In the course of the body's evolutionary adaption to our planet's oxygen atmosphere, it developed an antioxidative protection system. The body is susceptible to threats posed by various radicals and oxidation, these can be, among others, food components, metabolic products, environmental poisons, sicknesses, medications or UV- or ionic radiation. Antioxidants are substances that protect the organism from oxidation (bonding with oxygen); through their antioxidative effect, they prevent the development of free radicals. The following are among the antioxidants derived from plant sources: in addition to vitamin A, vitamin C, vitamin E, carotinoid, lipoic acid, ubichinon (coenzyme Q), flavonoids and polyphenoles are also antioxidants.