#474 What’s Really in the Bottle?

Herbs and dietary supplements are immensely popular, but there is minimal oversight to make sure consumers are really getting what they think they are buying. Studies have shown that there are sometimes big gaps between the information on the label and the product in the bottle. In some cases, there may be very little active ingredient. In others, the pills may be adulterated or contaminated. One company tests such products and posts the results on the Web. It has now published a book with these findings to guide consumers to make wise purchasing decisions. Guests: Todd Cooperman, MD, President of Consumerlab.com and Editor of “Guide to Buying Vitamins & Supplements: What’s Really in the Bottle?” David Kroll, PhD, pharmacologist and research scientist at Research Triangle Institute.