Some believe that higher doses of vitamins and minerals will prevent the consumer from contracting disease. As explained previously, this statement is not true. Consuming adequate amounts of vitamins and nutrients is proven to keep the body healthy and can reduce the risk of disease. While exploring the causes of cardiovascular disease, the leading cause of death among Americans, researchers explored what type of vitamin can help prevent disease. There is little strong evidence that vitamin D actually reduces the risk of cardiovascular disease. A peer-reviewed article suggests that consuming garlic has the most research and clear evidence for its ability to lower cholesterol and overall reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease. Since vitamin supplements are relatively new, there aren't many studies to prove or disprove the theories. (Knox