[The role of antioxidants in prevention].

The imbalance between free radical formation and the mechanisms involved in eliminating them results in oxidative stress which lies at the baseline of many diseases. There are many pathological conditions that can be prevented or even be cured by the application of antioxidants. Food containing plenty of natural antioxidants is very important in the maintenance of health and in the prevention of many illnesses. In some diseases supplementation of antioxidants in the proper form and dosage may be irrelevant. According to nutrigenomics the biologically active components of nutrition, including antioxidants, have an influence on the body in every single cell at all levels. Therefore the quality of nutrients is one of the important factors determining the appropriate cell function.