Dietary supplement resveratrol seems to be the new hamster product in corona time. “It sold out within half an hour,” says an employee of health food store Holland & Barrett on Langestraat in Alkmaar. The effect of the drug has yet to be scientifically investigated.
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The run on resveratrol caught her by surprise. “It was with Jinek, I had missed that.” In the talk show, Peter van der Voort, head of Intensive Care at UMC Groningen, explained that high levels of leptin in the blood are often found in corona patients who are overweight on ventilation. This hormone can cause thrombosis, among other things.
He said that antioxidant resveratrol may lower the hormone, making overweight patients less sick. The dietary supplement is simply at the drugstore. “Promising,” he calls the drug. “We still have to research it scientifically, let’s not cheer too early,” emphasized Van der Voort (Haarlem, 1964).
‘Red wine’
Online, the drug quickly sold out on many sites and the demand in the shopping street is enormous. At many Holland & Barrett stores, they have to disappoint customers: it is finished. “” Then I’m going to drink red wine, “they say, which contains the substance.” Customers can barely pronounce the word and the employee had to practice for a while. “It is not cheap. But they have to have it. Not only overweight people, also slim people. After vitamins C and D, it is the new hamster product. ”
Also a rush at the Haarlem branch on Generaal Cronjestraat. “People were already at the door,” says a saleswoman. The five pots in stock were gone in no time. “Normally we don’t sell much at all.” The rush does not surprise her. “People are like sheep,” he says soberly. The food supplement is also sold out at Holland & Barrett in the Leidse Haarlemmerstraat.
The demand for resveratrol is high at Etos Kerkelanden in Hilversum. “The first customer wanted it immediately. But we don’t have it. We hope to have it at home on Wednesday. ” At DA drugstore and perfumery Van den Brand on the Amsterdamstraat in Haarlem the same problem. “Normally they are never asked. Now that it was with Jinek, everyone wants it. It can’t hurt, it’s a dietary supplement. ” Especially overweight customers ask for the product. “We are considering buying it now.”
Consumer behavior
Hamster rage is mocked on Twitter. “I have been working in a health food store for over four years now, but never before have so many people asked for a certain product after a television program / talk show,” tweeted Rick van Leeuwen. “And that while its effect has not yet been proven at all. Quite bizarre how consumer behavior develops during a crisis. ”
