Antioxidants are very popular, and for good reason. They help to get rid of free radicals, which can attack cells in the body and cause damage that leads to disease. Antioxidants, which can be vitamins as well as minerals or plant-based substances, bind to these free radicals and prevent them from doing damage to the body. The best antioxidant vitamins are vitamin C, vitamin E and beta-carotene, which is converted to vitamin A in the body.
Vitamin C
The best-known antioxidant vitamin is vitamin C. It has a high ability to bind and safety inactivate free radicals in the body. It also helps to regenerate other antioxidants in the body such as glutathione and vitamin E when these are used to inactivate free radicals.
A 2003 review in the Journal of the American College of Nutrition found that while vitamin C is an excellent antioxidant, its exact role in prevention of disease is not yet certain.
The recommended daily dose for vitamin C is 30mg, but most supplements are between 500mg and 1000mg daily. Dietary forms of vitamin C can be obtained in citrus fruits, broccoli and peppers.
Vitamin E
Vitamin E is especially good at stopping free radicals from damaging cell membranes as well as other lipid-rich structures in the body, and it may be able to prevent both the oxidation of low-density lipoprotein, or LDL, cholesterol and free radical damage in the eye. Many studies have been conducted on vitamin E and its potential for slowing the aging process, with limited success.
While vitamin E has excellent antioxidant capabilities in the body, a 2008 review in the Cochrane Database indicated that there is no clear benefit for using vitamin E supplementation for any chronic disease.
A 2008 study in the American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine found that vitamin E supplements were associated with increased lung cancer risk in smokers. Therefore, high-dose supplements should be used with caution. The recommended dose of vitamin E is 22.5 IU per day, but the average supplement contains at 400 IU per day.
Vitamin E can be obtained through foods such as nuts, broccoli, spinach and tomatoes.
Beta-Carotene
Beta-carotene is converted to vitamin A in the body. It also has a great ability to bind free radicals and stop oxidation in the body. The "Natural Therapeutics Pocket Guide" indicates that the natural, rather than synthetic, form of beta-carotene is the form that acts as an antioxidant. The American Heart Association recommends obtaining beta-carotene as well as other antioxidants from the diet rather than from supplements.
Beta-carotene supplements can be taken at around 10,000 to 30,000 IU per day. Due to possible toxicity, do not supplement with vitamin A except on the advice of your doctor. Dietary beta-carotene can be best obtained from orange vegetables such as carrots and sweet potatoes, but it is also found in broccoli and spinach.
Vitamins in Combination
A combination supplement that includes beta-carotene, vitamin C and vitamin E as well as the antioxidant mineral selenium, commonly known as ACES, may be a better alternative than using any of the antioxidant vitamins alone.
References
- Journal of the American College of Nutrition; Vitamin C as an Antioxidant: Evaluation of Its Role in Disease Prevention; Sebastian J. Padayatty et al.; 2003
- American Heart Association: Antioxidant Vitamins
- American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine; Long-Term Use of Supplemental Multivitamins, Vitamin C, Vitamin E and Folate Does Not Reduce the Risk of Lung Cancer; Christopher G. Slatore et al.; March 2008
- "Natural Therapeutics Pocket Guide, Second Edition"; Daniel L. Krinsky et al.; 2003
- Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews; Antioxidant Supplements for Prevention of Mortality in Healthy Participants and Patients With Various Diseases; Goran Bjelakovic et al.; 2008
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