Everyone needs a source of vitamins and most get them through the foods they eat. However, some people believe that getting extra vitamins through supplements is helpful. My mother always pushed me to take vitamins when I was younger and to this day I still do. I would take vitamins like vitamin C, vitamin D, and a multivitamin. I haven't noticed any problems with taking these vitamins, but I believe my intake is a huge overdose. My doctor also knows the vitamins I take. However, I always wondered if they were actually beneficial to my life. A dietary supplement is a pill that contains nutrients that are not obtained through food or drink. There are many different types of vitamin supplements. There is a multivitamin which is a pill containing more than one vitamin. Additionally, there are twenty different types of amino acids that humans need to function properly. Antioxidants are another vitamin which are vitamins A, C and E that protect a human from damage caused by the oxidation of free radicals. There are many other forms of nutrients and ways to get nutrients that help the body function. There is also a daily pill. According to Consumerreports.com, it covers 15 different formulations for teens through seniors. The question is: in the long run, is it beneficial to take these supplements. First, there are many downsides to taking vitamin supplements. According to Roberta Anding, a registered dietitian who spoke with Webmd.com, "They can fill nutritional gaps in your diet, but it's short-sighted to think that your vitamin or mineral is the ticket to good health—the big power is on on the plate, not in a pill. Many doctors or dietitians believe that a person should get their own products... middle of paper This means that I have to include a lot more dairy products in my diet, so that I can reduce my intake of Vitamin supplements.The fact that my doctor didn't mention anything to me about vitamins makes me wonder if they did enough research on them to even find out the meaning of these vitamins. I feel that there are so many that they cannot all be known and investigated thoroughly. I feel that much more research is needed on this topic by professionals. The material I found was on almost every site and contained the same information, what little there was, that is. If I can, I would like to avoid taking vitamins and get all nutrients exclusively from foods and drinks.