The vitamin aisle is crowded, confusing, and overwhelming in its promises. Some of these are empty, and some are too powerful to be tested without guidance. After all, what is L-Theanine? Do I need it? And, at what dose? For answers, we decided to turn to frequent Goop and Dr. Frank Lipman, who distilled the offerings down to a handful of vitamins and supplements he frequently prescribes. He counts some as no-brainers—and others as little-known trade secrets—but all pack a veritable punch.

Q: We often hear that if you eat well, you shouldn't need supplements. What's your take?
A: “Supplements are essential health-boosters that can help fill in nutritional gaps and protect your body against the occasional diet slip-up. While I recommend everyone eat whole, preferably organic foods, I also believe that high-quality supplements are important as well. While they won't make up for a bad diet, think of them as your nutritional pit crew, standing at the ready to make those quick adjustments, tweaks and fixes to your internal engines to get you back out on the road.”

Q: Is it possible to take too many vitamins?
A: “While it is possible to take too many vitamins, it’s extremely rare. One should be careful with fat soluble vitamins like Vitamin A, D, E and K. Almost all of the vitamins I recommend taking regularly are safe and hard to take too much of. However, because most people are deficient in Vitamin D, and since it’s easily measurable, I do often recommend taking that with the supervision of a doctor.”
Here are dr Lipman's recommendations:

Fab Four basic: 
Multivitamin, Vitamin D3, Fish Oils, Probiotics
Feeling Stressed Out: 
B Complex, Magnesium, Acetyl Glutathione, L-Theanine
Sleep Deprived: 
Acetyl Glutathione, CoQ10, Magnesium
Feeling Low: 
B Complex, Powdered Greens*, Acetyl Glutathione
Living in a Cold Climate: 
Magnesium, Powdered Greens*, B Complex
Missing The Sun: 
Powdered Greens*, Acetyl Glutathione, CoQ10
Vegetarian: 
B Complex, Acetyl Glutathione, CoQ10
Aging: 
Acetyl Glutathione, CoQ10, Alpha-Lipoic Acid, B complex
Immunity Boosting: 
Acetyl Glutathione, Probiotics, MCT Oil
Inflammation: 
Turmeric, Fish Oil, Vitamin D3

Find out more about these different vitamins in our A to Z of Vitamins and Minerals.* No doubt you've probably seen friends and co-workers with a tall glass of greens in hand – and with good reason. Powdered greens are the easiest way to quickly nourish every system in your body, and help pick up some of the slack if you're not eating enough greens every day. They provide enhanced immunity; boosted energy levels; better digestion and, depending on the formula, a nice dose of good bacteria for your gut.  Powdered greens are also full of vitamins and minerals, anti-oxidants, enzymes, phytonutrients and other health-enhancing entities. Just a scoop a day will deliver the same antioxidant support of three to five servings of fruit and vegetables, so toss a scoop into your morning smoothie and drink up. Make sure you're buying one made with organic fruits and veg and avoid those with added fillers and bulking agents.

Source: www.goop.com and Dr Lipman

Have you always wondered what supplements you should be taking? Here are the basic staples that in my opinion everyone should be taking daily: Omega 3’s (brain & heart health), Vitamin D (bone health & immune system support), Probiotics (digestive system & immune system support (approximately 60 percent of your immune system lives in your gut!) and finally, if you are Vegetarian or Vegan, Vitamin B12 (nervous system support). I would add a good multi-vitamin & Mineral supplement too. 
Remember that supplements should be considered as medication and you need to be properly informed before you take them. Some vitamins are stored in the body so you may be at risk of toxicity if you take too much, some may harm in pregnancy whilst others may interfere with certain medications. Always check with your doctor to make sure that you are doing the right thing! Watch this video for some great supplement advice from Dr. Kenneth Boch:

Did you know that over 60% of people are Vitamin D deficient and they don’t even know it?  I was very surprised to find out last month that I fit right into that category. The main source of Vitamin D is sunlight and it was one of those things I never worried about as I live in one of the sunniest places on the planet!

In the past, Vitamin D was thought to be mainly responsible for bone health, research in this field has been growing rapidly over the years and the consensus is that Vitamin D is important for just about every organ in our bodies. Nutrition experts like Harvard's Walter Willet say adequate vitamin D may help prevent disease. A daily dose of vitamin D could cut the risk of cancers of the breast, colon and ovary by up to a half, a 40-year review of research has found. The evidence for the protective effect of the "sunshine vitamin" is so overwhelming that urgent action must be taken by public health authorities to boost blood levels, say cancer specialists.

Growing evidence in recent years has also shown that lack of vitamin D is linked to Heart disease, lung disease, diabetes, high blood pressure, schizophrenia, multiple sclerosis, depression and the list is rapidly growing. The vitamin is also essential for bone health and protects against osteoporosis.

Symptoms of deficiency are many and range from bone fractures in extreme cases to depression or low mood, fatigue, hair loss, insomnia, unexplained aches and pains in the body and breathing problems ranging from mild (feelings of not being able to take in a deep breath at times) to asthma.

I recommend getting yourself tested at your Dr’s clinic as Vitamin D deficiency is a lot more common then you think and can affect your health if left untreated.  You may finally find an explanation for all those niggly little health issues that you just live with! Treatment for deficiencies is very simple and done with supplements. People start to feel much better after just a few weeks of treatment. The recommendation is also that you expose yourself to the sun for 15 minutes mid-morning or mid-afternoon when the sun is still high up and emitting the most UVB’s (avoid midday sun), with face and arms exposed without sunblock. Do not put sunblock on your children before they go out to play. Let them round around outdoors and at the beach for about 30 minutes before you apply sunblock, assuming there is a need for it. It’s all about creating the right balance between allowing your body to receive what it needs from the sun, and protecting it from the potential harmful effects.