When you were a child, your mom probably had you take a vitamin every day, perhaps one of those fruit flavored Flintstones ones. This goes back to a very old thought process that says vitamins are good for you. Most of us simply accept that at face value, and for many of us, that habit continues into adulthood, although we change from Flintstones brand to something more appropriate, perhaps like Centrum.

In recent years, there have been various scientific reports and studies that claim to have thoroughly investigated the effect of vitamins on our systems. The one very interesting aspect of this is that those "thorough medical studies" have come up with very conflicting conclusions! Some of the conclusions state that vitamins are a waste of time and money and do nothing particularly beneficial for the body, while others claim that the supplemental vitamins and minerals that the body receives from a regiment of taking a vitamin a day should not be underestimated.

The truth of the matter is that both studies are right, but you need to understand WHY both studies are right. The truth of the matter is that people are different - drastically different, and lead different lifestyles. In this hectic day and age, most people don't have the time to ensure that their three meals a day are healthy and filled with the proper amount of vitamins and minerals. Think about it, how many times per week are you just too tired to think about something nutritional, and the dinner plans quickly change to McDonalds or the phone number for pizza delivery, and you make amends by thinking that you will change your vitamin-deficient ways tomorrow, but tomorrow never comes?

There is no question about the fact that vitamins are beneficial to our general health, but the real question is HOW beneficial are they? That answer depends on your lifestyle as well as your general health. If your typical diet consists of fast food and pizza, your need for supplemental vitamins is much greater than someone else who puts a good deal of thought process into each meal preparation. In truth, there are significantly more people in the former category than the latter, unfortunately, just because we are a people that are always busy and always on the go, and the aspect of a good meal is typically saved for the weekend when we have more time.

Vitamins provide the enzymes that initiate the chemical reactions in the body to make things happen. Enzymes are the power houses of the body, because they initiate the biochemical reactions that are required for almost everything we do, such as healing, muscle contraction, food digestion, metabolism of proteins, and so much more.

Some vitamins are more important. For example, some studies have indicated that the vitamin B complex group is important for brain functions and can help fight and prevent Alzheimer's Syndrome. Other research recently has shown the some vitamins taken in higher doses can fight and prevent other diseases such as cancer and heart disease.

One thing you can be sure of is that there are no studies that indicate that vitamins are a waste of money or that taken as directed, are detrimental to your body. So if you are not yet in the habit, get with the program and start taking a vitamin a day for better health!