Do You Take Vitamins?

I have gotten so many different kinds of advice and read so many varying theories that I am now more confused than ever about taking vitamins. Got any advice?

For years I have heard that Vitamin C and Zinc can help you avoid a cold or lessen the symptoms of one.

I have been told by several doctors that a large dose of Vitamin D is good for women, especially during the winter when we're not spending time out in the sun.

I have met people that are well-versed in what size doses and in what combinations vitamins need to be taken for the right balance.

I have read that you can have way too much of one vitamin in your system, or be completely deficient in other areas when it comes to vitamins, minerals, and supplements.

I have been told that biotin and pregnancy vitamins are great for hair growth or thickening.

Yet vitamins are super expensive and there are an overwhelmingly large amount and variety of them. Is one multivitamin enough or should you be taking larger/different specific doses of many bottles of vitamins and supplements?

Have you gone so far as to have a blood workup to see what you really need, or gone to a specialist to prescribe them to you?

How much is too much? Do you think vitamins are necessary or that we should all just be eating healthier diets to get vitamins from our food instead of in a pill?