There are those who would have you believe that if you are taking herbal supplements you are playing Russian roulette with your very life. ?They' say that there are no precautions in place to assure the safety of herbal supplements for human consumption. I say ?Horse Feathers'!

All food supplements are considered a subset of food under federal law......vitamins, minerals, herbs.....those that are in capsule form, liquid form and chewable....ALL of them are regulated by federal law. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) enforce the laws that govern the safety standards of food supplements just like they do when it comes to all foods.

The Food and Drug Administration has not only the right but the obligation under the law to stop the sale of any unsanitary product. The FDA requires dietary supplements meet strict manufacturing requirements (Good Manufacturing Practices), including regulations for potency, cleanliness, and stability.

Those who manufacture dietary supplements can't just go pick leaves off any old bush and call them an herb, either. The FDA can stop a new dietary ingredient from being marketed if the agency does not receive enough safety information in advance.

Then the Federal Trade Commission gets into the act. They are charged with enforcing the laws outlawing "unfair or deceptive acts or practices" to make sure consumers are truthfully informed. The FTC can and does stop false advertisements or other violations of the FTC Act.... the law governing trade practices.

Who do you think made the producers of herbal supplements put all that information on the labels.....Santa Claus? Hardly! The information is there because the law requires it to be there.

The bottom line is that the supplements consumers purchase, vitamins, minerals and herbs, are as safe as all of the rest of the food supply.