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. Our bodies make antioxidants, too, but production slows around age 30. They can help prevent cancer, keep your skin supple and wrinkle-free, improve your sex life and extend your life. 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. No wonder Packer has titled his new book The Antioxidant Miracle . 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.