A survey was conducted in a sample of 894 students entering a private university in São Paulo to examine the vitamin beliefs and to verify the relation between vitamin beliefs and vitamin supplements consumption. Nineteen statements about the relation between vitamins and health were developed to assess the beliefs; the respondents answered by means of a 5-point agreement scale. Cronbach's alpha coefficient of internal consistency was determined for the total scale. 94.5% of students believe that vitamin C prevents and cures the common cold and 72.5% consider vitamins as an energy source. Many students recognize the possibility of health risks associated to excessive vitamin consumption. Vitamin supplement users had a belief score higher than non-users (p<0.001). The results indicate that several misconceptions about vitamin benefits are common among the students and suggest a relation between vitamin beliefs and supplements consumption.523241248Barros, J.A.C., (1995) Propaganda de Medicamentos - Atentado à Saúde?, , São Paulo: Hucitec/ SobravimeBernier, J.J., Pathologies induites par des fortes doses de vitamines (1996) Cah Nutr Diet, 31, pp. 76-80Eldridge, A.L., Sheehan, E.T., Food supplement use and related beliefs: Survey of community college students (1994) J Nutr Educ, 26, pp. 259-265Worsley, A., Crawford, D.A., Baghurst, K.I., Diet, food beliefs and dietary supplementation (1987) Ecol Food Nutr, 19, pp. 281-296Thomas, P.R., Food for thought about dietary supplements (1996) Nutr Today, 31, pp. 46-54Foddy, W., (1993) Contructing Questions for Interviews and Questionaries: Theory and Practice in Social Research, , Cambridge: Cambridge University PressMueller, D.J., (1986) Measuring Social Attitudes, , New York: Teachers College(1998) Portaria n° 32, de 13.1.98: Regulamento Técnico para Fixação de Identidade e Qualidade de Suplementos Vitamínicos e ou de Minerais(1998) Portaria n° 40, de 13.1.98: Regulamento que Estabelece Normas para Níveis de Dosagem Diária de Vitaminas e Minerais em MedicamentosBryman, A., Cramer, D., (1990) Quantitative Data Analysis for Social Scientists, , New York: RoutledgeBode, A.M., Metabolism of vitamin C in health and disease (1997) Adv Pharmac, 38, pp. 21-47Thomsen, P.A., Terry, R.D., Amos, R.J., Adolescents' beliefs about and reasons for using vitamin/mineral supplements (1987) J Am Diet Assoc, 87, pp. 1063-1065Ajzen, I., Fishbein, M., (1980) Understanding Attitudes and Predicting Social Behavior, , New Jersey: Prentice-HallBorum, P.R., Supplements: Questions to ask to reduce confusion (2000) Am J Clin Nutr, 72 (SUPPL. 2), pp. 538S-540S