13 Vitamin C has numerous mechanisms of action that suggest it can help slow the aging process. It also helps prevent cancer and heart disease. Vitamin C enhances wound healing, improves collagen production and stimulates immunity. In a prospective study in Switzerland, vitamin C, independent of other beneficial antioxidants, was associated with reduced heart disease risk. The authors of that study suggest the benefits of antioxidants are likely to be greater when they are all available in adequate amounts because they work together to protect against free radicals.
Carotenoids help retard the aging process as well as treat age-related diseases.
As of 1995, a total of 21 carotenoids had been identified in human blood. All of them function as antioxidants. It is associated with lower risks of cancer and heart disease. Lycopene, abundant in tomatoes but also available as a supplement, is the most prevalent carotenoid in the serum. 18 Lycopene helps to prevent prostate cancer and in doses of 15 mg per day may help to slow its progression.