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Proc-Type: 2001,MIC-CLEAR
Originator-Name: webmaster@www.sec.gov
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MIC-Info: RSA-MD5,RSA,
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 uzdyjI3j0HmsLq0rBweW3Q==

<SEC-DOCUMENT>0000070793-03-000029.txt : 20031216
<SEC-HEADER>0000070793-03-000029.hdr.sgml : 20031216
<ACCEPTANCE-DATETIME>20031216174306
ACCESSION NUMBER:		0000070793-03-000029
CONFORMED SUBMISSION TYPE:	4/A
PUBLIC DOCUMENT COUNT:		1
CONFORMED PERIOD OF REPORT:	20031112
FILED AS OF DATE:		20031216

ISSUER:		

	COMPANY DATA:	
		COMPANY CONFORMED NAME:			NBTY INC
		CENTRAL INDEX KEY:			0000070793
		STANDARD INDUSTRIAL CLASSIFICATION:	PHARMACEUTICAL PREPARATIONS [2834]
		IRS NUMBER:				112228617
		STATE OF INCORPORATION:			DE
		FISCAL YEAR END:			0930

	BUSINESS ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		90 ORVILLE DR
		CITY:			BOHEMIA
		STATE:			NY
		ZIP:			11716
		BUSINESS PHONE:		5165679500

	MAIL ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		90 ORVILLE DRIVE
		CITY:			BOHEMIA
		STATE:			NY
		ZIP:			11716

	FORMER COMPANY:	
		FORMER CONFORMED NAME:	NATURES BOUNTY INC
		DATE OF NAME CHANGE:	19920703

REPORTING-OWNER:	

	OWNER DATA:	
		COMPANY CONFORMED NAME:			DALY MURRAY
		CENTRAL INDEX KEY:			0001204739

	FILING VALUES:
		FORM TYPE:		4/A
		SEC ACT:		1934 Act
		SEC FILE NUMBER:	001-31788
		FILM NUMBER:		031058239

	BUSINESS ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		90 ORVILLE DRIVE
		CITY:			BOHEMIA
		STATE:			NY
		ZIP:			11716
		BUSINESS PHONE:		6315679500

	MAIL ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		90 ORVILLE DRIVE
		CITY:			BOHEMIA
		STATE:			NY
		ZIP:			11716
</SEC-HEADER>
<DOCUMENT>
<TYPE>4/A
<SEQUENCE>1
<FILENAME>c0001204739d20031216f4af.xml
<DESCRIPTION>PRIMARY DOCUMENT
<TEXT>
<XML>
<ownershipDocument><schemaVersion>X0201</schemaVersion>    <documentType>4/A</documentType><periodOfReport>2003-11-12</periodOfReport><dateOfOriginalSubmission>2003-11-21</dateOfOriginalSubmission><notSubjectToSection16>0</notSubjectToSection16><issuer><issuerCik>0000070793</issuerCik><issuerName>NBTY INC</issuerName>        <issuerTradingSymbol>NTY</issuerTradingSymbol></issuer><reportingOwner><reportingOwnerId><rptOwnerCik>0001204739</rptOwnerCik><rptOwnerName>DALY MURRAY</rptOwnerName></reportingOwnerId><reportingOwnerAddress><rptOwnerStreet1>C/O NBTY, INC</rptOwnerStreet1><rptOwnerStreet2>90 ORVILLE DRIVE</rptOwnerStreet2><rptOwnerCity>BOHEMIA</rptOwnerCity><rptOwnerState>NY</rptOwnerState><rptOwnerZipCode>11716</rptOwnerZipCode><rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription></reportingOwnerAddress><reportingOwnerRelationship><isDirector>1</isDirector><isOfficer>0</isOfficer><isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner><isOther>0</isOther><officerTitle></officerTitle><otherText></otherText></reportingOw
nerRelationship></reportingOwner><nonDerivativeTable><nonDerivativeTransaction><securityTitle><value>Common Stock</value></securityTitle><transactionDate><value>2003-11-12</value></transactionDate><deemedExecutionDate><value>2003-11-12</value></deemedExecutionDate><transactionCoding><transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType><transactionCode>X</transactionCode><equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved></transactionCoding><transactionTimeliness><value></value></transactionTimeliness><transactionAmounts><transactionShares><value>2500</value></transactionShares><transactionPricePerShare><value>5.875</value></transactionPricePerShare><transactionAcquiredDisposedCode><value>A</value></transactionAcquiredDisposedCode></transactionAmounts><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>2500</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership><natureOfOwnership><value></value></natureOfOwnership></o
wnershipNature></nonDerivativeTransaction><nonDerivativeTransaction><securityTitle><value>Common Stock</value></securityTitle><transactionDate><value>2003-11-12</value></transactionDate><deemedExecutionDate></deemedExecutionDate><transactionCoding><transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType><transactionCode>S</transactionCode><equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved></transactionCoding><transactionTimeliness><value></value></transactionTimeliness><transactionAmounts><transactionShares><value>1500</value></transactionShares><transactionPricePerShare><value>25.32</value></transactionPricePerShare><transactionAcquiredDisposedCode><value>D</value></transactionAcquiredDisposedCode></transactionAmounts><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>1000</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership><natureOfOwnership><value></value></natureOfOwnership></ownershipNature></nonDerivativeTransa
ction><nonDerivativeTransaction><securityTitle><value>Common Stock</value></securityTitle><transactionDate><value>2003-11-12</value></transactionDate><deemedExecutionDate></deemedExecutionDate><transactionCoding><transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType><transactionCode>S</transactionCode><equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved></transactionCoding><transactionTimeliness><value></value></transactionTimeliness><transactionAmounts><transactionShares><value>1000</value></transactionShares><transactionPricePerShare><value>25.24</value></transactionPricePerShare><transactionAcquiredDisposedCode><value>D</value></transactionAcquiredDisposedCode></transactionAmounts><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>0</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership><natureOfOwnership><value></value></natureOfOwnership></ownershipNature></nonDerivativeTransaction></nonDerivativeTable><derivativeT
able><derivativeTransaction><securityTitle><value>Stock Options (Right to buy)</value></securityTitle><conversionOrExercisePrice><value>5.875</value></conversionOrExercisePrice><transactionDate><value>2003-11-12</value></transactionDate><deemedExecutionDate><value>2003-11-12</value></deemedExecutionDate><transactionCoding><transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType><transactionCode>X</transactionCode><equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved></transactionCoding><transactionAmounts><transactionShares><value>2500</value></transactionShares><transactionPricePerShare><value>14687.5</value></transactionPricePerShare><transactionAcquiredDisposedCode><value>D</value></transactionAcquiredDisposedCode></transactionAmounts><exerciseDate><value>2000-08-09</value></exerciseDate><expirationDate><value>2010-08-09</value></expirationDate><underlyingSecurity><underlyingSecurityTitle><value>Common Stock</value></underlyingSecurityTitle><underlyingSecurityShares><value>2500</value></underlyingSecurityShares></underlyingSecuri
ty><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>7500</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership><natureOfOwnership><value></value></natureOfOwnership></ownershipNature></derivativeTransaction></derivativeTable><footnotes></footnotes><ownerSignature><signatureName>Murray  Daly</signatureName><signatureDate>2003-12-16</signatureDate></ownerSignature></ownershipDocument>

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