America may still be the home of the brave and land of the free. From the drug store aisles, however, it appears to be the "home of the ever young and land of the disease-free."
More and more Americans are turning to fortified foods and tiny tablets for health. In 2002, vitamins and vitamin-mineral (VM) combinations aimed at preventing health problems such as cancer, heart disease, and blindness appeared in a variety of forms, often in combination with herbal ingredients and other phytonutrients touted for their health efficacy.