Remember even vegetables aren't as full as nutrients as they used to be.
That's what I've heard.....that due to years of over-harvesting and over-taxing the soil, the vitamin/mineral level in vegetables is dramatically less then it used to be.
At the same time, it seems the vitamin industry will try to find any new substance/herb growing in some remote jungle and promote it as the new cure for everything. It's all about marketing. Ironically, very little is FDA approved and their claims remains unsubstantiated.
So we're caught in the middle.
Most physicians seem to endorse a good multi-vitamin...but then they often go on to suggest some fish-oil, maybe some B-vitamins and even some calcium. Then, with all our working-out we feel compelled to perhaps take some Glucosamine for our joints and maybe some Co-Q10 for it's amazing heart-benefitting antioxidant qualities. In no time, it isn't hard to have a small vitamin store in our homes.
I think it goes back to what Dallen was suggesting...that a well-rounded diet complete with major food groups should pretty much cover it.
At the same time, I have a few friends who are doctors and they routinely ask older clients in good health what they did to look so good at their age, and the answer usually involves exercise...and some supplements...so there ya go.
One thing that concerns me about the multivitamins is that after taking them the urine is usually flourescent-yellow; looks like the kidneys are being taxed and that bothers me...so I tend to stick with "food-based" multivitamins, like SuperNutrition Men's Blend..and even then, I just take one instead of the 4 tablets they consider one-serviing.
I guess it's the same thing...we each have to find what works for ourselves.