This week, it is time to review the vitamins and supplement debate yet again.

Recently I was asked to take a look at one person's vitamin and supplement regimen. Now, I do not want to judge whether this person is making a good or bad decision with their extensive list. The list does beg the question: Do we need all these vitamins and supplements?

The following is just one person's list, broken down into categories:

* 10 supplements for prostate health

* Five supplements for sexual health

* Nine supplements for heart health and cholesterol

* Seven supplements for weight control

* Six supplements for joint care

* Four supplements for skin and hair health

* Eight supplements for the immune system, sugar management, digestive support and thyroid health.

The extensive use of vitamins and supplements ended with an additional use of a men's multi-vitamin and the use of 100 percent whey-isolated protein powder.

Now, this list of 49 different vitamins and supplements is a bit extreme, but not uncommon. In the U.S., we spend more than $1.5 billion a year on vitamins and supplements.

Do we really need all these vitamins and supplements, and do they really help? The answer to this question can become very confusing, so let's break it down into simple terms.

First and foremost, if you are eating a well-balanced nutrient-dense diet consisting of whole foods like fresh vegetables and fruits with a calorie intake that is north of 1,500 calories a day, you likely don't need to take vitamins.

There have been many studies done proving that people who take vitamins are no healthier than people who eat a very healthy diet. In one study, 180,000 men and women were followed over a period of time to see if those who took the vitamins lived longer and developed fewer incidents of heart disease and cancers than those who did not. The findings showed those taking vitamins did not live longer or have fewer cases of cancer or heart disease.

So we all get the idea that eating whole, healthy foods in the right amounts will give us all the vitamins and nutrients we need, but there are a number of people who need vitamin supplements. To name a few: people with specific vitamin deficiencies, those fighting certain types of degenerative diseases and pregnant women.

The question now comes back to one of a personal nature: Will vitamins really benefit me? Look to your lifestyle, and include good habits like eating lots of fresh vegetables, and lose bad habits, like low calorie intake, eating highly processed empty carbohydrates or smoking and consuming large amounts of alcohol.

Once you examine your lifestyle, you most likely will know if certain vitamins should be taken. Let's look at which vitamins may have the most value for your health.

The problem with multivitamins is they cover the whole spectrum from A to Z, which may be good for some and ensures you get what you need. But multivitamins may also be giving you too much of something you do not need. Keep in mind that recent studies have linked too much vitamin intake to adverse health effects. Like with most things, it becomes a confusing balance.

Here are a few key vitamins you must have to retain optimal health. First and foremost are the fat-soluble vitamins A, D and K, which low-fat or no-fat diets tend to lack. These fat-soluble vitamins are very important for good health. With so many people dieting these days, we are told 'don't eat fat, use low fat' and so on. This practice tends to leave us deficient in A, D and K vitamins.

Vitamin A is important for your immune system and supports good eye and skin health. Vitamin D is a critical vitamin and one that we here in North Idaho get little of in the wintertime from sun exposure.

D is very important to our endocrine health, which is the system in our bodies that controls hormone production and distribution. D is also very important for bone health and our immune system as well.

Vitamin K is another essential that most people do not know much about. K helps with proper blood clotting and helps fight against some degenerative diseases. It is found in leafy greens like kale. But for K to effectively support bone health and your immune system, it should be consumed with a little good fat like olive oil. Italian balsamic dressing with your kale anyone?

Then there are the water-soluble vitamins like vitamin C and the B complex group which, if taken in excess, will cause a number of unhealthy and uncomfortable conditions. For that reason, many health care providers recommend getting these vitamins from natural sources like fruit, eggs, meats and poultry.

As you can see, we have a very mixed bag regarding which vitamins are best taken in a supplement, which are better from natural sources and so on.

Let's add one more question to the vitamin landscape: Synthetic vs. natural vitamin supplements.

Let's establish one fact right out of the gate: a synthetic vitamin can be called all-natural, so you can see where this is going. Are you taking natural or synthetic? Chances are, you may not ever know. Synthetic vitamins are very effective and if they have one fault, it is that they can be very concentrated, so overdosing - or maybe better stated 'overdoing' it - with synthetic vitamin supplements is a real possibility.

Are natural vitamins more effective than synthetic? Studies have shown in some cases, depending on the vitamin, yes. But findings in these studies have had a lot of variance.

Your body will get some benefit from both synthetic and natural. If you're going to take vitamins, you may not want to get to hung up on this issue.

Where does that leave us on the vitamin subject? I think eating macronutrient-dense whole foods and minimizing highly processed foods, sugars and other unhealthy choices is your best approach to the vitamin question. Ensure you are getting key fat-soluble vitamins like vitamin D in a supplement during the dark days of winter.

For a better understanding of what fits your personal needs and lifestyle, check with your doctor. Doctors can run tests to see if you have nutrient deficiencies and they will put you on the course that best suits you.

Judd Jones is a director for the Hagadone Corp.