C.D.E. Supplements aren't necessary for the person who eats a healthy diet. But since many of us don't always do that, here are simple guidelines for what you need and how best to get it. It's the one best supplement you can add to your daily diet, healthy or not. Experts differ on the amount needed for antioxidant benefits, but a safe amount seems to be 250-500 mg a day. It's easy to get that from foods such as oranges, grapefruit, tomatoes and peppers.
Vitamin E is an essential antioxidant that most likely helps prevent heart disease.
If you choose a supplement, look for 400 IU vitamin E as d-alpha tocopherol for improved absorption. Selenium works hand in hand with vitamin E, so if you take one you should also use the other. It is found in Brazil nuts. Try for 50-100 mcg a day. Folate has recently been added to grain foods in the United States to prevent heart disease as well as lessen the risk of spina bifida in newborns.