Antioxidant support

Marketing category for supplements sold under the slogan «protection of cells from free radicals and oxidative stress». EFSA EU Register on Nutrition and Health Claims approves general physiological claims for vitamin C, vitamin E, selenium, zinc, copper, riboflavin and manganese: «contributes to the protection of cells from oxidative stress» at intake within the RDA. This is not a clinical indication and does not imply proven benefit from high-dose supplementation. RCTs of antioxidant supplements in chronic disease (cardiovascular, cancer, neurodegeneration) have consistently failed to show clinical benefit and in some cases showed harm (SELECT trial 2011 for vitamin E and selenium, ATBC trial 1994 for beta-carotene in smokers). In healthy adults on a balanced diet, antioxidant nutrient needs are met from food without supplements. AESAN classifies antioxidant supplements as complementos alimenticios without therapeutic indication.

1 drug

Also known as: Oxidative stress protection, Antioxidant defence, Antioxidant supplements, Free radical scavenging

Marketing claims without evidence base

The drug is promoted for these uses outside international guidelines. Each entry below is analyzed against AEMPS, FDA, EMA, Cochrane and major RCTs.

CMixed tocopherolsNot recommended · Mixed natural tocopherols with predominance of gamma- and delta-forms (plus alpha- and beta-tocopherol), supplement, marketed as «full-spectrum vitamin E», separate from pure alpha-tocopherolMixed tocopherols is an OTC supplement. EFSA in 2010 approved a general vitamin E health claim, «contributes to the protection of cells from oxidative stress» at 12 mg alpha-tocopherol equivalent per day. The wording covers the whole tocopherol group and does not endorse a superiority of mixed tocopherols over pure alpha-tocopherol. In a healthy adult on a balanced diet (vegetable oils, nuts, leafy greens) the daily vitamin E requirement (15 mg RE per EFSA) is usually met from food without supplements. AEMPS registers alpha-tocopherol as a medicine in confirmed deficiency (e.g. malabsorption syndrome, abetalipoproteinaemia). If mixed tocopherols was bought «for antioxidant defence» on a balanced diet, discuss with a doctor; supplementation in non-deficient individuals offers no proven clinical benefit.

How to read tiers A–F

Evidence tiers belong to the drug-indication pair, not to the drug as a whole: the same substance can be A for one condition and F for another.

AStrong evidence – first or second line in international guidelines
BRecommended in selected cases
CStudy data contradict each other
DBenefit not proven, no documented harm
FDocumented harm, or risk without benefit