Because these substances work on oxygen by-products called free radicals, they have since come to be known as natural antioxidants. A natural antioxidant protects the body against free radicals. One of the many functions of natural antioxidants is to work against the formation of cellular damage caused by free radicals. When the free radicals steel electrons from a stable molecule, that molecule will become a free radical itself, beginning a chain reaction. Once the process of free radicals formation is started, it can cascade, finally resulting in the disruption of a living cell. Antioxidants: Natural Enemies of Free Radicals Antioxidants such as vitamins C and E are thought to protect the body against the destructive effects of free radicals. This actually creates a chain reaction which could eventually lead to killer diseases such as heart disease and cancer, and even aging itself. The Top 20 list of antioxidants published in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry shows the ranks of the capacity of berry foods, fruits, and vegetables to interfere with or prevent oxidative processes where free radicals are formed. It seemed that in most major trials designed to see whether taking extra beta-carotene antioxidant supplements could ward off cancer, beta-carotene didn't do a good job at it. Worse, beta-carotene antioxidant supplements and pills seemed to increase rates of cancer for smokers in two large trials. And so, studies began to look towards other sources of antioxidants as possible antioxidant supplements. Supplements of these antioxidant enzymes are also available. Usually they are for oral administration in the form of pills or capsules. However, the absorption of antioxidant enzymes in supplement form is minimal at best. A better way would be to supplement the body with the "building blocks" required in order for our body to manufacture its own SOD, catalase, glutathione peroxidase, and other such antioxidant enzymes. The new study on antioxidant red grapes, released in April 9, was conducted by researchers at Creighton University in Omaha. The group of researchers who conducted the study say that a compound extracted from the seeds of red grapes called Activin (tm) is that substance with powerful antioxidant red grapes properties.