NBTY, INC. and SUBSIDIARIES
                                Exhibit 99.1
                                ------------
                          CERTIFICATION PURSUANT TO
                           18 U.S.C. SECTION 1350,
                           AS ADOPTED PURSUANT TO
                SECTION 906 OF THE SARBANES-OXLEY ACT OF 2002

I, Scott Rudolph, Chief Executive Officer of NBTY, Inc. (the "Company"),
certify, pursuant to Section 906 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002, 18
U.S.C. Section 1350, that:

(1)   the Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q of the Company for the period ended
March 31, 2003 (the "Report") fully complies with the requirements of
Section 13(a) or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (15 U.S.C.
78m or 78o(d)); and

(2)   the information contained in the Report fairly presents, in all
material respects, the financial condition and results of operations of the
Company.

Dated: May 2, 2003

                                       Signature:

                                       /s/ Scott Rudolph
                                       ------------------------------------
                                       Scott Rudolph
                                       Chief Executive Officer


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