate income on every sale.According to the Alvidar website, here are costs for Alvidar
Alvidar Costs
90 tablets, 1 month supply, $67
270 tablets, 3 month supply, $127, or $42 per month
540 tables, 6 month supply, $177, or $29.50 per month
(The company claims it has a one-year money back guarantee, but the Better Business Bureau has reported numerous complaints from dissatisfied customers who have had difficulties actually getting such refunds. Also note: Selmedica's cost to ship products to you, as well as your cost to ship the product back, are NOT refundable.)
Compare the price of Alvidar to prescription thyroid drugs. As of June 2006, Drugstore.com lists a costs of three popular thyroid drugs, Synthroid, Levoxyl, and Armour Thyroid:
Synthroid .112 mcg
30 tablets, 1 month supply, $15.00
90 tablets, 3 month supply, $40.50, or $13.50 per month
180 tablets, 6 month supply $81.00, or $13.50 per month
Levoxyl .112 mcg
30 tablets, 1 month supply, $12.99
90 tablets, 3 month supply, $29.97, or $9.99 per month
180 tablets, 6 month supply, $59.94, or $9.99 per month
Armour Thyroid, 90 mg
30 tablets, 1 month supply, $9.99
90 tablets, 3 month supply, $21.99 or $7.33 per month
180 tablets, 6 month supply, $43.97 or $7.33 per month
Or, even if you decided that a thyroid support supplement iodine was useful to you, as a complement to thyroid treatment, compare Alvidar to many thyroid support supplements available at health food stores and vitamin stores.
For example, Now's "Thyroid Energy" includes kelp. In addition, it includes several ingredients that have been studied and are known to affect the thyroid and immune system, including the amino acid tyrosine, the mineral selenium and the Ayurvedic herb guggul.
Now's "Thyroid Energy"
A one-month supply, 90 capsule bottle, $9.05 (Papanature.com).
And Gaia Herbs produces "Thyroid Support Extra Strength," with both kelp and bladderwrack. It also includes the herb coleus, and Ayurvedic tonic herb ashwaganda.
Gaia Herbs Thyroid Support Extra Strength
60 capsules are $13.17 (Papanature.com)
Why is Selmedica selling bottles of their supplement for no less than $30 a month, when you can get real, prescription thyroid medication -- or thyroid support supplements with similar ingredients -- for a third of the cost of Alvidar per month.
Selmedica's Poor Record
Alvidar is promoted and reportedly made by a company called "Selmedica," which is listed as being located in Cordova, Tennesse. There is, however, NO listing for this company in any telephone directories.Selmedica IS listed, however, with the Better Business Bureau, where there are numerous complaints against them. The Better Business Bureau, the report states: Selmedica and companies historically have had an unsatisfactory record," with numerous complaints about delivery, refunds, and their guarantee policy. You can read it yourself, by going to the Better Business Bureau site (Selmedica is NOT a member by the way), on the top left under "Check it Out," click "Business." In the search box, where it says "Name" type Selmedica, and you'll get a detailed lengthy report about Selmedica and all the complaints against them and the numerous products it markets.
Also, check out the Ripoff Reports' listing on Selmedica, which has a detailed investigation of the company, listing its numerous products in addition to Alvidar, and some findings that should cause concern in anyone considering sending them money.
Summary
- There is NO evidence that Alvidar can act in any way as a substitute for thyroid hormone replacement drugs that are prescribed for hypothyroidism -- an underactive thyroid.
- There is NO evidence that Alvidar has any ingredients -- other than iodine -- that can have any specific positive action on the thyroid.
- The use of iodine for thyroid patients is controversial, and there is little agreement, even among alternative practitioners, as to its usefulness.
- There is research that demonstrates that iodine can worsen a thyroid condition in people who are already iodine sufficient -- which describes 80% of the U.S. population.
- Some of the ingredients of Alvidar may actually worsen thyroid symptoms or worsen hypothyroidism.
- Alvidar is at least 3 times as costly as most prescription thyroid drugs, or similar thyroid support supplements.
- Selmedica's reputation is spotty at best, and you might have difficulty getting proper service, or promised refunds.