Antioxidants 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 Related Issues Antioxidants and Cancer Prevention National Cancer Institute Coenzyme Q10 (PDQ) National Cancer Institute 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 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 Statistics and Research Claims about Cocoa: Can Chocolate Really Be Good for You? National Institutes of Health NIH Researchers Find Resveratrol Helps Protect against Cardiovascular Disease in Animal Study National Institute on Aging Resveratrol Does Not Affect Health, Longevity in Population Study National Institute on Aging Selenium and Vitamin E Cancer Prevention Trial (SELECT): Questions and Answers National Cancer Institute Clinical Trials ClinicalTrials.gov: Antioxidants National Institutes of Health 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 Vitamin A National Institutes of Health, Office of Dietary Supplements Vitamin C National Institutes of Health, Office of Dietary Supplements Vitamin E National Institutes of Health, Office of Dietary Supplements Zinc National Institutes of Health, Office of Dietary Supplements Find an Expert Find a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics Food and Nutrition Information Center Food and Nutrition Information Center National Institutes of Health, Office of Dietary Supplements National Institutes of Health, Office of Dietary Supplements Journal Articles Antioxidants
