Antioxidants

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Summary

Antioxidants are man-made or natural substances that may prevent or delay some types of cell damage. Antioxidants are found in many foods, including fruits and vegetables. They are also available as dietary supplements. Examples of antioxidants include

• Beta-carotene
• Lutein
• Lycopene
• Selenium
• Vitamin A
• Vitamin C
• Vitamin E

Vegetables and fruits are rich sources of antioxidants. There is good evidence that eating a diet with lots of vegetables and fruits is healthy and lowers risks of certain diseases. But it isn't clear whether this is because of the antioxidants, something else in the foods, or other factors.

High-dose supplements of antioxidants may be linked to health risks in some cases. For example, high doses of beta-carotene may increase the risk of lung cancer in smokers. High doses of vitamin E may increase risks of prostate cancer and one type of stroke. Antioxidant supplements may also interact with some medicines. To minimize risk, tell you of your health care providers about any antioxidants you use.

NIH: National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health

Start Here

• Antioxidants and Health: An Introduction (National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health)
• Antioxidants: Beyond the Hype (Harvard School of Public Health)
• Antioxidants: Protecting Healthy Cells (Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics)
• Antioxidants: What You Need to Know (American Academy of Family Physicians) Also in Spanish

Related Issues

• Antioxidants and Cancer Prevention (National Cancer Institute) Also in Spanish
• Coenzyme Q10 (PDQ) (National Cancer Institute) Also in Spanish
• Grape Juice: Same Heart Benefits as Wine? (Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research)
• Red Wine and Resveratrol: Good for Your Heart? (Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research)

Specifics

• Cranberry (National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health)
• Grape Seed Extract (National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health)
• Noni (National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health)
• Selenium (National Institutes of Health, Office of Dietary Supplements) Also in Spanish
• Vitamin A (National Institutes of Health, Office of Dietary Supplements) Also in Spanish
• Vitamin C (National Institutes of Health, Office of Dietary Supplements) Also in Spanish
• Vitamin E (National Institutes of Health, Office of Dietary Supplements) Also in Spanish
• Zinc (National Institutes of Health, Office of Dietary Supplements) Also in Spanish

Statistics and Research

• Claims about Cocoa: Can Chocolate Really Be Good for You? (National Institutes of Health)
• Selenium and Vitamin E Cancer Prevention Trial (SELECT): Questions and Answers (National Cancer Institute)

Clinical Trials

• ClinicalTrials.gov: Antioxidants (National Institutes of Health)

Journal Articles References and abstracts from MEDLINE/PubMed (National Library of Medicine)

• Article: Antioxidant vitamin and mineral supplements for slowing the progression of...
• Article: Antioxidants for female subfertility.
• Article: Metformin effects on the heart and the cardiovascular system: A review...
• Antioxidants -- see more articles

Find an Expert

• Find a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist (Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics)
• Food and Nutrition Information Center
• National Institutes of Health, Office of Dietary Supplements