Antioxidants are compounds that neutralize free radicals, which are unstable molecules that can cause tissue destruction. Free radicals are produced normally during metabolism and are actually used to kill viruses and bacteria by our own immune cells. While our body is equipped to handle small quantities of free radicals, environmental agents, such as, cigarette smoke, radiation and pollution are sources of additional free radicals. When the body natural defenses are exhausted, the unstable molecules become destructive. The damage accumulates with age and has been implicated in disease states ranging from Alzheimer’s disease to cancer. Antioxidants, however, are capable of defusing the free radicals, transforming them into inert stable compounds, which are harmless.