The science of nutrition has produced dramatic findings over the past few decades. Of particular note is the expansion of knowledge about essential fatty acids during the 1980s. Also, profound changes in the concept of daily nutritional requirements find the United States replacing "recommended daily allowances" with "dietary reference intakes." This reflects the consideration of optimal nutrient levels rather than minimum daily requirements. The vitamin paradigm changed forever when neural tube defects declined radically with folic acid supplementation.1 No longer do we think only of preventing nutritional deficiency diseases. Now we are learning to provide optimal nutrient intake for optimal function.