That's true, the potential for a high percentage return on your investment should be weighed against the risk that - if the option does not become worthwhile to sell or exercise by expiration - you would lose your entire investment in that particular option.  Even so, buying an option can involve much less dollar risk than the alternative of owning the actual commodity.

Example: At the same time you spent $1000 to buy the 1000 gallon crude oil call option with a $25 strike price, your wealthy neighbor plunked down $25,000 to purchase 1000 gallons of physical crude oil at $25. If the price of crude drops to, say, $20 at expiration, your option will be worthless and you will have lost $1000, 100% of your investment. Your neighbor, if he decides to sell the oil, will incur only a 20% loss, but he will be out $5000 - compared with your $1000 loss.