The vitamin hype includes some hazards the history of vitamin use and abuse

The discovery of vitamins in the last century has helped to eliminate many nutrient deficiency diseases and diet-related disorders that have plagued humankind since the dawn of civilization. This understanding of the interactions between vitamins and human health has launched the fortified food industry that has led to the addition of vitamins to many of the food products we eat on a regular basis such as milk, bread, juice, and the majority of processed snacks and cereals. Today we also see vitamins and related supplements sold in mega-doses, marketed by the media as the universal cures or preventions for nearly every conceivable ailment such as enhancing immunity, increasing, lifespan, boosting sexual drive, improving exercise capabilities, or preventing diseases such as cancer or Alzheimer's disease. This review will briefly summarize the role of vitamin supplements and examine the exaggerated claims and possible dangers of unrestrained vitamin use from a scientific perspective.