In this article: Science 101: What are antioxidants? 5 vitamin superstars Your daily diet Your daily supplements Recipe: Stop-the-Clock Curry Book excerpt: The Antioxidant Miracle Sources for this column

Start taking these supplements when you're young and healthy -- to stay that way!

HRONIC CONDITIONS like cancer and cardiovascular disease take decades to develop. So do wrinkles and fuzzy brains. That's why one of the world's leading authorities on antioxidants says no adult is too young to start taking these popular nutrients.

After decades of research, Lester Packer, Ph.D., a molecular and cell biologist at the University of California at Berkeley, worries that more than 70 percent of Americans will die prematurely from diseases caused by or compounded by deficiencies of antioxidants.

 

But starting young -- in your 20s, 30s or even 40s -- can help keep your body youthful and disease-free instead of in need of repair later. In fact, Packer insists that antioxidants "can make your heart strong, your mind sharp and your body youthful well into your 70s, 80s, 90s and beyond. They can help prevent cancer, keep your skin supple and wrinkle-free, improve your sex life and extend your life." No wonder Packer has titled his new book The Antioxidant Miracle (John Wiley, $24.95).

Get your antioxidants in food, too Antioxidant flavonoids are abundant in fruits and vegetables -- notably red grapes, berries, citrus, apples and onions -- and also in tea and red wine. Carotenoids, another fruit and vegetable antioxidant, combat heart disease, cancer and other chronic diseases. The spinach in this recipe is one of the best food sources of lipoic acid.   Stop-the-Clock Curry   In a large skillet or saucepan, add oil, curry powder, onions and garlic; sautŽ about 5 minutes. Add spinach, tomato sauce and 1 cup chickpeas. In a blender, purŽe remaining chickpeas with broth. Add to vegetables. Simmer until heated through, about 10 minutes. Add seasonings. Serve over cooked brown rice or couscous. Makes 4 cups; serves 4. Per cup: 183 calories, 8g protein, 26g carbohydrates, 6.3g fat (0.4g saturated), 7g fiber, 796mg sodium. 1 Tb. canola oil 1 Tb. quality curry powder 1 cup chopped yellow onion 2 garlic cloves, crushed 10 ounces frozen chopped spinach, thawed, drained 1 8-ounce can tomato sauce 1 19-ounce can chickpeas, drained 1 cup fat-free vegetable or chicken broth Salt and pepper, to taste Hot sauce or red pepper flakes, to taste (optional)

Hundreds of antioxidants are found in food, supplements and the human body, but Packer considers five absolutely essential because they work together in a remarkable network. Antioxidants constantly interact to boost each other's powers. For example, if your body runs out of vitamin E, vitamin C recharges it. The five superstars:

1. Vitamin E. The evidence for taking vitamin E is overwhelming, Packer says. It dramatically reduces your risk of heart attack or stroke, rejuvenates your immune system, keeps your brain cells sharp, relieves symptoms of arthritis, keeps skin youthful and reduces your risk of cancer, notably prostate cancer. It works as well as a prescription drug in delaying the progression of Alzheimer's disease. It has reduced the risk of a second heart attack by 70 percent. Unfortunately, most supplements contain only one form of vitamin E, alpha tocopherol, which does not give full protection, Packer says. He favors vitamin E in the form of natural mixed tocopherols and tocotrienols (another type of vitamin E) at a daily dose of 500 milligrams.

2.Vitamin C. "Taking a vitamin C supplement can make a huge difference in protecting against heart disease, keeping immune functions strong, preventing cataracts and even slowing down skin aging," says Packer. Vitamin C also bolsters the body's resistance to various cancers, much research has shown. In short, "people who take vitamin C live longer, healthier lives." Although our ancestors may have eaten as much as 10,000mg of vitamin C daily, Packer recommends a 500mg daily supplement of vitamin C plus vitamin C-rich foods.

Go to Top

Science 101: Antioxidants are a family of chemicals (including vitamins and minerals in foods and supplements) that combat the cell-damaging "free radicals" that help cause chronic diseases and premature aging. Our bodies make antioxidants, too, but production slows around age 30.

3.Lipoic acid. This vitaminlike substance is the most versatile and powerful of the antioxidants, according to Packer. It is unique in its ability to recycle or replenish other antioxidants and to get into brain cells. Research in his lab suggests lipoic acid is potent protection against stroke and heart disease. In Europe, it has been used for more than two decades to treat diabetic complications. Because you get only tiny amounts from food (red meat, spinach and potatoes are the best sources), Packer recommends taking 100mg of a lipoic acid supplement daily -- half in the morning, the other half in the late afternoon or evening.

4.Glutathione. Whether you are young, middle-aged or old, low blood levels of the antioxidant glutathione predict disease and premature death; levels decline dramatically around age 40. Glutathione is the body's main detoxifier of toxins, which is critical to survival. It also turns off inflammation and restores declining immune functions. Unfortunately, a glutathione supplement does not boost levels in the body; it is destroyed by digestive enzymes before it gets into the blood. The best way to increase glutathione is to take lipoic acid, says Packer. In cell cultures, he has found that lipoic acid boosts glutathione levels by a remarkable 30 percent.

Go to Top

Expert recommendations: Lester Packer's basics
Your daily diet Three red, orange or yellow fruits or vegetables, fresh or frozen. Two dark green leafy vegetables, fresh or frozen. Add two more fruits or vegetables if you are at high risk of cancer or heart disease	Your daily supplements (teens should take half the amount)
	Each morning 100mg tocotrienols, 200mg mixed tocopherols (both forms of vitamin E) 30mg coenzyme Q10 50mg lipoic acid 250mg vitamin C 400mcg folic acid 300mcg biotin 2mg vitamin B6	Each evening 200mg natural alpha tocopherol 50mg lipoic acid 250mg vitamin C 30mg ginkgo biloba 200mcg selenium

Go to Top

Lester Packer, Ph.D., UCLA
Author of The Antioxidant Miracle
John Wiley and Sons, $24.95.