Quarterly report pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d)

Significant Accounting Policies (Details Textual)

v2.4.0.6
Significant Accounting Policies (Details Textual)
3 Months Ended 3 Months Ended 3 Months Ended
Mar. 31, 2012
USD ($)
Dec. 31, 2011
USD ($)
Mar. 31, 2011
USD ($)
Dec. 31, 2010
USD ($)
Mar. 31, 2012
Herbalife Venezuela's [Member]
VEF
Mar. 31, 2011
Herbalife Venezuela's [Member]
Dec. 31, 2011
Herbalife Venezuela's [Member]
Mar. 31, 2012
Bolivars Alternative Legal Exchange Mechanism [Member]
USD ($)
Subsidiary or Equity Method Investee [Line Items]                
SITME rate for re-measurement         5.3      
Foreign Currency Transaction Gain (Loss), before Tax               $ (2,100,000)
Net monetary Bolivar denominated assets and liabilities         34,000,000      
Cash and cash equivalents $ 305,861,000 $ 258,775,000 $ 260,766,000 $ 190,550,000 40,800,000      
Subsidiary net sale as percentage of consolidated sales         less than 3% less than 2%    
Subsidiary asset as percentage of consolidated assets         less than 3%   less than 3%  
Percent by which alternative legal exchange mechanism was less favorable than SITME 40.00%