Antioxidant pills to take daily, how safe are they, what is the right amount to take, can you overdose by taking too many of these pills?
Top food sources and dietary selections

There are thousands of antioxidants found in fruits, vegetables, whole grains, nuts, legumes, chocolate, coffee, and red wine, meats, poultry, and fish.

Just about everybody has heard the word “antioxidant.” Over the past few years, articles touting the benefits of antioxidants—such as vitamins C and E—have been touted in countless magazine and newspaper articles. Yet, even with all this press, most people don’t have a good understanding of the concept of oxidation and anti-oxidation. I recently asked a number of my patients if they really knew what the word “antioxidant” meant. Although the majority of these patients were taking antioxidants, only a few understood what they were or how they really worked. For an excellent multivitamin with lots of antioxidants. Lots of antioxidants are present in herbs, including Bioperine and the turmeric extract Curcumin. A popular antioxidant supplement is cacao which avoids the fat and sugar in chocolate. A good antioxidant is mangosteen. Another interesting antioxidant carotenoid is astaxanthin.

Herbs with good antioxidants
There are countless herbs with excellent antioxidant benefits. Here are a few:
Fenugreek herb.
Mangosteen is an herb that has xanthones.
For more resveratrol supplement research information.
For more alpha lipoic acid information.
See also acai berry information.

Top antioxidants foods
Here are some foods that have high antioxidant value.  Blueberry, cranberry, artichoke hearts, blackberry, prune, raspberry, acai berry, pomegranate, and maqui berry.

Understanding Antioxidants
A common way used to describe oxidation is a piece of metal in the process of rusting. The process that occurs in the body is obviously different since we are made of living tissue. During the normal metabolism (or breakdown) of carbohydrates, fats, and proteins for energy production, certain molecules are generated that can damage the contents within cells. These destructive molecules often contain an unstable oxygen atom missing an electron. You may recall from high school or college chemistry that atoms, such as hydrogen and oxygen, have a pair of electrons spinning around them. An atom with only one electron in its orbit is very unstable. Chemists call this atom a free radical. This free radical can then steal an electron from a neighboring molecule and hence cause it to be damaged. The process of this damage is called oxidation. Cigarette smoke, fried foods, ozone, excessive sun exposure, car exhaust, certain drugs, radiation, and air pollution are common causes of oxidation. The body had developed ways to counteract these oxidants by producing antioxidants. An antioxidant is any chemical, natural or synthetic, that has the ability to neutralize oxidants (toxins or free radicals), thus protecting our cells from being damaged. There’s often a good balance between oxidation and anti-oxidation. A certain amount of oxidation in the body is necessary in order to fight infections or do repair work within cells. However, when a shift occurs leading to a preponderance of oxidation, without adequate antioxidant support, the body undergoes what’s called “oxidative stress.” The body normally produces powerful natural antioxidants—such as superoxide dismutase, glutathione, and catalase—to help fight these oxidants. Many antioxidants are also consumed through the diet, particularly fresh fruits and vegetables.

When excessive oxidation occurs for prolonged periods, it can take a toll on the system. Changes occur in cells which include damage to fatty acids, inactivation of enzymes, deterioration of cell membranes, breakdown of proteins, and damage to the DNA. For instance, if oxidants damage DNA, the eventual consequence could be a higher likelihood of cancer. If the damage occurs in arteries that supply blood to the heart, it could lead to hardening of the arteries and a heart attack. All these changes lead to disease and premature aging. Over the past few years, scientific evidence has slowly accumulated indicating that taking antioxidant supplements could potentially reduce the risk of certain illnesses and maintain brain health. There is, as of now, no proof that ingesting antioxidants prolongs life span in humans, but enough evidence has accumulated on the benefits of antioxidants that one should not casually dismiss their potential in improving quality of life and slowing the progression of certain chronic degenerative disorders.

But with the thousands of antioxidants available in our foodstuffs and the dozens available as supplements, which ones should you take, and in what dosages? This chapter will provide you with practical guidelines.

What Can Antioxidants Do for You?
As a rule, you are not likely to notice any immediate cognitive benefits from taking the antioxidants discussed in this chapter. Therefore, do not expect any dramatic changes in mood, energy, alertness, and memory. Antioxidants can be compared to health insurance. You pay your monthly fee but don’t often get the benefits until years later when you need a hospital bill paid. Antioxidants serve to protect your brain cells, proteins, and DNA from the gradual damage that occurs with the aging process. However, chapter 12 discusses other nutrients that have antioxidant benefits, such as CoQ10 and lipoic acid, which are mind energizers—they have immediate cognitive effects.

What Conditions Do Antioxidants Benefit?
It’s quite likely that, over the long run, antioxidants could slow the progression of heart disease, cancer, age related cognitive decline, Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, and perhaps other conditions, though there is no definite proof yet.

What Are Some Examples of Oxidants?
There are quite a number of damaging oxidants that we are exposed to on a daily basis. The most common are hydroxyl (OH), superoxide (O2), hydrogen peroxide (H202), and ozone (03).

Brain Cells Can Get Oxidized
The cell membrane of neurons is made mostly of phospholipids, which contain fatty acids. Nerve fibers that travel from the brain to the spinal cord, and from the spinal cord to the rest of the body, are also insulated with a white-colored fatty substance called myelin. With time, these fats can become oxidized, interfering with proper nerve activity. The process of fats becoming oxidized is called lipid peroxidation. The oxidation of fats contributes to brain aging and can accelerate degenerative disorders such as Alzheimer’s disease. You may recall from chapter 7 that the brain contains a great deal of polyunsaturated fatty acids, such as DHA and arachidonic acid, which are particularly susceptible to oxidation. As we age, many of these fatty acids in the brain become damaged due to oxidation and they lose some of their double bonds, thus becoming more saturated. Neurons in the brain become less efficient the more the fatty acids become saturated. Antioxidants can thus play a protective role in keeping the fatty acids in the brain healthy. After all, about 60 percent of the brain is made of fat.

Antioxidants and Memory
Although many antioxidant pills do not immediately influence cognition and memory, they very well could have a positive effect in the long run. Researchers at the University of Bern, in Switzerland, evaluated a total of three hundred male and one hundred thirty female volunteers, aged sixty-five to ninety-four, over twenty-two years. In 1971, they measured blood levels of three antioxidants: vitamin E, vitamin C, and beta-carotene. They also performed extensive memory testing. They found that higher levels of antioxidants, particularly vitamin C and beta-carotene, were associated with better performance in memory testing. The researchers state, "These results indicate the important role played by antioxidants in brain aging and may have implications for prevention of progressive cognitive impairments."

The researchers only tested blood levels of three antioxidants. It is quite likely that a number of other antioxidants play a role in helping us preserve memory and mental capacities in our later years. For instance, an eight-month study in rats showed administration of extracts from strawberries and spinach, either alone or with vitamin E, was able to slow damage to brain cells due to the aging process (Joseph 1998).

In this chapter I will briefly discuss some of the well-known antioxidants and also mention others that should be considered as part of a comprehensive antioxidant mind-preserving program.

Antioxidants and exercise
Exercise and mononuclear cell DNA damage: the effects of antioxidant supplementation.
 Int J Sport Nutr Exerc Metab. 2005 Oct;15(5):480-92. School of Health Sciences, University of Ulster Jordanstown, Newtownabbey, Northern Ireland, UK.
The purpose of this investigation was to determine the effects of antioxidant supplementation on DNA damage following exercise. Fourteen subjects were randomly assigned to one of two groups and required to ingest either antioxidants (400 mg alpha-lipoic acid, 200 mg co-enzyme Q10, 12 mg manganese, 600 mg vitamin C, 800 mg N-acetyl cysteine, 400 microg selenium, and 400 IU alpha-tocopherol per day) or placebos for 7 d. Exercise increased DNA damage, PS, FRAP, and LDH, but not selectively between groups. LDH and PS concentration decreased 1 h post-exercise, while LH concentration decreased 1 h post-exercise in the antioxidant group only. The antioxidant group had a higher concentration of LH, perhaps due to a selective difference between groups post-exercise. The main findings of this investigation demonstrate that exhaustive aerobic exercise induces DNA damage, while antioxidant supplementation does not protect against damage.

Types of antioxidants:
Carotenoids
   Beta-carotene: Orange/yellow fruits and vegetables (carrots, cantaloupe); dark leafy greens (spinach, kale)
   Lycopene: Red-fleshed fruits and vegetables (watermelon, tomato)
   Lutein and Zeaxanthin: Romaine lettuce, dark leafy greens, citrus fruits, corn, egg yolks
Flavonoids
   Anthocyanidins: Berries, grapes, wine
   Catechins: Tea, cocoa
   Quercetin: Apples, tea, capers, citrus fruits
Flavonols: Tea, cocoa, coffee, berries, grapes, apples, wine
Flavonones: Citrus fruits
Isoflavones and Phytoestrogens (daidzein, equol, enterolactone, genistein): Soybeans, whole wheat, flaxseed

Organosulfurs: Cabbages, Brussels sprouts, cauliflower
Selenium: Brazil nuts, red meat, tuna
Sulfides: Onions, garlic, leeks, chives
Vitamin C: Citrus fruits, bell peppers, broccoli, kiwifruit
Vitamin E (tocopherols): Wheat germ, mono-unsaturated oils (sunflower oil, safflower oil), tree nuts (almonds, hazelnuts), peanuts

Antioxidant supplement questions
Q. I have read that milk can almost completely inhibit the uptake of the various antioxidants in cocoa and also tea. Apparently the milk proteins combine with the antioxidants to prevent their absorption. I’m sure the majority of people tend to drink cocoa made with the addition of milk, and certainly in the UK tea is also drunk mainly with milk. I wonder about your opinion on this and whether it might be important to stress that milk should be avoided in order to enhance absorption. I note (in an e-mail to you) that the person grinding his own raw cocoa beans adds them to milk powder. He could be losing a lot of the antioxidant benefit that way. As a wider issue, what about the absorption of antioxidants in fruit and vegetables when eaten with yogurts, creamy sauces or cheeses? It would be interesting to investigate this and worrying if such combinations made the food less healthful.
   A. Yes, there was one study that indicated consuming tea with milk reduced the benefits from some of the antioxidants in the tea. Perhaps this also is relevant to other dairy products but I have not seen such data. It may be a good idea to drink herbal teas without milk until further research confirms or negates the early reports.  Or, another approach, one may call it Epicurean, is to just enjoy the tea with the milk and get antioxidants at a different time of day rather than relying on the tea.

I am a postdoc in UNC school of pharmacy and want to make out the maximum safe dose for the following antioxidant which will be used in our new formulation study of a new drug. Would you please to let me know if you know the data or show me how to find them out in fda website? Antioxidants BHA BHT Vitamin E
etinyl palmitate Ascorbyl palmitate TPGS.
    It is not possible to know the ideal and safe dosages until several decades of studies are done with these antioxidants separately and together. Thus far this type of research is not available.

Does the herb yohimbe bark have any antioxidant activity?
    We are not sure but probably not much.