Antioxidants, Vitamins & Health

Citation

Fernand Bourgeois, C. (2004), "Antioxidants, Vitamins & Health", Nutrition & Food Science, Vol. 34 No. 4, pp. 188-188. https://doi.org/10.1108/nfs.2004.34.4.188.1

The book begins with a clear and concise summary of the chemistry of free radicals.

Major antioxidants; vitamin C, vitamin E and beta carotene are detailed. The chemistry of these is covered including that of the immune response.

The effects of the antioxidant vitamins are covered in great detail in respect of:

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  cardiovascular disease;

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  cancer;

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  cataracts; and

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  ageing.

A chapter is devoted to each topic and covers research, epidemiological studies and research trials using the vitamins.

While the majority of the book is devoted to vitamin C, vitamin E and beta carotene there is a chapter on polypherals and pherals which also act as antioxidants.

The final chapter of conclusions both highlights and summarises the effects of antioxidants with a clear message permeating the findings in that fruit and vegetables and the antioxidants they contain have protective properties.

There is an extremely useful set of appendices at the end of the book.