Liver and
yeast supply tiny amounts of lipoic acid, but there are no good food sources
Cautions
Generally
considered safe up to 100 mg/day as an anti-oxidant. From 300 to 600 mg/day
can be taken by diabetics under medical supervision, but may strongly
potentiate the action of insulin. No data is available for children or for
those who are pregnant or lactating. Should not be taken by those who are
deficient by vitamin B-1, but otherwise improves B vitamin status. Decrease
dosage if sleep is disturbed.
How to
Take
Best taken
in divided doses of 25 to 50 milligrams with food twice per day or in a
controlled delivery formulation
Supplement
Forms
Capsules
and tablets
Other /
Benefits
Spares
vitamins C and E; improves the production of glutathione peroxidase; is
considered to be the “universal” anti-oxidant; improves oxygen utilization by
the brain; aids the utilization of carbohydrates for energy; retards diabetic
neuropathy; supports liver functions; treats heavy metal and mushroom
poisoning / B, C, D
No adverse
effects are known at normal dosage levels
How to
Take
80 to 160
milligrams two to three times daily; use a standardized extract containing
approximately 25% anthocyanosides
Supplement
Forms
Capsules
and tablet
Other /
Benefits
Improves
night vision and the health of the eyes; strengthens the capillaries and
other blood vessels; improves varicose veins; is an anti-inflammatory; has
anti-ulcer benefits / C, D, T
Generally
well tolerated, but safety has not been determined during pregnancy and
lactation. Decrease dosage if sleep is disturbed.
How to
Take
50 to 100
milligrams two to three times daily with meals; other fats and oils greatly
improve uptake
Supplement
Forms
Capsules,
tablets and soft gelatin capsules (preferred)
Other /
Benefits
Improves
energy; supports immune functions; improves cardiovascular function and the
health of the gums / B, C, D
5.Cysteine
*RDI
†
Food
Sources
Garlic,
other sulfur-containing vegetables
Cautions
Should be
taken with three times its amount of vitamin C to prevent conversion to
cysteine; large supplemental doses not advised for diabetics
How to
Take
500 to
1,000 milligrams up to three times daily; do not take with protein-containing
meals (reduces absorption); supplement with 5 to 10 milligrams additional
vitamin B-6 per day
Supplement
Forms
Capsules
and tablets
Other /
Benefits
Building
block for the production of glutathione; useful against the toxins of alcohol
and smoking / B, C, D
Made in
the body from protein sources; difficult to increase directly from the diet
Cautions
Well
tolerated; must be taken in large amounts for it to achieve an effective
dosage level
How to
Take
1 to 3
grams daily; do not take with additional protein (reduces absorption); not
well absorbed because hydrolyzed by digestive enzymes; take with selenium and
vitamin B-6; use N-acetyl cysteine at lower dosages
Supplement
Forms
Capsules
and tablets
Other /
Benefits
Detoxifies
heavy metals and improves the actions of the liver’s detoxification enzyme
system; is a building block for the anti-oxidant enzyme
glutathione-S-transferase / A, B, C, D
8.Grape Seed Extract
*RDI
†
Food
Sources
Red wines;
the active ingredient is also found in lesser amounts in Japanese persimmons,
bilberries, black currants, black tea, blueberries, cherries, cranberries,
green tea, and hawthorn berries
Cautions
Well
tolerated
How to
Take
50 to 100
milligrams two to three times daily; extracts range from 85 to 95% active
ingredients known as oligomeric proanthocyanidins or OPCs (see Pycnogenol);
children’s dosages are one half those of adults
Supplement
Forms
Capsules
and tablets; becoming available as an ingredient in prepared foods
Other /
Benefits
Powerful
protector of the vitamins C and E; protects against edema and damage to
connective tissues and all collagen-based tissues; improves capillary and
general cardiovascular health; improves varicose veins; lowers elevated blood
pressure; anti-allergic and anti-inflammatory actions / B, C, D, E
9.Grape Skin Extract
*RDI
†
Food
Sources
Purple
grape juices, red wine
Cautions
Well
tolerated
How to
Take
80 to 160
milligrams two to three times daily; use a standardized extract containing
approximately 25% anthocyanosides
Supplement
Forms
Capsules
and tablets
Other /
Benefits
Has
benefits similar to those of bilberry / B, C, D, E
10.Green Tea
*RDI
†
Food
Sources
Green tea
beverages
Cautions
Well
tolerated; caffeine-free extracts are available
How to
Take
150 to 200
milligrams two times daily if using extracts standardized to approximately
80% total phenols and 55% epigallocatechins
Supplement
Forms
Capsules
and tablets; some beverages available
Other /
Benefits
Considered
to have anticancer and general detoxification benefits; may lower elevated
blood lipids; may help to regulate blood sugar levels and aid in weight loss;
reduces blood clotting tendencies / B, C, D, E, T
11.Hawthorn
*RDI
†
Food
Sources
Beverages
made from the berries and flowers
Cautions
Well
tolerated
How to
Take
3 to 5
grams of dried berries or dried flowers for tea three times daily; liquid
extracts as directed; 100 to 250 milligrams of 20% proanthocyanidin extract
three times daily
Supplement
Forms
Capsules,
tablets, liquid extracts of various sorts
Other /
Benefits
Protects
the cardiovascular system and collagen-based tissues; improves blood flow in
the coronary artery and reduces blood pressure / B, C, D, T
12.Indole-3-carbinol and other indoles
*RDI
†
Food
Sources
All
members of the cruciferous (cabbage) family of vegetables
Cautions
Well
tolerated
How to
Take
200 to 600
milligrams daily with a meal
Supplement
Forms
Capsules
and tablets
Other /
Benefits
Strong
anticancer compounds which enhance the liver’s detoxification system / B,
C, D, E
Well
tolerated, but long-term safety of high-dose supplementation has not been
studied. Decrease dosage if sleep is disturbed at higher intakes. Lycopene is
another carotenoid without vitamin A activity.
How to
Take
3 to 7
milligrams daily with a meal as an anti-oxidant; 10 milligrams three times
daily with meals or 15 milligrams twice daily for special purposes
Supplement
Forms
Soft
gelatin capsules; oleoresin source is superior to pure crystalline lycopene
Other /
Benefits
Enhances
immune function; protects against skin cancer and cancers of the
gastrointestinal tract and other cancers; especially important for protection
against prostate cancer / B, D, E
Not
recommended for those taking cortisone or other steroid drugs, in autoimmune
diseases, for those with mental illness, for those with severe allergies nor
for normal children of all ages; do not take during the day
How to
Take
0.5 to 1
milligram thirty minutes before bedtime
Supplement
Forms
Primarily
tablets, including sublingual tablets
Other /
Benefits
Aside from
its own anti-oxidant protection, also stimulates the production of
glutathione peroxidase; stimulates immune function / A, B, C, D
17.Methyl Donors (trimethylglycine / TMG)
*RDI
†
Food
Sources
Beets,
broccoli, spinach
Cautions
Inappropriate
for those with schizophrenia or bipolar (manic) depression
How to
Take
500 to
1,000 milligrams TMG per day, preferably early in the day; works best used in
conjunction with vitamins B-6, B-12 and folic acid
Supplement
Forms
Capsules,
tablets and powders
Other /
Benefits
Methyl
donors both spare anti-oxidants and complement the functions of anti-oxidants
/ A, B, C, D
Well
tolerated even with prolonged intake; may soften the stool due to choleretic
action (increases bile flow and secretion)
How to
Take
70 to 120
milligrams two to three times daily; extract should be standardized to
approximately 70% silymarin
Supplement
Forms
Capsules
and tablets
Other /
Benefits
Increases
the glutathione content of the liver by 35% and the superoxide dismutase
content in many different cells; inhibits lipoxygenase, a pro-inflammatory
enzyme; is a powerful liver protectant / B, C, D, T
19.N-acetyl cysteine (NAC)
*RDI
†
Food
Sources
Garlic,
other sulfur-containing vegetables
Cautions
Healthy
subjects should not take more than 750 milligrams per day for any extended
period of time; above this level, NAC can act as a pro-oxidant
How to
Take
250 to 750
milligrams daily; small amounts of alpha-lipoic acid may serve to improve the
efficacy of this supplement
Supplement
Forms
Capsules
and tablets
Other /
Benefits
Acts as a
substrate to increase the synthesis of glutathione / A, B, C, D
50 to 100
milligrams two to three times daily; children take half the adult dosage
Supplement
Forms
Capsules
and tablets
Other /
Benefits
See Grape
Seed Extract / B, C, D
21.Quercitin
*RDI
†
Food
Sources
Black tea,
colored onions (red and yellow, not white, and more available when cooked),
most fruits, leafy vegetables, lemon peel, orange peel, parsley, red wine,
rose hips, tangerines, tomatoes
Cautions
Very well
tolerated; high doses may cause loose stool in sensitive individuals
How to
Take
200 to 400
milligrams taken two to three times daily before meals
Supplement
Forms
Capsules
and tablets
Other /
Benefits
Prevents
oxidation of vitamin C by copper ions; increases the anti-scurvy and
anti-oxidant actions of vitamin C; improves capillary health; protects the
sight; is an anticancer agent; reduces allergic responses / B, C, D, E
22.Rosemary
*RDI
†
Food
Sources
Rosemary
herb in cooking and tea
Cautions
Not for
use during pregnancy or lactation (other than as a flavoring); the essential
oil should be used internally only under direction; dilute rosemary tea is
safe for children in small amounts, but only with caution under two years of
age; may not be suitable for all individuals
How to
Take
Short
term, 1 to 4 grams of crude dried herb two to three times daily as a tea;
prepared tinctures as directed
Supplement
Forms
Liquid
tinctures and sometimes as additions to anti-oxidant tablets and capsules
Other /
Benefits
Used for
sluggish digestion, liver and gallbladder complaints, poor circulation,
rheumatism and headache / B, D, T
23.Rutin (also hesperidin, naringin,
quercitron)
*RDI
†
Food
Sources
Concentrated
in citrus peels; other sources – see quercetin
Cautions
Very well
tolerated; high doses may cause loose stool in sensitive individuals
How to
Take
2 grams
two to three times daily
Supplement
Forms
Capsules,
tablets, powders
Other /
Benefits
Useful
against capillary fragility, easy bruising, hemorrhoids, varicose veins,
allergic responses / B, C, D, E
24.S-adenosyl methionine (SAMe)
*RDI
†
Food
Sources
No food source
Cautions
Not
recommended for use by those with bipolar (manic) depression
How to
Take
400
milligrams from one to four times daily; tablets must be enteric coated or
otherwise protected from release in the stomach; see methyl donors; benefits
appear in two to eight weeks
Supplement
Forms
Tablets
Other /
Benefits
A primary
methyl donor (see above); useful in depression, osteoarthritis, fibromyalgia,
liver disorders, possibly migraine headaches / B, C, D
