ABSTRACT
Vitamin E and other antioxidant components of the diet (vitamin C, carotenoids, selenium, flavonoids, and several others) have been put to the forefront of the medical and nutrition sciences because of significant advances in understanding of the relationship of oxidative stress in its various forms to the onset and/or control of many chronic diseases. Since these disease states including coronary heart disease and cancer are focus points for consumer health interests and the medical community, dietary antioxidant components are highly recognized and sought after by the consumer. Of the many such dietary components, vitamin E has commanded most interest because of its availability, strong marketing potential, overall health impact, and central role in preventing oxidation at the cellular level.
