When I was in medical school, I remember arguing with my mother-in-law Shirley about whether anyone needs to take vitamin and mineral supplements.

Shirley was a big proponent of Adelle Davis, who was an advocate for better health through nutrition. Davis wrote four bestselling books that encouraged Americans to eat a healthier diet. My mother-in-law frequently quoted Adelle Davis to me, and advised me that people should take supplements like vitamin C.

At that time, my typical response to Shirley was that the only thing nutritional supplements were good for was causing expensive urine.

When I think back to some of my comments to Shirley and others (including patients) that brought up similar ideas, I cringe. At that time, I thought modern medicine had all the answers. I had been taught that nutritional deficiencies were a thing of the past.

How wrong I was.