Vitamins are substances in our diet which are necessary for our bodies to work normally. Although they are essential we only need tiny amounts of them. If you are eating even a little of the main foods in a normal diet then you are probably getting a good enough supply of vitamins. However, if you are not eating normally over a long period of time you may need a multivitamin tablet to top up your body's stores. Your doctor, dietitian or pharmacist at your local chemist can advise you about these.

You may read or hear that large doses of vitamins can be helpful in preventing or treating breast cancer. In fact there is no scientific evidence that such supplements are of any value. Indeed it can be harmful to take excessive amounts of certain vitamins, especially Vitamin A and Vitamin D. With Beta Carotene in particular, which is converted in the body to Vitamin A, several clinical trials have shown that taking large doses is actually associated with an increased risk of certain cancers developing.