title: [Antioxidants--helpful or harmful?].
abstract: Fortified food claiming to exert a special function are increasingly offered on the market. Antioxidants (vitamin C, E and beta-carotene) are the major compounds in fortified foods. Due to the fact that the fortified vitamins do not exceed the recommended daily allowances within a food there is no risk for the consumer. Even in speculative cases of accumulation of antioxidants from different fortfied food sources there is no real risk. However, fortified food should not be taken to compensate an unbalanced and unhealthy diet. This risk is far more real because fortified food contains only a few antioxidants whereas a balanced diet contains hundreds. Whether the consumer may have a benefit from fortified food has not yet been evaluated with respect to antioxidant vitamins.
authors.affiliation: Institut für Biologische Chemie und Ernährungswissenschaft, Universität Hohenheim, Stuttgart, Germany.
authors.forename: H K
authors.initials: HK
authors.lastname: Biesalski
mesh_terms: D000975:Antioxidants / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000009:adverse effects*; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000517:prevention & control*; D003920:Diabetes Mellitus / Q000517:prevention & control*; D019317:Evidence-Based Medicine; D005527:Food, Fortified / Q000009:adverse effects*; D006801:Humans; D009753:Nutritive Value; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012307:Risk Factors; D014815:Vitamins / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000009:adverse effects*
chemical_list: D000975:Antioxidants; D014815:Vitamins