James, Although I know there have been numerous clinical trials done on the advantages of taking vitamin/mineral supplements, I don't have any to quote right now. This is just out of personal experience and that of other people: After starting to take supplements, people feel less tired. Sometimes I forget to take them for a few weeks, and then I start to feel very tired after 6.5 hours of sleep. When I start taking the supplements again, I start to feel less tired after a few days with the same hectic schedule. Also, the combination of Vitamin C and Echinacea supplements work very well to guard against the flu and common cold. Again, it's just personal experience and that of others. Like any other kind of treatment, it may work for some but not others. Mostly it's for people who don't get enough natural vitamins in their diet. If I remember correctly, humans have to eat somewhere around two or three heads of garlic, four oranges, some crazy amount of carrots, cabbage, etc. every day to get the recomended amount of vitamins. How many people actually eat such amounts? Not many. Why? Because we don't have the time, or we don't like to eat that stuff. Supplements are simply meant to *supplement* our daily diet. We don't have to argue about the importance of vitamins and minerals, do we? Actually, if you want expert opinion, here are two articles from the Journal of the American Medical Association: 1. Fairfield, KM and Fletcher, RH. Vitamins for Chronic Disease Prevention in Adults: Scientific Review JAMA. 2002. 287:3116-3126. 2. Fletcher, RH and Fairfield, KM. Vitamins for Chronic Disease Prevention in Adults: Clinical Applications JAMA. 2002. 287:3127-3129. Anton James Knott wrote:

Anton Markov wrote:

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David J Patrick wrote:

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Ya want calcium ? Eat spinach.

Or take Vitamin/Mineral supplements.

I have been taking a combination of Vitamin and Mineral supplements for the past four years, and I can say from personal experience (and that of everyone else who I know takes them) that they work. I am not talking about the cheap stuff you get at the local Shoppers Drug Mart; I buy Nutrilite products.

How do you know they work?

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