I guess it depends on the person. I've experienced a lot of success with Vitamin C tablets during cold and flu season. It doesn't help when you're already sick, but it does help prevent disease, along with good hygiene habits. I used to get terrible leg cramps at night, but I started taking a daily multivitamin and they've completely vanished. Not much of a coincidence if you ask me. You need a healthy diet to begin with. Vitamins won't help you if they can't be properly absorbed and used by the body.

Could be, could be, but magnesium prevents those aweful leg cramps at night and vitamin E oil helps soothe my sunburns. And beer helps my attitude.

I would be curious to know who is funding the research. I would also like to know which brand of supplements they tested. Not all supplements are the same.

I have just been diagnosed with severe iron deficiency, so I'm hoping the supplements will be effective.

The three primary supplements I use are/have been effective for the conditions for which I consume them: they are glucosamine, for joints; turmeric, for misc. body pains; and magnesium, for peripheral neuropathy. Say whatever you want, but they work for me to alleviate problems related to those conditions.

Well, the sawdust business is booming though.

B vitamins can save lives in extreme cases, but the myth that it's impossible to overdose on them is incorrect. High doses can cause nerve damage over the long term.

I take a B complex tablet every now and then.

I believe the vitamins I take are useful. For example D3, because I don't get enough sun. Also omega 3 oils. The other supplement I take is K2.

I try to get the rest from food.

PLACEBO effect, maybe...I agree with many of the posts regarding a balanced diet... but... many Americans are lazy, or too busy (bad excuse)... most excuses are bad, we know that... but... that's why the OTC vitamin market is a multi billion $$$ industry. They know us and take advantage of all our excuses.

Most diet supplements are eqally useless and a multi-billion ripoff foisted by the culture of greed.

I will take this study with a grain of salt.

Yesterday, the soil was rich and there were fewer pesticides. There were no GMO"s and glyphosate was not invented. Animals were raised in healthy environments not like the atrocious conditions of today producing pus ridden, bacteria ridden sick animals. So eating well was enough. Today, the choice of the food you eat is of first importance, but supplements do help counteract modern sophisticated stupidity. There is always evidence on both sides. It just matters what evidence you are privy to (There are tons and tons of studies.) and what evidence has been suppressed by companies wishing to add to their greed like Monsanto. However, it is interesting that certain supplements might be deleterious such as niacin which is very unpleasant to take. I certainly prefer to take supplements that do the same job as medications. It might be slower but very much healthier. Where it concerns supplements versus big pharma I strongly opt for supplements. Big pharma stuff bears a price to be paid .. that price not always associated with these medications, but nevertheless very real and life shortening.

My doctor told me that; "you're just making expensive pee".

I still take them as I'm afraid of the shock to my body in the case of going cold turkey after years of consumption, plus I still consider the jury to be out to some degree.