In recent weeks, the news media has paid a lot of attention to a handful of studies that seemed to indicate there may be a slight risk associated with taking vitamin supplements. However, experts say that all the hype underscores serious misunderstanding of the present findings and of how science works in general.

Each one of the investigations that indicated potential risk was an observational study, meaning the researchers looked for correlations between taking vitamins and negative health outcomes. However, this type of study can never prove a cause.

Dr. Mark Human recently wrote in the Huffington Post that looking to this type of study for a definitive answer would be like looking at population data from the city of Miami and concluding that everyone is born Hispanic but dies Jewish. Observing the correlation alone ignores the other factors involved.

Furthermore, there have been numerous scientific investigations that have showed direct molecular evidence of the benefits of vitamins. A couple new observational studies provide insufficient evidence to overturn the mountain of data indicating serious benefits to taking vitamin supplements.

In confirmation of this, the Office of Dietary Supplements states that vitamin supplements are a good way to increase consumption of many important nutrients.