Many Supplements Said to Contain Toxins, Make False Health Claims [View All]

WEDNESDAY, May 26 (HealthDay News) -- A Congressional investigation of dietary herbal supplements has found trace amounts of lead, mercury and other heavy metals in nearly all products tested, plus myriad illegal health claims made by supplement manufacturers, The New York Times reported Wednesday.

The levels of heavy metal contaminants did not exceed established limits, but investigators also discovered troubling and possibly unacceptable levels of pesticide residue in 16 of 40 supplements, the newspaper said.

One ginkgo biloba product had labeling claiming it could treat Alzheimer's disease (no effective treatment yet exists), while a product containing ginseng asserted that it can prevent both diabetes and cancer, the report said.

Steve Mister, president of the Council for Responsible Nutrition, a trade group that represents the dietary supplement industry, said it was not surprising that herbal supplements contained trace amounts of heavy metals, because they are routinely found in soil and plants. "I dont think this should be of concern to consumers," he told the Times.
http://health.msn.com/medications/articlepage.aspx?cp-documentid=100259612>1=31036
This is why REGULATION is needed in this industry. It is a BILLION dollar industry..And look..The supplement industry has its OWN LOBBYISTS. Gee I wonder what they do? Pharmaceutical companies cannot get away with half the shit the unregulated supplement industry does.