Condensed Consolidating Financial Statements of Guarantors - Statements of Operations and Comprehensive (Loss) Income (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014
Condensed Parent Company Statements of Operations and Comprehensive Income (Loss)
Net sales	$ 801,990	$ 825,771
Costs and expenses:
Cost of sales (See Note 3)	443,144	448,887
Advertising, promotion and catalog	46,463	46,894
Selling, general and administrative	253,192	238,172
Impairment of Vitamin World assets (See Note 7 and 14)	11,656
Facility restructuring charges (See Note 3)	5,494
Total costs and expenses	759,949	733,953
Income from operations	42,041	91,818
Other income (expense):
Interest	(34,336)	(34,747)
Miscellaneous, net	(1,962)	(1,355)
Total other expense	(36,298)	(36,102)
Income from operations before income taxes	5,743	55,716
(Benefit) provision for income taxes	1,945	19,809
Net income	3,798	35,907
Deduct net loss attributable to noncontrolling interests	(139)
Net income attributable to NBTY, Inc.	3,937	35,907
Net income (loss)	3,798	35,907
Other comprehensive (loss) income, net of tax:
Foreign currency translation adjustment, net of tax	(20,630)	(30,307)
Change in fair value of interest rate swaps, net of tax		721
Total Other comprehensive income (loss) net of tax	(20,630)	(29,586)
Comprehensive (loss) income	(16,832)	6,321
Less: Net loss attributable to non-controlling interests	(139)
Less: Foreign currency translation adjustment attributable to non-controlling interest	(574)
Comprehensive loss attributable to non-controlling interest	(713)
Comprehensive (loss) income attributable to NBTY, Inc.	(16,119)	6,321
Reportable Legal Entities | Parent Company
Costs and expenses:
Selling, general and administrative	29,261	22,890
Total costs and expenses	29,261	22,890
Income from operations	(29,261)	(22,890)
Other income (expense):
Intercompany interest	38,605	39,809
Interest	(33,905)	(34,781)
Miscellaneous, net	(680)	(1,746)
Total other expense	4,020	3,282
Income from operations before income taxes	(25,241)	(19,608)
(Benefit) provision for income taxes	(4,850)	(1,166)
Equity in income of subsidiaries	24,328	54,349
Net income	3,937
Net income attributable to NBTY, Inc.	3,937	35,907
Net income (loss)	3,937
Other comprehensive (loss) income, net of tax:
Foreign currency translation adjustment, net of tax	(20,630)	(30,307)
Change in fair value of interest rate swaps, net of tax		721
Total Other comprehensive income (loss) net of tax	(20,630)	(29,586)
Comprehensive (loss) income	(16,693)
Comprehensive (loss) income attributable to NBTY, Inc.	(16,693)	6,321
Reportable Legal Entities | Guarantor Subsidiaries
Condensed Parent Company Statements of Operations and Comprehensive Income (Loss)
Net sales	537,364	557,361
Costs and expenses:
Cost of sales (See Note 3)	336,853	342,653
Advertising, promotion and catalog	35,331	34,947
Selling, general and administrative	114,685	114,937
Impairment of Vitamin World assets (See Note 7 and 14)	11,656
Facility restructuring charges (See Note 3)	5,494
Total costs and expenses	504,019	492,537
Income from operations	33,345	64,824
Other income (expense):
Intercompany interest	(33,905)	(34,781)
Interest		65
Miscellaneous, net	188	(843)
Total other expense	(33,717)	(35,559)
Income from operations before income taxes	(372)	29,265
(Benefit) provision for income taxes	(136)	10,612
Equity in income of subsidiaries	2,768	6,333
Net income	2,532
Net income attributable to NBTY, Inc.	2,532	24,986
Net income (loss)	2,532
Other comprehensive (loss) income, net of tax:
Foreign currency translation adjustment, net of tax	(2,388)	(5,681)
Change in fair value of interest rate swaps, net of tax		721
Total Other comprehensive income (loss) net of tax	(2,388)	(4,960)
Comprehensive (loss) income	144
Comprehensive (loss) income attributable to NBTY, Inc.	144	20,026
Reportable Legal Entities | Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries
Condensed Parent Company Statements of Operations and Comprehensive Income (Loss)
Net sales	283,548	289,017
Costs and expenses:
Cost of sales (See Note 3)	125,213	126,841
Advertising, promotion and catalog	11,132	11,947
Selling, general and administrative	109,246	100,345
Total costs and expenses	245,591	239,133
Income from operations	37,957	49,884
Other income (expense):
Intercompany interest	(4,700)	(5,028)
Interest	(431)	(31)
Miscellaneous, net	(1,470)	1,234
Total other expense	(6,601)	(3,825)
Income from operations before income taxes	31,356	46,059
(Benefit) provision for income taxes	6,931	10,363
Net income	24,425
Deduct net loss attributable to noncontrolling interests	(139)
Net income attributable to NBTY, Inc.	24,564	35,696
Net income (loss)	24,425
Other comprehensive (loss) income, net of tax:
Foreign currency translation adjustment, net of tax	(20,424)	(30,447)
Total Other comprehensive income (loss) net of tax	(20,424)	(30,447)
Comprehensive (loss) income	4,001
Less: Net loss attributable to non-controlling interests	(139)
Less: Foreign currency translation adjustment attributable to non-controlling interest	(574)
Comprehensive loss attributable to non-controlling interest	(713)
Comprehensive (loss) income attributable to NBTY, Inc.	4,714	5,249
Eliminations
Condensed Parent Company Statements of Operations and Comprehensive Income (Loss)
Net sales	(18,922)	(20,607)
Costs and expenses:
Cost of sales (See Note 3)	(18,922)	(20,607)
Total costs and expenses	(18,922)	(20,607)
Other income (expense):
Equity in income of subsidiaries	(27,096)	(60,682)
Net income	(27,096)
Net income attributable to NBTY, Inc.	(27,096)	(60,682)
Net income (loss)	(27,096)
Other comprehensive (loss) income, net of tax:
Foreign currency translation adjustment, net of tax	22,812	36,128
Change in fair value of interest rate swaps, net of tax		(721)
Total Other comprehensive income (loss) net of tax	22,812	35,407
Comprehensive (loss) income	(4,284)
Comprehensive (loss) income attributable to NBTY, Inc.	$ (4,284)	$ (25,275)