Eating a well-balanced diet is the best approach, however, the level of processing that packaged food go through makes it near impossible to attain such a goal. I feed my family well, choosing good foods in enough variety to cover nutrition pretty well, however. I know that supplementation helps me. When I started taking a high-quality multivitamin every day along with a few other things, I didn't notice a change right away, or even a few months down the road. Others DID see a difference in me. My skin was better, I was more active. I was a little slimmer--all things I didn't notice, myself.

About a month ago, skimming through information from the genetic testing I had ordered, I discovered that there are things that I am genetically predisposed to be deficient in. Adding supplements made a marked difference.

Others might not benefit at all or might need even more supplementation to see a benefit. As for me and my house, through experimentation, I know what works for us and we stick to it.

As for the FDA, I trust nature more than bureaucracy. There ARE good things that come out of their work, but I suspect that a good deal of what they publish is based on profits rather than our health.

One of my docs wrote me a prescription for a high-dose Vitamin D supplement.
Insurance stopped covering it and the out of pocket cost was unreasonably high so I just started taking over the counter stuff.
The doses are lower, but something is better than nothing I suppose.

I take glucosamine and have for over 20 years. I have experienced negative effects from stopping taking it for a while, so I resumed using it. That happened a couple of times. I also, at 68, seem to have fewer problems with arthritis than many others my age, but I don't know if that's necessarily attributable to the glucosamine. A couple months ago, I began taking magnesium, on the recommendation of a Physician's Assistant to whom I made mention of my peripheral neuropathy. It has lessened that condition by 50-70%. So, those things work for me.

I take Vitamin D based on my Doctor's recommendation and on the fact that there's evidence for its usefulness. I don't profess to know everything about every supplement, but it's my understanding that unless your diet is extremely deficient most of 'em are a waste of money.

No, thank you. To each their own.

I don't take them, but I'd certainly be leery of them: while they're unregulated, you can never be sure what's in them and some manufacturers may be adding questionable ingredients to either save money or boost effects, as more than one professional athlete (Alberto Contador being a good example) has discovered.

Another example would be the US cyclist Amber Neben, who tested positive for anabolic steroid 19-Norandrosterone in 2003. She argued that she had not intentionally doped and that she had consumed the drug in a contaminated supplement and the Court for Arbitration in Sport found in her favour, giving her a six-month ban dated from the positive test which allowed her to continue racing with the agreement that she would submit to more regular tests - and she passed every test from that date onwards. It's her 42nd birthday tomorrow, incidentally; she's still racing and still passing anti-doping tests.

There are a few I take. I drink chamomile tea on a fairly regular basis. I do that for headaches. I have also used holy basil as well. It has a calming effect. There are a few others I have used. Won’t necessarily swear by any. Other than the two I mentioned. I have seen the effects on me specifically from both.

There is a mountain of double-blind, crossover studies in reliable peer-reviewed journals showing the efficacy of many supplements. They also show how some aren't worth the money or can even be dangerous. Because the supplement industry is essentially unregulated in the US you also have to be careful to only buy from a reputable company. I usually buy from NOW, EAS, NatureMade and Universal. One final thing a supplement is in addition to a good diet. It's added nutritional insurance because if we are truly honest with ourselves very, very few of us eat anything like a complete, healthy diet.

as most studies show supplements generally have the effect of raising the monetary value of your urine and not a lot else

There's no reason to take a supplement aside from compensating for a known and verified deficiency.

I take vitamins

I'm only leery in the respect that most are over rated. Because of fillers and the fact that your body doesn't absorb the full dosage amount (take 500 mg of something, your body will only absorb a portion, often only half of that). The best supplements are liquid and go straight into your system BUT they charge outrageous prices for them.

By most standards, I eat a very healthy diet, but I still don't get everything I need. So, to supplement my healthy diet, I take a strong multi-vitamin and D (because I don't spend enough time outside). At night I take fast dissolving Melatonin to help with sleep. (I just recently started taking them 20 mins before bed, I'm asleep within 10-15 mins of laying down. Where without them, I might be awake 30-90 mins before falling asleep)

I think I'm doing ok, no colds or flu for about 4-5 years and I don't get a flu vaccine. Several people around me have been sick this winter, but I came through with no problem. I can't say for sure it's the supplements but probably a combination of diet and supplements.

Some supplements show up on lab tests. Vitamin D is one. Magnesium Citrate is another one I take. B-12 is a vitamin that is low in vegetarian diets. Not all supplements are created equal the, of course, the better ones cost more.

Eat well and prosper

I go back and forth on them. Just the other day saw an article about infants contracting a deadly fungal infection from tainted pro biotics given in a hospital.
Probiotics are all the rage now... it's always something.
What was it, another study found supps at Target et al didn't have any of the stated ingredients.

I do keep some things around, Vit D, magnesium, milk thistle, but don't take them regularly.

Here's the infant/probiotic article [forbes.com]

When I am under the weather I take spatone which is a water based iron supplement it doesnt make you as constipated as the tablets. My doctor gives me the tablets so at least I know I need them.

Following amazing benefit received from eating raw organic garlic (not radiation neutered imported garlic) to cure a sore throat some years ago, I started taking garlic, horseradish and vit C pills. The cost amounts to about US$10 for 3 months supply. Whether through real or placebo affect I have been very healthy during the time taking them. Equally I found that taking grapeseed capsules enabled me last winter to survive without sox when outdoors. Peripheral blood flow is something I have monitored every year and my testing podiatrist assures me that the blood in my big toes still has good pressure. My blood tests identify vit D deficiency so I now take a supplement. I dropped the antiinflammatories after many years of consumption on learning that the ultimately cause kidney failure.

Beyond mere supplements comes this report from several years ago about the mysterious deaths of naturopaths. The article also has interesting links to similar articles and makes accusations of FDA tampering by big pharma.
29 Holistic Doctors/Practitioners Found Poisoned, Some Nearly Dead. Another Attack on Alternative Medicine? - David Avocado Wolfe [davidwolfe.com]

I used to take them.

From Matol's Km, to a ton of pills, to tea, and on and on. I was a newbie in multi-level marketing peddling that stuff for a minute.

None of that stuff helped me in ANY noticeable way.

After that, I took regular over the counter supplements - vitamins, probiotics, etc. None of that made a difference either. Ever.

Then I started reading and saw a good documentary which cited science and completely stopped.

And, here I am. Same body. Same level of health. I take one prescription vitamin D a month, and I get the rest of my vitamins from food.

I don't know much about the. Dr. Oz did a segment on them. Something about desolving it in vinegar to see how effective they are. It's been a while since I've watched it.

I prefer to get my nutrition from well-balanced diet. However, my doctor recommended that I start supplementing calcium, since I don’t drink milk, so I do that. Most other types of supplements (non-nutrient) I think range from useless to potentially dangerous and primarily serve the purpose of lining the pockets of the manufacturers.

The doctor says "Take the calcium". The science says "causes polyps in many".
Me?????????????????????????????

Unless medically prescribed I'd steer clear of that stuff.

I take some of them. Nature Made is supposed to be a legitimate brand, and so I take their supplements. I am never going to get the nutrients I need from food, and so I feel I need to add supplements, but I'm pretty careful with them. I don't take the fad drugs, just the ones that I know I can't get enough of. Vitamin D is especially hard for me. I seem to always find myself lacking that.

I take a B+Multivitamin , Ginko Biloba , Coenzyme Q10 , DHEA , Lutine , Vitamin A , Ocuvite AREDS , L-Carnitine , L-Lysine , & a probiotic . All these I take either for improved mental function , eye health , or just over all better health in the name of delaying the inevitable for as long as practical . I swear by Ginko Biloba for improved mental function , but it takes 2 weeks of taking it before you notice a difference . I've had my lens pop out away from the rest of my eye from physical strain during constipation , & emotional stress . When that happens , it takes 6 months at least for it to heal . That's when I started to take Lutine & a lot of Vitamin A , & I swear by both . I eat very little meat , so I take the L-Carnitine to make up for it , as well as L-Lysine , that also helps with infection & flu .